lumens

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Powertac WOFT

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  When it comes to handheld flashlights, there’s a ton of them around. The ultimate question is how do you know which one is right for you? I would go check out reviews and specifications. Which is probably why you are here. Powertac has been doing some pretty interesting things with handheld lights. I’ve reviewed a few of their lights in the past and they performed well. They sent out one of their new lights, the Powertac WOFT tactical EDC light. This light is a collaboration with WOFT (Where Our Families Train) training.

  The Powertac WOFT light is very compact. It has a length of 4.28 inches. A head diameter of 1 inch and a body diameter of 0.85 inches. This makes it fit in the pocket nicely. I usually just throw the WOFT light in my pocket. But for those wondering, it does have a pocket clip. The pocket clip is dual purpose, so it can be clipped onto stuff in either direction. So basically, button up, or button down, whatever suits your carry style. I did find it useful, if you needed to use the Powertac WOFT light as a headlamp. Just clip it to your hat brim and light up wherever your head is facing. The clip can be located around the flashlight body in 4 different locations. The Powertac WOFT is compact enough to make it easy to carry everyday.

  Function of the Powertac WOFT is pretty self explanatory. For instance, the button on the rear tailcap turns the light on and off. One press on, one press off. To momentarily turn the light on, just lightly push the button down. If you double tap the rear switch, you turn on the strobe mode. This works both in momentary and click options, depending on if you want the strobe to stay on or just use it for a wee bit. The tailcap button also has two ears sticking up to protect the button.These ears allow you to stand the light upright on a flat surface. I’m a big fan of a light that can stand up and be used to illuminate a whole room, similar to a lantern.

Front Target stands are 50 yds, Rear are 100 yds. Anything within 50 yds is easily identified

  The Powertac WOFT also has 5 brightness settings. These are: Firefly, Low, Medium, High, and Turbo. The Light ALWAYS turns on in the Turbo made. This is great for a tactical flashlight application, because if you need it, you want it on the highest setting. After the initial turn on, you can cycle through the lights settings by using the side button, which is located on the side of the flashlight's head. Since the WOFT light turns on in the Turbo mode, the first press of the side button takes you to the Firefly mode. Then each consecutive press takes you to the next level. I’m a big fan of tactical EDC lights that always turn on at the highest setting. Powertac hit this option spot on. I also really like the Firefly setting as a task light in dark settings.

  Now what everyone is waiting for, how bright is this Powertac light? It’s plenty bright at 1200 lumens for the Turbo mode. The Turbo mode also spews out a candela rating of 14,400. This gives a good combination of spot and flood. It’s plenty enough to disorient an aggressor. Powertac specs it out at a 240 meter beam distance, we all know that about half of that is useful distance. But that’s plenty for a small handheld light. The light runs off of a rechargeable 14500 cell. Extra are easily found on Amazon and other places. Powertac includes a magnetic usb charging cord that works great for onboard charging of the battery and light. For all you geeks out there (me included), here’s a list of those brightness modes and run times:

Lumens and Run Times:

Firefly - 0.41 lm for 3.4 days

Low - 19 lm for 9.69 hrs

Medium - 140 lm for 3.68 hrs

High - 600 lm for 47 mins

Turbo - 1,200 lm for 43 mins

Strobe - 1,200 lm for 1.18 hrs

  In the box are a few other items. The Powertac WOFT comes with 3 different bezels: a smooth one, a medium aggressive, and a pretty aggressive one. They just screw on, so they are easily swapped. Of course I used the most aggressive one. If I have to use it as an impact weapon, I want it to hurt. But the choice is yours. Also included is a wrist lanyard. I left it in the box, but it’s included if you have a need for it. The included extra bezels are a nice addition.

  The Powertac WOFT has become my EDC light. I carry it daily. Mainly because it has great light output for its size. I like that it’s not too large in diameter. Most other lights in this category seem to have a larger diameter, with a similar length and output. If I had one complaint, it would be run times, but I can’t expect that in such a small light. At first I had a little sticker shock on the price, but after using it for months, I get why it costs what it costs. 

