Preface
The Olight Javelot Pro model is Olight’s current flagship “thrower” flashlight and the successor of the Olight M3XS-UT Javelot model, with several changes made.
Let’s check out the merits and demerits of this new generation Olight Javelot Pro model.
Note: The Olight Javelot Pro shown in this review is the Non-KIT version.
Packaging & First Impressions
This is what the light will come with as shown below.
- The new packaging (carry case) with the “Pelican Case”-style gives it a premium look and something that was previously exclusive to Olight’s flagship model (Olight X9R) only.
- The case comes with screw-down manual pressure-release knob that is supposed to help equalize pressure when bringing the case to higher elevation areas.
- The threads and o-rings were lightly lubricated. Threads were smooth and clean (no gritty feeling).
- The dual electronic switches consist of an almost silent tail switch and rubbery-style textured side switch which requires a fairly firm and deliberate press to activate and helps in preventing any unwanted activation of the light.
- Magnetic tail cap is able to bear the light’s weight when attached vertically (upside down) to a flat ferrous metallic surface only. The heft of the flashlight prevents it from being attached horizontally.
- The magnetic tail cap also functions as a charging port and for mounting the Magnetic Remote Pressure Switch – a feature that was first introduced with the Olight Warrior X model.
- Anodizing of the light is uniform without any missing specs, as expected from Olight.
- No lanyard and/or clip is provided.
- A premium holster with cutout at the bottom (to expose the tailcap) is provided and should withstand day-to-day abuse without issue.
- The proprietary battery pack is designed such that the 2 x 18650 3500mAh batteries it contains, are not user-replaceable.
Note: Before using the flashlight for the first time, remove the Dust Protection Film on the lens & Insulation Film from the front end of the battery tube.
“Pelican Case”-style Cover:
Top:
Bottom:
Sides:
Case Contents:
Removing Dust Protection Film & Insulating Film:
Quick Overview (Manufacturer Specifications)
- Body Material: HAIII Aluminium
- Colour Options:
- Black (as reviewed)
- Desert Tan — Limited Run Only
- LED: XHP35 HI NW (Neutral White)
- Battery Format: Built-in 2 x 18650 3,500mAh Batteries in a Proprietary Battery Pack
- Output & Runtime (with included Proprietary Battery Pack):
- Low (15 lumens / 8days)
- Mid (150 lumens / 23h)
- High (600 lumens / 5h)
- Turbo (2100 lumens / 10min) -> (1000 lumens / 2h 10min)
- Max Beam Distance: 1,080m
- Beam intensity: 291,600cd
- Waterproofness: IPX-8 Standard
- Impact Resistance: 1m
- Dimension: 247mm (length) x 63mm (head diameter) x 26mm (body diameter)
- Weight: 380g (including batteries)
- Accessories Included (Non-KIT Version):
- 1*”Pelican Case”-style Carry Case
- 1*Built-in Proprietary Battery Pack (contains 2 x 18650 3,500mAh Batteries)
- 1*Magnetic Charging Cable (MCC5V)
- 1*Holster
- Accessories Included (KIT Version):
- 1*”Pelican Case”-style Carry Case
- 1*Built-in Proprietary Battery Pack (contains 2 x 18650 3,500mAh Batteries)
- 1*Magnetic Charging Cable (MCC5V)
- 1*Holster
- Magnetic Remote Pressure Switch
- Flashlight Mount
- Red Filter
- Green Filter
- MSRP: ~$200
UI (User Interface)
UI for this light is suitable for tactical usage and/or as a walking/hiking/search & rescue light as it is simple and straightforward to use after the initial learning curve.
Switching ON and OFF is done by the SIDE or TAIL electronic switch on the light, so momentary activation is possible (using TAIL switch).
Note:
- The tail electronic switch functions similarly to an auto-focus button (1/2 Press) on a camera and the same button that takes a photo shot (1 Press).
- There is no blinky modes (STROBE/SOS) for this light.
Normal Operation (TAIL Switch)
From OFF:
- 1/2 Press – Direct access to LOW.
- 1 Press – Direct access to TURBO.
- HOLD (1/2 Press) – Direct access to MOMENTARY LOW; HOLD (1 Press) to switch to MOMENTARY TURBO mode.
