So first off, I know flashlights are a big hobby, especially in the EDC space, and there are a lot of afficionados who have much more sophisticated appreciation and understanding about flashlight than I do. So understand that I'm coming from the perspective of someone who doesn't need to use flashlight all that often and for whom a cheap, basic flashlight usually does the job.
That said, I like having a flashlight on my keychain. Usually I just need something I can reach down to my keychain/carabiner hanging from a belt loop, switch on a light for a quick couple seconds so I don't trip over something in my dark garage when I get out of my car, and easily switch it off. In the past I had some very cheap, junky, single LED lights that you squeezed but were so cheaply built they didn't survive replacing the battery.
On the other hand, the battery lasted a long time without charging before it ran out. I was kind of worried about switching to a light that charges over USB, not knowing how the battery would run down…My phone, tablet, and all kinds of other devices I have that charge via USB lose power gradually even when not in use. A light I have to charge regularly isn't super convenient for my keychain light.
I can't speak to how long the battery lasts yet; I've only been carrying mine for about a month. That said I haven't had to charge it yet and I have been using it a little more than normal because it's neat to play with.
That aside, I'm really loving it. I was also worried about the way it's activated, by pulling the light from the magnetic base. I was worried it might fall off the base. Having used it in action, I'm not concerned about that anymore. The magnet is STRONG. It holds on very tightly, and the whole thing tends to hold on to the small multi-tool I also have on my keychain.
The strong magnet is impressive as an activation method. I can tug at the light to turn it on and while it disengages enough to activate it, it doesn't exactly detach from it. Quickly turning it on and off is really easy; reach for it at the hip, tug slightly, then let go to turn it off.
It's very small and doesn't feel bulky on my keychain at all. They include a small plastic sheath for USB plug to protect it, and the tiny carabiner they give you to loop through the hole in the plug and attach it to your keyring keeps it in place. The little mini-carabiner that comes with it is tiny! That said, I tried it with a tiny, generic s-biner I got from the dollar store and that fits just as well, so you have other options if you don't want to use the one they provide.
The light it produces is REALLY good. It is very bright for being so small. It might be the brightest flashlight I own at the moment. Very useful.
The detachable and magentic design is great. I mostly use it without detaching it completely from the base, but when I do the light is small and lightweight and convenient to use. Since the magnet is so strong, it's not hard to reattach; as long as you line it up close enough, the magnetic connection will snap it in place.
Now, the big reason I wanted to write this review right now is that I had a situation where it saved the day the other night. I needed to pop the hood of my vehicle and jump the battery and it was dark out. I keep a cheap worklight in the toolbox I keep in my vehicle, but the batteries in it were dead. Yeesh! But I was able to pull this Olight off my keychain and the magnet on it holds on to the hood of my car really sturdily. The magnet on it is stronger than the magnet on the worklight I keep in my car. And the light is just as bright if not brighter and it provided plenty of light to get things done easily.
And then, when I finished under the hood, I forgot to take the light off. I slammed the hood closed then realized I forgot to grab my light again. I thought, "oh great, slamming the hood probably knocked it off and it fell in between things." Nope, it was still firmly attached to the hood even after slamming it closed.
So…it has exceeded my expectations. It's really bright, conveniently small, very durable, easy to use and the magnetic connection is very strong. It's immensely useful in every situation I've thrown at it so far. Time will tell on battery life, but so far I haven't had to recharge it and it's going strong after a month.
It looks cool, it's very affordable and it's very functional. I'm very happy with this purchase and will probably buy another (or more) soon, to keep a backup for myself or to keep one in my emergency kit in my car or to give as gifts at Christmas. I can't speak to how legit it is for really serious flashlight fans, but for me it's fantastic and I recommend it.
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