SMALL SUN ZY-A629 Review
Small Sun has been turning out some impressive and low-priced budget lights recently. Is the A629 another worthy performer? Oh yeah!
The A629 really hits on a few things. First is the biggest gripe from most people when buying a budget light: the modes. This light has four well-spaced normal modes, then a hidden SOS and strobe. Almost as big of a surprise as the great mode spacing is the side mounted electronic switch on the tailcap.
SUMMARY:
| Battery: | 18650 |
| Switch: | Forward momentary + side tail switch |
| Modes: | 6 low, med, high, turbo, SOS, strobe (specs say 4) |
| LED Type: | XR-E |
| Lens: | Glass |
| Tailstands: | Yes |
| Price Paid: | $12.00 |
| From: | dx.com |
| Mode Memory | Yes (specs say no) |
| Reflector | Smooth |
| Strap Included | Yes (specs say no) |
| Dimensions | 14.2 cm x 3.4 cm x 3.4 cm |
| Weight | 104g (specs say 105) |
Pros:
Great modes
Hidden SOS/Strobe
P60 sized
Tailstands
Momentary activation
Throws for size
Cigar ring suits the light
PWM seems high enough
Great price
Cons:
PWM on lower 3 modes
No clip
Changing modes with side switch hard in some grips
XR-E emitter
Ringy beam (can it be saved?)
The A629 is a P60 sized light. Here it is next to an Xtar 2600 battery, my smallest 18650 (UF-2100), the A629, a P60 sized light (UF 504B), and my biggest 18650 light (TF X9).
In fact, the reflector is exactly the same as a P60 reflector.
The emitter is an XR-E of unknown bin. They say Q5, but it cranks out 311 lumens on turbo so who knows…
The light tailstands well. I also laid the cigar ring down and the tail fits in it to aid in tailstanding, but really it does very well on it’s own. Plus getting the stupid cigar ring off requires taking off an o-ring…
The light from the bottom up:
The head
The body, lettering is pretty sharp and a little small.
And the tail, tailswitch and sideswitch. You can also see the recessed tailcap and the cutouts that allow for tailstanding while still giving you a way to get at the switch easily.
Now the insides… Inside the tail
Inside the head
Head threads
Tail threads, oring and cigar grip
Reflector sitting in head with lens off
And here’s all the parts I am currently willing to disassemble….
I’m not sure how to do a beamshot but here’s the problem with the light….
The build of this light is on par with a $12 light. Not the smoothest machining but the anno is well applied. The threads are not square, but are deeper than most. The tailcap is not annodized. I believe this is because of the side switch. The cigar grip is a hard plastic and is well placed for the job. The thing I don’t like about it is that it sticks to the tailcap when removing it, and if it comes off too far it pulls up the oring. It could easily rip it. This loose ring also rotates when tightening the tailcap, making getting it in the exact placement you want it pretty hard. I prefer clips, but this light was made for momentary, so I can see the need.
The light is activated by clicking the tailcap switch. You can also soft-press to momentarily activate the light in the current mode until you release the switch. Once the light is on, you can change modes by pressing the switch on the side of the tailcap. The light starts in low; then cycles through medium, high, and turbo. The low is a useable and battery-saving 12 lumens. The medium more than doubles that at 31 lumens. High mode is sufficient for most tasks at 82 lumens. When you really need to see far away or just need a lot of light turbo will open up the direct drive door, blasting out over 300 lumens by my calculations. This amp draw upwards of 1.8a might not be good for the led, but it sure pumps out the light!
The side switch also gives options that were unknown from DX’s description. Pressing the side switch with the light off activates SOS blinking. There is no way to keep the SOS on without holding in the button. It is a fast blinking true SOS. While in SOS, pressing and holding the tailcap switch will put the light into strobe. Alternatively, when the light is on, you can hold down the side switch and activate strobe. Once the strobe has been activated it becomes the memorized setting and the light will start in strobe the next time it is turned on. To deactivate the strobe, simply press the side switch while it is strobing and it will go back into low. Further cycling of modes goes back to L,M,H,T and no strobe. So strobe is truely hidden, but still useful if you need it. I love it! Except…
The only drawback I can see to this method, is finding a way to comfortably press the side switch. The overhand grip can be done without too much fuss.
But the few other options you have are uncomfortable, or require major moving of the light in your hand.
On the other hand, it does the same thing that fancy head twist lights (Eagletac, Armytek, etc.) can accomplish with just a press instead of a twist. Those lights often take both hands, and so might this light. However the advantages of having your light in the mode you want - and it won’t change despite repeated momentary presses - outweight the inconvenience for me.
The beam might be bright and throwy for an XP-E, but it’s also very ringy (see pic earlier in the review.
Another interesting aspect of this light is the pill. It has an exact p60 reflector. The end of the spring into the battery tube even sticks out at the same height a p60 spring would. You can put a P60 pill in the A629, and you can put the A629 pill into a P60 host, but neither option works very well. The P60 pill doesn’t even light up except for a flash when first contacted, or a faint strobe when pushing the side switch. The pill from the A629 just operates in direct drive when powered by a normal clicky. There may be no way to get these two kinds of pills to work with each other’s lights. There is the potential for A629 drop-in pills, much the same way Eagletac’s T20C2 light has many different pills made for it. Of course, when the entire light is $12, I suppose you might as well buy another version host and all if they ever come out with something like this in xp-g2 or xm-l flavor. I for one can’t wait!
Here are my officially unofficial specs:
Low: 12 lm
Med: 31 lm
High: 82 lm
Turbo 311 lm
Lux @ 1m on turbo: 11780
I highly approve of this light! I’m dying for one in XM-L flavor, I might pay upwards of $15 for such a light! 
Thanks for reading! Hope you have seen the light
