Xrunner4
Newly Enlightened
Here's the latest line-up from Nitecore. I will do a general review since the UI is identical on all three models and then do some specifics on each one. I received these in advance from Nitecore for the purpose of reviewing them. I do not work for Nitecore or any of their authorized resellers. They did not send me packaging or the keychain or spare O-ring that will come in the retail package.
How they work:
These EDCs work as advertised. The SENS Automatic Dimming Technology (ADT) is intuitively designed and comes in more handy than I expected. The UI is very easy to understand and to remember, even for me. The first time I used it, I remembered how without giving it any thought.
Basically, to use the SENS EDCs in ADT mode, you point the flashlight straight up while turning it on, which is done by twisting the head and is easily accomplished with one hand. The built in accelerometer "senses" the angle of the flashlight and puts it in ADT mode. What that means is that when pointing straight ahead or higher, you get full brightness; when pointing downward at roughly a 45 degree angle, you get the medium brightness; and when pointing straight down, you get the low brightness. The main purpose of this is to save on battery life which, according to Nitecore, gives you 5-8 times longer life than the brightest mode. The other benefit I found is that when walking on a trail, you don't need nearly the amount of light to see directly in front of you as you would pointing your flashlight at a distant object. In real world usage, what I found was that the flashlight gradually reduced its light when going from a brighter mode to a dimmer mode over a period of a second or two. This was helpful so that your eyes can adjust to the dimming light. On the other hand, when going from a dimmer mode to a brighter mode, the increase was nearly instantaneous. This is helpful so that when you're walking on a trail and illuminating the ground just in front of your feet and you hear Bigfoot directly in front of you, you can swing the head of the flashlight up and not have to wait for it to gradually brighten while Bigfoot runs away. The Nitecore people really thought this through (Actually, in China it would not be Bigfoot, but the Yeti, but you get the idea). What I really like about ADT, though, is that it can easily be overridden by the user. If you want the brightest setting all the time, you turn it on while pointing it straight ahead; if you want the medium brightness all the time, you turn it on while point it downward at a 45 degree angle; if you want the lowest brightness, you turn it on while pointing it straight down. Once you've turned it on in any one of those 3 settings, it remains at that particular brightness no matter how you angle the flashlight until it's turned off. Obviously, there are times when you want your flashlight on the brightest setting when you're pointing it straight down such as when I'm looking for my round file in the bottom of my cavernous toolbox. I found that while using these flashlights, all of these functions worked flawlessly. Again, it was easy to use and became almost second nature after the first or second use. There's no counting of clicks or finding other buttons to push or flicks of the wrist like many other adjustable brightness flashlights.
Basic features:
These flashlights seem to be well made. They're finished in diamond knurling that gives you a decent grip and a natural feel. The finish is a military grade anodized satin black that seems durable. I dropped them on a number of occasions (not on purpose) and they endured my abuse although I discovered a noticeable ding in the tailpiece of one of them and don't even remember how it got there. These are definitely floods. If you want something with a lot of throw, this isn't for you. Perhaps Nitecore will come out with some spots that have ADT in the future. The reflectors are smooth and the lens is quite good at spreading an even pattern of light. You can view some shots later in this review. I didn't test the battery life but from what I could tell, the supplied specs from Nitecore seemed reasonably accurate. There is no strobe, SOS, or any other light pattern other than what's already been described. They all use the Cree XP-G (R5) LED lamp. The lumens produced is different based on each model as outlined below. I didn't test them underwater although Nitecore claims that they meet IPX-8 standards of 2 meters. The head has brass threads and an O-ring while the body appears to have aluminum threads. The threads are numerous and fine requiring nearly 4 and a half turns to go from unattached to on. A quarter turn will accomplish on and off so, again, easy to operate one handed. I was also happy to notice that they didn't inadvertently turn on in my pocket. They have two holes and a notch in the tailpiece that is suitable for a lanyard and can still stand on the tailpiece with the lanyard in place. I did a test with a lanyard I had and it did require a bit of an awkward adjustment of the lanyard in order to accomplish that. Here's a sample picture.
