[Review] Olight M2T (1x18650, 2xcr123, tactical 1200lm)

Hello everyone, today we will review the new Olight M2T WARRIOR which was kindly provided to me by the Olight® Direct IT store, which I thank for the confidence gave to me.



CLICK HERE to go to the official page on the Olight's website.

I want to clarify that the reviews are made at an amateur level and without the aid of scientific instruments or tests in cutting-edge secret laboratories therefore, among the lines that follow, there will also be my humble observations.


Official features taken from Olight:

- three-in-one tail switch operation: momentary-on turbo (soft press); ON/OFF (medium press); momentary-strobe (deep press)
- exposed thumbnail sized tail switch for firm and easy operation
- quiet tail switch with minimal noise for maximum concealability
- f
aster strobe frequency: 13 cycles per second vs. 10 cycles per second in previous models
- c
omfortable ergonomic knurling on the flashlight body and tail cap allowing the user to operate naturally without looking at the tail cap. Screwing the tail cap on or off is even easier due to increased friction of the tail cap knurling
- s
lim head design, detachable pocket clip for both carry directions, and lanyard hole for an enhanced and comfortable user experience.



Where to buy it

The flashlight is easily purchased from the Amazon page of the Olight Store .


The package and the accessories

The Olight M2T Warrior is one of the novelties of 2018 and Olight has also taken advantage of this to renew its packaging, using a rectangular texturized white box to contain the flashlight with all the accessories.
On the front, the package is minimal. There is the name of the model, the writing that tells us that the flashlight has the double switch and the 1:1 scaled photo of the M2T.




On the back there is a description of the product, features, specifications, what the package contains, information about the company and the CE, RoHS certifications.



On one of the two sides are shown the drawings that depict the various applications. It should be noted the one that should be used to indicate the use for personal defense.



While on the other side there is a QR code that leads to the M2T page, on the Olight website, along with the promise of the 5 year warranty.



At the top there is a sticker with the identification code, the package guarantee seal and the name Olight



Removed the seal and open the box, we find a plastic tongue that helps us to get out the blister, always plastic, which houses the flashlight and accessories.



As soon as we remove the plastic casing, the flashlight is immediately available and the accessories are contained under it.



The whole package includes:

- the flashlight
- a clip (already attached to the flashlight)
- 2xCR123A (inside the flashlight)
- a plastic adapter to make not dance the batteries inside the flashlight

- a wrist strap
- a cordura sheath
- a plastified card with instructions, in English and Chinese, on the functioning of the tail button
- the manual in several languages




About the scabbard, it is in sturdy cordura and a leather-like part with the Olight's logo is sewn on the front.



On the back there is a plastic D-ring which you can attach a carabiner, just underneath there are two sewed flaps that form a belt loop or a MOLLE attachment.



The two flaps are held together thanks to Velcro.



The flashlight can be inserted in both directions without difficulty inside the scabbard.
Elastic bands placed sideways tighten the flashlight and prevent it from slipping away.





Both on the upper part of the flashlight and on the lower part, there is a hole which has the function to make the water run off.



Another accessory is the wrist strap



at one end of it, a split pin which facilitates the insertion of the cord into the appropriate hole of the tailcap.



Following, the scan of the manual in English and Italian.




The flashlight

The M2T Warrior is the new tactical flashlight from Olight, a non-rechargeable and slightly weakened version of the M2R .
The flashlight body is almost entirely in aluminum alloy, the shapes are very reminiscent of those of the "big sister".
Exquisitely aesthetic grooves are present on the head, a slightly edgy "ring" with a diamond-like shape surrounding the switch on the body. The key is surrounded by a ring of plastic material and of a bluish color, typical of the brand.
The central part of the key is translucent and under it there is a red indicator that warns us when the battery voltage is very low.
At the center of the body, where the flashlight is gripped, a knurling composed of horizontal and vertical stripes improves the grip. Above and below this knurling there are two grooves in which the clip can be inserted.
And finally, on the tailcap there is a very fine vertical knurling that helps us unscrew/screw it.




