Olight freak

[buggs]

Greetings all, just joined a couple of days ago, been lurking a long while.  One of those saying hi suggested posting some pics of my Olights so here we are.  I'm not entirely sure if I'm allowed to post pics just yet so this is a bit of a trial run.  I'll try to include some words as well in case the pictures don't show up. 

Historically I'm a collector.  I've always collected stuff from spoons, to patches, to bottle caps to toys.  Without disrespecting anyone that has a true, debilitating form of OCD, I clearly have some tendencies that way.  I can manage it for the most part but I invariably get carried away at times.

My wife used to always tease me about flashlights and she wasn't wrong.  I find them to be incredibly useful tools and while one would probably do, where is the fun in that. 

Initially I had mostly maglites and I still like them to this day.  While the incandescent bulbs are inferior to modern LEDs, I find the quality of light more pleasing and far more useful when I'm shining the light on something metallic and shiny, like a bike cage lock in late fall when it's pitch black outside.  The LEDs just wash out everything where an incandescent bulb is softer.  Probably has a lot to do with my crappy eyesight as I age as well.  I still have several maglites btw and even went to the point of picking up some 'new' magllites with incandescent bulbs for just that reason (AAA, 2 AA). 

I don't quite remember how I got introduced to Olight, though I expect it may well have been through this site and my earliest stalking days of these forums.  I thought these things were pretty darn cool and I'm a fan of quality more than anything else.  These seemed pretty pleasing and high end relative to the maglites in many ways.  So when I got exposed to my first Olight "Flash Sale" I jumped in with both feet.  The cheap Canadian in me also liked the notion of a "free gift with purchase" even though it's not really free.  For the Canadians out there I treat Olight much as I treat Canadian Tire - I don't buy anything at regular price because it will go on sale at some point, so patience is a must. 

My first Olights were pretty small and simple.  Pretty sure I ordered an M2T warrior, an S1R Baton, an IR2 EOS and got a free1AAA version of their key chain light (can't remember the model designation because we don't have it any longer - we had two at one point, one for my wife, one for my daughter but the head got lost on both somehow). 

I really liked the S1R Baton out of the box and my wife has it now.  It was really bright and very easy to carry, rechargeable and durable.  Score one for Olight.  The M2T Warrior less so.  It has a nice form and feels very sturdy but it just kind of seems to be lacking compared to other products, clearly older tech for them.  I do enjoy having it because I still see utility in having a flashlight that can still use traditional batteries, if you can call CRs traditional.  I generally keep extra batteries around so were there a situation where I couldn't use a USB port to charge, this light will still be there and useful if need be.  The original IR2 is still on my keychain and has been charged only once.  It is remarkably bright at it's size and has held a charge like a champ.  It was a very clear win as well.  So my first experience was pretty near a universal win.  Color me impressed. 

Naturally from that point on I was like "ooh, what else can I get?" and it went from there.  I could type a lot more but will save some for later.  For now, here are some pics. 

[zoidberg]

The camo on that Warrior looks sweet!!      

[Aloha]

Loyal to my partner but not to light brands   .  Very nice selection of Olights  . 

I think my first quality new age LED light was Olight I2 EOS.  I still have it and its been flawless.  I then got a I3 EOS.  Still have it and its also been flawless.  Then I went to 4/7s and Fenix then onto Lumentop and Thrunite.  All have proven to be great lights for what I needed or wanted at the time.  I have all and all continue to perform flawlessly. 

I kept hearing about Zebra and had to try one out.  It was my first complicated light as far as UI but I found it to be something fairly easy for me to figure out.  Its a light that I thought would be my last since it ticked a lot of boxes for me.  I can run various cells and multiple modes of which I can chose various higher or lower.  I also like the look a lot. 

Well I began to chase for a very short time lumens.  I bought the Olight S1R Turbo.  I liked the idea of this light a lot but I wont buy lights with proprietary cells anymore.  I've not had a problem but I'd rather be able to pop in any cell and go about my business.  Its been a great light and lives on my night stand now. 

I like AAA and the lithium offerings but I've yet to look in that direction.  I did pick up a Lumentop Tool 2.0 not long ago and this light is one that checks off a lot of boxes.  It accepts AAs of various chemistries and gives out a lot of light with good run times. 

