Review: Lumintop ED20-T Dual tail switch EDC/Tactical flashlight

Lumintop ED20-T Dual tail switch emergency defense flashlight

*Lumintop ED20-T provided for review courtesy of Lumintop

Manufacturer's Copy

Features:

* Utilizes a premium XM-L2 U2 LED that emits 750 lumens max output with up to 50,000hours life time span
* Three selectable modes to satisfy your illumination needs plus hidden strobe and SOS
* A peak beam intensity of 6700cd and a throw distance of up to 163 meters
* All aluminum “unibody” construction for excellent cooling performance
* Purposed design for hiking, climbing, camping and other outdoor activities
* Powered by 1*18650 lithium-ion battery or 2*CR123 lithium which is equivalent to 4*AA battery’s power but much more light weight
* High efficiency circuit provides up to 60 hours long runtime for on low mode
* Dual-switch tail cap design for tactical use and easy application
* Toughened ultra-clear mineral glass with anti-reflective coating
* Aircraft-grade aluminum with premium type-3 hard anodized anti-abrasive finish, scratch resistance
* Anti-rolling body design for a firm grip
* Standard 1inch body diameter design can equip with remote switch and gun rail mount
* Waterproof to IPX-8 standard (2 meters under water)
* Impact resistance to 1.5 meters
* Reverse polarity protection

Bulb

CREE XM-L2 U2 LED

Mode

High

Mid

Low

Output

750 LM

160 LM

20 LM

Runtime

2.5 H

10H

60 H

Length

4.84 inches (123mm)

Diameter

1.06 inches (27mm)

Weight

81g (without battery)

Waterproof

IPX-8

Max Beam Distance

230 meters

Battery Type

1 x 18650 Or 2*CR123 Or 2*CR123A

INITIAL THOUGHTS

Lumintop designed the ED20-T with the intention for it to be both an EDC light and a tactical light. After having used it for a few weeks I've grown quite fond of it and would have to say they've succeeded quite well. The dual electronic switch design is intuitive and convenient to use, the strong clip and ergonomic rubber/hard silicon grip ring make it easy and comfortable to carry. The alloy is strong and the anodizing is tough (ask me how I know - ok, it fell onto rough concrete from 1m during my photo shoot). I found myself quickly liking it more than I expected to after first receiving it and have grown to really love it.

If you don't care to look at lots of pics and read little details you can skip past it all by scrolling to the bottom of the page for the Output figures, Pros & Cons, and my Conclusion. If you do check out the pics, clicking them will take you to the full-res versions.

DETAILS & PHOTOS

My ED20-T arrived in a real nice full-color retail box. Full specs on the back. You know what? Am I the only one who would love to visit a store that actually has Lumintop, Fenix, Nitecore...all the quality brands that we, as flashaholics appreciate, just hanging from pegs in the aisles?

Inside the box is the usual plastic vacuum formed tray. Everything fits snug and secured.

The light and holster. All accessories are stored inside the holster.

Inside the holster is a nice lanyard, two O-rings of differing size, and a remote pressure switch.

Lumintop's tail switch is the nicest I've encountered so far in any of my lights. The pressure switch offers both momentary and on/off switches. Feel is great as is it's function.

There is one issue with the switch tail cap itself and that is the fact that while it fits perfectly well on the outside, the spring is too short to engage unprotected 18650 cells. Longer protected cells function fine and since most of you reading this already use protected cells only it shouldn't be a problem.

The ED20-T is a good looking light in classic tactical format. It feels great in the hand. The knurling is fantastic.

The ED20-T's included holster fits perfectly and functions well. Even though it has elastic side panels which, as a general rule, I can't stand, these aren't overly tight and allow fairly easy insertion and removal of the light. The panels aren't too long to interfere with the tactical grip ring.

The belt loop has both a perma-loop for secure carry with no chance of coming off if you don't want it to, and a quick removable Velcro loop tab. The secure D-ring allows to be hung off of a bag.

The Lumintop logo and model number are laser etched onto one of the two flats in the battery tube. The etching is clean, deep and white.

Hard anodizing throughout the light is very even and consistent. It also works really well. I actually dropped the ED20-T from a waist high table onto concrete while taking my pics. The only damage is a small spot in the ano by the bezel. If you look hard you might see it in a couple if the pics.

In comparison, I once dropped a Zebralight onto the same concrete from less than 2 feet and the gouge was massive along with a few other scratches in the anodizing. The alloy used in the Lumintop is truly a high grade alloy and the anodizing is definitely a good, hard, mil-spec ano.

The knurling is aggressive but smaller than it looks in the photos. It grips well without being abrasive. The very sturdy pocket clip is very stiff and strong but not too stiff that it's unusable. It feels like it will NOT ever come off in use.

The tactical tail switch, with its dual electronic switch design, is what really makes the ED20-T special.

