“REVIEW”: On The Road M1 – 16340 flashlight - 650 lumens [Modded into a Triple :D]

MascaratumB · 2018-10-04T14:18:18.000Z

EDIT - 11 Novmeber 2018: MOD into Triple

Hi BLF!

This is my review of the On The Road M1 flashlight. It was bought on Banggood, here (non-affiliate), with a coupon from Fin17 (thank you!): https://www.banggood.com/On-The-Road-M1-T6-5C-5Modes-Dimming-Memory-function-USB-Rechargeable-Portable-Mini-LED-Flashlig-p-1263539.html?rmmds=detail-left-viewhistory\_\_5&ID=533522

YES, this is an old model, it is or will be discontinued, but I’ve been “dating” it for a while, so I decided to give it a shot (well…after Fasttech let me down on a budget flashlight that they hadn’t marked as discontinued…) .

AND, why am I doing this review of an old flashlight model? Because I can’t find any review (post them if you got them, please), written or in video, here on BLF or around the internet!!
So… I decided to make a short review, with just some information for those that may still want it (Banggood and Enogear still sell them)!

So, here it goes!

_

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

Body Material: T6061 Aluminium
Body Colour: “Titanium” colour
Emitter: XML2 U3-1A (Cold White)
Lens: Glass (non AR-Coated)
Reflector: OP (aluminium?)
Switch: Reverse Clicky Switch (tail)
Beam distance: 120 m
Beam intensity: 3600 cd
Waterproof: IPX8 (underwater 2m)
Impact resistance: 2 m
Batteries: 16340 Li-Ion / RCR123 / CR123
Low voltage warning: 2.9V (light will blink)

OTHERS
Driver: Intelligent control; Constant Current circuit (by manufacturer)
Battery Protection: Built-in battery protection circuit
Other: Active intelligent temperature control

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THE FLASHLIGHT: Packaging and Accessories

Unlike other models of On The Road, or the options of some stores that sell them, this light doesn’t have the KIT option (that includes charger and battery). So, this is what I got: the flashlight, user manual, a pouch, extra o-rings and a lanyard.

The cardboard box is well made and protective for the flashlight, and has some information on the sides and in the lower part as well. I didn’t make more photos just to go straight to the point. It was well packed by Banggood, with some foam wrapping the box!

The flashlight, besides being “cute” (personal opinion), fits well in the hand and has a great touching feeling regarding the anodizing.

On the one side you find the brand’s logo, and on the other the model’s reference (M1).

It has a tail clicky reverse switch that is operated smoothly and without problems. The pocket clip arrived already on the flashlight, it is quite sturdy and doesn’t get out easily. In comparison with other similar lights (S1R Baton, Jaxmnve M3) this clip is stronger. It as OTR engraved on the side as can be seen on the photos.

One awesome thing about the anodizing is that it is scratch resistant (unless you use a really pointy object to scratch it…). I took the clip out some times and no mark was left

Another thing about the pocket clip is that despite it is reversible, it will not fit so well it pointed towards the top. As the light is larger on the head, the tip of the clip will not fit so well!

The flashlight is composed by 2 major parts, head and tube/tail!
On the head, the flashlight has a stainless steel bezel, with nice finishing and with grooves so that one can access the lens / reflector / o-ring / led! Also on the head, it has a 15mm driver surrounded by a brass ring.
The Led on this one is a Cree XML2 U3-1A (Cold White), but it is also sold in other version (XML2 T6 5C). The glass lens is non anodized, it is well cut and with no imperfections.

The tube/ tail is composed by one module and it can be accessed by unscrewing the rear of the flashlight. The module has an outside “ring”, rubber tailcap OTR branded, the switch module and a brass ring that makes contact between the switch PCB and the battery tube (with is narrower than the tube extremities). The tail module can be unscrewed with a nose pliers.

DIMMENSIONS & WEIGHT
Just some idea of the dimensions and weight!

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USER INTERFACE & OUTPUT / RUNTIMES

The flashlight has memory: if the flashlight isn’t switched ON within 2-3 seconds after being switched OFF in the last used mode, it will be memorized (except for Strobe).

Ultra Low > Low > Medium > High + Strobe (with double click from any mode, while ON)

Ultra Low - 5 lm > 45h
Low - 90 lm > 3h40m
Medium - 260 lm > 1h30m
High - 650 lm > 35m

Some shots of the USER MANUAL. Simple, well, written and clear! Straight to the point and with the information needed!

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BEAMSHOTS AND FLASHLIGHT COMPARISON

Looking at batteries, the protected (long and fatter) battery of Wuben will not fit. Unprotected or small protected 16340 batteries will fit on the OTR M1!

And a comparison with some similar shaped flashlights: Olight S1R Baton (top) and Jaxmnve M3 (bottom) and with an Olight M1T Raider and a Convoy S2+ (18350 version), its direct contenders presently for my use as EDC

And some beamshots against the wall (1,70 m, more or less). Please note that there was not white balanced and taken with smartphone! The beam has some yellowish shifts on the hotspot and the corona. It is a know thing on these types of LED. I believe a Neutral or Warm White Led would be better, for sure but this doesn’t bother me much… :smiling_imp:

Ultra Low > Low > Medium > High

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SOME FINAL THOUGHTS…

Well, I thought about buying this flashlight due to:
a) its size,
b) having a tail clicky switch,
c) be relatively thin (although not the thinner 16340 flashlight)
d) be very moddable (mostly the LED and driver, of course)
e) its built and working quality (inferred by the shown quality of the On The Road M3 and other OTR flashlights).

For all this reasons it was bought and for all of them I am happy It was not the cheapest flashlight (if compared with other 16340 moddable flashlights), but it will worth the acquisition!!

HOWEVER, if this light was bought just to be used as it is, it would be a good choice! It as a tremendous good anodizing, fits well in the hand, has a very nice output on every level.

I would change the “memory” so that it would always start on Ultra Low mode, but it doesn’t bother me that much(well, maybe because I will change the driver… )

Other than that, I just have to reinforce the excellent quality of this flashlight!!

If you have any question or remark on this please let me know

My best regards to all :sunglasses:

MascaratumB · 2018-10-15T16:01:59.000Z

So, some beamshots, to see what this little flashlight can do!

At 1.5m >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> At 15m

At 15m (tree) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> At 35m (electricity pole)

Tint/beam comparison:
Over some green leaves: Convoy T2 (XP-G2 NW) >>> On the Road M1 (XML2 U2-1A)

On a white wall: Olight M1T Raider (CW) >>> On the Road M1 (XML2 U2-1A) >>> Convoy T2 (XP-G2 NW)

(*the convoy T2 beam is much yellower in the photo than it is in real life, as it is more rosy)

This flashlight lights well up to a range of 30-40m, max 50. After that, not being a super powerful flashlight nor a thrower LED like XPL-HI, it will light but not in a much visible way. It can be useful, however, to spot big objects and some animals.

After using it a while in the weekend I reiterate the quality and ergonomy it has! Definitely a good acquisition

offline · 2018-10-15T16:18:54.000Z

Thanks for the review and beamshots MascaratumB!

MascaratumB · 2018-10-15T16:21:12.000Z

offline:

Thanks for the review and beamshots MascaratumB!

Thank you offline :+1:

MascaratumB · 2018-11-11T19:11:10.000Z

It was in my plans to mod this flashlight even before I bought it! So I went ahead with the mofication I wanted to do! Nothing fancy, but gave some work!

I decided to turn my M1 into a triple.
What I used? A Led4Power driver (LD-A4 6 Amp); a Carclo 10507 (from Led4Power as well); a forward clicky switch (from Convoy Store at AliExpress); a solid piece of brass (cut from a rod); triple XPG2 S4 3C 5500K(from Jaxman store at AliExpress); some GITD tape; a piece of diffuser sheet (from Boaz, but not DC-Fix). I used the stock glass lens and stock SS bezel.

I had to:
a) cut a 0.8cm piece of brass from a bigger rod to use it as a pill; I opened a hole in the center of it, enough to pass the 20AWG wires from the driver;

b) file the driver’s edges to make it closer to 16mm, once the driver’s “place” was just 15mm

c) file the driver’s “place” in the flashlight head (below the emitter’s shelf), in order to accomodate the already filled driver

d) unsolder a reverse switch from the PBC board and solder the forward clicky switch on it!

e) used thermal paste to below and above the brass pill to better heat dissipation.

f) cut GITD tape to use in the interior of the head, to make it glow after using the flashlight!

I configured the driver to 4Amp, with Moonlight + 3 modes, with 2x clicks for Turbo! I am using an On The Road 16340 battery (as it is not an IMR cell, using the driver with 6Amp configuration would drain too much energy from the cell)!

Because of the artifacts produced by the Carclo 10507 optics (even if the Leds produce a real neutral white beam), I opted to put a small piece of diffuser to make the beam more homogeneous.

I was having some trouble with the press-fitting of the driver, as in some positions the light didin’t turn ON. So I guess the filing of the driver or of the driver’s hole may have removed some anodizing that leads to some kind of short or non-electrical conduction! But it is working better now! Sometimes

The only thing missing here, so far, is a sealing ring to make it waterproof! That is a thing to do!

Here are some photos
The initial components and the components for modding

The brass pill (the diameter fits perfcetly on the shelf)

My soldering work is always messy, but it works

The overal top aspect!

Comparison with the recently arrived Jetbeam RRT-01, from CRX

And those two along with one of my favourite lights, a Convoy S2+ (Carclo 10508, same LEDs, MTN driver with guppy3drv) on the lowest modes (well, the RRT-01 can get lower )

Some outdoor beamshots:

20m (trees) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>70m (tower)

Some conclusions: I like the way it is working despite the double click to turbo doesn’t work well or 100% times , but I guess that it is due to the forward switch; on max for a long time, the flashlight gets hot, but that is nornal and means that the heatsinking is doing fine (despite the pill doesn’t cover the whole MCPCB diameter).

And thats all folks :+1:

CRX · 2018-11-11T17:10:01.000Z

Cool :+1:

MascaratumB · 2018-11-11T17:12:49.000Z

CRX:

Cool :+1:

Thank you mate :sunglasses: :+1:

pinkpanda3310 · 2018-11-12T11:59:43.000Z

Nice mod :+1:

MascaratumB · 2018-11-12T12:14:25.000Z

pinkpanda3310:

Nice mod :+1:

Thank you pinkpanda

MascaratumB · 2019-06-19T13:30:30.000Z

Added the pocket clip of the Convoy T2 (AA flashlight) in my OTR M1! Fits very well, almost doesn’t move, and is a enough deep carry clip
I thought about drilling some holes in the flashlight to put a screw in clip, but I abandoned the idea after seeing how this one works !!