Hi,
This is not a typical review. It’s just my experience and observations while using it on the trail. The aspects of the light that are important to me. If others disagree that’s fine. We all have our preferences.
Here are a few things that would absolutely improve this cool little light.
I’m on a hiking trail two and a half to three hours every day. In the dark. So I have a lot of experience over the years with my lights and getting to know them well.
- I knew there was a step down at 80 seconds( actually 70) , so I am at fault here. However, this is what surprised me about it.
Inside 66°. No fan. No rest. I kept stepping it up until I reached 7 Minutes of using Turbo. The light wasn’t even close to getting hot. I crudely measured the fins at 118°.
Voltage was approximately 3.64 volts.
I have known Eva from Thrunite for 7 years or so. She is very responsive, helpful and informative. She told me the light had both a Timed stepped down and a thermal step down. I don’t doubt her. But I’ve never heard of that, it’s usually one or the other.
She said the thermal step down was 65C/149F. That would be great if it was only a thermal step down which is all it needs. Because it never would have stepped down in those 7 minutes that I had to keep stepping the light back up because of the premature timed step down.
- After the timed step down , which is waayy premature , Then the light drops down 358 lumens due to step down. The high setting is basically the same output at 331 lumens…Too big of a gap. HI should be about 600 or 700 lumens. However, that would be negligible if it only had a thermal step down. Since I use the light on Max output until I need to cool it.
To me a thermal step down is the superior one.The light will be protected and it’s not going to be premature as long as they don’t choose like 30 or 40 celsius.
- I’m not sure if this is a defect or not. I’ve watched five reviews and no one mentioned it. Not mentioned in the manual either.
When the LED switch light is BLUE or PURPLE it will shut off in about 10 seconds once the light is activated. When that light turns RED it stays on for 40 seconds and shuts off.
I’m pretty sure my original catapult I had five or six years ago that LED indicator light on the switch stayed BLUE the entire time until low voltage. Which is a good thing so you can find the switch.
What is in the manual is that if you press and hold the switch from off for 3 seconds the LED indicator light will go to what they call a breathing LED indicator. I believe that’s something for like the nightstand or to locate it. Because your next click it will go off.
Here are my choices.
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Accept the light as it is knowing that I’ll be clicking that switch 50 to 60 times for every time I use(2 battery changes) it to keep it on Turbo. Might be worn out / broken in a couple months.
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Sell it.
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Get it modified where a step down will not exist ,like all but one of my trail lights(15).
The Lucious 11.
Huge difference in the girth between the two batteries.
Poistive raised contact.
Misty this morning.
