AardvarkSagus
Flashlight Enthusiast
Olight S30 Baton
Pick your options. Olight is rapidly converting into a flashlight buffet, allowing each user to select the features that best meet their needs.
Olight S30 Baton
Meat and Potatoes
What can I say? This one isn't much of a change, even for Olight's penchant for providing iterative advancements. The S30 is actually just a touch of a backstep in some regards. This new Olight is best described as "pretty much exactly the S30R, except without the dock charging option". This works out well for everyone who loved the higher output of the S30R but prefer the simplicity of just dropping in freshly charged cells over docking and waiting for a charge. Admittedly, you can still do that with the S30R, but why pay for a feature you don't intend to use?
No Charging contacts
Other than that, the S30 Baton has exactly the same features and concepts of the S30R. It still is powered by the venerable 18650 rechargeable Li-ion cell or a pair of CR123A primaries, this time strictly via your existing external charger. Sitting well centered in the business end is the powerful Cree XM-L2 LED, cranking out 1,000 lumens on high, with a wide spread of settings down to a diminutive 1 lumen moon mode. Honestly, this is one of my most frequented outputs because of its usefulness in checking on sleeping children without disturbing them.
Cree XM-L2
UI hasn't changed either. The S30 still has a basic 3 mode interface with mode memory. The extra moon mode and strobe are hidden behind button press shortcuts keeping them out of the way from normal use. Thankfully both moon mode and high are accessible directly from the light being off, incredibly boosting the ease of use.
Constructive Criticism
If the excellent qualities of the S30R have all translated over to the S30, the unfortunate fact is, the frustrations have as well. Notably present once again is the basic tension mounted belt clip. Admittedly, this particular sample seems not to suffer nearly as profoundly from the random rotation and disconnection that I experienced previously, but it still ends up rearing it's ugly head on occasion. This time around, I have taken the precaution of carrying the light INSIDE my pocket, and clipped to the edge, rather than outside as before. This has had the benefit of keeping the light solidly in my possession at all times, even if the clip were to fall off. Thankfully I managed to find my S30R after several months of being buried under snow and ice, and in nearly identical condition. That light only needed a little drying out (mostly in the charging tailcap) and a freshly charged cell to get back up and running at full capacity. I'm quite happy with the long-term reliability these lights seem to be providing.
New Style Belt Clip
I hadn't mentioned this specifically under the criticism heading in the S30R review, but as time rolls on, I find it increasingly frustrating. As I have mentioned, the body-mounted electronic switch on the Baton series has been under some serious iteration, finally breaking nearly free of the accidental activation that plagued it early on. The problem however is that now, I can't find the darn thing. My proposed solution would be to machine a recesses into the one facet of the light wherein is contained the switch, in order to distinguish it readily strictly by feel from the remaining 5. However it functions though, I hope that Olight doesn't start to rest on their laurels now. Thankfully, that's not likely.
Conclusions
If you like the Baton series, this is an excellent light. It is nearly the pinnacle of the bunch. If you especially liked the S30R, but found the dock charging aspects to be an unnecessary addition, then I can not think of a better light for you. It isn't a tactical light, but if functions excellently when relegated to the role of EDC pocket illumination tool.
Olight S30 Baton
Provided for review by the fine folks at GoingGear.
Pick your options. Olight is rapidly converting into a flashlight buffet, allowing each user to select the features that best meet their needs.
Olight S30 Baton
Meat and Potatoes
What can I say? This one isn't much of a change, even for Olight's penchant for providing iterative advancements. The S30 is actually just a touch of a backstep in some regards. This new Olight is best described as "pretty much exactly the S30R, except without the dock charging option". This works out well for everyone who loved the higher output of the S30R but prefer the simplicity of just dropping in freshly charged cells over docking and waiting for a charge. Admittedly, you can still do that with the S30R, but why pay for a feature you don't intend to use?
No Charging contacts
Other than that, the S30 Baton has exactly the same features and concepts of the S30R. It still is powered by the venerable 18650 rechargeable Li-ion cell or a pair of CR123A primaries, this time strictly via your existing external charger. Sitting well centered in the business end is the powerful Cree XM-L2 LED, cranking out 1,000 lumens on high, with a wide spread of settings down to a diminutive 1 lumen moon mode. Honestly, this is one of my most frequented outputs because of its usefulness in checking on sleeping children without disturbing them.
Cree XM-L2
UI hasn't changed either. The S30 still has a basic 3 mode interface with mode memory. The extra moon mode and strobe are hidden behind button press shortcuts keeping them out of the way from normal use. Thankfully both moon mode and high are accessible directly from the light being off, incredibly boosting the ease of use.
Constructive Criticism
If the excellent qualities of the S30R have all translated over to the S30, the unfortunate fact is, the frustrations have as well. Notably present once again is the basic tension mounted belt clip. Admittedly, this particular sample seems not to suffer nearly as profoundly from the random rotation and disconnection that I experienced previously, but it still ends up rearing it's ugly head on occasion. This time around, I have taken the precaution of carrying the light INSIDE my pocket, and clipped to the edge, rather than outside as before. This has had the benefit of keeping the light solidly in my possession at all times, even if the clip were to fall off. Thankfully I managed to find my S30R after several months of being buried under snow and ice, and in nearly identical condition. That light only needed a little drying out (mostly in the charging tailcap) and a freshly charged cell to get back up and running at full capacity. I'm quite happy with the long-term reliability these lights seem to be providing.
New Style Belt Clip
I hadn't mentioned this specifically under the criticism heading in the S30R review, but as time rolls on, I find it increasingly frustrating. As I have mentioned, the body-mounted electronic switch on the Baton series has been under some serious iteration, finally breaking nearly free of the accidental activation that plagued it early on. The problem however is that now, I can't find the darn thing. My proposed solution would be to machine a recesses into the one facet of the light wherein is contained the switch, in order to distinguish it readily strictly by feel from the remaining 5. However it functions though, I hope that Olight doesn't start to rest on their laurels now. Thankfully, that's not likely.
Conclusions
If you like the Baton series, this is an excellent light. It is nearly the pinnacle of the bunch. If you especially liked the S30R, but found the dock charging aspects to be an unnecessary addition, then I can not think of a better light for you. It isn't a tactical light, but if functions excellently when relegated to the role of EDC pocket illumination tool.
Olight S30 Baton
Provided for review by the fine folks at GoingGear.
