[Review] - Armytek Predator v3 XP-L HI Warm + Remote Switch ARS-01 v2 - by Lock

Hi everyone!!! Today we will see the Armytek Predator v3 XP-L HI + Remote Switch ARS-01 v2. The products have been kindly provided by Armytek specifically for the review.

Armytek Predator v3 XP-L HI: Packaging and content

The Armytek Predator v3 XP-L HI arrives in a colored cardboard box with the main information of the product written on it.

The equipment is complete and includes:

  • The "Armytek Predator v3 XP-L HI" flashlight
  • Wrist strap
  • Nylon holster
  • Belt clip
  • Rubber Cigar Grip
  • 2 x spare O-ring
  • Rubber replacement for the switch
  • User Manual

The battery is usually not included in the package. For review purposes Armytek kindly provided me with a 2800mAh and a 3100mAh cell.

Here you find the link to the instruction manual where are givenall the information on the product and all the indications on how to use the interface.

Main features

  • High efficiency tactical flashlight with maximum output of 1150 Lumen LEDs (930 OTF)
  • Dual-stroke Tail Switch for interface control
  • Rotating head for level selection
  • Momentary On for direct access to the Turbo
  • Possibility to choose between two modes of use
  • Strobo disabled
  • Active temperature control with automatic power reduction / increase
  • Battery over-discharge control
  • Total protection against water, waterproof up to 50m (for 5 hours)
  • Resistant to falls up to 30 meters in height
  • Max runtime: 18 days in the lowest firefly mode
  • 10 year Armytek warranty

Manufacturer's specifications

  • Led light output: 1150lm
  • OTF light output: 930lm
  • Throw: 421 mt
  • Brightness intensity: 44400 cd
  • Body Material: Aircraft-grade Aluminum
  • Finish Anti-Abrasive Body: Premium type III hard anodizing 400HV
  • Spot angle: 5 °
  • Spill angle: 40 °
  • 100 meter hotspot diameter: 9 m
  • Battery: 18650, 2x CR123A, 2x RCR123 / 16340, 2 × 18350
  • Input voltage: 2.7-13 V
  • LED: Cree XP-L HI (Warm)
  • Waterproof: IP68, 50 meters, 5 hours
  • Impact Resistance: 30 mt
  • Memory Mode: Yes
  • Momentary On: Yes
  • Operating temperature: -25 +40 ° C
  • Stainless steel bezel with ultra-resistant titanium coating
  • Very low self-discharge and Parasitic Drain

Dimensions and weight measured

  • Length: 154 mm
  • Body width: 25.4 mm
  • Head width: 41 mm
  • Weight: 135g (without battery) 184g (with battery)

Output levels and Runtime

I livelli di output sono tanti e ben spaziati. In totale ne abbiamo 6 così suddivisi: 1 livelli Turbo, 3 livelli Main, 1 Firefly e 1 livello speciale (Strobo).

Turbo: 930lm (measured 910) – 1h30mins

Main 3: 344lm (measured 353lm) – 3h50mins

Main 2: 158lm (measured 160lm) – 9h

Main 1: 26lm (measured 30lm) – 48h

Firefly: 1,6lm (measured 2lm) – 18d

Strobe 15Hz: 930lm – 3h

All measurements are to be considered peak as they are taken in the moments immediately following the switch-on.

Furthermore, the output values were taken using NON professional equipment and therefore could vary from reality. Here are the runtime tests on the "Turbo" and "Main 3" levels using a 2800mAh Armytek 18650 battery.

User Interface

The user interface is very simple and is essentially based on two modes of use: Turbo and Additional. Switching from one mode to another is done by simply unscrewing / screwing the flashlight head by 1/8 of a circle. When the head is completely screwed, we are in Turbo mode. In this mode the only level that can be used is the Turbo. With a partial pressure of the switch you have the Momentary On so the light will remain on as long as the button is pressed and will switch off when it is released. With a total pressure you will access the Turbo permanently. A further click will turn off the flashlight. If the head is unscrewed by 1/8 of the circle, it will go into the Additional mode in which, through the partial pressures of the switch, the Firefly-Main1-Main2-Main3-Strobo levels can be cycled. The default strobe level is deactivated. To enable it, just follow this procedure: with the light on, unscrew and screw the head of the flashlight for 10 consecutive times. At this point the Strobo will be active and usable in the cycle of the Additional mode immediately after the Main level 3. To disable it, it is sufficient to re-execute the steps used for activation.

Temperature Control

The Predator v3 used on the Turbo quickly overheats. To protect the LED and the integrated circuits, the temperature control system, when reaching 60 ° C, regulates the output decreasing it when necessary and increasing it when the flashlight returns to acceptable temperatures. In good ventilation conditions the light is able to remain on at the Turbo without any stepdowns as there are no timers for the stepdown but a real-time thermal control.

Lock-out function

To prevent accidental switching on to avoid the parasitic drain, the flashlight can be mechanically locked by simply unscrewing the tailcap by about ¼ of a turn.

Low battery indication

If the brightness is <25% from the nominal value, the LED flashes 2 times ONCE (after 30sec from switching on). If you are not sure if it flashed or not switch the flashlight off and on: in case the battery is low flashes will repeat. Light output decreases to Firefly mode at critical level.

The body and the materials

The Armytek Predator v3 is a linear tactical flashlight equipped with a Cree XP-L Hi capable of delivering to the Turbo well 1150 LED lumens (OTF 930lm) with an exceptional maximum light intensity of 44400cd and a throw of 421 meters.

Holding the Predator in hand, the feeling is of strength and solidity, the thicknesses are abundant and the materials are of quality.

