ErickThakrar
Enlightened
(This unit was provided by the manufacturer for review.)
Crelant is a brand new entrant into the flashlight market and for being so new and seeming to come out of nowhere, their first showing is surprisingly strong.
Their first product to market (I'm told it's the first of many to come.) is a small, EDC-size single AA flashlight, the 7G1.
Note the unusual choice of font for the model name.
The laser-engraving is generally pretty crisp, although I have seen better work.
I'll start with the specs as listed on Crelant's homepage.
Specification:
? Model?7G1
? CREE XP-G (R5 bin) with 50000 hours lifespan.
? High efficient constant-current circuit, constant output-luminance.
Two levels of function with four types of luminance modes:
With 1.5V AA (Ni-MH, Alkaline) battery:
a) High-lumens mode: High (138 lumens, 1.8 Hrs).
b) Normal mode: Strobe ?Low (10 lumens, 36Hrs) ? Mid (60 lumens, 10Hrs) ? High (138 lumens, 1.8 Hrs).With 14500 lithium battery:
a) High-lumens mode: High (228 lumens, 1.5Hrs).
b) Normal mode: Strobe ?Low (10 lumens, 24Hrs) ? Mid (80 lumens, 6Hrs) ? High (228 lumens, 1.5 Hrs).
? 1.5V AA (Ni-MH, Alkaline) battery, and 3.7V 14500 lithium battery.
? Working voltage: 1.5V-3.7V.
? Design of Microcontroller Controlled drive circuit
? MilSpec Type III hard-anodized aircraft-grade 6061 T6 aluminum.
? Waterproof Capability: IPX-8 standard.
? Toughened ultra-clear coated and anti-abrasion glass.
? High-quality aluminum faceted reflector with smooth and soft beamshot.
? Excellent hand feel with dual arabesquitic and anti-roll design.
? Tactical push-button tail cap switch.
? Color of body: gray.
? Can stand on tail as candle mode
? Size: Length-100mm; Diameter-21mm.
? Weight: 50g (battery excluded).
? Accessories: spare O ring, and rubber tail cap.
Quite the handful for a little light.
Output
The output of the 7G1 is pretty impressive. Gone are the days of anemic single AA lights and good riddance to them. I didn't test the 7G1 with a Li-Ion battery since I don't have one in that format, so it was tested using a standard alkaline AA.
The reflector has a nicely done orange peel and the LED is very well-centered.
Using the Cree XP-G, the output is pure white, leaning towards the cool side and quite smooth. The reflector used provides a very usable beam profile, with a clearly defined hotspot and smooth transition into the sidespill. The beam is largely artifact free, any minor artifacts you might be able to spot against a white wall, are not noticeable during actual use. The multiple levels are also spaced quite nicely apart, although I would have liked an even lower Low setting. I very much like that the strobe setting is not immediately accessable, but is there if you need it.
A quick twist of the head is all that is needed to access the strobe and other levels. The 7G1 also remembers the last setting so you don't have to worry about twisting the head and getting a mode that you didn't expect.
Build Quality Design
The feel and look of the 7G1 is very nice. Anodized in a dark grey color, the machining is very crisp and the 7G1 has some very effective knurling. I can think of several companies that could learn from Crelant on that aspect. The pentagonal tailcap and the flutes on the head offer some measure of anti-roll capability.
The hand feel and size of the 7G1 is almost perfect for an EDC light. It is also just long enough to be used as a fist-load.
Note the flat sides of the tailcap.
You can see the flutes on the head here that help with both the anti-roll capability and with twisting the head to access the other modes.
The knurling here is very effective.
Here you can see the inside of the head. The threads on this end are not coated, this seems to be done to ensure a good connection.
The lens is kept in place by what appears to be a stainless bezel ring, which is flush with the rest of the bezel. The bezel ring has flutes cut into it, and if you had the right tool, these flutes would allow you to disassemble the 7G1.
Pardon the dust in this picture. This dust does not come in the package and is an optional feature...
At the other end, the tailswitch is well-guarded against accidental activation by a raised lip all the way around, but is still easy to access. The switch itself is a reverse-clicky, which is one of the few things I'm not a particular fan of. On the plus side, the action is very positive, with both an audible and a tactile click to indicate operation.
