XTAR S1 - Production - My 2 Lumens...

LED Flashlights – General Info 18650 Flashlights
1

Yes, it's a cross post. It's warmer over here :)

Hi, and welcome to this edition of... My 2 Lumens. There will be plenty of more detailed and technically qualified reviews out there so this is only intended to be a super quick overview to temper my giddyness with a new light purchase :) Just remember these are my opinions and are subjective. The idea is to cut through the glossy photos and brochures to give you a simple laymans overview -- perhaps draw out some discussion.

If you want more technical details like "is it PWM, how many amps does it draw... etc" please see Selfbuilt or other long standing member reviews (coming). Sometimes I'll put the mA draw information on different modes if I want to know (or are asked).

Manufacturer's Link: http://www.xtarlight.com/en/05-chanpin/p-001-1.asp?styleid=195

Model: XTAR S1 - Production
Battery: XTAR (Sanyo) 2600mAH - 18700 size
Rated Lumens: 2350 (1h20m), 15 (500h)
SOS / Strobe: Yes
Multi Mode: Yes
Reflector: Smooth
Beam: Flower petal shaped beam pattern, lending to the tri-XML-U2 LEDs.
Finish: Smooth black HA III aluminum

Notable Features:
- 2350 rated lumens
- magnetic selector ring
- deep star anti-roll tail cap
- nice braided lanyard
- did I mention 2350 rated lumens?
- very nice white color (surprisingly)

Notable Changes from Prototype:
- lower rated lumens on high and low modes
- longer low runtime
- usable PAUSES during the preset ramping selection!
- sticker inside battery compartment indicating direciton/polarity
- some slight knurling/machining differences (see pictures)
- more "white" than "blue" light
- AR coated lens instead of clear glass
- detents are stronger at each mode. The ring overall feels "tighter" out of the box.

Quirks:
- I can't find any yet. Why? The massive reflector on is FLAWLESS. In contrast, a few of the Fenix TK70 have dust specks/bumps in the chrome. EDIT: Ok one quirk. The lanyard is much too thick to thread in the little holes provided for it. Time to break out the fishing wire to get it through...

I Like it Because: It's a very compact cloud spotter. Sure, the 80w HID baseball bat is better but that's a disgusting beam pattern. In PRESET mode, there are now very noticable "stops". The time for the flashlight ramping from low to high is about 23 sec instead of 7 sec (in the prototype), and have a 1 sec pause at 3%, 25%, 75% 98% output to make it easier to choose the mode you want.

I Dislike it Because: I don't know yet. I guess I wish it could have an even LOWER low mode. 15 lumens is super bright in the dark. If anything, I wish the selector ring isn't as much on an angle or if they added some sort of gripping to it. As in the previous reviews, the ring is difficult to change with gloves. Over simplistic packaging really downplays the light -- that can be a good or bad thing.

Comments: The bare light rings in about $225 CAD if you know where to look. The S1 kit comes with the awesome WP6-II charger and *SIX* XTAR (Sanyo) 2600mAH 18700 (yes 18700) batteries. Per XTAR, the 18700 format allows it to give the current hungry S1 the juice it wants on high mode. I'm not sure if that rings true or not. The kit runs about $270 CAD (coupon'd).

Other Technical Reviews: None yet for the production version. Let me know and I'll add it here.

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Quick pics from iPhone:





^^ Production version on BOTTOM





^^ Production version on BOTTOM






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Color Temperature:

Proto on LEFT
Production on RIGHT

Comment: When looking at them on at the same time, the prod version almost looks 4300k. By the way if you see donut holes in this pic, it's an optical illusion. Not so (or as bad) as the monitor is showing you.



For the driver board pics, back over to BLF: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/6031

NOTE: The S1 in that link is the Proto and not Prod version.

2

Hello and Welcome to BLF, Ualnosaj! Nice review, thanks for posting. That is one sweet light.

3

I really want this light, however the price is high for me, maybe if it comes down some I will consider it.

4

Hi Ualnosaj and welcome to the BLF.

Great photos of the new XTAR S1. I also love the production color temp.

5

I like the pretty picture of all those 18700's charging. Welcome to BLF!

6

Aloha and welcome to BLF Ualnosaj!

7

Heh it certainly is a lot warmer in here! I've been a lurker for far too long.

Yes, this light is definitely not of the budget kind. When I go the TK70, that was the tipping point as it was also a MASSIVE light. This is the tipping point -- compact AND powerful. the TK70 will likely go. Right now my EDC is a modded RRT-0 neutral.

BTW the kit version softens the blow a little by offering six batteries and the WP6-II charger. Still, that's a lot of bones.

About the selector ring -- it definitely could have been improved by some knurling or perhaps some raised notches. The saving grace is that because of the way it tapers, you can hold the light and push forward gently with the other to help with the turn. I think the only other way it could be improved (for me) is to have the finish in natural/olive color :)

8

Thank you!

I thought proto had 2800 lumens.

