ArmyTek Predator Review- Smooth reflector with Orange Peel!!!

firelord777

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For consideration into the review forum

I am aware that the pictures may be smaller than usual, if you want to see a picture in more detail, click on them to view them larger. Sorry guys, new to hosting pictures. EDIT: Never mind, found out how to make the pictures big!!!

First let me start of by saying that this is a flashlight like no other. Also, this review has 83 pictures, so forgive me if it takes some time to load
Guys, the specs of the armytek predator G109.01 (V1.2) is in this thread:
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?242851-NEW!-Armytek-Predator-v1.2.-Compact-thrower.-Fully-constant-light.-Individual-orders!
Armytek is a great company to work with, always logs on everyday to help us out! Personally my favorite company, I am firelord777 there as well, feel free to ask me anything there too!:)
Features and Manuel all explained here:
http://www.armytek.com/content/predator_manual_v1_2_en_A3.pdf

First impressions:
Obviously I was very excited when Armytek gave me the tracking number, so by the time it arrived, it actually felt like a summer chistmas. Also, for the review, the GOLD Predator is the Orange Peel Version. Black is Smooth reflector.
Anyways, I ripped the packaging open and found these too boxes:
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After I opened the box, I took out the predator and put in a 18650 li-on. Also put in the lanyard, as you can see the second picture. Notice that the holster is different from the G109.1 (Original Predator)





The pictures below shows what each comes with:




Some cool pictures- BTW, the reflectors are deeper in real life:









LOW LEVEL BEAMSHOTS (although it might not clearly show, the OP version has the smoothers floodspot I have ever seen, also, look at cheepsteel's post below for a better description of the beam pattern):





5 ft. WHITEWALL BEAMSHOTS:

Full Blast!



Reduced exposure:



Kitchen Beamshots ~10 ft. -Note, first, second and third photos have same exposure settings-
Armytek Predator Smooth:





Armytek Predator Orange Peel:





Size Comparison 1. Armytek Predator Gold OP- 2. Armytek Predator Black Smooth- 3. Fenix TK20- 4. Cree Budget light- 5. Fenix TK41:





The pictures above show that Predator is good size, around more or less the same size as the Fenix TK20, as a reference. :)


WATERPROOF TEST IN SINK (I did not take picture, but I took predator into my 6 ft. swimming pool for around 30 min., so it can pretty much survive much more than just a dunk. :D No pictures, but you have my word for it.):devil:



You lights are smelly! Take a shower! Hehe, just joking around guys.:)






Sorry about the bluish photos guys, white balance was quite off this time. Tints of the R5 1C is perfect white on my sample.


Ceiling Bounce Beamshots:
One 60 watt incan (760 lumens claimed)



All flashlights on max : 2 armytek predators, fenix tk41/tk20, cree budget




Another comparison: first pic is 60 watt incan light bulb, the second one is the ArmyTek Predators turned on, the third picture is one ArmyTek Predator turned on(still very bright!)




Comparison Beamshots :devil:

Control shot:


All lights on Max:


ArmyTek Predator Orange Peel:





ArmyTek Predator Smooth Reflector:




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FENIX TK41 VS. ARMYTEK PREDATOR SMOOTH:

Size comparison:


Beamshot comparison (notice how good the Predator throws!)








FENIX TK20 VS. ARMYTEK PREDATOR SMOOTH:




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Construction:
The armytek predator is a very tough light. It has "Metric threads", two o-rings at each end of the battery tube, can support flat top 18650, which tend to be high capacity. This is because Armytek chose to go with "electronic protection from improperly inserted batteries", instead of physical protection. A giagantic plus for me, most of my 18650 Li-ons are unprotected flat-tops.

The head of the flashlights feels very secure and impact resistant. Cheepsteel mentioned that on the new V1.2 predators, the bezels are cut specifically to prevent them from interfering with the beam pattern (spill mostly), so now the beam is a perfect circle. :thumbsup: The predators came well greased BTW. Armytek includes a grease tube as an accessory, another good plus.

