Flashlight Reviews

The Streamlight Wedge is the latest in Streamlight’s line of EDC flashlights. We first saw glimpses of the Wedge at the end of 2020, but in early 2021 we got the full details of this little fella. I knew off the bat I wanted one. I’ve downsized my pocket light to nothing more than a 100-lumen penlight because of how annoyed I get trying to get in and out of my pocket with bigger lights. The Wedge gains its name from its wedge-like shape.

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It’s flat and thin and designed to fit in the pocket with ease. I like Streamlight a good deal. I use their weapon lights extensively and also carried a Streamlight Sidewinder on my overseas adventures. The Sidewinder sold me on Streamlight’s durability and made me a forever fan. From Africa to Afghanistan, the Sidewinder endured more abuse than it had any right to. Streamlight was kind enough to provide me a pre-release sample for test and review, and I was more than happy enough to oblige them.

General Dimensions and Construction

The Streamlight Wedge is 5.46 inches long, 1 inch wide, and .5 inches thick, and weighs a total of 3.3 ounces. Streamlight designed the Wedge for low-key pocket carry without being obstructive or intrusive to your daily life. The square-like design does very little to fill your pocket, and the light sits in nice and flat.

Streamlight used aluminum in the construction of the light for a very tough and rugged design. The outside is anodized and comes in gunmetal gray and FDE. Aluminum gives it a rather tough design that’s resistant to the elements as well as drops and falls. The anodization also corrosion and provides an external layer of protection to the raw aluminum.

Fit and finish are outstanding, and Streamlight designed the light to be pocket-friendly. Every corner is rounded and smoothed out. There is no ultra-aggressive texturing that could rub through a pocket. The bottom of the light has slight finger grooves with small trenches for a good grip.

The Streamlight Wedge reeks of high-quality construction and feels great in your hand and pocket. It’s also shaped to be easy to bite down on when working with both hands.

Output, Runtime, and UI

Streamlight designed the Wedge with two output modes. The first is a basic 300 lumen light that is back by 1,200 candela, which is quite powerful for such a small light. Our second model is called the THRO mode. THRO stands for Temporary Heightened Regulated Output. Swapping to the THRO modes grants you 1000 lumens and 3000 candela for a 35-second burst.

Either mode grants you a bright white beam that’s more on the cool scale than hot. In both modes, the beam provides a massive hotspot that’s designed more to fill a room than be super focused for long-range use. As far as an EDC light goes, a good amount of spill is a must-have. It’s made for standard urban environments where a lot of throw isn’t necessary.

That being said, the THRO mode effectively doubles your range and gives you a light better suited for outdoor environments. If you are trying to navigate the dark with an added layer of fog or rain, then the THRO mode becomes quite handy.

I live in a dark rural environment without streetlights and any ambient light outside of the moon and stars. I’ve no issues on early morning dog walks with the Wedge. When I hear something poking around in the woods around me, I hit the THRO mode and spot the rabbit, opossum, or armadillo that’s stumbling around.

In practical use, the standard mode provides a beam that allows me to see things in perfect detail out to 25 yards. With the THRO mode, that ranges doubles to about 50 yards. The beam obviously goes further, but beyond those ranges, you won’t see everything in crystal clear detail.

Again, as far as a small, pocket-friendly EDC light, the Wedge is more powerful than most.

As far as the user interface goes, the design is very simple. You have a black toggle switch. Push it forward, and the light comes on. Push it a position beyond on to activate the THRO mode. The THRO mode is only momentary, and when the switch is released, it falls back to normal 300-lumen operation. After 35 seconds, it will automatically dial back to 300 lumens and ‘cool’ down.

The toggle switch is flush fitting with the body of the Wedge, and this helps the toggle from accidentally turning on in your pocket. This way, your battery doesn’t die, and the hot light doesn’t give you a little burn. The toggle has a textured portion for easy activation, and it does require a good press and seems resistant to accidental pushes.