The switch on the body, electronic, protrudes just and is made of rubberized material, has a very short stroke and an average noisy click.



On one side, the Olight logo is shown on the head



while on the other side, the model name with its identification code.



In the head is placed a CREE XHP35 HD LED with cold tint and without particular dominance. The parabola is of the OP type and the lens that overhangs the whole, even if you can not see it, has anti-glare treatment. To protect the lens there is a bezel, slightly toothed, with the usual bluish coloring.



On the flashlight, as I said in advance, you can apply the clip in two different ways: or near the tail



or near the head. The clip is S-shaped and can be used to clip clothes from both sides and its grip is strong enough on thick clothes. The clip can rotate 360 ° around the flashlight in both grooves and, on the side with the switch, you do not have problems because the clip does not touch it in any way.



Near the tail is drawn a "+" to indicate that the battery must be inserted with the positive pole in that direction.



On the tailcap there is also the hole for the wrist strap.



On the tailcap there is a second switch, always electronic, with the increased size and suitable to be comfortably pressed in tactical situations and maded anti-slip thanks to its special shape.
This key too has a short stroke but, unlike the other, it has an inaudible click.
It has been designed to easily recall, by pressing it in different ways, the Turbo, the momentary-On (on the Turbo of course) and the STROBO.
Due its shape, the tail stand is not allowed.



The flashlight can be divided into two parts as the tailcap is unscrewed.
The thread is well greased and flows well. An O-ring takes care to keep water away with the IPX8 standard. Given thread anodization, a physical lockout can be performed.

The flashlight comes with two CR123A inserted, due the smaller diameter than a 18650, inside a special adapter that avoids the so-called "maracas effect". Batteries arrive without a protection film.
The flashlight also accepts a 18650 (to be purchased separately and, as recommended in the manual, must deliver at least 5A) but, in this case, we will have to be equipped with an external charger.
Two 16340 are not accepted.



Inside the battery compartment there is drawn a battery with its polarities highlighted to remind us, once again, that in this flashlight the cell must be inserted in reverse.



In the queue we will find the positive pole that consisting of a cushioned golden contact, able to fit inside the tail when it feels the pressure of the battery. The contact is surrounded by a black plastic ring and, on the sides, there are two torx screws which, once unscrewed, allow access to the circuitry inside the tailcap.



Inside the flashlight body, from behind the LED, there is the contact of the negative pole, consisting of a golden spring.




How does it work

The Olight M2R Warrior has 7 selectable levels, two of which can be recalled (Turbo and Moon) and a special one (the STROBO). But there is a small clarification to make: if it is powered by two CR123A, the levels are only 6 including the STROBO.

According to the official Olight's data, the levels have the following characteristics:

With the 18650

- Turbo -> 1200 ~ 600 lumens for 3 + 130 minutes
- High -> 600 lumens for 2 hours and 20 minutes
- Med 1 -> 250 lumens for 6 hours and 15 minutes
- Med 2 -> 60 lumens for 20 hours
- Low -> 15 lumens for 70 hours
- Moon -> 1 lumen for 50 days

With two CR123A

- Turbo -> 900 ~ 600 lumens for 3 + 85 minutes
- High -> 400 lumens for 3 hours
- Medium -> 60 lumens for 14 hours
- Low -> 15 lumens for 42 hours
- Moon -> 1 lumen for 30 days

Power On / Off

A complete pressure, on the tail button or the one on the body, to turn the flashlight on and off.
The tail switch will immediately turn on the Turbo while the one on the body, as the flashlight has memory, will turn on the last level used.

Changing levels

Once the flashlight is turned on, even if we turn it on from the tail switch, we can cycle the levels in ascending order by holding the switch on the body.

