Solarforce Z1

[radiopej]

I've just received the Solarforce Z1 in the mail. It's a gift for a friend, but I figured I'd give it a look-over and review beforehand.



Solarforce's specifications (direct from site):

Premium CREE XP-G2 R5 LED
T6063 grade aluminum alloy body in extremely durable Mil-spec type III hard-anodized finish
Orange-peel-textured aluminium alloy reflector
Strengthened ultra-clear glass lens with two-surface anti-reflective coating
Stands upside down stably
Input voltage: 1.5 – 3V
Battery type: CR123A x 1
Reversed polarity protection
Water-proof (IPX-8 standard)
Length x diameter (head / body): 77.5 x 20.5 / 21mm
Weight: 37g

Output
Solarforce gives conflicting information about the max output, either 320 or 240 lumens. I can only assume this is dependent on the battery used (CR123 vs RCR123)
High (240 L): 40 min
Medium (115 L): 80 min
Low (35 L): 6 hr
Moon (7 L): 50 hr

Here are some outdoor beamshots. At 7 lumens, the moonlight isn't really moonlight - it's probably too bright for illumination while rummaging through your bag in the cinema. It's not bad for use as a general low-low though.



Note: While the site says the voltage goes up to 3V, the body of the torch clearly says up to 4.2 V. I popped in an RCR123 and it seemed fine, though it wasn't a freshly charged one.



Physical
It looks good to me. Nice and small, similar in size and weight to my EagleTac D25C Clicky. It's got a removable clip that looks like it can be taken off and clipped back on in reverse. A lot of you guys don't like clips that come off, but it seemed sturdy enough. A good, hard yank can probably take it off . It tailstands easily and the tailswitch is easy to press – this may be an issue in a pocket, but seems okay to me due to it being a bit recessed. Since it's a forward clicky, you get momentary use as well. The tiny bit between the reflector and bezel is a glow-in-the-dark ring. Pretty fun.
The die is nicely centered and the reflector is a nice light orange-peel.


Olight i3S, EagleTac D25C Clicky, Solarforce Z1


UI
A real winner for simplicity. 4 modes, as given above. Always starts on high, no mode memory. Each time you hit the tailcap, it progresses to a lower brightness before starting the cycle again. I love it as I won't accidentally strobe myself.

Beam
A nice mix of flood and throw, with a nice cool white without artifacts. Still, the center spot is fairly tight. I prefer neutral white usually, though the XP-G2 series have one of the nicest cool whites I've seen. As with most cool white lights, grass looks a bit pale. The wall shot is from about 50 cm away on high, the wall is actually yellow.




Overall
Overall, I love this light. I got it for USD $16 plus $2 for shipping, but even at a higher price it would be impressive. They also have the Z2 which runs from a single AA battery. Compact size, straightforward interface. I'm considering buying a handful of these to scatter around. It's not for tint fiends, but it's definitely got a place as a cheap light that's powerful, compact and good-looking. I don't know how durable or reliable it will be in the long run, but it's at a price point where you can afford to find out.

 

[zs&tas]

good review, i have two of these and one for a friend, i asked ITC shop ( E^ay) and solarforce. both said dont use RCR.
they are very well made and cheap, everyone would be silly not to pick one up ! mine is rotated with my EX11 an D10 and occasional LD01.
It throws much further than my EX11

i wish they did a 18650 version, but i guess they think they have 18650 stuff covered for now.

 

[RobertMM]

I used to have a Z1, worked pretty well but ate primaries like no tomorrow on high. A lower max output ~200 lumens maybe more sensible for better runtime. I eventually sold it to a friend who seems happy with it.the dealer though was pissed at the markings whichsay -4.2v, one customer put in a RCR and fried it, he showed me the unit and it had that expected "burnt electronics" smell.
Also bought two Z2 to give away,one works fine and the other suddenly died(very little use, no impact, looks new).
Afriend also bought three Z2, one flickers bad even aftercleaning thoroughly and would only come on on low level.

 

[Buck91]

Found this thread while searching for info on the z1 and rcr123. Sounds like it might be a no go. Anyways just reporting that mine rode in my back pocket full time on the job for about 2 years and very pet time for another two years with no problems. I've used it for sweeping roadsides at MVAs and for starting IVs and for many other things. Finish still looks great (natural or olive), still works great. Love the heavy brass pill for heat sinking on high and the pocket clip keeps it riding comfortably on the outer corner of my back pocket for easy access without being in the way.