(Review) Angryfox K2

I’d like to begin by thanking Angryfox for sending me their K2 flashlight for evaluation purposes.

Angryfox is a new company; established by a group of flashlight revolutionaries who have joined together with one common goal: making professional, fun, flashlights. The name Angryfox is derived from the Chinese meaning of Angry (striving) and Fox (a wise, wild animal) – a combination that personifies all that Angryfox stands for: a flashlight company that is striving to make outstanding, innovative, products for outdoor use and more.

I usually provide a link to where the reviewed item can be purchased. Unfortunately I couldn’t find a specific link to the K2 (reviewed item). Some Angryfox products are available through Amazon stores, so I’ll include a link to them. I did purchase another model (E11) directly from Angryfox, so that is a possibility as well.

Angryfox website

Angryfox on Amazon

In the Box

The K2 I received came in a clear plastic box with an Angryfox Playfox K2 label on it. Inside was a square piece of foam, the K2 flashlight, three colored diffusers, and an owner’s manual. I doubt that this will be the normal packaging though, as the other two items (received) were in retail packaging.

Self described as “fashionably funny” it is clear that Angryfox intends their K2 flashlight to be much more than the traditional utilitarian tool offered by most competitors. With an eye for fun, the K2 is designed to be playful and fashionable; making it a very appealing choice for the young, and those young at heart.

The torpedo shaped body is almost exactly 3 inches in length, and has a maximum diameter of .7 inches. It is roughly .5 inches longer, and just slightly larger in diameter, than the average tube of lip balm – meaning it is extremely easy to carry the K2 in a pocket, a purse, or on your key ring.

Beautifully machined with an exquisite anodized finish (black – in the version I have) – the body itself is smooth and void of any grooves. With the head screwed onto the body, there is an area (roughly .25 inches worth) where the body diameter is smaller – proving to be a natural gripping point when holding the K2. The grip is adequate and very comfortable.

The head features a series (3 groups) of three tear-drop shaped grooves – providing grip for turning the flashlight ON/OFF and removing the head. The threads are square cut (done very well) and nicely lubricated from the factory. Inside the body – at the tail end – is a spring. There is no spring in the head.

The tail of the K2 features a cut-out area with an attachment point in the center and a small, but stout, ring for attaching the K2 to a key-ring. While the K2 did not come with a lanyard, that attachment point would allow for a lanyard (if the owner is so inclined).

The design of the K2 does not allow tail-standing, but that is not a feature expected, or needed, on a flashlight that is clearly designed to be carried on a key-ring. On its own the K2 is not roll resistant – again, a point that doesn’t matter because it would be very roll resistant when attached to a key-ring.

Operation is simple and straight forward: twist the head to turn the flashlight ON/OFF and/or change modes. For this type of flashlight, that is my preferred interface as it is super simple, very intuitive, and it decreases the chances of the flashlight being turned on accidentally.

The K2 can use a regular AA battery (Alkaline or Ni-MH) or a 14500 battery. It can also use a non-rechargeable Li-ion battery (AA). I tested the K2 with a regular AA battery and a rechargeable 14500 battery – the output difference wasn’t noticeable to my eyes, but both batteries worked well.

NOTE - The website shows the K2 can use the batteries mentioned above, with slightly longer run times for the 14500 battery. The manual shipped does not show compatibility with the li-ion AA battery or the 14500 battery. I do not know which chart is accurate, so my suggestion would be to stick with regular AA batteries (the stated performance with AA batteries is very near that of the 14500 battery).

The K2 always comes on in high mode (twist head to tighten). From there it is a simple matter of twisting the head to loosen (just slightly) and then twisting the head to tighten, and the mode will be changed.

High Mode – 190 Lumens, and can run for up to 125 minutes (AA battery).

Medium Mode – 60 Lumens, and can run for up to 4 hours (AA battery).

Low Mode – 5 Lumens, and can run for up to 24 hours (AA battery).

The fourth mode is a warning mode; entered by going through the other modes twice, and then the next series (twist to loosen, twist to tighten) puts the flashlight into the warning mode.

