Flashlights are often one of the most overlooked pieces of gear. They add an extra degree of versatility to both rifle and pistol setups, and they can be easily stored on your person for daily use when needed. This makes them some of the most crucial pieces of gear to have on-hand.
However, while it’s a good idea to have a light or two on-hand, picking one out of a sea of options poses its own challenge. There are dozens of brands producing high-quality flashlights and weapon light options. That said, if you’re looking for a good starter option, Olight is a great place to begin your search.
Olight is easily one of the most prominent brands in the industry, placing an emphasis on affordability and utility. Whether you’re looking for an ultra-bright weapon light, or just something to carry daily, Olight has several options which cater to all needs.
History of Olight
Olight is a prominent flashlight manufacturer that was originally founded in 2007 by a man named Fox Fan. Headquartered in Shenzhen, China, Olight has become a globally recognized brand, developing practical flashlights for everyday use. Throughout the years of their operation, they’ve developed several light models, with one of their first prominent ones being the M20S. It was the first flashlight model, at the time, to use a dual switch system for immediate strobe use. One year later, they produced another model, known as the SR90, that had a 2,000-lumen output, making it the only single-led light to do so at the time. As their success grew, their lineup expanded to feature models tailored to many diverse applications.
Most notably, in 2015, Olight began developing weapon lights, with their PL-1 pistol weapon light being the first one in their lineup. It quickly became one of their most popular lights at the time, boasting high brightness levels and low cost. Today, their lineup includes a vast array of both pistol and rifle weapon lights in addition to their EDC models.
Olight Manufacturing Process
Olight sources most of their parts from suppliers based in China, close to their headquarters and production facility. After being assembled, each product undergoes various phases of testing to ensure they meet international standards and the rigors of everyday use. So, no matter which light you look at, you can rest assured knowing that it has passed their testing stages.
Olight Weapon Lights
Olight Pistol Lights
As we mentioned before, there are a plethora of pistol weapon lights in Olight’s lineup, such as their Valkyrie and Baldr series lights.
The Valkyrie series encompasses many different pistol lights, with the PL-3R and PL-Mini Valkyrie being some of the most notable. The PL-3R is designed for pistols that feature a full-size accessory rail. It has a 1,500-lumen output along with two added modes that project 1,000 and 500 lumens, respectively. It also has toggle switches on either side for both right and left-handed enthusiasts, plus, since it’s commonly priced around $100, it’s a solid choice for all budgets.
The PL-Mini Valkyrie is a smaller light, featuring a more compact design and a lower 600-lumen output. Despite its small size, this pistol light has a 100-meter throw, a quick release lever, and it also features ambidextrous switches. Like the larger PL-3R, it’s also rechargeable via a magnetic charging unit.
Olight’s Baldr series of lights is nearly identical to the Valkyrie light models, but they come equipped with an integrated laser sight in addition to a light unit. The Baldr Pro Tactical light is one of their most popular options, coming with a 1,350-lumen output LED that has a strobe feature, and it comes with a 5mW green laser. The laser sight is adjustable as well, allowing you to properly zero it with MOA adjustments. Like the previous lights mentioned, it also comes standard with a quick release mount, complete with a locking swing arm.
Olight Rifle Lights
Aside from their pistol weapon lights, Olight’s rifle lights are some of their most sought-after options, with their Odin series being their flagship offering. The Odin is available in multiple configurations, coming with different power outputs, sizes, and finishes.
Currently, the Odin is available with either a 2000- or 1250-lumen head unit. The Odin 2000 is a larger light that comes with a proprietary rechargeable battery and is pre-equipped with a picatinny mount. These rifle lights come pre-equipped with a picatinny-compatible tape switch for easy activation, plus, it has four distinct brightness settings that offer 2000-, 1000-, 760-, and 300-lumens, respectively. Like other lights in Olight’s collection, the Odin is also rechargeable with an included magnetic USB charging unit.
If you’re looking for a rifle light with a smaller footprint, the 1250-lumen Odin light is the move. It comes with many of the same features as its 2000-lumen counterpart, but it has a significantly shorter overall length, making it ideal for rifle setups where a low-profile light is needed. It has four brightness settings that offer 1250-, 900-, 700-, and 200-lumens respectively, and it its highest setting, it has a 240-meter throw.
There are two other Odin models as well, those being the Odin GL M and Odin GL Mini. These lights are unique in that, in addition to white light, they can also project a daylight visible green laser. These lights have a 1500 and 1000 respective lumen output and have a beam projection of 215 and 180 meters. Like other Odin lights, these lights come with a magnetic charging unit, all necessary mounting hardware, and a magnetic tape switch for quick use.
