Olight named their new model the X7R Marauder. I thought that to be a rather interesting choice of names for a flashlight, so I decided to look up the various synonyms for the word, marauder:
raider, plunderer, pillager, looter, robber, pirate, freebooter, bandit, bandito, highwayman, rustler, brigand, buccaneer, corsair, reaver, invade, attack, ravage, harry.
Talk about an aptly named flashlight; the X7R absolutely demolishes the darkness; sending it scurrying away with up to 12,000 lumens of awe-inspiring, too-good-to-be-true, makes-me-giddy-with-joy, light.
And it performs this magical feat while being comfortably held in one hand, with no effort other than a few clicks (or presses) of the side-switch (located near the head).
In my mind I see some comic book where the hero is a flashlight that gives the user unbelievable super powers – click the switch and evil (darkness) retreats, click and hold the switch and evil (darkness) retreats further away. Click and hold the switch once again and evil (darkness) gives up as it surrenders in total shame.
Not enough?
Oh there’s more. Lots more.
Double click the switch and evil (darkness) punches itself in the face as it begs you for forgiveness. Double click the switch again and 12,000 lumens of righteous light brings nirvana (and a goofy grin to the user’s face) as evil (darkness) vanishes into the thin air.
Sure the Olight X7R is a finely crafted piece of equipment, made to precise standards that result in a product that just feels right when held in the hand. Yes, the X7R has a host of rather ingenious features that work in unison to create a product that is better than the sum of its parts.
But the features, the quality of the product, the thoughtful interface… just can’t tell the whole story of the X7R. Olight has, in the X7R, created a flashlight that transcends all the usual means of measuring the desirability of a product.
The best way to truly describe the Olight X7R is to describe the user experience – what happens to the user when they first see the X7R, and what happens every time they use the flashlight.
Euphoria - cloud nine, elatedness, elation, ecstasy, exhilaration, heaven, high, intoxication, paradise, rapture, rhapsody, seventh heaven, swoon, transport…
That’s the word – Euphoria.
It explains (perfectly) the giddy feeling one has when using the X7R; the sheer joy, the elation, one has when experiencing the almost magical powers of the X7R. Best of all, that feeling returns each (and every) time one uses the X7R.
It’s about chasing darkness away, it’s about that grin on your face as you find yourself awestruck with your newfound power.
Euphoria.
That is what the X7R is all about. That is what the X7R delivers.
In the Box
Olight has a habit of enclosing their products in exquisite packaging. From the fantastic graphics to the magnetic closure, it all gives the new owner a hint of the quality to be found inside the box.
Holster – well made out of nylon, it features Velcro closures and can be attached to a belt (up to 2.5 inches wide) or to a pack (by the included hook). (Remove blue stitching in belt strap to increase the capacity to a 2.75 inch wide belt)
Owner’s manual
Outlet plug – standard two-prong plug for USA use.
Type C usb cable – makes charging much faster (about 3 times faster than a standard usb cable)(It also allows the cable to be plugged in without being oriented – it’s oval shaped so it fits in the slot without worrying about the correct side being up/down).
Lanyard – the best lanyard I’ve seen that comes with a flashlight.
Specifications
Body weight – 23.46 ounces or 1.46 lbs
Body Length - 5.08 inches
Head Diameter - 2.67 inches
Waterproof – IPX7
LED - 3 x Cree XHP70 CW
Proximity Sensor – ramps power down when nearby objects are too close and could potentially cause a hazard. This is an amazing feature and it works brilliantly.
Thermal Management system – prevents overheating which could damage the flashlight. This is why the X7R ramps down (from the turbo modes) after a determined time.
Lockout function – Press and hold the switch until the light comes on and then goes back off to lockout the flashlight. To unlock, press and hold the switch until the light comes on, then release the switch.
Twist open/closed tail cap for charging purposes. It maintains its waterproof capability when closed. I really like the charging system – it’s quite a bit faster than the traditional micro-usb ports, and it is very convenient. Other than some cradle type charging systems, I believe this type C usb charging system is the cream of the crop.
Charging takes about 4 hours to recharge depleted batteries. Olight says the batteries are good for 300 full cycles (depleted to full and back). The batteries cannot be replaced by the flashlight owner (must be sent to Olight).
While charging, the tail cap shows a red light (right by the plug in area). Once fully charged, that light is green.
Pop-out lanyard holder. Such a simple thing, yet highly innovative. I wish I had thought of it. Pop the holder out to use the (fantastic) included lanyard. Pop the holder in if you choose not to use the lanyard.
Multi-function indicator (switch). This is among my favorite features of the X7R – in the off position the switch will glow (faintly) green when movement is detected. That’s right – the switch detects movement and glows green to help locate the switch in the dark. You don’t even have to touch the flashlight itself, simply tapping the surface it (the flashlight) is on and the switch glows a faint green. It also works as a battery condition indicator and a flashlight status indicator. Absolutely brilliant.
The body itself is anodized for protection against scratches and wear. The head of the X7R features deep grooves (for heat dissipation and grip). The body has longitudinal grooves spaced somewhere around ¼ inch apart and the tail features longitudinal grooves that are spaced about 1/16 inch apart. The X7R is very comfortable in hand, with enough grip that it isn’t likely to slip out of the hand. The body itself is slightly smaller (diameter) than most soda cans, while the head is slightly larger (diameter) than most soda cans. The back of the body – opposite side of the switch – features finger grooves for additional grip/comfort.
The reflector consists of three reflectors in one. I would describe the reflector as a smooth orange peel – mostly smooth but the orange peel effect is easily seen when looking at the reflector. I assume that the reflector/lens is glass, but I do not know and could not find that answer in the owner’s manual.
5 year warranty. Excellent.
Modes/ User Interface
The X7R turns on/off by pressing and releasing the switch. The switch itself is coated in rubber and provides excellent feel/feedback. There is an audible, although faint, clicking sound when the switch is pressed and released.
Moonlight Mode – 10 lumens and good for 30 days of run-time. Press and hold switch until light comes on, then release switch, to go into Moonlight mode. When X7R is turned off while in Moonlight mode, it will turn back on to Moonlight mode when turned on the next time.
Low Mode – 500 lumens and 14 hours of run-time. From moonlight mode, press and hold switch until flashlight changes to low mode – then release switch. When turned off while in low mode, flashlight will return to low mode when turned back on.
Medium Mode - 1,000 lumens and a run-time of 6 hours. Press and hold switch to cycle through modes, release once medium mode has been reached. When turned off while in medium mode, flashlight will return to medium mode when turned back on.
High Mode – 3,000 lumens and good for a run-time of 2 hours and 10 minutes. Press and hold switch to cycle through the modes until high mode is reached, then release switch. When flashlight is turned off while in high mode, flashlight will return to high mode when turned back on.
Turbo Mode - 7,000 lumens. Runs at that rate for about 12 minutes and then will ramp down to 3,000 lumens. Total run-time of 1 hour and 50 minutes. Double click the switch from any mode (including off) to go into turbo mode. If turned off while in turbo mode, flashlight will go into high mode when turned back on.
Turbo S Mode – 12,000 lumens. Runs at that rate for about 3 minutes, then ramps down to 3,000 lumens. Total run-time of 2 hours. When in turbo mode, double click the switch to go into turbo S mode. If turned off while in Turbo S mode, flashlight goes into high mode when turned back on.
Strobe Mode – triple click from any mode (including off) to go into strobe mode. If turned off while in strobe mode, the flashlight does not return to strobe mode when turned back on (it goes into the mode last used before strobe mode was initiated).
Beam
While rated to a maximum distance of 380 meters, the X7R is far more a floodlight than it is a spotlight. It can reach out a considerable distance simply because it is putting so much light out.
The beam put out by the X7R is stunning – it beautifully transitions from a hot center beam into spill light that gives the user fantastic viewing ability throughout most of your field of vision. The light itself is cool, but not bluish – and does a great job of illuminating objects near and far.
The included pictures do not show the X7R in moonlight mode (exception being daylight shots) because I use one camera setting (manual) to capture the night shots. I do so because that gives the viewer the best idea of what the X7R is like in real use. Note that the Turbo shots demonstrate a lot of blown out areas (no data recorded) that show up as white with no detail. That too is because I use one setting to capture all night shots, and that setting is not the correct exposure for the sheer amount of light that is put out when in the two turbo modes.
Conclusion
I’ll keep this short and sweet: the X7R is brilliant. Every time I use it I am in a state of euphoria – it’s a blast of pure joy.
It is expensive. It is also worth every penny… and more.
I purchased my X7R here: link