LED Torch Rechargeable Cree XM-L2 Aluminium Flashlight 5 Mode

Description

This LED torch runs a Cree XM-L2 emitter in an aluminium alloy body, with five modes - high, medium, low, strobe and SOS - and a beam the manufacturer rates at 100 to 300 metres. It costs $46.99 and comes with a pouch, charger, USB cable, spare tube and storage box. The switch is a tailcap clicky, so it operates with one thumb.

A torch is one of those things nobody thinks about until the power goes out, and then it is the only thing that matters. What makes a torch worth owning long term is the boring part: an aluminium body that survives being dropped on concrete, a single well known emitter rather than a cluster of anonymous LEDs, and a rechargeable cell so it is not dead when you finally need it. The five modes cover the real uses - full beam outdoors, low for reading a fuse box without blinding yourself, and strobe or SOS if you are signalling.

Specifications

What's in the Box

Why Choose This LED Torch

• A named emitter - Cree XM-L2 is a known, well documented LED rather than an unspecified chip.
• Aluminium alloy body - it survives the drops that crack a plastic torch.
• Five modes including SOS - low output matters as much as high when you are working close up.
• Takes three battery types - 18650, 26650 or 3 x AAA with the supplied adaptor tube, so it still works when the cell is flat.
• One thumb operation - a tailcap clicky switch works with gloves on and in the dark.

How Bright Is This Torch Really?

We are not going to give you a lumen figure, and here is why. The manufacturer publishes no lumen rating in the product specification at all. A single Cree XM-L2 emitter of this type has a documented maximum in the region of a thousand lumens, so any five figure claim you may see on torches built around this emitter - including the one that used to appear in this listing's own title - cannot be correct. What the manufacturer does state is a beam range of 100 to 300 metres, which is a more useful figure for most buyers anyway. If an exact lumen output matters to you, buy a torch from a manufacturer that publishes a tested ANSI FL1 rating.

Which Battery Should You Use?

An 18650 lithium cell is the usual choice and gives the best runtime and output. A 26650 is larger and lasts longer again if the body accommodates it. Three AAA cells in the supplied adaptor tube are the fallback - convenient, available anywhere, but noticeably dimmer and shorter running. Lithium cells for torches must be good quality protected cells from a reputable supplier; cheap unbranded 18650s are the single most common cause of torch failures and are a genuine fire risk. Never mix old and new cells, and never carry a loose lithium cell in a pocket with keys or coins.

Is a Rechargeable Torch Better Than Disposable Batteries?

For a torch you use regularly, yes - the running cost is nil and you are not hunting for AAAs at 11pm. For an emergency torch that sits in a drawer for two years, disposable alkaline cells arguably win, because a rechargeable cell left uncharged self discharges and may be flat when you need it. This torch takes both, which is the sensible answer: keep it on the lithium cell for everyday use, and keep the AAA adaptor tube and a fresh set of alkalines in the box as backup.

Buyers are campers, four wheel drivers and fishers, tradespeople who need light in a roof cavity or under a house, people putting together a blackout or emergency kit, and dog walkers on unlit paths. It also sells to households in storm prone areas who keep one per room.

If you are building a camping kit, the 5L collapsible water container packs flat alongside it. Browse Tools and Hardware for the rest of the range and Essentials for the household basics.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lumens is it?
The manufacturer does not publish a lumen rating, so we do not quote one. The stated beam range is 100 to 300 metres.

What plug does the charger have?
The manufacturer's packing list specifies a UK type charger, which will not fit an Australian socket. Please contact us before ordering to confirm what is currently supplied - the torch also charges over the included USB cable.

Is a battery included?
The manufacturer's specification says batteries are not included, while the packing list mentions a battery. The two disagree, so please contact us to confirm before ordering rather than assuming one is supplied.

Is it waterproof?
No IP rating is published. Treat it as water resistant to splashes and rain, not submersible.

How do I switch modes?
By pressing the tailcap switch to cycle through high, medium, low, strobe and SOS.

Can I use rechargeable AAA cells?
Yes, in the adaptor tube, though output and runtime will be lower than with an 18650.

Do you ship Australia wide?
Yes, to every state and territory including regional and remote addresses.

Fast Australian Shipping

We ship from Australia to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Canberra and Darwin, plus regional and remote addresses. Orders placed on a business day are picked and dispatched promptly, with tracking emailed to you as soon as the parcel leaves us.

The manufacturer's packing list specifies a UK type charger, which does not fit an Australian socket - please contact us before ordering. Use only good quality protected lithium cells from a reputable supplier; damaged, counterfeit or unprotected cells are a fire risk. Do not charge unattended, do not carry loose cells with metal objects, and recycle cells at a battery collection point. Never shine any torch into anyone's eyes.