Klarus XT1C review
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Hey folks so I know I throw around the saying pocket thrower very often! I am firm believer we all have different size pockets lol. Some much deeper then others!
This time I am being serious I think. We will call the klarus XT1C a mini pocket thrower. It is a 16340 (battery included) mini pocket thrower so smaller then a pocket thrower. Yes that has a nice ring to it right? This would have to be my best throwing 16340 flashlight by far. I think it could give the BLF X5 a run for its money with a throw distance of 210 meters at a peak beam intensity of 11025cd. I can not wait to compare the two!
The Klarus XT1C was sent to me by Gearbest for review so I will leave a link below of where you can purchase it. Gearbest gave me a really good deal on the XT1C Its super cheap. I have paid more for a lot worse EDC 16340 flashlights. I think I now own 8 16340 flashlights like EDC lights. So this area is my expertise I prefer 16340s over 14500. Well i at least i like to think so.
PM me for details its under MAP but its priced like a thirty year old. Same price as the Mi7 when it was on sale.
Klarus XT1C
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Lately I have been changing my EDC flashlights as often as I change undies like once every 2-3 months! In this heat that is not a pretty sight lol. Actually using a flashlight in this heat is not a pretty sight either lol. I feel sorry for the people in the country its going to be 43 degrees Celsius today! If any one wants to send me aircon to review please do!
The Klarus XT1C is feature packed with a lot of very good and exciting features for EDC use. It is also super bright. I would call this mark perfect for output vs run time. 700 lumen is more then enough light for EDC use. I can not as of yet find a fault in the XT1C I have been Everyday carrying the XT1C for a week and its a joy. i think Klarus under rated the output on the XT1C that is for sure.
The Klarus XT1C is a great size for EDC use. It is not the smallest 16340 flashlight on the market but it is not the biggest either. The XT1C would be right in the middle At least size wise it has to be a bit bigger then a twisty 16340 seeing as it is using a duel rear clicky switch set up. I love manual lockout on a EDC flashlight. What is parasitic drain? That is what you will be saying when using a proper lockout. You will also be saying how does your flashlight turn on while inside your pocket?
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Size wise the XT1C is still on the smaller side coming in at 85mm (8.5cm) in length. The XT1C is 25.2mm (2.52cm) across the bezel and 23.2mm (2.32cm) across the body. It is not fully half the size of a smaller 18650 flashlight like a S2+ but it does actually have a bigger reflector when compared to the S2+. So you can see why its a tad bigger then most 16340 flashlight well actually its really not. Most of the space in the XT1C is in the big reflector setup plus having tail switches makes it a tad bigger. If we compare the size to my smallest 16340 flashlight the Jetbeam jet-II MK it is fairly bigger but seeing as the Jet-II MK is a twisty (twist to activate) flashlight no surprise there.
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Build quality on the XT1C is amazing its a very nice looking flashlight. I have come to love the dual back switches on the Klaris flashlights. Klarus use the same set up on the XT12GT one switch is a mechanical and the other switch is an electronic switch. Its an awesome feature to have it give the XT1C a more tactical feel. I will mention that the XT1C is smaller in length compared to the klarus MI7. These two are very similar flashlight in a lot of ways but I feel the XT1C is leaps ahead of the Mi7. Overall the XT1C is a class above the Mi7 its actually a class above most small flashlights.
I guess the XT1C is a marketed as a mini tactical flashlight. It has the build quality and features to make it work. The XT1C has an IPX8 2 meters submersible rating and a drop resistant rating of 1 meter making it ideal for EDC use. I am not fully sure why the drop resistant rating is not a little higher. Seeing as the XT1C can use Cr123 I am guessing it has a boost driver to keep the voltage higher as the battery drains.
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The XT1C is made from Aerospace grade aluminum alloy and features hard anodizing type 3 with a dark black finish. That set up is standard now days but the finish is great on the XT1c every thing is perfect and well finished. The finish is kind of in between matte and glossy its a bit hard to describe but it feels awesome. The knurling on the XT1C is great it has a great feels to it and offers ample grip. There is not heaps of knurling but its split up into sections so you can chose the best position to hold the XT1C at. The stainless steel clip sits in between the knurling sections or else I am sure Klarus would have joined the knurling up to make one. Talking about the stainless steel clip it is great it is a deep carry clip it is over half the size of the XT1C .It can get in the way a little because it stands out. I would honestly rather have this issue then a bad clip. It is more then big enough to be able to hold the XT1C in place nice and easy. It is one of the better designed and looking clip I have seen on a flashlight. The XT1C only opens up in one place that is right on the middle. So you can not unscrew the flashlight in more then one way. Overall this design makes more sense for a EDC flashlight it makes the XT1C more robust.
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To help with the overall throw and performance Klarus gave the XT1C AR coated glass. They also gave the XT1C double springs on the back this will help with overall performance. This is also a handy feature to help keep the batteries from rattling. The XT1C can be run on Cr123s and they are generally smaller then the 16340s so this helps in that aspect. Once again like on the XT12GT Klarus gave the XT1C more durable springs on the Tail and the driver side of the XT1C. No rubber or plastic boot around the springs this time but it looks like they added glue or sort of sticking substance to the springs.
