| iTarlights WL20 | |
|---|---|
| LEP class | N/A |
| Distance / intensity | ? cd / 3,000 meters |
| Lumens | 500 lumens |
| Modes | 3 |
| Avg. Price | $179 |
Affordable dual cell LEP with 3,000 meters reach. Really?
The ITarlights WL20 is shipped in a zippered case filled with foam and cutouts for the light and accessories. It comes with 2 21700 (button top) batteries, a dual-cell battery tube, single cell battery tube, a manual, a lanyard, 2 USB cables, and a split ring.
Unlike the iTarlights WL30, this one only has a single switch at the tail. This means you kind of need to use both hands to operate the light. However, you can also remove the dual-battery tube, and replace it with the included single-battery tube. That way, you can choose between longer runtimes or easier to carry.
Even though the build quality is pretty good, just like its smaller sibling, it was shipped with a very dirty front lens. And even the inner lens had some sort of residue or dirt. That’s not very good. But they will likely make sure this doesn’t continue to happen.
Use, batteries, and more
The User interface is also pretty simple, but instead of 2 switches you only have 1, reverse-clicky switch. This means that you can change modes by tapping the switch, while the light is still on. But there are a few small annoyances though. 1 is the next mode memory. This means that you will enter the Next mode in the mode sequence after the light is turned off. So, if you turn it off in High, next time you will enter Medium. That’s pretty horrible.
And secondly, you get Strobe in the normal mode sequence. So you go from High – Medium – Low – Strobe. and that’s the next mode memory. I think it would have been better to stick with no memory, and always start in High. That way, you can quickly change to your desired output, and skip Strobe.
Like I mentioned, the WL20 can be used with 1 and 2 cells. They need to be button top 21700’s, otherwise they don’t make contact.
Performance
n terms of performance, the iTarlights is specified at 3,000 meters reach, and only $179. That must be the cheapest LEP that can reach 3 kilometers..
Let’s start with the Lumens, that Nick measured:
| Mode | Specs | Lumens @turn on | Lumens @30 sec | Lumens @10 minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 100 | 102 | 101 | 96 |
| Medium | 280 | 285 | 299 | 287 |
| High | 580 | 529 | 504 | 394 |
That’s not bad at all.. Especially considering the price tag.
More importantly, here’s the beam distance measurements.
| Mode | Specs | Candela measured | Meters | Yards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | >40,000 cd | 412,200 cd | 1,284 | 1,405 |
| Medium | >100,000 cd | 1,276,400 cd | 2,260 | 2,471 |
| High | >200,000 cd | 2,010,000 cd | 2,835 meters | 3,101 |
So, over 2 million candelas, and over 2800 meters of reach. That’s pretty amazing, even though it didn’t reach the specified 3,000 meters. Keep in mind that the output drops gradually, and not at once.
