Olight has launched a new flash sale to celebrate their 16th anniversary. Their latest flashlight deals include a wide range of products – from the Baton 3 Pro EDC flashlight, to the Marauder Mini outdoors light.
The flash sale is set to end at 11:59pm ET 4/22/23, or while supplies last.
Everyone that logs in gets a free gift automatically added to their cart. Anyone that had registered and previously placed an order with Olight gets a free i16 rechargeable keychain flashlight. New customers, or anyone whose past orders were $5 and under, gets a free i3E in olive drab green.
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The i16 delivers 180 lumens max and charges via USB-C, and the i3E delivers 90 lumens max and is powered by a single AAA battery.
As usual, the flash sale has “free with purchase” tiers where you get bonus items added to larger orders.
Sale items include the Arkfeld flat-format flashlight, Baton 3 Pro, Marauder Mini, Perun 3 headlamp, Obulb, and new optionally app-supported Obulb Pro.
Olight has introduced the new Seeker 3 Pro LED flashlight in time for this flash sale.
It delivers up to 4200 lumens and is powered by a customized 21700-size 5000mAh battery.
Olight provided me with a Seeker 3 Pro flashlight for testing, and I have been using it alongside the older Seeker 2 Pro.
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Compared to its predecessor, the Seeker 3 Pro has 4 emitters in the front, compared to 3, and an upgraded user interface that adds a rotary switch. It also has a built-in proximity switch that dials down the brightness if the flashlight is placed in its holster, a pocket, or face-down.
The Seeker 3 Pro comes with a belt holster and MCC3 magnetic charging cable that delivers up to 2A.
Sale Price: $104.96
For $3 more, I’d recommend the bundle with the Seeker 3 Pro and i5T in black. The i5T is an AA light.
In my opinion, the Baton 3 Pro – on sale as part of these deals in white and copper – is an EDC-type light more suited for pocket-carry. It’s also half the price. The Arkfeld has a slim form factor due to it not using a cylindrical cell.
The Seeker 3 Pro – like the Seeker 2 Pro I had been using on occasion, is best carried in its included belt holster (or similar 3rd party accessory), or in a tool bag. There’s also a very small lanyard hole.
The tradeoff of the Seeker 3 Pro not being particularly pocket-friendly, with the same being true for all 21700-powered flashlights I’ve ever used, is that’s it’s a more comfortable hand size. It’s comparable in length to popular 2x CR123 flashlights and the like, but just a little thicker due to the larger diameter battery.
Olight also fills in part of the handle with a textured rubber-like material for increased grip.
Although the light green “mint” color of my Seeker 2 Pro sample helps it stand out better, the Seeker 3 Pro is – in my opinion so far – a better flashlight all around.
Jason+S.
I just cannot bring myself to buying a $100+ flashlight. What am I missing? I have a decent Coast flashlight that I think I got for $25 as a holiday special two years ago. I’ve maybe changed the batteries twice. I guess I’m old, but I just don’t see the need for a rechargeable flashlight at this price point. How nice could a flashlight be??
Stuart
Let’s talk about water bottles.
If you drink out of a bottle five times a year, it’s more economical to buy a case from the supermarket. If you need a drink, you pull a bottle. When you run out, you go get another bottle.
Let’s say you drink from a water bottle every day. It might be more economical for you to buy a bottle designed for refill and reuse. You can get an inexpensive plastic bottle, insulated metal bottles, and all kinds of fancy features depending on your needs and wants.
Olight and other rechargeable flashlights are kind of like that.
If you don’t understand the benefit of rechargeable lights, they’re probably not for you.
With this sale, you can get just the free gift for $5 shipping, compared to the i3e’s everyday price of $10 (https://www.amazon.com/OLIGHT-i3E-EOS-Flashlight-Flashlite/dp/B017R560WC/?tag=toolguyd-20).
Without knowing exactly which Coast you have, rechargeable lights are almost all going to be brighter.
I bought a Fenix 2x AA light years ago, and alkaline batteries couldn’t deliver as much power as it optimally needed. Disposable lithium or rechargeable NiMH batteries unlocked its full brightness modes.
