Speras ST20 Tactical Flashlight Review
The Speras ST20 tactical flashlight has a Luminus SST-40 LED and TIR for great throw. A 2-in-1 switch and high-low mode order round out this tactical light.
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a link to the Speras ST20 tactical flashlight product page. Here’s the page at NealsGadgets.com.
Versions
I see only one version of the Speras ST20 tactical flashlight.
Price
The Speras ST20 tactical flashlight MSRP looks to be $52.99. NealsGadgets (who sent this item for testing) has the ST20 without a cell for $46.95 or $52.95 with the cell shown here (affiliate link). You could also opt for a higher capacity 18650 for $59.95.
What’s Included
- Speras ST20 tactical flashlight
- Speras 3100mAh 18650
- Lanyard
- Charging cable
- Spare o-rings (2)
- Manual
Package and Manual
Build Quality and Disassembly
Build quality of the Speras ST20 tactical flashlight is good. Commensuarate with a $50ish light, so you will likely have no surprises there. It’s a very tactical light (in at least the main sense) in that the tail switch is very prominent.
Only the tailcap comes off – in fact, the head end and cell tube appear to be one piece. That even includes the toothy bezel! So, emitter swapping this guy is probably going to be challenging. (I believe in you, though.)
Both the head and tail have springs. They’re beefy double springs, too! Great for tactical lights.
Size and Comps
115mm x 25.4mm x 25.4mm and 82g without / 132g with cell.
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 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 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 with the Speras ST20 tactical flashlight and ships already attached.
The clip is a two-way and attaches only on the switch end.
The clip also serves as the only attachment point for the included lanyard. There are a few holes for attaching this lanyard, but the best will be the double holes on the clip shoulder.
Power and Runtime
With my review package of the Speras ST20 tactical flashlight was included this 3100mAh 18650. You can also opt for no cell or a 3800mAh cell. Either way, the light uses a standard 18650.
The cell goes into the light in the usual way – the positive end (button) toward the head.
Below you can see a few runtimes. While the Speras ST20 tactical flashlight does hit the specs and in fact holds that output for a respectable amount of time (2 minutes!) there’s a dramatic stepdown after.
The light does shut off when cell voltage gets low, but it’s hard to call it specifically low voltage protection when I observed 2.45V in one test. Ideally, you’ll observe when the output is dim and swap/charge the cell.
Charging
Speras inexplicably includes a USB to USB-C charging cable with the Speras ST20 tactical flashlight. This is one of those times when I think “Did I just miss it?” and it’s very possible, but I can’t see charging on the light or included cell, so… I don’t think the light or cell offers charging. Maybe the higher capacity 3800mAh has USB-C charging, and Spears just generously includes this cable in case that’s the cell you pick. (In that case, it seems like it might be cheaper to just include only the 3800mAh cell by default with no other option. Maybe these cables are just so inexpensive.)
¯(ツ)/¯
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens | Tailcap Amps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo | 1300 | 4h | 1337 (0s) 1283 (30s) |
4.04 |
| High | 500 | 6h | 447 (0s) 440 (30s) |
? |
| Medium | 100 | 20h | 127 | ? |
| Low | 10 | 400h | 10 | ? |
Pulse Width Modulation
Only Turbo doesn’t use PWM. And the other modes, which do use PWM, use PWM that is very slow. Normally that would be bad and I’d fuss about it a bunch, but honestly, I can’t see it on his light. I don’t know what is the difference in how this light works, but is hard to explain why I can’t see this PWM by eye! (I’m open to your ideas!)
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
Speras calls this a 2-in-1 switch. It has a clicky action for on/off (feels mechanical) but also a side-to-side action for mode changes.
Here’s a user interface table!
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Tap | Momentary Turbo |
| Off | Click | Turbo |
| On | Sideways tap | Mode advance (decreasing: Highest to Lowest) |
| Any | Sideways hold | Strobe |
I think that’s it for the user interface. I’d call it pretty simple, and I think that’s good for a tactical light. One thing I didn’t mention above is about the body – I suppose you’d use this light (or “a light of this type”) while holding a handgun in one hand. I’m not sure the body provides the best grip for that. It’s probably sufficient, but more would certainly not hurt.
LED and Beam
Speras uses a Luminus SST-40 emitter in the Speras ST20 tactical flashlight. That emitter is behind a TIR. Together they make a high candela-to-lumen ratio light!
LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)
Speras doesn’t make a claim about the CCT or CRI. Being that this is a tactical light, it should come as no surprise that the output is very cool (over 6000K) and the CRI is low (around 65). The photos below are highest to lowest, just like the output order of the light.
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. 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
The 2-in-1 switch really makes (or breaks) the Speras ST20 tactical flashlight. If that’s something you need or like, the ST20 would be great for you. The output (at least initial and briefly sustained) is very good (over 1300 lumens) and the throw is great. If CCT and CRI are more your thing, note that the output is cool white and positive Duv (greenish) and low CRI. But for tactical purposes, the Speras ST20 is a reasonable fairly low-cost choice.
The Big Table
| Speras ST20 tactical flashlight | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Luminus SST-40 |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $52.99 |
| Cell: | 1×18650 |
| Runtime Graphs | |
| LVP? | Questionable |
| Switch Type: | Mechanical |
| On-Board Charging? | Yes |
| Charge Port Type: | – |
| Charge Graph | |
| Power off Charge Port | – |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 1300 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 1283 (98.7% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen | 7.73 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 175 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 439lux @ 5.086m = 11356cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 213.1 (121.8% of claim)^ |
| Claimed CCT | – |
| Measured CCT Range (K) | 6000-6200 Kelvin |
| Item provided for review by: | NealsGadgets |
| 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
- Simple user interface
- Great throw
- Output sustained at claimed measurement for 2 minutes!
- Good for a tactical light to start on Turbo as this one does
- Reasonable cost
What I don’t like
- Output isn’t steady and fades for every mode
- Low CRI
- High CCT
- Positive Duv
- No steady strobe option is a surprise
Notes
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