Maratac Mini LEP Cosmos Flashlight Review
The Maratac Mini LEP Cosmos flashlight offers two modes of LEP output (very throwy) on a single 14500 cell – it’s a very small LEP! Great throw, check it out!
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a link to the Maratac Mini LEP Cosmos flashlight product page.
Versions
There’s just one version of the Maratac Mini LEP Cosmos flashlight.
Price
The Maratac Mini LEP Cosmos flashlight is available now for $95.
What’s Included
- Maratac Mini LEP Cosmos flashlight
- Spare o-rings (2)
- Card
Package and Manual
There is no manual.
Build Quality and Disassembly
The build quality of the Maratac Mini LEP Cosmos flashlight is good. This light bears a striking resemblance to the Peak Focus Pro.
I appreciate the head, which has a hexagonal cooling fin area. This makes the light anti-roll, even if you don’t use the pocket clip. Also, it’s nice that there are cooling fins in general.
Both the head and tail come off the Maratac Mini LEP Cosmos flashlight. For cell swaps, I recommend removing the head though – otherwise, you’ll need to manage the pocket clip, too. The tail end has a spring.
The head only has a button; unlike the Maratac I just reviewed, this button is not protected. A flat-top cell will work fine in this light!
All threads are anodized and quite smooth.
Size and Comps
Size: 100 x 22 x 19mm (Length x head Ø x tube Ø)
Net Weight: 2.55 Ounces (Aluminum)
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
The Maratac Mini LEP Cosmos flashlight ships with a collar-style pocket clip installed. It’s a two-way clip.
The clip is removable.
On the tailcap are two holes for attaching a lanyard (but a lanyard is not included.) They’re “simple” holes, which means you’ll lose the option for “cleanish” tailstanding if you install a lanyard. I say “cleanish” because the switch cover sticks up a bit past the tailcap edges anyway. (The light will still tailstand.)
Power and Runtime
The Maratac Mini LEP Cosmos flashlight runs only 14500 and can not run any AA cells (1.5V AA).
Maratac doesn’t include a cell, so I tested with this Vapcell F12 flat-top. The 14500 CountyComm links is an 800mAh version, which is probably what their output duration claims are based on.
Whatever cell you use, it goes into the Maratac Mini LEP Cosmos flashlight in the same way – button toward the head.
There are just 2 modes and both have good low voltage protection.
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens | Tailcap Amps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | 260 | 90 | 235 (0s) 219 (30s) |
2.00 |
| Low | 100 | 180 | 57 (0s) 52 (30s) |
0.43 |
Pulse Width Modulation
Both modes have PWM but it’s fast enough to not be a problem.
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
As mentioned above, the Maratac Mini LEP Cosmos flashlight is a clicky. Specifically a forward clicky.
Forward clicky means you change to the mode you want before the flashlight is fully on, and once on there’s no mode changing.
Here’s a user interface table! This user interface is the same as the Maratac Peak Focus Pro. That does make this a bit weird that this is thus a LEP with strobe.
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Click | On |
| Off | Tap | Mode advance (L>H) |
| Off | Hold (half) | Momentary |
| On | Tap | No change |
| On | Click | Off |
| Off | Double tap | Momentary strobe |
| Off | Double tap (ending in click) | Steady strobe |
LED and Beam
The Maratac Mini LEP Cosmos flashlight is a LEP, which I haven’t typically broken down any further. I don’t even know what varieties of LEP there are!
The beam is, of course, very tight.
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 Maratac Mini LEP Cosmos flashlight is just what it aims to be. It’s a 14500 LEP. Just two modes and a simple user interface make it a fun contender among ways to spend your hundred dollars.
The Big Table
| Maratac Mini LEP Cosmos – Laser Flashlight | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $95.00 |
| Cell: | 1×14500 |
| Runtime Graphs | |
| LVP? | Yes |
| Switch Type: | Mechanical |
| On-Board Charging? | No |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 260 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 219 (84.2% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen | 564.29 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 792 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 3460lux @ 6.18m = 132146cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 727.0 (91.8% of claim)^ |
| Item provided for review by: | CountyComm |
| All my Maratac 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 (and familiar) user interface
- Mechanical clicky
- Just two modes
- Reasonable performance
- Extremely focused beam!
What I don’t like
- Doesn’t include cell
- Strobe? Just, weird for a LEP
Notes
- This content originally appeared at zeroair.org. Please visit there for the best experience!
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