Speras EST MAX Flashlight Review
The Speras EST MAX flashlight offers a tactical interface and good throw and output with the Cree XHP50.3 HD emitter. And it includes a proprietary 18650!
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a link to the Speras EST MAX flashlight product page.
Versions
There’s just one version of the Speras EST MAX flashlight.
Price
MSRP and the going price for the Speras EST MAX flashlight is $69.99. That includes the cell seen in this review.
What’s Included
- Speras EST MAX flashlight
- Speras 3200mAh 18650 (customized, proprietary)
- Charging cable (USB to USB-C)
- Lanyard
- Spare 0-rings (2)
- Manual
Package and Manual
Build Quality and Disassembly
Build quality here is fine – it’s on par with what you’d expect out of a $70 flashlight.
The Speras EST MAX flashlight is marketed as a tactical light and so as you’d expect, there are springs on both head and tail ends.
Not shown (eek) but the threads are anodized and smooth. The head does not come off the body, but does appear to be a separate piece. I guess the head is thread locked onto the body.
Size and Comps
Officially 30mm head size, 140mm length, the tube size is 25.4mm
They say this is “Standard Size for police” but I don’t know about the standard flashlight size for police.
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 friction-fit pocket clip is included. It attaches only on the tail end, allowing bezel-down carry (only).
A lanyard is included too. It could attach to the pocket clip (a number of holes on the clip would allow it) but the better place is through the loops in the tailcap.
Power and Runtime
Speras has chosen to power the EST MAX flashlight with a single 18650 cell. The cell is necessarily included because it’s a customized and proprietary type. It (like many Olights lights/cells) has both positive and negative terminals on the positive end. This is really too bad!
The cell goes into the light in the usual way: positive terminal toward the head.
Below are a couple of runtime tests. Output is good, but I didn’t measure it as anywhere near the claimed 2500 lumens, even at turn-on. The light does exhibit low voltage protection, as well as having a switch warning.
The power level indicators on the e-switch are as follows:
Green: 100-70% power
Orange: 70-30% power
Red: 30-10% power
Red flashing: 10-1% power
Charging
There’s a built-in charging option for the Speras EST MAX flashlight: USB-C on the head-end of the light. And because of the proprietary nature of the included (required) 18650, you’ll really have to use this charge port.
That’s fine, of course, as USB-C is a great way to charge lights like this. A charging cable (USB to USB-C) is included.
Charging by C to C or A to C works just fine
When charging, the switch is red. When charging is complete, the switch turns green. If charging is going incorrectly, the switch will be orange.
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo | 2500 | 3h30m | 1812 (0s) 1667 (30s) |
| High | 400 | 5h48m | 344 |
| Medium | 100 | 24h | 98 |
| Low | 10 | 180h | 19 |
Pulse Width Modulation
No PWM is seen on the Speras EST MAX flashlight, but there’s a bit of SMS ripple on (looks like) all modes. Nothing to worry about, though.
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 Speras EST MAX flashlight is controlled by two switches. First is the mechanical tail switch.
This is a standard forward clicky mechanical switch, and shouldn’t give you any surprises.
Next is the indicating e-switch near the head of the EST MAX. It can indicate in red, green, and orange.
Here’s a user interface table!
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Click tail switch | Turbo |
| Off | Tap (shallow press, not click) | Momentary Turbo |
| On | Click tail switch | Off |
| Off | Double-tap the tail switch | Strobe |
| Off | Double tap tail switch (but shallow, and not clicks) | Momentary Strobe |
| Off | Hold e-switch | On (mode memory) |
| On | Double click e-switch | Strobe |
| Strobe | Click e-switch | Previous state or mode (which can be confusing, surprisingly) |
I think that covers the UI but please let me know if I’ve missed something. The user interface can be a little bit confusing if I’m being honest. It’s sort of unusual for a tactical light to still work with the tailswitch off.
LED and Beam
The emitter Speras chose here is a Cree XHP50.3 HD. I don’t see anywhere that there’s a CCT (or CRI) claim about the emitter output.
The bezel is nice and toothy. Small teeth, but aggressive. I quite like it!
LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)
The CCT is cool, as you’d expect in a tactical light. It ranges from around 6800K (lowest mode) to around 7400 (Turbo). That’s very cool white. CRI is also low, at around 70. Again, this is standard fare for tactical lights!
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
The Speras EST MAX is a reasonable consideration in the $70-range tactical flashlight market. It offers reasonably tactical features, including high output, good (enough) throw, and a dual-switch interface. The user interface has a few quirks that are surprising, but I love that I can access non-Turbo modes from off with the e-switch. That’s really no replacement for always-direct access to Low. But as long as I turn the light off in Low, I can always start in low if I want. So that’s something. The indicating switch is nice. I do not at all appreciate the proprietary and customized battery, which limits the cell possibilities that can be used. C to C charging works well, though.
The Big Table
| Speras EST MAX flashlight | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Cree XHP50.3 HD |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $69.99 |
| Cell: | 1×18650 |
| Runtime Graphs | |
| LVP? | Yes, with switch warning |
| Switch Type: | E-Switch |
| Quiescent Current (mA): | ? |
| On-Board Charging? | Yes |
| Charge Port Type: | USB-C |
| Charge Graph | |
| Power off Charge Port | In any state: lowest output only |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 2500 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 1667 (66.7% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen | 8.82 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 279 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 520lux @ 5.9m = 18101cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 269.1 (96.5% of claim)^ |
| Claimed CCT | – |
| Measured CCT Range (K) | 6800-7400 Kelvin |
| Item provided for review by: | Speras |
| All my Speras 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
- Dual switch interface
- Indicating e-switch
- Meets throw claim
- Nice build quality
- USB-C charging works well
- Is “standard police flashlight size” (claimed, and if that’s an actual thing?)
What I don’t like
- Proprietary and customized 18650
- Cool white output
- Low CRI
- Doesn’t meet output claims
Notes
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