Specific Models:
SENS AA
(Nitecore provided me with the following 2 images for the SENS AA only, but it basically applies to all 3 models other than the lumens)
Features
·CREE XP-G (R5) LED
·Maximum output of up to 120 lumens
·Highly effective current circuit board
·High efficiency circuit enables maximum runtime of up to 60 hours
·3 brightness levels
·Active dimming system with auto-adjust function
·Soft turn-on mode and low illumination for everyday usage
·Convenient one-handed operation
·Board voltage circuit, compatible with primary or rechargeable Li-on batteries.
·Reverse polarity protection
·Equipped with integrated lens
·Constructed from aerospace grade aluminum alloy
·Type III military grade hard anodizing
·Special-made rhombic knurling for better grip
·Waterproof in accordance with IPX-8 (2meterssubmersible)
·Tailstandability
Dimensions
Length:81mm
Head Diameter:19.8mm
Tail Diameter:17.5mm
Weight: 26g (withoutbattery)
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The following shots were taken of a fence from about 12 feet away. These are very non-scientific but you get the idea of the differences in brightness, and the flood pattern.
Bright Setting = 120 Lumens
Medium Setting - 20 Lumens
Low setting - 6 Lumens
These pictures were taken on an interior wall from about 4 feet.
Bright Setting = 120 Lumens
Medium Setting - 20 Lumens
Low Setting - 6 Lumens
SENS CR
Features
·CREE XP-G (R5) LED
·Maximum output of up to 190 lumens
·Highly effective current circuitboard
·High efficiency circuit enables maximum runtime of up to 27 hours
·3 brightness levels
·Active dimming system with auto-adjust function
·Soft turn-on mode and low illumination for everyday usage
·Convenient one-handed operation
·Board voltage circuit, compatible with primary or rechargeable Li-on batteries
·Reverse polarity protection
·Equipped with integrated lens
·Constructed from aerospace grade aluminum alloy
·Type III military grade hard anodizing
·Special-made rhombic knurling for better grip
·Water proof in accordance with IPX-8 (2meterssubmersible)
·Tail standability
Dimensions
Length:64mm
Head Diameter:19.8mm
Tail Diameter:19.8mm
Weight:23.8g (withoutbattery)
The following shots were taken of a fence from about 12 feet away. These are very non-scientific but you get the idea of the differences in brightness, and the flood pattern.
Bright Setting = 190 Lumens
Medium Setting - 60 Lumens
Low Setting - 20 Lumens
These pictures were taken on an interior wall from about 4 feet.
Bright Setting = 190 Lumens
Medium Setting - 60 Lumens
Low Setting - 20 Lumens
SENS Mini
Features
·CREE XP-G (R5) LED
·Maximum output of up to 170 lumens
·Highly effective current circuit board
·High efficiency circuit enables maximum runtime of up to 14 hours
·3 brightness levels
·Active dimming system with auto-adjust function
·Soft turn-on mode and low illumination for everyday usage
·Convenient one-handed operation
·Board voltage circuit, compatible with primary or rechargeable Li-on batteries
·Reverse polarity protection
·Equipped with integrated lens
·Constructed from aerospace grade aluminum alloy
·Type III military grade hard anodizing
·Special-made rhombic knurling for bettergrip
·Waterproof in accordance with IPX-8 (2meterssubmersible)
·Tailstandability
Dimensions
Length:57mm
Head Diameter:19.8mm
Tail Diameter:18.5mm
Weight:19.4g(withoutbattery)
The following shots were taken of a fence from about 12 feet away. These are very non-scientific but you get the idea of the differences in brightness, and the flood pattern.
Bright Setting = 170 Lumens
Medium Setting - 150 Lumens
Low Setting - 20 Lumens
These pictures were taken on an interior wall from about 4 feet.
Bright Setting = 170 Lumens
Medium Setting - 50 Lumens
Low Setting - 20 Lumens
Final Thoughts:
I have to say that the more I use them, the more I really love these EDCs. The SENS CR is my personal favorite because of the combination of its compact size, high output, and versatility of also using rechargeable CR123 batteries. As of this writing, I don't know the prices of any of these, but based on Nitecore's reputation for packing a lot of value in their products, I'm sure these will be worth the investment. If these are successful, and I'm expecting they will be, look for more products in the SENS line with ADT features.
If you have any further questions, I will do my best to answer them in this thread.
Thank You!
