Nextorch E51C Rechargeable Flashlight Review
The Nextorch E51C is a USB-C-rechargeable flashlight that uses an Osram P9 emitter for high output. Click for more about this tactical light!
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a link to the Nextorch E51C rechargeable flashlight product page.
Versions
There is only one version.
Price
Nextorch has the E51C listed at $59.95, and that includes the cell.
I also have a referral coupon for Nextorch.com that’ll give you 10% off! The code is “ZEROAIR“.
Short Review
The Nextorch E51C is a nice rechargeable flashlight. It has great build quality and a seemingly great interface for tactical situations (specifically, it starts on high). Overall it has a great in-hand feel too, along with robust features. USB-C charging works and is a nice up-to-date offering.
Long Review
The Big Table
Emitter: | Osram P9 |
Price in USD at publication time: | $59.95 |
Cell: | 1×18650 |
Runtime Graphs | |
LVP? | |
Switch Type: | Mechanical |
On-Board Charging? | Yes |
Charge Port Type: | USB-C |
Charge Graph | |
Power off Charge Port | No |
Claimed Lumens (lm) | 1600 |
Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 1665 (104.1% of claim)^ |
Candela per Lumen | 8.1 |
Claimed Throw (m) | 205 |
Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 455lux @ 5.688m = 14721cd |
Throw (Calculated) (m) | 242.7 (118.4% of claim)^ |
Claimed CCT | – |
Measured CCT Range (K) | 6600-7100 Kelvin |
Item provided for review by: | Nextorch |
All my Nextorch 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
- Nextorch E51C rechargeable flashlight
- Lanyard
- Charging cable (USB to USB-C)
- Spare o-rings (2)
- (Not pictured, because my package did not include a cell) Nextorch 18650
Package and Manual
Build Quality and Disassembly
The E51C is very much like another Nextorch I’ve tested – the TA30 V2.0. Both have great build quality, and the E51C offers a bit of a smaller (and possibly updated) design.
The Nextorch E51C rechargeable flashlight build quality is good. I will mention upfront about these lights (and it’s something I’ve corroborated with another enthusiast, too!). When I opened the package of Nextorch lights, I was not thrilled. Based on the box (specifically how the box felt, not how it looks), I figured the contents would be subpar. The package is simply not great. On the flip side of that is the light itself, which is great. So when you order this don’t get too worried about the package!
The tailcap has a nice beefy spring and robust contact points.
The threads are very nice, too. More on this photo later, but check out that pocket clip!
Size and Comps
139mm x 27mm x 23mm and 94g without a cell.
If the flashlight will headstand, I’ll show it here (usually the third photo). If the flashlight will tailstand, I’ll show that here, too (usually the fourth photo).
Here’s the test light with the venerable Convoy S2+. Mine’s a custom “baked” edition Nichia 219b triple. A very nice 18650 light.
Also above is 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.
Retention and Carry
A pocket clip is available (and attached) on the Nextorch E51C rechargeable flashlight. This is a very nice-looking friction-fit (sort of) pocket clip.
And despite looking like a collar clip, it’s a friction-fit clip. If you think that it looks captured though, you’d be right – with the tailcap tightened fully (and why wouldn’t you have it tightened fully?), the tailcap covers just a bit of the arms on this pocket clip. So it’s very secure, despite being a friction-fit pocket clip.
It’s also keyed, as you can see below. The clip will only fit in one place. I like that in a clip – that means it’s always reliably in the same spot in relation to other things (like the rotary dial).
Normally I’d trash this type of lanyard attachment – friction-fit pocket clips aren’t ideal for lanyards. But this clip is (again) captured, so this lanyard is secure. Now you could probably bend the clip, but that’s a different set of issues.
Nextorch does offer the FR-1, which is a tactical grip attachment, and I believe that will fit the E51C.