My last purchase on a whim was an Olight Titanium T10.  I have other T10s but I got sucked in to Titanium at an affordable price at the time.  Anyways, I rambled on way too much. 

Nice to have you aboard and happy you posted your lights. 

[enki_ck]

Excellent selection and collection of Olights. I always liked them, have been a fan of them ever since they first appeared but back then they were still called ITP. I still have and use the ITP A2 and ITP A3 in stainless is my EDC keychain flashlight, both still going strong after a decade of use, got them in 2010 . They renamed them when they became Olight to i2 and i3, but form factor remained the same. 

[Barry Rowland]

Nice collection!

[buggs]

The camo on that Warrior looks sweet!!      

It's pretty nice indeed, so thanks.  I do have to say that I have very little actual practical use for it.  LOL.  I just thought it was pretty cool and reputedly very bright, which it is.  Were I involved in security of some sort it would be a great light.  My knock on it would be that it gets incredibly hot on the higher levels.  So I'm not sure about sustained use for it.  Looking for little things in the dark corners of the house or shed?  Bloody brilliant.  Fun to own but not inexpensive and I don't think I'd buy another.  IIRC it requires a different charger cable than the other rechargeables but I'm not positive.  Pretty sure one of my lights uses only one type of cable and the rest are all cross compatible.  I'll have to look. 

As mentioned, I buy these things on sale and that generally means bundles, which also means I have too many keychain lights and i3Ts or i5Ts though I like both of those quite a lot. The i3Rs make great stocking stuffers, but the collector in me has difficulty parting with 'colors'.  LOL.  The one on my keychain is black.   

The i3T being a AAA is very nice and I find an ideal size for Leatherman sheaths.  I do prefer the i5T though as the size and light seems a bit more suitable to most of my needs.  Both are really light and they have served a pretty long time on their current batteries. 

[Millhouse]

Had 2 Olight's in the early days before predominantly using Fenix.

Unfortunately, all the lights that interest me now from Olight use custom 21700 or 18650, which is a deal breaker for me.

Nice collection though.

[buggs]

Had 2 Olight's in the early days before predominantly using Fenix.

Unfortunately, all the lights that interest me now from Olight use custom 21700 or 18650, which is a deal breaker for me.

Nice collection though.

Pardon my ignorance but can you explain to me the issue regarding why the proprietary batteries are an issue?  I get the notion that they could be hard to replace if they ever stop production (which I could easily see happening as I watch the evolution of the various lights through their iterations) but is there more to it than that? 

[Aloha]

For me its about the proprietary battery potentially not being available.   

[Millhouse]

It is about the battery potentially no longer being available.

I have multiple lights using 18650 and 21700, and they all run using standard versions.

[pipedreams]

Very nice!

I have a green Warrior X Pro and a Coyote Warrior X Turbo... THROW MONSTERS!

[buggs]

It is about the battery potentially no longer being available.

I have multiple lights using 18650 and 21700, and they all run using standard versions.

Thanks, so a lifespan issue.  Fair enough.  Also thanks @aloha. 

Part of the reason I have an early version of their lights that runs off standard CR3 batteries.  I'll have to look into backups, though recognize that's a potential short term (<10 year) solution. 

[buggs]

Very nice!

I have a green Warrior X Pro and a Coyote Warrior X Turbo... THROW MONSTERS!

They are pretty crazy.  I sometimes wonder about the amount of light they cast versus WWII searchlights. 

[chip]

I bought a heap of olights in 2017 and already they have stopped making and selling proprietary batteries for three of them,

I recently bought a few warrior minis one of which is my most used light, but if they stop making replacement batteries for that anytime soon I won’t buy another olight and will stick to fenix.

[buggs]

I bought a heap of olights in 2017 and already they have stopped making and selling proprietary batteries for three of them,

I recently bought a few warrior minis one of which is my most used light, but if they stop making replacement batteries for that anytime soon I won’t buy another olight and will stick to fenix.

Which models were those that were discontinued?  Obviously a real issue here.  Might be I need to grab a battery or two in the near future for back up.

[ledicus.deals]

Nice collection!

[buggs]

I think I need an intervention.   