Note the unusual design on the tail switch. Again, the dust is an aftermarket add-on.
Now, while Crelant in their spec sheet indicated that the 7G1 can tailstand, the specimen that they sent me does not. This is likely to be a minor fabrication issue with my copy which is apparently an early version. Helen at Crelant, indicated to me that this should be fixed on the production models.
Note that the switch cover does extend slightly past the tailcap itself. This is just enough to make it so that the 7G1 will stand on a flat surface but does so in a wobbly manner.
The threads on the tailcap are square-cut and anodized, which bodes well for the longevity.
Note the well-done threads on the battery-tube. They work exceedingly well and are quite smooth.
One minor quibble is that the anodizing, while very nice and even looking in color, did arrive to me with a few chips in it. Other than that, I have no complaints at all about the fit and finish of the 7G1.
Accessories
The 7G1 does not come with much in the way of accessories. In the box, they include an extra set of O-rings and an extra tailcap. A holster could have been nice, but frankly, the 7G1 is small enough to be very easily pocketable.
Conclusion
I'm generally very happy with the Crelant 7G1. For a first attempt, it's an incredibly solid product and I'm pretty excited to see what else Crelant comes up with in the future.
I really only have a couple minor complaints. Firstly, the 7G1 is touted as a tactical light. While we all know how over-used that phrase is these days, the 7G1 could certainly see use in that field. However, the use of a reverse-clicky switch makes it somewhat unsuitable for such purposes. I did take this up with Crelant and Helen told me that they would run it past the designers, so the possibility of an upgraded model is definitely there.
The other complaint or suggestion that I have, is that of installing a pocket clip of some kind. The 7G1 is almost the perfect size to be clipped to a pocket and carried unobtrusively even while wearing light weight clothing. At this stage, however, the only real option would be to maybe mount a lanyard or just simply chuck it in your pocket. A pocket clip would vastly increase its utility.
Other than that, however, great job by Crelant and I would suggest keeping an eye on them and their future products. Recommended, vis a vis the reservations listed above.
Crelant is a brand new entrant into the flashlight market and for being so new and seeming to come out of nowhere, their first showing is surprisingly strong.
Their first product to market (I'm told it's the first of many to come.) is a small, EDC-size single AA flashlight, the 7G1.
Note the unusual choice of font for the model name.
The laser-engraving is generally pretty crisp, although I have seen better work.
I'll start with the specs as listed on Crelant's homepage.
Specification:
? Model?7G1
? CREE XP-G (R5 bin) with 50000 hours lifespan.
? High efficient constant-current circuit, constant output-luminance.
Two levels of function with four types of luminance modes:
With 1.5V AA (Ni-MH, Alkaline) battery:
a) High-lumens mode: High (138 lumens, 1.8 Hrs).
b) Normal mode: Strobe ?Low (10 lumens, 36Hrs) ? Mid (60 lumens, 10Hrs) ? High (138 lumens, 1.8 Hrs).With 14500 lithium battery:
a) High-lumens mode: High (228 lumens, 1.5Hrs).
b) Normal mode: Strobe ?Low (10 lumens, 24Hrs) ? Mid (80 lumens, 6Hrs) ? High (228 lumens, 1.5 Hrs).
? 1.5V AA (Ni-MH, Alkaline) battery, and 3.7V 14500 lithium battery.
? Working voltage: 1.5V-3.7V.
? Design of Microcontroller Controlled drive circuit
? MilSpec Type III hard-anodized aircraft-grade 6061 T6 aluminum.
? Waterproof Capability: IPX-8 standard.
? Toughened ultra-clear coated and anti-abrasion glass.
? High-quality aluminum faceted reflector with smooth and soft beamshot.
? Excellent hand feel with dual arabesquitic and anti-roll design.
? Tactical push-button tail cap switch.
? Color of body: gray.
? Can stand on tail as candle mode
? Size: Length-100mm; Diameter-21mm.
? Weight: 50g (battery excluded).
? Accessories: spare O ring, and rubber tail cap.
Quite the handful for a little light.
Output
The output of the 7G1 is pretty impressive. Gone are the days of anemic single AA lights and good riddance to them. I didn't test the 7G1 with a Li-Ion battery since I don't have one in that format, so it was tested using a standard alkaline AA.
The reflector has a nicely done orange peel and the LED is very well-centered.
Using the Cree XP-G, the output is pure white, leaning towards the cool side and quite smooth. The reflector used provides a very usable beam profile, with a clearly defined hotspot and smooth transition into the sidespill. The beam is largely artifact free, any minor artifacts you might be able to spot against a white wall, are not noticeable during actual use. The multiple levels are also spaced quite nicely apart, although I would have liked an even lower Low setting. I very much like that the strobe setting is not immediately accessable, but is there if you need it.
A quick twist of the head is all that is needed to access the strobe and other levels. The 7G1 also remembers the last setting so you don't have to worry about twisting the head and getting a mode that you didn't expect.
Build Quality Design
The feel and look of the 7G1 is very nice. Anodized in a dark grey color, the machining is very crisp and the 7G1 has some very effective knurling. I can think of several companies that could learn from Crelant on that aspect. The pentagonal tailcap and the flutes on the head offer some measure of anti-roll capability.
The hand feel and size of the 7G1 is almost perfect for an EDC light. It is also just long enough to be used as a fist-load.
Note the flat sides of the tailcap.
You can see the flutes on the head here that help with both the anti-roll capability and with twisting the head to access the other modes.
The knurling here is very effective.
Here you can see the inside of the head. The threads on this end are not coated, this seems to be done to ensure a good connection.
The lens is kept in place by what appears to be a stainless bezel ring, which is flush with the rest of the bezel. The bezel ring has flutes cut into it, and if you had the right tool, these flutes would allow you to disassemble the 7G1.
Pardon the dust in this picture. This dust does not come in the package and is an optional feature...
At the other end, the tailswitch is well-guarded against accidental activation by a raised lip all the way around, but is still easy to access. The switch itself is a reverse-clicky, which is one of the few things I'm not a particular fan of. On the plus side, the action is very positive, with both an audible and a tactile click to indicate operation.
Note the unusual design on the tail switch. Again, the dust is an aftermarket add-on.
Now, while Crelant in their spec sheet indicated that the 7G1 can tailstand, the specimen that they sent me does not. This is likely to be a minor fabrication issue with my copy which is apparently an early version. Helen at Crelant, indicated to me that this should be fixed on the production models.
Note that the switch cover does extend slightly past the tailcap itself. This is just enough to make it so that the 7G1 will stand on a flat surface but does so in a wobbly manner.
The threads on the tailcap are square-cut and anodized, which bodes well for the longevity.
Note the well-done threads on the battery-tube. They work exceedingly well and are quite smooth.
One minor quibble is that the anodizing, while very nice and even looking in color, did arrive to me with a few chips in it. Other than that, I have no complaints at all about the fit and finish of the 7G1.
Accessories
The 7G1 does not come with much in the way of accessories. In the box, they include an extra set of O-rings and an extra tailcap. A holster could have been nice, but frankly, the 7G1 is small enough to be very easily pocketable.
Conclusion
I'm generally very happy with the Crelant 7G1. For a first attempt, it's an incredibly solid product and I'm pretty excited to see what else Crelant comes up with in the future.
I really only have a couple minor complaints. Firstly, the 7G1 is touted as a tactical light. While we all know how over-used that phrase is these days, the 7G1 could certainly see use in that field. However, the use of a reverse-clicky switch makes it somewhat unsuitable for such purposes. I did take this up with Crelant and Helen told me that they would run it past the designers, so the possibility of an upgraded model is definitely there.
The other complaint or suggestion that I have, is that of installing a pocket clip of some kind. The 7G1 is almost the perfect size to be clipped to a pocket and carried unobtrusively even while wearing light weight clothing. At this stage, however, the only real option would be to maybe mount a lanyard or just simply chuck it in your pocket. A pocket clip would vastly increase its utility.
Other than that, however, great job by Crelant and I would suggest keeping an eye on them and their future products. Recommended, vis a vis the reservations listed above.
