Preface
The Olight Baldr Pro (from the Olight PL Series) is the latest iteration of the Olight PL-2RL Baldr model, with several changes made.
Let’s check out the merits and demerits of this new Olight Baldr Pro model.
Notes:
- Unfortunately (or fortunately) guns or rifles are prohibited for civilian carry/usage, in our current country of residence. Hence, we will be unable to showcase the Baldr Pro on any of such weapons in this review.
- The model reviewed here is the Black version.
Packaging & First Impressions
This is what the light will come with as shown below.
- The o-ring is lightly lubricated. The battery compartment is held closed by a spring lock mechanism.
- The 2 tail electronic switches require a fairly firm and deliberate press to activate and helps in preventing any unwanted activation of the light.
- The 2 ambidextrous switches are made specially for left or right hand dominant users.
- Anodizing of the light is uniform without any missing specs, as expected from Olight.
- It can be easily attached to handguns or rifles with the provided Glock rail adapter and 1913 (Picatinny) rail adapter.
- The Glock rail adapter (“GL”) is pre-installed at factory.
- Both rail adapters (“GL” and “1913”) are secured down by 2 x T6 Torx screws which can be easily removed with the provided T6/T8 Socket Head Wrench.
- The new green laser (Class 3R – 5mW) is very useful for target identification, especially with the option to activate both light & laser at the same time.
- The green laser can be calibrated using the provided T6/T8 Socket Head Wrench, both Vertical and Horizontal calibrations are using the T6 Torx screws; 2 spare pieces of NYLOK adjustable screws are provided.
- Battery compartment holds a the provided non-proprietary Olight CR123A (OLB-123A) batteries with sufficient room for a slightly thicker battery width. Other CR123A batteries should work in this battery tube too.
- Scanning the QR code with your phone/tablet on the box’s back would bring up the Olight Baldr Pro’s product page.
Note: Before using the weaponlight for the first time, remove the Insulation Film from the battery tube & lens cover.
Front:
Back:
Sides:
Top:
Bottom:
Box Contents:
Spare NYLOK Screws:
Remove Lens Cover:
Remove Insulation Film:
Quick Overview (Manufacturer Specifications)
- Body Material: HAIII Aluminium
- Colour Options:
- Black (as reviewed)
- Desert Tan
- LED: Cree XHP35 HI NW
- Laser: Class 3R (5mW)
- Laser Wavelength: 510~530nm (Green)
- Battery Format: 2 x CR123A ONLY
- Output & Runtime (with 2 x CR123A 1600mAh batteries):
- Laser OFF
- Low (300 lumens / 4h)
- High (1350 lumens / 1min) -> (500 lumens / 2h 5min)
- Note: Max brightness (1350 lumens) is dependent on battery level – at ~30%, the max output is limited to 500 lumens.
- Laser ON
- Low (300 lumens / 3h 30min)
- High (1350 lumens / 1min) -> (500 lumens / 1h 55min)
- Note: Max brightness (1350 lumens) is dependent on battery level – at ~30%, the max output is limited to 500 lumens.
- Laser only (5mW / 1day 21h)
- Laser OFF
- Max Beam Distance: 260m
- Beam intensity: 16,900cd
- Waterproofness: IPX-4 Standard
- Impact Resistance: 1m
- Dimension: 84mm (length) x 36.5mm (breadth) x 44.5mm (height)
- Weight: 129g (including batteries)
- Accessories Included:
- 2*Olight CR123A (OLB-123A) Batteries
- 1*Glock Rail Adapter
- 1*1913 (Picatinny) Rail Adapter
- 1*T6/T8 Socket Head Wrench
- 2*Spare NYLOK Adjustable Screws
- MSRP: ~$150
UI (User Interface)
UI for this light is suitable for weaponlight tactical usage as it is rather simple and straightforward to use.
Switching ON and OFF is done by the 2 tail electronic switches on the light, so momentary activation is possible.
Note: There is 1 blinky mode for this light (STROBE only) and no SOS or Beacon modes.
Light Setting Modes Selection
There are a total of 3 Light Settings available for this weaponlight and all 3 settings have the following icons on the weaponlight (photo is courtesy of Olight).