Added to the Olight collection.  A Baton 3 Premium edition (seems gimmicky to me but got real curious to see how the charging would work) and not surprisingly I had to buy the bundle  so I got the brass I5T with it.  I also ended up with an Obulb from the Warrior Mini controversy which is kind cute, but not sure how useful. 

I don't need more flashlights...

[gottobegeek7]

I have many Olights and bought some on almost every flash sale for the past 2 years or so.  I have given several as gifts and sold many into the secondary market.
The company has done a good job of marketing and many folks have bought way more than they need in order to get free items with the idea that reselling will compensate for the original purchases.  This is maybe true sometimes but comes with some of its own hassels.  Some just collecting 10  versions of the same light in different colours.  I dont think this business model is sustainable.

The quality is good but in the end of the day most folks just need/want a few reliable lights when  needed and not have to order an expensive proprietary battery, although the usb charging system is quite handy.

I remember as a kid running to the 'junk' drawer to find a flashlight when the power went out only to find the old 2 D cell virtually dead.  I wont have that problem any more.
 

[buggs]

I have many Olights and bought some on almost every flash sale for the past 2 years or so.  I have given several as gifts and sold many into the secondary market.
The company has done a good job of marketing and many folks have bought way more than they need in order to get free items with the idea that reselling will compensate for the original purchases.  This is maybe true sometimes but comes with some of its own hassels.  Some just collecting 10  versions of the same light in different colours.  I dont think this business model is sustainable.

The quality is good but in the end of the day most folks just need/want a few reliable lights when  needed and not have to order an expensive proprietary battery, although the usb charging system is quite handy.

I remember as a kid running to the 'junk' drawer to find a flashlight when the power went out only to find the old 2 D cell virtually dead.  I wont have that problem any more.
 

I've hit my endpoint I think.  Three flash sales I've let slide past and while some stuff is neat, there's a point I don't really need more (which was probably long before I stopped buying). 

Everyone in the family has an iR2 EOS on their keychain and I find them great there.  They hold a charge for a very long time and the light is more than bright enough for emergency purposes.  I've even got three spares in different colors because of the "free gift" aspect.

I'm still torn between having an AA or AAA version in my pocket so the i3T vs i5T remains unresolved.  They are scattered around the house as again, many as free gifts or nearly free when buying something else. 

The Seeker is my favorite light of the all to be honest (Seeker 2 Pro) but it has that proprietary battery issue.  Still, it holds a charge really well and we'll see about the overall durability.  Just like how this one fits the hand and it seems more readily switchable to various levels than others.  Sort of "real" flashlight sized, not a mini, which I like.  I have two of them, never have opened the Blue one so I might just sell it off.  I do like the USB charging and it's pretty fast so I view it as a big plus.

I do like the Warrior X and it is crazy insane bright.  But proprietary battery and it gets screeching hot on turbo. 

The rest I own I'm happy I own, but use relatively little.  S1R Batons and the like are great little lights, very flexible in usage and carry but I just don't love them.  Great for purses though, but then so too are the i3T/i5T.  The Perun 2 is actually great with the magnetic base on the back of my stereo rack for wiring, but I can't see wearing that thing on a headband as it's quite heavy. 

I'm inclined to agree that the business model is perhaps shaky.  So much change through the lineup.  The M2T was replaced in the lineup almost as soon as it was delivered at my house.  Maybe I should be happy I got it though, as it uses CR123s so no proprietary issue for that one.  I suppose you can view that as evolution but I suspect most buyers are like me, get real excited, buy a bunch of bundles and then go hmmm, now what? 

[gottobegeek7]

AGREE

 

[gottobegeek7]

Could not agree more. 
The small AAA and AA version are nice and I have plenty of them but its unfortunate that the cannot tail stand.

 

[ToolJoe]

I got one of the Eos Ir2s off the Olight site for free (had to pay $5 for shipping) and I must say it's a nice solid little light. A Streamlight clip I had on my Solitaire fit right on too. 

[buggs]

Could not agree more. 
The small AAA and AA version are nice and I have plenty of them but its unfortunate that the cannot tail stand.

 

Yeah, that's a bit of a drawback and where the Batons or Peruns excel.  I also really like the magnetic tail ends.  Easy to get around with the clip and a ballcap and of course that isn't unique to Olight.  With the goofy number of lights I now own, there's always a solution nearby.