Tech today is similar. Alkaline batteries can power reasonably bright flashlights, but NiMH and Li-ion batteries are needed for brighter performance.
Even if you have say a light that’s powered with CR123 lithium batteries, you need access to spares or a backup. With a rechargeable light, you can top off the energy and know you’ll have enough light to walk the dog, etc.
Some users need rechargeable lights. Some prefer them. And some needs are well met with simpler flashlights powered by alkaline batteries.
I was adverse to the concept for the lonest time, and dove headfirst at ToolGuyd readers’ encouragement and request.
Olight’s sales are time-sensitive, but I have many more posts and reviews on the way.
I still prefer lights with alkaline, NiMH, and disposable lithium cells for certain purposes, it really depends on use.
The Seeker 2 Pro I’ve had for a while – also provided by Olight – gets recharged a couple of times a year, as I don’t use it as much as my other lights.
As for the question of how nice a flashlight can be? You don’t want to know.
Fazal Majid
There are plenty of much cheaper rechargeable options than Olight, which will also have better color fidelity (high CRI) than Olight’s medioce LEDs, like the Wurkkos FC11 or the Convoy S21E. AliExpress is often the best place to get them without Amazon’s markups.
Reddit has a great list:
https://www.reddit.com/r/flashlight/comments/zsa1sz/arbitrary_list_of_popular_lights_winter_solstice/
Jared
Here’s my shortcut when I’m trying to explain it:
Regular ole halogen headlights on a car are ~1000 lumens, so the first time I powered on my 2200 lumen Nitecore EC4s, it made me giggle. It’s a LOT of light for such a tiny handheld thing.
Maybe that doesn’t appeal to you the way it does me. No judgement. Perhaps I’m the strange one.
Drew M
There definitely are better, safer and less expensive lights out there than ANYTHING O-light makes.
However, Stuart doesn’t get paid to shill those lights.
MoogleMan3
Came to post this. I have a few olights, and while they have some awesome designs, their tints are horrid. Either way too blue or on my worst one, a nasty shade of green, and I imagine they have a lowish CRI as well.
r/flashlights on reddit is a great resource, but a slippery slope. They do have a “megathread” with recommendations for those looking to make a quick choice.
Nothing against Stuart for being an olight fan, but there’s far better options for less money.
Bill
Could you give us a list of those better options and a few points that make them a better option?
MoogleMan3
In general, prices are often lower than comparable olights, but most have two major advantages: the first being use of off the shelf 18650, 1400 or other lithium cells. I really dislike proprietary batteries. That means you’re locked into that particular manufacturer. The second, and biggest advantage is way better emitters. You can usually count on lights lauded by enthusiasts to carry high quality emitters having features like high CRI, choice of light temp, etc.
My personal preference is 5000K high CRI. It’s extremely close to mid-day sunlight, and colors are accurate.
Copy-pasta from the latest megathread:
The Quick List
If you’re not interested in flashlights as a hobby, you should probably just get one of these
All of the lights in this section come with a rechargeable battery and have a charger built in to the light. The battery will be a standard size you can buy online from third parties, and the charger will use USB as its power source, though some options do use a special cable. Aside from the Catapult, all have very good color quality compared to the average LED flashlight, improving your ability to see details. In this section, I’ve linked good places to buy the lights rather than the manufacturer.
This section is strongly influenced by what is available for purchase within the US. Changes from last time reflect current availability and may be updated before the next list as that changes.
Wurkkos FC11 – a general-use light for $33. USB-C charging, and it now has proper C-to-C support. There’s a strong magnet in the tailcap, and a pocket clip for carry. A 25mm (1 inch) diameter and 120mm (4.7 inches) long is suitable for larger pants pockets. I think most people will like 4000K or 5000K, which look like afternoon and midday sunlight, respectively. 2700K is available for those who miss the look of incandescents. 18650 battery.
