Many people know XTAR manufactures battery charger. Actually XTAR also released some good flashlights. Here we see the review of XTAR EDC flashlight - XTAR PACER WK18.
What's in the box?
* WK18 flashlight
* Spare O-ring
* User manual
* Pocket Clip
* Lanyard
* Warranty card
UI - How to work the WK18
There's a single forward clicky tail clicky on this light. It's a great switch with a rubber dome and some nice grip texture. But the switch is probably smaller than what you might expect. It is measured at about 12mm.
The UI is very simple. Fully click to turn the WK18 on and off. Click on, then off, then on to change levels.Modes cycle from low to high. The manual mentions "Signal Mode" accessible by pressing the switch twice while the light is off, then turning the light on. The light also has no memory; it starts in low every time. I like this feature a lot. It will turn on into the previous mode if turned on within a few seconds of being turned off, however.
Mode
Mode Claimed Output Claimed Runtime
Moonlight 1lm 47d
Low 60lm 28h
Mid 300lm 4.5h
High 1000lm 3.1h
Signal 1000lm /
I measured throw at 8710cd (187m). Half press twice from off for momentary Strobe, click to lock it in.
Power
XTAR WK18 runs on a single 18650 battery. Two 16340 or CR123A cells will also work. I used a Vapcell 2800mAh 18650 (VTC5D) Li-ion battery for this review. The working voltage is 2.75v - 8.4v. I also found that this XTAR EDC flashlight has a function of reverse polarity protection. It is very good.
The WK18 started stepping down after 3 mins 30 secs which isn't too bad. It wasn't too hot after a full run on high but stepping it back up made it get hot.
EDC Comparison
I found out four EDC flashlights which have the similar specifications. They are XTAR H3R, Convoy S2+, XTAR WK18, and Lumintop ZOOM1. After tested their beam and lighting, I made a simple product comparison.
Size
From the appearance, The XTAR WK18 flashlight has a similar size with the Convoy S2+. The XTAR H3R headlamp is in a very small size. And the Lumintop ZOOM1 is the largest one. The length of WK18 is 121.5mm, and the width is only 25mm. Therefore, it is very convenient to carry out and use.
Tint & Beam Profile
The emitter of XTAR WK18 is a Cree XM-L2 U3. From the picture you can found that the beam of WK18 has a nice useful spot, with a useful amount of spill. This is brought to you by the very lightly orange peeled reflector.
Flood Lighting
Can any of these flashlights light every inch of the yard? Let's test one by one.
Impressive use of 1000 lumens!
Beam Throw
Can any of these flashlights light up "Vanhalla" the famous white van?
For a moderate powered flooder the WK18 throws quite well.
Real world testing: how does the WK8 fare as a walking light?
Moon and low modes were too dim for walking with. But the high mode is great. The rear switch takes some getting used to as it's quite squishy.
This flashlight is very simple and easy to use. It is really a budget EDC flashlight, and fits most people's need for camping and house use. The XTAR WK18 is not fancy, but it works for most of the time. The 1000 lumens light does the job for most people.
Note: this article is based on the review video from YouTube Channel "FLASHAHOLICS". We get his permission. Much appreciated for the hard work of FLASHAHOLICS.
What's in the box?
* WK18 flashlight
* Spare O-ring
* User manual
* Pocket Clip
* Lanyard
* Warranty card
UI - How to work the WK18
There's a single forward clicky tail clicky on this light. It's a great switch with a rubber dome and some nice grip texture. But the switch is probably smaller than what you might expect. It is measured at about 12mm.
The UI is very simple. Fully click to turn the WK18 on and off. Click on, then off, then on to change levels.Modes cycle from low to high. The manual mentions "Signal Mode" accessible by pressing the switch twice while the light is off, then turning the light on. The light also has no memory; it starts in low every time. I like this feature a lot. It will turn on into the previous mode if turned on within a few seconds of being turned off, however.
Mode
Mode Claimed Output Claimed Runtime
Moonlight 1lm 47d
Low 60lm 28h
Mid 300lm 4.5h
High 1000lm 3.1h
Signal 1000lm /
I measured throw at 8710cd (187m). Half press twice from off for momentary Strobe, click to lock it in.
Power
XTAR WK18 runs on a single 18650 battery. Two 16340 or CR123A cells will also work. I used a Vapcell 2800mAh 18650 (VTC5D) Li-ion battery for this review. The working voltage is 2.75v - 8.4v. I also found that this XTAR EDC flashlight has a function of reverse polarity protection. It is very good.
The WK18 started stepping down after 3 mins 30 secs which isn't too bad. It wasn't too hot after a full run on high but stepping it back up made it get hot.
EDC Comparison
I found out four EDC flashlights which have the similar specifications. They are XTAR H3R, Convoy S2+, XTAR WK18, and Lumintop ZOOM1. After tested their beam and lighting, I made a simple product comparison.
Size
From the appearance, The XTAR WK18 flashlight has a similar size with the Convoy S2+. The XTAR H3R headlamp is in a very small size. And the Lumintop ZOOM1 is the largest one. The length of WK18 is 121.5mm, and the width is only 25mm. Therefore, it is very convenient to carry out and use.
Tint & Beam Profile
The emitter of XTAR WK18 is a Cree XM-L2 U3. From the picture you can found that the beam of WK18 has a nice useful spot, with a useful amount of spill. This is brought to you by the very lightly orange peeled reflector.
Flood Lighting
Can any of these flashlights light every inch of the yard? Let's test one by one.
Impressive use of 1000 lumens!
Beam Throw
Can any of these flashlights light up "Vanhalla" the famous white van?
For a moderate powered flooder the WK18 throws quite well.
Real world testing: how does the WK8 fare as a walking light?
Moon and low modes were too dim for walking with. But the high mode is great. The rear switch takes some getting used to as it's quite squishy.
This flashlight is very simple and easy to use. It is really a budget EDC flashlight, and fits most people's need for camping and house use. The XTAR WK18 is not fancy, but it works for most of the time. The 1000 lumens light does the job for most people.
Note: this article is based on the review video from YouTube Channel "FLASHAHOLICS". We get his permission. Much appreciated for the hard work of FLASHAHOLICS.
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