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D**R
A5 gets A+, so good I bought a second
I bought the Cool White version (less yellowish-green tint than the NW version) and am very impressed! The Wowtac A5 is nearly as bright as my Sofirn Q8 (4x18650) and far easier to carry.That said, I had trouble getting it to work at first. It had the battery installed but it didn't turn on. I couldn't find any plastic wrap when I unscrewed the tailcap (which was a mistake; unscrew the front instead). So I tried charging it (you have to use the extra-long USB connector it comes with - phone cables don't work) & got the blinking purple button error.Thinking there must be some wrapping around the battery, I accidentally peeled the Wowtac film off, revealing an apple green cell labeled HLY 26650-5000mAh underneath. I love a torch that's not much bigger than it's battery!I unscrewed the head and tailcap both, reassembled it again and it started working. I was then able to charge it. Onboard USB charging is so convenient!The light survived my not reading the manual and has the best price/performance of any I own. The UI is intuitive (click on/click and hold to cycle through low-medium-high modes/click off; it remembers the mode you were last in. Double click for turbo/again for strobe). Button glows blue until you need to recharge.The only improvement I could suggest would be to add a power bank port to charge your phone from that wonderful 26650 cell (although I don't see where they could put it!).For the power it couldn't be much smaller or lighter (too hefty for a pants pocket though it be). Highly recommended!Update 10/30/2019: I've been buying way too many flashlights this past month and showing them to my friends. Everyone loves this Wowtac A5! The user interface is perfectly intuitive for casual use, the quality is high enough I'd take it caving, it's small enough for EDC if you keep it in a purse or belt pouch and very reasonably priced for what you get. Unless you need a magnetic tailcap for hands-free use or the convenience of a keychain light, it's More Than Good Enough!Update 12/04/2019: Attached a 1.26"*1/8" N45 grade neodymium magnet (ASIN B07X97223X) to the tailcap and now have hands-free operation too!
V**
BY FAR the best EDC blaster you can get for the $$$
This flashlight is nearly half the price of ANYTHING comparable on the market ($47.50 w/ 5% off Amazon coupon). I’ve done way too much research on flashlights so save yourself some trouble. You can also use the "Parametrek Flashlights" search tool/website to see if the value is still as good as it was when I bought it!I trust Wowtac to test and rate their products accurately and fairly since they have proven themselves with independent testers/their equipment to meet or exceed their ratings over and over again. Folks even test these Wowtac lights by dropping them off bridges and they still work. I’m a genuine fan of the Wowtac company: they give competitors a run for their money and that’s how it should be :) I previously bought a Wowtac Bss v3 1150 lumens (BlackScoutSurvival edition) it’s been about a year and a half since I bought it. I’ve dropped it many times, stepped on it, accidentally buried in snow which it sat in for days, I knock it around daily and it still outshines any other everyday or even tactical flashlight I’ve encountered by far. I use it backpacking, when I’m out late it the cities, when I’m closing up shop… The Bss V3 has been my EDC.In the pics attached I’m comparing the Wowtac A5 to my old Wowtac Bss V3. It realistically looks like it is putting out 3 times as much light overall (lumens) compared to my Bss V3 which is 1150 lumens (Wowtac A1S is also 1150 lumens but has higher center intensity/candela/longer throw than the Bss V3). The A5 flood is a lot wider and the intensity/candela/center beam IS quite a bit wider and on turbo seems noticeably brighter than the Bss V3. I won’t say its a huge difference because on max it’s only a difference of less than 2000 candela (13750 vs 12150cd). I have no testing equipment but being the flashlight nerd that I am this looks spot on @ 3650 lumens total light output. Please note that the flashlight will automatically step down the brightness slowly to prevent it from overheating. I primarily bought the A5 for backpacking and night time adventures because this light can light up a lot at once.Pictures attached are both lights on turbo.Pros:-Unbeatable value for lumen output and compact size (see for yourself if this is still true on the "Parametrek Flashlights" search tool/website)-USB charging (FYI no USB port on battery itself)-IPX8 Waterproof (Didn't test this to 2 meters deep but I did test it by soaking it in a cup of water for 15 minutes while on high)Cons:-Button is surprisingly hard to find in the dark. Very hard to feel button. Button doesnt stay lit when powered off unless charging so I can't use that to light to help me find the button either.-Button on the back of light would be nice but I really like that this light can stand up on it’s own. I wouldn’t want to loose that useful function for lighting up spaces. I suggest a recessed rear button.-No clip (or clip option to add on?). I use the clip on my Bss V3 constantly.No one asked me to write this review. This is my honest opinion. I really like this light and Wowtac company. Thank you.
N**L
Awesome Tac Light !
I really like the look and feel of this light. Easy to grip and feels comfortable for one hand operation. Very bright light with easy to operate power button. Had to take off 1 star because power button and charging port locations can be hard to distinguish in the dark. I found myself trying to push the port button cover instead of the power button to turn on. The light I purchased was the cool white, but compared to my other lights this one seems like a natural white light. Maybe a mislabel on the box but I'm still ok with it. Wish they included a carry case with this light. Overall...a high quality, extremely bright, waterproof light supported by ThruNite at a reasonable price. This is my most favorite light in my entire collection. Buy one...you'll make this your most favorite light.
Trustpilot
2 weeks ago
2 weeks ago