Thrunite Catapult Mini: Review + Night Walk (& Step-down Test)

You can hear my tone change as I become more and more won over by this little thing once I get outside!!!

Nice review, some good details hit upon that I think are very important considerations here.

Sorry if I missed this… but I didn’t see anything mentioned about a physical lockout. Yeah, if you’re taking it out, putting it away, then repeating a number of times in fairly short succession, clicking 4 times to lockout would be a pain. Is there a physical lockout, and if so, is it a very slight turn of the tail? Because if so, that’s an excellent alternative. I’ve often done it with other lights.

I don’t know why they didn’t use a 26650 battery in this. Wouldn’t it be only marginally wider? A proprietary battery is what has kept me from buying the Thrunite Catapult Mini. Momentary on would be nice, but not a deal breaker. Yeah, too bulky for a clip, but I think this is meant to be a jacket pocket or holster light, IMHO.

I hope Thrunite will make some changes with a V2 later on that addresses some of these concerns/complaints. I just love the form factor they came up with here.

Really with a 40.4mm head and that emitter the throw is to be expected. The only thing “mini” is the length.

The Catapult Mini includes a proprietary battery, probably just so ThruNite doesn’t have to handle separate battery stock for their lights that use the proprietary batteries.

The Catapult Mini doesn’t use the top negative contact and doesn’t require a proprietary battery. I’ve used it with standard 18350s just fine.

Great review. I am very pleased with all aspects of my Trusty Catapult Mini.

That cat can ball…

I didn’t think the cell would need to be proprietary, either, unless it’d completely ignore the spring, tube, etc.

Might skip turbo mode, etc., without it, if there’d be secondary contacts on the driver, which I didn’t see.

Lockout … very slight 1/4 counterclockwise turn for physical lockout.

Good to know — thank you!

Amazon got ’em for fitty bux - 20% clicky so 40bux total.

Not a bad price. I’m expecting it may end up around $30 at around holiday time sales. But I’m really curious to see if they might fashion an optional 18650 tube for this light…

Wonder how it stacks up against, say, a GTmicro.

Funny how people would buy separately a shorty tube for, say, a GTmini, S2+, SC31pro, etc., but in this case would spring for a “longy” tube instead, for more runtime.

I wouldn’t go out of my way for a regular Catapult, but this mini looks quite interesting. Almost the throw of a cheap LEP but at a way way lower price-point.

I’d be tempted.

Nice review. Really showed off the throw well. I’ve been loving my Mini. It’s a great “What’s in the yard?” light, instead of a “What’s in the yard, and the neighbor’s windows” light.

Yeah, and that’s one I gotta keep tabletop vs carrying it around, ’cause it turns on sooooooooo easily.

I agree, and keep mine on the tabletop too, but mostly because it’s fun to play around with. Maybe a slightly recessed button would have been better?

Yes, and that’s true for all of these damn electric side switch lights. I never use them and I’m ready to get rid of all.