Hello, my name is Patrick and welcome to my review.
Today we will be talking about the Olight ArkPro. Olight’s brand new flagship EDC torch that is a complete reimagining of the Arkfeld family of products. “Rethink Light” and “3+1=7” are their taglines for this new series. But is it all marketing hype or have they actually broken new ground? Let’s take a closer look…
Overview & Specs
The Olight ArkPro is essentially the new, upgraded version of the Arkfeld Pro. It is a very sleek and elegantly designed EDC torch that is extremely pocket friendly. It features a solid unibody construction of 6061 Aluminum that offers 3 Lighting modes: Spotlight, Pure Flood, UV plus a Green Laser that can be used separately or combined with any of the 3 lighting modes. Hence the “3+1=7” thing.
It weighs in at 115 grams or 4.05oz with a total Length of 124.mm (4.88 inches), a Width of 27mm (1.06 inches) and a Thickness of 16mm (0.63inches). It boasts a very impressive IPX7 waterproof rating with an optimal working temperature between 0-45 Degrees Celsius. The manual states it is drop tested to withstand up to 1m (3.28ft) but based on previous reviews and youtube tests, Olight products can generally handle a fair bit more than that.
Now, because there are so many functions in the new ArkPro, the amount of listed specifications in the instructions has decreased slightly - I guess to make sure they fit all of the important stuff in. This probably isn’t a big deal to most people, but if you are looking for a specific CCT range or CRI rating for the LED’s used in this version, unfortunately you won't find that listed on the website or the instruction manual. This is most likely just a way for them to streamline printing and website layouts but I do wish it was included somewhere.
Below are the specs and runtimes for the different light modes.
White Light Modes:
Spotlight: A Cool White LED with a listed maximum output of 11.5W
Turbo = A powerful 800 Lumens for 4 minutes before dropping down to 400 Lumens for 130 minutes.
High = 400 Lumens for 125 minutes then reducing to 100 Lumens for the final 10 minutes.
Medium = 100 Lumens for an impressive 10 hours of runtime!
Low = 15 Lumens for 66 hours which is pretty awesome..
Moonlight = 1 Lumens for 14 days which is absolutely insane.
Olight claims that the spotlight has a maximum throw distance of 205 meters (672 feet) on Turbo mode which is pretty amazing. This would definitely come in handy while hunting or for search and rescue scenarios.
Floodlight: A Cool White LED with a listed maximum output of 12.5w
Turbo = Blasts out an daylight grade 1500 Lumens for 4 minutes before decreasing to 520 Lumens for 140 minutes. That is even better than the previous top of the line Arkfeld Pro!
High = 520 Lumens for a whopping 155 minutes, then reducing to 100 Lumens for the final 10 minutes.
Medium = 100 Lumens for an astonishing 13 hours of runtime with no reduction in brightness at all which is very impressive.
Low = 15 Lumens for an incredible 72 hours of runtime. That’s a whole weekend away camping covered!
Moonlight = Runs at 1 Lumen for a mindblowing 14 days. Which means if you are stuck in the bush somewhere without water, you will give out long before the Arkpro does.
Bother white light modes also offer a Strobe function, but there is no runtime listed for this.
UV Mode:
The brand new Arkpro UV function shines at 365nm which is pretty similar if not the same as the previous Arkfeld Pro and Arkfeld Ultra however the UV light now has a maximum output of 3.5W and offers two modes:
High = Runs at 1200mW for 5 minutes before stepping down to 580mW for a further 300 minutes.
Low = 360mW for a pretty substantial 8 hours of run time.
So between the two modes you definitely have plenty of time to check even the biggest of hotel suites for cleanliness! It also works great for checking pets for nasties like Ringworm too.
Laser Mode:
The Arkpro features a 0.39mW (Class 1) green laser with an extremely impressive runtime of 226 hours! That is enough to get you through even the most gruelling week of business presentations and still have enough to enjoy multiple play sessions with an army of cats.
The dot is very bright and the beam goes on for a distance far greater than I was able to measure.
The laser function is now operated via a separate button on the side of the Arkpro and can be momentarily turned on by holding the button in or turned on/off manually by just pressing the button. This new design makes it faster and easier to operate and also means you can combine it with the other light functions of the Arkpro. 3+1=7 as they say.
Battery
Powering all of these functions is a 3.7volt, 2,000 mAh Lithium Polymer Battery which boasts a 33% increase over the previous Arkfeld Pro light. This new redesign/rebranding of the previous Ark series now includes a USB-C charging port on the front left hand side of the Arkpro which is protected by a small metallic port cover which opens and closes with a satisfying yet gentle manner.
The ArkPro still includes the amazingly convenient magnetic charging plate on the base of the unit, as well as the magnetic charging cable in the box. However, the full charging time listed via USB-C is 1.5hours as opposed to the 3 hours via the regular magnetic charging cable. Personally, I preferred the design without the added USB-C port as it kind of takes away from the sleek, smooth lines of the Arkpro design. I love the magnetic charging cable and I think it’s such a cool feature. But I know there are many customers that have been asking for USB-C charging for a very long time.
Olight has tried its best to make everyone happy here, but for me personally I think it’s just something that really wasn’t needed or could possibly have been executed a little better. Maybe somewhere on the end of the torch or near the pocket clip? But it is good to see them still innovating and trying new things. The battery however, is still not removable due to the unibody construction. Some people may see this as a negative, but Olight is gracious enough to offer a full lifetime warranty on their products so if you were to have any battery issues somewhere down the line, I'm sure that Olight would take care of you. They are a great company and I have never had any issues with them or their products.
