This is the WowTac BSS V3 sent to me for review and NO other compensation other than keeping the light.
Light can be found at the main WowTac site …… http://wowtac.com/wowtac-bss-v3-1150-lumen/
or at …. Amazon.com (links NON affiliated)
Wowtac does receive Technical support from Thrunite , so I think it is safe to say they produce some good quality lights.
This is a totally new “Tactical” designed light and unlike any other light I have seen to date. The tail switch is designed with both the side switch and the main end switch made into the tailcap!
It looks and sounds a little awkward at first , but once I had the light in hand it really isnt bad at all to operate. Depending on how you hold the light , it can easily be operated with your thumb or your index finger either one without much movement at all and without repositioning your hand at all to get to both of the switches.
The Bss V3 came in an Amazon box with the Wowtac box inside that and everything was well packaged. The kit includes the Light , extra O-rings , the strike bezel , the red lens , a detachable clip , a 3400mAh Wowtac USB rechargeable cell , the USB charging cord and instruction manual.
The BSS V3 uses a XP-L V6 emitter and produces a listed 1150 lumens of output. It is designed with a threaded lip on the inside of the bezel so that you can use the light with a smooth bezel , or you can screw on the strike bezel , or the Red lens can be used instead , for situations that it may be needed.
The Knurling is well done on the light and the anodizing all looks very good with no bare or thin spots that I could find. The Lens is AR coated and the emitter is well centered.
The tail and side switches both are set in and machined very nicely and the branding is well etched.
The clip is pretty standard , but well made and pretty stiff , so it should hold pretty well to attach the light without letting go or slipping. The clip also sits nicely on the light without any ends protruding too much to catch on the inside of the pocket or what have you. The light does have fins , although not deep ones , they seem to do the job.
The driver is also made unique to any other I have seen so far. On the BSS V3 , what looks like the driver inside the head , is simply a positive contact board. The actual switch board and driver board both , are housed inside the tailcap on this light , with a set of 4 wires running from 1 board to the other one to tie everything together. This is a constant current driver and seems to be pretty well regulated. There is of course reverse polarity protection built in and there is also a Low Voltage warning. The low voltage is indicated with 2 quick blinks periodically when the cell voltage starts getting depleted.
There is a step down starting at 2 1/2 minutes when the light is turned on in High mode and it is a very gradual step down until the 5 minute mark , where the light levels off at around 550 lumens. The head (light) never gets really hot. I would feel fine (safe) going back into High mode immediately if it was needed , once the step down occurred.
The UI was kept pretty simple , I am sure because this light was designed for “tactical” use.
The main tail (end) switch is used for momentary on with a half press or a full press powers the light on in constant current. The side switch is used for the momentary strobe function with a press and hold (from off) to activate the hidden strobe mode momentarily and it goes off when the switch is released. If you want constant on in the strobe mode , then you hold the side switch down when the light is powered on , and a quick click of the side switch to go back to your regular modes from there. The Low , Medium and High modes are changed with the side switch also once the main power is turned on from the tail switch. The light always comes on in high and then goes to medium and low with each corresponding click. There is NO mode memory on the BSS V3 and the light always comes on in High mode when the regular modes are used , again I am pretty sure due to this being a “tactical” design and the full power being used in most tactical situations when the light is first turned on.
With the “smooth” bezel , the beam is pretty throwy for the small reflector and transitions pretty good , for a fairly smooth beam overall. With the strike bezel attached (due to it protruding alot) you do get some “flower petal” looking edges , but still have a good throw with decent spill. The Red lens does what it is supposed to do , giving use for map reading in low mode , preserving night vision and / or keeping the overall light less visible if needed for a tactical situation.
At 3 feet on Medium with all 3 bezels and 20 feet on Low/ Medium / High with smooth bezel………
At 75 yards-High / 50 yards-High / 25 yards Medium and High……….
Overall I think this is a very well built light and keeping in mind it was designed for tactical use , I think Wowtac did a good job with the new design , for the intended purpose.
Here are the testing charts for what testing I have done with the light…………
For those who do not want to see the whole video but would like to see the rest of the beamshots , stills and live outdoor footage , the stills and beams starts at 7:32 of the video timeline and the outdoor live footage comparing the BLF A6 and the ThruNite Neutron 2C V3 starts at 12:39 of the timeline.
Video followed by listed specs……………
FEATURES
•WOWAC BSS V3 is designed for professional tactical purpose. When light turns on, default is on HIGH mode.
•One USB rechargeable 3400mAh 18650 battery included which provides 1150 lumens output.
•Cree XP-L V6 LED
•Reverse polarity protection design to protect from improper battery installation.
•Aircraft-grade aluminum body.
•Toughened ultra-clear glass lens with anti-reflective coating.
•Low Power Indication: When the voltage of the battery is low, the light will blink twice periodically.
•When the light is off, press the side switch to activate strobe mode, and hold 5 seconds to get constant strobe.
•Click the tail switch to turn the light on and off. When it is turned on, it is HIGH mode.
•Dimension: 139mm*25.4mm*24mm; weight: 86g (excluding battery).
•30 days worry-free money back; 2 years limited warranty for flashlight; 1 year limited warranty for battery.
ACCESSORIES
•Spare O-rings x 2
•USB charge Cable x 1
•Pocket Clip x 1
•Red Lens Cover*1
•Strike Bezel*1
•Instruction Manual x 1
•Customized USB rechargeable 3400mAh 18650 battery x 1