9

What the??! I could have sworn the proto was 2200 lumens. It was 30-2800 (or 3100 or 2700... etc depending on where you read first). Egg of face *splat*.

10

Yeah this is the forum to be on! Unfortunately, due to the non-budget nature of this light, it seems to be discussed more at the other place. What we need for this light to be popular here is a GROUP BUY.

Anyway, since Jason cross-posted, I will too, for completeness (and I'd rather post here). :)

Jason, I sent Xtar a comment a week or two ago asking if they were going to redesign the selector ring, since a few reviewers have pointed out that it's difficult to turn in some situations. They said that not many customers have complained about it, but if more do, they would consider redesigning it. Maybe Xtar will see this review, but in case they don't, maybe you could send them (or whomever you bought your S1 from) a quick note mentioning this problem. The more people complain, the more likely they'll be to fix it, and you could probably get them to send you a replacement ring if they do redesign it.

I suggested to Xtar that they replicate the bumps on the bottom of the tailcap, on the selector ring. I think that would work well, and look good too.

BTW, since you're the first reviewer of the production version S1, maybe you could answer some questions I asked Xtar in a thread on BLF (which they haven't answered yet). In the BLF thread, Xtar said:

We made some changes according to your feedbacks:

1) Longer ramping time for output selecting, a pause at 3%, 25%, 75% and 98% output level.

2) Max light output change to 2350lm, and improved circuit board to have better regulated output.

3) LED color temperature 6500K.

4) Magnetic dimmer can be turn 180°，instead of 360°。

5）Ultra clear AR lens.


and I asked them:

- what does "better regulated output" mean? The various reviews of the pre-production S1 show that regulation was acceptable, although not flat, at maximum output, but not as good at lower outputs.

- You changed the maximum output to 2350 lumens. What was it before, for the pre-production version?

- What was the LED colour temperature for the pre-production version?

And one more question for you Jason: can you tell whether it will be easy to disassemble the LED/driver module to get at the driver board? In all the reviews I've seen, no-one has taken a photo of the driver board, which makes me wonder if it is possible to access it.

Thanks! Nice pictures btw. And wow, you bought 3 of these?

(And in a second comment I wrote: "As for the driver board, unless I'm missing something, I still don't see any pictures anywhere. I've read that BLF thread (the one Jason linked to at the bottom of his post) a few times too." Has anybody tried getting at the driver, or seen pictures of how to get at the driver?)

About the lumen rating apparently dropping, maybe that initial 2800 lm figure was just an estimate? I remember 2100 and other reviewers being very surprised that Xtar's initial throw spec was far less than the actual throw as measured by a few people. So if they were guessing at the throw, they might have just guessed at 2800, and/or maybe that was emitter lumens instead of OTF lumens? Just guessing.

11

Welcome, Ualnosaj! (Or is it Jason Lau?) Excellent review, by the way.

12

Xtar makes some top-notch gear... really good stuff IMHO.

Nice to see how that basic 6x18650 design has evolved (and sized down considerably) from its beginnings in the D30 (still my brightest LED light by a long shot).

13

Hey I just found this info at http://www.szwholesale.com/xtar-4mode-2350lumen-search-rescue-flashlight-p-4220.html:

Question and answer:

Someone may ask Why is the production version expensive than test version? It is a good question. Here is the reasons we are willing to share with everybody.

  • 1. The production version uses toughened glass with double-sided antireflective coating to ensure maxium light transmittance.
  • 2. Selector ring is not turn 360° any more, you can select those modes where there is a function for it.
  • 3. The production version uses the correct SOS signal (previously was a SO signal)
  • 4. We can select from 3%-98% of output.
  • 5. The Max lumen is 2350 Lumens, constant current is more better.
  • 6. Color temperature will drop from 7000k+ to 6000K-6500k.
  • 7. Ramping time will increase from 7 sec to 23.5 sec, and there will be a 1.5 seconds pause at approximately 3%, 25%, 75%, 98% output level to ensure the precisely selecting of brightness.
  • 8. The production version comes with spare O-rings, manual, warranty card, pouch and package. ( The test version was sold at a loss as preferential testing , and without any accessories)
14

$250 there, if I was going to spend that much I would just get the JETBeam RRT3 XM-L.

15

I'd love to see a beamshot comparison between those two lights. I'm looking for a 3x XM-L (or 5x or more) with a beam pattern like this:

457754

(graphing the intensity of the beam from left to right on a vertical-bar chart, where the numbers represent heights of the bars)

The Dry 3x XM-L is floody, like this:

2224664222

16

Big beamshot comparison of 18 big lights in a german forum:

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Thanks! The TK70 beam is nice, but ugh, that form factor... The XTAR S1 is 2nd best, for what I want. The RRT-3 XML is not bad too, but if I'm going for throw, I may as well go big. I used to say I don't want a throwy light, but that was before, when a throwy light meant a laser-like beam. Now with 2000+ lumens available to be focused into a nice usable beam, I do want some throw.

18

Did you buy 3 lights?

3 boxes = 3 lights?