Skilhunt M150 with high-CRI Nichia 519A LED option – a smaller everyday carry light with many characteristics similar to the FC11, but a smaller (14500 size) battery and magnetic charging connector. This light can also use AA batteries, both rechargeable and disposable, but the built-in charger only works with a 14500. 21mm (0.82″) at its widest point and 84mm (3.3″) long. $40
Skilhunt M200 v3 with high-CRI Nichia 519A LED option – a larger everyday carry light with USB-magnetic charging that could be described as a bigger M150 or a nicer FC11. Compared to the FC11, it’s smaller and lighter, maintains higher brightness over time, charges faster, and has more pleasant tint. Unlike older versions of this light, the pocket clip is excellent. $64
Acebeam EC35 II, Killzone special edition with SST-20. I swear I’m not trying to favor Killzone here, but this one is a dealer exclusive. The T-word is overused in marketing, but many would describe this as a handheld tactical light or duty light. This is a great option for situations where the user might need light quickly in a stressful situation because the tailswitch is high-only with other functions on the sideswitch. If you think you want a single-mode light, you probably want this instead. USB-C charging (A-to-C again), and it’s a USB powerbank (C-to-C works for this). $77 with bundled 18650 battery, $67 if you bring your own battery.
Skilhunt H04 RC with high-CRI Nichia 519A – a headlamp, right-angle handheld, and magnetic work light all in one. This version has a beaded optic with a somewhat diffused beam, but there’s also a reflector version with a little more focus. This version has USB-magnetic charging, but it’s available without for a lower price. $64 with the optional bundled 18650 battery and coupon code “reddit”.
Sofirn SP36 (Anduril/LH351D version) – a large high-output light with three 18650 batteries and a $67 price tag. It has USB-C charging, a USB powerbank function, and a more complex user interface, but basic operation is similar to most of the others in this section. If you need to light up a room for a long time, or light up a field, this is up to the task. I think most people will like 4000K or 5000K, which look like afternoon and midday sunlight, respectively. 2700K is sometimes available for those who miss the look of incandescents.
Thrunite Catapult Pro – a long-range light able to provide fairly good visibility at 500m and detect large objects at twice that. This one doesn’t have good color quality of the other options in this section. 26650 battery included, and USB-C charging. Usually $80.
Bill
MoogleMan, thank you for the thorough response below.
Bill
or above
MoogleMan3
No problem. 🙂
If you ever really want to fall into the rabbit hole, check out the megathread on r/flashlights.
Stuart
There’s also https://www.candlepowerforums.com/ .
Jared
That’s a bit oversimplified.
Olight doesn’t make the cheapest lights measured by lumens-per-dollar, nor do they make the MOST rugged and premium flashlights on the market. However, you won’t need to spend hours learning about discharge rates, unprotected cells, chargers, etc., to safely operate them, I’ve never had a problem with mine, many models are available in different color temperatures AND you also get very good performance for the money.
They’re neither an “enthusiast-only” nor a super-premium and expensive light. That’s why I like the brand.
What’s your brand of choice so we can make a comparison? Streamlight and Nitecore are popular and a little more upscale from Olight – what’s the price tag for one of their flashlights that has similar specs to the Seeker 3 pro? I bet it’s a lot higher, but I’m open to being wrong.
The Streamlight “wedge” 88811 comes to mind as making a good comparison to the Olight Arkfeld, for example. The Streamlight is $86 and maxes out at 300 lumens. The Olight Arkfeld is $77, comes with a “bonus” I3T and maxes out at 1000 lumens.
I guess my point is that you can spend more to get more, but that doesn’t make Olight junk. If you’re not going to make flashlights a hobby, Olight is good value and a safe bet.
Stuart
I feel that Olight is a gateway brand. They make it easy for beginners to transition from alkaline battery flashlights to rechargeables. A lot of users don’t go further. Some then go onto other brands where you need to pick a flashlight, 3rd party batteries, and a 3rd party charger. Others stay with Olight and start collecting based on colorway and special features.
I’ve found that a lot of “there’s so much better out there” people get lost in their own preferences that they forget not everyone is or wants to be an enthusiast.