  Powertac and WOFT did a great job putting this EDC light together. From its small size to its impressive output, it does what a pocket edc light should do. Always coming on in the turbo mode is what a tactical light should do, at least if it has more than one output. If you are looking for an edc pocket light, I’d recommend checking out the WOFT light at Powertac, as well as the other lights Powertac offers

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

50, 100, 200 yd target stands

Claim to Fame:

Bright, small, rechargeable handheld light

Target Market:

Anyone needing a small, bright, handheld light

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

  • 1200 lumens max output

  • 14400 Candela max

  • 6 different settings that include 5 levels of brightness plus a strobe

  • 14500 Rechargeable Battery

  • Interchangeable smoothed, scalloped, & aggressive bezel

  • Magnetic USB Charging

  • Length: 4.28” (108.6mm)

  • Bezel Diameter: 1” (25.4mm)

  • Body Diameter: 0.85” (21.5mm)

  • Weight: 2.61oz (74g) without battery

  • Deep-carry bidirectional pocket clip

  • Reverse polarity protection protects from improper battery installation

  • O-ring sealed

  • Machined from aircraft grade aluminum with type III anodized finish

  • Tempered glass to resist breaking and scratching upon impact

  • Double coated glass lens to give maximum OTF (Out The Front) brightness and beam distance

  • IPX8 waterproof Submersible up to 2 meters under water

  • Lifetime Warranty

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

None

What others are saying?:

5 out 5 stars at Powertac.com

This flashlight is a BEAST

There are some fantastic features packed into this bad boy. I love how quick and easy it is to switch to strobe for home security or signaling, then back to Turbo. The WOFT lights up my whole street in Turbo mode. Nice build, well done Powertac!

Link to other reviews:

Tactical Tavern on YouTube   

Price point:

MSRP = $129.95

Retail = $110.45 with discount code “GGR”

I need it now! Availability:

Powertac

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Small size

  • Bright beam

  • Good beam pattern

  • Always turns on at Turbo setting

  • Multi-Directional pocket clip

Cons:

  • Run Time

  • Price

Score:  8.00 Great

Favorite Link:  Powertac M5 G2 Review   

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Surefire X300 Turbo

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By: Shan Hemphill

  Surefire is known for supplying quality, robust lights that are made in the USA, and supplies heavily to law enforcement agencies. Surefire products have a lifetime warranty, and there are many comments on the Internet about how Surefire has quickly resolved problems. Surefire is also known to be slow to release new lights, so their Turbo versions of the X300 and Scout have been heavily anticipated since their announcements at Shot Show 2022.

  I obtained 4 samples of the X300 Turbo, allowing me to gather data from multiple lights, then compare versus some of the best in the industry.

Specs:

Lumens: 650

Candela: 66,000

Runtime: 1.5 hours

Batteries 2x CR123A

Switches: Ambidextrous push (momentary) / toggle (constant)

Water Protection: IPX7

In the box:

  Inside the packaging is the light itself, 2 Surefire-branded 123A lithium batteries, instructions, and rail keys depending upon whether you’ve purchased the “A” or “B” version. The “A” version utilizes a spring rail key attachment system, and as a result, the box includes an extra spring rail and a tool to remove. The “B” version includes an extra rail key. Both also include a battery door pin to help keep the door from opening unexpectedly. 

  Fitup of either version is easy, but be aware that this is a large pistol light. It fits on the majority of pistols that utilize a full size rail, but it sticks out beyond the muzzle on most full size pistols. It even sticks out beyond the end of my compensated Glock G19x.

  The X300 Turbo is exactly the same size as the X300 Ultra. That’s important because there are a million holsters for the X300U;  you should be able to find concealment holsters for IWB or OWB, and if you’re on duty using a X300U already, you can keep your existing retention holster.

