Thrunite Catapult Mini Pro Flashlight Review
The Thrunite Catapult Mini Pro flashlight is an even more updated light over previous iterations. This one uses a Luminus SFT-70 emitter and has USB-C charging!
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a link to the Thrunite Catapult Mini Pro flashlight product page.
Versions
The page hints at some other versions (like a neutral white version), but for now it looks like there’s only this cool white version of the Thrunite Catapult Mini Pro flashlight.
Price
MSRP of the Thrunite Catapult Mini Pro flashlight is $49.95, a reasonable price for such a great (and tiny) thrower that includes the required 18350 cell! The package includes an extension for using a 18650 cell, too!
What’s Included
- Thrunite Catapult Mini Pro flashlight
- Extension for using one 18650
- Thrunite 1100mAh 18350
- Charging cable (USB to USB-C)
- Lanyard
- Spare o-rings (2)
- Spare charge port cover
- Manual and papers
Package and Manual
Build Quality and Disassembly
Unlike the V1 of the Thrunite Catapult Mini flashlight, (but like V2), the Thrunite Catapult Mini Pro flashlight is standard black. The build quality is very good, which you should already expect from Thrunite. So no surprises at all there.
There’s fairly minimal branding – I think this is silk-screened and seems to me to be very much like on the bigger (and legendary) Thrunite TN42.
Only the cell tube comes off the light – it’s really just a two-part flashlight. The threads are short and anodized.
Below you’ll see why this detail is important, but there’s just one contact point at this brass button. Negative travels through the cell tube and to the outer rim. You’ll see why that’s important later.
Inside the body you can see a nice beefy spring on the tail end, and just a brass button for contact in the head.
The 18650 extension tube screws into the head and onto the cell tube. I really like this approach for offering 18650 support! Do note that this light is not for two 18350 cells! That’s too much voltage!
Size and Comps
Dimensions: 89.5mm x 43mm x 26mm and 90g without the battery. The size is up a very little bit from V2. Thrunite doesn’t specify a size for the 18650 option but you can estimate that it’ll be around 30mm longer.
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!
Retention and Carry
Really the only option for carrying the Thrunite Catapult Mini V2 flashlight is the included lanyard, which attaches through this hole in the tailcap.
It’s a fairly standard lanyard, but gets the job done.
There is no pocket clip. There is no magnet. There is no pouch. You probably wouldn’t really want those things, but for example, the Manker MC13 has a pocket clip, and I didn’t complain that it did have a pocket clip.
Power and Runtime
The Thrunite Catapult Mini Pro flashlight is powered by a single lithium-ion cell. One is provided, seen below. It’s a standard 1100mAh 18350! This is a pleasant update from the V2, which used a proprietary cell. (Used one, but didn’t require one.)
The cell fits with the positive end toward the head (which is the normal configuration).
Below are a few runtimes; the highest three modes. Thrunite only claims 20 seconds at the very highest output, which I measured as over their claimed 2588 lumens.
You might notice a tiny change in the three runtime charts below. I added a little label for what throw you could expect for that lumen value. This is just a calculation and it’s based on the cd/lm value that’s been included in The Big Table for a long while now. Please comment below what you think of this data point. It’s a bit of a pain to include and if you were ever interested in it you probably already inferred it from checking the cd/lm and calculating throw. (Ok that’s a bit of a stretch! I do know you all are smart, though!)
So what do you think about this addition?
The Thrunite Catapult Mini Pro flashlight shuts off with low voltage protection at around 3V.
I didn’t perform any runtime tests with an 18650. Just to put a note, though – you wouldn’t expect any enhanced output, but the runtimes would be longer!
Charging
Also built into the Thrunite Catapult Mini Pro flashlight is USB-C charging. The port is in the head (opposite the switch) and has a press-in rubber cover (and a spare is included). This is a high-quality port – something I don’t say all that often because it’s not always so evident. The port lines up perfectly with the opening.
There’s also a cable included for charging – USB to USB-C.
The charge cycle is very consistent, which is good. At 1A or so, it’s plenty “fast” charging – around 1C.
Modes and Currents
Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens | Tailcap Amps |
---|---|---|---|---|
Turbo | 2588-680 | 20s+60m | 2610 (0s) 1012 (30s) |
9.79 |
High | 1233-660 | 60s+65m | 1214 (0s) 1202 (30s) |
2.50 |
Medium | 309 | 2.5h | 287 | 0.42 |
Low | 66 | 9h | 62 | 0.07 |
Firefly | 11 | 47h | 15 | [low] |
Pulse Width Modulation
There’s no PWM 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
Thrunite put a single switch in the Catapult Mini Pro. It’s an indicating e-switch on the head, and just slightly proud. The cover is hard (but probably plastic, not metal) – still a great switch. It’s easy to differentiate between the switch and the charge port cover.
I am super pleased that this light does not use the “Thrunite Ramping” user interface. I’m sorry to say, Thrunite, but I hate that user interface. But this user interface. This user interface is fantastic!!
Here’s a UI table!
State | Action | Result |
---|---|---|
Off | Click | On (Mode Memory except for Firefly, Turbo, Strobe) |
Off | Hold 1s | Firefly |
Off | Click 4x | Lockout (the main emitter blinks 3x to confirm) |
Lockout | Click (1, 2, 3) | No Output (switch indicates in blue (or possibly battery status)) |
Lockout | Click 4x | Firefly |
On | Click | Off |
On (including Firefly) | Hold | Mode advance (LMH only) |
Any | Double Click | Turbo |
Any | Triple Click | Strobe |
LED and Beam
In the Thrunite Catapult Mini V2 is a Luminus SFT-70 emitter. That’s a solid high-output emitter and good for throw too.
Notably, the Thrunite Catapult Mini Pro flashlight has a reflector (not a TIR). This is great for those reflector lovers (or TIR haters).
Not pictured, but one improvement is that this Pro version of the Catapult Mini has a bezel with teeth. They’re small teeth, but I appreciate the texture.
LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)
CRI on this Luminus SFT-70 emitter is low, at around 70. CCT ranges from 6100K on the low output to a cooler 7200K for Turbo. This is very cool white!
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
There’s a whole category of lights like this now – maybe all stemming from the original Thrunite version. This Catapult Mini Pro is another great flashlight in the lineup, too. The Pro still has a side e-switch, and still has the great Thrunite user interface. Both output and throw here are outstanding, of course, and for $50ish, it’s a great purchase. I love the 18650 extension, too!
The Big Table
Thrunite Catapult Mini Pro flashlight | |
---|---|
Emitter: | Luminus SFT-70 |
Price in USD at publication time: | $49.95 |
Cell: | 1×18350 |
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 or without cell or cell tube: lowest two modes |
Claimed Lumens (lm) | 2588 |
Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 1012 (39.1% of claim)^ |
Candela per Lumen | 36.56 |
Claimed Throw (m) | 566 |
Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 1656lux @ 5.201m = 44795cd |
Throw (Calculated) (m) | 423.3 (74.8% of claim)^ |
Claimed CCT | – |
Measured CCT Range (K) | 6100-7200 Kelvin |
Item provided for review by: | Thrunite |
All my Thrunite 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 thrower
- Excellent build quality
- Complete package includes a capable (standard) 18350 cell
- 18650 extension tube is a great way to offer 18650 compatibility
- USB-C Charging
- Another good use of the “standard” Thrunite user interface
- Specifically it doesn’t use the Thrunite ramping user interface!
What I don’t like
- Low CRI
- No belt clip (or really: any way other than lanyard. It doesn’t have to be belt clip.)
Notes
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