Comparison Bo-Camp Sargas vs XOKO M3

General type of flashlight.

General-purpose hand-held flashlights are divided into full-dimensions and compact. However, in addition to this, you can find many models on sale with a narrower specialization and / or specific design and mounting features: headlamps ; tourist devices, including autonomous dynamo flashlights, flashlights with an L-shaped design and diving models; powerful hand-held lamps and ultra-compact keychains ; auxiliary lighting systems; as well as under-barrel models and baton flashlights, which are widely used in law enforcement agencies. It is worth noting that one model can belong to several types at once. For example, most under-barrel flashlights are equipped with a removable mount for installation on a weapon, and without such a mount they turn into hand-held or hand-held compact; and L-shaped models are not, in principle, an independent type of flashlight - most often this is a design feature of hand-held compact or head-mounted devices (or even models that combine both of these options for use).

— Manual. Full-dimensions manual flashlights lo...nger than 20 cm and weighing more than 200 g represent a kind of “mid-range”. They are designed for tech for whom compactness does not play a decisive role and functionality is important first and foremost. Such flashlights can carry more than 1 LED and powerful power sources, providing a good light flux; they are often equipped with various additional functions.

— Handheld compact. This type of flashlight is somewhat larger than keychains, but can still be classified as a compact device: handheld compacts look like a tube up to 20 cm long and weigh up to 200 g. They rarely have more than one LED installed, but their dimensions and weight already allow them to use fairly powerful power sources, which has a positive effect on the characteristics of the luminous flux (see "Max. luminous flux"). In addition, this type of flashlight can use a number of additional functions, such as focus and brightness adjustment (see below).

— Forehead flashlight. Flashlights designed to be mounted on the head — usually with special elastic straps that can be adjusted to your dimensions. The mounting features impose restrictions on the weight and dimensions of the flashlight, which affects its functionality. When purchasing such a flashlight, it is worth considering that high brightness in this case can be a disadvantage — if you need light to work with objects in close proximity, excessive brightness quickly tires your eyes. In this case, it may make sense to pay attention to models with adjustable brightness (see below for more details). Typically, such models have the ability to adjust the beam angle, but it would not hurt to clarify the possibility (and features) of such adjustment separately.

— L-shaped. Flashlights in which the beam of light is directed perpendicular to the body; the body itself, as a rule, has a cylindrical or close to it shape. Most of these models by their basic format belong to hand-held compact ones, and many also allow use in the headlamp format (see above for both). Be that as it may, L-shaped flashlights with the possibility of hand-held use have a characteristic clip on the body - on the opposite side from the lamp. Such a clip allows you to hang the device on a belt, the edge of a pocket, an element of an unloading vest or other special clothing, etc.; in this case, the beam of light will be directed forward, the vertical position of the body will ensure the stability of the device, and the user's hands will be free. (Note that the first L-shaped flashlights designed for such wearing appeared as an element of army equipment - back in World War II, the American military fully appreciated the advantages of such a design).
As for the head-mounted installation, in such cases the body is placed horizontally, and its mount is made movable. By rotating the flashlight in such a mount, you can set almost any angle of the beam; at the same time, regardless of this angle, the position of the flashlight remains equally stable (whereas in some headlamps with "heads" of an inclined design, such a "head" may tend to fall forward as the mount wears out).

— Hand-held lamp. The most powerful type of hand-held flashlights, which can even be called "hand-held spotlights." Most of these devices are designed to produce a long-range and at the same time fairly thick beam of light - much wider than in many other types of flashlights. In fact, the illumination range of hand-held lamps often exceeds 100 or even 200 m, while the large beam width allows for very effective detection of individual objects even at such large distances. Another, less common type of such devices are models that have a short range, but are capable of illuminating a large area.
In any case, flashlights of this type are quite large and heavy, so they are not initially designed for constant carrying (although even one and a half to two hours with such a device in your hands usually does not cause much discomfort). It is worth paying attention to hand-held lamps in cases where the effective detection range (or bright illumination of a large area) is of the utmost importance to you. In particular, such devices are very popular in rescue services: a powerful beam of a "portable searchlight" can be indispensable during search operations in the dark.