Call up the levels

As mentioned at the beginning of this paragraph, the Turbo, the Moon and the STROBO level must be recalled.
The Moon can be activated, with the flashlight off, holding the switch on the body.
With a quick double click, always on the switch on the body, you will access the Turbo.
With a quick triple click, always on the switch on the body, you will access the STROBO.
Turbo and STROBO can be recalled both with the flashlight on and off.

The tactical switch

Thanks to the tail switch, we can use the flashlight, gripping it with a dagger or a cigar, in a tactical way. The Olight managed to allow 3 different commands simply by the pressing the single tail switch in 3 different ways.
A long press will cause to turn on at the Turbo with the momentary-ON, releasing the button will turn off the LED.
A single full pressure will turn on the continuous Turbo, releasing the button will NOT turn off the LED.
A single prolonged full pressure will turn on the STROBO, releasing the button will turn off the LED.

Electronic locking/unlocking

If you do not want to rely on physical lock-out, there is the possibility of using the electronic one.
To activate it, with the flashlight turned off, press and hold the side switch for 2 seconds. The flashlight will momentarily light up at Moon level but the LED will turn off to indicate that the lock has occurred. Each time the switch is pressed, even the tail's one, the flashlight will not light up.
To unlock it we can choose two different methods: the first consists in keeping the side switch pressed until the LED lights up; the second, instead, consists in unscrewing and re-screwing the tailcap a quarter of a turn.

Low voltage warning

When the cell reaches a too low voltage, the small red indicator behind the side switch will turn on to alert you to change the battery as soon as possible to avoid to staying in the dark.




Weights and dimensions

The M2T Warrior is 13.08 long and has a minimum diameter of 2.3cm and a maximum of 2.85cm.
The flashlight alone, with the clip, weighs 101 gr. With the addition of 2xCR123A and the adapter it reaches 138 g while, with 18650 instead of CR123A, it weighs 149g.
The 2xCR123A with the adapter weigh 37g, a single CR123 weighs 15g and the 18650 weighs 48g.

Next, the photos for a dimensional comparison between a large BIC lighter, a Olight's High Drain 18650, the two CR123A placed inside the adapter



and with the Oligh S30R Baton III and the M2R Warrior . Exept some slight aesthetic difference and the different tailcap, the M2T and M2R are dimensionally identical.




Lumens, runtimes, candles and beamshot

NB The tests below were performed with the flashlight integrated battery. Everything was done in a home environment at 18 ° and, depending on the test, with and without forced ventilation.

The following values were taken with the CR123A that comed out from the package and a 18650 High Drain charged and are considered to be peak .





The following values were taken with the CR123A that comed out from the package and a 18650 High Drain charged and are considered to be peak .

NB The discharge curves are obviously indicative and the result may vary in positive or negative depending on the batteries used by the end user or the conditions of use, which may vary from mine during my tests.

Any slight discrepancies related to the tests carried out on the same level can be attributed to a different positioning of the measuring equipment.







The following values were taken with the CR123A that comed out from the package and a 18650 High Drain charged and are considered to be peak .





The following photos were taken at a distance of 20 cm from the wall.



Beam width.



Photos taken at the Turbo, High and Med1 levels with the 18650. The tree line is 25 meters.
The spill, facing the infinity on the horizontal plane, starts from a meter from the feets. There is also a sub-spill to fill the gap between the spill and the feets.
You have to imagine the third photo slightly brighter.







Same levels as before, the cottage is 70 meters. Also in this case the third photo is to be imagined slightly brighter.








Personal considerations

As you can already understand, this flashlight is the non-rechargeable variant of the Olight M2R. Dimensionally speaking, they are identical and only some aesthetic details differentiate them.
The most important improvement, as my opinion, is the evolution that has occurred in the tail switch that now allows the switching on of the Turbo level, the momentary-ON and the strobe. A treat nothing bad.
Despite the absence of the charging circuit, the low voltage indicator of the batteries remained (which works with both the CR123A and the 18650).
For all the rest, it is a flashlight with an high build quality that I recommend to those looking for a great tactical product and that does not disdain any use in the field of personal defense.

What do you think about it? Would you buy it?