The classic anodization used by Armytek offers excellent grip in any condition even with wet or wet hands.

The Predator head has a maximum diameter of about 41mm. Inside there is a deep reflector, smooth and mirror polished (SMO). Well centered, we can see the led XP-L HI.

On the head there are some shallow dissipation fins

The lens is of good quality and anti-reflective treatment. The rotation of the head acts as a switch and allows you to vary the mode of use. It is sufficient to unscrew the head of the flashlight by 1/8 of a turn to switch from "Turbo" mode to "Additional" mode. On the central part of the body we find the rubber cigar grip already mounted. This is very convenient to use, easy to extract and reinsert. Thanks to it you can hold the flashlight in our hand very firmly or hold it in the cigarette style

Near the cigar grip we can see a horizontal groove: this is used to insert the belt clip. The clip is quite small, but thanks to its stiffness and its thickness allows you to fasten the flashlight on the belt and on the clothes in a safe way.

All threads are lubricated by means of a special lubricant called NyoGel® that Armytek uses for all its products. NyoGel® products have been developed for high temperature applications that require resistance to water and salinity. Specifically, Armytek uses Nyogel® 760G, a medium viscosity synthetic hydrocarbon grease thickened with silica for the lubrication and protection of electrical contacts. Among the characteristics of this type of lubricant there is also excellent resistance to water.

The threads of the central body are very precise and flowing. Double O-rings guarantee impeccable waterproofing. Tailcap side threads are anodized and physical lock-out of the classic ¼ turn interface is permitted. On the side of the head instead the threads are not anodized.

The Predator can be divided into three parts

The tailcap has a square profile with rounded corners. Here is the dual-stroke power button for managing the interface. the switch is made of rubber, very reactive and at full pressure it emits a loud and ringing "click". Pressed only partially does not emit any noise and allows the Momentary On. A small hole on the tailcap allows the connection of the wrist strap.

The lettering, as for the other Armytek flashlights, is abundant and present on the tailcap, on the head and on the body. Well done and well centered does not present any kind of imperfection.

At the negative pole we have a spring with a good section and quite resistant.

At the positive pole we also have a spring here but smaller and more rigid than the previous one.

The springs at the poles allow the flashlight to be used in a tactical manner (ie, for example mounted on a weapon) without having problems of shutdowns caused by the movements of the battery. the protrusion of the button in the queue does not allow the use of the flashlight in tailstand.

Thanks to the antirolling profile it is possible to rest on inclined smooth surfaces without it being rolled The Predator can be powered by different types of 18650 batteries, both flat top and button top. There are no space problems even when using very long cells. As an alternative to the 18650, 2xCR123A, 2xRCR123 / 16340 and 2 × 18350 power configurations can be used. Here is a detail with battery inserted inside the Predator:

In the package there is also a nylon holster

Armytek declares an exceptional watertight seal up to 50 meters depth for 5 hours and an amazing resistance to falls up to 30 meters in height. The Predator can also be used coupled with the ARS-01 remote switch.

This type of switch is specially designed to allow the use of the flashlight on any weapon. The cable length is 25 cm. The thread is compatible with all Armytek tactical flashlights including the Barracuda model.

The switch is made of rubber and for activation you have to put a lot of pressure on the pad. It does not emit any kind of "click" so it is also ideal for tactical purposes. Two pieces of Velcro are supplied for the tear-off installation on the weapon.

Here is a dimensional comparison between the tailcaps

Comparison with other flashlights

The Armytek Predator looks a lot like the Armytek Viking. The dimensions are almost the same and some slight differences are only found in the head.

Some family photos ...

Tint, beam and beamshot

The Predator is a thrower, with a well focused spot but at the same time an exploitable spill. Armytek declares an opening angle of only 5 degrees for the spot and 10 degrees for the spill.

The tint is warm with an excellent color rendering, ideal especially for natural environments. It is uniform both on the spot and on the spill. The XP-L as usual behaves well under this point of view. The geometry of the beam has no imperfections.

The "Firefly" level has a very low intensity (only 1.7 lumens) and is very comfortable for very short distances or, for example, for reading when you are in total darkness.

Below you can see some beamshot on the medium / long distance. The firefly level due to the very low brightness is not present in the photos

Final considerations

The Armytek Predator is a tactical flashlight born to illuminate far. Despite not having an exceptional power (about 900 lumens per Turbo), thanks to the smooth and deep reflector, and thanks to the XP-L LED HI, it manages to have an exceptional shot (44400cd, 421m)

The regulation is excellent and the temperature control is efficient. If the Predator is used in cold environments or with good ventilation, the output remains perfectly constant until the battery runs out. There are no timed stepdowns but there is an active temperature control that adjusts the output according to the surrounding environment.

The User Interface is intelligent and provides two modes of use: "Turbo" ideal especially for tactical uses, for hunting and if for example you are using a remote control. In this case the usable level is only one (Turbo). The "Additonal" mode, with its 5 selectable levels, however, is a way to use every day, from classic EDC.

There is a Firefly level of only 1.7 lumens, Momentary On and Memory Mode. The materials are of quality and the flashlight is well finished.

The Bezel is made of stainless steel covered with a titanium layer and the double stroke switch is very precise.

The package is well supplied even if it does not require the presence of a battery.

Interesting product from all points of view.

Definitely to recommend!

Great review!

Err… Who “declares an opening angle of only 5 degrees for the spot and 10 degrees for the spill”?

ahhaha... yes sorry...Armytek declares this...

Thank you for reading my review

thanks for taking the time to do this review. Nice photos.

Grazie per la grande recensione, Enrico! :-)

Depending on the cost of course.

Which is What.

Nice review, thanks!