Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

A solid 4.5 stars! See below. I don't spend money on Whiskey, women, or song. Instead, I have to admit, that I am one of those flashlight geeks that have been collecting,using and testing flashlights for over twenty years. There are literally hundreds upon hundreds in my collection. Many are shelf queens that rarely get used, only a few rise up to the level of daily service. This Powertac M5 has become one of my favorite everyday use flashlights. Folks often ask me; “What's the best flashlight?“ I usually reply by asking them what is the best tool? After a long pause, I usually get; “tool for what?” this is when the enlightenment begins. Flashlights, like tools, are designed for specific tasks. For example, some are designed for long-range searchlight duty which make them a terrible choice for medium and close range use. Some are designed for close-range use and others for exceptionally long run time and others for flood lighting a wide area. Think about it, a screwdriver designed for long reach does not work well in close-quarters work. It's the same with a flashlight. A tool usually excels in one particular area, not all, there are always trade-offs. The reason the Powertac M5 has become one of my every day use flashlights is because this design strikes a reasonable balance between everything one would want out of a single flashlight. It is kind of my crescent wrench of flashlights. RECHARGEABLE BATTERY: I have the equipment to measure and test the true capacity of lithium ion batteries. The included battery is labeled at 2600 mAh. In my experience I have found that MOST lithium ion batteries are GROSSLY exaggerated and mislabeled. I put this battery through two complete capacity test cycles. I was very impressed with the test results because the battery measured an average of 2848 mAh. Folks, understand, to purchase a battery with this true capacity one would have to spend nearly $20. Kudos to Powertac for including a high-end lithium battery with true rated capacity in the flashlight. BEAM: The LED choice combined with this particular depth of reflector produces a moderate hotspot with a smooth transition to a very usable side spill. I believe that this is a key point which makes this a jack of all trades flashlight. There is enough throw when you need to reach out for some distance on the other hand there is ample side spill for closed and medium-range use. LUMENS: I like the fact that the flashlight remembers the brightness setting last used when you turn it off. Each brightness level is functionally spaced apart. I do a lot of camping and hiking therefore I especially appreciate the Firefly mode at .5 lumens with a run time of 25 days. Once your eyes are adjusted for low light conditions you will appreciate this Firefly mode which does not disturb your night vision. Personally, with my older eyes I would prefer if the Firefly mode were set at 1-2 lumens. I use the Firefly mode and bounce the light off the ceiling while camping in the RV and while staying at hotels as a night light. Low, at 50 lumens, I find, well suited for household tasks. If I need a little more I'll kick it up to medium at 180 lumens with a run time of 10.5 hours. On the box and in the owner's manual high power is listed at 480 lumens with a run time of 2.97 hours. Being well experienced with flashlights this did not look right so I ran a run time test on high. I did not bring out my light meters but I got a good four and a half hours of runtime on high before any dimming. Turbo is listed as 1300 lumens with a run time of 2.6 hours. The flashlight performed reasonably well while testing long distance throw. COLOR: The color of the LED is not specified. My sample appears to be fairly neutral. My preference leans towards a slightly warmer color because rendering correctly; reds, oranges and browns is important to me while working on electrical wiring and while hiking and nature. LUMENS LIE: while some manufacturers spout extremely high Lumen output numbers, in reality, how useful is that light output if it will only run for 30 seconds at that high level? The M5 put out a respectable 1300 lumens for 2.6 hours. MAGNETIC CHARGING PORT: This is a fantastic idea for folks that do not have dedicated lithium ion charging systems, however, I have some serious issues how this is being currently implemented with this flashlight and across the industry. FIRST, A magnetic charge port and protocol needs to be established throughout the industry. Charge port adapters and sizes vary throughout the industry and they even very within a single manufacturer. SECOND: Charging should begin as soon as the magnetic charging port is attached to the flashlight. With the M5, a separate step is needed to initiate the charge cycle. THIRD: I have tested the included magnetic charging system with several high end USB power supplies. I find the system to be finicky in that the charge cycle will be initiated on some power supplies but not others. All power supplies are capable of 2 amps output. For instance my two Anker 40W USB power supplies will not initiate a charge cycle with this flashlight while a Sony 1.5 amp adapter will. -Minus 0.5 stars. DESIGN AND ERGONOMICS: The knurling on the body is quite aggressive and it is quite effective in gripping your hand. This baby is not going to slip out of my hands. I was surprised to see that both the positive and the negative battery contacts have springs. Kudos for this excellent design element. I live near Buffalo New York where several months out of the year it is cold and snowing. The large tail switch allows me to turn the flashlight on and off while wearing thick gloves with ease. The mode switch takes some effort to find but because it is opposite of the charging port it makes it easier to located by feel. The tight gripping pocket clip allows me to put it in a position to be used as a guide to locate the mode switch. CONCLUSION: This is a great jack-of-all-trades flashlight especially considering the price point with the high value of the battery included. I give this a solid 4.5 Stars with the nits explained above. de K2LED