Streamlight used an internal battery in the design of the Wedge. This rechargeable battery uses a USB C cable to recharge the light. Max battery life is three hours, and the toggle has a battery indicator. Green means you’re good, but red means your battery is getting low.

Ergonomics and Carry

Design-wise this is the most comfortable light I’ve ever had the please to carry. When it comes to size to comfort ratio, the Wedge is tough to beat. I can clip it in my pocket alongside my knife and forget about it. If I use that same pocket to carry my keys, cash, or assorted junk, I can reach in my pocket and retrieve those goods without the light getting in the way.

Round lights constantly got in my way and forced me to adopt a smaller penlight out of frustration. The Wedge minds its own business and lets me get my stuff without frustration.

A reversible pocket clip allows you to carry it tip down in either pocket without issue. Swapping the pocket clip takes very little effort, and it’s a mere two bolts. The Wedge comes with an optional lanyard, but I don’t have a need for it.

While the light is small and unobstructed, it’s still very comfortable in hand. You have plenty of real estate to grab the light and hold it comfortably. The thin nature allows you to use both the light and hold stuff in the same hand at the same time. It’s quite convenient for two-handed tasks where you still might need some light.

Streamlight Wedge Review – Final Thoughts

The Wedge has earned its place as my go-to EDC light now. It’s just so dang convienent. I like the way it slides into my pocket and stays out of my way. I like that it shares a charging cable with my cell phone and gives me 300 to 1,000 lumens at my fingertips. Streamlight has made a very competent, pocket-friendly, and ergonomic EDC light for the daily tasks of everyone. It’s the perfect daily (or nightly) companion.

Streamlight 88810 Wedge 300-Lumen Slim Everyday Carry Flashlight, Includes USB-C Cord, Lanyard, Black, Box Packaged

• Designed for clean pocket carry
• 300 lumens; runs 3 hours / THRO Mode: 1000 lumens
• USB-C Rechargeable
• Deep carry pocket clip attaches on either side of light
• Made of rugged anodized aluminum with a waterproof USB-C port; IPX7 waterproof to 1 meter; 1 meter impact resistance tested

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I recommend buying the Streamlight Wedge at Amazon.

It has been a while since we last reviewed a flashlight. Grayson reviewed the Prometheus Beta QR V2 back in January of 2018. So, yeah. It has been a minute. Personally, I’ve never reviewed one, so this will be the first.

Buy the Warrior X Pro at OlightStore.com

I like flashlights, but tend to be a one and done kind of guy until I need a different style of light. Ironically, I’m that way with most things. Currently, my rotation of lights includes a Streamlight Microstream, a Prometheus Lights Preon P1 MKIII, and a MKIII Turbo with the headlamp kit. All 3 of those lights rock for their respective purposes. I EDC the Microstream and Preon P1 constantly. The MKIII Turbo gets used as a headlamp in more extreme situations.

I was missing a high powered thrower in my little collection. My dad has an old Thrunight Catapult, and while he doesn’t use it every day, it’s great to have when he needs it. He tells me one time someone was trespassing in his yard in the middle of the night, and he used the light to put them on blast; literally. It’s stories like these that made me pine for my own high powered thrower. Preferably one with a crenulated strike bezel.

So when Olight contacted me about reviewing one of their lights, the Warrior X Pro was at the top of my list. They have some cool EDC lights that I would like to check out as well. Ben reviewed the S1 Baton back in the day, which is arguably their most popular model, but the Warrior X Pro fills a void on my flashlight collection. This light was provided to me free of charge for a review. All thoughts are my own, and they are very much the thoughts of a casual flashlight user. Don’t expect a Candlepower Forums in depth review. I’m just a regular guy that owns a few lights.

General Dimensions and Construction

The Warrior X Pro has an overall length of 5.875″ and weighs 8.43 oz. with the battery, and 5.6 without. Compared with an EDC light, this Warrior is huge, but next to something like my dad’s old Thrunight Catapult it’s actually quite compact. The emitter head is deep, designed to accommodate a deep reflector and throw the beam out 600M, and it has a strike bezel. The light appears to be mostly made of aluminum and has been hard anodized a handsome gunmetal gray. My last car came in similar shade, so maybe I’m a little biased, but I like the color.

