SKY*RAY G6
Reviewer's Overall Rating: ★★★★☆
Summary:
| Battery: | 18650 |
| Switch: | Reverse Tailcap Clickie |
| Modes: | 5-mode hi-med-lo-flash-SOS |
| LED Type: | XP-G R5 |
| Lens: | Glass |
| Tailstands: | Yes |
| Price Payed: | USD$21.20 |
| From: | Manafont |
| Date Ordered: | June 16th, 2011 |
Pros:
- Very stylish, simple 18650 flashlight
- Very Bright and nice beam profile
- Exceptional build quality
- Fine pitch thread throughout
- Tail-stands even with lanyard attached
- Glass lens w/ GITD seal
- Sealed throughout
Cons:
- Somewhat under driven
- No memory, starts in high mode
- Some battery limits
- Gets warm
- Single battery spring
- Proprietary switch assembly
Features / Value: ★★★★★
Even if this light is under driven, it will rival most equivalent lights on your collection. This light is easy to carry, easy to hold, and easy to operate... it is even easy to look at, all the way down to the stylish Sky*Ray logo. The GITD o-ring in the head is a nice touch and finishes off the perfectly clean smooth reflector and perfectly centered XP-G R5 emitter. The feel of the threads when replacing a battery is like no other light I own. I would consider this light even better in a 3-mode light only because the steady modes are so usable. This light definitely fits snuggly into the high quality budget light catagory and will fill the void in any flash-o-holic's collection.
Design / Build Quality: ★★★★☆
I had to work hard to find the nits this light possesses. The fact that it is under driven shouldn't be harped on too much. Even at 1A in high mode, this light just pushes out lumens. Kudos' to the developer of the reflector/emitter interface. The threads of this light are very well cut. All the threads are fine pitch and the feel, even without lubrication, is pure flashlight bliss. The attention to detail is even extended to the capture nut of the tail cap rubber. The tool holes are only minimally drilled to give it the clean look so apparent throughout this light. Even though the switch is a proprietary design, it does appear to be well made and has the solid feel needed for a flashlight of this caliber. Even the pill, made from aluminum, has a nice thermal path to the body. Many have attempted this design path, this one hits a high mark.
The only reason I did not provide a hard 5-star rating is that the switch module was either not fitted completely or it really doesn't fit the long batteries comfortably. The Callie's Kustoms cells are a bit tight on the tail end due to limited inside body diameter, and the XTAR 18700 are a bit too long with the switch fully seated. The CK cells fit issue is due to 2 machining processes leaving the tail end diameter slightly smaller than the head end. I have already removed all the labels form the CK cells and it is still a snug, but do-able fit. The XTAR 2600 18700 cells can easily be made to fit by biasing the tail switch out about 1mm. At some point, the seal will be compromised. This only matters if you like taking baths with your flashlights. Also, with the single spring in the tailcap design, the light will easily change modes when setting the light down for tail-standing as the battery will disconnect on the driver end for a moment.
Battery Life: ★★★★★
At 1 amp in high mode, the battery life is excellent. Medium is a solid 500ma and low is a very usable 100ma. I don't know what the driver design is but I do know it is not a boost driver as the light does dim as the battery depletes. Overall, for a very bright XP-G, you can use the mode appropriate for your expected battery life and be happy with it. If you consider that a 2600 XTAR cell can glow in low mode for better than 20 hours without breathing hard, I suspect you will rarely run out of juice. And I have run the light in low mode on my bike and it did provide enough light to the path for me to ride at 15mph.
Light Output: ★★★★☆
Again, spectacular! 3 very usable modes and 2 that this light could do without. I know some of you really want to see the full 1.5A to an XP-G so I did deduct a star for this. Seriously, I don't know what you would do with the extra lumens. This flashlight provides a very nice hotspot and some very usable spill that the XP-G is gaining a reputation for. The PWM is very tolerable and only noticeable in my camera's monitor. The body design doesn't get in the way of the exiting photons and therefore I would venture to guess that the light out the front is fairy optimized. A coated 20mm lens might help, but for most of us, this design is prefect as-is. Medium mode at 500ma too is a very usable light pattern. This is where I normally use this light when riding a bike in total darkness or with oncoming headlights.
Summary: ★★★★☆
You are not a true flash-o-holic until this light is in your collection. It is stainless steel, after all and it is easily an EDC. For those who call themselves budget light hounds... you too have no reason not to have this on order. At $21.20 (or less for other brands) it is probably the most affordable and usable 18650 bling light you will own. The only downsides are the care that must be taken in battery choice and I would highly recommend keeping an eye on the light if you tail-stand it on high mode. Stainless steel is not the best material for heat transfer and the head does get hot after a while. In low and medium modes, heat is not an issue. The G6 does have a standard 17mm driver, so if you want to drive it harder it is not hard to do so with an appropriate driver. However, not knowing the current limit of the tail switch will keep me from risking the upgrade.
This light easily deserves the 4-star rating... and I am only slightly hesitant in giving it the full 5-stars. This is a definite "buy" recommendation.
(pix to follow)