  Even though the package is long, I have been comfortably carrying the pictured package AIWB. Yes, that means I appendix carry one of the longest pistol and light packages on the market. I do so in the Werkz M6 holster, but I carry in the deep position with a little negative cant dialed in. I find this quite comfortable and easy to carry day in and day out. While it’s not G43x small, it’s workable.

  The light takes two CR123A batteries. While many people now prefer rechargeables for their lower cost and higher output capability, I do appreciate prime batteries for their long-lasting power output, and that I can easily swap batteries while training. 

  I tested all 4 of the X300T samples for lumen output in my integrating sphere, capturing both the absolute maximum, and calculating the ANSI / PLATO FL-1 lumens (which average readings from 30 to 120 seconds). Here are my results.

I also captured candela using similar measurements.

  All the lights performed well, but I did observe some variance between them. This is typical of lights; the electronic components (especially the LEDs) can vary from light to light giving different readings. 

  It is interesting how the light seems to get stronger for about the first 15 seconds, then it levels out and drops off.

The competition

  Given the high candela output of this light, probably the best light to compare to is the Modlite PL350 using either the OKW or the PLHv2 head. The PL350 is similarly priced, and the OKW head is rated at similar candela output at a rated 69,000cd. Here are my measurements:

  As we can see here, the new X300 Turbo has significantly more candela than the Ultra, and has competitive output compared to the PL350 with the OKW head. This is impressive output from CR123A batteries.

  I measured candela at angle, which provides a graphical view of the width of light intensity. If wider angles have higher candela output, then the light has more flood. If a light has a peak, then drops off near zero, then it has all throw and almost no flood.

    In this case, you can see that the PL350 with the PLHv2 head has a fair amount of output up to 5 degrees. In comparison, the X300U is much flatter, showing in graphical terms how it provides much more flood than the other lights.

  I also gathered lumen data, which allows me to measure instant max lumens, and calculate ANSI / PLATO FL-1 lumens, and runtime.

In this chart, we see that the highest lumen is from the Ultra, which is no surprise given that light’s focus on output and flood. There are two Turbo samples here because sample 1 seemed to have an issue with runtime that I didn’t see in the other 3, so I included sample 2 as an example of how the majority of the units tested out. It’s good to see that the Turbo can run 1:15 still outputting almost 400 lumens. 

Practical Testing

I stood downrange and had each of the lights shone into my eyes. Excepting the Ultra, all of these lights were painful to look at and I had a hard time determining distance or position of the person holding the lights. From the camera angle, you can see that all of these lights provide a degree of flood, and each light has a slightly different color tint.

Summary

Here is a summary of the data shown here:

Based upon the data gathered here, I personally am upgrading from my Streamlight TLR-1HL to the Surefire X300T. In particular, sample 3 impressed me not only with output but also with a slightly warmer color temperature out of the group. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Candela is competitive with the best pistol lights, backed by the Surefire reputation and fits in existing X300 holsters.

Target Market:

Military, law enforcement, and citizens who want some of the highest throw possible in a pistol light.

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Feature: 66,000 advertised candela

    • Benefit: Provides high throw capability – can illuminate further out than most pistol lights

    • Benefit: Defeats photonic barriers such as auto glass, headlights, and dark corners better

    • Benefit: Helps control subjects better by blinding themselves

  • Feature: Same form factor as the X300U

    • Benefit: Fits in all your existing X300 holsters

  • Feature: Retains X300 existing momentary and constant switches

    • Benefit: Operator can select between momentary activation and constant activation

  • Feature: Surefire build and reputation

    • Benefit: High quality made in the USA product with an excellent warranty

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Comes in “A” and “B” flavors. The A version uses a sprung lever & key to lock in to the rail. The “B” version uses a key but has a screw to clamp to the rail. My personal preference is the “B” as I can clamp it down and eliminate rate. However, many people also have good success with the A version by using the correct key, or by putting some electrical tape on the top to reduce or eliminate the rattle.

Comes in black and tan.

