Review: Astrolux K01 Copper Edition

Hey all, just got a new light in and I felt like trying to do a review on it.

Today I have the Astrolux K01 from Banggood.
Astrolux K01

It is a solid copper single 14500 light seemingly based on a SK68. However, unlike the SK68, the K01 is not a zoomy, but instead is a reflector light.

It comes with the standard accessory pack, some spare o-rings, spare button caps, a lanyard, and a pocket clip.

The emitter is an XP-L and it has an OP reflector. I got mine in the 3D tint, but there is also a 1A and 5A tint to choose from when ordering.

The light comes apart very easy and the tail cap threads were lubricated. Here I’ve broken it down to the four major parts. The emitter and driver housing is one piece and the shelf is a few mm thick, not too shabby. (Couldn’t measure since my caliper is busted… thanks to my dog…)

The body of the light is surprisingly thick. It makes for a heavy light even without a battery. About as heavy as my C8 with an 18650 in it. Great for cooling since the whole thing is copper! I’m not 100% sure, but I think there is a coating on the copper to keep it from oxidizing, only time will tell for sure.

The light has 2 programmed mode groups, a 4 mode and a 7 mode. There are hidden strobe, batt indicator, and bicycle flicker mode. Basically the same driver that is in the A6. It cannot be locked out, however, as the tailcap threads are not coated. The springs are all double springs and the lens appears to have an A coating.
I did have one issue, though, as on the website, it appears to have the lighted tailcap, however, when I received the light, the tailcap did not glow. I took it apart to find the same lighted tailcap board in the X6, but no components in it. No LED nor any resistor. I didn’t see any specific advertisement for thew lighted cap on the website, so I guess the picture was from a pre-production model? I’m not too disappointed because the price was great for such a solid light!

Overall I am pleased with this light. It is very solidly built and matches output on my BLF A6. It will definitely be my new non-work carry, especially since I do not want to ruin the look with a bunch of scratches!

Thanks for reading!

-tru3s1lv3r

Great review. How does the UI work. I can not figure out how to change modes. No blue light in my tail switch as well …. pretty disappointing and misleading.

I want the blue tail light.

Just tap the switch until it doesn’t keep changing modes. It will blink twice and when it does then press the switch one more time and it should change the mode group.

Nope … Mine will not change mode groups. Very weird UI. No instructions shipped with the light. This one will be returned. It’s a shame as this is a nice looking light.

Interestingly, I recently bought anther BLF A6…and the modes won’t switch on that one either.
I wonder if they have messed with the driver?

Mine changes mode groups as above, but the timing appears to be very tight. You must tap the switch IMMEDIATELY after the double blink.

Mike

Yea, definitely have to be paying attention on the flashes. I was able to get mine to change modes back and forth a few times, but it took some doing.

could you post a picture of the driver and which diameter it has

I’ll try and snag a pic of the driver when I get home. It is a 17mm driver, basically the exact same driver from the A6 light.

Extremely unhappy with this one. Not only isn’t the light as advertised at the time of purchase (illuminated tail switch), but mine is faulty.

When switched on a fresh&full 14500, the light flickered and switched off spontaneously. When I wanted to try another cell, the driver-side spring turned out to be separated from the driver due to faulty soldering.

I filed a complaint with Banggood, let’s see how they react. Obviously with pictures.

Ummm
I have not received it yet and I regretted having bought it
I am anxious that it does not arrive, get it lost along the way

I would like to see a 18650 tube with tailswitch for this light, could be aluminum like the S41

Got mine today, no tail light, so i swapped in an led tail switch, was very dull so i assume its the bleeder resistor, going to swap the driver and noticed the led has less than a 1/5th of the led smeared with thermal paste, lucky i didnt run her too long, was only the head assembly pressure clamping the led to the copper.

Edit: or lack of resistor, i should have said.

wie my review I got same with the LED star, too thick paste and from construction there is almost no pressure aplied to the star
I sanded down the bezel 0.5mm to get more pressure on the Star and replaced the stuff with arctic silver 5

then press as hard as you can against the lens while the head is hot to get a really thin thermal paste thickness

Finally received mine some days ago
I was not working
Primary diagnostics: switch does not work

Last week I took the resolution to disarm it to repair

The trouble:

Again zero quality control

I had to heat the iron

Two amber/orange led and one 15K resistor
470R bleeder resistor