Akoray K-106 (3-mode programmable)
Reviewer's Overall Rating: ★★★★★
Summary:
| Battery: | Single AA or 14500 |
| Switch: | Reverse Clicky |
| Modes: | 3 programmable w/ memory |
| LED Type: | Cree XR-E Q5-WC |
| Lens: | Glass |
| Tailstands: | Yes |
| Price Payed: | $19.13 |
| From: | DealExtreme |
Pros:
- Superb build quality
- Flexibility of 3 programmable modes
- Good battery life on low mode
- Bright, usable beam from modern Cree XR-E Q5 LED
- Functional mode memory
- Attractive design
- Tailstands
Cons:
- Identity crisis- programmable and non-programmable versions exist with same name
- Tail switch is not glow-in-the-dark.
Features / Value: ★★★★☆
The Akoray K-106 is the flashlight that convinced me that Chinese "budget" lights are worth it. This is a highly competitive flashlight that competes with the best brand names out there for a mere fraction of the cost. The K-106 is a single AA or single 14500 model, featuring 3 programmable modes, discussed later. Programmable output is quite a rare feature on flashlights in any price range, and as far as I know is unique to the Akoray amongst the budget manufacturers. Although the programmable modes are the major selling point of this light, it also features many other niceties, such as a lightly textured "orange peel" reflector, a recessed switch that permits tailstanding, and a sturdy clip in leu of a lanyard. The lens is supposedly coated glass to resist scratching. I wish it had a glow-in-the-dark tail switch, it's really a useful feature to locate the light in unexpected power outages. The K-106 also has an optional feature to shut off before draining a rechargeable battery to the point of damaging it. I think that this is quite competitive for a package that costs $19.13. If it cost a few dollars less I would give it a full 5-stars for features and value. However, a major marketing error has inflicted serious damage to the Akoray brand. While it is only natural to create cheaper versions of a popular product, the other versions should never have the same model name as the original product. Unfortunately this mistake has been committed by creating at least two visually identical versions of the Akoray K-106, both of which do not have the coveted programmable modes feature. As a matter of fact, DealExtreme, which used to be the most popular dealer of the 3-mode programmable version actually advertises it as having 6-mode memory. However, DealExtreme used to consistently ship the 3-mode programmable version of the K-106 instead. But now, most of the customers comment that they are receiving the 6-mode version as advertised. So I would NOT recommend DealExtreme as a source of the programmable version; although you might receive it you will most likely receive a 6-mode version that is not programmable. Rather, I would recommend that you buy this light from Kaidomain, where it is actually avertised as having Low/High/Strobe + Infinite Brightness Adjustment. I surely hope that some dealer continues to sell the programmable version of this high-quality flashlight.
Build Quality: ★★★★★
The K-106 has stellar build quality. The whole design feels tight, smooth, and expensive. The flashlight body only unscrews about 3cm below the head, and the threads are long, square, and silky smooth, with two nice red O-rings for water resistance. On the other end, the smallish clicky switch is very recessed into the tail, making it almost impossible to bump by accident in a pocket or backpack. Unfortunately it also makes it a bit difficult for a large man's thumb to click it on. Yet is a very stable tailstander. As mentioned before, a glow-in-the-dark tailswitch is becoming a standard feature these days and would be a welcome addition to the K-106. The pocket clip is very sturdy, and does not wiggle like the one on my Uniquefire AA-S1. About 70% of the body sports an attractive diamond knurl, my favorite design. The color could be described as gunmetal grey, another aesthetic perk of this attractive instrument. The lens is supposedly coated glass. A meticulous scrutiny of all the outer surfaces reveals not a single scratch or nick. The LED and reflector are also free of manufacturing lint and grime. For barely $19, the quality of the K-106 is absolutely shockingly good, and speaks very highly of the capabilities of the Chinese manufacturers.
Battery Life: ★★★★★
Thanks to the programmable modes, the battery life on the lowest setting is very good. Undoubtedly the modern and efficient Cree XR-E Q5 LED is part of the secret to its efficiency. Compared with my 1xAA Powerlight, the K-106 seems to be a bit more power hungry, but it still manages almost 24 hours of very usable light on an alkaline AA. This could possibly be extended by playing more with the mode programming. The mode programming is explained in detail here. To summarize, mode programming is initiated by half-clicking the switch five times. The light will blink once to indicate that you are programming the first mode. It then proceeds to start dim and very quickly ramp up to the brightest level. You half-click the switch to set the level of brightness that you want. Then it proceeds to modes two and three. My only complaint is that the level increases too quickly to set the lowest level. I have read that if you half-click the switch after the mode number confirmation blink but before the light comes on to begin ramping, you can set the very lowest level. I haven't had much success with this trick on my light, but it may work. If you don't half-click it during the ramp-up, it will then proceed to strobe and SOS modes, and even the strobe frequency is programmable. I personally have mine set to low, medium, and high modes, and I don't use the strobe or SOS. Those who prefer a single-mode light can even program all the modes to the same level, and effectively create a single-mode light. It's very flexible and extremely well done on the whole. The light also has perfect mode memory. It comes on in the last mode that was used.
Light Output: ★★★★★
The combination of the Cree XR-E Q5 emitter with the light "orange-peel" reflector creates a very nice, usable beam. A bit of shadow is noticeable around the hotspot, but it doesn't impede indoor usage. The lowest mode is perfect for a indoor activities, and the highest mode produces a piercing beam that cuts through the night and illuminates distant objects. The light color is very nice, I would describe it as "warm". Most sites claim more than 200 lumens of output from this light, which might be a bit of a stretch. Compared with my Tank007 TK-566-5, the K-106 seems a bit less bright, but the beam is much smoother and more usable.
Summary: ★★★★★
Well, here it is, my first 5-star overall rating for a flashlight. This one is well earned. The Akoray K-106 is a precise, well engineered, well thought-out, and well executed instrument that I would heartily recommend to enthusiasts, beginners, and experts alike. I would love to see an official, reliable source for buying the programmable version of this light, and I sincerely hope that the Chinese manufacturers leverage this light's well earned reputation to sell their flagship products. It competes with the best of the best for less than $20, and it deserves a spot in any practical person's pocket. Highly-recommended.
Update: See brted's review here for more details and many excellent photographs.
If you own the Akoray K-106 (3-mode programmable version), please rate it below!
