Weltool T1 Pro TAC 14500 Tactical Flashlight Review
The Weltool T1 Pro TAC tactical flashlight uses one 14500 (or AA) cell. It has a Cree XPP emitter, a smooth reflector, and just two modes! Read on!
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a link to the Weltool T1 Pro TAC 14500 tactical flashlight product page.
Versions
Only one version of the Weltool T1 Pro TAC 14500 tactical flashlight is available, but there’s a non tactical version, too!
Price
FlashlightGo.com sent this light for review, and they have it in stock right now. The Weltool T1 Pro TAC 14500 tactical flashlight is listed at $55.99.
What’s Included
- Weltool T1 Pro TAC 14500 tactical flashlight
- Weltool 900mAh 14500
- Spare o-ring
- Manual
Package and Manual
Build Quality and Disassembly
The design of the Weltool T1 Pro TAC 14500 tactical flashlight head is different enough to be special, and I love it. It’s not ‘cooling fins’ but I do think the extra surface area here is sufficient for that. This design feature is also just like the Weltool T2, the big brother to this tiny light.
Build quality is great and robust. Generally, the T1 Pro TAC is exactly like the T1 Pro, just 100% more tactical.
The tailcap has a nice beefy spring and very smooth, lubricated threads.
The head end also has a spring.
Size and Comps
Size (±0.5mm): (head diameter) 20mm, (barrel diameter) 18mm, (length) 97mm
Weight excluding battery: (±0.5g) 43g
If the flashlight will headstand, I’ll show it here (usually the third photo). If the flashlight will tailstand, I’ll also show that (usually in the fourth photo).
Here’s the test light with the venerable Convoy S2+. The version you see below is a custom Convoy S2+ host that’s been laser engraved by GadgetConnections.com. I did a full post on an engraved orange host right here! Or go straight to GadgetConnections.com to buy your Convoy S2+ now!
Also above is the light beside a TorchLAB BOSS 35, an 18350 light. I reviewed the aluminum version of that light in both 35 and 70 formats. I also reviewed that specific edition, the “Oveready BOSS FT Collector Vintage Brass” 35. I love it!
Retention and Carry
A pocket clip is included and attached by default. This Tac version of the T1 Pro actually has a different clip, and it’s much better than the other version’s. All the differences are subtle, though.
The clip is a friction-fit clip and there’s a small lanyard hole in the shoulder.
The pocket clip is reversible but in the other position (bezel up), carry is fairly shallow.
No lanyard or anything else is included.
Power and Runtime
Weltool includes what you’ll need for best performance from the T1 Pro TAC. This is a 900mAh 14500 cell – lithium-ion. The T1 Pro TAC is also versatile – it’s also designed to run 1.5V cells (that is AA: primary or rechargeable.) I love this feature!
The cell is installed in the Weltool T1 Pro TAC 14500 tactical flashlight in the usual way – positive end toward the head.
Below are a few runtime tests.
When using lithium-ion cells, low voltage protection is observed at around 3V. With NiMH, the output shuts off at around 0.88V.
Charging
While the T1 Pro TAC itself does not have charging, the included cell does. This is by way of a USB-C charging port on the positive end.
Weltool does not include a cable.
Charging works nicely but is a little slow, requiring over 2 hours. C to C charging works just fine too.
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens | Tailcap Amps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14500 High | 540 | 38m | 432 (0s) 406 (30s) |
2.52 |
| 14500 Low | 86 | 8h42m | 52 | 0.18 |
| AA High | 160 | 39m | 116 | 2.25 |
| AA Low | 3 | 92h | 3.1 | 0.01 |
Pulse Width Modulation
None of the modes on any cell type use PWM.
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
A single switch controls the T1 Pro TAC. It’s a mechanical tail switch and is a forward clicky. This allows momentary activation of the light. It’s also what facilitates mode changes.
Here’s where this light is really “Tactical” and different from the T1 Pro (non-TAC). There are just two modes. In fact, the other version also had these two modes, but it offers a third (middle) mode. The difference in user interface between the light is minimal, but this one has a 5000K emitter, and that is a win by itself!
Here’s a user interface table!
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Click | High |
| On | Click | Off |
| Off | Click 4x (or more) | Low |
LED and Beam
Weltool uses a Cree XPP emitter in the T1 Pro TAC. That’s a good choice for throw and probably trades a bit of output for that. This emitter is fairly small! I like it quite a bit though.
Weltool doesn’t state this is an XPP, technically – they call it a 5000K High Density X-LED.
LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)
I can report happily that the emitter does stay around 5000K, which is appreciated. Also, that’s fairly unusual in a tactical light! So this is a win. CRI is low.
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.
I compare everything to the KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b BLF-348 because it’s inexpensive and has the best tint!
Summary and Conclusion
I really love 14500-sized lights and this is a great example of one that sort of “punches outside its category” – it’s very throwy! I like unexpected things (but not surprises), so this tiny light having great throw is unexpected! The build quality is great (which I’ve come to expect from Weltool). I do not like the way to access low mode, but I can overlook that. Support for both AA (or “1.5V”) cells as well as (the included) lithium-ion 14500 cell is fantastic.
The Big Table
| Weltool T1 Pro TAC 14500 tactical flashlight | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Cree XPP |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $55.99 |
| Cell: | 1×14500 |
| Runtime Graphs | |
| LVP? | Yes |
| Switch Type: | Mechanical |
| On-Board Charging? | Yes |
| Charge Port Type: | USB-C (on cell) |
| Charge Graph | |
| Power off Charge Port | No |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 540 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 406 (75.2% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen | 38.8 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 290 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 623lux @ 5.309m = 17560cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 265.0 (91.4% of claim)^ |
| Claimed CCT | 5000 |
| Measured CCT Range (K) | 4900-5300 Kelvin |
| Item provided for review by: | flashlightgo.com |
| All my Weltool reviews! | |
| Weltool T1 Pro TAC 14500 tactical flashlight | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Cree XPP |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $55.99 |
| Cell: | 1xAA |
| Runtime Graphs | |
| LVP? | Yes |
| Switch Type: | Mechanical |
| On-Board Charging? | No |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 160 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 116 (72.5% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen | 38.8 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 152 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 255lux @ 4.754m = 5763cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 151.8 (99.9% of claim)^ |
| Claimed CCT | 5000 |
| Measured CCT Range (K) | 4800-5000 Kelvin |
| Item provided for review by: | flashlightgo.com |
| All my Weltool 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 I like
- Package includes cell
- Great throw!
- Cell has USB-C charging
- Simple user interface (a true “two-mode” light)
- The big brother T2 makes a good matching set!
- Can use lithium-ion and 1.5V cells
- There’s a long body for using two cells!
What I don’t like
- Having to click 4x to get to low
- Very low CRI
Notes
- This content originally appeared at zeroair.org. Please visit there for the best experience!
- For flashlight-related patches, stickers, and gear, head over to PhotonPhreaks.com!
- Please use my amazon.com referral link to help support zeroair.org!
- Please support me on Patreon! I deeply appreciate your support!
That driver performance is crap, unacceptable, especially at this price.