What others are saying?:

T-Rex Arms:

Surefire was able to change the throw of this light without changing the external dimensions or size of the light itself, so you’ll be able to use with the holsters out there. They were able to squeeze this power out of CR123A batteries.

Big Tex Ordnance: 

“Still the standard, I regretted trading up to the 1000lm from the 500, this has the right spot and a nice flood, fits my existing setup and I might be losing it but the switches feel a lot easier to manipulate than the ones on the 1000.”

“Great light; amazing throw, intense hotspot, but still has a decent amount of flood. This is nearly as good outdoors as my Cloud Defensive Rein while being much smaller and still being the same size as my X300U. I don’t think you need to run out and replace all your old X300s and TLR-1s, but if you’ve got a handgun that needs a light, this should be a no-brainer.”

Link to other reviews:

https://youtu.be/Ra2j0mo_5zU

https://www.lowlightdefense.com/surefire-x300-turbo-the-king-reclaims-the-throne/ 

https://www.reddit.com/r/tacticalgear/comments/wjrnue/x300_turbo_is/ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ne1U85IEBA 

Price point:

MSRP = $379   

Primary arms = $322   

Big Tex Ordnance = $322

I need it now! Availability:

Seems out of stock everywhere. I think Primary Arms might be a good source.

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Some of the highest candela in this segment. 30 seconds in, my 4 lights averaged 61k. Some people think candela is only for rifles, but it is also useful for defeating photonic barriers such as when shining a light through a car windshield and against the car’s headlights. Candela also helps blind a subject, making it difficult or impossible for them to see you.

  • Still has decent flood, similar to the Modlite OKW. Not as wide as the Ultra, but testing shows it sufficient for most indoor operations. Output is good, and for indoors it is possible to shine the light up (umbrella lighting) or down against the bottom of the wall (baseboard) to help diffuse the light.

  • Consistent output: our testing shows 96% output consistency from run to run. Some lights are much lower, down around 85%. 

  • Generous runtime of 1.5 hours

  • Utilizes existing X300 holsters, and literally everyone makes holsters for pistols with the X300.

  • Switches provide both momentary and constant activation, and do so intuitively.

  • Utilizes common CR123A batteries.

Cons:

  • This is an expensive light at just over $330 street price.

  • Switches are adequate and provide both momentary and constant activation, but they can feel stiff or sticky, and the momentary activation pokes my thumb  under recoil. 

  • Some people will see the high candela and lack of flood as a reason not to run the light. My experience is that high candela lights do restrict some of the peripheral view, but I know how disorienting a high candela light can be when it’s aimed directly at my face. I can overcome most of the concerns about “blinding myself” or “it’s too focused” through training.

  • It’s still a large light, one of the largest on the market. 

Score:

This is now my EDC light on my Glock 19x. 

I rate it at 8.50 - Great. 

Favorite Link: Geek out on all the data HERE

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Acebeam E70

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  When looking for an everyday carry flashlight, the choices can be overwhelming. There are so many good options out there. Acebeam happens to make a few of those options. One of those options is the Acebeam E70. This particular version is made from aluminum and the real model number is E70-al. The E70-al is what I like to call the “base model’, as more expensive versions are available.

  The Acebeam E70 is around the same size as most tactical flashlights. It is however slightly larger in diameter. It comes in at 5.05” long, 1.06” wide, with a 1.18” diameter head. Or 128.3mm x 27mm x 30mm. Part of the reason for the larger diameter is that the E70 runs a larger 21700 rechargeable battery instead of the more common 18650. Another reason for the size is the cooling spirals. These are grooves cut into the outside of the housing. Acebeam then has a solid blue sleeve inside the outer case. Besides the cooling aspect, it makes for a very good looking flashlight.

