Convoy X3 Flashlight Review
This Convoy X3 is a flashlight featuring a Cree XP-L HI emitter. The body supports one 26650 lithium-ion cell, but other options work too!
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a link to the Convoy X3 flashlight product page.
FLASHLIGHT MODES
Lo (80mA) > Mid (700mA) > Hi (3000mA);
Double half-press: Strobe
Accessories include a 3AA battery holder. 26650 O ring. 18650 sleeve
| COLOR | gray |
| MATERIAL | Aluminum Alloy |
| LOW VOLTAGE WARNING | Yes |
| OUTPUT CURRENT | MAX 3000mA |
| REVERSE POLARITY PROTECTION | Yes |
| PWM mode | No |
| LENS TYPE | Glass Lens |
| MODE MEMORY | Yes |
| REFLECTOR TYPE | SMO |
| SWITCH PLACEMENT | Tail |
| TAIL STAND | Yes |
| LIGHT SOURCE BIN | XML2 |
| LIGHT SOURCE BRAND | Cree |
| LUMENS (MAX) | about 1100LM |
| BATTERIES INCLUDED | No |
| BATTERY FORM FACTOR | 1pcs 18650(protected or unprotected) or 1pcs 26650(protected or unprotected) or 3*AA |
| Dimensions | 155mm(length) x 37.8mm(body) x 55mm(head) |
| PRODUCT WEIGHT | 270g (not including battery) |
Versions
There are a number of tint variations, and at least two emitter options. The aliexpress store only shows XM-L2, but one thing GearBest also sells is an XP-L HI version in a few other tints. What I have here is the XP-L HI U6 3A.
Price
These may not actually be available currently anywhere. There are a bunch of listings, but they all seem to be out of stock, or worse, labeled “discontinued.” The price is in the $35-$40 range, though.
Short Review
I like this as much as I thought I would, and then some. This is a great bug-out light, with the versatility of accepting (and having the adapter for) 3xAA cells. The tint on my model is great, and the throw is good, too.
Long Review
The Big Table
| Convoy X3 | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Cree XP-L HI (-) |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $35 |
| Cell: | 3xAA |
| Turbo Runtime | |
| LVP? | Warning |
| Switch Type: | |
| On-Board Charging? | No |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 1100 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | – |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 1755lux @ 6.336m = 70454cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 530.9^ |
| All my Convoy reviews! | |
| Convoy X3 | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Cree XP-L HI (-) |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $35 |
| Cell: | 1×26650 |
| Turbo Runtime | |
| LVP? | Warning |
| Switch Type: | |
| On-Board Charging? | No |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 1100 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | – |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 2070lux @ 6.351m = 83494cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 577.9^ |
| All my Convoy reviews! | |
| Convoy X3 | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Cree XP-L HI (-) |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $35 |
| Cell: | 1×18650 |
| Turbo Runtime | |
| LVP? | Warning |
| Switch Type: | |
| On-Board Charging? | No |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 1100 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | – |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 2100lux @ 6.167m = 79867cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 565.2^ |
| All my Convoy reviews! | |
^ Measurement disclaimer: Testing flashlights is my hobby. I use hobbyist-level equipment for testing, including some I made myself. Try not to get buried in the details of manufacturer specifications versus measurements recorded here; A certain amount of difference (say, 10 or 15%) is perfectly reasonable.
What’s Included
- Convoy X3
- AAx3 adapter
- 18650 adapter
- Spare o-rings (2) for supporting 26650 cell.
Package and Manual
The package is Convoy’s usual cardboard box (though, this one seems corrugated, not actually “cardboard”). Inside is bubble wrap. In fact this time, there was something outside the package too – the 18650 adapter. It was saran-wrapped around the box. Arrived safely, though.
There is no manual.
Build Quality and Disassembly
The quality is at the very least “typical Convoy quality” (which means it’s great). The anodizing on this model is different from what I’ve seen from Convoy though. Seems thicker, and is not matte at all (yet is also not like the Clear they’ve had out lately). It’s a very nice finish.
There are some thick cooling fins and a stainless bezel that unscrews easily (no tools needed, though there are places for a spanner if needed).
The body has horizontal lines milled as grips. It’s different, it’s nice, and it works quite well.
Everything disassembles quite readily. The cell tube is directional. The threads on the head and cell tube are different sized, and the tube threads are anodized.
