Skilhunt Mix-7 Gen 2 Flashlight Review
The Skilhunt Mix-7 Gen 2 flashlight offers red, green, blue, UV, and three emitters in one package! Now, the RGB emitters can be mixed in a fun way! Read on!
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a link to the Skilhunt Mix-7 Gen 2 flashlight product page.
Versions
Of the Gen 2, there are a few versions! First here are body colors. Carbon black, olive green, vibrant orange, and dark blue. There are also two white emitter options: Cree XP-G4 (cool white) and Nichia 519a (4500K, High CRI). The package is available (in theory) with and without a cell, too (but I can’t select “without” in the drop-down.) (Just buy the cell, it’s good).
There’s also a first-generation Mix-7, too!
Price
The price varies based on which options you pick. The high CRI version is the most expensive, at $77.90 (with battery) (and I don’t see a way to exclude the battery). The Skilhunt Mix-7 Gen 2 flashlight (higher output, cool white) option is $71.90.
What’s Included
- Skilhunt Mix-7 Gen 2 flashlight
- Skilhunt 1100mAh 18350
- Charge cable (USB to proprietary magnetic)
- Lanyard
- Pocket clip
- Mesh pouch
- Magnet removal blank
- UV filter that fits atop a reflector for the UV
- Spare o-rings (2)
- Manual
Package and Manual
Build Quality and Disassembly
Skilhunts are usually well-built lights, and this one is no exception. The design language between this Skilhunt Mix-7 Gen 2 flashlight and the other M-series lights (including generation 1, of course) is very consistent! That’s nice, even if this MiX-7 doesn’t have the naming convention (unless the M is the carryover and the model is sort of “iX-7” – possible, I guess.)
Previous versions of this light (and other Skilhunt lights) used a blue bezel. I’m exceptionally pleased to note that this stainless bezel is black. This really tickles me to have an orange and black light. Particularly the great Mix-7!
The threads are square-cut and lubed an appropriate amount. There’s a magnet in the tailcap. You can remove it, and if you do, you should use the rubber spacer in place of the magnet. That’ll keep things snug!
The head end has a spring, too. On your copy, the head will likely not come off. That makes sense – you can see a little wavy washer there. Skilhunt doesn’t want to run the risk of that getting loose or lost, so they (typically) glue the head to the body.
Here’s how to install the (included) UV filter. Just unscrew the bezel. The glass lens should come out with the bezel
The drop the filter into the groove – it really only fits exactly in the right spot.
Then just screw the bezel back on!
Size and Comps
79.3mm x 32.5mm x 23.5mm and 61g (excluding 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 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!
The Skilhunt Mix-7 Gen 2 flashlight is a bit taller than the original but also a bit lighter.
Retention and Carry
A pocket clip is included. It’s a pretty nice friction-fit clip.
This clip is long on the tiny MiX-7. It’s not a problem, but, well, it’s a long clip. This is a two-way clip and lives only on the tail end of the Skilhunt Mix-7 Gen 2 flashlight.
Also included is a lanyard, which attaches either through the pocket clip (less recommended) or the tailcap, where there is a hole for this express purpose.
As mentioned above, the tailcap has a magnet. The magnet is sufficiently strong for holding the MiX-7 Gen 2.
Skilhunt included (separately) this little nylon pouch. I like this more than I figured I would, but since it was separate I’m not really sure if it’s included with all purchases or not.
Power and Runtime
The Skilhunt Mix-7 Gen 2 flashlight runs a single lithium-ion cell. My package included an 1100mAh 18350 button top cell.
The cell goes into the light in the normal way: positive end (button) toward the head.
Inside the cell tube is a sticker indicating that the cell should go with the positive end toward the head.
Below you can see three runtime tests. Performance is very good. There’s a big stepdown from T1 Turbo fairly quickly but after that, output is very stable at the “T2” level.
Low voltage protection was observed in every test. The switch will blink red to let you know the voltage is low, too.
Charging
The Skilhunt Mix-7 Gen 2 flashlight also has built-in charging. There’s a connector opposite the switch. One end is a USB plug, and the other is a proprietary magnetic connector.
The connection works well. Notably, this is the “MC-10” charger, which peaks at around 1A.
While charging, the charger blinks red, and when charging is complete, the charger uses a blue indicator.
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens | Tailcap Amps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | 2000/540 | 2m+55m | 1697 (0s) 1586 (30s) |
5.45 |
| T2 | 1000/540 | 5m+50m | 940 | 1.83 |
| H1 | 540 | 60m | 506 | 0.84 |
| M1 | 185 | 180m | 175 | 0.26 |
| M2 | 55 | 9h | 53 | 0.08 |
| L1 | 5 | 28h | 4.8 | 0.02 |
| L2 | 0.6 | 200h | 0.54 | [low] |
| Red 1 | 230/125 | 3m+75m | – | 1.49 |
| Red 2 | 40 | 5.5h | – | 0.15 |
| Red 3 | 15 | 11.5h | – | 0.06 |
| Red 4 | 1 | 27h | – | 0.02 |
| Green 1 | 375/235 | 3m+70m | – | 1.61 |
| Green 2 | 120 | 5h | – | 0.18 |
| Green 3 | 55 | 11h | – | 0.07 |
| Green 4 | 7 | 30h | – | 0.02 |
| Blue 1 | 55/35 | 3m+65m | – | 1.73 |
| Blue 2 | 12 | 4.5h | – | 0.20 |
| Blue 3 | 5 | 10.5h | – | 0.08 |
| Blue 4 | 0.5 | 30h | – | 0.02 |
Pulse Width Modulation
There’s no PWM at all on any mode.
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
There’s a single switch on the MiX-7. It’s a side e-switch, with an indicator in the center. It’s a big secure switch, with a very positive but quiet click. I very much like this switch. The switch seems unchanged from the previous iterations of the M-series.
