Foursevens Regen MMR-X (XM-L2, 1x18650) Rechargeable review: RUNTIMES, BEAM+

Warning: pic heavy, as usual.





Foursevens has sent me their first integrated in-light charging 18650 model, the Maelstrom Regen MMR-X (XM-L2). The MMR-X features a number of selectable output modes, and USB charging for its custom 18650 cell.

As always, let's see what the official specs have to say ...

Manufacturer Reported Specifications:
(note: as always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides – scroll down to see my actual testing results).

• LED: Cree XM-L2 LED Cool White
• First micro-USB rechargeable and reconfigurable flashlight in the Maelstrom collection
• Power source: 1x18650 2600mAh Li-ion
• Operating range: 3.0~4.2V
• Max:Burst at 800 lumens, 1 minute, then 400 lumens, 2 hrs
• High:150 lumens, 8 hrs
• Low: 25 lumens, 40 hrs
• Moonlight: 1 lumen, 35 days
• Strobe: 800 lumens at 10hz, 2 hrs
• SOS: 800 lumens, 4.5 hrs
• Beacon High: 800 lumens, 12 hrs
• Beacon Low: 150 lumens, 80 hrs
• Spot Beam Angle: 7 degrees; Diameter at 3 meters: 360mm
• Flood Beam Angle: 60 degrees; Diameter at 3 meters: 3.45 meters
• Reflector: Smooth highly tuned optical reflector
• Body Material Type-III hard-anodized aircraft-grade aluminum
• Bezel Material: Stainless steel strike-bezel (Flat black aluminum bezel also included)
• Lens Material: Optical-grade glass lens, sapphire coating, antireflective coating
• Dimensions: Length: 5.47 inches / Diameter: 1.24 inches / Weight: 3.26 oz
• Included Accessories: Holster, 18650 battery (2600mah), USB power adaptor (USA plug), USB cable, lanyard, spare orings, spare rubber boots, flat black bezel, parts for flat tailcap
• MSRP: ~$100

Packaging is the new presentation-style Foursevens display box. Inside, included with the light and custom 18650 are spare O-rings, good quality lanyard, holster, micro-USB charging cable, USB-AC adapter, spare forward clicky switch boot cover, spare reverse-clicky switch and low-profile boot cover, flat black aluminum bezel, and manual.




From left to right: AW Protected 18650 2300mAh; Foursevens MMR-X; Nitecore P25; Sunwayman T21CS; Nitecore MH25; Rofis TR31C; Klarus RS11.

All dimensions directly measured, and given with no batteries installed:

Foursevens MMR-X: Weight 90.8g, Weight (with 18650): 138.5g, Length: 138.6mm, Width (bezel): 31.5mm
Foursevens MMX: Weight 145.8g, Length: 153.3mm, Width (bezel): 38.7mm
Nitecore P25: Weight: 171.3g, Length: 160mm, Width (bezel): 40.0m
Nitecore MH25: Weight: 145.4g, Length: 160mm, Width (bezel): 40.0m
Olight M20S-X: Weight: 124.1g, Length: 145.4mm, Width: 35.5mm (head)
Klarus RS11: Weight 158.0g, Length: 160mm, Width (bezel) 34.9mm
Rofis TR31C: Weight: 180.7g, Length: 153.0mm, Width (bezel): 39.8mm





The MMR-X is pretty compact for an in-light charging 18650 flashlight. As with other Forusevens Maelstrom lights, anodizing is a shiny black finish, hard anodized (i.e., type III). Body labels are minimal, but bright white and clear. Knurling is fairly aggressive, and certainly helps with grip.





There is a "hidden" micro-USB charging port located right below the charging indicator LED. Simply unscrew the power cover and slide down. Resistance is firm, making it clear there is an o-ring in there for waterproofness (when closed).

Tailcap screw threads are square cut and not anodized (i.e., no tailcap lock-out is possible). This is not surprising though – all in-light charging models that I have seen leave the screw threads unanodized for the extra current path.

Charging the battery (and programming the light) is done by plugging the included cable into the micro-USB port of the light, and the other end into a standard computer USB port. An AC adapter is included, if you want to charge right from a wall outlet. The LED indicator above the charging port will glow red when charging, and green when fully charged. Scroll down to the UI section for an explanation as to how to program the light modes.

