Is Olight really THAT bad?

Ṡalinnis

Ṡalinnis

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I recently purchased some various LED light bulbs and strip lights on Amazon and a few weeks later, I suddenly received a "free" Olight PL-Pro Valkyrie in my mailbox.

To my absolute surprise, as I don't sign up for giveaways, raffles or anything claiming a chance at free, but the only indication was a solicitation from the seller saying I was the winner of their random giveaway for the item in question.

In my book, free is free once free has been obtained for free. But I am aware of the internet absolute disgust, horror and strife over Olight products.

This light is extremely bright for a WML, brighter than my TLR1-HL, and rechargeable. In my opinion his mixture does sound sorta...sketchy, especially if left on for extended periods, 60 seconds of use, it is rather warm projecting 1500 lumen.

As a short interval WML for flashing threats and things that go bump in the night, it seems more than capable but is the famed risk really there? This particular one is not listed under recall and decent reviews online.

Did I get lucky with a nifty free light that I'm better off just not posting pics of it mounted for clout on the gram, or have I been gifted a freaking intercontinental ballistic improvised explosive device second only to a Tsar Bomba?
 
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I have RO’d several night Run-n-Gun events. I’ve seen Olights just stop working after experiencing a bit of normal recoil. I don’t know if it’s from being knocked around or the actual recoil, but several that just stopped working.

Lights seem to be a place where you definitely get what you pay for.
 
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Hunter600rr said:
I recently purchased some various LED light bulbs and strip lights on Amazon and a few weeks later, I suddenly received a "free" Olight PL-Pro Valkyrie in my mailbox.

To my absolute surprise, as I don't sign up for giveaways, raffles or anything claiming a chance at free, but the only indication was a solicitation from the seller saying I was the winner of their random giveaway for the item in question.

In my book, free is free once free has been obtained for free. But I am aware of the internet absolute disgust, horror and strife over Olight products.

This light is extremely bright for a WML, brighter than my TRL1-HL, and rechargeable. In my opinion his mixture does sound sorta...sketchy, especially if left on for extended periods, 60 seconds of use, it is rather warm projecting 1500 lumen.

As a short interval WML for flashing threats and things that go bump in the night, it seems more than capable but is the famed risk really there? This particular one is not listed under recall and decent reviews online.

Did I get lucky with a nifty free light that I'm better off just not posting pics of it mounted for clout on the gram, or have I been gifted a freaking intercontinental ballistic improvised explosive device second only to a Tsar Bomba?
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I personally have not been a fan of Olight, but only because I like others better. I have not heard of the controversy over Olights. Are they blowing up? There's an incredible amount of energy in current batteries and a failure in a control component could be problematic. Heck, look at Tesla's and BMW just grounded their EV's. And China made products have always had a quality control issue.
I suspect the issue is thermal runaway in some form, either by bad design or control component failure. It used to be limited to charging issues, but like I mentioned, there so much power in a cell now, losing control can be bad, especially in a nice solid little containment vessel, like a light.

Funny, tonight I was in a bathroom on a campus and notices a "hot" smell. Not like something was on fire, but something heated like a hot plate. Looking down I saw a light was on in my pocket. 2000 lumens being driven by a 5000mah battery gets HOT! But, it didn't fail or explode, yet.

It's kinda like this...
 
I have a 9 year old Olight warrior handheld. Great for dog walking. No issues in this role.
I have an Olight Valkyrie mini mounted to my bump in the night pistol. As it's not a searching light, just for disciplined flashing and target ID it feels like it's good enough for that job. I can't afford expensive lights on all my things.
 
I have a couple Olight torches. One really nifty stainless steel EDC with 1 cr123a battery that I never use. I carry a cheap POS AAA keychain light (ITP I think). Im on my second one in prolly 10 yrs. Gotten me out of a jam more than once. Dont reccommend either one. Only torch I'd bet my life on is a Surefire. My go to weapon light, glove box and bedside table light. Wife wont carry a weapon but she does carry a Surefire.
 
I appreciate the feedback and inputs from everyone, I'll be curious to see how it holds up over time. I've done some night shooting with it under a ruger57 and glock 20 and it is certainly still functioning, but nothing to be impressed by.. I'm a believer in the superiority of my Cloud and Surefire and even my Streamlight's have stood the test of time and recoil.

It seems like a decent budget beam if it can stay alive, the buttons are inspiring and the output revealing, China really knows how to lipstick a pig. Not convinced I'd spend my blue collar dollars on one, and definitely wouldn't buy a fitted holster for it. I'm still curious if all the hate is baseless or not.
 
Hunter600rr said:
I recently purchased some various LED light bulbs and strip lights on Amazon and a few weeks later, I suddenly received a "free" Olight PL-Pro Valkyrie in my mailbox.

To my absolute surprise, as I don't sign up for giveaways, raffles or anything claiming a chance at free, but the only indication was a solicitation from the seller saying I was the winner of their random giveaway for the item in question.

