Olight has a new flash sale that’s set to kick off tonight (3/18/21) at 8pm ET. The sale will include an orange-anodized Marauder 2, purple gradient-anodizedPerun 2 headlamp, and the newly introduced Baton 3 EDC LED flashlight.
The Baton 3 is the successor to the extremely popular Olight S1R Baton II (reviewed here). I have grown extremely fond of the S1R Baton II in recent months, and purchased more for personal use.
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The Olight Baton 3 has a higher maximum brightness rating – 1200 lumens compared to 1000 lumens for the S1R Baton II. In my opinion, this isn’t going to be the reason to upgrade if you have an S1R II that you’re happy with, unless you’re a specs chaser.
The Olight Baton 3 is the same size and shape as the S1R Baton II, and it now features a new texture that is said to be improved. This is the same knurling texture as can be found on the Olight Warrior Mini flashlights.
I’m not sure if I have a preference yet, but the knurled texture does provide for a very secure and comfortable grip.
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The magnetic tail cap is strong and provides for versatile mounting options.
Here’s the biggest part of the Baton 3 introduction – a customized power bank for charging your Baton 3 flashlight.
You charge the power bank for USB C, and it can then recharge the Baton 3 up to 3.7 times.
The Baton 3, like its predecessor, are small EDC-sized LED flashlights that are powered by a single customized 16340-sized battery. Although convenient and powerful, 16340-sized batteries lack the charge capacity and runtime compared to the 18650 and 21700 batteries that power larger LED flashlights. This optional power bank means you don’t have to pack extra batteries or charging cords on longer excursions.
The wireless charger that comes with the Olight Baton 3 is available in premium Baton 3 kits, matching the colors of the kitted flashlights. For this flash sale, there are black, red, and blue color options, with blue being a limited edition.
The Baton 3 features improved efficiency and runtime compared to the S1R Baton II. Both have 0.5 lumen moonlight modes.
Flash Sale Pricing
Baton 3: $48.71
Baton 3 Premium Kit: $64.97
Baton 3 2-light Bundle: $84.44
The free shipping threshold has been reduced to $48.71 for this flash sale.
The premium kit comes with the power bank and a USB C charging cable, while the standalone Baton 3 lights come with a magnetic tailcap charger. The premium kit does not come with the tailcap charger since the power bank essentially functions as the flashlight charger.
Flash Sale Timing
The flash sale kicks off to the public at 8pm ET on 3/18/21 and ends at 11:59pm ET on 3/19/21.
Buy Now: Baton 3 via Olight
Buy Now: Premium via Olight
Olight Flash Sale
Questions?
Can the Baton 3 “wireless charger” be used with the S1R Baton II?
The user manual cautions that the “smart deactivation feature” will only work with the Baton 3 and not the S1R II. This means that if you forget to turn off the flashlight before placing it in the power bank charger, the Baton 3 will automatically turn off when you close the lid. This won’t happen with the S1R II.
Since the Baton 3 and S1R II have same geometry and magnetic tailcap, it looks like you can use the wireless charger for the S1R II despite it being designed for the Baton 3. We’re checking with Olight to see if this is recommended or not.
Update: The charger will work with the S1R Baton II, but users must be absolutely certain to deactivate the flashlight before placing it in the charger. Users must never place an activated S1R Baton II into the charger. Closing the lid on an activated Baton 3 will deactivate the light, but this won’t work on the S1R II. Charging a running flashlight in the charger is a very bad idea with big risks.
The Baton 3 and S1R II are redesigned internally as well. They work with the same Olight-customized batteries, but in the Baton 3, the orientation is reversed as Olight redesigned the internal contacts. It’s unclear why, but it’s worth noting.
Jerry
Lead me not into temptation.
I’ve got enough LED lights already but one of these on sale is awfully tempting.
James R.
Ad says “save up to $199.xx”
And yet the highest advertised discount is Save: $148.71
Hmmmm
James R.
Got the blue/purple headlamp and one of the premium baton3s (with the charger).
The big orange thing appears sold out? Only 2 of the packages were listed as sold out, can’t find the third package.
Koko The Talking Ape
I’m not sold on the custom power bank, or maybe I don’t understand it. Why couldn’t you buy an ordinary pocket-sized USB power bank of whatever size you choose, and use it to charge the regular Baton 3? Then you could use the same power bank to charge your phone, your earbuds, etc. This Olight custom power bank will charge only the flashlight and nothing else.
And some people will have USB chargers that run off M12 or 12V MAX batteries. I bet those will charge that flashlight about a Jillion Times ™.
James C
I think they’re just testing the waters with something that’s pretty new to the flashlight world (afaik). Sure, a power bank would be much more practical for people like you and me, but I’m sure they have a segment of their audience that would be woo’d by cord-free charging and wouldn’t ever dream of removing a battery to charge it (let alone own a charger).
I suppose this is the natural progression of using proprietary batteries.
Koko The Talking Ape
Oh, but you don’t need to remove the battery either way. The regular Baton comes with a charging cord. One end has a little disk that attaches magnetically to the flashlight; I guess it has a coil in it for inductive charging. The other end is just a USB-C plug. It can go in any USB wall charger or, I’m assuming, the usual power bank you might carry for your phone. The Baton version of the power bank just does away with the cord.
Stuart
It’s compact and simple. Flashlight goes in and recharges, and when you get home you can charge up the power bank again. There are no wires to carry on-the-go, and it’s optimized for charging the flashlight.
Cordless power tool chargers are very convenient, but they’re also not compact.
Let’s say you’re using a power bank for your cell phone. Ordinarily you might need to carry extra batteries for your flashlight.
It’s a neat idea, one that might or might not gain traction.
Right now it’s only bundled in the Baton 3 premium kits, but I’d bet we’ll eventually see it as a separate accessory if it sells well.
Koko The Talking Ape
“Optimized for charging the flashlight? How so?
The power bank I carry around for my phone is smaller than a pack of cards, and has two short cords built in. I guess you’d need a female-female adapter to connect the regular Baton’s charging cord. But there are other power banks that just have USB-C ports. The Baton’s cord would plug right in.
It’s true, cordless power chargers aren’t tiny, but I was thinking that people might have one in the truck already.
Wayne R.
I’m thinking a true customer for these power bank doodads will be the spelunkers & Arctic/Antarctic winter-overers who’re just in the dark for extreme periods of time without handy AC sources or solar panels. Maybe.
Maybe industrial maintenance people with rolling toolcarts who have cordless everything else too. Maybe two lights, one in the bank, swapping them out. People working backstage or in crawl spaces all day.
I’m not sold on the power bank concept either, but I’ve no doubt there will be people with surprising uses for these things.
Koko The Talking Ape
Oh, I carry around a little powerbank all the time, because sometimes I absolutely cannot have my phone die on me. Mine is also a wall charger, so it doesn’t take up any more room, and only weighs a bit more, than the charger I would be carrying around anyway. It can also charge the regular Baton 3 or whatever else has a USB-A or C jack. It could even run my laptop (for not very long though.)
My objection to this Olight doodad is not that it’s a powerbank, it’s that it’s a powerbank that charges this particular flashlight and nothing else. I’m sure it works, but you could get one forabout the same money that can charge other stuff. Or you could spend more money and get a bigger one, etc.