Normally I do not like the disco modes at all – seeing no real useful purpose for my uses or for the majority of most other people. I have a different opinion on the warning mode – seeing it as potentially very useful for a large number of people. From warning oncoming traffic to a potential road hazard, to letting vehicles know a bicycle is being ridden in the immediate area: I think this mode serves a verifiable purpose; especially when used in combination with the colored diffusers.

Features

Cree XP-G2 R5 LED
Digitally Regulated Output – maintains constant brightness
Reverse polarity protection
Maximum Lumens – 200
Maximum distance – 75 meters

PMMA TIR Lens (better directs the light into a useful beam)
Smooth reflector

78mm length
18 mm diameter
Weight – 16 grams (excluding battery)

IPX-8 (waterproof to 2 meters)
Impact Resistant to 1.5 meters

Two year Warranty
Limited Warranty after two years (owner pays for parts).

Beam/ light temperature

Up close there is a clear hot-spot in the beam, but at a distance that hot-spot is less noticeable as the beam consists of one brighter circle of light that encompasses the vast majority of the beam. There is some spill though (even at a distance) but it is slight. For its size, the K2 has decent throwing ability, but it is still more of a flood beam than it is a tight circle that carries out a great distance.

The beam itself is rather remarkable for a flashlight of such a small size – very consistent, very useful, and much brighter than most would expect. It does an excellent job of illuminating objects out to 40 yards or so (on high) but retains the ability (low mode) to be useful for up close purposes without blinding the user.

The light temperature (for my eyes anyway) appears to be very close to neutral – neither cold or warm. I find it to be a very pleasant light color/temperature for my use.

The diffusing caps come in three colors: red/orange, blue, and a lime green. They’re billed more toward the fun side of things, but they have very practical purposes as well. All three do a good job of diffusing the light (making it softer) and yes… all three are fun to use (especially for younger people – who really enjoy them from what I’ve observed). I see them as practical additions though – the red diffusing cap especially; as it would be an excellent choice for those times when a warning light is needed (vehicle breaks down) and visibility is impaired. Both the green and the red diffusers would come in handy for reading maps without blinding oneself with glare, and the blue diffuser would certainly be useful on those night time fishing jaunts.

Conclusions

There are a number of things that set the Angryfox K2 apart from its competitors. Build quality is the first one that comes to my mind: the K2 is just stouter, and the finish is outstanding. It seems brighter than its competitors too, with a better beam and a “special mode” that is actually useful.

I found the included diffusers to be far more useful than I had anticipated. Sure they’re fun (my neighbor’s kids loved them) but they’re practical too and I like the fact that the user can choose to keep one on the flashlight all the time (just slip the ring over the head and onto the body – then using the diffuser is a simple matter of affixing the cap to the head of the flashlight).

My “model” for flashlight pictures is my neighbor’s 19 year old daughter. When we shot the pictures of the K2 she fell in love with it – I think that bodes well for Angryfox as she is their target audience. She loved the way the K2 looked, how it felt in her hand, and how it worked. She found the output to be amazing (I concur) and (perhaps most importantly) described the K2 as “really cute.” She doesn’t know it yet, but I’ll be gifting it to her as soon as I have posted this review. I have no doubt that she will be thrilled, and that the K2 will provide her with years of excellent service.

I think Angryfox really nailed the K2 – it’s fun and practical at the same time, fashionable and tough, playful and useful… all the characteristics Angryfox was shooting for. It’s a perfect choice for a key-ring flashlight, or it can be worn around the neck, carried in a pocket, or in a pocketbook. With three available colors (black, gray, silver) it should have appeal to both male and female, young and the young at heart.

Angryfox sells a variety of accessories (bike mounts, straps, etc…) that can be purchased to make the K2 even more useful as you tailor a system that meets all of your needs.

I give the Angryfox Playfox K2 a 10 out of 10. It’s a great choice for those of us (everyone) who need a key-ring flashlight, or just want a small flashlight that can be carried easily and uses batteries that can be found almost everywhere.