Olight PL-Mini Valkyrie
Summary:
| Battery: | 260mAh LiPO (Integrated) |
| Switch: | Ambidextrous Rear Electronic Switch |
| Modes: | 1 |
| Mode Memory: | Single Mode |
| LED Type: | XPL-HI (CW) |
| Lens: | AR Coated Glass |
| Reflector: | Smooth |
| Price: | $79.95 (Official Olight Ebay Store) $79.95 (Official Olight Store) |
| Provided by: | Olight Official Olight Store |
Function / User Interface:
The Olight PL-Mini Valkyrie has an extremely simply user interface.
Pressing down on the left or right plastic piece that contacts the rubber cover over the switch and activates the maximum output.
Releasing the switch immediately will leave the light on in max output. Pressing again while the light is on will turn off the light.
Pressing and holding the switch activates momentary on. The light will stay on as long as the switch is held. As soon as the switch is released, the light will turn off.
Charging:
The PL-Mini utilizes a very similar charging interface as many recent rechargeable Olight flashlights with a small difference. The PL-Mini requires a different magnetic charging cable aptly labeled "Special." :)
Apart from being magnetically different compared to the other Olight magnetic charging cables, the special version functions much the same. The indicator light is red while charging and green when fully charged.
Data & Measurements:
I measure pretty close to the specifications.
All throw measurements are lux values taken at 7ft and calculated back to 1 meter (Rounded to the nearest hundred). Estimated Max Output (Lumens) values are calculated based on measurements taken 30 seconds after turn on and are obtained through a DIY 'pvc lumen tube' in an effort to achieve diffusion of dissimilar beam profiles. As such, these values should be taken as "rough approximations."
Pictures:
The Olight PL-Mini Valkyrie comes in a small cardboard box. The light and various accessories are contained in some plastic packaging.
Included is the user manual, a special magnetic USB charging cable, a T6/T8 head wrench, a 1913 rail mount, a glock rail mount (pre-installed), and the PL-Mini Valkyrie.
The magnetic attachment is very strong. The cable feels very well assembled as previous samples felt.
The overall quality, machining fit and finish is really great on the PL-Mini. All edges are rounded, all flats are smooth as silk.
The XPL-HI is perfectly centered in the teeny-tiny, exceptionally well-designed, smooth reflector.
The following set of pictures are merely for demonstrative value. The PL-Mini unfortunately does not fit on the tiny Springfield compact XDS .45 3.3inch barrel variation... which is a shame because otherwise it looks spectacular on it.
As you can see, the PL-Mini sits a little bit proud so the rail mount does not engage.
Here we can see how the PL-Mini can be operated with a flick of a finger while the plastic switch piece just barely sticks back into the trigger guard.
Easy access to the magnetic charging base. Or you can simply release the quick disconnect and detach the PL-Mini from the gun.
Here are a few pictures of the quick disconnect feature of the PL-Mini. Simply popping the flat lever up disengages the spring loaded rail attachment.
Here's the bottom view with the lever disengaged.
... and the top view with the lever disengaged.
Top view engaged. You can see the rail attachment tightens down and locks onto the guiding rails.
The pink AR coating on the lens can be seen here.
There are some very faint machining marks under the anodization near the machined out indentation aside the bezel.
Comparison:
The PL-Mini is very small.
From left to right: Olight O'Pen, Olight PL-Mini Valkyrie, Klarus Mi7 Ti, and the Streamlight TLR-2s.
The head of the PL-Mini is just barely bigger than the O'Pen's head. The Streamlight TLR-2s is about 3-4 times the overall size of the PL-Mini.
I found this interesting. On the Streamlight TLR-2s (MSRP $530), the finish or the metal underneath is very rough where the PL-Mini is smooth as butter.
The Streamlight is fairly old, but has seen very little use.
Beamshots:
As with all beamshots in my reviews, every shot is taken using the same settings in manual mode.
In this location the central tree trunk is about 50 yards away. The water line is about 35 yards away. The hanging tree limb in the upper left quadrant of the pictures is about 10 yards away.
This particular set of pictures were over exposed slightly so in person they aren't quite as bright as shown here.
The HS2 in max output, throw+flood mode has very similar output with a somewhat similar beam profile; the PL-Mini has much more well-defined aspects.
The Streamlight TLR-2s is more suited for throw with a very concentrated hotspot, a small corona, and a fairly bright spill. Comparatively the PL-Mini is a lot floodier with a large hotspot, a very large corona and a very small and fairly dim spill.
IMO The TLR-2s is better suited for medium range at around 50 yards, but not ideal up close and indoors. The PL-Mini is excellent up close, indoors, and decent out further up to about 50 yards.
Conclusion:
The Olight PL-Mini Valkyrie is an excellent weapon flashlight. It feels incredibly well built and while I don't currently have a pistol that it fits on, it has functioned perfectly on my .223 rifle for a couple hundred rounds.
As per usual with Olight, the fit and finish is superb. The machining and tolerances are great.
With it's floody beam profile, and ultra compact form factor I believe the PL-Mini Valkyrie is nearly perfect for indoor use and distances nearing 50 yards.
