Review 3 in 1. At the end there will be a summary for those who like only particulars, in each topic I will color the key sentences for those who read a little more, and a long waffling for everyone else. Enjoy!
For VERY large photos: click -> on the photo page right click -> "Open image in new tab"
Ok, first I will tell you how I came to this review.
Natalia from Armytek asked if I could write a review about their chargers.
... about chargers?
So I told her I don't have equipment to test chargers. But it was fine for her and she told me she will send Wizard Pro and chargers.
I agreed ^:)
So welcome to the Armytek Wizard Pro review!
Then I started to imagine that they have a lot of these Wizards there, everywhere. You know, full of drawers, spilling out of the closet, banging under their feet. They can no longer look at them and add them to eveything.
For example, I wanted to buy their cell
and I look
...
Ok, anyway
Table of Contents:
- General parameters
- Package content
- Appearance, parameters
- UI, runtime and charging
- PWM
- Waterproof
- Light pattern, tint
-Beamshots
- Usage and my experience
- Nitpicking
- Gallery
- Summary
(from Armytek)
And I will mention mode memory, thermal protection and battery capacity indicator by flashing LED in switch.
Light came to me in such a cardboard box
And I found a trouble
Hmm... Strange...it is everywhere
Ok, I risked
In addition to the flashlight we get:
- head mount
- hand attachment
- steel pocket clip
- batteries
- charger
- spare O-rings
- manual user instructions
Rich content
Light
Weight: with battery 111g, so satisfying to see. Without battery: 63,7g
Size: 11,1 cm x 2,7cm
From left to right:
- Head with steel ring, TIR optics, like honeycomb
with green AR coatings
and a yellow button
Design inspired by old diving helmets
If you are a fan of Armytek Wizard, you absolutely must have this gadget
- We have a heat sink to help dissipate heat ... wait ... there's a diode in the head! Ah, it's so easy to forget :P XHP50 neutral white, on the packaging we see the inscription 2300 LED lumens,
but in the instructions the manufacturer honestly admits that it is really 1800lm. Plus for honesty.
- Battery tube, 2 o-rings at the end and very well greased threads.
- Cap with strong magnet and space for a charger.
A big spring, really presses the battery after tightening, the cell will not rattle, no matter what.
Cell
Armytek 18650, 11,8Wh 3200mAh. Unprotected.
It says "The ability to work even under heavy load", but nothing specific what "heavy load" is. So I decided to ask Natalia
...
I was afraid to ask about anything else...
(Just to point out, I am not making fun of Natalia, I just make fun of this situation, come on, everyone can misunderstand something from time to time)
Ok they have these batteries on the page, it says discharge current up to 3.7A. It's not such a high drain...
And besides, these are LG MH1 batteries in Armytek wrapping. Good cells.
Came charged to 3,54V, very nice.
I tested capacity, about 3100 - 3200mAh
It is complicated...at first
Everything explains the instructions, but I will tell you how I understood it. And besides, the best way to learn is to practice, not to read and learn from the instruction.
Ok, let's start from the basics ...
1 click on, 1 click off, in on position press and hold to change modes
Wow, that was easy.
We have 4 groups of modes to choose from:
3 Firefly group modes (0.15lm-1.5lm-5.5lm)
3 Main group modes (30lm-165lm-390lm)
2 Turbo group modes (900lm-1800lm)
3 strobe modes
Access to the first 3 groups is in two ways:
- From the off position, pressing and holding always activates the lowest mode and cycle up to Turbo 900lm, over and over again (if we press the switch all time). Releasing the button at any brightness level locks us in the group to which this brightness belongs. For example, releasing the switch on the last one, Turbo 900lm, blocks us in the Turbo group, and pressing and holding switch allows us to change the mode from 900lm to 1800lm.
- 2 click from each position (on, off) turns on the Main group. 2 click in the Main group turns on Firefly.
- 3 click from each position turns on Turbo
- 4 click from each position turns on strobes
If we want to have Firefly modes, from the Main group we make 2 clicks, or from the off position we hold it. To every group we have instant access from any position, which I respect very much. Despite so many modes, we can always have exactly what we want, right away.
It is complicated, but after learning very universal and practical. For me, the message is clear: This is not the headlamp for an amateur to get from car to home or use only in the basement.
There are other interesting functions described in the manual, such as switching on the battery charge indicator or access to the tactical mode - the last memorized mode lights up momentarily only when you press the button. Good for broadcasting signals.
Runtime
The battery level is indicated by a flashing switch LED in different colors, everything is described in the instructions.
Main2 mode
Allmost 9 hours
Main3 mode
Almost 4 hours with constant brightness
Battery at 2,9V after test
You should notice that the light did not turn off itself, but remained at a very low level. I will check if it still shines and drains our battery after couple of days.
Edit: It turns off at 2,9V after some time
Charging
With the included charger.
A good idea, because the threads and O-rings are not damaged by screwing and unscrewing, and everything is very simple. We put this part to the socket,
it shines green,
and stick the other part to our magnetic tailcap
Charging with 0.7A current, about 8 hours to full charge, cut-off current about 80mA. Optimal current, good for night charging. And remember that we don't always have the battery discharged to a minimum, so the charging time will be shorter. The battery after charging 4.13V ... I don't know why no more. Well, looking for positives, it is healthier for Li-Ion batteries not to be 100% charged.
PWM
I did not notice any, FF3 mode
Up to 10 meters up to 2 hours. I threw into the aquarium for 3 hours. It's probably long enough to check water resistance in 99% of the situations.
The flashlight survived, no surprise. It has 2 snails. It's twice as much as Imalent DM70 after such a test. You have to judge for yourself whether this is bad or good.
Light pattern, tint
White balance: sunlight. The dot in the center is the...center, each line at a distance of 15 cm. A wide, even radius, diameter about 120cm. You can compare with the lights from my other reviews.
Neutral white... approx. 5500K. Yes, neutral, slightly to the cold side. Before I got this Wizard I read some opinions, whether better neutral or warm. "Take warm" they said. "It is better for everything". So I was sad when neutral came...
But I have to disagree with these opinions. It doesn't really reflect the colors of the forest path so well, it would probably be better with a warmer one, but it's not as cold as, for example, Imalent DM70. It is also not 6000K - 6500K. In addition, very good for rooms and reading.
So it depends whaere you want to use it. If for work in rooms and close areas, then neutral is good. I think that even in the mountains it will be good, there is not so much greenery, only those stones and stones...
For a trip to the forest probably the warmer tint will be better, which for me seems too warm from pictures...
Beamshots
ISO200, t2s, f / 3.5 white balance sunlight. Distance to the tree about 40m, and I aimed about 7 meters ahead, such a "natural situation".
It is enough to walk on forest patch on Main1 30lm.
Comparison with Nitecore NU30
Cheap headlamp Sanyi, about $4
So, what is it good for...
You can stick it to lantern, and it can pretend as lantern
A strong magnet in the cap does the job, thanks to which the only limit is our creativity
Maybe you want to have spare cell with you?
Or a charger
Are you listening to music on the trail? No big deal.
No more searching for your keys in your pockets forever.
Modify the headlamp and add a second light.
Or maybe you need to have a pen always at hand?
Or better - the whole set
You won't forget to take medicines with Armytek Wizard
...
And anyway, you can walk with this light in the woods or mountains. With an emphasis on camping, more than trekking - diffused light is better for these applications, as well as indoors. The slightly cold tint (basically neutral) was not perfect in the woods, but very good for reading and for any work at close range. Lots of modes, 3 firefly, that's what I've been always looking for. Despite so many modes, I didn't have a problem finding what I needed quickly, that's a big plus. An additional, for me, a very big plus is fact that the flashlight does not change the angle of light when shaking or running. The hinge used in e.g. Nitecore NU30 is not suitable for cycling or running - it lowers very easily and shine at feet.
Nitpicking
So everything about all the cons. I decided to experimentally add such a section. Definitely for the people who really think about buying and want to know all the cons. Tell me in the comments what you think about it and whether to add it to further reviews.
A little heavy, it is hard to push the button, the built-in charger only charges up to 4.13V, it is difficult to disassemble (I mean to get to the LED), and flooded with glue inside, light tint slightly cold (~ 5500K, and could be 5000K), TIR optics for me too floody, mounting on the head with a max circumference of ~ 60cm, so for a large head + winter hat it will be hard to put, on the helmet as well, you cannot also wear it with a clip and on the head attachment.
Summary
The set includes a headlamp with a charger, a cell, a head mount, a hand mount, spare o-rings and a metal clip. And instructions.
My first impression is a complicated UI. After learning, I understood that it is very practical and simple. The headlamp itself gives the impression of solid and durable, has double O-rings, steel ring at head, IP68 rating. We get a 10-year "no hassle" warranty covering natural wear!
The thing that disturbed me from the beginning is a very hard-to-push button. You really need to use force to push it. But this is not a big problem, maybe it will be easier over time. TIR optics gives a very diffused light (neutral - cold tint), which is good in rooms and EDC applications, but I prefer a little focus for walking in the woods - longer range, slightly warmer tint. I don't need to light the sides of patch that much. Perhaps in the mountains this optics will pass the test (but...idk, I should test it - and I will!), but on a narrow forest path - not quite. On the other hand, for camping, in a tent, by the fire, for reading this TIR optics is excellent. Everyone should think about what this headlamp will be used for, and which tint they prefer (neutral or warm).
Pros:
- durable and solid
- built-in charger
- lots of modes
- strong magnet
Cons:
- very slightly cold white tint - instead of very slightly warm
- a bit heavy - as headlamp generally, but as 18650 headlamp - ok
- basic price on Armytek's page is too high (but 3/4 of it is fine)
- not for very big head + winter hat or helmet
Score: 7.5/10
1 - very bad flashlight hurts to look at, terrible quality, not worth any (even very low) price
5 - average flashlight, at a reasonable price and for occasional (in its category) use - for the average person "great"
10 - meets all my expectations in a given category (e.g EDC, headlamp, thrower), is durable and neatly made, perfect light tint, worth its (even slightly inflated) price
I hope you enjoyed!