Review: Lumintop Worm 2-mode 1x AAA

hi MountainKing,

SashiX has the Alu 2012 model and he could comment in detail on his sample (tint, brightness). runtime of the Alu is miniminimally higher (~80mins vs. ~74mins, and i am still running runtime tests) but in terms of light output, hotspot size (as seen in the table and animated gifs), the SS 2012 is an outperformer and i am highly surprised. I had the SS 2011 and it was extremely greenish and with low light output. So there is now a boost in improvement in the SS 2012. Amazing output, especially its integral brightness, and tint on low-mode is less greenish than it used to be. On high-mode the tint is slightly greenish and comparable to the typical greenishness of the iTP A3 XP-G R5 which everybody loves; the Klarus MiX6 has a much better tint, no doubt. I am running the Worm SS head on the Worm Alu body (to save weight) but i could run it also on my iTP A3 body (to save weight).

So it's a little difficult to decide between SS and Alu. It depends on the purpose, really. If you need a great great AAA torch, then better just go with the Tank E09 (i dont mind the low-frecuency PWM. i find it cool!) because it has all versatility and safe operation with a total of 6 brightness levels (3x Eneloops, 3x Protected 10440's). And the head is supereasy to twist. If weight matters to you a lot (the Klarus MiX6 Ti weighs 12grams!), then you should have a spare body (iTP, Olight, Worm Alu, E09) .. also in order to queen-shelf the shiny SS body.

I wont recommend the Worm SS as torch if it has to be your ONLY 1x AAA torch for a flashaholic. If a flashaholic plans to own just 1 torch (of the 1x AAA form factor), then i will always recommend the Tank E09. (or the iTP A3, or even the Fenix LD01, for those who dont want to fiddle with the E09's insulation issue new out of the box). However, in any other case (non-flashaholic, or flashaholics with 1 other AAA-sized torch), i would full-heartedly recommend the Worm. My personal nods goes to the Worm SS. The weight is still acceptable (compare with Preon Revo SS, Rofis ER10 SS, Klarus Mi10 SS, Fenix LD01 SS, and any other 1xAAA SS model), and personally i can just swap the SS head onto my Alu body.

btw, the review isnt 100% done yet. Once it is, i will change the thread title. SashiX wanted to contribute a set of beamshots, and i wanted to run a few more runtimes in low mode (SS).

The SS is more like a piece of jewelry (with the best output on Eneloops one could imagine, integralwise), and the Alu is thrower -- not too suitable for reading books ;). too bright, too tight hotspot, too intense.

Maybe SashiX can share more of his experiences?! :)

Awesome review kreisler. I started reading out of curiosity and a sort of politeness; after all, someone puts this much work in, the least I can do is to read it. I wasn't really interested in buying another AAA light, but by the end I was on the point of 'adding to cart'. Be very interesting to compare the Worm/s to the Brynite PD03B


Lensman, you know that i get commission from Lumintop when you buy this torch from your preferred dealer dont ya?

:)

Hmm... Well, whatever they're paying you, you should put in for a raise . You put more into these reviews than the manufacturers ever do, that's for sure.

I checked your link to the Fenix clips. They're a steal at $1.50, shame it's a 10 bucks minimum spend. Group buy, anyone? !4 mm seems to fit a lot of AAA lights, including Black Cats..

check my sig. the HKE is LD01 release 4. i always wanted to own a Fenix for the sake of it. i've checked a guy's LD01 r4 and i am absolutely stunned by its built quality and performance. After the first few minutes it does a down-step to reduced High-mode (AND FROM THEN ON THE WORM SS 2012 IS BRIGHTER UNTIL THE WORM SHRIVELS AFTER A TOTAL OF 74MINS.) but until then it is brighter than any other AAA torch i know of, on Eneloop; and it's difficult to compare it to Tank E09's 1.6-1.8A (ampere) brightness because of the very different beam profiles -- The Tank E09's lumens output on Eneloops is still dazzling: very wide spill, very bright spill, and throwy intense hotspot. The Fenix has a very narrow beam and spill, and also a throwy intense beautiful hotspot. No matter how you try to compare their typical brightness (e.g. by ceiling bounce, by diffusers, by lumens lightbox, by throw, by animated GIFs/PC scans, ..), it's like comparing apples with pears. So a subjective evaluation of typical brightness is more apt. And imho the Fenix "appears brighter" -- and appearance is what counts!

Disregarding 10440's, on Eneloops the best of the best 1x AAA keychain torch is imho the Fenix LD01 r4. No PWM, the most beautiful, clean, and pure white beam (and it beats the Klarus MiX6 which looks purplish in comparison lol!) on all levels, it runs longer than the Klarus MiX6, i.e. over 90mins on (reduced) High-mode. Almost breath-taking! (shill shill hehe).

On the inet (except for amazon customer reviews) i couldnt find any detailed review of the R4 release, so i am going to do it. There's also the R5 release (in stainless steel) reviewed by HKJ but that seems again a different story: HKJ measured a runtime of 65mins, which doesnt correspond to my measured 90+ mins for the R4.

Beam perfection and beam beauty of the Worms and the Tank E09 are on the lower end and their tints likewise. The Fenix has everything: perfect beam beauty (and an usually deep reflector) and tint, plus the breath-taking High-mode runtime and the highest brightness (typical and integral)! Last but not least, its size (dimensions) is still small and its lighter than my steely-looking lights (Klarus, iTP, Worm).