Here’s a size comparison with my Preon P1 MKIII:

Fit and finish is excellent. At the time of writing this article, the Warrior X Pro retails for around $130. It looks well built to me. The anodization is smooth and even. There are no unintentionally sharp edges or machining marks. The emitter appears to be slightly off center, but that doesn’t seem to impact the output or beam pattern (more on that later). The body tube and head appear to be one solid piece of aluminum, which is impressive if they milled this from a solid block of aluminum.

The only threads are on the tail cap. These are square threads, and the tail cap unscrews in an easy, fluid manner to reveal double o-rings and the friction fit pocket clip. There has to be a way to remove the bezel to get to the internals, but it evades me. Olight proclaims that this light has survived a 3 meter drop test. I haven’t attempted that personally, but it’s good to know. I will say that this is an impressive piece of hardware that I fully expect to last many years.

Olight ships this light with both a belt pouch, and a pocket clip. They also include 2 grip rings: one in anodized aluminum, and another that is rubberized. The clip is a friction fit clip, but then the aluminum grip ring slips down over it.

Personally, I’ve using the light with the rubberized ring and the belt pouch (or “holster” as Olight calls it), but if I were camping I might like the versatility of having a pocket clip. They also included a lanyard. That’s the nice thing, you can switch things up. Options are good.

Output, Runtime, and UI

The reason this light is on your radar is the awe inspiring 2,250 lumens of output. Prior to the Warrior X Pro, my most powerful light was the Foursevens Mini Turbo MKIII. I thought that was a bright light, and it is. Especially if you are going to use it in a neighborhood. But the Warrior X Pro is so goddamn bright I’m afraid to use the light in public. This is for good reason. The flashlight is incredibly bright and throws to great distances. Olight says this thing can hit distances of up to 600M. That’s about a third of a mile. While I haven’t tested the claim, I don’t doubt it. This light is born to throw.

At first I tried playing around with the Warrior X Pro in my neighborhood. I used it to hit the tops of some tall pine trees a couple hundred yards away. They lit up like a birthday cake. It was cool, but you have to be extremely careful with a light like this in a populated setting. You could blind someone, or at the very least seriously piss them off. You don’t want to shine it at someone’s house, and you have to be very careful about using this around people driving cars. This light could easily cause a car accident.

Really a light like this is meant for a more rural setting. That’s where I had to take it to understand the Warrior X Pro’s true potential. This light is designed to cover some ground. If you have a big property, or spend a lot of nights camping, or work outside at night, hunt at night, or are part of a SEAL Team, then this could be a great fit. If you are looking for something to use while walking the dog in your deed restricted community, well, prepare to get a nastygram from your HOA.

Of course there is a low setting. Low emits a mere 300 lumens from the front of the light. That’s still bright, but you could get away with using it in a more suburban setting. For dog walking or just general use at night. It would be appropriate for use at a public campground or something like that. The high setting is when you really need to go the distance.

The User Interface (UI) on this light is dead simple. There is a large metal clicky button on the tail cap. Press down halfway for low, and press down fully for high. Hold your thumb down for momentary on, and press it down quickly to keep it on. It’s simple, it’s intuitive, and a it works well. Also, this tail cap is designed so you can tailstand the light. Good if you are trying to signal an airplane or debut a nightclub or something.

While the UI is straightforward the battery is much more controversial. It uses a customized 21700 Li-Ion rechargeable battery. It’s very similar to a regular 21700, but has been tweaked. From what I understand, a regular 21700 will not work in this light. This decision will draw the ire of the hardcore flashlight enthusiast. Enthusiasts want to be able to use their own batteries, swap batteries, etc. If you are like me, and this is the only 21700 light in your collection, then it probably won’t matter. I am an occasional user of this light at best. I don’t have a bunch of extra batteries for it. But for some, this will be a deal breaker.