With different heights and textures, the Power and Mode switches are easily identified by touch. Like most tactical lights, the ED20T is not designed to tail stand. The lanyard holes/tabs in the tail cap are large enough for 550 Paracord lanyards but what they really do is protect the electronic switches from impact if the light was dropped on it's tail. This makes the ED20-T nearly indestructible from common impact scenarios while allowing full access to the switches themselves.

All threads are smooth, square, and come prelubed from the factory. The thick O-ring seals tight to prevent water ingress. The tail threads are fully anodized to allow mechanical lockout with a 1/4 twist of the tail cap. This is an electronically switched light so there will be some slight parasitic drain on the cell to allow the circuit to "listen" for a call to action.

Unlike most lights, the driver is fully contained in the tail of the light. It's internal components consist of a threaded retaining ring with insulator, the driver and switch pill/assembly, and the silicon switch boot. The cathode spring is soldered securely to the driver PCB.

The tail end of the pill holds the switch PCB.

The switch plate is clearly marked for each switch along with the light model. The large holes are used to align the switch boot so that the buttons are always aligned with the switches. The holes also allow for easy lifting of the switch PCB so we can take a peek inside at the driver.

4 wires connect the switches to the driver board.

All driver functions are right here. There is nothing in the head of the light. This is why the remote tail switch has one mode and one mode alone - High mode.

The peg on the side of the tail pill keeps the pill in proper orientation to that the switches are always in the same place you expect them to be.

That peg sits into the groove in the threads of the tail cap (see below). The switches will always be properly orientated with the lanyard tabs.

The hard rubber grip ring can be removed as can the pocket clip.

Here is the ED20-T without either installed. I prefer it with the grip ring and clip.

The pocket clip feels so secure because it is. The spring steel clip is strong and snaps solidly and tightly into it's own grove in the back of the battery tube. The notch just behind the blank flat is for the clip to sit into to lock it from turning on the light. This keeps the clip aligned with the flat so your pants pocket or belt do not get torn up by the knurling when using the pocket clip. The rubber tactical ring adds more security by fitting over the arms of the pocket clip, further keeping it from coming off the light.

The flat and notches in the grip ring offer anti-roll when the light is layed on it's side. The larger flat in the grip ring allows the light to sit against your hip when pocket carried without having the grip ring dig into your side. Very thoughtful touch that makes it a great choice for EDC use.

The one Achilles heel on the ED20-T when used on a firearm. If you haven't noticed (see pic below), it's the lack of an anode spring behind the head of the light. I had to explain to my Lumintop contact that a gun light needs both anode and cathode springs to protect the cell from impact shock when the gun is fired. It also keeps the light from changing modes when the gun is fired. Instead of a spring, the ED20-T has a raised, flat, brass pad that allows for use of flat-topped cells.

Since the ED20-T is a single mode light when using the remote pressure switch, mode changes don't occur. Since the driver and all mode changes are done in the tail of the light, a break in connection between the cell and the head of the light doesn't result in mode changes either. I tried my best by banging the light and on my shotgun but no mode changes.

Threads in the head are smooth, square, and pre-lubed but are not anodized for full electrical contact between the battery tube and head.

The MOP (mild orange peel) reflector offers smooth, ringless spill while having a good balance of throw and flood.

The fairly tight beam and smooth spill make the ED20-T a great tactical light used in conjunction with a pistol. It also makes it great for use with a shotgun. It's 775 tested OTF lumens means it's more than bright enough to blind an assailant or just to light your way about.

Here is the ED20-T in my hand t show it's size and comfortable grip in standard holds.

The grip ring allows for perfect cigar hold for any hand size.

Almost small enough to be completely hidden in my hand.

Below is a comparison of the ED20-T with other lights in it's size class.

From left to right: ThruNite TN12, Convoy M1, Solarforce L2T, Lumintop ED20-T, and Convoy S3

The reflector is the same diameter as the Tn12 and S3 while being deeper than the S3 reflector but not as deep as the reflector in the TN12.

All the above are great lights and a little different in their own way. The ED20-T is really the better all around light for EDC and tactical use. It's great clipped inside my front jeans pocket and does everything well. It's far better than the others when it's held in one hand with a pistol in the other. Add the included single mode pressure switch and it's no contest at all.

The coiled switch cable allows it to reach in any application but keeps excess cable from getting in the way when you don't have a long stretch to the gun grip. The ONLY problem I encountered when using the remote switch is the shorter spring used in the remote tail cap. With an unprotected 65mm cell there is a couple of mm of slop between the cell and the switch spring. Using a protected cell isn't an issue. With the standard dual switch cap a 65mm cell works perfect and since that's how I will use it 99% of the time I can live with that. For the 1% I will want to use the remote switch I have plenty of protected cells I can use.

I mounted the ED20-T onto my UTAS UTS-15 using the Lumintop TM16 offset mount that came with my TD15S. Looks and works pretty darned awesome! In all honesty even a Hello Kitty flashlight would look pretty awesome on this shotty. :P The ED20-T just looks even better. ;)

The ED20-T has a great AR coating on the ultraclear glass lens.

