Armytek Viking Pro Magnet USB Tactical Flashlight Review
The Armytek Viking Pro Magnet USB tactical flashlight offers warm, steady output in a very tactical package, with proprietary magnetic charging! Read on!
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a link to the Armytek Viking Pro Magnet USB tactical flashlight product page.
Versions
There’s just one warm Armytek Viking Pro Magnet USB tactical flashlight, but this light is available in a higher-output cooler white version, too.
Price
The Armytek Viking Pro Magnet USB tactical flashlight sells for $105.
What’s Included
- Armytek Viking Pro Magnet USB tactical flashlight
- 3500mAh 18650
- Charging connector
- Pocket clip
- Nylon pouch
- Tactical ring
- Lanyard
- Spare o-rings (2)
- Manual
Package and Manual
Build Quality and Disassembly
The Armytek Viking Pro Magnet USB tactical flashlight has Armytek’s typical matte finish anodizing. That adds a bit of grip, which is good for a tactical light such as this. The build quality is good.
Again, as you’d expect and want on a tactical light, both the head and tail have robust springs.
The cell tube is removable but not reversible.
Size and Comps
Head diameter: 41 mm
Body diameter: 25.4 mm
Length: 160 mm
Weight (without battery): 136 g
If the flashlight can headstand, I’ll show it here. If it can tailstand, I’ll also show that here!
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 lanyard is included for attaching to the Armytek Viking Pro Magnet USB tactical flashlight. It can attach through this little loop on the tail.
There’s also a pocket clip and a tactical ring.
They can be used at the same time.
A soft nylon pouch is included, as well.
Power and Runtime
The Armytek Viking Pro Magnet USB tactical flashlight runs on one lithium-ion cell. A 3500mAh flat top 18650 is included.
The cell goes into the light in the usual way – positive end toward the head.
Below are three runtime tests. Output is nice and high for around a minute, then steps down. High holds very steady even at the initial output, though.
Low voltage protection seems to be observed here, but a shutoff of 2.6V is a bit low.
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
The Armytek Viking Pro Magnet USB tactical flashlight includes a proprietary magnetic charging connector. The standard cell can, of course, be charged in a bay charger, too.
The connector is quite secure, but it does cover the switch and prevent any use of the light while connected.
Charging takes around 3.5 hours and is only moderately speedy, at around 1.2A.
The charging connector has an indicator – when charging, it’s red. When charging is complete, it turns green. Unlike some other Armytek lights, to charge the Viking Pro, the parts need to be fully tightened.
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo | 2050-875 | 3m+1h30m | 1964 (0s) 1909 (30s) |
| Main3 | 370 | 5h13m | 355 (0s) 352 (30s) |
| Main2 | 140 | 12h20m | 159 |
| Main1 | 52 | 32h | 83 |
Pulse Width Modulation
None of the modes use PWM.
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 Armytek Viking Pro Magnet USB tactical flashlight is controlled by a tail switch.
The switch feels like an e-switch and has a sort of two-stage action.
It’s a proud and domed switch, and it does prevent tailstanding. It’s a great tactical switch, though.
Here’s a user interface table! Note that the light has two user interfaces: Tactical and Hunting (default). To switch between these two, start with the light on, then loosen and tighten the body parts rapidly 10x.
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off – Hunting | Tap | Body tightened: Momentary Turbo Body loosened 1/8 turn: Mode advance |
| Off – Hunting | Click | Body tightened: Turbo Body loosened 1/8 turn: On – mode memory |
| On | Click | Off |
| On – Hunting | Rapidly half-press 20x and fully click | Add or remove Strobe2 (Light blinks once to confirm) |
| Off – Tactical | Tap | Body tightened: Momentary Turbo Body loosened 1/8 turn: Momentary Strobe |
| Off – Tactical | Click | Body tightened: Turbo Body loosened 1/8 turn: Strobe |
| On – Tactical (tightened) | Loosen 1/8, rapidly fully tighten | Iterate between Turbo and Main2^ |
| On – Tactical (loosened 1/8) | Tighten, then loosen 1/8 turn | Iterate between Strobe1 and Strobe2^ |
^ Note the light must be on for these steps. This confused me for a long time!
I’m glad to note that click for off works in both user interface groups.
LED and Beam
The Armytek Viking Pro Magnet USB tactical flashlight uses a warm Cree XHP50.2 emitter. It has a dome (so would be the “HD” type.) I don’t believe Armytek states what “warm” means, but I think other lights they’ve used warm to mean around 4000K.
The reflector is very deep!
I also really really like this bezel. The bezel is most likely stainless steel, and while not “toothy”, it’s tapered and thin in an astonishingly pleasing way. The photos don’t capture it adequately, but take my word for it: this bezel is a quiet standout on the Viking Pro!
LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)
The CCT of this Armytek Viking Pro Magnet USB tactical flashlight is definitely in the warm realm, at around 4200K. CRI is low. Still, it’s a solid output!
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
I like the Armytek Viking Pro Magnet USB tactical flashlight quite a bit. The user interface might take a bit of practice, but once you find the user interface group and modes you want, it’s very simple. I love the warm output, and the beam profile is still great for tactical use. There are plenty of accessories, if you need something like a remote switch or a color filter. The price is even fairly reasonable for the package, too!
The Big Table
| Armytek Viking Pro Magnet USB tactical flashlight | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Cree XHP50.2 (Warm) |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $105.00 |
| Cell: | 1×18650 |
| Runtime Graphs | |
| LVP? | Most likely |
| Switch Type: | Unsure – Probably e-switch |
| On-Board Charging? | Yes |
| Charge Port Type: | Proprietary magnetic |
| Charge Graph | |
| Power off Charge Port | No |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 2050 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 1909 (93.1% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen | 16.1 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 284 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 873lux @ 5.945m = 30854cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 351.3 (123.7% of claim)^ |
| Claimed CCT | – |
| Measured CCT Range (K) | 4100-4200 Kelvin |
| Item provided for review by: | Armytek |
| All my Armytek 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
- Warm output on a tactical light
- The bezel
- The user interface offers a lot
- Fairly reasonable cost
- Grippy anodizing
- The proud switch (it’s the right kind of quiet clicky)
What I don’t like
- The user interface is confusing (if you don’t read my table, anyway)
- Loc CRI
- Proprietary magnetic charging is a bit slow
Notes
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