  Functionality of the E70 is a little different then a person might be used to. To turn on the E70, you double tap the tail switch. This turns the flashlight on to the last programmed setting. Either low, medium 1, medium 2, or high. To set the programming, turn the light on, then hold the button down. The E70 will cycle through the four modes, just release the button when the desired mode is met. The E70 also has a moonlight mode and a turbo mode. To access the moonlight mode, just hold the tail button down while the E70 is off. To access the turbo mode, the E70 must already be on, in any of the four modes, then double tap the button again and enjoy the brightest output from the E70. Once in turbo mode, you can double tap the button again to take you back to the normal setting you were previously on. When the light is on, you can also triple tap the switch to access the strobe function. In any of the modes, just hit the button once to turn the E70 off. The learning curve to use the E70 is very quick, or at least it was for me.

  When looking for an EDC or Tactical light, one usually looks at candela and lumens. All of these ratings are down below in the FNB’s, as well as run time. I wanted to go over a few of the ratings. For instance, if you want maximum lumens and candela, you must access the Turbo function of the Acebeam E70. Since the Turbo function has a max of 4600 lumens, the thing is stupid bright close up. However, since the Turbo mode, and all the other modes, have a somewhat lower candela, the throw is not as far as most tactical lights. The Turbo mode is listed as 14,400 candela. Because of the lower candela rating, the light pattern coming out of the E70 is very wide. This works well for lighting up a decent sized room, but identifying something out at 100 yds can be difficult. I knew that this was a wide beam flashlight when I asked for it, so I’m not faulting it for the wide beam. Acebeam sells this as an EDC light, not a tactical light. As an EDC light, it works very well.

E70 Turbo mode - notice wide flood pattern

Vehicle High beams - notice more throw

  There’s a few other notable mentions on the E70. For one, the pocket clip is screwed on with two tiny screws! No more having the pocket clip pull off of the flashlight body. The screws did loosen up on me fairly soon into using the light, but a little blue loctite and they haven’t loosed up since. Since the E70 is an EDC light, the tail switch is recessed a little into the end. This allows you to set the flashlight on its end. So if you need to go hands free, and still need some light, just stand it on end and set it somewhere. Having a recessed button, also helps prevent the light from turning on as easily in your pocket. The E70’s bezel is also serrated to use as an impact weapon. It comes with a wrist lanyard too, if you’re into those things, I’m not.

  Using the E70 is pretty self explanatory. At least once you get the button presses down. I really was pleased with how well the E70 worked for me. I would have liked a little more throw, but the light works great and is super bright in the Turbo mode. The pocket clip is also mounted up high, so I was actually able to use it. It’s definitely a deep carry clip. I like that it’s pretty much water proof, so if I drop it in a lake, it won’t die. I chose the 6500k color temperature option, as it is essentially the brightest, but Acebeam does offer it in other color temperatures. 

  The Acebeam E70 is a decent EDC light. It’s not a tactical light, but still has some tactical applications. After all, it’s not being mounted on a rifle, or is it made to be. The E70 will do what most people want from an EDC light. It would make a great addition to someones camping gear, or as a present for someone who needs a bright flashlight, but isn’t tacticool. Go check out the Acebeam E70. Acebeam makes a bunch of other lights that might interest you if the E70 doesn’t

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

High output EDC flashlight

Target Market:

Those who carry and use a flashlight often

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Moonlight: 1 lumen;  11 days

  • Low: 50 lumens; 50 hours 

  • Mid1: 180 lumens; 625cd; 50 meters; 12 hours 45 minutes

  • Mid2: 650 lumens; 1,600cd; 80 meters; 4 hours 

  • High: 1,300 lumens; 3,600cd; 120 meters; 1 hour 45 minutes

  • Turbo: 4,600 lumens; 14,400cd; 240 meters; 1 hours 30 minutes

  • Strobe: 1,650 lumens; 2 hours 30 minutes

  • IP68 rated (2m waterproof)

  • 1m impact resistance

  • Screwed on pocket clip

  • Flat tail switch

  • 21700 battery

  • 128.3mm (Length) x 30mm (Head Diameter) x 27mm (Tube Diameter)