It’s kind of like proprietary hardware on a pocket knife. The guys that really like to tinker will decide to buy the special tools for that particular knife. Or they won’t buy it in the first place. Personally, I’ve never been that way about knives, and I’m not outraged by the proprietary battery on this light either.

Part of the reason why the battery doesn’t upset me, is because I’m a light user, and Olight included a magnetic USB charger, and everything works really well. I don’t need to fiddle around with the battery to charge it. I just plug the USB charger into my laptop, slap the magnetic charger on top of the clicky button, and it charges. It’s a beautiful system.

The way this light works, is on a full charge it hits high for 2 minutes, then drops to 1000 lumens for 1 hour 40 minutes, then runs on low for 23 minutes. Or you can use the light on low for 8 hours. If you use this light for extended periods of time and need to carry multiple batteries with you, then I could see where wanting to run any old 21700 battery makes sense. Especially when Olight is charging $28 for an extra battery. As I mentioned earlier, “Options Are Good”, and conversely a lack of options is not good.

The nice thing is that there are competitive lights on the marketplace, and if this proprietary battery sticks in your craw, then you can decide to buy a different light. You could protest with pitchforks and torches on Main Street, or simply vote with your wallet. I’m not a fan of crowds, so I tend to do the latter.

Ergonomics and Carry

This is a big light, and it will never win any awards for ease of carry. For EDC I rotate between my Preon P1, and a Streamlight Microstream. The single AAA format is perfect for my needs as a self proclaimed “normal dude”. I live on a postage stamp sized lot in a suburban neighborhood. Ironically, I use my flashlight the most indoors at night, to navigate around the house before bed or to peer into the dark confines underneath my desk or behind my couch.

In comparison to an EDC flashlight, a light like this will always be an ordeal to carry. The belt pouch is usually the way to go for dedicated carry. It’s a sturdy nylon pouch, MOLLE ready, and with a magnetic clasp. But in a pinch the pocket clip works. Actually, it works quite well, holding the light in place.

In hand the light is comfortable. There is no lack of “real estate” for you to grip on. Even Andre the Giant could get an easy grip on this thing. Olight includes two grip rings. I have been enjoying the rubberized grip ring. The aluminum one is scalloped and not quite as comfortable. They are easy enough to swap out and experiment with. Rounding things out is a lanyard that so far has lived it’s life in the little cardboard box it came in. I’m not a big lanyard guy, but if you are going to work with this light, or use it on a boat, then I could see the appeal of a lanyard.

Olight Warrior X Pro Review – Final Thoughts

I have been impressed with the Warrior X Pro. Granted, I’m not a hard core flashlight guy, and I’m not the kind of person who is going to heavily use a light like this. I’ve wanted an “Eye of Sauron” in my collection for a long time now, and the Warrior X Pro fits that bill. It’s blindingly bright. You can reach out and touch someone with this thing. Whether that’s a stranger in the night, or a person in distress, the Warrior X Pro goes the distance. I couldn’t capture that in pictures, so you will have to take me at my word that this light throws.

I also like how nice of a package the light is. It’s nicely made, feels great in hand, is easy and intuitive to use, and it comes with everything you need. Enthusiasts like to fuss over things. I’ve been guilty of that myself, and I can see how flashlights can be a fussy hobby if you really get into them. But there is something refreshing about a kit like this that works. The charger is great. The proprietary battery is bound to upset some folks. I get it, and perhaps when it’s time to buy a second battery I’ll be equally miffed. But I like how well everything works with this light.

At the end of the day, I can easily recommend this light. For $130 you get a well considered flashlight with some serious high lumen utility.

I recommend purchasing the Olight Warrior X Pro at BladeHQ, Amazon, or The Olight Store. Thank you for reading.

