Olight PL-2 Valkyrie

[Stone]

I know this just came out but in general has anybody heard of or use Olight products? It looks like a pretty decent light with great ergonomics to boot. I found it while I was bouncing around the web a few weeks back. I run X300U's on my firearms but wanted to pick up something decent for a build I did for my kid a while back. I know its not a Surefire but for $99 I may have to try it...
https://www.olightstore.com/led-flashlights/safety-and-self-defense/olight-pl-ii-valkyrie

3667

[FortTom]

Stone, if you snag one, let us know what you think. I have a couple of Inforce and really like them for what they cost. I might buy a couple more, but I think they have a new version and I'm hoping someone will review them too.

FT[:D]

[Stone]

If I do I will Tom. Hoping someone can let me know if the brand in general is a good brand.

[MoxyDave]

I've been using their little AAA keychain flashlights (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CXD18XA/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1) for a couple years. They are well-made and reliable. I can't speak to the weaponlights but based on my experience I'd certainly be willing to give one a try ...

[din]

I have two of their M2x Warrior lights that have been beat to hell and still work well. They generally have pretty good runtimes at high output levels and aren't crazy expensive. I've had an M20 for around six years and an M22 around three, and they're both still kicking along despite plenty of drops onto concrete and dings against steel doors.

[Stone]

Good to hear, thanks for the input gentlemen.

[UWone77]

At $99, why not just a Streamlight?

[Stone]

That was actually my first light, TLRs I believe. It sits on the wife's rifle now. I don't know I just want to try something new. Plus if it works out I can put up a review for others...

[PJD642]

Late to the party, but I'll add my 2 cents anyway. I purchased one of the Olight PL-2 Valkyrie lights to go on my work pistol (Glock 19). It was slated to replace my TLR-1 HL I've been using for several years now. Olight claims 1200 lumens whereas the TLR-1 HL says 800 lumens. I work for a park system where I'm outside a lot, so the more light the better. I'm not concerned with too much light blowing out my eyeballs in a white room, as I'm much more likely to be searching form someone in the woods.

The Valkyrie is a solidly built light, slightly less tall than a TLR-1, but fits and secures just fine in a Safarland ALS holster designed for a pistol with the TLR-1 attached. I really like the rail attachment method (lever vs. screw on the TLR-1), and it comes with easily swappable inserts for both 1913 Picatinny and Glock rails. I personally liked the battery compartment latch better on the Olight too...just lift a little tab and the back door hinges right open. The inside contacts are clearly marked so you know how to orient each battery.

Operation of the light itself is very simple. You have a momentary button on both of the side rears of the light. Press & release either button to turn on/off. Press and hold either button for momentary. Press both buttons simultaneously for strobe mode, and press either button again to turn off strobe. It's ambidextrous, meaning you can activate it with either button and turn it off with a press of the same or the other button. You can also activate the strobe when the light is already on by pressing both buttons simultaneously as previously mentioned. Turning off the strobe function also turns off the light if you'd had it on before going to strobe mode.

Eyeball testing (dark night, standing in an unlit parking lot at a trailhead, shining both lights down the trail), the Olight seems to have a *very* slight edge in brightness over the TLR-1 HL, but not enough to make me say "WOW". Spill and throw are practically identical to the TLR-1 HL, and there were no dark spots or gaps in the beam. Color seemed to be a little "cooler" (whiter) than the TLR-1, but again not a lot.

I carried the Valkyrie on my pistol for several weeks, but ended up switching back to the TLR-1 due to the switches on the Valkyrie. They work fine, but the method of operation - pushing "inward" (towards the pistol) wasn't comfortable to me. I don't have large hands or overly long fingers, and the buttons on the Valkyrie don't extend quite as far rearward as the tabs on the TLR-1 switch. I felt that if the tip of my index finger slipped off the button on the Valkyrie I could possibly have a ND if I hit the trigger, similar to what has happened to folks using a SERPA holster. The TLR-1's up/down method of activation works better for me - I've practiced swiping down with my index finger as I draw, and if I miss the tab on the TLR-1 my finger will go below, not inside, the trigger guard.

The Valkyrie will be mounted on the front of my pistol AR build, and mocking it up there it works fine. The ambi switches are great for off-hand use, and having them work the same on either side seems easier than the TLR-1 needing the switch moved alternatively up or down depending on the side moved. It's a great little compact light that I really like, and the ease of attachment and use earns it a lot of points. For me, though, I prefer the TLR-1 for *pistol* use, and the Valkyrie for *rifle* use. One downside is that the tailcap cannot be removed and replaced with a remote pressure switch, whereas the TLR-1 tailcap can be.