By default, the MMR-X uses the same type of protruding forward tactical clicky switch as seen on the MMX (i.e. press for momentary on, click for lock-on). This protruding clicky doesn't allow tailstanding. But Foursevens also includes a reverse-clicky switch, with a low profile boot cover. If you swap the switch, the light will now tailstand and function as a reverse clicky (i.e., press and release to activate, instead of just press).



The top row above are the items included by default in the tailcap (i.e., the forward clicky switch), diassembled. The second row is the extra reverse-clicky switch included in the package. You swap the switches by unscrewing the plastic masking disc on the far right (I'll come back to this one), then unscrew the metal switch retaining ring (you can't see the indendations above, they are on the other side). Once you do this, everything else just falls out (so pay careful attention to the order of things!). Note that as always, you will need snap-ring pliers or a sturdy set of tweezers to unscrew the rings.

All mode switching is done by the tailcap clicky, but you can program the light to one of 5 mode-set states (one of which is single-mode Turbo). Please see my User Interface section for a discussion.



There are two springs on the contact board in the head, which are used for charging the custom 18650 cell (which contains positive and negative contacts on the head). Note that you can use a standard 18650 cell, but Foursevens recommends you unscrew the extra plastic masking disc in the tailcap and mount it in the head (to block the outer spring contact). This removes the risk of accidentally shorting flat-top cells. The plastic masking disc in the tailcap serves no other function - you can safely remove it from the tailcap at any time.






Again, note the custom 18650 design, with an inner and outer contact on the 18650 cell's "positive" terminal. Only the inner contact is actually positive, which is why you must use the plastic mask from the tailcap if you plan to use a regular 18650 cell inside the light.

The MMX comes with a crenalated stainless steel bezel by default (flat black aluminum one included in the package).




The overall head is not very large. Reflector is smooth, and fairly deep. Coupled with the XM-L2 cool white emitter (which was well centered on my sample), I would expect a fairly typical beam. Scroll down for beamshots.

User Interface

The MMR-X has a very distinctive interface, with the ability to program the number of output modes (from a set of five options).

Basic operation is very straight-forward: turn the light on/off by the tailcap clicky switch (press for momentary, click for locked-on).

The MMR-X has 8 potential output modes in total, split into five sets that you can program to select. The mode sequences of the five sets are as follows:

Set 1: Turbo only
Set 2: Turbo > Lo (default setting)
Set 3: Turbo > Strobe
Set 4: Lo > Hi > Turbo > Strobe
Set 5: Moonlight > Lo > Hi > Turbo > SOS > Strobe > Beacon Hi > Beacon Lo

Switching between five sets can only be done when the light is plugged into a USB charging port, with the custom 18650 installed and charging. To select your preferred set, click the switch on while charging (i.e., as if you were turning the light on). The light will flash 1-5 times (in a repeating loop) indicating the currently selected mode set. To switch modes, rapidly click the light off/on – it will advance to the next set. For example, by default the light is set to Set #2 (two flashes). To select Set #4, click the switch off/on twice – causing it to advance to four flashes.

When done programming, either click the light on at this point (it will come on at the lower level of the chosen Set), or wait until the flashing set indicator stops on its own. The light is now programmed to this Set. To change the Set, you will need to have the light plugged in again, with the custom 18650 installed.

Charging time using the supplied Foursevens 2600mAh cell was under 5 hours in my testing using a USB cable (sorry, I don't have more exact measure). I haven't tested the AC adapter to see if there is any difference in charging time.

Video:

For information on the light, including the build and user interface, please see my video overview:



Video was recorded in 720p, but YouTube typically defaults to 360p. Once the video is running, you can click on the configuration settings icon and select the higher 480p to 720p options. You can also run full-screen.

As with all my videos, I recommend you have annotations turned on. I commonly update the commentary with additional information or clarifications before publicly releasing the video.

PWM/Strobe

The MMR-X is current-controlled. There is no PWM, on any level.

However, I did observe circuit noise on the Lo/Hi levels (but not Moonlight or Turbo):

Noise:


This reoccurring signal was around 940 Hz, but was not strong enough to be detected visually (even when shining on a fan). As is often the case with these kinds of circuit noise, it is only detectable with an oscilloscope. Rest assured, the beam was completely flicker-free at all levels.