  • 102g(3.59oz.) w/o battery

  • Double click on

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

5000k and CR195 @ 4500k color temperatures

What others are saying?:

Nothing found that was worthwhile  

Link to other reviews:

Zeroair

Price point:

MSRP = $99.80 as tested, $79.90 without a battery

Retail = $94.99 on Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

Acebeam or Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • High Lumens

  • Bright

  • Good runtime

  • Flat switch

  • Screwed on pocket clip

Cons:

  • Low candela so really wide pattern

  • Very little throw

  • Uses a “not as standard” battery

Score: 7.50 Good

Favorite Link:  Gun Guys Garage

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Nightstick USB-556xl

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 Everyone should have a good flashlight, at least in my opinion. Nightstick is starting to be one of my favorites. Recently they introduced a new series of USB rechargeable tactical flashlights. After reading the press release, I asked if they would send one out. Nightstick sent the USB-556xl. The 556xl is a single cell LED flashlight with a max output of 750 lumens.

 The usb-556xl is packed with features. As one could guess, it is USB rechargeable. It comes with a little usb cord also, but not the charger. In today’s world, finding a usb charger is easy enough. Since I am on the usb, the 556xl has a built in micro-usb charging port. The port is hidden underneath part of the handle. One must unscrew the center section and then slide it down to reveal the usb port. It is not the easiest to unscrew because of the o-rings used to seal the flashlight charging port. There is also a tiny light above the charging port. The light is red when charging, and green when fully charged. Nightstick says it takes 4 hours to fully charge, and that seems correct, but I never actually timed it. While I like the usb charging function, the 556xl does use a proprietary lithium-ion battery. Once charged, just slide the cover back on, and screw it closed.

 Since the usb-556xl is a tactical light, it has options that are quite useful. For instance, it uses a push button tailcap. The light will automatically shine on high, momentarily, if you push the button part way down. Of course it then turns off when released. Also, if you push the button all the way in, it turns on, on the high setting. To get it into the medium or low setting, hold the tailcap down while the light is on, then release pressure when it gets to the setting you desire. Once the light is turned off, it defaults back to the high position. This is probably my favorite function. Because when I want the light on, or need it on, having it on the high setting is ideal. The light also has a strobe function. To access the strobe, you have to push the tailcap button all the way down, twice, quickly. It only strobes at the high output, but can be turned on from either low, med, or high while the light is on. I prefer lights without a strobe, but Nightstick doesn’t offer this light without a strobe function. I would like the button to be inset farther into the tailcap, that way one could set the flashlight down on a flat surface, and have it shine upward to illuminate a room or something.

 I seldom use a pocket clip, but the 556xl has one. Mainly the light just gets put in my pocket, but some people find the clip useful. The clip on the 556xl isn’t that great. It works, but is a little flimsy or thin. The clip is easily removed also. One advantage to the removable clip is that it can be turned around. By doing so, it can be clipped to things, letting light shine outward away from it. I actually did this and clipped it to a hat bill. So everywhere I looked, the light was shining. Kind of like a headlamp.

 Specs, everyone wants to know these. First up, the light is bright. On high it is rated at 750 lumens and 9350 candela. Medium is 250 lumens and 2950 candela. Low is 80 lumens and 1115 candela. You get a 1hr/2hr/5hr runtime at the above settings. So pretty good for a 750 lumen light. I loved these, the high setting lights up my backyard better than my porch light. On high the beam wasn’t too wide and the light shines pretty far. I do use the medium setting alot. It is useful for finding dropped screws and such. Not too bright, but not too dim. I hardly use the low setting, it is a little too bright for finding stuff in the car at night. But then again, the low setting works good if you need to see where you are going, especially if there isn’t much ambient light. The 556xl can be submerged up to 1 meter for 30 minutes before something bad might happen. At 4.7” in length, it is not too big for pocket carry. It also only weighs 4.4 ounces. The body on the 556xl is 1” wide, and the head is a little larger at 1.2”s. If you like black, your in luck, because you can have any color, as long as it’s black. But, it is a class III anodized aluminum body, so it should last a long time.