Last Updated: August 3, 2019
Kickstarter projects – or rather, the resulting products – are rarely featured on this site. The lion’s share of responsibility for that lies with the Kickstarter crew itself: it wasn’t until 2015 that the prohibition on weapons was modified to allow knife-related projects on the platform, after all. That isn’t the only reason, however. Many projects are one-and-done affairs, and even a successful project doesn’t guarantee staying power.

Buy the Beta QR at BladeHQ

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One of those who stuck around is Jason Hui of Prometheus Lights. Now, saying that is a bit disingenuous, as he was in business before the advent of Kickstarter. He was (and is) known for making custom flashlights. His first Kickstarter project, the Prometheus Writes Alpha, was a huge success, and as that project was wrapping up, he launched another: the Beta QR. It was designed to be a keychain light that wasn’t shackled to your keys, and evidently it was a popular idea, as the project beat its $23,500 funding goal five times over. A year or two after that, he updated the design with a new quick-release mechanism, dubbing it the Beta QR V2. That light is the subject of this review.

A quick aside before getting into the meat of the review: I strongly recommend using rechargeable NiMH batteries. Not only will you save money in the long run, but you’ll get better performance along the way. Do not use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries in the Beta QR, and though you can use standard alkaline batteries, be warned that it may corrode the interior of the light over time. Disposable lithium batteries won’t damage the light, but aren’t cheap, either.

General Dimensions and Construction

The Prometheus Lights Beta QR V2 is 2.95” long (3.5” with the QR insert), has a diameter of .55”, and weighs 1.58 ounces including the battery. It’s a compact and pocketable flashlight, even if the brass makes it a bit heavier than one might expect.

Only the brass and copper versions have three output levels, but the real reason I purchased the pricier brass model was simple aesthetics, and the Beta QR has that in spades. Though it arrived with a brilliant polish, it has since developed a patina that looks right at home next to a well-used traditional knife. To put it another way: it wouldn’t look a whit out of place in my grandfather’s tool shed.

If Jason wasn’t very clear that he has this manufactured in China, I’m not sure I would have been able to figure it out on my own. That’s not to disparage his own machining capabilities, but the level of fit and finish on my Beta QR can only be described as immaculate. The threads are smooth, the beam is clean, and it doesn’t rattle or flex in any way. A bit of online research suggests that this is the rule, not the exception to it.

Output, Runtime, and UI

The Beta QR has three output levels: 1 lumen, 15 lumens, and 80 lumens. In an age where thumb-sized lights can put out 900 lumens those numbers may not look good, but bear in mind that the Beta QR runs on a single AAA battery, and most other lights in its battery format have similar output levels. For an everyday carry light, these numbers are fine. The low doesn’t wake up my girlfriend if I’m staying up reading, the high is bright enough for any “bump in the night” situations, and the medium can handle everything in between.

As is standard for a light this size, the beam pattern is all flood, losing brightness between 30 and 40 feet. Jason’s choice of the Nichia 219 emitter is much appreciated, as the warmer tones render color far more accurately than a standard blue-tinted emitter.

The runtimes on the Beta QR are respectable if not stellar. It can put out 1 lumen for 55 hours, 15 lumens for 4 hours, and 80 lumens for 45 minutes. Practically speaking, I swap out the battery once every few months, but that swap is often precipitated by an event where I’m using the highest setting for an extended period of time. It’s only died on me once while I was using it, but then I was running it on high when medium would have done just as well. I only wish hadn’t made that mistake while I was in the bathroom of a processing plant that lacked power.

The user interface on the Beta QR is simple: twist once for 1 lumen, twice for 15 lumens, and thrice for 80 lumens. Though not as intuitive as a staged twisty (where all output levels are accessible through a single, continuous twist), it’s easy to use and to explain to others.

Ergonomics and Carry

It shouldn’t come as a revelation that the Beta QR is great in the hand. There are no buttons, crenelations, or awkward pocket clips, and every facet has been debuffed to the point that the brass feels almost soft to the touch. For most people (myself included), it’s a three finger grip, as your middle and ring finger will hold the body tube while your index finger and thumb twist the head. It works just as well in a cigar grip or between the teeth. The scallops on the body aren’t just aesthetic, either: they improve the grip at least as well as knurling would, just with more flair. It tailstands like a champ, but also has a tendency to roll away if left on its side.