It's a pity that selfbuilt never reviewed the R4 release.

And i would think that the Fenix beats the Brinyte PD03 too ;)

"And i would think that the Fenix beats the Brinyte PD03 too"

I was going to reply that it should do as it's twice the price. But then I found this: http://www.manafont.com/product_info.php/fenix-ld01-e01-edc-flashlight-pack-aaa-batteries-p-8171
Looks like a good deal.

Maybe i should cancel my order with HKE? haha

(joke. not cancelling. HKE has great after-service and perfect email communication. i shop there with full trust and carefreeness. They also offer Best Price, via e-mail request.)

Yes, it's a great deal (if one prefers a "free E01" over the perfect service of HKE)!!

Lensman if you're not in a hurry, then you can wait for my LD01 review where i try to confirm and reconfirm the assertions of my last post (e.g. runtimes, typical brightness, integral brightness, tint, beam profile). Just let me if you are *really* interested in a torch i own (worm, ld01) so that i can point you to some (unwritten) info ;)

Thanks kreisler, (though it's hard to believe there could be anything left out of the above review!)
No, I'm in no hurry. Gonna see how well I get on with the Brynite for a while. If I buy another AAA anytime soon it'll probably be a Black Cat. Only one mode, but so cheap. And I'd really like to try a keychain clicky to compare with the PD03B's twist operation.

Lensman wrote:

It was reviewed on a Russian forum with video, costs ~16.00$, and DX customers like it. HKJ has it too, and it was mentioned on both BLF and CPF.

From the Russian review i would think that it is VERY well-built because you can disassemble it fully, all by screwing: fantastic construction. video (PWM-regulated): it seems to host both Protected Trustfire AND Protected Ultrafire 10440's.

You dont have it, i dont have it, thus it's difficult to evaluate its beam quality, runtimes, brightness, regulation, tint(!) (hello Vectrex ;) ), and other relevant data. My quick eval from the distance is: 79mm may be fine as keychain light but its 45g *without* battery are not something i would want to carry on my bunch of keys. The Quark X AA weighs ~45.523g (hehe). After having carried the Worm SS for some time i have determined for myself, personally i would *never* go over the weight limit of the Worm SS. In other words, i would never carry the Ultrafire SA-R2 as pocket bottom rider or attached to my keys.

Yes, has 5 modes, support for Protected 10440s, and will be brigther than Worm -- but it would weigh tooo much for my liking (and maybe i am a lil pu*sy haha). It would sit on my shelf and nothing else.

Because of that, i have no interest in buying or using it or owning it (not even as gift, or free review sample -- no thanks). i'd rather have interest in the Brinyte PD03!!, so that i can spare my original Fenix LD01 ;)

If the Brinyte and Fenix perform equally well, then there's no *need* to get the Worm or Ultrafire unless you'd desire the latter for their stainless steel blinky blinkiness :love:

You interested in SA-R2 or Worm SS? if i had your Brinyte, i wouldnt be. Honestly. :)

Your thoughts?

Just wanted your opinion. Visually SA-R2 looks like a very close copy of the SS Worm at (almost) half the price with more features, so I figured there had to be a catch.. The main reason for my interest in a SS torch isn't the blinginess but the strength. I'd forgotten just how punishing to a torch is 'life on a keychain' (must be a song in that somewhere) and SS just has to be more resilient than alu. Otherwise, so far, I do indeed like the Brynite. Yes, 45g IS a heavy light for a keychain :tired:

much more resistant to wear-off, erosion and scratches yes. more rugged re drop-resistance no (chocolate bar vs. Belgian waffle. let them drop..). light things (plastic lens, ..) will not crack, see for example Rayovac Indestructible but glass encased in high-density material like stainless steel. Glass lenses will crack anyway, even in Xeno E03 (i've done it!!) .. but you were talking about life on a keychain song and not dropping your lights from roof song

one day i will test heat-shrink wrap tubing on the AAA ligths of mine. it could serve as mini shock-absorber. your Brinyte will get scratched (anodization), that's normal, just take some care of the keyring hole. that is indeed the weak point of aluminum keychain lights (iTP A3 aluminum, ..)

Huge amount of effort and detail in this review! Very well done. Frontpage'd and Sticky'd.

Kreisler, do you ever sleep?

hi ChibiM, finishing up those few incompleted reviews is my occupational therapy against the malheur symptoms of my new hobby flashaholism:

the frustrating and ceaseless wait for flashlight-related stuff to arrive in the mail.

i am living (and sleeping and not sleeping) for the mail to arrive

ok, got that.. waiting for stuff... hummm here with the same problem..

EPIC review. Interesting that theres a dinodirect spam thing in the review still?

thanks okwchin!

Where I can buy the 2012 R3 Versions ? On HKE all Versions are marked as R2...

i got mine from HKE and you can ask them to check the torch for you. u interested in the 2012 SS version with the SMO reflector? i can recommend the Tank E09 and LD01 :)

Okay, thx - maybe I ask HKE to check the torch for me. I still own the E09 and the LD01 it's a bit pricey (sometime I'll buy... )