Choosing the Best Weapon Light
There are a lot of factors to consider before you make a final decision on a weapon light. Each light has varying lumens and candela, while offering different degrees of throw and flood. At the end of the day, choosing the right weapon light comes down to the matter of finding the one that best meets your needs. If you aren’t sure about what to look for in a light, our weapon light guide goes over key points to consider when shopping for one.
Other Olight Flashlights
Tactical Flashlights
In addition to the multitude of weapon lights Olight produces, they have a plethora of handheld tactical lights and models for everyday use. The Olight Warrior 3S High Beam Tactical Flashlight has a powerful 2,300-lumen beam with a maximum throw of 300 meters. Despite its powerful projection, these lights have a comparatively long battery life of up to 55 days of constant run time. They have a clip built into the body of the light, allowing you to easily store it in a pocket or pouch on your person. For added safety, the Warrior 3S comes with a built-in proximity sensor that automatically drops the brightness level of the light when turned on higher output settings.
Though it wasn’t made for use as a rifle weapon light, a magnetic tape switch is included, allowing you to use it as such. Depending on the light package you look at, a rifle mount may not be included, but they can be bought directly from Olight. In addition to the Warrior 3S, there’s also the Warrior Mini 3. It’s a smaller variant of the Warrior, coming with all the same features, albeit with a lower 1750-lumen output.
EDC Lights
The Olight Baton is one of their flagship EDC light offerings, featuring its simplistic design. The Baton 3 Pro Max is one of the latest additions to the Baton line, offering 2500 lumens of light projection, and a 60-day runtime. Despite being an EDC light rather than a tactical one, the Baton is quite like the Warrior series. However, it doesn’t come with a tape switch or rifle mount. Still, it’s a fully rechargeable flashlight, and it comes with Olight’s magnetic charging cable.
If you’re looking for more of a smaller EDC-style light, they have a wide assortment of smaller lights ranging from keychain lights to pocket sized units. The Arkflex is a popular option that’s great for EDC use. It’s one of the more unique models they offer, featuring an articulating light head unit, which can flip to a 90-degree angle while still projecting a 1000-lumen beam. Plus, its articulating head unit has survived over 10,000 swivel tests at the factory. Also, its slim design makes it easy to store in a pocket, and the included clip keeps it in place securely.
Another solid EDC light is the Olight Diffuse. It’s a 700-lumen EDC light and has roughly the same dimensions as the average lipstick container. Despite being a smaller light, it has six different lighting modes, including a strobe, and has a runtime that lasts upwards of 180 hours. Also, while this light does come with an Olight rechargeable battery, it’s compatible with any standard AA battery.
For hands-free use, Olight even produces an assortment of headlamps such as their Array 2S headlamps. It has a standard design, but it comes with an adjustable head strap and hands-free controls via a sensor mounted to the head strap’s rear. As for the light itself, it projects a 1000-lumen beam of light and has multiple lighting modes, including a red light and SOS function. It’s chargeable via a USB port, and when fully charged, it offers up to 25 hours of constant run time.
Batteries and Other Accessories
To pair with their lights, Olight produces different sized batteries that correspond with different light models. For instance, the Olight Customized 3500mAh 18650 rechargeable battery is a replacement that was designed specifically for Olight flashlights. The same is true for the Olight 217C50 Battery, which is compatible with the Seeker 3 and Warrior X3 light models. Regardless of what Olight model flashlight you own, getting a replacement or extra battery is easy.
In terms of other accessories, Olight offers individual tape switches for their rifle weapon lights, clips and mounts for different light models, and other flashlight parts too, allowing you to customize your lights however you deem fit.
Conclusion
Olight has cemented its legacy as one of the most affordable flashlight manufacturers in the industry. Since their start, they’ve continued to provide unique and innovative designs that are tailored to suit a wide array of applications. Whether you need a light for everyday preparedness or you need one for your firearm, Olight is sure to have a model for you.
As you continue to research the different EDC and weapon lights available to you, we highly recommend researching each model before buying one. As we mentioned before, different lights cater to diverse needs, and brands like Olight have an expansive lineup with dozens of different models. At the end of the day, if the light you’ve chosen fits well within your needs and preferences, it’s a solid choice.
If you’re primarily in the market for a pistol light, we recommend checking our guide on the benefits and drawbacks of pistol lights. It goes over everything you’ll need to consider before adding one to your setup.