Of course, the real selling point of the Beta QR is the Quick Release. The original used a push button mechanism occasionally seen on keychains, but the V2 features a canted coil spring that significantly improves the design. Instead of a mechanism that needs to be fiddled with, all that’s required to separate the Beta QR from your keys is a firm pull.

The redesign has led to the release of a pocket clip and a prototype flex arm, neither of which would work with the original. Sadly, I have to admit that as cool as the QR is, that’s not how I actually carry it. For the most part, I carry it in a leather slip or just toss it in my pocket. It was thrown on my keys a few times for the sake of due diligence, and there it did fine. Just not my cup of tea.

Prometheus Lights Beta QR – Final Thoughts

To recap: the Beta QR is a great light. Full stop. If I had to complain, I’d say that it’s not a terribly ambitious design, but that’s no sin. Judged in a vacuum, it’s practically flawless.

Its shortcomings only become apparent when compared to other 1xAAA lights. Three in particular stand out, the first of which is the SureFire Titan Plus. It boasts a significantly higher lumens count at 300, even if it lacks a true low setting and doesn’t feature a high CRI emitter. The Peak Eiger can get up to 200 lumens and has tons of customization options (plus a bit of cool tech), but is held back by a finicky UI and shorter runtimes. The third is, of course, the Lumintop Worm. Lumintop is likely the manufacturer Jason contracted to produce the Beta QR, and from what I can tell, the Worm predates the Beta QR. It’s not a rebrand: the Worm doesn’t have either iteration of the QR and doesn’t always have a Nichia 219 emitter, but if neither of those matter to you, the Worm might be something to look at.

That said, who would I recommend this light to? This may sound odd, but I think it’s for anyone who wants a 1xAAA light and doesn’t know what they’re looking for beyond that. The Beta QR has everything someone would (and should) expect out of a 1xAAA light, no clear flaws, and an innovative carry option that has tons of unexplored potential. The other options are good, and in some ways substantially better, but compromised in ways that require an informed opinion.

Next up: the Seiko Alpinist.

Prometheus Lights Beta QR – From $53.00
From: BladeHQ

Sale

Prometheus Lights Beta Quick Release v2 Keychain LED Flashlight, Mini EDC Key Chain Flashlight, Multiple Light Modes, High CRI Pocket Flashlight (Copper)

• QUICK RELEASE KEYCHAIN LED FLASHLIGHT - The intuitive design of the Copper Prometheus Beta Quick Release Keychain LED Flashlight allows you to easily detach the flashlight from your keychain when you need light. Accidental disengagement is virtually impossible. Engagement is verified by a solid click every time!
• SUPERIOR LIGHT QUALITY - See colors as you would on a bright sunny day. Cheap LED flashlights have a limited color spectrum that washes out your subject with a harsh "hospital" light. Our flashlight delivers 92+ CRI - a clear, natural light.
• PROFESSIONAL GRADE, COMPACT SIZE - Precision-engineered components from premium materials make this flashlight lightweight and reliable. Fits in the palm of your hand. Add the Copper Beta to your keychain without adding bulk and weight. Perfect for EDC.
• EVERY DAY CARRY LED FLASHLIGHT - The quick release mechanism lets you effortlessly take it on and off your keychain. Adapts to all your needs, whether it's in the lab, office or home. Made for every day carry convenience.
• SIMPLY & QUICKLY TWIST THE HEAD OFF & ON TO CYCLE THROUGH THE THREE LIGHT MODES! - Low/Medium/High. Low: 1 Lumen. Medium: 15 Lumens at 19 meters. High: 90 Lumens at 30 meters.

$65.00

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I recommend buying the Prometheus Lights Beta QR at BladeHQ or Amazon. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.