(Note - the manufacturer notified me that this pre-production sample has a different model etched onto the light than will be on the production model, thus the change in the title to "NWK550". You'll see NWK600 referenced throughout the thread, but NWK550 is the correct model #.)
Perhaps you've seen my other tests of a couple of Niwalker lights...HERE and HERE. In addition, Selfbuilt did a couple of his excellent reviews HERE and HERE. HKJ, too, did an awesome review HERE.
My tests are not intended to 'review' the lights - rather, I am attempting to subject them to some "real world" torture. No, I'm not out to perform the most sadistic abuse possible. Some testers might be far harder on a light than I am in these tests. Rather, this is an attempt to subject the lights to abuse that could be encountered in real world: LEO, Military, hard users...drops, accidental dunkings, leaving the light outside to freeze, and even the odd extra hot environment.
It was hard for me to start abusing this one. This is a VERY nice looking light - granted, we are subjected to a lot of cookie cutter designs these days, but subtle differences can be appreciated, and the Niwalker has subtle differences that appeal to me. In addition, there's an interesting mode switch control on the side of the tail cap - this button will also engage the tactical strobe. Very cool.
So before I defaced this nice looking light, I thought I'd take and share some eye candy photos. The light was supplied to me with 2 very nice holsters/pouches as well as a couple of nice lanyards:
Anno and graphics are nice
See the side button? The side button allows immediate activation of tactical strobe, or by holding it for just over 2 seconds you can switch the light between 'normal' (tail cap gives hi/med/lo) and tactical - (tail cap gives high with strobe activated through the side switch.)
Nice finish and seal on the light engine
And that XML emitter deep inside a smooth reflector
So let the torture begin - let's fill a pan with water
Let's boil it - boiled for an hour
Now let's freeze it! Into the "chill chest" we go...bwah ha ha ha haaaa!!:devil:
A few hours later, frozen almost solid -
Uh, oh. Light stopped working! I thawed out the block and discovered that there was a bit of water inside the battery tube...
I took everything apart and set it aside to dry. After about 30 minutes, put it back together and dropped in a battery and it fired right up! Time to get on with the drop tests...
UPDATE FROM NIWALKER - They are going to utilize a larger / beefier O Ring in the tail to make certain the light is water tight.
Today's audience for the drop tests includes:
Tigger - who thinks I've lost my mind
Heidi, who has likely lost her mind (but almost gets bombed with the light .... later...
)
Sassy, who could not care less...
And Penny, the wise 15 year old Sheltie who KNOWS I've lost my mind!
So as usual, I filled a bag with sand and rocks and tossed the light around (simulating dropping in gravel, on the beach, or in the desert?
Next were 2 drops from the window - maybe 15 feet or so?
Heidi - look out below!!
The light survived these drops with very little noticeable surface scuffing - it looks far worse on the following video than it really is. After washing the debris away, there are only surface scrapes to the tail where the light apparently landed both times. Still, I threw it against the fence and it tumbled and rolled along the gravel patio (and some concrete slabs) with virtually no marks to the anno. It's clearly a tough light.
Before:
After
Seriously - this is after the abuse and a good washing. If I had tried could I have made it look worse? Sure. But the drops and tosses were purely random - just as if you accidentally dropped it while on duty or out walking your dogs late at night. Clearly you can just go use this one and not worry about it!
So the verdict? Another tough light from Niwalker. 420 (1 cell - with 2 cells just over 700 lumen - see post #4) lumen on high in my sphere - nice tint and beam shape - good throw - good spill - but I'll leave that for whoever might end up testing this light. It did operate sporadically after the boil/freeze tests. I dried it out in the oven for about 30 minutes and it was fine. Later, it acted up again and when I took it apart, I noticed moisture in the tail cap/switch assembly. I put everything in a bag of rice with a desiccant package overnight - this morning, everything works PERFECTLY. I think that perhaps some lube on the threads and o ring might eliminate this concern, but after all - I BOILED it and FROZE it! And a simple drying and everything is back to normal.
