Nextorch Artorch Compact EDC Tactical Flashlight Review
The Nextorch Artorch Compact EDC tactical flashlight features a built-in tactical grip ring and a unique rotary tail switch. Read on to check it out!
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a referral link to the Nextorch Artorch Compact EDC tactical flashlight product page.
Versions
There’s just one version of the Nextorch Artorch Compact EDC tactical flashlight.
Price
The Nextorch Artorch Compact EDC tactical flashlight is listed at $99.99 and is available now!
What’s Included
- Nextorch Artorch Compact EDC tactical flashlight
- Nextorch 1400mAh 18350
- Charging cable
- Manual
- (Optional) Belt carry hard case
- Nextorch Nextool
Package and Manual
Build Quality and Disassembly
Nextorch sent the Nextorch Artorch Compact EDC tactical flashlight over as part of a Merry Christmas seasonal happy wish, and I appreciate it! They didn’t strictly ask for a review of this light but I suppose it’s my nature. And here we are!
The Nextorch Artorch Compact EDC tactical flashlight is a sturdy little light. The tactical grip ring is built in. That’s quite unusual! That also makes it unsuited for an EDC role unless you need that specific tactical grip ring. I don’t, but I do quite like the light! In fact, the built-in tactical grip doesn’t really get in my way.
Only the tailcap (and thus tactical grip ring) comes off of the Nextorch Artorch Compact EDC tactical flashlight. Removing this reveals a big spring on the tail end and anodized threads.
As you’d expect, the positive end (inside the cell tube) also has a spring.
With my Christmas package, Nextorch included this little bottle opening tool. It’s neat. It has a cord cutter, too.
And even more exciting in this seasonal package was this little Nextorch figurine! What an operator!
Size and Comps
Dimensions: 110 mm (L) x 60 mm (H) x 28 mm (Head)
Weight: 120g / 4.23oz (excluding battery)
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
I’ve already mentioned the tactical grip ring (which isn’t really for carry, it’s for use). Included in my kit was this V42 X-Carry belt-attaching sheath. It’s a hard case, and the Nextorch Artorch Compact EDC tactical flashlight will fit with the ring forward or backward.
The light holder part can also rotate around that center bit.
A little press-in button locks things so that they don’t change in the field.
The rotating part has teeth that lock in place. Below you can see them not locked in place.
The belt loop isn’t permanent. There’s a latch (below) that can be opened so you won’t have to remove your belt to remove this holster.
There’s also a little insert that will allow for slimmer belts, too.
Power and Runtime
The Nextorch Artorch Compact EDC tactical flashlight is powered by a single 18350. Nextorch includes this 1400mAh cell.
The cell goes into the light with the button toward the front.
Below you can see runtime tests for all 3 steady modes.
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. A temperature sensor is not always attached to the bezel (or even the hottest spot, assuming that could be defined). Even with ideal placement, too many variables affect temperature to definitively state a specific max value.
Charging
The Nextorch Artorch Compact EDC tactical flashlight itself doesn’t have charging built-in, but the included cell does have USB-C charging. An A to C cable is included.
Both C to C and A to C charging work just fine.
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | 1600 | 1h | 1212 (0s) 1141 (30s) |
| Medium | 300 | 2h30m | 212 (0s) 209 (30s) |
| Low | 25 | 19h | 19 |
Pulse Width Modulation
All three modes have a bit of ripple. The higher two (right two columns) were slow enough that I included a separate time scale for a better photo of it. I am unable to see this by eye, though.
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 Nextorch Artorch Compact EDC tactical flashlight has an interesting means of operation. There’s a single rotary switch on the tail of the light.
The switch is a bit proud, but due to the general design, the light wouldn’t tailstand anyway. The switch can rotate fully in either direction. There’s no stopping point on the rotation.
Here’s a user interface table!
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Rotate backward (toward the loop) | Low |
| Low | Rotate backward (toward the loop) | Medium |
| Medium | Rotate backward (toward the loop) | High |
| High | Rotate backward (toward the loop) | Strobe |
| Strobe | Rotate backward (toward the loop) | Off |
Everything about that works in the opposite direction, too. Just the results are opposite. So you can immediately access strobe from off, if you want. And you really have to memorize which direction to go, or you’ll end up in strobe more often than you want.
LED and Beam
Nextorch doesn’t say what emitter is used in the Artorch. It has a fairly deep, orange-peel reflector.
The bezel also has some shape (crenelations) as well as three glass breaking balls.
LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)
Whatever this emitter is, it’s cool to very cool white and low CRI.
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
Thanks to Nextorch for sending the Nextorch Artorch Compact EDC tactical flashlight as a Christmas gift! The whole package was very kind and thoughtful, and I appreciate it greatly! The Artorch is a very neat light, and frankly, I’ve enjoyed wearing it around on my belt and feeling like an operator. The build quality is great, and I think it probably suits a tactical scenario very nicely.
The Big Table
| Nextorch Artorch | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Unstated white LED |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $99.99 |
| Cell: | 1×18350 |
| Runtime Graphs | |
| LVP? | Yes |
| Switch Type: | Rotary |
| On-Board Charging? | Yes |
| Charge Port Type: | USB-C (on cell) |
| Charge Graph | |
| Power off Charge Port | – |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 1600 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 1141 (71.3% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen | 19.7 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 300 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 833lux @ 5.488m = 25088cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 316.8 (105.6% of claim)^ |
| Claimed CCT | – |
| Measured CCT Range (K) | 6000-6600 Kelvin |
| Item provided for review by: | Nextorch |
| All my Nextorch 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
- Uses standard 18350 cell
- Good beam profile
- Tactical grip is built-in and therefore very sturdy
- The holster is very nice!
- Seriously, this holster has so many thoughtful options
What I don’t like
- Cool to very cool white
- Low CRI
- Just 3 modes
- Rotary must simply be memorized (From off it’s either low or strobe, depending on the direction you rotate)
Notes
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