Review: Crelant 7G5 from intl-outdoor [pics heavy, outdoor beamshots updated!]

Also received mine today Finally. Really impressed with the build quality of the light. Hotspot is small and tight. The UI isn't all that bad and actually allows for momentary on and it seems to remember the last mode used. Overall I'm very impressed. This is also my first flashlight with this form factor, and I must say that I really like it :)

If anyones crelant 7g5 packs it in I will buy it to mod.

Please PM me with info.

thanks

Any thoughts about 2:10 - 2:18 of the video? Any other Crelant 7G5 owner noticed this?

Nice video ! Thanks :)

I haven't unscrewed the lens yet. I don't like to do it with any flashlight, because there's high risk of dust coming underneath the lens, which is very hard to remove. Better keep the reflector/glass assembly closed and sealed as much as possible. As for the glass debris ...are you sure it's glass? Did you inspect the glass edge carefully? If there are indeed some chips, it means that the glass has a little to big diameter. In this case just clean the glass (don't touch the reflector!) screw everything tight and leave it as it is.

Zenbass, congrats ! You got it quick ...nowhere near those 70 days :) The hotspot size is almost identical to Capatult's and I think it's the smallest hotspot among all XM-L lights. Despite that, it's still quite useful. Especially on larger distances, which this flashlight is made for.

Hey I'm not complaining. It throws like a champ. Tried it out the other night but I have to be careful (live in a block of flats) because the neigbours wonder what the hell is going on when I start shining it around. I lit up a construction site across the street and a few buildings quite far away like it was nothing. The hotspot might be small up close but it becomes very useful over large distances. I am thoroughly satisfied with the light. Between my Fenix TK45, ZL SC600W, ZL H600 and now the 7G5 I feel pretty well covered for all eventualities :D (my wife keeps on asking what Armageddon I'm preparing for as I also have quite a few knives :D)

Thats what I did :) Now wondering what batteries should I use for max output / cheapest price? Not going to use an extension tube, since it doesn't add extra output, just runtime (correct me if I'm wrong). So no 18650 batteries. Currently using 3x cr123a unchargeable energizers, but thats too expensive option I guess. Thinking about AW protected R123's for $6 each or much cheaper rechargeable Ultrafires from ebay for ~$1.20 each. Any recommendations?

If you don't want to use an extension tube, go for 2x AW18500. This is best config when it comes to runtime. As 2100 stated, extra voltage doesn't give you extra power, so 2xLi-Ion cells are way to go. Additional plus is that AW cells are very good quality and they're aging very slow. If money is a real issue, go for 2x18500 IMR (from bestinone.net if I recall correctly), but you have to be careful about discharge state, because they're unprotected and 7G5 doesn't have over-discharge protection. Personally, I'd go for 2x AW18500 (protected). You'll have a nice and reliable pair of batteries that will last long (in terms of runtime and cell aging).

Stay away from from cheap Ultrafires. Even if they power up the flashlight, they won't do it for long time. The capacity is symbolic and their aging is horrendous.

Yeah...7G5 does not have low-voltage cutoff. It can pump the light at near full output till each cell hits about 2 volts for the IMRs before you'd even notice the drop visually. I have done these IMRs till about 1.7 volts unloaded so that is very low, both for this light as well as Trustfire 3*T6. If you recharge immediately, i don't think there is much degradation. If you leave it for a few weeks in this state, then good luck. :D

For 2 cell lights (higher voltage), it takes quite a bit of discharge before you can register an output drop.

I got the 7G5 for christmas. I must say its a great light.. Perfect for walking my dog in the woods at night. I use it with 2x panasonic 18650's and I have noticed that after about 1.5 hours on high mode the light switches off and then comes on in low mode. I just checked the voltage on the batteries tonight as it did this and they were at around 3.2V each. Does this mean the torch does have a voltage cutoff?

Seems like it, on the specs it does say High for 90mins. Try it again see if it lasts for 90min and does it switch to low mode. Then measure the voltage. That's if your batteries are not protected.

Batteries are protected cells.. i'll wait for the next 1.5ish hours and see if it's consistent.

I've got low-voltage cutoff info on the 7G5 here. https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/5258

Most of the LV cut off is pretty low, it can dig the cell down to below 2V. So be careful and charge immediately.

Ah.. so it must be the protected cells that are cutting out at around 3.2V and not the torch then?

Yep, you can say that....but most cells cut lower than that. Not a big issue.

Do you know how many days it took to arrive?

Ordered from Intl Outdoors.. only took about 8 or 9 days to arrive to me in the UK.

I got my Crelant now for some weeks and I pretty much like it.

BUT: Sometimes (Every 4th time I turn it on) it stays in strobe-mode without changing to high again. It only changes again, when I give it a hit on its head. That is really going me on my nerves...

What can I do to make it stop??

I would like my 7G5 more without the extension tube, but to do so I'll have to buy some 18500 batteries.

My concern is, I see those batteries have a much lower capacity (compared to 18650) around 1500mAh and more important cannot find useful figures as to max discharge current for 18500.

The 7G5 deserves a GOOD couple of 18500 battery, please help me choose the better ones

This is sold out at Intl-outdoors, is there anyway I can still get my hands on one of these?

Do you mean the older version 7G5? That's not in production anymore, think you have to settle on the newer 7G5-V2, Intl-outdoor has them in stock.