Lumintop Geek Flashlight Review

The Lumintop Geek flashlight is a clever little flashlight that offers a Cree XP-L HD emitter in high CRI, and a dual switch interface. Read on!

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Official Specs and Features

Here’s a link to the Lumintop Geek Flashlight product page.

Versions

There is just one version of the Geek.

Price

The official Lumintop Amazon store has this light for $75. This light can certainly be had for less elsewhere, and I feel like $75 is higher than even the MSRP. Maybe the official store has low stock?

This light is also available via the Lumintop official site for a much more reasonable $45.90.

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Short Review

This is a fun light. It’s very well built, has multiple Nichia emitters, and has a very versatile UI. It’s a bit large for a keychain light, but I like it for a pocket light.

Long Review

The Big Table

Lumintop Geek
Emitter:	Cree XP-L HD, Nichia High CRI (Multi-emitter)
Price in USD at publication time:	$45.90
Cell:	Internal
High Runtime	Low/Medium Runtime
LVP?	?
Switch Type:	E-Switch
Quiescent Current (A):	–
On-Board Charging?	Yes
Chargetime
Power off Charge Port with no Cell?	?
Claimed Lumens (lm)	350
Measured Lumens (at 30s)	370 (105.7% of claim)^
Claimed Throw (m)	70
Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s)	58lux @ 4.511m = 1180cd
Throw (Calculated) (m)	68.7 (98.1% of claim)^
All my Lumintop 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

• Lumintop Geek Keychain Flashlight
• Spare o-ring
• Lanyard
• Manual and papers
• Two plastic bunnies (!)

Package and Manual

The standard cardboard Lumintop package, with a logo and a bunch of specs on the back.

The manual is a long sheet with all the necessary information and a bunch of languages.

I really like this manual, aside from the layout. The user interface flow chart is particularly nice!!

Build Quality and Disassembly

The Geek is a solid little light. It has a certain feel when in use that makes it clear that it’s put together well.

The internal cell is held in place with two Torx screws.

The secondary emitters are on the same side as the switches and can be seen through the frosted lens cover.

One side of the light has three other emitters, too: Red, blue, and green.

Size

Officially 60 x 36 x 16mm, and 51g.

By no means is this the smallest keychain flashlight!

Retention

The primary means of carry is a pocket clip, which attaches through the lanyard loop on the tail of the light.

I say it’s the primary, and in the same sentence mention the lanyard because the clip comes attached and the lanyard is only included.

The clip is quite broad, but it’s purpose-driven.

It’s reversible! It’ll go on either side of the light, and when on the switch side, it covers the buttons perfectly, preventing accidental activation. Except if you use it as an actual pocket clip, in which case you stand at least as good a chance of accidental activation as if you had the clip on the other side.

The lanyard attaches only through the tailcap but in the usual way. The orange of the lanyard and red of the light clash so badly I couldn’t bring myself to photograph it.

Power

The light is powered by an internal cell, which is not removable or replaceable. It’s accessible via the back cover, which is held on with two Torx screws. It’s a LiPO cell, claimed at 530mAh.

Output on high is very stable for the duration of the runtime. The light switches to very low, but it does not switch off completely.

I’d intended to runtime on Medium. Instead you get a low-then-medium Runtime. Both modes are very stable.

Charging

Of course the light has onboard charging as well. This is achieved by a micro-USB port on the side of the light, covered by a press-in rubber boot.

Charging happens at around 0.45mA, which is a great current (Almost 1C) for this 530mAh cell. I tested the cell at ~550mAh and ~460mAh- I think the lower number was just a result of the cell not being nearly as depleted.

One big bonus built into the Geek is a side strip of emitters: Blue, Green, and Red. These are used for (and only for!) displaying the current charge of the battery. The indicator displays as follows while charging:

Solid blue = full charge.
Flashing blue = >60% charge.
Green flash = 30-60% charge.
Red flash = <30% charge.

It also seems to maintain some of this functionality while off the charger, too.

User Interface and Operation

There are two switches on the Geek. The middle one is a power switch, and the other is a function switch. They’re clicky e-switches and provide quite a large surface for clicking (though they’re really only clicky right in the center).

Here’s a user interface table!

State	Action	Result
Off	Click Power Switch (PS)	On Mode Memory, Front Light (FL)
On	Click PS	Off
Any	Hold Both >3s	Lock/Unlock
Locked	Click or Hold PS	Momentary Medium (FL)
On	Click Function Switch (FS)	Mode advance (Moon, LMH)
On	Double Click FS	Strobe
Strobe	Click FS	Strobe Group cycle: Strobe-SOS-Beacon
On	Hold FS 1.5s	On Side Light (SL) “Mode 1”
On (SL)	Click FS	SL advance (LMH)
Off	Hold FS 3s (long flash from FL)	On Side Light (SL) “Mode 2”
Mode 2	Hold FS 3s	Exit mode 2
Off	Click FS	Battery check

Here’s a blow-up of the user interface flow chart.

 

Modes

Mode	Mode Claimed Output (lm)	Claimed Runtime	Measured Lumens
High (Front)	350	30m	365
Medium (Front)	125	1h50m	137
Low (Front)	25	9h15	25
Moonlight (Front)	1	43h	–
High (Side, Mode 1)	350	1h50m	50
Medium (Side, Mode 1)	15	5h40m	12
Low (Side, Mode 1)	3	18h	–
High (Side, Mode 2)	5	12h	–
Medium (Side, Mode 2)	1	26h	–
Low (Side, Mode 2)	0.2	34h	–

Note that the website lists the high mode for the side emitters as 350, while the manual states the (obviously correct) 50 lumen high. I can’t measure the lower modes in my tube. Sorry!

LED and Beam

The main emitter of choice is a Cree XP-L HD. It’s behind a dimpled optic and provides a diffuse beam.

The secondary emitters are High CRI Nichia emitters.

All of the modes here are so dim that my usual output test doesn’t even show them. But it’s still good data.

And here’s the light beside my custom-engraved TorchLAB BOSS 35, an 18350 light. I reviewed the aluminum version of that light in both 35 and 70 formats.

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.

Random Comparisons and Competitive Options

I really don’t think there’s anything else like this one.

Conclusion

What I like

• Very solid build
• Diverse use parameters, with multiple emitters
• user interface is versatile, having two mode groups for secondary emitters
• On-board charging

What I don’t like

• Overall quite bulky
• Pocket clip can detach
• Flips out of pocket easily when using pocket clip

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Notes

• This light was provided by Lumintop for review. I was not paid to write this review.
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