The R20 Seeker is a new compact 1x18650 flashlight from Olight.
Main features are easy operating and built-in charging circuit.
Charging is possible through a 5V USB port with support of 1 Amp current.
The R20 Seeker is a good flashlight for any outdoor/sport activity,car flashlight,work light and any other use which doesn't require standard Low mode(the low mode here is 80 Lm) or extremely high brightness.
Operating only by a tail switch may be very convenient for some users. There's no side switch. The tail switch is for ON/OFF and mode selecting.
Compact,lightweight body made of aircraft grade aluminum.
Excellent machine work,as expected from Olight. Excellent anodizing and knurling.
The micro USB port is hidden under a ring-sleeve cover.
Cree XM-L2 LED. Aluminum smooth reflector.
Stainless steel bezel. Black finish.
Blue sealing O-ring.
Ultra clear glass with anti-reflective coating.
Perfectly centered LED.
Almost smooth tailcap.
No knurling or any other grooving to help for a better grip and comfortably unscrewing the tail-cap.
The ON/OFF button is forward clicky. Not too stiff,not too light to press. Comfortable to use.
It is placed quite high for easy access,even with gloves.
Tail-standing is not possible.
Technical information (pictures from the User manual)
The user interface is simple-easy to remember and use.
Two brightness levels- Low and High.
There is also a Strobe mode.
Low mode is always first. There's no mode memory.
Standard for Olight clear packaging.
Very simple lanyard,spare O-rings.
2600mAh Olight 18650 battery is included in the package.
A car charger(5V,1A output) and micro USB cable are also included,allowing you to start using the flashlight immediately.
Great option for new users,that don't have other 18650 batteries.Great choice for gift too.
There's no holster included.
Only a car charger is included. Probably the R20 Seeker is meant for a car flashlight.
If you want to charge it in home,you will need a wall charger which supports 1A output.
I used the wall charger from the Olight SR52 to test the charging time.
Fully charging the new Olight 2600 takes 4h,50min. Terminating voltage 4,18V.
Because of the high charging current,the R20 gets slightly warm when charging.
The battery has protection circuit board.
The top of the battery is flat with two contact surfaces- one for + ,one for -
The Olight 2600 is the same length as a protected button top Sanyo 2600.
The micro USB charging port is hidden under a cap/ring that keeps the port clean and dry.
The white dot is a silicone indicator for charging status and low voltage warning.
Red when the battery is charging.Green when charging is finished.
Will blink in red color when the battery voltage is too low.
Thanks to the two polarity top board,the battery can be charged without need of dual layer flashlight tube.
Due to this design a regular 18650 battery can not be charged in the flashlight.
The battery tube is good thickness and very well made.
Excellent square-cut threads. Anodized.
Two springs at the head.
The R20 Seeker is good size for comfortable grip,but needs more knurling or grooves for more stability in hand.
Short video,presenting the UI and design specifics.
(turn on annotations)
Compared to Klarus RS11,ThruNite TN12(2014),Olight M18 Striker.
Good beam profile. Due to the Smooth reflector the hot spot is clearly separated,looking more like a thrower beam.
The light from the LED is cool white,but on the warmer side-especially when compared to other flashlights.
The beam is not well mixed and I see a small dark spot in the center.
In my opinion,an Orange peel reflector would be a more appropriate choice for this type of flashlight.
Run time graph illustrating the brightness in percentage and time in minutes.
I did two tests. First with the included Olight battery. Second with a pink Sanyo 2600 battery.
The Olight battery is still new and might perform better after some recharge cycles.
I measured max brightness on High mode= 594 Lumens, Low mode 108 Lumens.
Current draw from the Olight 2600 battery- High mode=1,14A / Low mode=230mA
1m, 1/20sec
Olight R20 Low/High vs Fenix PD35,Olight M18 Striker,ThruNite TN12(2014),Klarus ST11,Olight S10 L2( S10L2 was with half empty battery)
1m, 1/250sec
Olight R20 Low/High vs Fenix PD35,Olight M18 Striker,ThruNite TN12(2014),Klarus ST11,Olight S10 L2
5m, 1/6sec
Olight R20 Low/High vs Fenix PD35,Olight M18 Striker,ThruNite TN12(2014),Klarus ST11,Olight S10 L2
5m, 1/50sec
Overall the Olight R20 Seeker is a good flashlight.Nothing special or too complex/high tech,but could give you quite useful illumination when needed.
High build quality.Easy to use. Not too high output allows a good run time. The built in charger is also a good option.
The only things I would change in this flashlight are the smooth reflector and the tailcap.A tailcap(rotatable part) without any knurling really makes no sense. An orange-peel reflector will suit better this flashlight,in my opinion.
The lack of real Low mode makes this light no so universal choice,but if you need a flashlight that will give you an easy and quick illumination,the R20 Seeker is a good choice.
Thanks for your time!
Olight R20 Seeker was provided by Olight for test and review.