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Output and performance wise the Klarus XT1C is king it output a whopping 700+ lumens. Now Klarus rate the high mode output as 700 lumens the same as the MI7. I rate the overall output higher then the MI7. The MI7 is already a super bright EDC flashlight. In my ceiling bounce test the XT1C rains king! I will leave a chart here so you can see how it performance against other EDC flashlights. It gets a whopping 52 lux if we work this out that is about 860 lumens. That is insane its in the territory of my 3amp S2+ the output from the little monster is amazing! I actually have a Olight S1R baton comparing these two will be awesome.
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To achieve these results the Klarus XT1C uses the Cree XPL-HI V3 the same as the Klarus MI7 main difference would be the SMO reflector that is used in the XT1C. The Mi7 uses an OP style reflector and of course the XT1C is fatter in width. The reflector is much deeper in the XT1C while the XT1C manages to be shorter then the Mi7. The Cree XPL-HI is of course the best LED to use for the XT1C it offers a good amount of out put and ample amount of throw. Coming in at 11025cd or 210 meters in simple man talk you would a need a DE-domed LED go these results from such a small flashlight. The performance from this driver is amazing I didn’t expect the XT1C to be this bright overall. Using the included 16340 will give you the best results overall. Even when compared to my IMR 16340 the included Klarus cell keeps up. I did some more test and the IMR cells does slighty outperform the Included 16340 but only a few lux max and you lose run time.
The XT1C uses a constant current driver which Klarus says the driver has no blinking or flashing so basically no PWM. I can comfirm this there is no visible PWM to me even looking through a camera. The driver in the XT1C is on a whole other level compared to the Mi7. The driver in the XT1C would have to be an updated and or revised driver set up. The Mi7 uses a single switch. While the XT1C uses a manual switch and a secondary electronic switch in the tail cap.
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The Klarus XT1C also offers I.T.S which is Klaruses real time thermal monitoring control system. It is a thermal step down and not time based.
The working voltage of the XT1C is 2.0-4.2 volts so the XT1C is compatible with CR123s and 16340s. This is a great option for EDC use it makes it handy in an emergency situation. Overall the included 16340 gives you the best output but the lower output of using a CR123 means you will get longer run times. There is always a trade of.
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The driver in the XT1C offers two user group modes to chose from.
The modes are as follows. They appear to be similar to the XT12GT.
Tactical setting
- High mode: 700 lumens at 50 minutes
- Medium mode: 100 lumens at 3 hours
- Low mode: 5 lumens at 53 hours
- Strobe mode: 700 lumens at 1 hour and 40 minutes
- Strobe mode (CR123A) 400 lumens at 3 hours
I will put the run times and output while using a standard CR123 in this group.
Outdoors settings (CR123A)
- High mode: 400 lumens at 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Medium mode: 100 lumens at 5 hours
- Low mode: 5 lumens at 108 hours
- SOS mode: 100 luemns at 15 hours
- SOS mode (16340) 100 lumens at 9 hours
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To change user group modes on the XT1C is harder then on the XT12GT well for me at least it is lol. (actually not that bad I am just silly) I hate it when its hard I would rather have it being annoying and strobing me for 10 seconds. Then not being able to remember ho to change modes. Sorry Klarus you can never really win! Reading the instruction is doing my head in trying to work out how to change modes there has to be an easier way to do this. Okay I will leave that part in. Its actually easy to change group setting let em explain it and give you a headache.
To change group modes turn the XT1C on. Ya think Chris? lol Cycle to low mode while in low mode push and hold the power switch for 5 seconds. Do not let go of the power button! The XT1C will then start to blink fast this means you are now able to select modes. Simply while still holding the power switch click the mode select switch. Then the XT1C will blink a brighter flash according to how many times you have pushed the mode select button. 1 flash means tactical mode group and 2 flashes means outdoors settings. If you get flash by me you may end out blind lol who doesn’t love a bit of casual streaking?. Always happens at the cricket Australian tradition lads!
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Either way not to much difference between the two UI groups except tactical doesn’t have SOS and the outdoor settings doesn’t have strobe. Plus in the outdoors setting you get instant access to low mode if your into that stuff. Its not for me 5 lumens is to low. I will be keeping my XT1C in the tactical group simply so I can strobe my brothers to annoy them as you do. Once again Klarus I would have liked a bit different mode spacing. Maybe add in another mode and make the 5 lumen mode a moon light setting. So maybe have a Low, Medium, High, Turbo. That would be a bit better to spread out the modes a tad more. Seeing as we can select different group settings should be easy enough. Plus the driver is fairly advanced.
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What is included in the pack?
- XT1C
- Klarus 16340
- Clip
- lanyard
- Instruction manual
- Spare o-ring
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Overall the XT1C is a great flashlight it answers all that i want in a everyday carry flashlight. Its small and light and has amazing output and super good build quality. I actually have to thanks Gearbest for sending me the XT1C because it slipped under my radar but honestly its way to good to miss out on! Klarus have wowed me ever since i done my first review on one of there flashlights and the XT1C adds to that list!
All these photos are taken at ISO800.
Low mode 5 lumens
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Medium mode 100 lumens
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High mode 700+ lumens
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High mode 100 meters to the tree
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Checking out the tint on the tree!
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XT1C left and Mi7 right side (you can see the difference in output easily)
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Klarus XT1C left and Olight S1R right. This is supposed to be 700 vs 900 lumens but is it?
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XT1C left and Jet II MK right
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This one is just for fun lol! XT1C left and BLF X5 right
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Klarus XT1C left and Nitecore TIP right
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I hope you enjoyed the review.
Thanks for reading.
Regards Chris