Strobe


The strobe is a fairly typical fast "tactical" strobe, of 9.8Hz frequency.

SOS:


SOS mode is a fairly typical SOS sequence.

Beacon:


Beacon is a one second flash of Hi output, repeated every 12 secs or so.

Beamshots:

For white-wall beamshots below, all lights are on Max output on an AW protected 18650 battery. Lights are about ~0.75 meter from a white wall (with the camera ~1.25 meters back from the wall). Automatic white balance on the camera, to minimize tint differences.













Beam pattern and overall output are what you would expect for a light this size. The MMR-X is generally similar to the Olight M20S-X in beam pattern, although the MMR-X has higher max output. That said, the MMR-X does not seem to quite as bright on Max as the specs would indicate. Scroll down to my output tables below for direct measures.

Testing Method:

All my output numbers are relative for my home-made light box setup, as described on my flashlightreviews.ca website. You can directly compare all my relative output values from different reviews - i.e. an output value of "10" in one graph is the same as "10" in another. All runtimes are done under a cooling fan, except for any extended run Lo/Min modes (i.e. >12 hours) which are done without cooling.

I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values (ROV) to estimated Lumens. See my How to convert Selfbuilt's Lightbox values to Lumens thread for more info.

Throw/Output Summary Chart:

My summary tables are reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. Please see http://www.flashlightreviews.ca/FL1.htm for a discussion, and a description of all the terms used in these tables. Effective July 2012, I have updated all my Peak Intensity/Beam Distance measures with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter (orange highlights).



Consistent with what you saw in the beamshots, the MMR-X has a reasonable amount of output, with a generally balanced beam (i.e., not a great thrower). According to the specs, the MMR-X is a 1x18650-only light (i.e., 2xRCR or 2xCR123A does not appear to be supported).

Here are how all the levels compare to the official specs, in my lightbox:



There is a generally good concordance between my estimated lumens and Foursevens published specs - although I should note that I have historically found Foursevens to be somewhat conservative in their output measures, relative to most other makers. Personally, I would normally take Foursevens specs as the minimum expected output, as opposed to the average expected output.

The one exception in my testing is the max output on the MMR-X – my lumen estimates are lower than the Foursevens specs. That has never happened before :thinking: Still, this max output level is quite consistent with other lights of comparable size (i.e., I would put max output in the typical range of lights in this class).

Output/Runtime Graphs:



As you can see above, on Turbo the MMR-X steps down after about a minute and a half of runtime. I would estimate the revised output as ~520 lumens after step-down, which is higher than most lights that step-down. Regulation pattern is good at this reduced output, with the bundled 2600mAh Foursevens cell producing longer total runtime than my standard 2200mAh AW cells.

For the Max and Hi runtime tests below, I have used the bundled Foursevens 18650cell instead of my usual AW 18650 (to give you a better idea what to expect in stock form).



Overall efficiency and regulation are excellent on the MMR-X, at all levels tested. Note that the "Hi" level is really more a Med, compared to the terminology most makers use.

Potential Issues

2x battery sources are not supported – according to the specs, the MMR-X is 1x18650 only.

The output mode set can only be programmed when the light is charging, and with only the supplied Foursevens 18650 battery in place.

When using your own flat-top 18650 battery, ensure the masking contact disc (from the tailcap) is in place, to prevent accidental shorting.

The light can't tailstand.

Screw threads are not anodized (consistent with other lights in this in-light charging class), so no lock-out is possible.

Although the light has mode memory when in any of the multi-level sets, it takes about 4 secs in my testing for the light to memorize the level. If you click off-on any faster, it will advance to the next level.

Preliminary Observations

I have been reviewed an increasing number of 1x18650 lights that offer in-light charging solutions lately. This is first such model from Foursevens, and one that does a pretty good job of it.

Doing in-light charging well is not as easy as it seems. Foursevens' design is thoughtful, with a custom 18650 battery for charging (but support for standard 18650 cells without in-light charging). I like the overall size and build, including the use of a standard micro-USB port and cover (with USB cable and AC adapter included).