— Tourist. Tourist lanterns are mainly tech originally intended for lighting in a camp, at a halt, etc. Such devices provide diffused light with a horizontal coverage of 360° and most often allow installation directly on the ground. In addition, most of them have a hook for hanging, sometimes supplemented by a built-in magnet (see below for both). Thus, such a lantern can be attached to a tree branch, under the ceiling of a tent/awning, etc., significantly expanding the area of illumination — or hung on a backpack or other equipment, lighting the way for several people at once.
Most tourist flashlights have only this specialization; however, there are also models that allow other options for use. Usually, these are hand-held compact devices of a special design - with a retractable diffuser made of white matte material. Such a device allows you to turn a directed beam into a diffused light with full horizontal coverage; and when such a beam is not needed, the diffuser can be hidden in the body. However, some more traditional tourist models also have a folding design - it makes it easier to carry outside of work, especially if the device needs to be hidden in a backpack or bag with other things.

— Dynamo flashlight. Flashlights equipped with a built-in generator (dynamo machine) that produces energy using the user's muscular strength — usually, this requires pumping or turning a special lever. Thus, the built-in battery can be recharged even in the complete absence of power sources (and such flashlights most often operate from batteries). Such features are especially relevant for tech who often have to be "far from civilization": tourists, military personnel, researchers, etc. At the same time, dynamo flashlights can have different specializations — compact, tourist, etc.

— For diving. Flashlights originally created for diving and long-term stays at great depths — usually 50 m or more. Such models by definition have a sealed waterproof case (see "Dust and moisture protection"). In addition, the design of diving flashlights often includes specific features designed to provide additional convenience and safety. For example, the case can have a bright color or additional inserts that increase visibility underwater, and also be made of lightweight material — so that the flashlight released from the hand floats to the surface, and does not sink. Often the device is supplemented with a carabiner for attaching to equipment or a hand strap (see "Package"). It is because of such additional features that not every flashlight with a high level of water protection is considered a diving flashlight. Therefore, it is worth looking for a lamp specifically for diving among the models of this category.

— Auxiliary lighting. Lanterns designed to provide additional stationary lighting where there is no light or not enough. In some ways, such models are similar to tourist camping lights (see above), they can also be used in a parking lot or tent. However, this is not all: many auxiliary lights are initially designed for use in workshops, garages, etc. Some of them can also be hung on the open hood of a car, which is very important during field repairs. But such models are not designed to be carried in hands: this is technically possible, but not very convenient.

— Keychain. This category includes the most compact models: their weight, as a rule, does not exceed 50 g, and the length is 10 cm. Hence the name — most of these flashlights can be worn instead of a keychain on a key ring. In fact, the main advantage of keychains is their ease of wearing: you can always have such a flashlight at hand. The main disadvantage is their low power: keychains are usually equipped with one LED (see "Amount of diodes"), and any "solid" power source will not fit in a compact case. At the same time, such flashlights are quite enough for simple everyday tasks — for example, to light the road on an unlit section of the street or to find a keyhole if the light bulb in the entrance burned out.

— Underbarrel. Flashlights designed to be mounted on a weapon — most often under the barrel, but technically, side mounting is also quite acceptable. Many such models are essentially compact handheld flashlights (see above), supplemented with a removable mount on the weapon (or the ability to install on such a mount — see "Package"), and, in most cases, a remote button (see below); however, there are also purely underbarrel models, in which the mount is not removable. In both cases, the mount is usually designed for a standard Weaver/Picatinny rail, but it would not hurt to clarify this point separately. This also applies to the possibility of full-fledged use with firearms: the fact is that some underbarrel flashlights are designed for airsoft guns and are simply not designed for powerful recoil.

— Baton flashlight. Flashlights with a baton or baseball bat-shaped body that is strong enough to strike. Such a flashlight can be a very useful addition to a guard or law enforcement officer's equipment. Note that some so-called patrol flashlights — hand-held flashlights in a large and strong body of traditional design — can also be used as a "strike tool." However, for them, such use is an extreme case, while baton flashlights are initially created to be as reliable and shock-resistant as possible. Therefore, patrol models in our catalog are still not classified in this category, but as ordinary hand-held flashlights.

Model of the LED(s) used in the flashlight. Knowing the exact name of the LED, you can find its detailed characteristics and evaluate the capabilities of the flashlight. In addition, this information may be useful when replacing a failed diode.

