Brass ART
Reviewer's Overall Rating: ★★★★★
(Mouse Over for 1x AAA, Mouse Out for 2x AAA [Extension])
Summary:
| Battery: | 1 x AAA or 2x AAA with extension tube. |
| Switch: | Reverse Tailcap Clicky |
| Modes: | 3: High, Medium, and Low |
| LED Type: | XP-G (5C - Neutral leaning towards warm) |
| Lens: | Glass |
| Reflector: | Medium Orange Peel |
| Tailstands: | Yes |
| Price: | $25.00 (5-28-2014) |
| Provided by: |
Pros:
1 or 2 AAA option.
Superb Machining:
- Threads well cut, clean, and smooth (Very little 'play' while threading)
- No nicks/errors in the machined brass
- No rattling of any kind (switch/batteries/etc)
Firm switch (Accidental turn-on unlikely), yet switch is easily accessed for purposeful turn-on (Big/Small fingers, no problem).
Well spaced modes.
No audible PWM
2 Slots in the tailcap for lanyard/keyring.
Cons:
Gets rather hot if left on high with little to no air circulation indoors.
Function/UI:
Tailcap current (Amps):
| Cells | High | Medium | Low |
| 1 | 2.400 | .800 | .090 |
| 2 | 1.050 | .370 | .055 |
(Eneloop AAA 3rd Gen)
The UI:
Reverse tailcap clicky switch.
A click of the tailcap clicky and the light will be on in High.
A half press of the clicky will switch to medium.
Another half press will switch to low... etc.
A full click in any mode turns it off.
Runtime test:
Simple duration test. I set the light on a platform facing a light meter at about 1meter distance.
Ambient Temp: 80*F
2x Eneloop AAA 1.40v
Mode: High
Initial start up measured 1200lux. A slight thermal sag occurred during the first 5 minutes when it stabilized at 1130lux. Very small variations occurred up until the 35minute mark where there was a sudden drop off to 100lux. The high and medium modes are now only slightly brighter than Low. I stopped the test a few minutes later, cells measured 1.1v
Pictures:
The light arrived in a bubble mailer and inside the mailer was it wrapped with ample extra bubble wrap.
It came with the 2x AAA extension tube, 1x AAA tube, 5 extra O-rings, and a replacement glass.
Side view of the tailcap and down the side. The finish is slightly dull (great for EDC), not super shiny/reflective.
A look at directly at the tailcap. You can see some slight machining marks macro-zoomed in the slots on the left side.
A look at the emitter. OP reflector.
Size Comparison:
1/2 AAA, Eneloop AAA, S3 (1/2 AAA XPG - BLF), NCR18650B, Brass ART, SK68 Clone, OTR C70, Convoy S2+
(Mouse Over for 1x AAA, Mouse Out for 2x AAA [Extension])
Mini Breakdown:
Square Tailcap threads, few in number but very well machined. Smooth as butter. :)
Beamshots:
Brass ART
Low - Medium - High
Here you can see the nicely spaced modes and the beam profile. A large hotspot with some corona surrounded by a fair amount of spill. A profile great for short ranges, definitely not meant to be a thrower.
S3 (1/2 AAA XPG - BLF), Maglite Solitaire, Brass ART, Mini C8 (AAA), L2 P60 (18650, XP-G2)
(Mouse Over for 1x AAA, Mouse Out for 2x AAA [Extension])
Here you can see the Brass ART's comparatively very smooth beam and neutral tint
Note: The tint is slightly warmer in person, and the transitions between hotspot, corona, and spill are less apparent in person as well.
Conclusion:
This is a great 1x AAA/2x AAA flashlight that outputs a lot of light for its form factor, with a very useful beam profile. It comes stock with a nice set of modes and a superb build quality throughout. It has some nicely machined brass parts for you guys tired of the same old black anodized or plain stainless steel lights.
I rate the Brass ART a 5 out of 5.