I like the bezel a bit less – it’s proud over the switch. That’s fine if you need to protect the switch from accidental activation, but with lockout I really don’t need that.
The cutout for the switch in the head is the same size as the charge connector, and while it’s hard to distinguish between the two while holding the light, I found that it didn’t matter; I’ll just pinch the light with both spots between my fingers, and activate the light.
The user interface could be a bit daunting, but it’s very straightforward when you get used to it. It’s also very logical and provides access to low from off, which is as close to a requirement from a user interface as I have. This user interface is also updated from the previous versions. Of course it is though, that’s half the point of this version! This one adds a few color modes but also allows mixing of the color emitters!!
Skilhunt’s user interface chart is also updated to be more flow-charty, which I appreciate.
Here’s a UI table!
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Hold | Low (Memory between L1 and L2) |
| L1 or L2 | Hold | Switch between L1 and L2 |
| L1 or L2 | Click Hold | Main Group (Memory between H, M1, M2) |
| L1 or L2 | Double click | No change |
| Main group | Double click | Turbo Group (memory between T1, T2) |
| On | Click | Off |
| Off | Click | Main Group (Memory between H, M1, M2) |
| Off | Double click | Turbo Group (memory between T1, T2) |
| Off | Click 4x | Lockout (Three blinks of main emitters to confirm and the switch turns red briefly) |
| Lockout | Click 4x | Unlock to L2 |
| Lockout | Click 2x | Iterate lockout indicator^ |
| Lockout | Hold | Momentary Output (Appears to be approximately L1) |
| Off | Click 3x | Strobe group (memory)^^ |
| Strobe Group | Click 2x | Strobe Advance |
| On | Click | Off |
| On | Click 2x + Hold | Color memory memory (but always level 1 (highest) of that color) |
| Any color on | Hold | Advance through modes of that color (ascending) |
| Any color on | Click Hold | Change between single RGB (Red > Green > Blue) |
| Any color on | Click 2x | Color Mix (memory) – There is just one output level of mixed RGB. |
| Color mix | Hold | Advance through color mix |
| Off | Click Hold | RGB (single) memory |
| Off | Hold 2s | UV (memory) |
| UV | Hold | Advance through 3 UV modes |
^ Lockout indicator blinks a red switch every 2-3 seconds.
^^ 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.
LED and Beam
In this higher output version, Skilhunt has used three Cree XP-G4 emitters. They’re cool white, and unlike generation 1 of the Mix-7, this version uses a TIR for all emitters (except UV). There are a total of four emitter varieties here: white (Cree XP-G4, 6500K), Red, Green, Blue, and UV. The UV is dead center. The light ships with a little UV filter and the reflector for UV has a little lip where this filter sits. That’s a nice touch by Skilhunt and well-considered. (Also shipping this way seems to prevent some notable patent issues…)
Skilhunt smartly put a little lip in the reflector only on the UV area, and this little filter fits perfectly! That also explains why (or one reason) the bezel isn’t glued. It unscrews easily and the filter slips right in!
The secondary emitters are very bright, but thankfully on this Skilhunt Mix-7 Gen 2 flashlight, there are multiple modes for each (4, up from 2)!
Here’s an idea of what the RGB mixing looks like. It always follows the same pathway. You can’t, for example, pick to mix green with red in a way that’s not predetermined. And you can’t skip around – you will have to go through the modes just their way. You also can’t go backwards, so if you find the perfect mix and go just past it? Well you’ll have to go all the way back through.
LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)
The CCT is rated at 5700K; fortunately, it doesn’t even reach as cool as 5700K at the highest level. That’s good for my preference, but if you’re looking for a very true cool white, this one might be warmer on the lower levels than you want. CRI is fairly low here, too.
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.
The last set of 4 below is the RGB mix. Just a sample. Just a taste.
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
Alright, it should really be no surprise that I love the Skilhunt Mix-7 Gen 2 flashlight. I loved Generation 1 and there are improvements across the board here. The user interface is better. The black bezel is better. The runtimes still look great. There’s a long body now! It’s all improvements. More things could improve though. For example, I’d love to be able to go backward to hit just the right RGB mix mode. I could also stand a version without UV, but UV is easy to avoid so no complaints about that.
The Big Table
| Skilhunt Mix-7 Gen 2 flashlight | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Cree XP-G4 |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $71.90 |
| Cell: | 1×18350 |
| Runtime Graphs | |
| LVP? | Yes |
| Switch Type: | E-Switch |
| Quiescent Current (mA): | ? |
| On-Board Charging? | Yes |
| Charge Port Type: | Proprietary Magnetic |
| Charge Graph | |
| Power off Charge Port | with cell: all modes except T1 without cell and/or tailcap: all modes except T1 and T2 |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 2000 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 1586 (79.3% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen | |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 182 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 298lux @ 4.631m = 6391cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 159.9 (87.9% of claim)^ |
| Claimed CCT | 5700 |
| Measured CCT Range (K) | 4900-5300 Kelvin |
| Item provided for review by: | Skilhunt |
| 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
- Great build quality
- Nice looking little light
- Updated black steel bezel
- High CRI output option
- Higher output version is actually higher output!
- User interface (despite foibles)
- Uses standard (maybe long?) 18350
- Indicating e-switch
- All the non-white outputs also have added modes (4)
- Despite being “cool white” and rated to 5700K, it doesn’t reach 5700K
- The RGB Mix mode is very neat!
What I don’t like
- RGB Mix could stand a high/low option
- RGB Mix needs a “reverse” feature so I can hit exactly the color mix I want.
- Double click to advance strobe is annoying
- Proprietary charging. USB-C would be great!
Notes
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