In my book, free is free once free has been obtained for free. But I am aware of the internet absolute disgust, horror and strife over Olight products.

This light is extremely bright for a WML, brighter than my TLR1-HL, and rechargeable. In my opinion his mixture does sound sorta...sketchy, especially if left on for extended periods, 60 seconds of use, it is rather warm projecting 1500 lumen.

As a short interval WML for flashing threats and things that go bump in the night, it seems more than capable but is the famed risk really there? This particular one is not listed under recall and decent reviews online.

Did I get lucky with a nifty free light that I'm better off just not posting pics of it mounted for clout on the gram, or have I been gifted a freaking intercontinental ballistic improvised explosive device second only to a Tsar Bomba?
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That bad? Yes and no.
If you need something to attach to a nightstand gun...and be left alone...its fine for that...absolutely.
However, if you're attaching it to a carry gun...something that will see daily use, wear and tear, and be bumped around daily then look somewhere else.
 
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I’ve chimed in on other posts and I’ll chime in on this one.

I had a PL Pro Valkyrie on my AR pistol that stayed beside my bed. It sat with my electronic earmuffs hanging on them so we were ready to roll if needed.

I woke up to my alarm clock going off for work and rolled over to the most intense light I’ve been exposed to. My light had come on in turbo and was melting the headband on my earmuffs.

I turned it off and figured the muffs shifted when I snoozed my alarm and activated the light, nope. Light came back on. Popped it off my AR and carried it in the bathroom with me, turned on 3 more times. Didn’t feel safe leaving it at the house with my wife and the dogs so it rode to work with me, turned on a bunch more in the truck.

Finally got to work, figured out how to lock it out to the 300 lumen momentary mode, never did it again. It has since slowly lost battery power and I’m going to throw it away when it dies.

I’m not saying yours will do the same, I have some older ones I absolutely love, but I won’t ever buy another one that’s capable of turbo and getting hot.
 
CarolinaColtCollector said:
I’ve chimed in on other posts and I’ll chime in on this one.

I had a PL Pro Valkyrie on my AR pistol that stayed beside my bed. It sat with my electronic earmuffs hanging on them so we were ready to roll if needed.

I woke up to my alarm clock going off for work and rolled over to the most intense light I’ve been exposed to. My light had come on in turbo and was melting the headband on my earmuffs.

I turned it off and figured the muffs shifted when I snoozed my alarm and activated the light, nope. Light came back on. Popped it off my AR and carried it in the bathroom with me, turned on 3 more times. Didn’t feel safe leaving it at the house with my wife and the dogs so it rode to work with me, turned on a bunch more in the truck.

Finally got to work, figured out how to lock it out to the 300 lumen momentary mode, never did it again. It has since slowly lost battery power and I’m going to throw it away when it dies.

I’m not saying yours will do the same, I have some older ones I absolutely love, but I won’t ever buy another one that’s capable of turbo and getting hot.
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I have the Olight Baton3 that comes with a charging case. Now that you posted this I am moving it out of the house into the van permanently. Live vs loss of vehicle, easy decision. It will only remain in turbo for about 30 seconds due to temperature. That’s in the electronic circuitry. I am a Fenix fan. I have seen too many Olight issues in reviews.
 
BlackGun said:
I have the Olight Baton3 that comes with a charging case. Now that you posted this I am moving it out of the house into the van permanently. Live vs loss of vehicle, easy decision. It will only remain in turbo for about 30 seconds due to temperature. That’s in the electronic circuitry. I am a Fenix fan. I have seen too many Olight issues in reviews.
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My mom carries one and likes it, but I always have to remind her and others that a magnetic base and exposed charging port isn’t always the best idea. Mine will catch fine steel wool on fire if given the opportunity.

Fenix is good stuff, as is Streamlight and Surefire.
 
CarolinaColtCollector said:
My mom carries one and likes it, but I always have to remind her and others that a magnetic base and exposed charging port isn’t always the best idea. Mine will catch fine steel wool on fire if given the opportunity.

Fenix is good stuff, as is Streamlight and Surefire.
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What?

If I put steel wool on the bottom of my pistol light where the magnet charger attaches it will start a fire?
 
That's not a problem. That's a feature!

A penny bridging those connectors might cause a thermal run away.
 
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Tim said:
Lights seem to be a place where you definitely get what you pay for.
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I've had 3 streamlights crap out on me. 1 was about 50 rounds into a low light class on an AR and *poof*. TRL1-HL sitting quietly in the safe... *poof*. Third was the rechargeable we use around the house. It was getting on 5 years old so I figured it was just the battery but nope, electronics crapped out while it was sitting on the charger in the laundry room.

They repaired/replaced them all, so nice CS but damn that's a lot of light failures. Just sayin' sometimes you don't get what you pay for.
 
