I stopped by the Fenix booth at SHOT Show to see Fenix’s new offerings for 2025. I tested the GL19R last year and found it to be a reliable and bright weaponlight. This year, they showed me the GL23R with its new mechanical control switches and the new v2 GL19R with the same switches.
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on the Fenix website https://alnk.to/eDSGwgw
Fenix GL23R on Amazon https://amzn.to/4ksnR8Q
Fenix GL19R on Amazon https://amzn.to/4i3NxqX
A few years ago, I bought an OLIGHT PL-2 Valkyrie because it offered the best value in terms of price to lumen output. I liked the physical design of the Valkyrie and the PL-2 was one of the few +600 lumen lights priced under $150. When OLIGHT contacted me to review their soon to be released PL-Turbo Valkyrie I was eager to see how this new light compared to mine.
The PL-Turbo is an improvement on the Turbo Valkyrie offering a bump up from 250 lumens to a more blinding 800 lumens in the PL-Turbo, while sacrificing only a slightly shorter yet still impressive 515m throw. The other noticeable changes is a screw mount, an adjustable position mounting system, and surprisingly: a 60% drop in retail price.
Compared to my 1200 lumen PL-2, the PL-Tubo is 1/4″ longer and has a more matte black coated surface. Both are powered by a pair of C123A or rechargeable RCR123A batteries. Both share identical control button/panels which are some of the best in the category.
In my lumen testing I discovered that the PL-2 output 50% more than its specified 800 lumens. Many budget brand and knock-off weaponlights outrageously inflate their lumen numbers. It is laudable in that OLIGHT understated the PL-Turbo’s performance numbers.
The PL-Turbo retains the Turbo’s tight beam pattern; a product of its laser powered LEP illumination. Inside the narrow beam is an extremely bright and small hot spot. At 10ft, it appears as a 1ft wide circle that can function as an aim point. While the beam is narrower than OLIGHT’s other Valkerie or Baldr lights but its intensity offers sufficient bounce light to illuminate a residential room.
I don’t claim that any OLIGHT is as durable or as reliable as military tested weapon lights from US built brands. But this OLIGHT is more than sufficient to meet my average-civilian needs. With all of the PL-Turbo’s improvements to the older Valkyrie Turbo and at a lower price, its a no-brainer that the PL-Turbo is a good value.
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PL Turbo
Lumens: 800
Max Run Time:120 min
Maximum Range: 515m
Length: 89.7mm
Weight w/battery: 127.3g
Battery type: 2x CR123A
Track compatibility: Glock, 1913
Unlike the wedge shaped X1, the X2 has a straight lower profile shape. There is a small cut out in the body that allows the light to function as a hand stop, preventing your hand from moving forward which is useful as a safety feature for bullpup or short barreled rifles and shotguns.
An single activation button is located on the left side of the body. A press turns the unit on in its high output mode. Pressing the button cycles the flashlight from high, to low, to off. Keeping the button pressed for 5-6 seconds activates the strobe mode.
In my testing, I measured approximately 1650 lumens; which not as bright as the 2000 claimed. The shortfall may be because new batteries take a few cycles to reach maximum performance? The X1 I tested had a higher 1850 lumen output despite having the same internal components.
The Raider lacks momentary on or mode memory; two features I consider to be vital for a modern weapon light. This control scheme was standard for weapon lights 15 years ago and for those that are used to this scheme may be a selling point but not for me.
What is a selling point is it’s performance and durability. Monstrum states that it has a 60 minute run time on high mode. Fully recharged, my X2 ran for 70 minutes, with a gradual drop in brightness.
The Raider X1 did fail one of my tests: I found the unit did not meet to IPX6 rating it claims. I hit it with a high pressure water hose at various angles for about 15-20 seconds. A few minutes later, I found that moisture beads appeared behind the lens and lifting the silicone charging port cover, I found water weeping out of the port.
I left the unit outside in the sun for a few days to dry it out. After checking the charging port for moisture, I tried charging it up again and it appears to be working normally. While water getting into the unit is failure, it’s recovery from its wet condition may be a positive.
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Monstrum: https://alnk.to/ge48PGr
At the Monstrum booth at Shot Show 2023 they introduced me to a prototype weapon light that they claim could output 2000 lumens. It was so new they didn’t have a name for it. Four months later Monstrum sent me their brand new weapon light called the Raider X1.
The Raider X1 comes in a compact box containing the light and a M-LOK/Picatinny rail. The weapon light is made of 6061 aircraft grade aluminum which feels quite durable and solid. It recharges via a covered USB-C port at the rear of the wedged shaped body.
The rear wedge functions as an angled fore grip. Not quite pistol grip (as that would violate many state’s gun laws), it provides an ergonomic hand position. The lens housing also functions as a hand stop, preventing your hand from moving forward which is useful as a safety feature in bullpups, short barreled rifles or pump shotguns like the KS7/KSG.
An single activation button is located on the left side of the body. A press turns the unit on in its high output mode. In my testing, I measured approximately 1850 lumens; which is still plenty bright. Pressing the button cycles the flashlight from high, to low, to off. Keeping the button pressed for 5-6 seconds activates the strobe mode.
The Raider lacks momentary on or mode memory; two features I consider to be vital for a modern weapon light. This control scheme was standard for weapon lights 15 years ago and for those that are used to this scheme may be a selling point but not for me.
What is a selling point is it’s performance and durability. Monstrum states that it has a 60 minute run time on high mode. Fully recharged, I tested its runtime and found it exceeded it’s claimed run time by over 17 minutes (crapping out at 78 minutes). It’s built so tough, I ran it over with my SUV twice, and despite some small nicks and scratches, it survived un-dented and functional.
The Raider X1 did fail one of my tests: I found the unit did not meet to IPX6 rating it claims. I hit it with a high pressure water hose at various angles for about 15-20 seconds. A few minutes later, I found that moisture beads appeared behind the lens and lifting the silicone charging port cover, I found water weeping out of the port.
After a number of minutes the went into strobe mode and the activation button became unresponsive. I left the unit outside in the sun for a few days to dry it out. After checking the charging port for moisture, I tried charging it up again and it appears to be working normally. While water getting into the unit is failure, it’s recovery from its wet condition may be a positive.
Available from Monstrum: https://monstrumtactical.com/raider-2000-lumen-x1-flashlight-foregrip/
Monstrum Tactical is mostly known for their budget oriented tactical optics, LPVOs, and exceptionally good value scope mounts. They have also carried a line of weapon lights that maxed out at 400 lumens, which by today’s standards is low power. At SHOT Show 2023 Monstrum introduced their new Tracer EDC laser and flashlight which has a max 1000 lumen output. And they showed me a prototype angled foregrip with an integrated laser and weaponlight that outputs 2000 lumen. At time of filming, it didn’t have a name but maybe they’ll call it the Moondog.
Monstrum tactical lights is available through this Affiliate link: https://alnk.to/8PBuQJC
Two lucky entries will win a Feyachi WL25. Two runners-up will receive an EZshot weaponlight or a Feyachi magnetic pistol mount. Agree to be interviewed on a future Zoom episode and give your unbiased thoughts on the prize you won. No purchase necessary. You must be of legal age to enter. Enter to win. Deadline for entry is September 30, 2021
The WL25 is Feyachi’s newest 1200 lumen weapon light. It has a premium pressure plate with momentary and constant-on buttons which comes with adapter plates that fix it to either Picatinny or M-Lok rail. Unfortunately, my model would not switch from Strobe/Alt to Low/Alt modes, despite my following the instructions. Despite this, I still found it to be Feyachi’s best-made tac light
As an aside, I had to upload this to YouTube 3 times. The first two times, YouTube’s staff flagged the video as being Advertiser Unfriendly. The first video: due to my showing how to install it on my rifle (which I showed was safely unloaded). The second video: because I still showed the light mounted to my rifle.
We are living in an insane nanny culture.
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FEATURES
6061-T6 Aluminum body
18650 Lithium battery
Max. Output: 1200 Lm
Max. Throw: 200m
Weight: 190g/6.7oz
Size：5.3”(L) x 1.3”(W) x 1.7”(H)
Mount: M-Lok and Picatinny
How to calculate the lumen output of any flashlight. If you ever wondered if those crazy high lumen claims of those cheap Chinese lights are legit, use this US-made Maglite to check it yourself. Just download a Light Meter App to your phone and use this 100-lumen penlight as your benchmark. Because it’s 100 lumens, it’s easy math to determine how many times brighter the suspect light SHOULD be.
Before there was Surefire, Streamlight, or even the term ‘Tac Light’, there was Maglite. Founded in 1979, Maglite was the first mass-market duty flashlight made with aerospace-grade aluminum, and pioneering the use of ultra-bright bulb technology.
PRODUCT LINK
Amazon https://amzn.to/3nELQUL
APPS
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tsang.alan.lightmeter&hl=en_US&gl=US
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lux-light-meter-pro/id1292598866
https://rumble.com/vbtsuh-klarus-e2-review-can-it-run-for-7-days.html
The Klarus E2 is an aluminum-bodied EDC wilderness survival flashlight is scarcely bigger than the 18650 battery that powers it. With a max output of 1600 lumens and at low power, a max runtime of 168hrs (in my testing it fell short by 54hrs). Let’s take a look at what you get for a street price of about $70.
AMAZON LINK: https://amzn.to/36NhetZ
For the price and features, the Lumintop TOOL AA 2.0 is the best AA EDC flashlight currently available. I put it through some performance and abuse tests to see if it lives up to that opinion.
It has 4 modes: low, medium, high, strobe, and a 650 lumen turbo mode if equipped with a 14500 LiON battery. This can use a normal AA alkaline cell to provide an output of 400 lumens.
White/Silver: https://amzn.to/3lLKBSN
Black: https://amzn.to/3pJK8mj
Black with Lithium Battery Package: https://amzn.to/38Zo5C4