The tailcap portion is anodized, which allows lock out. :)

Here are some pics:







Other pictures of the Predator:







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Conclusion:

The ArmyTek Predator is a phenomenal light. It comes out of the box with the preset set to Military.

One thing to do when you recieve it is to print the Manuel and set it to your battery type. I was using a 18650, but the Military preset is set to 2X CR123, with cut off voltage at 2 Volts. So to avoid any incidents, make sure you set it to the correct battery type. :)

Orange Peel:

This reflector gives the most beautiful and cleanest beam pattern I have yet to see. Perfectly smooth beam pattern. Although Armytek intended to be floody with this light, I can tell you from using it a night, that it can still throw quite good. All my lights (except this one) have throwy beams. It is my preference. So coming from someone who likes throwers, this OP beam has me surprised. Its extremely useful beam pattern can be used for everything but long-distance throwing. Its beam fills up everything in its path. PERFECT for walking at night. Wide flood with good throw. Absoulutely amazing light.

If you need a bright, programmable, and tough light without giving you "tunnel vision", consider the ArmyTek Predator OP. I suspect many tactical-urban workers (SWAT, Army) would choose this light for assesing the situation quickly in a close-spaced enviroment.

SMO:

This model is just simply put, impressive. This predator has the tightest beam out of all my lights, and boy, can it throw far.The reflector is also quite a sight, really deep guys.

If you are looking for a distance light, Armytek predator SMO won't let you down. It throws almost as much as my 5 pound TK41, and is 3 times smaller!!! I suspect this model will suit hunters and some types of military positions well.:)

Programming:

Programming guys, honestly, is not as hard as people say it is. If you read the manuel, its very straight foward. Heck, after 10 minutes I almost have all the items, menus and submenus memorized. Just give it a chance.

COLORS -Black and Gold 2000-3000HV

I only have gold and black armytek predators, and the only thing I have to say is that both are very uniques, look very sharp and give very good looks.

Black gives a very stealthy look. Black predator with red o-rings is just awesome. I requested the black armytek after seeing cheepsteel's predator (thanks buddy!) :)

Gold is very fancy. Elegant is how I would describe it too. It really does look like gold. :naughty:

Cool Features from ArmyTek

1. Battery meter:

This is a fantastic feature! My family liked it. I liked it. Someone at CPFMP said why the predator was not priced closer to its competitors, as in XPG R5 throwers.

ArmyTek said when its competitors come closer to the predators. They are not kidding. Voltage meter, excellent customer service and awesome an awesome flashlight make the price tag very much worth it.

To see how to activate battery meter, look at this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STt83-ONJcI

2. Full Current Stabilization- SEMI- STEP

The full current feature, IIRC, is only available in the armytek predator, as in all other flashlights are digitally stablized, but Predator has complex buck/boost drivers. Great feature ARMYTEK!!!:thumbsup:

SEMI, is what ArmyTek claims what other manufacturers do. It gives longer runtimes in the predator with the output decreasing over time.

Step is sort of a mix between Full and SEMI. it decreases over time, but in controlled "steps". Imagine a staircase and that's how a runtime graph should look like.

3. Custom Preset

Like military and Outdoor, a Custom preset can be saved by the user. Pretty useful. I can put a tactical preset (military), and then a civilian preset, as in with no strobes or other things and save it as a Custom preset. :)

Overall, this is a awesome flashlight backed by an awesome company ArmyTek. If you have any questions, they are over at CPFMP. I am also Firelord777 there too, in case you ever would like to contact me.

Ladies and Gentlemen, you should be aware that I am always willing to help you out in questions, requests, anything, I would be more than happy to answer them for you. Don't hesitate to PM me, I welcome your inquiries.

As you know, this review has been mostly positive. Simply because I like the predator, but please do not confuse me as an employee of ArmyTek, I do not work for them, but help them make comparisons and reviews.

Thank you for your patience guys, I appreciate it. Anything I may have missed please post it here in this thread, I will surely listen to your suggestions and requests,

Best wishes, Firelord777
 
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antikythera

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Um... your pictures aren't showing up. Just letting you know.

EDIT: Never mind, just saw the top.
 

firelord777

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Um... your pictures aren't showing up. Just letting you know.

EDIT: Never mind, just saw the top.

Yeah, sorry man, I forgot to sign in imageshack and uploaded them. Now I have to re upload them into my account. Very sorry about this. Please come back in a few hours, or tomorrow, for sure the review will be complete guys.

Sorry again, still working hard on this thing. :D
 

antikythera

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Yeah, sorry man, I forgot to sign in imageshack and uploaded them. Now I have to re upload them into my account. Very sorry about this. Please come back in a few hours, or tomorrow, for sure the review will be complete guys.

Sorry again, still working hard on this thing. :D

No problem, we all have issues with these imaging sites every once in a while!
 

skyfire

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Yeah, sorry man, I forgot to sign in imageshack and uploaded them. Now I have to re upload them into my account. Very sorry about this. Please come back in a few hours, or tomorrow, for sure the review will be complete guys.

Sorry again, still working hard on this thing. :D

LOL dont you hate it when that happens?
looking forward to your review and pics.
 

CheepSteal

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Looking forward to your review, mate!
I received the spare OP reflector from Armytek recently and the gold bezels. The throw is impressive (as we all know) from the SMO reflector but the OP is my favourite for overall use. From my own testing, I found the SMO reflector to throw a very consistent spot from close range to as far as 350 OTF lumens will reach. This is great for spotting/weapon lighting but not ideal for most tasks.
The OP reflector has an extremely smooth beam with no defined hotspot. It is perfect for close range work and projects a wall of light out to 50 metres. This is perfect IMO for outdoors (reduces tunnel vision) and tactical purposes.
From my experience, the older front bezel crenelations (Predator V1) were thicker and blocked a bit of light from the front and gave the beam a slight octagonal shape.
My newer black bezel crenelations are thinner which helps to round the shape.
The latest gold bezels I received (also v2 bezels) are milled significantly thinner and gives a perfect circle shape.
I took my silver bezels to the belt sander as an effort to create a non-weaponised bezel and I think it turned out pretty good, tell me what you think! I would have sanded them all the way down, but that would make it extremely difficult to tighten and remove the bezels.
P1010775.jpg

P1010778.jpg
 
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firelord777

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Looking forward to your review, mate!
I received the spare OP reflector from Armytek recently and the gold bezels. The throw is impressive (as we all know) from the SMO reflector but the OP is my favourite for overall use. From my own testing, I found the SMO reflector to throw a very consistent spot from close range to as far as 350 OTF lumens will reach. This is great for spotting/weapon lighting but not ideal for most tasks.
The OP reflector has an extremely smooth beam with no defined hotspot. It is perfect for close range work and projects a wall of light out to 50 metres. This is perfect IMO for outdoors (reduces tunnel vision) and tactical purposes.
From my experience, the older front bezel crenelations (Predator V1) were thicker and blocked a bit of light from the front and gave the beam a slight octagonal shape.
My newer black bezel crenelations are thinner which helps to round the shape.
The latest gold bezels I received (also v2 bezels) are milled significantly thinner and gives a perfect circle shape.
I took my silver bezels to the belt sander as an effort to create a non-weaponised bezel and I think it turned out pretty good, tell me what you think! I would have sanded them all the way down, but that would make it extremely difficult to tighten and remove the bezels.
P1010775.jpg

P1010778.jpg

Hey buddy,

Your machining looks great!

Regarding the OP beam pattern, you are correct, it is very smooth and I think Armytek did good including it as an option. It lights up everything! And still has enough throw to throw almost as far as the Fenix TK20. I would put the predator OP at ~4,000 Lux.

