Vastlite Minima Bow Flashlight Overview

The Vastlite Minima Bow flashlight (LEP) makes use of one 16340 cell (optionally available, commonplace cell) and has unimaginable throw with a really tight beam. It’s a twisty, too!

Official Specs and Options

Right here’s a referral hyperlink to the Vastlite Minima Bow flashlight product web page at NealsGadgets.com.

Variations

There’s only one model of the Vastlite Minima Bow flashlight, but it surely’s obtainable with or with out the 16340 cell.

Value

With the cell (as seen on this evaluation), the Vastlite Minima Bow flashlight worth is $124.99. The coupon code: ZEROAIR ought to grant 15% off!

What’s Included

• Vastlite Minima Bow flashlight
• Vastlite 850mAh 16340
• Pocket clip
• Spare o-rings (2)
• Handbook

Bundle and Handbook

Construct High quality and Disassembly

The Vastlite Minima Bow flashlight you see right here has one additional adornment that I don’t see provided on the product web page. This one has glow items (glow, not tritium) within the tritium slots across the head. There are 4 items.

Construct high quality is sweet. The sunshine is a bit shocking in that it’s a twisty. You’ll see extra on why that’s a shock beneath. However so far as twisties go, the construct high quality is sweet. The twist motion is completely passable.

The threads are anodized, which helps with the graceful twisting motion for operation. The top contact is a button however in any other case, inside the sunshine could be very plain.

Contained in the cell tube (apparently not pictured… sorry) is a spring.

Dimension and Comps

Dimension:71mm x 20mm (Size x tube)
weight: 36.5g (Aluminum)

Within the picture beneath, you’ll be able to see the tail finish of the Vastlite Minima Bow flashlight – that’s not a clicky! It’s additionally not a magnet!

If the flashlight can headstand, I’ll present it right here. If it will possibly tailstand, I’ll additionally present that right here!

Right here’s the check gentle with the venerable Convoy S2+. The model beneath is a customized laser-engraved Convoy S2+ host by GadgetConnections.com. I did a full submit on an engraved orange host proper right here! Or go straight to GadgetConnections.com to purchase your Convoy S2+ now!

Additionally within the picture above, my Customary Reference Materials (SRM) flashlight is the Hanko Machine Works Trident, an 18350 gentle. Whereas I’ve not reviewed or examined the Gunner Grip model seen right here, I’ve examined a Hanko Machine Works Trident Whole Tesseract in brass. I like the Trident, and it’s a hanging distinction to the cheap Convoy S2+, one other nice SRM.

Retention and Carry

The Vastlite Minima Bow flashlight ships with a pocket clip, which might be connected solely to the tail of the sunshine. It’s a really commonplace clip. The styling is “notably Lumintop,” which makes me surprise if Lumintop makes the model Vastlite. Nothing fallacious with that in any respect!

That’s it for carry! There’s no magnet or pouch or something.

Energy and Runtime

The Vastlite Minima Bow flashlight runs on lithium-ion cell – on this case, a 16340. A cell just isn’t included, however you can also make the product choice to incorporate the 850mAh 16340 seen beneath. The sunshine runs a normal cell although, so if in case you have your personal, it ought to work too.

The cell goes into the sunshine within the ordinary manner – optimistic finish towards the pinnacle.

Beneath you’ll be able to see runtime assessments for each modes. The output is claimed to be 280 lumens. I measured someplace beneath that, however measuring these very throwy lights is difficult. So I wouldn’t fret an excessive amount of over the numbers. If the output profile seems to be alright to you, you’ll virtually actually be impressed by the beam itself!

The sunshine shuts off with low voltage safety at round 2.9V, too.

Charging

The Vastlite Minima Bow flashlight itself doesn’t have charging, however the optionally available cell does. There’s a USB-C charging port on the optimistic finish.

Charging works with C to C and A to C simply high quality, and each require about 3 hours. That’s very gradual charging, however ought to give the cell a pleasant lengthy and glad life. That is effectively below 0.5C for this 850mAh cell.

When charging, there’s slightly crimson indicator on the optimistic finish. When charging is full, the indicator turns inexperienced.

Modes and Currents

Pulse Width Modulation

Neither mode makes use of PWM.

Click on right here to see a “baseline” – a chart with virtually no gentle hitting the sensor.

Then there’s the Ultrafire WF-602C flashlight, which has among the worst PWM I’ve seen. It’s so unhealthy that I used a submit about it to elucidate PWM! Listed below are a number of timescales (10ms, 5ms, 2ms, 1ms, 0.5ms, 0.2ms) to make evaluating this “worst” PWM gentle to the check gentle simpler. That submit additionally explains why I didn’t check the WF-602C on the ordinary 50us scale.

Person Interface and Operation

The Vastlite Minima Bow flashlight is a twisty. Tighten the pinnacle to show the sunshine on and repeat that to alter modes.

That’s high quality, and there’s knurling to assist that. However with the sunshine being as small as it’s, this knurling on the pinnacle actually needs to be all the way in which out on the bezel. As it’s, I actually need to make use of each palms to function the sunshine.

Right here’s a person interface desk!

I actually don’t really feel like a lightweight with two modes wants reminiscence. (However then I don’t actually love reminiscence anyway. Possibly a lightweight with simply two modes is the right place for mode reminiscence.)

LED and Beam

The Vastlite Minima Bow flashlight is a LEP.

I feel there’s a very good little bit of copper within the head, too – you’ll be able to type of see that by the coloration of the lens within the picture beneath. With this gentle pulling almost 3A on Excessive, that copper in all probability actually helps with warmth administration.

The beam is very tight!

Beamshots

These beamshots all the time have the next settings:  f8, ISO100, 0.3s shutter, and guide 5000K publicity. These pictures are taken at ground degree, and the beam hits the ceiling round 9 toes away.

Tint vs BLF-348 (KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b model) (affiliate hyperlink)

I hold the check flashlight on the left and the BLF-348 reference flashlight on the proper. These pictures are taken round 18 inches from the door.

I examine the whole lot to the KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b BLF-348 as a result of it’s cheap and has one of the best tint!

Abstract and Conclusion

The Vastlite Minima Bow flashlight is a incredible little gentle. Months in the past I couldn’t have imagined a LEP working off one 16340, a lot much less in a lightweight that was general this small! I don’t thoughts that there are simply two (regular) ranges on the Vastlite Minima Bow flashlight, and I don’t actually need strobe on this gentle. The knurling on the pinnacle may very well be in a greater place for one-handed operation. Nonetheless, the Minima Bow is a superb novelty, and actually spectacular with the tight, vibrant beam!

The Massive Desk

^ Measurement disclaimer:  Testing flashlights is my interest. I take advantage of hobbyist-level tools for testing, together with some I made myself. Strive to not get buried within the particulars of producer specs versus measurements recorded right here; A certain quantity of distinction (say, 10 or 15%) is completely cheap.

What I like

• Amazingly small measurement
• Simply two modes (smart for LEP)
• Runs commonplace 16340
• Unimaginable throw

What I don’t like

• Value – it’s justifiable for LEP, however nonetheless.
• Knurling to assist twisty motion is within the fallacious place
• Charging could be very gradual

Notes