I never realized how hard it would be to get a decent shot with the camera looking through a reflex site. After many tries I finally got a couple usable pics. Aimed at the ceiling (roughly 6-8 ft away) you can see how smooth the spill isand what the center spot looks like.

At about 12ft to the wall in a lit room it works really well. The beam isn't as purple tinted in real life (I think it shows in the photos due to the AR coating adding that tint). It's actually more on the NW end of the color spectrum than the CW spectrum. Quite nice actually.

The included User Manual is written well and to the point, telling all you really need to know about the ED20-T.

USER INTERFACE

The UI is pretty easy to figure out and use. There are three main output levels which are nicely spaced plus two hidden modes, strobe and SOS. Mode memory returns you to the last mode used.

From Off:

  • Click the power switch to turn the light on
  • Click the mode switch for momentary on in high mode

From On:

  • Click the mode switch to cycle through the 3 main output levels (High, Medium, Low)
  • Press and hold the mode switch for 0.5 seconds to engage hidden modes (tactical strobe & SOS).
    • Once strobe is engaged clicking the mode switch will cycle between strobe and SOS.
    • To exit strobe/SOS, press and hold teh mode switch for 0.5 seconds to return to last used regular mode
  • To turn off the light click the power switch.

That's all there is to it. Everything easy to remember and find by feel. All 3 main modes are constant current controlled and flicker free. It's a pleasure to use.

OUTPUT and PERFORMANCE

The MOP (mild orange peel) reflector gives a silky smooth, ringless spill and it still gives off a usably tight center beam considering it's smaller diameter and shallow depth. It's not a light for long range rifle mounting but with a handgun or mounted on a shotgun it's perfect!

Output was measured by me using my calibrated 16" IS (Integrated Sphere). Max output measured to ANSI standard @30s. I also measured initial on output and lower modes. Lux measured at 8.9 meters after 30 seconds and converted back to 1m. Throw is calculated to ANSI standard using lux measurements to a distance where the beam hits 0.25 lux.

You can see from my measurements that the ED20-T is one of very few lights I've tested where maximum output (775 OTF) was greater than that claimed by the manufacturer (750 OTF). It's another reason that I've come to trust Lumintop like I do. My measured throw was a tad under Lumintop's claim but there seems to be a bit of confusion as to what its throw is in the first place. Some add copy say's more, some say's less. I went with their larger published claim. It's pretty much an honest 200 meter light and in this size class that's pretty good.

PROS

  • Solid construction and mil-spec anodizing
  • Great knurling
  • Smooth, flicker free output
  • Zero visible PWM
  • Takes flat or button top cells
  • Polarity protection.
  • AR coated ultra clear mineral glass lens
  • 3 evenly spaced modes plus 2 hidden
  • Good heat sinking
  • Strong, removable pocket clip.
  • Excellent rubber tactical grip/anti-roll ring.
  • Waterproof design
  • Easy to pocket carry
  • Dual electronic switches with momentary on and no delays.
  • Easy to use switches by feel
  • Remote pressure switch included with both momentary and steady "On"
  • Fits all standard firearm mounts (1")
  • Well made holster included
  • Good impact protection

CONS

  • No anode spring in head of light
  • Included remote switch requires protected cells to work.
  • No Moon low (not a negative to many)

CONCLUSION

This is a great light and actually became my daily carry for a few weeks which is a rare thing indeed. I almost never carry anything other than my S20 Baton but this has made it into daily carry for a few weeks and daily rotation lately. It's not perfect but it really does come close. My biggest complaint is the lack of anode spring in a light intended for gun mounting. Fortunately in firearm use with remote switch it is single mode and accidental mode changes are impossible. It's tough, has fantastic output levels, strong clip, good holster, great UI...what's not to love? These, and the Pros above are the reason it has earned my "Mac Approved" recommendation. This is a light to put on your short list.

Nice review. I kinda want one.

Fantastic review, JohnnyMac. Thanks for sharing it with us :-).

I hear what you’re saying about appreciating a brick and mortar store that would carry the nice flashlight companies’ lights, in stock. I sometimes keep wishing I lived near Georgia. Going Gear, in Smyrna, has a fantastic selection of nice lights - all in stock.

Nice review, thanks for sharing.

Thanks for the great and detailed review Johnny.
I like the dual button tailcap and the press for momentary high. I have the Nitecore P10 and P20 but it’s momentary to strobe and I have no use for that.

Does anyone know where’s the cheapest place to get this light?
I’ve looked on the usual vendors (Banggood, Fasttech, HKE and Gearbest) but none of them stock it.
Thanks

Please tell us more about that beautiful knife in the last photo?….

I’ve just ordered one of these, shame they’re not being updated.

Hello.
I just bought a EDC18 from Lumintop and i’m looking for a pressure switch and i saw this review for the ED20-T model and i wonder if this pressure switch fit my model.
Thanks.
Cheers

Good luck finding one, I haven’t seen any of the pressure switches in years, shame Lumintop don’t re release this model, it was pretty good, especially for LE or gun mounting.