When it comes to flashlights, the consensus amongst consumers is that if it isn’t an OLIGHT, it’s not something they even want to consider. That’s high praise for a company brand and loyalty amidst what one would consider a commodity product. But the brand new OLIGHT Baton 3 Flashlight – Premium Edition is no commodity product that you can be assured of.
We’ve covered some of the best EDC flashlights for under $100 and some of the brightest flashlights in the world, and OLIGHT products took their rightful place amongst those lists, but this time we’re talking about a brand new product from the company.
Every company seeks a point of differentiation to give them an advantage and selling point over their competitors. Luckily OLIGHT has pursued a number of them, and the end result is a lineup of excellent flashlights and premium lighting products. OLIGHT products are generally known for their:
- Innovative LED lighting modules
- Premium build quality
- Insane lumen output from even the smallest of flashlights
The Baton 3, which this review is all about, is the brand new upgraded version of OLIGHT’s previously most popular pocket flashlight, the S1R Baton II. It’s a small and compact EDC flashlight that comes in a premium addition which adds a handy portable wireless charger.
The Packaging
The packaging of the Baton 3 is simple, to the point and well made. No fancy frills here. The magnetic flap on the box is a nice touch, though I would have made that a bit more obvious, as at first, I had a bit of a hard time figuring out whether the package was a slide-out or if I had to cut something to open the box.
The interior packaging is neat, to the point, and clear on what components have to be removed to first use the flashlight along with its portable wireless charger.
Design & Aesthetics
The Olight Baton 3 is a beautiful and sleek flashlight. The version I was sent features a black aluminum-alloy body with a fantastic anti-slip texture embedded throughout about 60% of its body. The removable clip appears to be made of the same material and has a gorgeous blue polish finish. The flashlight and its portable charging case also come in two other colour options (blue and red) that are equally handsome.
And speaking of the charging case, its shape and size harkens to and is very reminiscent of the classic Zippo lighter cases with a flippable thumb cover that opens on a sturdy hinge. The case is surprisingly light considering how many times it can recharge the Baton 3. It features a plastic body that has a silky, almost suede-like finish. While nice to the touch, I almost wish it had a bit more texture or grip, as I found it rather slippery.
In Practical Use
While the Baton 3 from OLIGHT is a small and compact EDC flashlight, it is incredibly capable.
First, let’s talk about maximum Lumen output. At 1200 lumens, it is a beast for its size. I frankly don’t know how OLIGHT can output such a massive amount of lumen through such a tiny body, but it definitely strains some engineering limits. This is evident because in its “Turbo Mode” at 1200 Lumens, the flashlight body, especially near the LED, gets quite warm. Not uncomfortably so, but definitely enough to keep your hand warm on a cold winter day. That’s how much power is being shunted through to get the 1200 Lumen output.
With the charging case, this flashlight is the ideal companion for road trips, camping trips, backpacking, hiking, and RVing. It’s got enough juice to recharge your flashlight up to 3.7 times using the built-in 3500mAh 18650 battery.
With a high-performance LED and TIR lens, I found that walking through even a dark portion of my local wood trails, the flashlight was able to throw a beam of light for quite a distance (a claimed 166 meters according to OLIGHT). The Baton 3 also had no trouble lighting up larger areas, especially in Turbo (1200 lumens) mode.
OLIGHT has also built in a pretty clever and unobtrusive charging indicator system into the case to show both the charging level of the case and the flashlight. Two tiny LED lights, one near the Type C USB charging port on the case and one next to where the flashlight sits in its pocket, use a system of Green, Orange, and Red to indicate current battery levels.
FLASHLIGHT MODES
OLIGHT claims that the Baton 3 has six distinct lighting output modes:
- Mode 1: 1200 lumens
- Mode 2: 300 lumens
- Mode 3: 60 lumens
- Mode 4: 12 lumens
- Mode 5: 0.5 lumens (Moonlight)
- Strobe
Despite all my efforts and following the user manual to a tee, I was only able to activate the following modes:
- Mode 2
- Mode 1
- Mode 5 (Moonlight)
- Strobe
Make of that what you will, but I’m not going to deduct too many points off for this. There is an outside possibility that this is user error. Regardless, it would be a bonus if I ever figured out why I couldn’t access these modes. Perhaps I was sent a model that doesn’t have these features or was defective, somehow not allowing me to access these modes. Despite this minor flaw, it did not in any way detract from my experience with the Baton 3. After all, four intensity levels are more than I expected from a compact EDC flashlight at this price level.
Other small features that are quite handy in a variety of scenarios include:
- Lanyard hole in the clip. A small lanyard hole allows for a convenient attachment point for any lanyard or string to hang your Baton 3. This can be especially useful in the Moon mode when you want a low reading or mood light inside your tent or cabin at night.
- Optional Magnetic Charging Cable – The Baton 3 is compatible with an optional magnetic charging cable that works much like the Apple Watch. Simply stand the Baton 3 on the magnetic charging cable and have your flashlight charge.
- Magnetic Bottom – And speaking of magnets, because the Baton 3’s bottom is magnetic, you can use that to attach it to other surfaces. This feature can make for a great hands-free experience where you need some lighting and use both hands on the task at hand.
- Tough as Hell – Olight claims the Baton 3 is drop-proof from a height of 1.5 meters and has a waterproof rating of IPX8, meaning the flashlight can be immersed in water up to 1 meter in depth for over 30 minutes. This is generally considered the highest level of waterproofing for electronics. But how tough is the Baton 3 in practical use? Thankfully OLIGHT took the time to make a torture test video in which they subjected the Baton 3 to all manner of painful tests, and guess what, the flashlight just kept on working.
Technical Specs
- Maximum lumen output: 1200 Lumen output
- 20 days runtime
- Max beam throw: 166 meters
- Light intensity (candela): 6,889
- 5-year warranty
- IPX8 waterproof
- Drop-proof from 1.5 meters
- Time to charge the charger – 2.5 hours
Dimensions:
- Length: 2.48″
- Head diameter: 0.83″
- Body diameter: 0.83″
- Weight: 1.87 oz. (incredibly light)
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a highly capable, tough, and extremely functional compact EDC flashlight, the Olight Baton 3 is a worthy successor to it’s already excellent S1R Baton II. The Baton 3 premium edition will provide you plenty of charges to ensure that this powerful little beast of a flashlight will light the way for you in nearly any situation.
