Recently released Olight Classic 2 Pro

[OldmanRon]

The lantern arrived yesterday, and I am totally impressed. Definitely worth the money ... the way the lighting is arranged is tomorrow's state-of-the-art LED technology, today. It is amazing how far LED lighting has come.

The lamp is physically a bit smaller than you might expect, but that in no way diminishes its performance. Everything feels substantial and rock-solid. The on-off switch clicks on and turns with an oily smoothness as the illumination gradually morphs seamlessly from candlelight to medium candlelight to bright candlelight (the orangey LED's look like three tiny vertical 2.5 cm neon tubes suspended within the lamp ... plus there are four more normal orange LED "potlights" on the "ceiling") until the the 16 warm-white LED's (in a clear/protected "ring" just outside the globe's top circumference) smoothly "take-over" after the bright orange wanes ... and start to add their glow and power (to a max 300 lumens) ... until it all looks like a "normal" warm white incandescent light bulb. The transitions are seamless.

Everything seems top-dollar ... the polycarbonate globe looks as clear as crystal glass and appears to be about 2 mm thick. And it is protected with a stout steel cage. Everything else is steel, too. And it's held together with Torx screws ... not cheap-*** rivets.

Bottom line? Those of you who follow Wranglerstar on Youtube will totally understand when I say that it definitely gives me the fizz.

One important heads-up/warning. It comes with one charging cord (and no power block), and (unlike most charging cords) it is the little USB-C connectors at both ends. Like most of y'all I have a big selection of charging cords and power blocks/sources ... but they all have at least one standard (big) USB connector at one end.

I was suddenly SOL.

Fortunately, the lantern also has an alternate provision (on its bottom) to use a magnetic charging cable.

And ... just as fortunately, the Olight Odin Mini weapon-light that I bought a few months ago was provided with one of Olight's magnetic charging cables with a "normal" old USB connector at the other end, and it worked fine (charging from my iMac) on the lantern. However, the magnetic connector takes longer ... apparently 10 hours "to fill an empty tank" as opposed to four hours with the supplied corded double USB-C cable. So, buyers should be aware of this and make sure they have something that works. I went out and bought a 10' USB-C to USB cable at the local drugstore for $8 CAN on Seniors' Day.

EDIT - August 28 - Here's a well-done and accurate review. Worth noting ... this guy's lantern apparently came with Olight's magnetic-connector charging cord. Mine (as noted in my comment) did not. Mine just had the double USB-C connecting cord.

 

[3_gun]

Same old Olight. Nice product with the same no go issues for me.

It does really look nice + the two light colors & UI with seamless steps between the two is nice, a peak of 300L & reported 3rd party testing of run times well short of claimed, non replaceable batteries even tho they are/use 18650 format, cable(s) for full use of the features are not included & a MSRP of $100?/! are negatives that's hard to over look at that price point.

Yea nice light & looks pretty but for $70 I have 2 Sofirn SP36 lights w/diffusers that are higher IPxx rated, ramp to 5k/L as a flashlight, take replaceable 18650 batteries & can be run with a single battery if needed. Not perfect or as pretty but for as often as I need "lantern" like lighting, good enough for me

 

[OldmanRon]

Same old Olight. Nice product with the same no go issues for me.

It does really look nice + the two light colors & UI with seamless steps between the two is nice, a peak of 300L & reported 3rd party testing of run times well short of claimed, non replaceable batteries even tho they are/use 18650 format, cable(s) for full use of the features are not included & a MSRP of $100?/! are negatives that's hard to over look at that price point.

Yea nice light & looks pretty but for $70 I have 2 Sofirn SP36 lights w/diffusers that are higher IPxx rated, ramp to 5k/L as a flashlight, take replaceable 18650 batteries & can be run with a single battery if needed. Not perfect or as pretty but for as often as I need "lantern" like lighting, good enough for me

Thanks for "chiming in" ... and yes I "get" it about the proprietary (unreplaceable) battery ... which I think is based on four 18650 cells. The main reason that I bought the new-generation Fenix BC30 (which I love) for my bicycle is the simple fact that it uses a couple of removable/rechargeable high-end Fenix 18650 batteries.

This Olight is relatively expensive, yes ... but I don't care. It gives me the fizz. And it makes the world's most awesome bedside night-light. 😉 Anywhere.

EDIT: I just went and researched the Sofirn SP36 that you mentioned. It looks like an excellent flashlight ... so basically we're comparing apples and oranges here.

 

[scalpel_ninja]

Just a side note: USB cables with a large end (type A) to USB C don't charge the same rate as USB C to C (identical small heads in both ends). A to C is just an adapter and does not conform to the new C standards. True type C cables can support more data and voltage; therefore faster charging.

Reference

 

[OldmanRon]

Just a side note: USB cables with a large end (type A) to USB C don't charge the same rate as USB C to C (identical small heads in both ends). A to C is just an adapter and does not conform to the new C standards. True type C cables can support more data and voltage; therefore faster charging.

Reference

Aha! I had absolutely no idea about that ... thanks for bringing me up-to-speed. 👍🏻 👍🏻

 

[3_gun]

EDIT: I just went and researched the Sofirn SP36 that you mentioned. It looks like an excellent flashlight ... so basically we're comparing apples and oranges here.