- HOLD (1 Press) – Direct access to MOMENTARY TURBO.
From ON (LOW):
- 1/2 Press – Light will switch OFF.
- 1 Press – Mode change to TURBO mode.
- HOLD (1 Press) – Direct access to MOMENTARY TURBO.
From ON (TURBO):
- 1/2 Press OR 1 Press – Light will switch OFF.
From ON (LOW or TURBO) — Using SIDE Switch:
- 1 Press (SIDE) – Mode change with every 1 Press (light cycles through LOW, MID, HIGH, TURBO ⇒ LOW, MID, HIGH, TURBO).
- HOLD (SIDE) – Light will switch OFF.
Normal Operation (SIDE Switch)
From OFF:
- HOLD (~1 sec) – Light will switch ON to last used mode (last mode memory).
From ON:
- 1 Press – Mode change with every 1 Press (light cycles through LOW, MID, HIGH, TURBO ⇒ LOW, MID, HIGH, TURBO).
- HOLD – Light will switch OFF.
From ON — Using TAIL Switch:
- 1/2 Press (TAIL) – Light will switch OFF.
- 1 Press (TAIL) – Mode change to TURBO mode.
- HOLD (TAIL) – Mode change to MOMENTARY TURBO mode.
Normal Operation (Magnetic Remote Pressure Switch – KIT Version)
From OFF:
- HOLD (Pressure Switch) – Direct access to MOMENTARY TURBO.
- 1 Click (Pressure Switch) – Light will switch ON to TURBO.
From ON:
- 1 Click (Pressure Switch) – Light will switch OFF.
From ON — Using SIDE Switch:
- 1 Press (SIDE) – Mode change with every 1 Press (light cycles through LOW, MID, HIGH, TURBO ⇒ LOW, MID, HIGH, TURBO).
- HOLD (SIDE) – Light will switch OFF.
Power Indicator
There is only 1 type of Power Indicator for this flashlight.
From OFF, 1 Press (SIDE) and the SIDE Switch LED will glow one of the following colors:
- GREEN – Power is >75%.
- ORANGE – Power is between 30% – 75%.
- RED – Power is between 10% – 30%.
- FLASHING RED – Power is <10%, do recharge the batteries.
Note: When the flashlight is switched ON, the above Power Indicator function will be activated till the flashlight is switched OFF.
Form Factor
For flashlights that are intended to use for tactical usage and/or as a walking/hiking/search & rescue light; and for possibly a long period of time, form factor is extremely important.
This light feels fairly well balanced in a medium sized hand and is slightly head-heavy due to the relatively large reflector upfront. That said, switching between overhand and underhand holding method can still be carried out with its form factor.
The new “knurling”/grooves & fins on the flashlight provides ample grip without sacrificing on being overly aggressive (i.e. still fabric-friendly). The light is extremely “grippy”, even with wet hands/gloves.
Due to the flat tailcap switch, the flashlight is able to tail-stand perfectly without the slightest wobble. This easy-to-activate & almost silent tail switch is definitely in-line with the requirements of a true tactical-orientated light.
For hands-free usage, it fits perfectly under the arms when required. It would be nice if Olight could include a lanyard & corresponding lanyard attachment point to provide an alternative to the aforementioned hands-free usage style (it will also help secure the flashlight during normal usage carry).
Charging Process
With the provided Magnetic Charging Cable (MCC5V), the battery was charging at ~1.53A.
The light can operate on any mode when charging, at the expense of a slower charging rate. However, it is recommended to limit the usage to “LOW” or “MID” modes only, to ensure that the battery does get charged.
Solid RED indicator on the TAIL portion of the MCC5V Charger depicts charging in progress.
Solid GREEN indicator on the TAIL portion of the MCC5V Charger depicts charging has completed.
Note: The MCC5V requires a minimum power source with 5V 2A (or above 2A), to function at its optimum charging speed.
Beam Style/Beamshots
For this light, the spill, corona and hotspot is somewhat predictable due to the rather deep & Smooth Reflector. Hence, the beam is more “throw”-orientated for recognizing items in the mid to further range distances.
The above beam profile is a rough interpretation of what is seen when white wall hunting.