Franco
Both Stuart and Jared pretty much hit the nail on the head. For the non-enthusiast who wants an enthusiast type flashlight, Olight is a great brand to start with.
Stuart
I DON’T get paid to review these either.
You can not like Olight and disagree with my opinions, but false accusations are uncalled for.
Every single time I post about Olight, and in between, I receive 3 or 4 offers to review more lights from other brands. Every brand either has a direct affiliate program or relationships with retailers (such as Amazon) that have an affiliate program.
I decline because I still have a backlog of lights I bought for testing. I haven’t posted about them yet because they’re all very close with respect to features and quality, and just when I’m ready to start drafting a review, the specs have gone up another 100 lumens and the model number have changed.
Pick a brand, I can get a test sample one way or the other, if I don’t have one already. I also have a healthy budget for EDC gear samples. I only draw the line at lights that work with protected vs unprotected batteries.
Some of the Olight reps I’ve talked to can be a little pushy about getting new flashlights in my hand, and if I say no, they offer another. If I pass on that too, they’ll accept and offer a test sample of something else the next month for a different flash sale.
Maybe some reviewers are paid/sponsored, but I’m not.
Aside from reps changing every couple of months, Olight doesn’t act any differently – at least with me – than any other brand I have ever worked with.
Jason+S.
That’s one thing I really appreciate about your site Stuart – it’s clear that you show a variety of brands and you do not push a particular brand or company. I appreciate your unbiased opinions and sometimes the obscure brands and tools that you share.
I’m still not buying a $100 flashlight, but I appreciate ya!
AlexK
With around ten years of reading toolguyd, I’ve never felt that Stuart pushed anything for profit. He likes specific tools from all different brands and like all of us, has his favorites. The comment section is where people add more information so others can make informed decisions. He doesn’t block comments like yours, nor does he block comments from people who like other lights. I bought an inexpensive olight ir2. Mainly because I saw a review and sale price on here. It has lived on my keychain since around Christmas. I don’t like how hard I have to turn the head to activate, and I wish it was a bit brighter and had wide and narrow focus. There is a “boost” that makes it very bright, but I only use it briefly so as to not drain the rechargeable battery.
I have a love/hate relationship with this light. What I love is how it lives unnoticed on my keychain, but knowing it’s there, is a comfort. If I need a light, it’s always going to be there, just like my multitool. I like to be prepared.
This isn’t a flashlight based site to see lots of reviews of different brands of flashlights. He likes olight. A big part of why I (and other regulars) come here daily is in part, to read reviews, but also, because when you’ve read all his posts, you see his character. And that builds trust. If he had to push things he doesn’t believe in, just to make a living, I’m sure he would stop this site, and could make a fine living with the degrees he has.
Aaron+S
toolguyd and olight is what started me on frivolous flashlight purchases. I have a few of the midranges -nothing crazy! but I usually have a light or two easily at hand and an array of them nearby so I can grab whatever suits me in the moment. with all that, the olight i3t is usually my favorite. bright enough for casual moments, small and light but with decent feel in the hand. 2 brightness modes but no “interface” I have to learn
kcmap
The i5T is a nice light for about $30 at times…the rest is out of my price range…
Stuart
The i5T is indeed a nice light. $25 and change at Amazon right now – https://www.amazon.com/Flashlight-Dual-Output-Camping-Distance-Powered/dp/B0833Q8BSP/?tag=toolguyd-20 .
I like giving the i3T and i5T as gifts. I also shop the Olight sales for special colors that stand out better.
James+C
I ordered one of the new Obulbs. They aren’t really the best worklight so maybe not of much interest around here. They are absolutely amazing for getting our kid to take a bath since they’re waterproof, float, and can do things like change color. They’d also be good for camping, mood lighting, etc (as advertised).
Stuart
I’ve been testing the new one too, although I haven’t connected it to the app yet.
My wife asked what’s it for. I’m not sure if I’ll have a practical use for it, but it is fun.
I ordered the small Obulb astronaut holder a while back. But yeah – they’re more lifestyle products – definitely not worklights.
