I had the opportunity to test the X4S from MecArmy. I did not know this brand at all, but the idea of a small rechargeable metal lamp to replace my Nitecore T2S seemed pretty appealing to me.
A SMALL SIZE …
The first thing that comes to mind when you take the X4S out of the box is its small size. To be small, it is small: 48 mm long for 15 mm in diameter and 13,45g on the scale for the aluminum model that I tested. In other words, it will soon be forgotten in your pocket.
It is waterproof IPX8, shock resistant to 1.5 meters in height and more despite its small size, the fastening loop is part of the design. An excellent point!
… FOR GREAT POWER.
130 lumens! It is frankly not bad for such a small lamp. There are two power levels available: 130 and 8 lumens for a range of 30 minutes at 130 lumens and 6 hours at 8 lumens. Very good.
The use is simple: Simply screw the head of the lamp to have the first power of 8 lumens and tighten it again for the second power of 130 lumens. The light emitted is white.
YOU SAID RECHARGEABLE!
The lamp is rechargeable with a micro-usb cable (delivered in the box but any cable will be ok). The loading port is under the head of the lamp which must be unscrewed completely but it remains attached to the main tube. A good point.
At the opposite of the micro-usb socket; there is a led that will be red when charging and will turn green once the lamp is recharged. The full charging time is 1 hour.
The battery is removable by unscrewing the back of the lamp. There is also protection if you insert the battery upside down.
This type of battery is available on some internet sites like here on Aliexpress:
AliExpress.com Product – 6pcs ICR 3.7v 10180 rechargeable li-ion battery 100MAH
or here on Amazon
SO EASY TO USE?
Actuating the head of the lamp is not easy because of the seals. Once attached to your keys, you can hold your keychain in the palm of your hand and use it as an extension of the lamp. It will be easier to operate the head between your thumb and your index finger but you will have to force a little. Fortunately the rough surface offers good grip.
It takes an extra three-quarter turn to switch from 8 lm mode to 130 lm mode.
THREE THINGS TO PAY ATTENTION FOR.
The front glass is made of plastic. Which means that it will be more sensitive to scratches. It will not really impact the power of the light but rather its diffusion. If at the beginning you will have a clear spot in the center of the light beam, once the glass more scratched, this spot will be much more diffuse.
The part that is attached to your keys is also used to remove and change the battery, there could be the risk that this part unscrews over time. Nevertheless, the design makes that when you tighten the head of the lamp to light it, it also tightens the back part of the tube. It could be, in the end, that the risk that the rear unscrew completely is rather weak especially as it takes 4 turns to completely unscrew it.
After turning off the lamp, it may come back on while you press the glass. If this is the case, it must be unscrewed a little more to avoid this problem. This is a common problem of lamps that operate by rotating the head.
CONCLUSION.
This little flashlight is really amazing. It offers excellent power for a very contained size. The manufacture breathes solidity.
We’ll see how long it will last but it has already joined my keys in place of my Nitecore T2S which was no longer working and is no longer for sale.
If you like the MecArmy, you can find it below with the pros and cons table:
| THE PROS: | THE CONS : |
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