True to a point which is why I added I use a diffuser when using the Sofirn as a lantern. It's not as nice a lantern as the Olight but has the advantage of being a flashlight also. Not perfect but it works well or well enough in a tent or room for my use(s) & as a believer in the saying "two is one and one is none" having both for around $70 (watch for Sofirn flash sales) gives me more versatility & peace of mind.

I just wish at the price point Olight made the light with a serviceable battery & included the cable(s) to fully use the features. Plus a bit more peak output wouldn't hurt.

It is lovely but for as often as I need a lantern it's not a value for me. That said if in the future I see a used one in the $35-$50 range I might just spend some $$

 

[fulee9999]

all I can say is that you do you man, if you're happy with it, good for you.

 

[sledhead]

Sounds like a great lantern, I might give it a go. Replaceable batteries are a thing of the past .

 

[Poppy]

I recently bought a twin pack of USB C wallwart fast chargers, with a 20 Watt output. That's 4 times the output of a standard 5 watt unit. They were only about $15 for the twin pack. I think there are 45 watt units, but they are about 3 times the price for one.

 

[Olumin]

Replaceable batteries are a thing of the past .

Its very sad to read that some people think like that & will just happily accept planned obsolescence.

 

[sledhead]

The way things are going we may be obsolete before our lights are. However, the only batteries that went bad on me so far are replaceable ones. My old WiseLed , Lupines and several others along with a few Fenix lanterns are going strong. Time will tell.

Back on topic……. Nice lantern.

 

[OldmanRon]

The way things are going we may be obsolete before our lights are. However, the only batteries that went bad on me so far are replaceable ones. My old WiseLed , Lupines and several others along with a few Fenix lanterns are going strong. Time will tell.

Back on topic……. Nice lantern.

Thanks.

And it's also turned-out to be the most wonderful bedside lamp!

1. It's short, and the (very expensive-feeling) rotary switch/rheostat is on its base ... at the perfectly optimal bed-level height. Just reach-out and it falls "readily to hand".

2. The switch is silent, so you don't awaken the super-model sleeping (in a dreamy post-coital bliss) alongside you.

3. The warm glow of (adjustable) candlelight is somehow old-timey comforting, and is all you really need to find your way back to bed.

 

[OldmanRon]

The lantern arrived yesterday, and I am totally impressed. Definitely worth the money ... the way the lighting is arranged is tomorrow's state-of-the-art LED technology, today. It is amazing how far LED lighting has come.

The lamp is physically a bit smaller than you might expect, but that in no way diminishes its performance. Everything feels substantial and rock-solid. The on-off switch clicks on and turns with an oily smoothness as the illumination gradually morphs seamlessly from candlelight to medium candlelight to bright candlelight (the orangey LED's look like three tiny vertical 2.5 cm neon tubes suspended within the lamp ... plus there are four more normal orange LED "potlights" on the "ceiling") until the the 16 warm-white LED's (in a clear/protected "ring" just outside the globe's top circumference) smoothly "take-over" after the bright orange wanes ... and start to add their glow and power (to a max 300 lumens) ... until it all looks like a "normal" warm white incandescent light bulb. The transitions are seamless.

Everything seems top-dollar ... the polycarbonate globe looks as clear as crystal glass and appears to be about 2 mm thick. And it is protected with a stout steel cage. Everything else is steel, too. And it's held together with Torx screws ... not cheap-*** rivets.

Bottom line? Those of you who follow Wranglerstar on Youtube will totally understand when I say that it definitely gives me the fizz.

One important heads-up/warning. It comes with one charging cord (and no power block), and (unlike most charging cords) it is the little USB-C connectors at both ends. Like most of y'all I have a big selection of charging cords and power blocks/sources ... but they all have at least one standard (big) USB connector at one end.

I was suddenly SOL.

Fortunately, the lantern also has an alternate provision (on its bottom) to use a magnetic charging cable.

And ... just as fortunately, the Olight Odin Mini weapon-light that I bought a few months ago was provided with one of Olight's magnetic charging cables with a "normal" old USB connector at the other end, and it worked fine (charging from my iMac) on the lantern. However, the magnetic connector takes longer ... apparently 10 hours "to fill an empty tank" as opposed to four hours with the supplied corded double USB-C cable. So, buyers should be aware of this and make sure they have something that works. I went out and bought a 10' USB-C to USB cable at the local drugstore for $8 CAN on Seniors' Day.

EDIT - August 28 - Here's a well-done and accurate review. Worth noting ... this guy's lantern apparently came with Olight's magnetic-connector charging cord. Mine (as noted in my comment) did not. Mine just had the double USB-C connecting cord.

September 14, 2002 - I just ordered two more ... just because ... and Olight Canada is already sold-out of the nice copper-washed one. I got another green one, and that lame clay-coloured one. Great future gifts!

Can anybody suggest a cheap compatible modest solar panel (on Amazon or at Canadian Tire) to keep/maintain them lanterns all fresh during a shady post-apocalyptic nuclear winter?

 

[Stefano]

Over the past six months the prices of the solar panels have risen a lot and there is nothing cheap.
I've always bought AllPowers and X-Dragon