- Light Only
- Light & Laser
- Laser Only
Option 1: Light Only
Option 2: Light & Laser
Option 3: Laser Only
Normal Operation (“Light Only” & “Light & Laser”)
From OFF:
- HOLD (Either Switch) – Direct access to MOMENTARY LOW or MOMENTARY HIGH (dependent on last brightness level used – last mode memory).
- HOLD (2 Switches) – Direct access to STROBE.
- 1 Click (Either Switch) – Light will switch ON to last brightness level used (last mode memory).
- 2 Clicks (Either Switch) – Direct access to HIGH.
From ON:
- HOLD (2 Switches) – Direct access to STROBE.
- 1 Click (Either Switch) – Light will switch OFF.
- 2 Clicks (Either Switch) – Mode change with every 2 clicks (light cycles through LOW, HIGH ⇒ LOW, HIGH).
Note: For “Light & Laser” option, the Laser will be switched ON when the LED is ON.
Normal Operation (“Laser Only”)
From OFF:
- HOLD (Either Switch) – Direct access to MOMENTARY LASER.
- 1 Click (Either Switch) – Laser will switch ON.
From ON:
- 1 Click (Either Switch) – Laser will switch OFF.
Laser Calibration
The green laser can be calibrated using the T6 (Torx) side of the provided T6/T8 Socket Head Wrench.
The below photo (courtesy of Olight) depicts the 2 holes required for both vertical and horizontal laser calibration process. This helps ensure that the laser can be perfectly calibrated according to personal preference/shooting style.
Form Factor
For weaponlights that are intended to be used as a weapon-mounted light, form factor is important.
This light is relatively light and should not make the handgun or rifle overly front end-heavy.
The Baldr Pro can be weapon-mounted with the following instructions:
- Install the correct Rail Adapter (Glock or 1913).
- Open Baldr Pro’s Swing Arm.
- Push the Swing Arm to easily fit the insert into the handgun’s or rifle’s rail notch.
- Close Baldr Pro’s Swing Arm.
The 2 ambidextrous switches on the tail end of the weaponlight ensures that left or right hand dominant users will be able to operate it with ease, especially when under duress.
It can double up as a normal flashlight as it is able to tail-stand perfectly when not weapon-mounted.
Note: The Laser warning sticker can be removed to provide for a more tactical (all black or desert tan color – depending on the color selected) look.
Removing/Installing the Rail Adapter:
Open/Close Swing Arm:
Other pictures of the Olight Baldr Pro:
Battery Replacement – Spring Lock Mechanism:
Beam Style/Beamshots
For this light, the spill, corona and hotspot is somewhat predictable due to the TIR optic. The LED is covered under the TIR (Total Internal Reflection) optic. With the LED used, the beam is still sufficiently “throwy” for recognising items in the near to mid-range distance.
The above beam profile is a rough interpretation of what is seen when white wall hunting.
The beam has a fairly distinct hotspot with some slight corona and a fairly wide spill, with most of the lumens output focused into the hotspot. There are some beam artifacts when white wall hunting but not visible in real world usage.
The green laser is essentially what most 5mW rated green lasers usually appear to be.
All of the beamshots taken below are done so with the following camera settings for Light Only (LOW: 1/6sec, F3.5, ISO100, 5000K WB and HIGH: 1/13sec, F3.5, ISO100, 5000K WB).
Some pictures have been adjusted slightly to depict as close as to what is seen in real life. The distance of the light from the door is 4.6m.
Control shot:
Light Only
LOW (300 lumens):
HIGH (1350 lumens):
Light & Laser (Photo has been adjusted to be able to view the Laser spot)
Note: The laser spot is clearly visible when using both the LOW and HIGH modes, in real world usage. However, the photo had to be adjusted/enhanced, in order to view the laser spot as the LED made the laser spot seem washed out.
LOW (300 lumens) – Photo has been adjusted:
Laser Only (Photo has been adjusted to be able to view the Laser spot)
Note: The laser spot is clearly visible in real world usage. The actual laser spot is the upper part in the below photo, the laser spot in the lower part of the photo is the reflection caused by the floor.
LASER (5mW) – Photo has been adjusted:
Mode (Output) Spacing
Mode spacing appears to be progressively brighter to the eye and the modes are well spaced enough to be able to know which mode one is currently in. With that in mind, TLR tend to view mode spacing as battery life indicators (amount of runtime left) rather than the specific output (lumens).
