Skilhunt EC200S-Red EDC Flashlight Review
The Skilhunt EC200S-Red EDC flashlight is a triple (2 and 1) LED, USB-C charging, 18650 flashlight. It’s also available as an 18350 and with emitter options!
Skilhunt EC200S-Red EDC Flashlight Official Specs and Features
Here’s a link to the Skilhunt EC200S-Red EDC flashlight product page.
Versions
There are so many versions of the Skilhunt EC200 flashlight! First, there are two body colors: black (seen here) and grey. Then they can be broken down into three categories. The “EC200” is a simple triple; Three of the same emitters. The “EC200S” has a secondary emitter which takes the place of one of the emitters from the triple. There are two main emitters and one secondary. The secondary can be red (which is named “EC200S-Red”), UV (which is named “EC200S-UV), or some CCT of white (just “EC200S”) (seen here).
The third category adds “Mini” to the name and can be both the triple variety (EC200) and the “secondary” variety (EC200S).
Price
These range all the way from $55.90 to around $75.90. This model as reviewed sells for $69.90.
What’s Included
- Skilhunt EC200S-Red EDC flashlight
- Skilhunt 3500mAh 18650
- Pocket clip
- Lanyard
- Charging cable
- Spare o-rings (2)
- Magnet delete
- Manual
Package and Manual
Build Quality and Disassembly
Skilhunt’s build quality for the Skilhunt EC200S-Red EDC flashlight is great. That’s no surprise. I will note that the price of most current Skilhunt lights seems to continue to creep upward, but note at the same time that the quality is commensurate with the price. This is reasonably a $70 light. Or if you have your own 18650, even better at $55.
Also, since there’s a TON of overlap between this light and the EC200 and EC200S (18650 version) and others, you may note a good bit of similar text from other versions of this light that I’ve reviewed. I appreciate Skilhunt’s consistency with these lights!
One thing to note is that the EC200, EC200S, EC200S, and EC200S-UV all have the same markings. They are all labeled “EC200.” Of course, you can look at the emitters and tell immediately if you have the S (and which S you have).
One huge improvement here is that charging is by USB-C. I’ll cover that more thoroughly below, but note that this change has no real burden – the light is definitely not too big because of this charging port.
The threads here are very smooth.
I requested that Skilhunt not glue the head to my review sample EC200. They agreed and so you can see below the head removed. There’s a plastic piece that normally covers a bunch of the driver parts and a wavy ring for continuity between the head and cell tube. I requested this because I also got a black Mini body, and now I have my own little “combo set” that can be used interchangeably. Will I ever do that? Probably not! But if you take the parts apart, note that you’ll likely face some glue, and once apart you’ll need to keep up with those two pieces.
Size and Comps
102mm x 25mm x 22.2mm and 48.5g (without battery)
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).
The size is absolutely fantastic, particularly with the light offering USB-C charging!!
Here’s the test light with the venerable Convoy S2+. The version below is a custom laser-engraved Convoy S2+ host by GadgetConnections.com. I did a full post on an engraved orange host right here! Or just 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!
Skilhunt EC200S-Red EDC Flashlight Retention and Carry
A pocket clip is included with the Skilhunt EC200S-Red EDC flashlight. It ships unattached and is a friction-fit clip.
The clip can go on the head or tail and offers two-way usage. Very versatile! There are also lanyard holes on both ends of the clip.
The included lanyard attaches either through one of the two holes on the pocket clip (seen above) or through this hole in the tailcap (seen below).
There’s a magnet in the tailcap, too. It’s plenty strong for holding the light. But if you don’t want that, you can remove the magnet and place the rubber “blank” where the magnet goes. That’ll keep your spring from being loose.
Finally, there’s a nylon mesh pouch. Skilhunt always ships these separately but I think you’ll get one with your order, too. The 18650 and 18350 use the same size mesh pouch.
Power and Runtime
The Skilhunt EC200S-Red EDC flashlight runs on a single lithium-ion cell. It’s sized for an 18650 and an appropriate 3500mAh cell is included.
In case you forget which way to install the cell, there’s a cell orientation sticker just inside the cell tube.
The 18650 fits into the EC200S with the positive terminal toward the head, as seen below. Unlike some other 18650 Skilhunts, this one has a maximum voltage of 4.2V, so don’t try to run two 18350 cells here!
Here are a few runtime tests. I wouldn’t say there’s anything super surprising here. Output is very stable once a stepdown has happened, and low voltage protection is observed. There’s also a low voltage warning from the indicating e-switch.
This is the fifth post I’ve made on these EC200 lights by Skilhunt and it’s the only Cree version I have. The output is noticeably higher. If high output is your need, the Cree version is what you want!
This is the runtime with the highest output of the secondary emitter. The performance is a bit different, but it is still very good. There’s a stepdown after a couple of minutes but then the output is very stable.
