UniqueFire G10 CREE XP-G R5 6-Mode from DX
First Impressions:
I was a little surprised by how well the light felt in my hand , the clicky is very easy to use , and I thought the beam quality to be excellent . There is no lube to speak of on the threads , so taking of and putting the tail-cap back on is a little rough [ Dry ] , but a little lube quickly smooths things out .
Warning !
Running a 14500 in this light has damaged the driver , AA batteries no longer work , and the output has become unstable , varying from 90Lumen to 200Lumen and then back down to as low as 50Lumen , I would say the driver is toast . So be aware that using a 14500 may destroy the driver . [ This sample has a damaged driver now from using a 14500 ]
Description From DX .
| Brand: | UniqueFire |
| Model: | G10 |
| Casing Color: | Black |
| Emitter Brand/Type: | CREE |
| Emitter BIN: | XP-G R5 |
| Color Temperature: | - |
| Color BIN: | White |
| Total Emitters: | 1 |
| Battery Configurations: | 1 * AA or 1 * 14500 rechargeable battery (not included) |
| Voltage Input: | 0.9~4.2V 4.2V Max. |
| Switch Type: | Clicky/Clickie |
| Switch Location: | Tailcap (Tail-cap) |
| Modes: | 6 |
| Mode Memory: | - |
| Mode Arrangement: | Hi > Mid > Lo > Fast Strobe > Slow Strobe > SOS |
| Circuitry: | Digital Regulated 1200mA Current Output |
| Brightness: | 350 lumens maximum brightness (manufacturer rated) |
| Runtime: | 50 minutes(manufacturer rated) |
| Lens: | Coated Glass Lens |
| Reflector: | Aluminum Smooth/OP Reflector |
| Carrying Strap: |
Strap Included |
Lets move directly to AA performance , now Im going to hold of on running a 14500 in this light until I have posted the AA beamshots , as there have been reports of 14500's killing the driver , so if the light survives I will update with 14500 figures .
AA Nimh Performance :
Recyko = High / 1.88A / 113Lumen - Medium / 1.07A / 61Lumen - Low / 0.47A / 17Lumen
Eneloop = High / 1.87A / 107L - Medium / 1.06A / 61L - Low / 0.47A / 17L
Duracell = High / 1.88A / 106L - Medium / 1.04A / 56L - Low / 0.47 / 17L
KodaK = High / 1.88A / 113L - Medium / 1.05A / 64L - Low / 0.47A / 17L
Beams tonight .
Conclusion on AA :
I was a little worried the light would never arrive , It took time for DX to get the light , and it took a very long time after they said it had shipped , for the light to finally arrive , for a while there ! Its here and I like it so far , the only thing is the lack of performance on AA's , its not very good for the current draw or the XP-G R5 emitter . Perhaps the light is optimized towards the use of 14500 Li-ion batteries , and the AA's simply cant do the light justice [ we will find out in part two ] . The clicky is very nice , a solid mechanical action without being soft or overly firm . The light does have memory , but you have to wait some 4 seconds before turning the light back on for it to activate or you will turn the light on in the next mode .
Overall , Im very happy with the light , its one of the better AA lights I have got my hands on , and as mentioned before it has an excellent beam , especially considering the smooth reflector . It has a very well defined hotspot , and I just cant wait for it to get dark out , so I can go out and play [ eer - test ] with the G10 . The machining and anodizing look to be well done , and the threads are well cut [ but bone dry ] , this sample has to be one of the better made lights in this price bracket . Aside from the lack of performance on AA's , I have nothing negative to report about this light , so until tonight , when I can post some beams , and then move onto testing the 14500's ,
Part 2 soon
Low / Medium and High powered by a Eneloop Nimh . I will try 14500 now ...
Warning !
Running a 14500 in this light has damaged the driver , AA batteries no longer work , and the output has become unstable , varying from 90Lumen to 200Lumen and then back down to as low as 50Lumen , I would say the driver is toast . So be aware that using a 14500 may destroy the driver . [ This sample has a damaged driver now from using a 14500 ]
So there you go , I was right to be cautious , Ive gone and toasted the driver running a 14500 , so please be warned that if you buy this light , you may wish to limit your self to AA batteries , and in that regard [ AA ] , this is not the best AA flashlight out there , but output / driver efficiency aside , it has a really nice beam . This one will now get a new driver , I have a few 1A spare drivers , but there all 3v-4.2v , so no AA compatibility after a driver swap . Well , how unfortunate , but these are the things we need to sort out for you the reader .
I really like body style, but if with AA it's mediocre... will have to discard this light. Hope DX will send you a new light, Matt 
