I didn't consider myself a collector of flashlights until I started counting just how many I had. It's kind of like that alox addiction.
I had a little Christmas money, and thought I'd check out OLIGHT. I've heard good things here, and thought I'd branch out from my usual Fenix purchases. I was surprised to see that OLight had some pretty affordable AAA sized lights. In particular, the i3E looks like the equivalent of the Fenix E05, and the i3T EOS looks comparable to the LD01/LD02. In both cases, the OLight MSRP is about half that of the equivalent Fenix. So I order myself the i3T EOS for $20.
Let's start with the manufacturer's specifications:
LD01:
Low - 3 Lumens, 27 hrs
Med - 26 Lumens, 3 hrs 8 min
Hi - 72 Lumens, 1 hr, 28 min
i3T EOS:
Low - 5 Lumens, 16 hrs
Hi - 180 Lumens, 21 min
The LD01 (which I own) is a twisty head, and I find it awkward to change modes, so I was immediately pleased with the tail switch on the i3T. That's sort of a wash because the LD01 has been discontinued for some time, replaced by the LD02 which has a tail switch. That aside, the i3T has a blended hot spot in the center, with a lot of spill and a wide penumbra (second photo). In particular, the Low mode on the i3T is much more useful than the Low mode on the LD01. It is quickly evident from the brightness levels and run times that the i3T really needs a Medium setting. With just the two modes the interface is as simple as it gets (Low - High) with no annoying strobe modes. The tail switch protrudes, so it's easy to activate, but it won't tail stand. It comes with OLight's new "dual direction pocket clip". This is a great idea, you can put it in your pocket head down, and then clip on your hat brim head out without having to reverse the clip. The i3T is a bit larger and heaver than the LD01. I measure the LD01 at 3 inches and the i3T at 3-1/2 inches. By comparison, the Fenix E05 is only 2-5/8 inches long. The i3T also runs much hotter than the LD01. I guess I'll have to spend some time with this light to decide if I like it more or less than the LD01.
Pros:
- Lots of light for a $20 flashlight
- The included "dual direction pocket clip"
- Tail switch with simple Low - High interface
Cons:
- Short run times, no Medium setting
- Doesn't tail stand
- Runs hot