Power and Runtime
Nextorch includes a cell with the E51C rechargeable flashlight. The cell is a standard button top 18650, with a capacity of 2600mAh. Note that my package didn’t include an 18650 cell, but I have another Nextorch 18650 light that did include the cell, so I’ve tested the E51C with the Nextorch cell from that package.
The cell is installed into the E51C in the usual way – positive end (button) toward the head.
In case you forget that the cell tube is also marked with little positive/negative icons.
Here are a couple of runtime graphs on the highest two modes.
The light has an indicator, too. Below, you can see the indicator lit in blue. It’s a nice little circle! The indicator displays information as follows:
Blue: 75-100%
Blue flashing: 50-75%
Red: 25-50%
Red flashing: 0-25%
Charging
I said above that this is a “normal” 18650 and that’s true – it’s a standard button top. However, it does offer onboard charging. That’s by way of a micro-USB port in the positive end. I did run a test charging via that micro-USB, which you can see below.
The E51C also offers charging via a USB-C port that’s accessed by unscrewing the head. The head is captured, and will not come off or unscrew past the point you see below.
Nextorch includes a short USB to USB-C cable.
First, here’s the micro-USB charging on the cell. It’s very slow.
Next up is the USB-C charging from a USB-A port. It’s much faster. Total charge time is under 2 hours. I can’t explain these peaks and valleys.
C to C charging also works but seems to overcharge the cell! At the end of the charge cycle below, the cell was at 4.3V!
While charging, the indicator is red. When charging is complete, the indicator turns blue.
Modes and Currents
Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens | Tailcap Amps |
---|---|---|---|---|
High | 1600 | 2h30m | 1665 | 4.63 |
Medium | 340 | 4h15m | 345 | 0.56 |
Low | 28 | 43h | 26 | 0.04 |
Pulse Width Modulation
What we see here isn’t really PWM, and you’d be unlikely to notice it anyway. So nothing to worry about. From left to right is highest to lowest (just like the mode order)
Here you can see a “baseline” – a chart with almost no light hitting the sensor. Then there’s the Ultrafire WF-602C flashlight, which has some of the worst PWM I’ve seen. It’s so bad that I used a post about it to explain PWM! Here are multiple timescales (10ms, 5ms, 2ms, 1ms, 0.5ms, 0.2ms) to make comparing this “worst” PWM light to the test light easier. That post also explains why I didn’t test the WF-602C at the usual 50us scale.
User Interface and Operation
The interface used by Nextorch on this light is fairly tactical. First, there’s this very prominent (or “proud”) tailswitch.
I say “fairly” tactical because as you can see below, the switch isn’t proud. It’s accessible, but the tailcap does stand over it. No problem for me, of course.
The action is quite deep. Note that this switch cover is metal. It’s a very nice switch cover!
Here’s a user interface table!
State | Action | Result |
---|---|---|
Off | Click | On (High) |
Off | Press (not a full click) | Momentary |
On | Click | Off |
Off | Double press | Strobe^ |
^ This “double press” can sort of get in the way when you’re advancing through the modes. More often than not, I’d hit strobe while just normal mode cycling.
LED and Beam
Nextorch has used an Osram P9 in the E51C.
There’s a small reflector too, and it has an orange peel texture.
LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)
The order is as used with the mode order of light: High to low. CCT is very cool, at over 7000K for high, and dipping to only around 6500K for the lowest level. CRI is low, at around 70.
Beamshots
These beamshots are always with 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.
I compare everything to the KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b BLF-348 because it’s inexpensive and has the best tint!
Conclusion
What I like
- Very good output
- Nicely tucked away USB-C charging port
- Great ergonomics
- Lovely captured friction-fit pocket clip
What I don’t like
- C to C charging overcharges the cell to 4.3V
- Very cool CCT
- Low CRI
- Mode order (as an EDC-er) is backward (for tactical purposes, it’s great)
Notes
- This content originally appeared at zeroair.org. Please visit there for the best experience!
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