The beam has a distinct hotspot with some slight corona and a fairly wide usable (almost circular) spill. It also helps that the LED is perfectly centred in this sample. There are no rings in the beam when whitewall hunting and in real world usage.
Note: The crenulated bezel is visible as part of the beam’s spill portion but is not visible in real world usage.
All of the beamshots taken below are done so with the following camera settings (LOW: 0.8sec, F3.5, ISO100, 5000K WB, MID: 1/3sec, F3.5, ISO100, 5000K WB, HIGH: 1/5sec, F3.5, ISO100, 5000K WB and TURBO: 1/10sec, 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:
LOW (15 lumens):
MID (150 lumens):
HIGH (600 lumens):
TURBO (2100 lumens):
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 15 lumens. However, since this light is primarily targeted for those looking for a “throwy” tactical flashlight, it is understandable why Olight may have thought otherwise.
On a side note, Olight made the right decision to have the HIGH mode at 600 lumens instead of at 1000 lumens, ensuring a cooler and longer runtime on HIGH mode. That said, it would be nice if Olight had reduced HIGH mode further, to the 450 to 500 lumens range, to ensure an even longer runtime at cooler-running temperature – as the difference in output is almost imperceptible to most human eyes.
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 a 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
The light was subjected to warm water submersion, followed by cold water submersion and left under room temperature running water tap whilst running on TURBO.
No signs of water intrusion in the head, switch or tail was seen.
Lockout Capability
No electronic lockout but partial mechanical lockout is possible when needed, like during transportation in a bag.
A quarter turn (anti-clockwise) of the tailcap will enable Partial Mechanical LOCKOUT — the TAIL switch will be locked out but the SIDE switch will still be fully functioning.
Note: A quarter turn (clockwise) of the head will not enable Mechanical LOCKOUT.
Quick Comparison to First Generation
| Description | Olight Javelot Pro | Olight M3XS-UT Javelot |
|---|---|---|
| LED Used | Cree XHP35 HI | Cree XP-L Dedomed (Dedomed by Olight) |
| Max Output | 2100 Lumens | 1200 Lumens |
| Max Beam Distance | 1080 meters | 1000 meters |
| Beam Intensity | 291,600 cd | 250,000 cd |
| STROBE Mode | No | Yes |
| Crenulated Bezel | Yes, Stainless Steel (?) | Yes, HAIII Aluminium |
| Battery Compatibility | Built-in Proprietary Battery Pack (2 x 18650 3,500mAh batteries) | 3 x CR123A / 4 x CR123A / 2 x 18650 batteries |
| Magnetic Charging | Yes (MCC5V) | No |
| Magnetic Remote Pressure Switch | Yes (KIT Version) | No |
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 light for our own usage or 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 a proper LOCKOUT is not an issue for your usage.
The straightforward UI with Direct Access to LOW or TURBO from OFF, almost silent electronic tail switch, dual switches option, faster Magnetic Charging Cable-capability (MCC5V), quick magnetic attachment with the Magnetic Remote Pressure Switch (KIT Version), possibility to mount it onto a rifle with the Flashlight Mount (KIT Version), the new extra “grippy-but-not-aggressive” knurling/grooves and premium “Pelican Case”-style carry case are all plus points for this flashlight.
The built-in proprietary battery pack might seem as a major disadvantage to some but it effectively eliminates the possibility of any user-error such as placing different 18650 batteries brand or type, to cause any possible uneven charging and/or discharging of the 2 pieces of 18650 batteries.
For those that intend to use the Javelot Pro as a rifle-mounted light and/or use the Red and Green Filters, it is recommended to purchase the KIT Version instead.
However, as mentioned earlier, it will be nice if Olight included a lanyard with a lanyard attachment point, to provide an additional way to secure the flashlight during normal handheld usage.
Here is a bonus size comparison with some of the other flashlights that we reviewed previously.
From Left to Right: Olight PL-PRO Valkyrie, Olight Seeker 2 Pro, Olight Warrior X, Nitecore MT42, Olight Javelot Pro and Nitecore MH40GTR.
As with all gears, two is one and one is none.
Stay safe,
The Lite Review
Disclaimer: Light was provided for by Olight (manufacturer) for this review. No other compensation was provided.
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Olight Javelot Pro
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