Jayne said:
I've had 3 streamlights crap out on me. 1 was about 50 rounds into a low light class on an AR and *poof*. TRL1-HL sitting quietly in the safe... *poof*. Third was the rechargeable we use around the house. It was getting on 5 years old so I figured it was just the battery but nope, electronics crapped out while it was sitting on the charger in the laundry room.

They repaired/replaced them all, so nice CS but damn that's a lot of light failures. Just sayin' sometimes you don't get what you pay for.
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Maybe, you didn't pay enough.
 
Catfish said:
... he typed, ironically, with his chinese keyboard/phone/tablet.
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When they can be replaced with the same of Afghan, Phillipine, Viet Nam, or Japanese origin, they will be. No hope of them bein' made in 'Merica!

OTOH, my flashlight is made here.
 
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I'm running a tlr7a on my edc and a tlr 1 hl on a nightstand pistol and a modlite on my rifle. Oddly enough the only one to fail so far is the tail cap on the modlite. Which modlite replaced very quickly and I got some free stickers and candy in my package.

Not being able to switch batteries annoys me about olight. I have a stack of modlite branded (Chyna made) rechargeable 18650s I keep in the pictured cheap protac streamlight. It's had a hard life but is still kicking.

Every company makes lemons I've just heard more failures out of olight than cloud, modlite, surefire, and streamlight.

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Every company can have issues, but I've got 10+ streamlights (mix of wmls and hand helds) that have been fantastic over years of use and abuse. My arisaka m600 has been amazing for the few years I've had it as well, and I'm hoping to pick up another one soon.

I've had mixed personal experience with inforce.

Olight scares me too much to even try, especially after all the paid-review info came to *light* 😁
 
Streamlights have been great for me. But they are just little pocketlights and whatnot.

I do not have supreme faith in the one mounted on my AR. Used it once at a lowlight match and worked fine. Couple nights sweeping/larping my property. But wouldn't expect a lot of hard use for it. Been meaning to refinance the house so I can buy an Arisaka or one of them spendy SEAL-approved lights at some point. Not that I'll ever likely need it. But when I do, feel certain "need" will be the right descriptive word.
 
Fred said:
If Olight has sold hundreds or thousands times as many lights as Cloud and Modlite combined, and you haven't heard of hundreds or thousands of times as many Olight failures as those brands- then Olight is way ahead in the "anecdotal failure rate" reliability metric.

The modlight remote button in particular seems to have no end of reliability, durability, and weatherproofing issues.
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You seem to be personally offended and I didn't even call you a poor.

I've never heard of a modlite or a cloud defensive seriously injuring someone or death...
 
Idk man you seem a little upset.

But I'll give it to you. Modlite has a bunch of failed tailcaps (crappy springs) and no one has been seriously injured or burned by one. I guess I'll just use a surefire tailcap and tape switch. Woe is me
 
olights are for hi-points, jimenez .22s and airsoft. I wouldnt take one if given to me for free. Just my two cents. Not open to any further questions 😆😆

But in all seriousness, there is a group on facebook I am a part of and all I hear is olights are crap, they catch on fire, junk etc.... take it or leave it but i would save the extra scratch for something a little more reputable.
 
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TheCroatian said:
olights are for hi-points, jimenez .22s and airsoft. I wouldnt take one if given to me for free. Just my two cents. Not open to any further questions 😆😆

But in all seriousness, there is a group on facebook I am a part of and all I hear is olights are crap, they catch on fire, junk etc.... take it or leave it but i would save the extra scratch for something a little more reputable.
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I've already got TLR-1 hl and X300U for handguns and Cloud Rein and Rein 2.0 for rifles currently. My question was geared around if any members had experience with them, since it showed up unannounced for free from a seller that stocks Olight among other led utilities.

the best I could do to not take it for free is throw it away, or donate it to someone who doesn't have a wml or sell it. or use it and see what it takes to break it, witch is what I've opted to do since I'd rather not cause a potential failure for someone else.
 
Hunter600rr said:
I've already got TLR-1 hl and X300U for handguns and Cloud Rein and Rein 2.0 for rifles currently. My question was geared around if any members had experience with them, since it showed up unannounced for free from a seller that stocks Olight among other led utilities.

the best I could do to not take it for free is throw it away, or donate it to someone who doesn't have a wml or sell it. or use it and see what it takes to break it, witch is what I've opted to do since I'd rather not cause a potential failure for someone else.
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Thats very kind of you, and yes, I owned a valkyrie back when they first came out. it got REALLY hot while charging. It did not explode but I can definitely see where people are coming from in their experiences with Olight.
 
Hunter600rr said:
or use it and see what it takes to break it, witch is what I've opted to do
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Throw it in the creek and Baptiste it. Glawks and surefire love a little creek water see if Chyna can take it.
 
I don’t have a WML and I’ll take it off your hands. Ain’t skeert. 💪

I’ve got an older Fenix head light, several Surefire handheld (G2Xs), a ThruNite key chain, an Olight keychain and several FourSevens. I’ve got an AceBeam E10 green LED for night spotting.
 
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