Franco
They make great night lights beside your bed. Good for not disturbing your spouse when reading in bed, getting up in the middle of the night with turning on a bright light…and similar.
Franco
“withOUT turning on a bright light”…correction
Aaron+S
My kids love the obulb along with plastic cups in the bath. they make little lamps with the light in the colored cup and pour water back and forth
Jared
Well, I couldn’t resist the i16. They had the same offer on the Canadian site.
That seems like an awesome little light. Can’t wait to try it out. 180 lumens from something that small – and built-in USB-C charging? Sweet
BigTimeTommy
I hated my olight i3t and replaced it with whatever the $20 AAA streamlight is. The low setting was too dim to be much use and the high setting would cause the flashlight to quickly overheat. Really careless design imo
Stuart
What battery did you use it with?
I prefer the Olight to my Streamlight Microstream, and never had either overheat. I use NiMH or disposable lithium without issues.
BigTimeTommy
Alkaline and nimh. I was using it as my daily work flashlight so I’d often have it clipped to my hat for 10+ minutes at a time. The body of the light would get hot enough that I could feel the heat radiating on my face. But I’ll admit it probably didn’t help that I often work in 100+ degree temperatures.
Rethinking things I should’ve said I hated it as a work flashlight, and the microstream has performed better for that purpose. I had the i3t in my travel bag for a while and the low mode is perfect for trying to find something in your bag in the dark. The microstream feels like a better all-arounder to me and more robust than the i3t.
Stuart
I’m curious and will see if I can replicate that.
I don’t often work in 100+ weather, and I don’t usually reach for an i3T or Microstream for prolonged use.
Flashlight specs have changed so much over the past few years that I might not be able to.
My only complaint about the Microstream (alkaline or rechargeable Li-ion) is the stiff clicky switch. It’s similar to the Stylus Pro, but a little harder to press since there’s less flashlight to grip.
Tom
I had the same issue with my first i3T, a lot of people swear by them but they are just not functionally sufficient for me, form factor is great though.
I only ever tried the supplied AAA battery.
Doug N
Olights are high quality, but the leds inside are a different story. Usually low CRI, blue-ish white color temperature. Not acceptable for the high prices they charge.
I was turned on to Convoy brand lights from browsing BudgetLightForum. The owner, Simon, sells direct but only through Aliexpress, and shipping from China can be slow unless you pay a premium for expedited. https://convoy.aliexpress.com/store/1100591265
But the lights are an amazing value, great quality, huge variety of designs, and best part is you can choose exactly what emitter and color temperature you want for most lights. Can’t say enough good things about this store.
Stuart
Yep – this one is cool white. The Seeker 2 is warmer, but the beam seems muddy, with no better way to describe it.
Koko The Talking Ape
For just logging in, you get a flashlight for nothing (plus $5 for shipping.) Not a bad deal! I like that little i3E. Tiny and dead simple
Jared
I like the I3e too – it’s a good keychain light. That was the first Olight I bought and I still have it many years later. The black coating is worn, but it works just as well as ever. There’s other good mini lights in the $10-20 range, so it’s not like it’s the only game in town, but when it’s only $5?
Stuart
I received my first i3e flashlight for free when I bought a telescope eyepiece from a camera shop. I wouldn’t have bought one otherwise, but it has definitely proven useful. I wish they were offered in more colors, but I suppose that’s what the i3T is for.
Scott F
I3e is my favorite light, have about 10 of them from various freebies over the years – the i15 from this event last year is great and I’ll certainly take the i16, but I like the small size and mouth carry about ease of the i3e. Dual brightness of i16 is nice though – it’s a great light.
I bought (or received as freebie) the Seeker 2 a couple years back – and then won the Seeker 3 Pro spinning the wheel on the Christmas promotion. I like the proximity sensor/brightness adjustment of the 3, but otherwise I’m much more a fan of the Seeker 2.. the spin-button on the 3 annoys me. That’s really my biggest gripe, I want the light to turn on when I press the button – don’t make me spin it around to some brightness level first.