So on the surface this might all sound very similar to the highly acclaimed Arkfeld family of products, but there are some key differences that many people will definitely see as much needed improvements or upgrades.
The first one that comes to my mind is the fact that it is an extra 100 Lumens brighter than the Arkfeld Ultra and 15% brighter than the previous Arkfeld Pro. This might not sound like a big deal but there is a pretty noticeable difference when comparing the two units side by side.
The second key difference is the increased battery size. It has been bumped up from 1500mAh in the previous “top of the line” Arkfeld Ultra, to now an impressive 2000mAh which Olight is stating is 33% higher than the Arkfeld Pro which this light is replacing. This is a pretty substantial increase and coupled with the new addition of USB-C charging, you really will be hard pressed to find a better performing EDC flashlight to be honest.
But what about the smaller details? Well I have broken the rest of my review down into two sections below: Presentation and Performance - where I grade both aspects out of a potential 10 and then offer some concluding thoughts.
So let’s take a look at the Presentation side of things.
Presentation:
As usual, shipping was very fast but there was no padding in the box it was shipped in so the pristine white box of the Arkpro was a bit banged up unfortunately but it’s not a big deal. Olight seems to have done away with their previous magnetic closure boxes, but the box is still nice and premium feeling.
Inside the box was a thin plastic tray holding the ArkPro in a nice opaque protective sleeve. On the underside of the tray was a small cardboard box containing the instruction manual and a special UV card with a hidden message on it which was pretty cool. A magnetic charging cable was also included.
The overall design aesthetic of the Arkpro has been revamped and the first thing I noticed about the ArkPro itself was the new raised central ridge that runs down the centre of the body, which Olight says “adds structure and a sense of depth.” I received the Phantom Squadron Edition so this new centre line really fits in nicely with its stealth bomber theme. The Arkpro is available in a variety of different colours including an industry first, two-tone variant which will be really well accentuated by this new ridge.
The diagonal grip lines on the sides featured on the previous Arkfeld Pro have now been replaced by an expertly designed laser etched grip texture that looks like a type of straight line knurling. The laser engraving on this Phantom Squadron Edition is pretty spectacular and it feels very nice in the hand.
The new ArkPro also features these amazing laser micro-perforated colour coded battery and brightness indicators - complete with matching icons! These are situated around the outside of the thumb button along with a lockout mode indicator. The expert precision that has gone into the laser work on this torch is absolutely mind blowing.
Overall the presentation of the ArkPro flashlight itself is definitely a massive step up from the previous Arkfeld series. However, the quality of the packaging itself has taken a bit of a step back in an effort to keep things more affordable. It is a beautiful flashlight and one that I feel deserves a bit more of a premium unboxing experience.
All things considered, I give the Arkfeld Ultra a Presentation Rating of 10/10.
Performance
The ArkPro not only looks great though, it performs great too!
The control scheme is pretty straightforward and easy to use like the previous Arkfeld series, however it now has a larger, concave on/off button which offers improved ergonomics and comfort. I honestly didn’t think it would be much of a difference, but it really is way more comfortable to use.
Surrounding said button is the new “meticulously tuned” rotating selector switch. This allows for very fast and easy mode selection and if you thought the previous Arkfelds were fun to fidget with, this thing will blow your mind. It is buttery smooth and has an extremely satisfying “click” when selecting the modes. It’s pretty addictive.
It also features a broader pocket clip, similar to the Arkfeld Ultra, that glides nicely in and out of the pocket while still securing it firmly. Because of its double folded design, you can even clip it onto a hat brim and go for a very well lit evening stroll.
The white light modes cover almost every possible lighting need you can think of; and because of its flat design, it wont roll away from you if you set it down while you're busy trying to do something. The magnetic base is super handy for any late night car trouble you may have too as you can just stick it onto the underside of the hood and investigate the problems with both hands free.
As previously mentioned, both Spotlight and Pure Flood offer a Strobe light mode which is handy for law enforcement or hosting a disco in a blackout.
The UV light works great for checking the cleanliness of everywhere you go! I love using this for rock hunting, charging up glow in the dark materials and even for checking for counterfeit currency. It is a super handy function to have, especially if you stay in hotels a lot or live anywhere near scorpions.
The laser function is super bright and will help you present your sales projection charts even in the brightest of office environments. Cat’s love it too!
I have been using the ArkPro for a few weeks and I honestly can’t fault the performance of it at all! I award it a much deserved 10/10 rating.
Final Thoughts
I have been using Olight products for a long time now and I have to say, the ability they have to consistently refine their products and to innovate is unlike any company I have ever come across.
While at first glance the improvements may not seem ground breaking compared to the previous Arkfeld Ultra, the ArkPro takes everything the previous Arkfeld family of lights did and elevates it to a whole new level.
The innovative redesign coupled with the improved specs, USB-C charging and exquisite attention to detail really do make the new ArkPro worth the upgrade.
My Name is Patrick. I’m a mid 30’s Australian who likes to collect knives, torches and other EDC type gadgets.
As a collector and hobby reviewer, I am always searching for the ultimate “Buy It Once For Life” product that I can genuinely recommend to other people. I am a firm believer in “value for money” which to me means that a product should be something that is reliable, high quality and could potentially last a very long time. A well informed decision is a good decision, so through many hours of research and years of personal experience, I aim to deliver clear, honest reviews that cover the good, the bad and everything in between.
This is definitely a “Buy It Once For Life” item and I award it the maximum 20/20 score.
If you love the Arkfeld Series of EDC flashlights, you will definitely love the new ArkPro or coming soon, the ArkPro Ultra!