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u298/PJD642/IMG_0178_zps3pxbh644.jpg (http://s171.photobucket.com/user/PJD642/media/IMG_0178_zps3pxbh644.jpg.html)
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u298/PJD642/IMG_0176_zps2tyjx8jc.jpg (http://s171.photobucket.com/user/PJD642/media/IMG_0176_zps2tyjx8jc.jpg.html)
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u298/PJD642/IMG_0179_zpsala6mtt8.jpg (http://s171.photobucket.com/user/PJD642/media/IMG_0179_zpsala6mtt8.jpg.html)
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u298/PJD642/IMG_0180_zpsx0tio18r.jpg (http://s171.photobucket.com/user/PJD642/media/IMG_0180_zpsx0tio18r.jpg.html)
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u298/PJD642/IMG_0181_zpslpuw0ndy.jpg (http://s171.photobucket.com/user/PJD642/media/IMG_0181_zpslpuw0ndy.jpg.html)
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u298/PJD642/IMG_0182_zps9ulkkpxq.jpg (http://s171.photobucket.com/user/PJD642/media/IMG_0182_zps9ulkkpxq.jpg.html)

[Former11B]

PJS642, were you activating the light with your trigger finger? Not having it in front of me it’s hard to replicate but I feel like where my support hand thumb rests on my Glock I could hit it pretty easily. Doing ANYTHING with my trigger finger besides keeping it either rested along side of or on the trigger seems odd (trying to figure out the SERPA-esque ND you described)

[PJD642]

PJS642, were you activating the light with your trigger finger? Not having it in front of me it’s hard to replicate but I feel like where my support hand thumb rests on my Glock I could hit it pretty easily. Doing ANYTHING with my trigger finger besides keeping it either rested along side of or on the trigger seems odd (trying to figure out the SERPA-esque ND you described)

That's exactly how I was doing it.

[Former11B]

That's exactly how I was doing it.

With your thumb or trigger finger

[PJD642]

With your thumb or trigger finger

Sorry, trigger finger. The slightly longer reach with my stubby fingers coupled with the inward rather than downward motion for the switch didn't seem like a good idea for me.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u298/PJD642/IMG_0188_zpspjscqdjl.jpg (http://s171.photobucket.com/user/PJD642/media/IMG_0188_zpspjscqdjl.jpg.html)
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u298/PJD642/IMG_0190_zps0cgyyhqb.jpg (http://s171.photobucket.com/user/PJD642/media/IMG_0190_zps0cgyyhqb.jpg.html)

[Former11B]

Here’s my line of thought:

If you’re activating the light with your trigger finger, what happens when you want to keep illuminating the threat? For example: my firing hand does NOTHING but fire or stay ready to fire, my support hand does all the work (mag changes, lights, etc)

If you practice activating it with your support hand thumb or something that problem would alleviate itself.

[Uffdaphil]

Some of their rechargable lights look interesting. I wish they listed diameters so I knew if an Arisaka ring mount would work.

[voodoo_man]

I'd recommend a hard pass on olight...

They pay for positive reviews and get bad reviews removed from places via threatening legal action...

Why do that if your product is good?

[PJD642]

Here’s my line of thought:

If you’re activating the light with your trigger finger, what happens when you want to keep illuminating the threat? For example: my firing hand does NOTHING but fire or stay ready to fire, my support hand does all the work (mag changes, lights, etc)

If you practice activating it with your support hand thumb or something that problem would alleviate itself.

With the TLR-1, pushing down on the right side lever results in steady-on. Flick downward to activate as I draw, then trigger finger goes back onto the frame above the trigger and stays there. That's how I use it the majority of the time. If I'm using the momentary function, my support thumb pushes downward as needed.

Side note - a lot of coworkers like to do building searches using the "quick flash, glimpse" or whatever method. They spend 30 minutes checking out large buildings, flashing their lights on and off at each doorway, stairwell, hallway, etc. All that flashing on and off screws up what little night vision they have built up. I try to find the light switches first, and turn on all the lights as I go. Defeats the darkness, adds way more light than any flashlight could, and tells me I've already checked a room if we're working a large building.