Nice job, Niwalker!
:goodjob: Looking forward to some operational tests!
Perhaps you've seen my other tests of a couple of Niwalker lights...HERE and HERE. In addition, Selfbuilt did a couple of his excellent reviews HERE and HERE. HKJ, too, did an awesome review HERE.
My tests are not intended to 'review' the lights - rather, I am attempting to subject them to some "real world" torture. No, I'm not out to perform the most sadistic abuse possible. Some testers might be far harder on a light than I am in these tests. Rather, this is an attempt to subject the lights to abuse that could be encountered in real world: LEO, Military, hard users...drops, accidental dunkings, leaving the light outside to freeze, and even the odd extra hot environment.
It was hard for me to start abusing this one. This is a VERY nice looking light - granted, we are subjected to a lot of cookie cutter designs these days, but subtle differences can be appreciated, and the Niwalker has subtle differences that appeal to me. In addition, there's an interesting mode switch control on the side of the tail cap - this button will also engage the tactical strobe. Very cool.
So before I defaced this nice looking light, I thought I'd take and share some eye candy photos. The light was supplied to me with 2 very nice holsters/pouches as well as a couple of nice lanyards:
Anno and graphics are nice
See the side button? The side button allows immediate activation of tactical strobe, or by holding it for just over 2 seconds you can switch the light between 'normal' (tail cap gives hi/med/lo) and tactical - (tail cap gives high with strobe activated through the side switch.)
Nice finish and seal on the light engine
And that XML emitter deep inside a smooth reflector
So let the torture begin - let's fill a pan with water
Let's boil it - boiled for an hour
Now let's freeze it! Into the "chill chest" we go...bwah ha ha ha haaaa!!:devil:
A few hours later, frozen almost solid -
Uh, oh. Light stopped working! I thawed out the block and discovered that there was a bit of water inside the battery tube...
I took everything apart and set it aside to dry. After about 30 minutes, put it back together and dropped in a battery and it fired right up! Time to get on with the drop tests...
UPDATE FROM NIWALKER - They are going to utilize a larger / beefier O Ring in the tail to make certain the light is water tight.
Today's audience for the drop tests includes:
Tigger - who thinks I've lost my mind
Heidi, who has likely lost her mind (but almost gets bombed with the light .... later...
)
Sassy, who could not care less...
And Penny, the wise 15 year old Sheltie who KNOWS I've lost my mind!
So as usual, I filled a bag with sand and rocks and tossed the light around (simulating dropping in gravel, on the beach, or in the desert?
Next were 2 drops from the window - maybe 15 feet or so?
Heidi - look out below!!
The light survived these drops with very little noticeable surface scuffing - it looks far worse on the following video than it really is. After washing the debris away, there are only surface scrapes to the tail where the light apparently landed both times. Still, I threw it against the fence and it tumbled and rolled along the gravel patio (and some concrete slabs) with virtually no marks to the anno. It's clearly a tough light.
Before:
After
Seriously - this is after the abuse and a good washing. If I had tried could I have made it look worse? Sure. But the drops and tosses were purely random - just as if you accidentally dropped it while on duty or out walking your dogs late at night. Clearly you can just go use this one and not worry about it!
So the verdict? Another tough light from Niwalker. 420 (1 cell - with 2 cells just over 700 lumen - see post #4) lumen on high in my sphere - nice tint and beam shape - good throw - good spill - but I'll leave that for whoever might end up testing this light. It did operate sporadically after the boil/freeze tests. I dried it out in the oven for about 30 minutes and it was fine. Later, it acted up again and when I took it apart, I noticed moisture in the tail cap/switch assembly. I put everything in a bag of rice with a desiccant package overnight - this morning, everything works PERFECTLY. I think that perhaps some lube on the threads and o ring might eliminate this concern, but after all - I BOILED it and FROZE it! And a simple drying and everything is back to normal.
Nice job, Niwalker!
:goodjob: Looking forward to some operational tests!
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