There is no moonlight level (sub-lumen or 1 lumen) option available as the LOW mode comes in at 300 lumens. However, since this light is primarily a weaponlight, moonlight usually is not a priority here. Ease of access to fewer modes (2 in this case) is more important, especially when under duress.
On a side note, the LOW mode (300 lumens) could use a slightly lower output of say ~250 lumens to ensure a cooler & longer runtime – as the difference in output is almost imperceptible to most human eyes.
Note: Operating the weaponlight in LOW mode for an extended period in warmer temperature areas (e.g summer period), may cause it to be slightly warm.
Tint & CRI
Olight did not disclose the tint (color temperature) and/or the CRI (Color Rendering Index) for the LEDs used in their light. For this light, a guesstimate would be in the 5000K and 75CRI ballpark.
However, there is slight tint shift in the beam profile. The hotspot is a neutral white tint whilst the corona possess a slight yellowish green tint; and the spill having a neutral white tint.
This is not noticeable in real life usage.
Waterproofness
As the weaponlight is IPX4 rated only, it was subjected to being under slow moving room temperature water (to best mimic light rain) whilst switched on HIGH.
No signs of water intrusion in the head, body or switches was seen.
Lockout Capability
No mechanical lockout or electronic lockout is possible when needed, like during transportation in a bag/holster.
Hence, we do not recommend transporting this weaponlight in an enclosed area (bag, purse, etc.). If that is unavoidable, we recommend switching the Light Setting to “Laser Only”, to ensure that even if the switches do get activated; the weaponlight will not switch on the LED and deplete the battery as quickly, or accidentally reveal your current position.
Quick Comparison to Olight PL-2RL Baldr Model
| Description | Olight Baldr Pro | Olight PL-2RL Baldr |
|---|---|---|
| LED Specification | Cree XHP35 HI (Neutral White) | Cree XHP35 HI (Cool White) |
| HIGH Mode Output | 1350 Lumens | 1200 Lumens |
| LOW Mode Output | 300 Lumens | 400 Lumens |
| Max Beam Distance | 260m | 235m |
| Beam Intensity | 16,900cd | 13,800cd |
| Laser Wavelength | 510~530nm (Green Color) | 645~655nm (Red Color) |
| Rechargeable Battery Compatible | No, primary CR123A batteries only. | Yes, RCR123A/16340 and primary CR123A batteries. |
| Length | 84mm | 82.5mm |
| Breadth | 36.5mm | 35.56mm |
| Height | 44.5mm | 48.26mm |
| Weight (including batteries) | 129g | 137g |
| Waterproof Rating | IPX4 | IPX6 |
Scale Comparison (Ruler)
Summary
To sum up, we believe that the most important part of any review is if given the chance to purchase the same weaponlight to gift to our loved ones out from one’s pocket (wallet), would we still do it?
For this light, it is a definite YES, if the lack of support for rechargeable CR123A (RCR123A/16340) batteries, is not an issue for your usage.
The straightforward UI with Direct Access to HIGH or STROBE from OFF, simple 2 modes interface, green laser for improved accuracy during shooting, easy swap between Rail Adapters (Glock and 1913 – Picatinny) with the provided T6/T8 Socket Head Wrench, ease of attachment with the Swing Arm and usage of user replaceable CR123A batteries are all plus points for this weaponlight.
That said, it would be nice if Olight maintained at least a IPX6 or even IPX8 waterproof rating for future weaponlights.
Here is a bonus size comparisons with some of the other somewhat similar sized flashlights which we reviewed previously.
From Left to Right: Olight S1R II Baton, Olight PL-PRO Valkyrie, Olight Baldr Pro, Oveready Ti BOSS 35, ReyLight Ti Krystal, Okluma Ti DC1, Malkoff MDC Bodyguard and Olight Baton Pro.
As with all gears, two is one and one is none.
Stay safe,
The Lite Review
Disclaimer: Weaponlight was provided for by Olight (manufacturer) for this review. No other compensation was provided.
Where to Buy Links
Disclaimer: Purchasing using the affiliate link below will enable TLR to receive compensation from corresponding affiliate companies (Amazon/ShareASale/etc.) directly.
It will NOT cost you anything and is a way to help support the website to keep pumping out reviews like this.
Olight Baldr Pro
Amazon: Click Here to see best prices on Amazon.
Available Discount Coupon Codes
- Click HERE to view our complete list of discount Coupon Codes.