goldenlight
Enlightened
I did my research on the relatively new Olight series of lights, and quickly narrowed my choice down to the T10 and I10 models. They are the small, single Cr123 pocketable/EDC size.
I read a review about how magnificent the 'half orangepeel' reflector gave the light such a wonderful beam. I looked at the beamshots, (which compared it to flashlights I've never heard of).
I read how the bin code (if that's the right word) of the emitter is so wonderful and white, that upon the mere mention of the letter and number code, literally dozens of people across the world bow their head in admiration and respect.
I didn't get one of those emitters. :thumbsdow
I got what looks like a Luxeon reject.
It's fugly.
The funny thing is: I'm really colorblind. In the city, from a distance, with streetlights behind it, I often can't pick out a green light, until I get within a block or so of it.
But I can see when a light isn't white.
I compared it to a couple of my other lights, a Fenix L1P, and a Fenix P1D
I though THEY weren't that good in the tint department.
I was wrong. Those 2 Fenix lights are really NICE, ESPECIALLY next to my newly acquired Olight I10.
I used to think the lowest setting on my Fenix P1D looked kind of bad. I was mistaken. Next to the Olight I10 set to the same output, that Fenix P1D looks REALLY, REALLY GOOD.
At high output, which I will rarely use, the I10 does LOOK white. But at the lower level I would virtually always use, it can't even be mistaken for a decent white LED flashlight.
Certainly not one that costs over $60, delivered.
Even with nothing to compare it to.
By a guy who is colorblind.
And at lower output, the level I WOULD have used it at, it has a noticeable donut hole in the beam.
Great job, Olight.
Just how in the world did Olight manage THAT?
Perhaps that 'half orangepeel' reflector does that, since neither of my Fenix flashlights, which have SMOOTH reflectors, have it.
Oh yeah: the beam. It's a tight spot. Why didn't I read that anywhere? It's all throw, and very little spill. EXACTLY what I DON"T like or WANT in my EDC flashlight.
My Fenix L1P, which has a SMOOTH reflector, has a much nicer, bigger spot, no sharp edge on the 'spot', and much more useful spill light.
That 'half orangepeel' reflector? I don't know who designed it, but it's certainly worthless.
This Olight I10 has a very tight spot, for those that want that kind of beam.
I don't.
And I made a mistake: the T10 has a lockout for the switch (from what I read) but, as I discovered when I read the instructions on the Olight I10, it DOESN'T.
The Olight I10 is a small, pocketable, EDC type light, with a PROTRUDING switch, that can't be disabled.
That means, at any time you go to use it, it may be dead, because it's EASY for the light to get turned on, if something pushes on that switch.
I put it in a heavy nylon holster (not the piece of cr*p holster that came with it) with a full flap.
I went to the grocery store, with the light in the holster on my belt, where I usually carry my EDC light; kind of near the closer edge of the back pocket of my jeans. When I got there, and got out of my car, and took the light out of the holster, it was very warm.
Probably, it was on the whole time.
Great.
It's not as bad as the Kroll switches that came on the later Arc-LS lights, but ANY light that can turn on accidentally, and leave you with a dead battery, it just plain worthless, IMHO.
And I've really got to say this: next to my HDS Ultimate 60GT, at the same output, that Olight I10, with whatever shamwow emitter it's supposed to have, looks like it has a GREEN filter on it.
So, it looks like I just flushed over $60 of my hard earned money down the toilet.
And yes, I am REALLY pissed about this.
I have purchased very few lights in the past 2 or 3 years. I can't afford to.
This one, ON PAPER, looked like it really had something to offer.
It does have variable output.
But I really feel like I got the greasy end of the stick, when I bought this POC.
IMHO, of course.
Oh, one last thing that might give you an unbiased indication of the Olight I10's build quality: it comes with a THIRTY DAY WARRANTY.
That pretty much says it all, doesn't it?
Wow a whole 30 days.
Olight really does stand behind it's products. They must really be working overtime in the QC department. I can't remember when I seen ANYTHING with such a short warranty; even all the cr*p coming from China has at least 90 days.
Go for it. They got my money; why not yours?
DISCLAIMER: The author of this 'review' freely admit his heavy bias against the Olight I10. He thinks it's a piece of garbage. So take the above with a grain of salt. Or two.