The ability to program the output mode set – with five sets of options available – gives the end user flexibility to customize the light to their preferences. One unusual feature is that programming can only be done during charging (with the bundled custom 18650 cell). :shrug: But this is not something you are likely to change too often on the fly anyway. And Foursevens includes a thoughtful package with a lot of extras – like the plastic masking disc (to prevent shorting when using standard 18650 cells), and the reverse-clicky switch with low profile boot cover (to allow tailstanding).

As typical with Foursevens, the output/runtime efficiency and regulation are both excellent. Of course, people looking for a barn-burner will need to look elsewhere (e.g., the MMX Burst that I recently reviewed). The MMR-X is a general purpose light, with a good range of output levels and a balanced profile between throw and spill. The light has an appropriate step-down on Turbo after a minute and half or so.

At the end of the day, "balanced" is probably a good way to describe the beam pattern and levels of this light. And that's not a bad thing, given the challenges some other in-light charging solutions have come across. Compromises are inevitable in this category, and the Foursevens decisions seem reasonable. The MMR-X even has a few surprises under the hood, such as the programmable output states - this is not something you find on most lights in this price point and category.

If you are in the market for 1x18650-only model with in-light charging, the MMR-X could be a good solution for you. :wave:

----

MMR-X was provided by Foursevens for this review.

Thanks for the review!

Thanks for another great review. FWIW after receiving the MMR-X it has become my most often used flashlight due to the ease of recharging and its comfortable form factor. It helps that 47s lights are generally tough as nails too.

Great review, I have had this light for a few weeks now and I really like it. The tint and beam pattern seem slightly...different, but in a good way I have found. And you are right, I set the programming once and have not needed to change it (after an initial play when it came of course). Seems quite light in the hand to me too which is also a bonus :thumbsup:

Thanks for the review. Just what I was looking for.

Thanks for the review. Very nice light and convenient having choice of number of modes and built in charger port. I have noticed that 47s are not anodizing threads, as with my Quark Turbo QB2L-X, and other recent ones SB has reviewed. Seems I have read that there are some patent issues with another manufacturer. I understand that it is the best option for this light with the charging feature, but I miss the lockout option on my Quark.

CrazyIvan2011 said:

GThe tint and beam pattern seem slightly...different, but in a good way I have found.

Click to expand...

Yes, the beam pattern is subtly different from many other lights of this class. It is hard to describe, but there is a more pronounced "extended corona" (for lack of a better term). You can see a bit of this in my beamshots - it doesn't make much of a difference at a distance though. Tint on my sample is also slightly yellow-green in the hotspot and this extended corona (and cooler purple in the periphery) - but regional variation in tint is not uncommon on many lights. I would still consider this a good general-purpose beam.

Yes, I have had it camping twice now and found it very useful. Still have my zebralight on me...but it is good for walking a bit further a out (to stream etc.) and to use around camp still (the lightness and smaller form than a lot of my other 18650 lights is a great help).

I was wondering, could the battery be charged outside the light, with possibly a 'cottern pickers' type charger (magnetic positive and negative leads)...or would it be to dangerous?

CrazyIvan2011 said:

I was wondering, could the battery be charged outside the light, with possibly a 'cottern pickers' type charger (magnetic positive and negative leads)...or would it be to dangerous?

Click to expand...

In principle, you should be fine. But I would be worried about about any jostling that could accidentally short the head. Probably best to stick with in-light charging for the Foursevens cell.

Thanks for the review! I like the way you describe the beam pattern -- balanced.

Before I bought mine, I looked at the specs sheet and when it said "7 degrees beam angle" I thought it would be a "semi thrower" but when I got it, I was surprised that the corona surrounding the hotspot is bright thus making it more "floodier" than expected from the 7 degrees on the spec sheet. My QP2L-X, which is a floody light due to the reflector size, shape, and texture, has a 13 degree beam angle based on the spec sheet so I was expecting the usable beam of the MMR-X to be around half the diameter of the QP2L-X's beam. But in practical use, the usable beam of the MMR-X is only about 20-30% smaller than the QP2L-X.

But I'm not complaining because if I'm looking for a real thrower, I should be looking somewhere else. I shouldn't expect a thrower from the MMR-X given it's reflector size and shape and LED type.

I wish the high was at around 200 to 300 lumens but for my use but 150 lumens is still a respectable level.