Did some outdoor comparisons, the smooth is just absoulutely incredible! For its size, it almost throws as far as my 800 ANSI TK41!:eek:
 

CheepSteal

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@Cheapsteel, That sanding job is excellent. I might consider doing something similar. I like the flatter bezel.
Thanks alot! I have limited resources but used a cheap benchtop belt sander and some fine grain sandpaper lying around. I twisted the light while the sander was running to get it even and then just steel wooled/sanded it a bunch. Gives it a nice shiny appearance too. If you also want crenelated bezels again, just ask Armytek to send you some and you can swap em around. You can also swap out the SMO reflector for the OP reflector if you want to try that out; you mentioned you like to EDC the Predator on FB and I think the OP reflector is much better for this.
Cheers!

Edit: Oh yeah, remember to tape up your lens to avoid scratching!
 

AardvarkSagus

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Ooh, someone who follows me on FB. I think that if I were to try it, I'd probably remove the bezel from the light before hitting the sander. Good idea though on just getting another more highly crenelated bezel from ArmyTek. Its so basic, but I actually hadn't thought about that. The only drawback is that I really like the matte steel look that it has currently.
 

firelord777

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Ooh, someone who follows me on FB. I think that if I were to try it, I'd probably remove the bezel from the light before hitting the sander. Good idea though on just getting another more highly crenelated bezel from ArmyTek. Its so basic, but I actually hadn't thought about that. The only drawback is that I really like the matte steel look that it has currently.

Aard, did you ever manage to remove the bezel? I can't take off mine :sigh:.
 

JanCPF

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..... You can also swap out the SMO reflector for the OP reflector if you want to try that out; you mentioned you like to EDC the Predator on FB and I think the OP reflector is much better for this.
...

Can you really do this? That is awesome! Is it hard to swap the reflector? Would be great if Armytek sold the light with both reflctors included.
 

firelord777

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Can you really do this? That is awesome! Is it hard to swap the reflector? Would be great if Armytek sold the light with both reflctors included.

I have taken one light apart, (will try to post pics) and took out the reflector, and I immediately knew it was an all metal one. Not just any metal, like really heavy metal (more mass= better heat transfer from LED.) just letting you know guys.
 

CheepSteal

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Does anyone want a video on how to disassemble the entire Predator? My father borrowed my Predator for his job but I'll get it back soon.
 

isu

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I have taken one light apart, (will try to post pics) and took out the reflector, and I immediately knew it was an all metal one. Not just any metal, like really heavy metal (more mass= better heat transfer from LED.) just letting you know guys.

Hi guys. A little new to this obviously. Any idea what metal the reflector might be made out of? I'm guessing just a pot metal of some type but I'm curious if you can tell.


I've been thinking about getting one of these lights as I'd like to add a compact thrower to my collection.

I'd also be interested in seeing some pics on how to disassemble the light entirely - I contacted Armytek and it sounded like they were willing to sell me an extra reflector separately.
 

JanCPF

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Absolutely - thanks CheepSteal - that would be simply great. :clap: I'm on the fence with this light, and if I could convince myself that *I* would be able to swap the reflector, it would probably tip me over and order it with an orange peel and try to order the smooth as a spare part. If however the parts are glued together I don't think I'm up to the task. Thanks again.
 

mwb01

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Can't wait to see pics of head disassembly; My Predator v1 is probably my favorite light and it would be great to have an option for it that isn't so throwy
 

bigchelis

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Nice review and tons of pictures to boot.

I always preffer SMO reflectors and with big LED's like XM-L's you still get plenty of usefull spill.

bigC
 

OzCorndog

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I have been interested in this light for a little while. Been using maghchargers since my Surefire gave up up the ghost and was looking to replace with a good tactical belt light. This one has gone to the top of my list in the last couple of days and hope to order it orsomething else in the next week.
 
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