/rant off.
I read a review about how magnificent the 'half orangepeel' reflector gave the light such a wonderful beam. I looked at the beamshots, (which compared it to flashlights I've never heard of).
I read how the bin code (if that's the right word) of the emitter is so wonderful and white, that upon the mere mention of the letter and number code, literally dozens of people across the world bow their head in admiration and respect.
I didn't get one of those emitters. :thumbsdow
I got what looks like a Luxeon reject.
It's fugly.
The funny thing is: I'm really colorblind. In the city, from a distance, with streetlights behind it, I often can't pick out a green light, until I get within a block or so of it.
But I can see when a light isn't white.
I compared it to a couple of my other lights, a Fenix L1P, and a Fenix P1D
I though THEY weren't that good in the tint department.
I was wrong. Those 2 Fenix lights are really NICE, ESPECIALLY next to my newly acquired Olight I10.
I used to think the lowest setting on my Fenix P1D looked kind of bad. I was mistaken. Next to the Olight I10 set to the same output, that Fenix P1D looks REALLY, REALLY GOOD.
At high output, which I will rarely use, the I10 does LOOK white. But at the lower level I would virtually always use, it can't even be mistaken for a decent white LED flashlight.
Certainly not one that costs over $60, delivered.
Even with nothing to compare it to.
By a guy who is colorblind.
And at lower output, the level I WOULD have used it at, it has a noticeable donut hole in the beam.
Great job, Olight.
Just how in the world did Olight manage THAT?
Perhaps that 'half orangepeel' reflector does that, since neither of my Fenix flashlights, which have SMOOTH reflectors, have it.
Oh yeah: the beam. It's a tight spot. Why didn't I read that anywhere? It's all throw, and very little spill. EXACTLY what I DON"T like or WANT in my EDC flashlight.
My Fenix L1P, which has a SMOOTH reflector, has a much nicer, bigger spot, no sharp edge on the 'spot', and much more useful spill light.
That 'half orangepeel' reflector? I don't know who designed it, but it's certainly worthless.
This Olight I10 has a very tight spot, for those that want that kind of beam.
I don't.
And I made a mistake: the T10 has a lockout for the switch (from what I read) but, as I discovered when I read the instructions on the Olight I10, it DOESN'T.
The Olight I10 is a small, pocketable, EDC type light, with a PROTRUDING switch, that can't be disabled.
That means, at any time you go to use it, it may be dead, because it's EASY for the light to get turned on, if something pushes on that switch.
I put it in a heavy nylon holster (not the piece of cr*p holster that came with it) with a full flap.
I went to the grocery store, with the light in the holster on my belt, where I usually carry my EDC light; kind of near the closer edge of the back pocket of my jeans. When I got there, and got out of my car, and took the light out of the holster, it was very warm.
Probably, it was on the whole time.
Great.
It's not as bad as the Kroll switches that came on the later Arc-LS lights, but ANY light that can turn on accidentally, and leave you with a dead battery, it just plain worthless, IMHO.
And I've really got to say this: next to my HDS Ultimate 60GT, at the same output, that Olight I10, with whatever shamwow emitter it's supposed to have, looks like it has a GREEN filter on it.
So, it looks like I just flushed over $60 of my hard earned money down the toilet.
And yes, I am REALLY pissed about this.
I have purchased very few lights in the past 2 or 3 years. I can't afford to.
This one, ON PAPER, looked like it really had something to offer.
It does have variable output.
But I really feel like I got the greasy end of the stick, when I bought this POC.
IMHO, of course.
Oh, one last thing that might give you an unbiased indication of the Olight I10's build quality: it comes with a THIRTY DAY WARRANTY.
That pretty much says it all, doesn't it?
Wow a whole 30 days.
Olight really does stand behind it's products. They must really be working overtime in the QC department. I can't remember when I seen ANYTHING with such a short warranty; even all the cr*p coming from China has at least 90 days.
Go for it. They got my money; why not yours?
DISCLAIMER: The author of this 'review' freely admit his heavy bias against the Olight I10. He thinks it's a piece of garbage. So take the above with a grain of salt. Or two.
/rant off.
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