Xtar WK 26: A Flashlight Lovers Flashlight
This torch was provided me for evaluation and what a treat it has been, getting to know this terrific little flashlight. Anyone desperate enough to read more than one of my reviews might recall that I was distinctly unimpressed with this light's predecessor, the Wk 25. The two look nearly identical but the WK 26 is not simply an improved Wk 25, it is a reinvention. The WK26 is a serious little powerhouse and with performance like this, it is now a pleasure to enjoy the inherent design simplicity/build quality of this Xtar form factor.
Foyapproved
Bottom line: The Xtar WK 26 is a knockout. It has the fit-and-finish, quality and feel of an Olight. It is really bright (for its size) reliable, good looking and has the annoying modes that annoying people like while making it possible for the rest of us to lock them out. It is in fact, a flashaholic's flashlight. With a minimum working voltage of 2.7 volts, the WK 26 is essentially a Li-ion only torch. Properly loaded with a 14500 battery however, the WK 26 can hang with lights many times larger costing significantly more. Good job, Xtar.
What I like:
- elegant form factor
- output
- machine quality
- anodization
- "DIY mode design" (Foy likes it)
What I do not like:
- switch feel
- 14500 only battery requirement
- a little ringy
- lame lanyard (okay, I'm having difficulty thinking of things I hate about it)
Xtar WK 26, XP-E/R3 LED Flashlight
$19.99 from szwholesale http://www.szwholesale.com/xtar-wk26-cree-1x14500-5mode-250lumens-flashlight-p-4157.html
Cree XP-E/R3 emitter
2.7 - 4.2 volts
designed for a single 14500 Li-ion battery
5-mode user interface with mode memory (2-3 second retention) low, medium, high, fast strobe and SOS
"DIY" mode programming
anodized 6061 aluminum
tail stands
lanyard
user manual
gift box
Foy's lame attempt to quantify relative brightness:
light meter lux . . .
my office (late afternoon) - 173
WK 26 - 204
4Sevens Q-Mini XM-L - 206
amps at the tail:
high - .86
medium - .35
low - .01
Specs say it's 250 lumens. Using a TrustFire flame 14500, Foy says it is about 220.
This is what you get for $20. Not bad, and it is certainly head and shoulders above what we've come to expect from a budget light purchase from China. Say what you will about cost or the practical usefulness of foam and cardboard; you know you like it and it's nothing but a net plus for this flashlight purchase. And, like the Wk 21 I reviewed earlier, the WK 26 comes with its own user manual that is specifically for this torch. In addition to the quality of the product itself, these things combined, are important and suggest that Xtar takes this flashlight and the buyer, seriously.
However underwhelmed I was with the Wk 25, I'm a huge fan of this form factor. The WK 26 feels good in the hand, is small/light enough for the mouth and remains still, the best cigar hold torch I've ever used. There is nothing to prevent it rolling off the table but a more satisfying design for a small flashlight, I've yet to see.
The WK 26 is a solid tail stander and has a lanyard cutout.
SirJohn mentioned tail cap switch feel in his fine review and it's something I failed to report on the Wk 25. Holding the light in the classic overhand position, the button is mushy and uncomfortable. The solution might be more expensive; something along the lines of an electronic switch, ala Nitecore. It's really the only slightly annoying thing about using the WK 26 and it probably wouldn't be an issue with a larger torch. It's barely an issue with this torch.
Here at the Foylabs test facility, machine quality is a top requirement and I'm pleased to report that the WK 26's time on the lathe was well spent . . .
. . . this is a superbly manufactured, carefully assembled product. We'll have to see how well the anodization holds up but the finish appears top drawer all the way.
Size comparison with the Wk 21 Meteor.
I didn't break it down further than this but the WK 26 is fairly straightforward . . .
I'm not sure if I can call these square or not. They feel okay, not as silky as the Wk 21 . . .
Like the Meteor, the WK 26 can be programmed to include any one or any combination of its five modes. The instructions say to use a tiny dot of solder but the brainiacs on this forum correctly suggested using pencil lead to complete the connection of the upper and lower part of the "contactors." This low-tech approach has worked splendidly on both the Wk 21 and this WK 26. I thought this somewhat gimmicky at first but I've now come to see it for the value it offers. No more whining about useless "flashy" modes or SOS features that will never be used by some of us. Excluding perhaps bike users, you disco-duck idiots that like party-ball modes in your flashlights can annoy your friends and make the dog vomit to your heart's content. The rest of us can easily turn all that trash off so, we thank you Xtar.
This is Foy's first XP-E and as installed in the WK 26, it has made a sensational first impression. It has the largeish hot spot of an XM-L and it's a little ringy but it is more than just a little bright.
Is my example really the 34th WK 26 produced?
These beam shots were taken at 1/4 second shutter speed @ f2.8.
WK 26.
Wk 21 Meteor.
Side by side and yes, the Meteor kicks its butt. We're talking XP-E folks, not XM-L.
Here's a beam profile shot.
I have to say, I'm a little more impressed with the WK 26 than I am the Meteor. This flashlight just feels right . . . in the hand or in the pocket. The 14500-only issue might be a deal killer for some but not me. This is a spectacular flashlight and I highly recommend it.
Foy