Review: Klarus XT11S: micro-USB tactical light, XP-L HI V3, 1100 lumens; (beams)hots

[silverspurr]

That is very strange because my XT11S is like your XT12, the lens sits behind the lip and does not come in contact with the screw on bezel.

Really !!??
Then I better contact Klarus or G.G. where I purchased it and find out why mine is like that... thanks for that info!

 

[kreisl]

I checked on my unit. The grey bezel screws directly on the glas lens wtf. One can even see lots of "powder" which is imo nothing but pulverized glass by the rotational screwing movement. And i certainly do not see any lips or whatnot. I cannot even see any o-ring near at the reflector or at the glass lens.

Okay, while this kind of construction & assembly is questionable or unconventional (no o-ring, really??), maybe it was the consequence of making this truly tactical 18650 light as compact as possible?! I'll give this product the benefit of the doubt that it withstands typical situations where water, humidity is involved, like rain, mud, cleaning under water, etc.

From an engineering design standpoint, there are design details at bezel (as just mentioned!), battery tube, cigar grip ring, tail threads (both female and male), and tailcap pill which i find awkward and wouldn't agree with. Yet those are just internal details and they do not affect the operation, functionality, or looks of the flashlight at all, not a tiny bit. Those questionable details (and i don't plan to name them) do not matter, so to speak.

The USB charging cable merits special mention. First of all, it's not a USB charge cable but a USB data cable! This is extraordinary, because most USB cables we get from Chinese manufacturers of USB chargers, USB powerbanks, USB flashlights, and similar USB devices where charging (and not data transfer) is the key function, are mere USB charge cables. USB charge cables do not have the USB data pins/data lines wired inside the cable.

But what's more extraordinary, this 'Klarus data cable' is capable of secure high-speed charging omfg!! The male connectors on both ends are excellently tight to insert in the female USB counterparts. The cable quality inside must be excellent too, otherwise i wouldn't get the max. charge rate out of it, 1.74A (shown as "1.68A" on the USB doctor) for my old phone. And on the outside, the cable feels unusual too, matte rubbery (attracts dust, dirt). The cable diameter is thin .. so it's surprising to me to learn that a thin data cable can also be suitable for high-speed charging. Amazing quality (performance, connectors) this Klarus cable has! Of course i don't know how it will hold up over time. The weak point of USB cables including premium USB cables are always their male connectors: the connectors (their performance) degrade fast, very fast.

I've got tons of USB cables from any sources (phones, USB chargers, USB powerbanks, USB flashlights, Tomtom car navigation, and other USB devices, etc), they all can do charging. And i checked them all and compared their performance. The Klarus cable beats them all, a true highlight in the XT11S product packaging, cheers!!

 

[outofthedarkness]

Ive just checked mine and mine does not sit on the glass, it screws down metal

 

[kreisl]

Ive just checked mine and mine does not sit on the glass, it screws down metal

can you show us a series of clear photos of your metal ?

 

[Taz80]

Maybe Klarus had a bad run at the factory and the reflector and lens were assembled out of order. Do you have a lip between the reflector and the lens?

 

[kreisl]

deleted

 

[silverspurr]

I sent mine back to G.G. where I purchased it in April, they say they will replace it or send it back to Klarus.
I'll use my XT12 which in some ways I actually like better.
I never would have known that it's not supposed to be like that until I posted about it in here.
So thank you 'Taz80' for letting me know yours is not like that.

The Bezel right up against the glass lens, good thing I didn't tighten the extended bezel down too much or the lens would have surely cracked.
Hope I don't have to wait too long to get it replaced.

 

[kreisl]

deleted

 

[Taz80]

If you look at the pictures in kj75's excellent review above, you can clearly see the black ring between the lens and bezel.

 

[kreisl]

The XT12 head is a 2-part aluminum head, which —once taken apart into 2 halves— enables the person to introduce stuff like o-ring, lens, reflector, from the 'body side' of the flashlight. In a 1-part aluminum conical head, like the XT11S head, there cannot be any metal lip. Think about it.

 

[goldwing]

Excellent review! Thanks.

 

[silverspurr]

If you look at the pictures in kj75's excellent review above, you can clearly see the black ring between the lens and bezel.

Can you kindly show me the photo you are referring to?
I looked at every photo in this thread and cannot find a photo showing: "you can clearly see the black ring between the lens and bezel."

Thank you.

 

[silverspurr]

Would very much appreciate some opinions from others in this thread.

I sent my 1T11S back to G.G. last week... I received this reply today from G.G.:
"We just received your light. We compared it to other XT11S models and this is the design of the light. There is a rather large O ring behind that glass lens to help absorb the impact. We can ship the light back out to you or if you'd like a refund we will need you to ship the battery that came with the light back before we can do so. Thanks,"

I am truly puzzled... as after I posted last week in this thread that my Klarus 'extended bezel' goes right up against the glass lens, if tightened down, it surely will crack the glass lens (so I had to keep it tightened just enough to keep it in... but not tight enough to be totally worry free from it unscrewing and possibly falling off).
Additionally... there was/is no O ring between the glass lens and the flashlight itself... if either the default bezel or the extended bezel is removed... the glass lens falls right out, unlike my XT12.. where the lens sits BEHIND a metal lip.

I read three replies to my question/issue:

One (#30) that says: "i removed the bezel ring, the lens, and there was no lip and no oring."

Another reply (#23) says: "Ive just checked mine and mine does not sit on the glass, it screws down metal"

Another reply (#20) says: "That is very strange because my XT11S is like your XT12, the lens sits behind the lip and does not come in contact with the screw on bezel.

I don't get it... my XT11S came with no "O ring" in front of the glass lens to stop the bezel from physically coming in contact right up against the glass lens.. and if you take off either the default bezel or the extended bezel... the lens falls out.

So, obviously as per G.G.'s reply, the XT11S comes like that UNLIKE the XT12.
My two choices: have G.G. return the light back to me with the "missing" O ring or alternatively get a refund.

 

[Taz80]

It shows on the first, eighth and tenth pictures. The black ring under the bezel on my light is a solid metal ring separating the bezel from the reflector. As far as I can tell its a machined part of the light and not removable. The serial number of my light is X13HMO1284, I purchased it at Battery Junction.

 

[silverspurr]

It shows on the first, eighth and tenth pictures. The black ring under the bezel on my light is a solid metal ring separating the bezel from the reflector. As far as I can tell its a machined part of the light and not removable. The serial number of my light is X13HMO1284, I purchased it at Battery Junction.

I'm trying to see what photo/s you are referring to, I do not see any photo/s of the XT11S with the "bezel removed" looking "straight at the glass lens".
I'm thinking of returning for a full refund, I don't like removing the default bezel or the extended bezel which I use and the glass lens just falls right out (unlike my XT12) additionally to screw the bezel down and it goes right up against the glass lens and can easily crack it if not careful?
Poor design in my opinion.

 

[outofthedarkness]

Think you have a dud or possible fake. My bezel screws onto black metal which is also fixed part of the light.

 

[NICSAK]

I have an xt11s. I can check mine tomorrow and take pictures.

 

[zs&tas]

For sure thats a fake light ....

 

[kreisl]

take pictures.

clear, close-ups.
thanks, appreciated. looking forward. kreisl

 

[silverspurr]

Just received this message in email from Klarus, there was definitely a design flaw in the batch with the one I receved:

From Klarus:
"Hi Mark, I learn form our engineer that from the second batch, our XT11S has already been improved for the lens.
You can contact the G.G. to change one for you."

I knew the glass lens is not supposed to fall out onto the floor when the bezel is removed... and additionally, the bezel should NOT come in contact physically with the glass lens which can easily crack it if tightened down.