Note that the LED model is indicated mainly if it is a high-quality LED with advanced characteristics. Such light sources are produced by different manufacturers, but the most popular in modern flashlights are products from Cree with its series Cree XM, Cree XP, Cree XHP. Here are some of the most common LEDs from this brand: Cree XP-L, Cree XM-L2, Cree XP-E, Cree XP-G, Cree XM-L T6, Cree XM-L2 T6, Cree XM-L U2, Cree XM- L2 U2, Cree XP-G R5, Cree XP-G2 R5, Cree XP-E Q5.

Cree XM-L and XM-L2 series diodes are used in high-power flashlights. XP-G and XP-G2 are used in relatively small models. They produce a beam of light in the shape of a circle with a darkening inside when using a reflector to focus. XP-E and XP-E2 are a godsend for small items with an evenly f...ocused beam and even illumination on the sides. The number “2” in the designation of the diode model indicates increased brightness (compared to the basic modification). The XHP series is also gaining popularity - the LEDs in this line more than double the light flow. At the same time, they are compatible with standard printed circuit boards and optics. The numerical prefix 35/50/70 in the name of XHP diodes indicates the dimensions of the housing.

Along with solutions from Cree, high-quality LEDs from the American manufacturer Luminus are often found in flashlights. Its range includes both inexpensive diode options for budget flashlights and advanced LED light sources with high luminous brightness and luminous flux intensity for the most powerful flashlights.

A separate case is represented by diode plates made using COB technology (chip-on-board, that is, “chip on a board”). Such plates are arrays of a large number of miniature light sources, soldered directly into a printed circuit board at a short distance from each other and filled with a special composition; This composition performs two functions at once. First of all, it protects the LEDs from contact with air, which increases their service life; In addition, the coating effectively diffuses light, creating a uniform luminous flux.

Note that previously, to create LED arrays, SMD technology was mainly used, with individual LEDs soldered onto the surface of a printed circuit board. However, COB is a more modern and advanced option: this technology allows small but bright light sources to be placed at very high densities, achieving powerful lumen output even with small array sizes. In addition, SMD boards did not provide a protective coating.

In general, it makes sense to pay attention to flashlights with COB plates if you need a high-quality source of diffused light. As a result, such diode arrays are especially popular in travel lanterns and auxiliary lighting (see "Type"), but can also be used in other varieties - from ultra-compact key fobs to high-power hand-held lamps.

Color temperature determines the overall color of the glow—how “warm” or “cool” is the hue of the light beam emitted by the flashlight. Note that the relationship between “warmth” and color temperature is inverse: higher numbers mean “cooler” colors.

The indicator is expressed in Kelvin (K). Values up to approximately 2800 K correspond to warm light, around 4000 K is daylight white light, above 5000 K is cold light (which, as the color temperature rises, becomes more and more blue). In the context of flashlights, the parameter can remain constant or be flexibly changed to suit the user’s needs (in models with a color temperature adjustment function).

Luminous flux (measured in lumens) can be described as the total amount of light produced by an LED or other light source and emitted in all directions the source shines by itself. In practice, this means a flashlight’s capability depends not only on luminous flux but also on beam angle. For example, a relatively weak flux can be concentrated into a narrow beam to achieve good throw; while effectively covering a wide area will inevitably require a large number of lumens.

Peak luminous flux is the short-term maximum brightness a light source can deliver with a fresh battery and low temperature, usually in Turbo mode. It’s used to gauge instantaneous burst output. Unlike sustained (long-term) luminous flux, the peak lasts seconds or minutes and then drops due to heating down to High mode, so for real-world use it’s more important to understand how many lumens a flashlight can maintain steadily. You can see this with EDC models: a stated 2000 lm is impressive for a quick outdoor search, but for a long walk the device will switch, say, to 1000 lm, keeping a comfortable body temperature and solid runtime.

It’s also worth keeping in mind that high flashlight brightness is far from always justified, and you should choose this parameter based on real conditions of use. At short distances, very bright light can be a hindrance: it tires the eyes and can dazzle people nearby. In addition, increasing brightness usually requires more powerful sources of both light an...d power, so the flashlight’s weight and overall dimensions go up.

The capacity of the battery provided in the design or delivery of the flashlight.

Theoretically, a higher capacity allows to achieve greater battery life, but in fact, not everything is so simple. Firstly, the actual battery life will also depend on power consumption — and it can be different even in models with the same luminous flux (this is due to the difference in the characteristics of individual LEDs). Secondly, the physical features of the designation in milliamp-hours (mAh) are such that only batteries with the same nominal voltage can be directly compared by this indicator (in other cases, indicators must be recalculated using special formulas).

In light of all this, we can say that battery capacity is more of a reference than a practically significant parameter. So, in some cases, it allows you to compare different models of flashlights with each other, but only very approximately. For example, a device with a 1600 mAh battery will definitely have a longer battery life than a model with an 800 mAh battery that is similar in brightness, lamp type and “weight category”; but how much battery life will be higher is impossible to say for sure. So, in order to assess the practical capabilities of a flashlight, it is worth focus on more "close to life" characteristics — first of all, on the directly claimed maximum battery life (see above), as well as battery life indicators in different modes indicated in the manufacturer's documentation.

The operating time in Low mode indicates how long the flashlight shines at low brightness before there’s a noticeable decrease in light level according to factory tests, usually at room temperature and with the battery provided. Low is chosen for long-duration tasks: set it as a tent light, attach it with a magnetic tail under the hood, or leave it as a nightlight or marker—situations where autonomy and moderate brightness are important. In this mode, the electronics heat up less and consume power more efficiently than in Medium/High, so the stated hours often reach the tens, especially in models with 18650/21700 batteries. It's important to consider that the actual "Low mode runtime" varies depending on the quality and capacity of the battery, outdoor temperature, and driver settings (such as whether there are steps and constant brightness maintenance). Compared to "Eco/Ultralow," Low provides a more practical level of light for household and service tasks, preserving the main advantage—long autonomy without overheating and unnecessary battery resource loss.

The presence of a solar battery in the design of the lantern — a photocell that generates current when light hits it. This current is used to recharge the flashlight battery. Thus, periodically exposing the flashlight to the light, you can significantly extend the time of its operation without recharging the battery (or even do without recharging at all). This can be very useful during a long stay away from civilization — for example, on a multi-day hike.

Note that the name " solar battery " does not mean that the solar cell only works in direct sunlight. Charging can also take place in cloudy weather, and even under artificial lighting, unless its efficiency will be lower than under the sun.

The ability to operate the flashlight in power bank mode — an external battery for various portable devices, primarily smartphones and tablets.

The Power bank mode allows you to recharge portable gadgets from your flashlight's own battery. It can become a real salvation in nature or on the road, when there are no sockets and other power sources nearby, and you need to charge the gadget urgently (for example, if we are talking about a phone used as the main means of communication). Of course, such charging wastes part of the battery energy and reduces the battery life of the flashlight itself. However, models with this function, usually, use fairly powerful batteries with a good supply of energy, and their battery life remains very decent even after working in Power Bank mode. And some flashlights even have built-in limiters that do not allow you to discharge your own battery “to zero” when charging an external device.

This feature is indicated for flashlights whose housings have an increased degree of dust and moisture protection. The degree of such protection may vary: for example, some models can easily withstand heavy rain, others “survive” being caught in a sea wave, and the most advanced ones can even be used when diving with scuba diving (see “Type - For diving ”). The features of protection should be clarified in each case separately; however, if you need a flashlight that can withstand adverse conditions, you should definitely look for it among the models that explicitly state dust and moisture protection. Such models will be useful primarily for those who often have to work in difficult environments: climbers and other “extreme” tourists, rescuers, military personnel, sailors, etc.

The level of protection is indicated by two numbers according to the IP standard ( IP65, IP66, IP67...). The first number corresponds to dust protection (maximum 6). The second number indicates the degree of protection from water; here in protected models, level 7 (the ability to immerse under water to a depth of 1 m for half an hour) or 8 (the ability to work for long periods of time under water at a depth of more than 1 m) is usually found. Thus, the maximum degree of protection according to this standard is IP68..., completely sealed. There is also a marking like IPX8, where the first digit is not indicated - this only means that the flashlight has not been officially certified for dust resistance. In the above example, this is not necessary - water resistance 8 automatically means a sealed case, impenetrable to dust.

It is worth considering that even completely sealed models may have different restrictions on the maximum immersion depth. So if you are going to intensively use the flashlight underwater, you should make sure that it can withstand diving to the planned depth.