Charging on the Skilhunt EC200S-Red EDC Flashlight
I’ve said it over and over already but the Skilhunt EC200S-Red EDC flashlight offers USB-C charging! Congratulations to Skilhunt for making this move on an 18650 light. I liked their old proprietary magnetic charging just fine but now that I see USB-C on here, I like this so much better! And without a real sacrifice to size, too! It’s fantastic. Of course, they’ve had this before (and for a while!) on a bigger light like the EC300 (which I also really like!)
The charge port cover is a press-in silicone bit and seems very sturdy when in place. It’s also fairly sleek when closed so that it doesn’t open needlessly.
Skilhunt includes a USB-A to USB-C cable for charging.
Below are tests for C to C and A to C charging. Both work just fine.
While charging, the switch fades blue in and out (I think the manual has this wrong – it says “red” while charging). When charging is complete, the switch is steady blue. If something is wrong with charging, the switch blinks red.
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens | Tailcap Amps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | 2100-635-220 | 1m+180m+30m | 1995 (0s) 1865 (30s) |
5.30 |
| T2 | 1150-635-220 | 3m+180m+30m | 1019 (0s) 1008 (30s) |
1.92 |
| H1 | 635-220 | 180m+30m | 565 | 0.85 |
| M1 | 220 | 10h | 197 | 0.29 |
| M2 | 65 | 32h | 61 | 0.10 |
| L1 | 6 | 100h | 5.6 | 0.03 |
| L1 | 1 | – | 0.7 | [low] |
| R1 | 320-160 | 3m+210m | [255] (0s) [218] (30s) |
2.18 |
| R2 | 73 | 14h | [72] | 0.23 |
| R3 | 18 | 45h | [18.4] | 0.06 |
| R4 | 1.5 | 10h | [2] | 0.02 |
Pulse Width Modulation
None of the modes (even the secondary modes) use PWM! Yay!
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 switch on this Skilhunt EC200S-Red EDC flashlight should be very familiar. It’s very much like what Skilhunt has used for a long while (at least back to 2022 on the EC300, for example. A single e-switch controls the light. This switch has a backlight function and can light in red or blue. While the switch has a transparent center, it has an interesting design pattern printed (?) in the center. It’s another thing to like about the EC200! It’s not a functional improvement, but a nice touch.
The switch is just barely proud and the action is very good.
Here’s the switch lighting in red.
Particularly on the “base model” EC200 (the one with no secondary emitters), the user interface is familiar and simple enough. Anyway, I love the Skilhunt user interface, even if it can be said to be complex. But this one is great!
Here’s a UI table! Note that this user interface is nearly the same as other Skilhunt lights with a switch that looks like this but there’s the wrinkle of that red emitter.
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Hold | Low (Mode memory between L1 and L2) |
| L1 or L2 | Hold | Iterate between L1 and L2 |
| L1 or L2 | Click + Hold | Main group (mode memory) |
| L1 or L2 | Click 2x | No result |
| Off | Long hold (2s) | Memory between L1 and L2 then R4 (specifically R4, not just “red group” or “red memory”) |
| Off | Click 4x | Lockout (Three blinks of main emitters to confirm) |
| Lockout | Click 4x | Unlock to Low group (Mode memory between L1 or L2) |
| Lockout | Click 2x | Iterate lockout indicator^ |
| Lockout | Hold | Momentary Output (Appears to be approximately L1) |
| L1/L2 or Red Group | Click | Off |
| Off | Click | On in “Main Group” (Mode memory between M2/M1/H) |
| Main Group | Hold | Mode advance (M2 > M1 > H) |
| Main Group | Click | Off |
| L1/L2 or Main Group | 2 clicks + hold | Mode memory Red Group |
| Main Group or Off | Click 2x | Turbo Group (Mode memory between T1 and T2) |
| T1/T2 | Hold | Iterate between T1 (higher) and T2 (lower) output |
| T1/T2 | Click | Off |
| T1/T2 | Click 2x | Main Group (memory output) |
| Main Group, Off, or Turbo Group | Click 3x | Strobe Group (with memory) |
| Strobe Group | Click 3x | Previous Group (T1/T2 or M2/M1/H, depending on how you accessed Strobe Group)^^ |
| Strobe Group | Click 2x^^^ | Strobe Advance (S1 > S2 > S3)† |
| Strobe Group | Hold | No result |
| Strobe Group | 2 clicks + hold | Red strobe group |
| Red Strobe Group | Click 2x | Red Strobe Advance (S1 > S2 > S3)† (same strobes, just red) |
^ The lockout indicator blinks a red switch every 2-3 seconds.
^^ Aside from just general mode memory (which you know I don’t like) this seems to me to be the only place where you may need to immediately remember what mode you were in so you have the experience you expect. However, the difference is getting the two highest white outputs or the three main white outputs – it won’t be that dramatic even if you don’t remember. Also note that if you access the strobe group from off, triple-clicking will not return it to off. For continuity, it should! If you access the strobe from an off-state, a triple-click sends the light to the Main group!
