what was different about their weapon lights? They look just like the hand helds
I think you forgot to toss in your quote, so I'm not sure if anyone knows exactly to what you're referring. Are you asking about what makes Olight WML different?
Okay, so I'll take a less than savory stab at this, because it gets into why I'm not a fan of Olight. It's kind a long, rambly story, and comes down to the gun community tends to hold grudges, and tends to prefer "known quantities" versus new "disruptors" (since the unproved new thing could legimately get you killed).
I'd argue there really isn't a lot differentiating their WML from their handhelds, which is why you'll probably find a lot of recommendations against their WML (with the quite correct adage, "Just get a Streamlight if you can't afford a Surefire").
They have a well deserved poor reputation in the gun community that originated with when they launched their company, and the ensuing poop storm that emerged with the quality of their lights, and their slimey tactics.
If we go way, way back to whenever they first launched their weapon lights (I'd never heard of them before that), they really pioneered the Shillosphere methodology. They paid
everyone in GunTube to put up glowing reviews, and just SPAMMED forums with shills. Olight essentially saw that Streamlight was the only modestly priced weapon light (I think they were still assembled in the US back then), and decided they wanted a slice of that premium price market - with generic Chinese stuff.
A LOT of people bought into Olight at the time. There was a huge wave of enthusiasm. NO ONE would shut up about them. And, to be fair, if you just stick the light on your pistol that lives in a nightstand, it's probably "just as good" as something like a Streamlight or Surefire. Fast forward a bit, though, and the CCW crowd that bought them started to have issues...lots of issues. Turns out they weren't very reliable, and would die.
Fast forward a bit more, and all the people with issues realize they'd been tricked (this was before "everyone knew" that YouTube was all paid reviews), and so they became very vocal opponents of Olight.
Overall, I think Olight makes an okay product. In the last few years, they do seem to have really focused on efficient drivers, and their finishes are pretty. Terrible emitters, though.
I've still yet to really be impressed with them, and I see them as essentially selling decent quality Chinese products at a premium price. I think Weltool makes a legitimately premium Chinese light (but still below the US made brands in terms of overall quality), but I see Olight more like Armytek; they're not
bad, they're just
bad value. Armytek lights are ridiculously overpriced and the QC is a mixed bag. Same with Olight.
Get them for half price, though, and you could do a whole lot worse!
Olight swears up and down they've improved their WML, but frankly, I just don't trust them. They have a long history of building their brand entirely off aggressive marketing to mostly ignorant buyers. Yes, if you've only ever used a cheap, crappy light, an Olight is LEAPS AND BOUNDS better, but Acebeam, Manker, Skilhunt, etc. make "non-enthusiast" lights that are even better, and still cheaper.
Their bread and butter in the gun community has been the Palmetto State Armory "just as good" buyer. The person who wants the equipment, but doesn't really want to save up for a quality product (either our of inability or lack of desire - both of which, by the way, are perfectly valid reasons). BUT, instead of just saying, "yeah, I just wanted a light to try out the idea, and didn't really want to blow a year's fun budget on a light, so I got this Olight thing," they just constantly cope that it's "just as good" or
secretly better than a Surefire or Streamlight.
On top of that, remember when I said a LOT of people had bought into the marketing? There was probably a good year or two when ANYWHERE you went in the gun community, you'd be innundated by these "just as good" Olight zealots. It kind of wore out EVERYONE'S patience...and when it all imploded on Olight, the Schadenfreude was palpable.
So, fundamentally, it's about the same quality as their handheld light. Sure, you can drop it, and it'll probably work, still...but why are you dropping your firearm? Get a holster or a sling. Good lord...you just...don't drop guns. That's irresponsible and dangerous. AND, they seem to not hold up well to
recoil. That's the thing. WML don't need "drop resistance," they need to withstand recoil. It seems like Olight either didn't realize this (I know civilian gun ownership is not a thing in China), or didn't care, knowing their buyers likely shoot about once a year.
For a LONG TIME, the gun community said a WML was 100% necessary. I'm in the old school crowd of "a handheld is probably better to have" (you can light stuff up without pointing a weapon around). So, at the end of day, I think the WML argument is mostly for police and military (though, "get a Streamlight if you can't afford a Surefire" is still the way to go, haha). That means, so long as the UI is simple (single mode), I wouldn't say Olight is BAD for self-defense. I think, for what they charge, though, spend a bit more and get a Malkoff or...maybe one of the cheaper, plastic Surefire G2 things...or, get a Streamlight.
That's the end of my long story on why you probably see all sorts of mixed opinions on Olight in the gun community.
Personally, I just can't get past the marketing. O-this, O-that...short time window hype sales, random aggressive discounts...Just...not for me...and those ugly white beams, haha.
