Well that was a surprise. A 14500 light I like to EDC...

LED Flashlights – General Info
1

I am of course talking about the most excellent HAIII aluminium X5 Kronos from the recent group buy.

In the past I’ve had issue with 14500 sized lights, too big to leave floating in your trouser/jeans pocket. sometimes no clip, or one that makes you feel it’ll fall out of your pocket. Poor heat management, low runtimes and a very floody beam.

The X5 has changed my mind and multiple fronts.

It has a superb beam and for such a compact light, packs amazing throw. If you’ve not snagged one of these lights yet, I highly encourage you to do so. Output is amazing on high too. Which is normally the issue with 14500’s…. runtime. Or rather lack of it.

But the superb UI has pretty much side stepped this as an issue. Of course there is little you can do for full Turbo output runtimes, a 14500 is at the end of the day a 14500. But having an array of usable modes and the ability to start in moonlight, has somehow meant I’ve not burned through battery after battery.

I normally EDC an 18650 light for this very reason. That my 14500’s just don’t last more than a few days use. Well I’m now part way through week 2 with my X5 and I’m still on the same Efest red battery, which wasn’t even freshly charged in the first place. Never before have I had a 14500 light last so long as an EDC, even ones that I’ve used this exact same battery in!

The deep carry pocket clip makes it a joy to pocket carry and I personally really like the illuminated tail cap.

At this point in time I can think of no negatives of this torch. Out of the 75 or so torches in my collection, this has to score about the highest of any of them, regardless of price.

The Copper edition might have been the “wow” collectors edition. But to my mind the HAIII version is the real gem and the real winner.

Congrats to all those who made it happen.

The only thing my curious nature leads me to ask is. I wonder what this light would like with a slim fitting 16650 body tube? Yes 16 650, not 18. The X6 is superb in it’s own right, but a tad too large to pocket carry comfortably.

But the X5’s head with a 2mm wider and 15mm longer body . It might not be quite as pretty, but I bet that it would be a great performer with superior throw and beam to most 18650 tube lights.

The X5+ maybe :sunglasses:

2

Thanks for your review/story
Ordered the set yesterday with a keep power 14500 cell and received email it is shipped out! After your post the wait is even harder!

3

I’m hoping they continue to make these aluminum X5’s, either in current form or under the “Astrolux” name. The SS/Cu sets should remain Limited Edition, but these X5’s are too good to die. I would certainly buy one to complement my TG06.

Thanks for your write-up

4

Well pilotdog, I have to thank you, it were the tail caps that made me do it. These are likely to be the most advanced flashlights available now, me likey!

5

How do you get that to clip to your pocket with the clip bent like that? Mine won’t.

6

What Boker Tool is that?

7

Mine will not settle in all the way on jeans either, that is what has kept it from being an EDC for me. I am afraid to bend on the clip to much to try and open the top loop. May just break off at that point. I do love this light. As the OP stated, awesome throw, good spill, great battery life since one does not tend to use high as much since the other modes are useful and of course the tailcap!

8

While I truly love my Cu X5 Quad HI, and wear it daily… I have to say that the Al X5 is a superb little light! It’s so light weight it’s almost disturbing! And then you click it onto Turbo and it boggles the mind! Best throw, best power, by far in it’s class and maybe a class or two above!

I can also say that the Nichia 219C bodes well in these little beauties. It won’t make the lumens, but the smaller die surface gives a very pleasing hot spot and with a color cast that is gorgeous. (um, well, it only makes 770 lumens on a half cell, 14250, haven’t tested one in a full 14500 version)

Glad you like it, certainly the 2015 Light of the Year in my opinion. (yeah yeah yeah, technicality, it was created in ’15)

9

I admit it isn’t a smooth action to clip it on a pocket all the way with the deep carry clip. It will with a bit of a wiggle sit all the way down on non jeans materials fairly easily. But not so on jeans.

Although even with it clipped only to the retaining section, it is actually a good fit and comfortable. So I’ve not really found it a real world issue thus far.

10

https://www.boker.de/en/fahrtenmesser/boeker-plus/neckknives/09BO098.html

It takes a little getting used to, but I’ve actually found it to be a very nice and useful pocket knife and quite versatile. It’s not as good as a regular blade at somethings, but surprisingly, it works better for a good number of tasks over a normal folding knife. Would highly recommend, but you probably need to be prepared to carry it for a week to judge it. Trying it out for only day or so, is probably too short a time and easy to give up on it, due to be being so different from a regular blade.

11

Where can I buy the X5 aluminum?

12

I also would like to get an alum X5, anyone willing to either part w/ the X5 or wants just the X6 and we can split the combo?
I have way too many X6s not being used already, don’t want yet another…

13

They unbundled the X5, you can buy it separately now.

I’ve broken my Al_KX5 clip trying to expand it.

From all the pictures I’ve seen so far, it looks like the bad batch of clips went on the aluminum KX5, and the good batch with more space at the top curve on the copper KX5s.

I trust that at some point they’ll send us replacements.

I’m still trusting they’ll send me the replacements I asked for — repeatedly — sending video and pictures — a year or more ago for three of the earlier lights I bought with the same problem fragile clip.

And I am sure this is the best of all possible worlds.

14

Interesting that you like the clip. I love the Alu X5, but the clip is basically unusable because the top loop is too tight. I can’t fit my jeans in the clip. Yours looks to be the same way, so I don’t know how you wear the clip on your jeans…

15

Thanks Hank, I see you’re also wanting more X5s and not needing more X6s as well…

looks like current pricing is: $40 for X5 unbundled or $50 (with code) for the combo.

I’m no math major but… :slight_smile:

16

Bugsy…

17

Thanks for the write up. Because of this, I now want a AL x5.
That link does not work and I can only find the sets on bg.

Nm I found the single x5, but $39.99 is too expensive.

18

link gets chopped when pasted, just search for “BLF” from the main page as Hank suggested…

19

I personally like the 14650 size but would also like to see 14350 and 16500 as well. Great little host. I’m definitely in for an X5 when the come available.

20

Nah, BLF is just messing it up. Here