CDCxReyLight Crusader Flashlight Review
The blue CDCxReyLight Crusader flashlight has a complimentary-color inner sleeve. It runs one AAA or 10440 cell (included) and uses one high CRI Nichia 519a.
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a link to the CDCxReyLight Crusader flashlight product page.
Versions
There are at least two versions of the CDCxReyLight Crusader flashlight. It’s available in blue aluminum (seen in this review), green aluminum, and Zirconium. ReyLight does other Zirconium finishes, but it looks like just one is available now for this light.
Price
The CDCxReyLight Crusader flashlight in aluminum sells for $50. Zirconium is much more costly, at $310. Both types include a 10440 cell. This item may be purchased now but due to Chinese New Year holiday, will not ship until Feb 16.
What’s Included
- CDCxReyLight Crusader flashlight
- ReyLight 300mAh 10440
- Spare o-rings (2 each of 2 types)
- Spare switch cover
Package and Manual
There is no manual.
Build Quality and Disassembly
The CDCxReyLight Crusader flashlight is a familiar product in an exciting new host. The guts are a mix of ReyLight Pineapple and Pineapple Mini. Build quality is good, as expected, and the CDCxReyLight Crusader flashlight is an interestingly designed light.
This is a 10440 light – it’s big for a 10440 light! That is in part because of the design choice to have a multi-color body with an inner sleeve (somewhat like what Barrel does).
The threads are unanodized but still smooth.
The cell tube can be removed, but be careful to keep the pocket clip from rubbing the body. The tailcap has a spring.
The CDCxReyLight Crusader flashlight will almost fit (in diameter) a 14500 cell. But not quite. A 14500 cell would also be longer than the light is designed for (by around 6mm).
Above you can see that the inner sleeve has two o-rings. So despite the external cell tube (focused below), the light should still be waterproof to some degree.
Size and Comps
Overall Length: 3.35”
Head Diameter: 0.78”
Body Diameter: 0.69”
Tail Diameter: 0.78”
Weight (w/ 10440 Battery): 2.0oz
Weight (w/out Battery): 1.7”oz
If the flashlight will headstand, I’ll show it here. If the flashlight will tailstand, I’ll also show that here too!
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!
In the photo above, you may note that the SRM (standard reference material) flashlight for comparison has changed! I used a TorchLAB BOSS 35 for ages. Now what you can see as the 18350 SRM is the Hanko Machine Works Trident. While I have not reviewed or tested the Gunner Grip version seen here, I have tested a Hanko Machine Works Trident Total Tesseract in brass. I love the Trident, and it’s a nice juxtaposition beside the inexpensive Convoy S2+, which I also love to use as an SRM.
Retention and Carry
The CDCxReyLight Crusader flashlight ships with a pocket clip installed. It attaches via two T8 TORX screws. This is not the “platypus” pocket clip by ReyLight – that clip is titanium, but I belive (and the product page says) that this is a stonewashed stainless steel clip.
It’s a very nice clip, and despite being quite large, fits this light nicely.
ReyLight does note that the hole spacing is standard, so other clips (like those by SteelFlame) will fit this light.
Power and Runtime
Surprisingly, the CDCxReyLight Crusader flashlight can run at 1.5V (like primary alkaline or NiMH AAA) and 4.2V (like the included 10440). All the usual AAA types work – alkaline, NiMH, lithium primary. And also the lithium-ion 10440 cell works! Output is different between the voltages, too.
The cell installs in the normal direction – positive end toward the head.
The performance here is practically like that of the Pineapple Mini – a fairly quick stepdown from the highest level (and similar output, too). Lower modes are much more steady, and also much lower output. I didn’t include the fourth level in this group chart below because it barely registers on lumens and skews the time scale for the other options. You can see it below.
This runtime test didn’t go to a point where the light shuts off. When I stopped the test after nearly 24 hours, the cell was still at 4.05V! So there’s a LOT of life in the moonlight level.
Charging
While the CDCxReyLight Crusader flashlight itself does not have built-in charging, the included 10440 cell does. There’s a USB-C charging port on the positive end.
Charging works fine from C to C or A to C, at around 0.25A. Total charge time is around 1.5 hours (at most).
When the cell is charging, an indicator near the positive button is red. When charging completes, the LED switches to green.
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens | Tailcap Amps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100% | 550 | – | 280 (0s) 261 (30s) |
4.2V: 1.19 |
| 20% | 110 | – | 64 (0s) 63 (30s) |
4.2V: 0.25 |
| 2% | 11 | – | 9 | 4.2V: 0.02 |
| Moonlight | – | – | 0.3 | 4.2V: [low] |
Pulse Width Modulation
On the default mode group (which is the same four modes as in the table above), only Moonlight does not use PWM. The other modes use very fast PWM, so it’s unlikely to be a problem unless you’re trying to do high-speed photography or something like that.
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 CDCxReyLight Crusader flashlight uses a mechanical clicky. Unlike the Pineapple Mini (which has a very protected switch and that switch uses a metal cover), the Crusader has a very proud rubber-covered switch. This prevents tailstanding.
The switch action is fairly deep and on a light this small that could be cumbersome. But if you’re deliberate the switch is just fine.
The user interface actually has some programming features. Mode memory can be turned on or off (default is off, thankfully). There are a bunch of mode options, too.
Here’s a UI table!
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Click | On (Low, if mode memory is off) |
| On | Click | Off |
| On | Tap | Mode advance (LMHT) |
| On | Tap 8x | Enter programming mode^ |
^ Programming goes like this. Once in programming mode, the light will blink once, then blink very quickly (strobe-ish), then blink twice then blink very quickly (strobe-ish), and so on, up to five blinks. In order to program a certain feature, click during the “strobe-ish” section after the blink. Each of these blinks represents a programming option, as follows:
First blink: Program the mode groups. Only this option has sub-options. In this option, the light will blink slowly 4x. The mode groups are as follows:
1 blink: (ML)-2%-20%-100%
2nd blink: (ML)-10%-40%-100%
3rd blink: (ML)-2%-10%-50%
4th blink: (ML)-50%-100%-strobe-SOS
To accept any of those four mode groups of your choice, click after the appropriate blink. So if you want the third option, wait for the light to blink 3x, and tap the switch. You’ve programmed the third mode group. The light will run the 4x blink cycle twice and then exit programming.
Second blink: Toggle mode memory. Off is the default.
Third blink: Toggle moonlight mode. On is the default.
Fourth blink: Toggle mode order. Default is ascending. Can be toggled to descending.
Fifth blink: Reset to factory settings.
LED and Beam
The CDCxReyLight Crusader flashlight unsurprisingly (and pleasantly) uses a Nichia 519a. The reflector is orange peel and notably the same reflector that the Pineapple (not Mini!) uses.
LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)
CRI is over 95 on all modes and CCT is in the 4000K range (or under – 3800-3900K). Duv is just above the BBL (that is, “positive”), but I don’t really notice a hint of green in this beam.
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
I like the CDCxReyLight Crusader flashlight just as much as I expected to and you probably will too. It’s just a bigger Pineapple Mini, which is also a great flashlight. It adds some neat features in the build and design, such as the perforated body that allows a complimentary-color inner sleeve to peek through. The user interface is familiar and programmable. The CDCxReyLight Crusader flashlight is a nice complete package!
The Big Table
| CDCxReyLight Crusader flashlight | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Nichia 519a (4000K R9080) |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $50.00 |
| Cell: | 1×10440 |
| Runtime Graphs | |
| LVP? | Yes |
| Switch Type: | Mechanical |
| On-Board Charging? | Yes |
| Charge Port Type: | USB-C (on cell) |
| Charge Graph | |
| Power off Charge Port | – |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 550 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 261 (47.5% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen | 6.86 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | – |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 68lux @ 5.05m = 1734cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 83.3 |
| Claimed CCT | 4000 |
| Measured CCT Range (K) | 3800-3900 Kelvin |
| Item provided for review by: | Reylight |
| All my Reylight 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
- High CRI
- Fun design
- Pleasant output (both CCT, CRI, beam shape – all of it)
- Supports both 1.5V and 4.2V cylindrical AAA-sized cells.
- Includes the 10440
- Cell has charging (and light isn’t complicated with that feature)
- The pocket clip!
What I don’t like
- I have to be fairly deliberate in holding the light and clicking the switch with just one hand
- The price – I’d love for the package to come in under 50 (and way under the MSRP of $65)
Notes
- This content originally appeared at zeroair.org. Please visit there for the best experience!
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