Low setting

Medium setting

High setting

 This light has been in my pocket, everyday for almost 6 months. It shows some wear, but not too bad. I really like how it can be charged just about anywhere. At 750 lumens, it is bright enough for anything I need. It doesn’t classify as “all the lumens,” but what can you expect for a single cell light. I’ve dropped it on concrete, in water, and it keeps on working, the lens isn’t even scratched up. Do I think this is a decent tactical light? The answer would be yes, even if it has some minor flaws.

 If you are looking for a decent flashlight, the Nightstick usb-556xl is worth looking into. I really like the usb charging feature. It has good runtime, especially if you don’t use it on the high setting. At around $100, it’s not cheap, but is in the same price range as competing models. Do yourself a favor and go checkout Nightstick, they manufacture all different types of lights.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

USB rechargeable tactical light

Target Market:

Anyone wanting a bright rechargeable tactical flashlight

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 750/250/80 lumen output

  • 1/2/5 hour runtimes

  • 4.7” long

  • 4.4 ounces

  • Rechargeable

  • IP-X7 waterproof (1m for 30 min)

  • 6061 anodized aluminum construction

  • Momentary, constant on, and strobe

  • LED

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

320 and 900 lumen models

Link to other reviews:

None found

Price point:

MSRP = $111.00

Retail = $83.25 on Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

Amazon or Here

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Bright

  • Momentary (750 lumen only)

  • Low, Med, High settings

  • USB Rechargeable

  • Lightweight

Cons:

  • Pocket Clip

  • Proprietary battery

  • End cap (button recess)

  • Strobe function

Score: 7.00 Good

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NightStick TWM-850XL Weapon mounted light

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  NightStick lighting products are fairly new at weapon mounted lights. Don’t let that fool you, these lights are robust and powerful. Nightstick is a division of Bayco products, who have been doing portable lighting products for over 30 years. I saw them at SHOT 2018 and they were gracious enough to send out one of their new TWM-850XL weapon mounted lights for review.

 The TWM-850XL is a full size light. Not the mini’s that are made to fit the smaller handguns. Being that it is full size, it is a comparable size to the common TLR-1 HL. So much so, that many holsters made for a pistol with the TLR-1 will fit the Nightstick. The TWM-850XL does not have the strobe option, but they do make the same light with a strobe option.

 Let’s get into what makes the Nightstick weapon light shine. As with pretty much all high output lights, it uses a CREE LED rated at 850 lumens and 15000 candela. Bright enough to go 245 meters, or so they say. But identifying something at that distance is not something I would try. The house at the end of the street, about 125 yds away, probably hates me now. Even with street lights on, the 850XL did a decent job of lighting up their house. Could I identify someone? No, but make out figures and trees, yes. As with most lights, they appear to work better at distance without much ambient light. In the pictures you can see the spill pattern to some extent and also how the different distances affect detail.The light wasn’t on a firearm when I shined it down the street or at the shady person on the side of the road.

Approximately 75yds Dark

Approximately 75yds. This also does a decent job of showing the beam pattern

Approximately 25yds

Approximately 50yds

Approximately 35yds

 Nightstick did a pretty good job putting in lots of useable features. The first one that comes to mind is their switch mechanism. The switches are made from a glass filled nylon to give them strength and are ambidextrous. Probably my favorite feature, is how the switches operate. Pushing down on either side operates the momentary on. Yes, down on either side, unlike the TLR-1. Pushing up on either side turns the light on. To turn the light off, just push down on either side of the switches and it turns off. When turning the light from constant on to off, It will go to momentary on the opposite side from which it was flipped to on, then just let up and it is off. If you switch it off on the side that it was turned to “on”, it will go to the off position. I found that, in this case, the switch just passed off and went to momentary also. Not a big deal, just something to mention. Once I got use to the way the switching worked, I really liked it.