And oh, I'm beginning to like the in-body charging. At first I didn't really look at the in-body charging as one of the main feature of this light -- I only thought of it as a bonus. But after using my light nightly for the past 4 days or so, I'm seeing the convenience of in-body charging as one of the main features of this light.

napolinario said:

Before I bought mine, I looked at the specs sheet and when it said "7 degrees beam angle" I thought it would be a "semi thrower" but when I got it, I was surprised that the corona surrounding the hotspot is bright thus making it more "floodier" than expected from the 7 degrees on the spec sheet. My QP2L-X, which is a floody light due to the reflector size, shape, and texture, has a 13 degree beam angle based on the spec sheet so I was expecting the usable beam of the MMR-X to be around half the diameter of the QP2L-X's beam. But in practical use, the usable beam of the MMR-X is only about 20-30% smaller than the QP2L-X.

Click to expand...

Yes, this is part of the reason that I personally don't find "beam angle" measures very useful on smaller lights, at least for the hotspot ("spot beam angle" as Foursevens calls it). They are more helpful in understanding max spill (or "flood beam angle" as Foursevens calls it), as that is often more straightforward to measure.

The challenge is that the edge of the hotspot is rarely well defined on small lights with small reflectors (i.e., there is often a gradual transition from hotspot to corona). On the MMR-X, there is a very bright extended corona, making it even tougher to draw a firm line. I find that it is really only on heavy throwers with large reflectors where a spot beam angle lets you draw meaningful conclusions (in the absence of actual beam shots).

Thank you for the review, selfbuilt. I ordered one yesterday from foursevens.com. I had been l@@king at the Regen for sometime, then, yesterday, I find it on sale for 20% off. Subtracting the excellent CPF 12% discount from FourSevens, the light was $70 and some change. :twothumbs
Time to pull the trigger.

While I wait for the postman, I'll enjoy your fine review.

~ Chance

I've been enjoying mine, it was missing the little plastic disk in the tailcap and I got an email
response and had one in the mail in under an hour, literally. I was impressed.
I also bought a spare battery for fifteen bucks easy as pie, unlike Olight that took a
day or two to respond to my asking about one for the S30RII, by saying they don't
sell them separately.

The only gripes I can think of are I'm partial to a slightly more neutral tint,
and I wish there was a way to force startup to moonlight regardless of last mode
like Olight has, and having all the constant on modes without the goofy strobes
would be nice(again kinda like Olight hides them).

Beyond those mostly personal-preference niggles, a really great light, and a great review as always.

Set 1: Turbo only
Set 2: Turbo > Lo (default setting)
Set 3: Turbo > Strobe
Set 4: Lo > Hi > Turbo > Strobe
Set 5: Moonlight > Lo > Hi > Turbo > SOS > Strobe > Beacon Hi > Beacon Lo

Yes, a Set 6: would be my preference also. Moonlight > Low > High > Turbo. For what I plan on using this light for, I could easily sacrifice some lumens for a neutral tint. Problem is, neutral lights don't fly off the FourSevens' shelf. They sit there collecting dust.

The Regen is scheduled to arrive Monday. Hopefully my Prometheus clip will fit.

~ Chance

I use mine (vn version) in Turbo/Lo. Need low for reading motor nameplate or other close inspection. Otherwise Turbo works. I bought some extra batteries as well and had a custom holster made (Thor's Hammer custom leather).

What would have been outstanding, and I'd have paid another $30-$50 for, is if one could program custom modes, brightness, order, etc, with a small piece of software on a PC(or Mac).
Or somehow with a smartphone app possibly better yet.

The Regen arrived right on time. So far, I really like it. No luck with the clip; it won't fit. For the time being I'm going to leave the programming on Low/Turbo. Just don't want to deal with the fluff-modes. For some reason I thought it would be a little bigger. Ha! Pleasantly surprised.

Thank you David, for the sale price/CPF discount. This would be a great light to gift, ....... If I had more money than good l@@ks. :kiss:

~ Chance

I can't believe how many reviews of flashlights I've read in the past two days. Ended up ordering this one!

acandzoey said:

I can't believe how many reviews of flashlights I've read in the past two days. Ended up ordering this one!

Click to expand...

Hope you enjoy it. And :welcome: