Ripshine EL1 Flashlight Review
The Ripshine EL1 flashlight offers a simple user interface, the ability to run an included 14500 cell or other AA, and a Cree XP-L HD emitter. Read on!
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a link to the Ripshine EL1 flashlight product page.
Versions
The product page shows only black available, but the box showing a green light makes me think there are at least two options. Very likely, though, they are identical internally.
Price
The Ripshine EL1 flashlight sells for $23.99 and is available flashlightgo now!
What’s Included
- Ripshine EL1 flashlight
- Ripshine 950mAh 14500
- Spare o-rings (2)
- Manual
Package and Manual
Build Quality and Disassembly
The Ripshine EL1 flashlight has acceptable build quality for a $24 light. That’s not good or bad – it’s fine. Specifically regarding the build and price – this light uses a Cree XP-L HD emitter, which is a bit dated.
The head end has only a button for contact. The threads are anodized and smooth.
Only the head is removable from the Ripshine EL1 flashlight, but inside the cell tube (below), there’s a spring.
Size and Comps
Size 91 x 18.5MM
Weight 23g (only flashlight)
Here’s the light in hand:
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 in the photo above, my Standard Reference Material (SRM) flashlight is the Hanko Machine Works Trident, an 18350 light. 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 striking contrast to the inexpensive Convoy S2+, another great SRM.
Retention and Carry
A friction-fit pocket clip is included with the Ripshine EL1 flashlight. It’s a one-way clip and has multiple areas were a lanyard (not included) could be attached.
And that’s it for retention or carry of the Ripshine EL1 flashlight!
Power and Runtime
The Ripshine EL1 flashlight runs a lithium-ion 14500 cell, and Ripshine includes this standard 950mAh cell.
The cell goes into the light in the usual orientation – positive end toward the head.
I tested runtime performance on Turbo and high. You can check out that data below. It’s acceptable – both modes have a stepdown. After the stepdown, both maintain approximately 250 lumens for well over an hour.
The temperature lines in these charts are included as general context, not precise measurements. The values represent the range (min to max) during testing, but should not be taken as exact readings. Temperature sensors are attached however feasible and not always on the bezel or hottest spot (assuming that can even be clearly defined). Even with ideal placement, too many variables affect temperature to definitively state a specific max value.
Charging
While the Ripshine EL1 flashlight itself does not have charging, the included cell does. This cell has a USB-C port on the positive end.
Charging proceeds at approximately 0.5C, which is on the slow side, but still acceptable (and great for cell longevity). Both C to C and A to C work just fine.
While charging, a red LED on the cell is lit. When charging is complete, the indicator turns green.
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens | Tailcap Amps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo | 1250-550 | 60s+1h45m | 1133 (0s) 916 (30s) |
3.86 |
| High | 600 | 1h50m | 550 (0s) 239 (30s) |
1.14 |
| Medium | 260 | 2h5m | 238 | 0.41 |
| Low | 6 | 50h | 5.4 | [low] |
The light will also run on a 1.5V cell (such as AA or AA NiMH). No testing was performed with that cell.
Pulse Width Modulation
The lower modes have a bit of squiggle, but this isn’t PWM, and I didn’t notice it during use. Turbo seems to not have any PWM or anything else.
Click here to 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 Ripshine EL1 flashlight uses a single mechanical clicky on the tail for operation.
The switch is very proud (and prevents tailstanding) and has a nice action.
Here’s a user interface table! The switch is a forward clicky!
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Click | On (memory) |
| Off | Tap | Momentary on (use this to advance modes before turning the light on) |
| On | Click | Off |
| On | Tap | No change |
| Off | Tap 5x | Momentary strobe |
| Off | Tap 5x and click | Strobe |
LED and Beam
The Ripshine EL1 flashlight uses a Cree XP-L HD emitter. There’s a small, smooth reflector to go along with that, too. The beam profile is just great.
LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)
I don’t see any claim about CCT or CRI being made by Ripshine, but this light is cool white and low CRI. Neither of those should come as a big surprise since this light uses a Cree XP-L HD.
CCT (Correlated Color Temperature) refers to the measurement of the color appearance of light, expressed in Kelvins (K), which indicates whether the light is warm (yellowish) or cool (bluish). A lower CCT (below 3000K) is considered warm light, while a higher CCT (above 5000K) gives cooler, bluish light.
CRI (Color Rendering Index) is a measure of how accurately a light source renders colors in comparison to natural sunlight. Scored on a scale from 0 to 100, higher CRI values indicate that colors appear more true to life and vibrant, similar to how they would look under the sun.
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
While the Cree XP-L HD emitter is not my first choice, the beam profile of this light is nice, and the cost is even better. It’s probably possible to perform an emitter swap for this light. Once that’s done, you’ll have a very simple light that can run AA and 14500 for a very reasonable cost!
The Big Table
| Ripshine EL1 Flashligt | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Cree XPL HD |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $23.99 |
| Cell: | 1×14500 |
| 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) | 1250 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 916 (73.3% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen | 4.4 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 145 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 182lux @ 4.85m = 4281cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 130.9 (90.3% of claim)^ |
| Claimed CCT | – |
| Measured CCT Range (K) | 6000-6900 Kelvin |
| Item provided for review by: | Flashlightgo.com |
| All my Ripshine 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
- Low cost
- Simple user interface
- Reasonable build quality for the price
- Strobe doesn’t get in the way
- Can run 14500 and AA
What I don’t like
- Dated emitter
- Cool white
- Low CRI
Notes
- This content originally appeared at zeroair.org. Please visit there for the best experience!
- Please use my Amazon.com referral link to help support zeroair.org!
- Please support me on Patreon! I deeply appreciate your support!