Either way – the free lights are both great, and I like and appreciate all of my olights. Most of the ones I have were freebies, but I also have the two seekers, had and lost a baton, and have the i5t and i3t which are nice in their own regard. I would not buy either of the latter two again as they don’t fit my need as well as the others – believe I only bought them to get a free i3e in prior sales where a purchase was required.
Marc Cohen
Someone asked for comparable flashlight. I have had a number of (chinese made) SoFirn lights for years and have been happy with all of them. One I lost in the snow in the middle of winter, found it in the springtime and it turned on instantly and works fine. I had one fail with a wonky switch that would turn on and off by itself. After sending a video of it happening they sent me a brand new flashlight (same model but without battery as the battery I had was fine). I consider that decent customer service.
So for this I’m going to compare the OLight Baton 3 Pro to the SoFirnLight SC31 Pro. Note below O: = Olight and S: = Sofirn.
Price: O: $52.49 S: $25.73 (Prices are current as of this email, includes shipping and battery)
Lumens: O: 1,500 S: 2,000
Color: O: ?? S: 6500K
LED: O: CW S: SST40
Max Distance: O: 175 meters S: 226 Meters
Battery: Both: 18650 O: 3200mAh S: 3000 mAh
Weight: O: 3.63 oz S: 3.74 oz
Length: O: 3.99 in S: 4.6 in
Waterproof: Both: IPX8
As you can see they are pretty comparable, except the SoFirn is half the price and 33% brighter. A few things to note, the SoFirn ships from California and it has a complicated UI, called Anduril 2.0. You can use it out of the box without getting into the UI. On/Off with one click. Hold the button to ramp up or down in brightness. The SoFirn charges via a USB-C cable which is NOT included.
I would probably compare the Olight’s Seeker 3 Pro 4200 with 4 LED to SoFirn’s IF25A 3800 with 4 SST20 LEDs
Both use 21700 Batteries the Olight is 5000 mAh and the SoFirn is 4000 mAh.
The Olight is $107.06 and the SoFirn is $36.59 (but ships from China).
Like the Olights, the SoFirns are currently on sale. And the prices would seem to be indicative of a cheap product but I currently own 3 SoFirns (2x SC31 Pros and 1 SD01 6000 Lumen Scuba Flashlight) and I’ve been extremely pleased with all 3, but especially the SC31 Pros.
Jared
The SC31 Pro doesn’t look bad. Seems like a good deal to me, at least on paper!
One my concerns with buying flashlights is how popular it is to advertise numbers the light can’t actually achieve. Not saying that’s the case with Sofirn, but do they publish how long can it hold it’s peak 2000 lumen and high output modes?
E.g. even with lights that can back up their peak lumen claims, sometimes testing will show that they hit that number for 10-15 seconds before starting to dim. Other times the numbers prove to be completely imaginary or based on “theoretical” maxes that the hardware can’t support in reality.
Nitecore and Streamlight – and Olight for that matter – usually provide runtimes for each mode and testing backs up those numbers.
Franco
Jared, I have a few Sofirn lights, they are nowhere as well known as Olight, Streamlight, and Nitecore. But, they are every bit as good, or in some cases better. And the prices are very good…regular & sale prices.
mikedt
My go to flashlight nowadays is a Sofirn SC31 Pro with magnetic end cap. Takes regular or rechargeable batteries (18650) has an USB-C socket to charge said battery, a LED illuminated switch and variable output. Can be found on Amazon, direct from Sofirn or via aliexpress. Currently $23 and comes in diff colors.
MtnRanch
This looked interesting until I saw the part about the rubberized insert on the handle. After a few years this will probably become a gooey, sticky mess like a lot of rubberized grips. No thanks to that “feature”. A plain, knurled aluminum handle is all I need to keep it from slipping out of my hand plus it’s cheaper and more durable.
I do like the fact that it has a spot for a lanyard. It’s great to know that you can let go of a light without losing it.
Stuart
That’s why I made sure to mention it. I tend to prefer plain metal handles as well.
My older Seeker 2 Pro sample has NOT gotten icky or sticky yet. I would assume they used a high temp and more stable adhesive that is less likely to degrade over time or use.