“REVIEW”: AMUTORCH VG10 – 18650 – 1200 Lumens

Hi BLF!

This is my review of the Amutorch VG10! This Light was sent to me by Amutorch flashlight store in AliExpress for a review purpose. No other compensation was given.

Thank you Shirkey from Amutorch!

Despite being an offered flashlight, I will present my honest review, with goods and not so goods of this flashlight!

The light can be bought in AliExpress Amutorch store:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2016-Newest-CREE-U4-LED-1000-lumens-glare-flashlight-18650-li-ion-bettery/32807466291.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.43.42a04097ypcLKJ&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_3_10152_10151_10065_10344_10068_10342_10343_10340_10341_10696_10084_10083_10618_10304_10307_10820_10821_10301_10059_100031_524_10103_10624_10623_10622_10621_10620,searchweb201603_43,ppcSwitch_5&algo_expid=761f8810-a7b2-42cc-a749-29fe408ce7a1-6&algo_pvid=761f8810-a7b2-42cc-a749-29fe408ce7a1&priceBeautifyAB=0

There are other online stores that also sell this flashlight.

This is not a new flashlight model and many other brands also have it, but its consistency and design are still appreciated, so it worth looking at this flashlight :wink:

I also wanna mention that: a) I didn’t find any review of this particular VG10 model from Amutorch here on BLF; b) this light was earlier produced by Shadow manufacturer that is now Amutorch, and I’ve seen some models (in black and other colours) around here!

There are also some VG10 quad mods, that worth being seen :smiling_imp:

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

Body Material: Hardened Aluminium, Type III Anodization (CNC machining)
Body Colour: Black
Emitter: XML2 U4-1A (6500K)
Lens: Glass lens (tempered, non AR Coated)
Reflector: Smooth (Hard anodized aluminium, scratch resistant)
Switch: Tail; Forward Click
Beam distance: 255 meters
Beam intensity: 16300 cd
Waterproof: 1PX8 (Waterproof under water 2m)
Impact resistance: 1m
Reverse Polarity Protection: Yes
Low voltage warning: Yes (not specified the at what Voltage)
Batteries: 18650 (protected or unprotected)

OTHERS

- This light is also sold in XML2 U2-3C (4800K) and XPL HD 4800K.

  • Practical and durable with high quality constant current drive circuit!

USER INTERFACE & OUTPUT vs RUNTIME
It is important to remember that this flashlight has a Forward Clicky Switch that allows Momentary ON feature.

USER INTERFACE

  • From OFF, half press to turn the light ON in Low mode. Subsequent half presses cycle through Low > Medium > High > Turbo. The flashlight has no memory, so it always starts on Low mode, except when making subsequent quick full clicks from OFF, as the light will turn ON in the next mode (L>M>H>T).

+ To turn the light ON in a certain mode, cycle the modes through half presses to chose the mode and then make a full click.

+ To turn the light OFF, from ON, make full click.

The flashlight also has a special mode - SOS - that can be settled in momentary ON or continuous ON.

  • For SOS momentary ON: double half press quickly and keep the switch half pressed. When released, the light turns OFF.

+ For SOS continuous ON, repeat the previous process and when the light is blinking, full press the switch. Full click again to turn the light OFF.

——————/////——————

OUTPUT vs RUNTIME
Low: 100 lumens > 35 hours
Medium: 300 lumens > 9h30m
High: 600 lumens> 4h30m
Turbo: 1200 lumens > 2 hours
SOS: 1200 Lumens > s/d

Although I can’t confirm these values, I tested the flashlight on Turbo (with Sony US18650VTC6) against a Zanflare F1 (tha produces 1350 lumens on Turbo) and the brightness level seems almost the same. So it is probable that the highest output is indeed around 1200 lumens.

THE FLASHLIGHT AND ACCESSORIES

So, the Amutorch VG10 arrived inside a cardboard box, with a brand’s sticker on the top. It was put inside shaped foam in order to protect it from impact and other eventual harmful situations.

Inside the box I found: 1 Amutorch VG10 + 1 spare rubber button + 1 lanyard + 1 User Manual + 2 spare o-rings.

What do I think of this flashlight? Well, it is built like a tank!!! Damn, it feels pretty good to have it on the hand, you feel it is robust and well built.

The body is scratch proof and wear-resistant, and the surface is matte, not shining. Its anodizing remembers me of the Odepro KL52, soft and…anti-scratch!

It feels a bit heavy, but I guess that robustness pays a price and the Amutorch is “that” robust. In terms of length, it is smaller than an Odepro KL52, 1 or 2 mm longer than a Zanflare F1 and 1.7 cm longer than the Wuben TO46R.
It may not be a “pocket” flashlight, but it can be carried out in a backpack or in a holster.

About the parts! The Amutorch VG10 is composed by 3 main parts: head, battery tube and tail.

The head is composed by a “non tactical” flat SS bezel (unlike other VG10 versions such the one of Thorfire), a thick o-ring, a thick glass lens and a SMO aluminium reflector.

Outside, there are some fins that will help heat to dissipate and that give a more “aggressive” look to the flashlight. In the lower parte of the head, there is a thick sealing o-ring, just above the threads.
The threads seem to be triangular and will fit in the interior parte of the battery tube.