 I’ll try not to bore you to death with the specifications, because most are listed below. The 850XL does use a hardcoat anodized aluminum housing. For now, it is only available in black. It is water resistant. It also uses 2 of the CR123 batteries, which are supplied. One must take the light off of a handgun to replace the batteries. If you have it mounted on a rifle, it is possible to replace them with the light still mounted. The battery door flips down once the screw is loosened that holds it on. The lens is made out of polycarbonate, the same material many safety glasses are made from. Nightstick also adds an anti scratch coating to the lens. Battery life is specified at 1.75 hrs. After about 1.5 hrs, the output started dying off for me. Yes, it does get hot if left on. Each weapon light is also has its own serial number.

 When mounting to a pistol, or rifle, the 850-XL came with 2 cross rail inserts. These cross rails allow the user to mount the light on different types of rails. On the top of the light, where it mounts to a rail, are 4 tiny slots. The slots are used to position the light onto the rail by installing 1 or both of the cross rail inserts. Depending on who’s rail you are using. I just held the light up to the rail and lined it up with the appropriate cross rail slot. The instruction tell you what handgun to use with what slot, but that’s no fun. I put a tiny amount of threadlocker on the screws holding the cross rail in, just for added protection.

 I have tried the 850XL on a few firearms. Typically I use it on my Polymer80 compact. The light does extend out about an inch past the muzzle. But I have had zero problems with it at all. I did mount it on an AR to try out. It wasn’t as weird as one might think. I just put my support hand right behind it and was able to operate the light with my thumb. I didn’t put many rounds downrange with the light mounted on the rifle, but I did run around the house with it mounted up. Nightstick does make a rifle version that uses a push button end cap.

 I think it is good to have another weapon mounted light in the market. The Nightstick TWM-850XL has worked well for me. I think it is on par with the TLR-1. The quality is nice, it won’t break the bank, and it’s bright. Go take a look at the Nightstick line, they might have something worth using.

 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

High output weapon mounted light

Target Market:

Those wanting a high output weapon mounted light

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 850 Lumens

  • 15000 Candela

  • 2 m drop rating

  • IP-X7 Waterproof (1m for 30 min)

  • Flashlight Runtime: 1.75 hours

  • Length: 3.75 in (95 mm)

  • Width: 1.5 in (38 mm)

  • Depth: 1.5 in (38 mm)

  • Weight: 5.4 oz (155 g)

  • Head Diameter: 1.2 in (30 mm)

  • Ambidextrous toggle switch

  • Momentary or constant-on flashlight

  • Aircraft-grade 6061-T6 aluminum housing

  • Glass-filled nylon polymer toggle switch

  • Type III hard anodized finish

  • Beam distance rated at 245 meters

  • Impact & chemical resistant

  • Serialized for personal identification

  • 2 CR123 batteries (included)

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

With Strobe option

What others are saying:

Chris K. at Bayco Products: 5/5 stars
Absolutely AWESOME FELLAS!

  This thing feels SOLID as a rock, and the light output is INSANE...I can see why Police/First Responders would use this - because the controls are ingenious and easy, and the amount of "light 'em up" it produces is, well, GREAT!!! 

When I'm out with my dog at night, I've got this on my M&P Pro 9mm and if a coyote pack is lurking, simply point and hit the light and it's almost like a car's headlight on high!

  Thanks for making an excellent product! ABSOLUTELY WORTH $100 - NO DOUBT! I now want this in a flashlight form, and the light for my long guns! 100% endorse - get this bad boy if you do ANYTHING REQUIRING LIGHTING AND GUNS!!

Link to other reviews:

Ammoland TWM-850XLS review

Price point:

MSRP = $150.96

Retail = $85.87 on Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

Amazon 

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Bright

  • TLR-1 size

  • Adjustable cross rail inserts

Cons:

  • Must take off to replace batteries

  • Size

Score: 8.00 Great

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Favorite Link:   Polymer 80

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