With the bezel removed, the reflector comes out fairly easily – being held in only by an o-ring. The centering ring also will fly free once the reflector is out. The star is held down by two screws.
Here’s the spring on the head. The driver is held in place by a screwed-down retaining ring. The tailcap has a nice firm spring as well.
The tube has very thick, anodized threads. Very nice threads indeed.
Size
Officially 155mm x 37.8mm x 54.8mm (length x body x head diameter).
Fits on a bill almost perfectly (length-wise).
It’s bigger than other C8’s. Being longer than the XinTD C8 is something – that’s a long C8. Also much thicker, because it’s a 26650 light!
I quite like the size, though. I find C8’s unwieldy. I like the P30 but that’s because I can hold it like a normal person holds flashlights, as it has the side switch too. But the X3 is very comfortable in hand because it’s bigger.
Retention
The tailcap has slots for a lanyard, but one isn’t included. In fact, there’s nothing included for carrying the light, at all.
Power
Many options here! I’ll call this primarily a 26650 light. The light doesn’t care if a cell is a flat top or button, protected, or unprotected. Also included is a plastic 18650 adapter tube, with o-rings to make a nice snug fit. And one more inclusion is the 3xAA cell adapter.
Below is the AAx3 adapter. This unit is directional and there’s an arrow on the adapter that indicates how to put it in the light.
Here’s the fit of the 18650 adapter.
There are two loose o-rings included, and they must be used as follows: With the AAx3 option, the o-rings rest on (not around) the top and bottom of the adapter. With the 26650 option, the o-rings go around the body of the cell to prevent rattle. The o-rings aren’t used with the 18650 adapter (but that’s where I store them since that’s the setup I use most often).
I did a runtime for 18650 High and Medium, and High with AAx3. As expected, AAx3 has a very short runtime. 18650 has a very respectable performance on High for around 20 minutes above 90%. Medium is rock solid for over 3 hours.
Note the Medium runtime. After 200m, the graph looks a little strange. That’s the “Warning” about low voltage – the X3 fades in and out to alert the user that cell voltage is low. It’s a strange warning, but effective. (In the other two runtimes, this can be seen as well, I just stopped the runtime soon after it started.) The warning starts at about 3V.
One more note about power: The output is approximately the same with all the setups, with the AAx3 being slightly less throw. (Which is understandable, since it’ll run at a slightly lower nominal voltage.
User Interface and Operation
There’s a single reverse tail clicky. user interface is simple, too: Click for on (mode memory). Half click to cycle the modes (in a L>H direction). Double press (not click) from any mode for strobe. Fully click to turn the light off in any mode.
Some of these have the typical two-mode-group Convoy UI. Mine does not seem to – that could be a difference in the XP-L HI version (mine) and the XM-L2. I’m really not sure.
Modes
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Mode Measured Lux | Tailcap Amps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | – | – | 525 | 0.085A |
| Medium | – | – | 5310 | 0.912A |
| High | 1100 | – | 14210 | 2.412A^ |
^ Measured with a series meter; reading is probably a little low.
LED and Beam
As stated, what I have is the Cree XP-L HI, in U6 3A. It’s rated at 5000K-5200K and I have to say, I really love the tint on this emitter. But of course, I love an XP-L HI….
The beam is throw, of course – there’s a deep smooth reflector. And the beam is very much a SPOT of throw, not broad across at all. Very pointed. The spill is present but not overbearing – bright enough to be usable for things.
Beamshots
These beamshots always have the following settings: f8, ISO100, 0.3s shutter, and manual 5000K exposure. These photos are taken at floor level, and the beam hits the ceiling around 9 feet away.
Tint vs BLF-348 (KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b version) (affiliate link)
I keep the test flashlight on the left and the BLF-348 reference flashlight on the right.
Proof that my “Tint vs BLF-348” isn’t fair. The X3 has a very good tint. Not green at all – brown if anything. But beside the rosy 348? Not a chance.
Random Comparisons and Competitive Options
There’s really nothing that compares to this light, with the option to have 3xAA cells. That’s a very nice feature. There are many other 26650 throwers, sure.
Conclusion
What I like
- Tint
- Cell variety options
- user interface is simple
- An ergonomic joy – I find C8’s to be a touch small. This larger size is great.
What I don’t like
- Appears to be discontinued!
- No lanyard or pouch included
Notes
- This light was provided by GearBest for review. I was not paid to write this review.
- This content originally appeared at zeroair.org. Please visit there for the best experience!
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