^^^ Seems like the strobe group is the only group that isn’t advanced by a hold. Since there’s no hold anywhere else into or out of Strobe, I am not sure why that user interface continuity wasn’t maintained here.
† Strobes are like this:
S1: Disorienting strobe (turbo, ish)
S2: SOS (main white, some mid-High output)
S3: Simple blinking
It’s not really covered in the UI table, but the switch does indicate the power level. It does this for around 5 seconds after you turn the light on. The indicators are as follows:
Blue steady: 100-80%
Blue blinking: 80-50%
Red steady: 50-20%
Red blinking: 20-0%
LED and Beam
This Skilhunt EC200S-Red EDC flashlight has two (two not three!) Cree XP-G4 emitters. It’s a “triple” in some sense, and it slots right into that “BOSS” category – it even has a red secondary! I love it! It adds USB-C charging to that slot for me though, which is a huge bonus! The “red secondary” is different from the BOSS though, since the BOSS has three main emitters then a secondary. Either way…
It’s hard to see it here I think, but this light does not use an optic – each emitter has a tiny little cup reflector! If you get other “S” variants like the “warm white white” or UV, you may purchase a little filter. If you get the little filter, you will note that the secondary emitter reflector cup has a tiny lip where this filter rests comfortably. In those two (but not this red version!) the top-most reflector has the lip. The red variant does not have that. Among other nice touches that Skilhunt has offered on these lights, this is one. They could have just thrown all “lipped” reflectors over these secondary emitters. That they didn’t mean (either that) they are exceptionally interested in all the details being right or (/and) that the lipped reflectors are more costly. We’ve seen the driver differences in this 18350 version, so let’s assume the best of those options!
It’s a nice detail, anyway. I do have pictures of the amber filter in a previous review. If you didn’t want red but do want non-white secondary, you can use that amber filter!
One more thing to note about these reflectors. The 2x white emitters have different reflectors, too! One is smooth and will offer superior throw. One is orange peel and will diffuse the beam for great smoothness and diminishing of artifacts. It’s a very good setup.
The bezel screws in over and there’s a glass lens over the reflectors. This stainless bezel also has teeth (or “shape”) that allow light to escape when headstanding.
Below you can see both cool white Cree emitters on.
And here’s just the red emitter.
LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)
With the higher output from these two Cree emitters, we also see the CCT increase (as claimed!). The claim is 6500K though, and on the lower modes, this light is warmer than 6500K. The high outputs do creep past 6500K, though. CRI is low, at around 70.
The 620-630nm red is too intense for me to test on my CCT/CRI tester. It’s very red!
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. These photos are taken around 18 inches from the door.
I compare everything to the KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b BLF-348 because it’s inexpensive and has the best tint!
Summary and Conclusion on the Skilhunt EC200S-Red EDC Flashlight
If it’s not clear from the text above, I’m practically gushing about all versions of this light. I love the “simple” triple version. There are other options if something else suits your needs, but the body is the same. That’s also fantastic. USB-C charging works great. The user interface is great. CRI and CCT are great. Everything here is great. (And if other versions of the Skilhunt EC200 suit your fancy more, stay tuned! I have others from this series to post. 😀 ) I love the 3000K offered here and I love the amber filter!!!
The Big Table
| Skilhunt EC200S-Red EDC flashlight | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | 2x Cree XP-G4 (6500K), Red |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $69.90 |
| Cell: | 1×18650 |
| Runtime Graphs | |
| LVP? | Yes |
| Switch Type: | E-Switch |
| Quiescent Current (mA): | ? |
| On-Board Charging? | Yes |
| Charge Port Type: | USB-C |
| Charge Graph | |
| Power off Charge Port | with cell: all modes without cell and/or tailcap: all modes except T1 |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 2100 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 1865 (88.8% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen | 3.62 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 164 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 349lux @ 4.754m = 7888cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 177.6 (108.3% of claim)^ |
| Claimed CCT | 6500 |
| Measured CCT Range (K) | |
| Item provided for review by: | Skilhunt |
| All my Skilhunt reviews! | |
| Skilhunt EC200S-Red EDC flashlight | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Cree XPE2 Red (620-630nm) |
| Runtime Graph | |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 320 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 91 |
| All my Skilhunt 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 about the Skilhunt EC200S-Red EDC Flashlight
- Size
- USB-C charging (particularly for the size)
- USB-C charging is specific to the body size (the charge rate isn’t too high for the cell)
- Good emitter options
- These Cree XP-G4 emitters are noticeably brighter than the Nichia counterparts
- Excellent user interface
- Available as a “mini” (which makes a great 18350/18650 combo)
- Very good “lowest” output
- Reflector cups are smooth and orange peel on the 2x white mode, providing a superior beam shape.
What I don’t like
- The cell adds a surprising cost to the package
- Still there are just tiny inconsistencies in the user interface when there’s a secondary emitter involved. It’s very good but could be a little bit better.
Notes
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