Review of the OLIGHT ArkPro EDC Rechargeable Flat Flashlight
Comparing Flashlights
For the last five years, I’ve relied on an inexpensive military-style flashlight. It’s light, water-resistant, and very bright. A replaceable BRC 18650 lithium-ion battery powers the flashlight, but its capacity is low considering the flashlight’s high lumen output. When tackling tasks like fixing a water pipe under the sink, the brightness dims after only 10 minutes — even with a brand-new, fully charged battery.
Today, I’m considering an upgrade: the OLIGHT ArkPro. This model costs considerably more than my previous flashlight. Still, if it performs as promised, this flashlight could save me both time and frustration.
For transparency, OLIGHT provided me with a sample of their new flashlight to test and review, but I have not received payment for this article and am not using an affiliate link.
Description
The ArkPro is a rectangular device that weighs 4.06 ounces and measures 4.88 inches long, 1.06 inches wide, and 0.63 inches thick. Its slim design, along with a convenient back-mounted clip, makes it easy to carry in your pocket. Although there are several color options, I opted for OD Green.
This flashlight features both a floodlight and a spotlight, as well as a UV beam and a green laser. The floodlight has five brightness settings, maxing out at 1500 lumens, while the spotlight offers three levels and a strobe function. Both the UV and laser beams can be adjusted between two intensity settings.
You control the three primary lights using a front-mounted swivel switch and pushbutton; the laser is activated by continuously pressing a side button. Around the swivel switch, green LEDs show battery status, and white LEDs indicate the current brightness setting. There’s also a lockout mode to help prevent the light from being turned on accidentally.
Inside, you’ll find a rechargeable 2,000 mAh lithium-polymer battery that charges fully in about 1.5 hours with the included charger. You can also use the USB-C port on the left side of the device for charging.
Specifications
- Brand: OLIGHT
- Name: ArkPro EDC Flat Flashlight
- Color: OD Green (others are available)
- Primary material: Aluminum
- Weight: 4.06 ounces
- Dimensions: 4.88 x 1.06 x 0.63 inches
- Battery: 2,000mAh lithium polymer
- Charge time: 1.5 hours
- Replaceable: No, an internal battery
- Operating time: Max of 72 hours at the lowest setting
- Controls: Swivel switch, button, and side-mounted button
- Floodlight and spotlight color temperature: 5700K-6700K
- Floodlight settings: 1, 15, 100, 520, and 1500 lumens
- Spotlight settings: 1, 15, 100, 400, and 800 lumens, plus strobe
- UV light settings: 360mW, 1000mW
- Laser settings: 0.39mW, 5mW
- Water resistance: IPX7
Brightness
One of the first projectors I evaluated offered an output of 80 lumens. It could produce a sufficiently bright image on a 100-inch screen in a completely dark environment; however, even minimal ambient light caused significant fading in the projected image, gravely reducing overall viewing quality.
Get Walter Shillington’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
In another comparison, I assessed a 350-lumen projector alongside a competing model with a 500-lumen output. Despite the latter being 40 percent brighter, the difference was barely perceptible to the human eye.
OLIGHT capitalized on these characteristics by providing multiple brightness settings that are distinctly differentiated, ensuring practicality for various scenarios. The moonlight setting at 1 lumen is adequate for reading a watch or consulting a map in a vehicle without affecting the driver’s night vision.
The low floodlight mode proved suitable for navigating dark streets, offering sufficient illumination to ensure safety while preserving battery life. For use in unlit environments, both medium and high settings delivered ample brightness in floodlight and spotlight configurations, and turbo mode could be activated when additional illumination was needed.
Operating Time
The flashlight’s battery life depends on the selected mode and brightness level. In floodlight turbo mode, the 1,500-lumen output is sustained for four minutes, after which the intensity automatically reduces to 520 lumens to prevent overheating. The OLIGHT ArkPro will maintain this reduced intensity for an additional 140 minutes.
Conversely, when operating at the medium setting of 100 lumens, the battery can sustain this brightness for approximately 10 to 13 hours. This level provides sufficient illumination in many situations while minimizing the need to charge batteries.
The Floodlight Test
This mode illuminates the immediate area without causing glare. The medium level brightened my living room enough for me to identify the objects around me. The high level provided better illumination, substantially increasing the amount of detail perceptible. In turbo mode, it was almost as if the room were lit by an intense, but cold, sun.
I retested this mode in a wooded area pierced by three sets of abandoned railway tracks. The results were similar. In a final test, I selected the low mode and used it to guide me home.
The Spotlight Test
The spotlight is primarily used to identify animals and objects in outdoor environments. I aimed the flashlight at a grove of trees and tested its brightness settings. The medium, high, and turbo modes each proved effective, with optimal selection based on the distance to the target object. Additionally, the strobe function was notably bright and could serve as a valuable tool in emergencies.
The UV Light Test
Ultraviolet rays are utilized for sterilization, tanning, and, in this context, as a blacklight. Initially, I directed the beam at the leaves of my strawberry plant, which revealed small dots of fluorescence. Subsequently, I examined the walls, fixtures, and appliances in my recently cleaned kitchen. The inspection highlighted numerous bright smudges, indicative of residual dirt and grease on nearly every surface assessed. I will not repeat this experiment!
The Green Laser Test
While she would rather be outside mousing, my cat sometimes consents to a game of laser tag. Since this flashlight is small, reasonably light, and easy to handle, laser tag can be a lot of fun. I use the lowest setting during these games. There is a high-intensity mode, but this would be more appreciated by professional tradesmen like plumbers, electricians, and contractors.
Overall Impression
OLIGHT’s intention was to design a flashlight that, like a smartphone, would be considered valuable enough to keep close at hand. It needed to be small, light, attractive, durable, and highly flexible.
They have succeeded in providing a pocket-sized flashlight with long battery life and a wide variety of modes and brightness levels. The OLIGHT ArkPro EDC Rechargeable Flat Flashlight is recommended.