Under the reflector sits a XML2 U4-1A (6500K) Led, on a 1.5mm aluminium board. There is a centring gasket to help fitting the led under the reflector.

The emitter board (that seems to be DTP) sits in grey thermal paste and is secured by 2 screws. The wires are 18 or 20 AWG and are well soldered.
The inner upper part of the head is anodized, while the lower half is non anodized.

The driver (23 mm diameter) sits on this lower part and is press-fit. There is no retaining ring, despite the bottom of the driver has a brass ring on it, like the other drivers from Amutorch (AX1 and AM30).

The spring seems be phosphor bronze. It accommodates well protected and non protected 18650 batteries, without ratling :wink:

The lens is not AR coated, but is thick and scratch resistant. It fits well this flashlight philosophy of “being a tank” :+1:

I don’t get tired of saying that Amutorch has some neat SMO reflectors and this is not an exception. It is perfectly machined in aluminium alloy and allows the beam to have no artefacts (despite provoking a slight yellowish shift due to the used LED).

The upper part of the battery tube is large – what plays a role in heat dissipation, as well -, the threads are inside and not outside the tube.

Outside, there is a groove where the pocket clip stays, in reverse position. Unfortunately, the pocket clip cannot be put near the tail pointing towards the head. (Well, it could, but the cigar grip had to be taken out :person_facepalming: ).

On its side, the lower part of the battery tube has a sealing o-ring and seems to have squarish threads. Both threads are well lubbed.

It is also here that he find a hard rubber (or silicone??) cigar grip! It is hard but with some strength it can be take out. It helps holding the flashlight in a tactical way and accomplishes it’s role pretty well :wink:

The tail cap has a silicone rubber button (tall one, due to the forward clicky switch) on the outside. Inside it has a retaining ring and a PCB with the switch. I didn’t take it out completely because it has some resistance. I will take it out eventually, just to inspect it :smiley:

Due to the tall button, it is difficult to make this flashlight tailstand. On the tail edges, there are 2 lanyard holes to fit the good lanyard that Amutorch included as an accessory!!!

BEAMSHOTS

Now I’ll post some beamshots of this flashlight in different distances.

The beam is nice, has no major artefacts (despite the “flower” indicating a perfect centring can be perceived), and has some shifts due to the Led and SMO reflector.
The hotspot is white (tending to the CW), the corona is slightly and very smoothly yellowish, and then there is “cold” white again in the spill.

This is not visible with naked eye. On beamshots there is never a single line. This is only seen with the camera above the Led.

AMUTORCH VG10 (XML2 U4-1A, 6500K) vs AMUTORCH AX1 (XPL HD, 4800K)

AMUTORCH VG10 (XML2 U4-1A, 6500K) vs AMUTORCH AX1 (XPL HD, 4800K)
@50 mts

Only the Amutorch VG10!

4mts ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 10mts

12mts ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 17mts

30mts

2-20mts ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 10-40mts

50mts

60mts

70mts

OVERALL APPRECIATION

What I liked the most

  • The overall built. I said I before, I’ll say it again: this is a very well built flashlight, robust and reliable in terms of body. It will probably handle some impact. Also, the matte finishing adds a softness to the touch that feels good on the hands. The only con of all this is…weight, but not being a pocket light, I can live with that :smiley:

+ The user interface. Always starting on Low is nice, so I always know what I will be expecting. Also, the SOS is hidden and is randomly accessed.

+ Heat dissipation. Due to its body characteristics, this flashlight will certainly handle a lot of time before getting to hot to hold. Of course this is not and hot rod, but it is a light that will certainly generate some heat.

What I think that can be improved: There aren’t things that I think that are bad or that could be changed as structure. Instead, I would advise some things according to my preferences as “neutral” things

- Well…the only thing I would improve was to make User Manuals in English and adequate to each flashlight. Amutorch doesn’t make User Manuals to each of their lights and they also don’t make it in English. This I would change, but it is not a VG10 issue :stuck_out_tongue:

Some “Neutral” aspects
> The LED. An XPL-HI Led with this reflector would probably make this light an excellent thrower. However, I understand that those are not this light main purposes, as it is mostly an “all-around” light with some “tactical” features.

> Reversible pocket clip. I know that this is supposed to be more or less tactical flashlight and that the cigar grip follows that idea, but I would prefer to have a place to put the pocket clip in the battery tube and the cigar grip on the tailcap :wink:

> I would a lower Low mode. Normally Amutorch makes their flashlights starting on higher lower levels, so when the lights are switched ON, we always get a really usable amount of light, what is good. However, a lower level (below 1000 lumens) would be nice as a start level.

This said, I wanna thank Amutorch for this opportunity to review a very well done flashlight!
The Amutorch VG10 has not major issues and is an excellent flashlight. I would probably hand it to “non flashaholics” as well, as it is secure to use and reliable to used, as others from this brand.

Feel free to comment or make questions! :wink:

Best regards :+1:

Adding some photos about the driver and the tailswitch! Somehow missed it and forgot to post before :person_facepalming: