# REVIEW: Wolf Eyes PILOT WHALE !!



## Wattnot (Jul 10, 2009)

Captain Ahab beware . . . . the Pilot Whale is coming for YOU!









Hi All. It appears that Wolf Eyes is again first in the release of yet another envelope pushing flashlight. Introducing the highly anticipated SIX core Osram LED super flashlight, the Pilot Whale. Strange name . . . . killer light! Join me on this wonderful, visual journey down Bright Light Way (hey . . . if I ever get to develop a sub-division, I’ve got a great method for naming all of the streets!).










*Manufacturer’s features and specifications* (from WE's site):


*Model:* Pilot Whale 
*Housing Material:* Aircraft grade aluminum 
*Output Power:* Up to 1000 Lumen 
*Continuous Runtime: *100 minutes on high 
*Lamp assembly*: 6 chip Mega LED 
*Battery** type*: 3 - LRB168A Li-ion rechargeable 
*Body diameter*: 45.6mm or 1.8" inches 
*Bezel diameter*: 63.5mm or 2.5" inches 
*Length:* 181.7mm or 7.2" inches 
*Weight:* 430g or 15.2oz 
*Finish:* Mil spec Hard Anodize Type III 
*Water Proof:* Yes 
*Beam Characteristics*: Flood with moderate throw 




From 

left to right: AA battery - Eagletac M2C4 - Pilot Whale - TK40 - 2C Mag



*Initial Impressions:*

It’s smaller than I expected it to be. From what pictures and info I read on the web, I expected this to dwarf the TK40. As you can see that’s not the case. There seems to be no wasted space on this light. I kinda wish I had a WE Storm here for size comparison since they both take 3 18650’s side by side in a magazine. The Pilot Whale fits the hand nicely and is very sleek looking. I’m not sure if LSD (acid) was involved in the naming of this light but they can call it whatever they want, as long as it delivers. Oh and yes, it delivers! It arrived in the largest box I’ve seen from Wolf Eyes yet. As it arrived I thought my wife had bought shoes online. The lanyard ring is similar to the one found on the Surefire M6 but there was no lanyard with mine. I confirmed with Mike at PTS-Flashlights and it DOES come with a lanyard. Perhaps Mike was fondling this one before he shipped it to me and it fell out! It is similar to the nice (but very long) lanyard from the WE Explorer, which you can see here. 

The Pilot Whale is HAIII hard anodized and has a reverse clicky with an identical UI to the Sniper/Explorer. My sample did not contain any extra O-rings or clicky covers or anything else. Just the light, 3 of Wolf Eyes great 18650s and a battery charger. The charger plugs right into the battery magazine.. The finish is what I’ll now call the standard Wolf Eyes matte finish since the newer lights all seem to have it. The whole head and body seem very solid and well balanced. Sorry but no tail standing with this one; you’d probably burn a hole in the ceiling anyway. The initial rumors I heard for this light involved it being certified for diving but that is not the case with the one I received. A future model (or future options for this model) will allow for that. I’ll post the details as I get them. The output is very impressive. It’s like WE says in their description: flood with moderate throw.















*UI:*

The Pilot Whale (ugh, that NAME!) has a reverse clicky. After turning it on, smooth half presses cycle through the preset intensities in descending order with HIGH always coming on first. None of the functions of this light are programmable. I don’t find that to be a negative because they made some good choices for you. The three preset intensities are very diverse and I feel most people will be pleased. The SOS, strobe and beacon are contained in the “hidden” menu and I’ll get to those below. The clicky has a great feel but isn’t well suited for tactical signaling since it will change intensities followed by entering the hidden mode. If you grab the light and turn it on, it comes on HIGH. You get all ONE THOUSAND paint peeling lumens. For medium, low or hidden mode you simply half press (or full press fast enough, if you’re into that) until it arrives at the desired intensity/mode. Changing modes on this light is much more natural with the reverse clicky verses the forward clicky found on the P7 Sniper/Explorer, which otherwise has the same interface. Wolf Eyes has come up with an excellent system to please both the SOS/STROBE lovers AND haters alike! It would be extremely difficult to accidentally end up with the strobe, sos or beacon (this light has all 3). To enter the “hidden” menu, as they call it for strobe/sos/beacon, you have to press/cycle 7 times (or in the case of the reverse clicky, turn it on then half press six times in a row). For example if you want strobe from the light being off you would half press through TWO cycles of HI-MED-LO then the seventh press would give you strobe. Once you do this you are now locked into the hidden menu and it will cycle STROBE-SOS-BEACON instead of HI-MED-LOW. At this point the ONLY way back to the other world is to shut it off for 2 seconds. 









*Logistics:*

The instructions explain all of the features and functions well enough except where they say you have to wait 5 seconds for reset, I found that 2 seconds is enough. It doesn’t list a working voltage but the batteries are in series and I measured 12.5 volts on nearly full batteries. There is no clip but it comes with a nice lanyard and the ring installed on the light is on there nice and sturdy. The PW cannot tailstand. I found one O-ring on each end (two total). The threads are good and came lightly greased. The reflector is deep, highly polished and has a light OP finish. The LED seemed a little off center to me at first but I might have still been in shock over seeing the SIX cores!! It seems well centered to me now but you be the judge from the close-up shot. If it is off, you can’t tell from the beam. There is no knurling, just some smooth fluting but gripping and retaining this bad boy will be NO problem. The head unscrews right in the center but the seam is extremely well hidden amongst the ribbing/fins. The self contained and apparently sealed LED module is on fine threads inside the head and takes a lot of turns to remove. All of my 18650 brands fit and I found no rattle at all. The battery holder doubles as the charger (you leave the cells in the carrier to charge) but I’m not sure if it contains any electronics that would aid in charging. That means it could very well be the typical WE system that relies on the PCB in each cell to terminate the charge. It's been said this is not an optimal charging method but it works because I charged it up using this system and the voltage was the same in all 3 batteries: about 4.18 volts (analog meter but all readings were identical and a hair below 4.2). Mike at PTS said the batteries will remain fairly balanced and users should be okay unless they run the batteries down so low that they cut out, in which case a balance would be in order. When you plug the charging lead into the port on the battery magazine, the light on the charger turns red to indicate charging and green when the charge is complete. The battery magazine has three tiny red LEDs on the bottom (see photo) that light up when the switch is in the ON position. I’m not sure if that has any function except to say “cool” when you see it. The switch does not have to be in the ON position for charging.








*Current draw:*

The current draw on high is 1.3 amps. That might seem low but keep in mind we’re dealing with 11.1 to 12.6 volts. That 1.3 amp measurement is taken from the batteries NOT the emitter. Medium was 420ma and low was 41ma. Again, don’t let the low amperage figures fool you. The higher voltage makes up for it. By ohms law this light is consuming 16.38 watts where the Eagletac M2C4 is consuming 12.6 watts. DISCLAIMER for the techy-types ready to pounce on me: Those figures are more rating or theoretical since I used the voltage of fresh off the charger cells and did not account for voltage dip under load.









*In the hands of “babes:”*

This is the part of the review where I take the light over to my neighbor Joe and get his “I don’t care about flashlights the way you care about flashlights” opinion. He is a highly skilled mechanic and has an impressive array of tools but to him a flashlight is a good old stock Mag. I’ve been slowing converting him but there’s no “passion” as with our group so this makes him the perfect subject. I handed him the light and the first thing he said was he liked the feel. He was referring to the weight as well as the grip. Joe liked the apparent quality too. He felt the light was very strong and stout and could take a good beating. I had to help him find the concealed mode but he managed to find the 3 levels on his own. He preferred the reverse clicky over the forward clicky of the Explorer I recently reviewed.









*The beam and white walling:*

The beam is pretty good. It has some tiny imperfections that only some CPF-ers would see but considering what’s making the beam, a rectangular, six core emitter, it’s pretty darn good. It’s mostly round too, which is a little surprising. The donut hole is only obvious under 1 foot. The tint is nice and white. There are no rings as it goes right from large hotspot to spill. Nice job, Wolf Eyes. White wall hunters will be mostly pleased and good luck finding those imperfections out in the wild.







Pilot Whale left - EagleTac M2C4 right






Pilot Whale left - EagleTac M2C4 right - underexposed


*PWM:*

Using my highly scientific method of pointing the light into a fan, I detected no PWM at all on any level.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>*<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Now we'll move on to what you've all been waiting for . . . the BEAMSHOTS! In all pictures with two lights, the Pilot Whale is on the LEFT. Captions appear below each photo. I couldn’t put the lights side by side at the longer distances because I ran out of “house.” The main competitor for this light, as I see it, is the EagleTac M2C4 with the P7 emitter supposedly putting out 900 lumens. The two seem fairly close and I’m sure many of you will be studying those back and forth for a while.






Pilot Whale - 50 feet.







M2C4 - 50 feet








Pilot Whale - EagleTac M2C4








Pilot Whale 100 feet








M2C4 100 feet








Pilot Whale - M2C4 - 100 feet








Pilot Whale 150 feet







M2C4 150 feet







Pilot Whale 300 feet








M2C4 300 feet



*Conclusions:*

What a year this has been for new lights! They keep getting brighter and brighter and even a little smaller. You’ve seen the pictures, this thing is a MONSTER! I’m predicting you’re going to be very happy after the UPS guy (or that UPS gal in the tight shorts, if you’re that lucky) shows up with your new Pilot Whale. Congratulations to Wolf Eyes and Osram for bringing this awesome, compact and super bright light to the eagerly awaiting market.

This is no EDC but you won’t care how you got it there after you turn it on! It’s even impressive when it’s light outside! People are going to think you ripped a landing light off of a Learjet. The price is up there (mid two fifties) but it does deliver and you won’t be disappointed. It’s still a whole lot cheaper than an M6 and it’s all ready to recharge with its’ own charger built in. It would have been great if you could plug the charger in through the tailcap but that would have made waterproofing extremely difficult.

The EagleTac turned out to be a very worthy opponent and there isn't a clear winner in some of the shots . . . but I feel the Pilot Whale edged it out at 300 feet and perhaps the underexposed shot as well. In the shots were they look tied, or if it appears that the EagleTac won, look again at the hotspot, corona and spill. These two lights are rated within 100 lumens of each other so we’re talking a difference of about 10 percent and I believe the shots reflect that small difference.

So I say BUY IT! But then I always say that. Here are my ratings: Overall I give it a 9. The output is a 10 (11 if you’re a Spinal Tap fan because this one does go to 11). The fit and finish gets a 9.5. The UI gets an 9. It has all of the loved (and hated) “bells and whistles” so for features I’ll give it a 9. Perceived durability gets a 9.5.

There are many fine retailers for this light but I recommend www.PTS-Flashlights.com for great prices and great service. CPF members who set up an account receive special pricing on everything they sell.


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## Wattnot (Jul 10, 2009)

I did a heat up test. The first 5 minutes it barely even got warm. Approaching 10 minutes it got significantly warm. I let it go up to 15 minutes, no passive or active cooling at all, and it got very warm. It was borderline uncomfortable to hold. There was no noticable decrease in light.


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## bill_n_opus (Jul 10, 2009)

Thanks for the review ...

Isn't the EagleTac significantly less money than the WE? 

Like 150ish for the Eagletac versus ... 270ish for the WE? 

Honestly, not trying to start somethin' ... but for that significant price difference I would have a hard time turning down the EagleTac based on your beamshots. 

Personally though, the WE is much, much more attractive.


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## strinq (Jul 10, 2009)

Always liked ur beamshots.
But am agreeing with the poster above, it'll be hard pressed to outsell the M2.


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## DimeRazorback (Jul 10, 2009)

Yeah i had crossed the M2 off my list and replaced it until i saw the price tag :shakehead


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## zs&tas (Jul 10, 2009)

i think these companies need to spend a bit more time tamming the beam so they arnt all just floody lights, im sure with a bit of r&d they could pull of a normal flashlight beam with a throwy hotspot to go with all the flood. not very impressive, could be any old reflector and lens with that amount of light it was always guna be a big flood light
imagine a 1000 lumen tk11 beam 
just a thought ill shut up now...enjoy ! BTW id still buy one haha


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## jirik_cz (Jul 10, 2009)

Thanks for a nice review. I would love to see a comparison beamshots with TK40


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## AbleArcher (Jul 10, 2009)

Nice review Wattnot, thanks for taking the time to put us all out of our misery !

I have a WE Storm and from your beamshots the Whale doesn't appear to be much more (if any) throwy than that, so aside from the increase in overall brightness I don't really see much point in getting one of these.

And continuing the comments made by you and the previous posters, I think the only reason I'd buy a WE in preference to an M2 would be the thought of having an Ostar 6-die light in my collection.


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## hivoltage (Jul 10, 2009)

How would this compare to a Raptor I just bought? And all I can see are the dang res X's, no pictures:scowl:


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## junmae (Jul 10, 2009)

hmm, I may considering getting one of these!  Though I'm not too fond of the looks.


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## Zeruel (Jul 10, 2009)

Thanks for the review.  It has a very nice beam profile. I wonder how's this light compared to Ultrafire RL2088.

Smart to shoot it against a blue background, I can almost imagine water spurting out of the light now.


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## Patriot (Jul 10, 2009)

hivoltage said:


> How would this compare to a Raptor I just bought? And all I can see are the dang res X's, no pictures:scowl:





Two totally different classes of light livoltage. The raptor is a low lumen thrower, this light is a larger, high lumen flood with triple the output.








It looks very nice and I'm excited about this light. On the down side it seems rather expensive when compared to the TK40, EagleTac, and other multi-die emitters. Does anyone else feel as though they may have missed the price point of the others a bit. Maybe the extra cost is due to the Osram but the difference still seems too high.

Your thoughts Wattnot?





EDIT: P.S. Oddly enough I really like the name. Typically I wouldn't but in the days of M1Xs, TK40, M2X, M2C4, M2XC4, M30.... etc, it's a nice change. 

Also, I really like the looks of the head and body, but the tailcap is classic WE which has always been a slight turn off to me. Overall the light is attractive imo.


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## mikekoz (Jul 10, 2009)

That looks like a real nice light and I love WE lights! I am sure the build quality on it is second to none, as are my WE's, but there is no way that is putting out 1000 lumens. The Eagletac appears to be just as bright, going by your beamshots. I may still get one of these, but will wait for the price to drop. Thanks for the review!

Mike


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## sledhead (Jul 10, 2009)

Great review, photos, and commentary. Looks like a winner. Thanks for taking the time.:thumbsup:


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## strinq (Jul 10, 2009)

Zeruel said:


> Thanks for the review.  It has a very nice beam profile. I wonder how's this light compared to Ultrafire RL2088.
> 
> Smart to shoot it against a blue background, I can almost imagine water spurting out of the light now.


 
I know the ultrafire would blow it away in terms of output.
There was a review on the ultrafire (too lazy to search now), that has beamshots that showed it being wayyy brighter than the M2. 

Guessing it at about 1000 lumens OTF.

Quality wise I have no idea.


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## easilyled (Jul 10, 2009)

Thanks for the very nice review.

The light seems very nicely built.

One thing that occurs to me though is why buy a light with an O-star that consumes 16W when the SSC-P7 and MC-E 12W lights are just as bright?

I can only assume that the O-star must be less efficient.


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## AardvarkSagus (Jul 10, 2009)

Excellent review there Wattnot. This thing is definitely impressive to say the least. How well built would you say that the battery carriage is? Nice beamshots too by the way.


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## Wattnot (Jul 10, 2009)

Thanks for the compliments! I enjoy doing these, especially since I have to justify the bunch of money I just spent on camera equipment!




jirik_cz said:


> Thanks for a nice review. I would love to see a comparison beamshots with TK40


 

I can tell you that the TK40 would probaby have a smaller and brighter hotspot and would win at the 300 foot mark because the TK40 can throw more. I have shots against the M2CX4 that I didn't include for the same reason. It's a different catagory. Throwers vs. flooders isn't fair, is it? I don't want to skew the results.




AbleArcher said:


> Nice review Wattnot, thanks for taking the time to put us all out of our misery !
> 
> 
> I have a WE Storm and from your beamshots the Whale doesn't appear to be much more (if any) throwy than that, so aside from the increase in overall brightness I don't really see much point in getting one of these.
> ...


 




Patriot said:


> It looks very nice and I'm excited about this light. On the down side it seems rather expensive when compared to the TK40, EagleTac, and other multi-die emitters. Does anyone else feel as though they may have missed the price point of the others a bit. Maybe the extra cost is due to the Osram but the difference still seems too high.
> 
> Your thoughts Wattnot?


 

As I was taking these shots, I was at first a little disappointed that the PW didn't clearly beat the Eagletac. The reason was the higher rated output and higher cost. I try to keep the reviews objective. So far I've only done reviews on products I like. For those struggling to justify the higher price the PW is better built and does not seem to have any of those minor issues like the M2 series (tailcap, accidental strobe, etc.). It also takes 3 batteries so runtime is going to be longer. It's balanced and made with thicker stock. It has a better UI and has the beacon and SOS features too. I know some of you consider those useless but if Tom Hanks had one of these instead of a soccer ball and an ice skate it would have been a much shorter movie.

What would have pushed this light over the top is if it had come like we originally heard, as a certified diving light. On the PTS site there is a mention of an optional tailcap for diving. Perhaps they should have included that. None of our typical IPX8 lights are suitable for diving. If the PW came ready for SCUBA then there would probably be no questioning the higher price. BTW the price is right around a $100 difference when you apply our discount.




AardvarkSagus said:


> Excellent review there Wattnot. This thing is definitely impressive to say the least. How well built would you say that the battery carriage is? Nice beamshots too by the way.


 
The battery mag is very sturdy desipite the thin rods and disks it's made with. I hope to find that it has circuitry that assists in charging because charging 3 18650s in series raises questions. There must be something in there because all 3 batteries point in the same direction so there's a circuit printed on the other side of those disks, I'm sure!

BTW, I googled the name and a Pilot Whale is the name of a specific species of whale. I didn't know that so now the name makes a little more sense. It's not that bad, really. I was just poking a little fun at it!


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## AardvarkSagus (Jul 10, 2009)

I'm actually finding I am liking the name more and more in these days of everyone playing with their alphabet soup to name their lights.


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## applevision (Jul 10, 2009)

Yay *Wattnot*! 

Thank you so much for this great review! I'm on cloud 9 since I had been dying for more info on this neat light.

I agree so much with the above... EagleTac has hit a home-run with the M2 series and it caused me some pain to see it nearly as good (and, frankly, in some shots better/brighter) than this big dog... but oh well, I really would like a Wolf Eyes light in my collection and the Osram is also really neat, so it will certainly get a lot of use from me.

I will be interested in the what the techies figure out about this light: 
a) the true OTF lumens
b) the efficiency of the Osram vs. the P7 vs. the MC-E
c) True water proof/resistance

I couldn't agree more that if this were set up to be a diving light, this would be something really special as is. Wolf Eyes--please make it happen!

I can't wait to get mine!!

lovecpf


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## Wattnot (Jul 10, 2009)

Okay, I edited the first post a little. This light does come with a lanyard. It's the long type like on the Explorer. Mine must have been lost along the way.

To the people who feel the M2C4 is nearly the same output while being a whole lot cheaper, you need to consider the Pilot Whale comes with 3 of WE's finest 18650 batteries which sell for $20 each, and the charger is worth about that too. So you need to consider that $80 retail value in the difference. That brings their prices much closer together.


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## max52 (Jul 10, 2009)

Fantastic review. I have the M2, M2x, and just got my Pilot Whale. I think you precisly correct, even with subtle differences involving build quality, Overall illumination, and economic value of the Wolf-Eyes light.


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## Bronco (Jul 10, 2009)

On the off chance that anyone from WE has an eye on this thread, I just wanted to chime in and join the growing chorus of voices who are pointing out that the price for this light would be easily justified with the addition of a dive rating.

Great review, wattnot. Thanks for putting in the effort.


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## learnyee (Jul 10, 2009)

Hi Wattnot, just a little suggestion for your 300FT beamshot, try to use a tripod, a remote trigger and manual focus. IT appears to me that there are out-focus and camera shake which largely caused by low light condition. somehow I think the beamshot still can be improved a lot.


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## Wattnot (Jul 10, 2009)

learnyee said:


> Hi Wattnot, just a little suggestion for your 300FT beamshot, try to use a tripod, a remote trigger and manual focus. IT appears to me that there are out-focus and camera shake which largely caused by low light condition. somehow I think the beamshot still can be improved a lot.


 
Thanks but I used a tripod. Some of those shots are 3 seconds long! I also focused manually and used the self timer (self timer in lieu of the remote switch on it's way to me right now). The problem is that it's VERY difficult to focus on that surface, at that distance, with only the light from the flashlight on it. I put both lights on it at the same time and still could not see the trees well enough to get a perfect focus. Add to that being eaten by mosquitos and a continually bitching teenage assistant and you'll understand why I found those "good enough!"


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## Patriot (Jul 10, 2009)

I seem to be in the minority here but to my eye the PW is clearly brighter in almost every example shot with the exception of one pair of photos. We're roughly speaking of a 200 lumen difference as claimed by the manufacturers, correct? I can see a decided advantage going to the PW although it's impossible for me to sit here and guess what the actual difference is. We need a MrGman test or at the very least an integrating bathroom test. 

Take another look at the under exposed white wall test again folks. That one tells a lot.


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## applevision (Jul 10, 2009)

Wattnot said:


> ... and a continually bitching teenage assistant and you'll understand why I found those "good enough!"



LOL! 


:bow:I bow to you *Wattnot*! This stuff is way harder than it looks!


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## picard (Jul 10, 2009)

I had suspect that the pilot whale doesn't out throw the M2C4. This review confirm my doubts. thanks for your review.


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## junmae (Jul 10, 2009)

Patriot said:


> I seem to be in the minority here but to my eye the PW is clearly brighter in almost every example shot with the exception of one pair of photos. We're roughly speaking of a 200 lumen difference as claimed by the manufacturers, correct? I can see a decided advantage going to the PW although it's impossible for me to sit here and guess what the actual difference is. We need a MrGman test or at the very least an integrating bathroom test.
> 
> Take another look at the under exposed white wall test again folks. That one tells a lot.



actually 100 lumen difference . The pw has 1000 lumens and the m2c4 has 900 . Well, from what i've been reading at least XD


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## Wattnot (Jul 10, 2009)

Patriot said:


> I seem to be in the minority here but to my eye the PW is clearly brighter in almost every example shot with the exception of one pair of photos.
> 
> Take another look at the under exposed white wall test again folks. That one tells a lot.


 


picard said:


> I had suspect that the pilot whale doesn't out throw the M2C4. This review confirm my doubts. thanks for your review.


 
Hmmm. Polar opposite opinions going on here. Patriot, I'm with you that the PW is brighter in most of the pics but not "clearly" brighter. In the 100 foot it looks like it's a tie or even a lumen or two toward the M2. In the 300 foot shot the PW is brighter but again by only a small margin (if you can't tell by the trees themselves look at the white fence). 

But Picard . . . I think you've been drinking replicated _wodka_.  Where do you see the M2 out-throwing the PW? 

I'm not sure why this is becoming a big deal. The fact that the PW is so close to the EagleTac isn't that shocking and if you study the photos you will see that the extra 100 lumens from the PW is accounted for. The hotspot and corona is larger and the spill is a tad brighter too. They're extremely close. They're also close in value when you consider what comes with each. If there is someone who, after seeing this review, buys the M2 when what they really want is the PW then you will be doing yourself a disservice. Hey, I know . . . BUY BOTH!


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## applevision (Jul 11, 2009)

Patriot said:


> I seem to be in the minority here but to my eye the PW is clearly brighter in almost every example shot with the exception of one pair of photos. We're roughly speaking of a 200 lumen difference as claimed by the manufacturers, correct? I can see a decided advantage going to the PW although it's impossible for me to sit here and guess what the actual difference is. We need a MrGman test or at the very least an integrating bathroom test.
> 
> Take another look at the under exposed white wall test again folks. That one tells a lot.



I totally agree that the underexposed white wall favors the PW... I have to say that these LCD monitors are DANGEROUS! There was another thread in which this happened--someone was certain there was a difference in screen shots but it turned out that they were just a duplicate of the same file! Turns out that a lot of monitors are sensitive to viewing angle and screen position! So it's usually easier to compare left-right rather than up-down. I am TOTALLY finding that the lights are more comparable/PW even better at closer ranges, now that I am at home on my good computer! At work, it was just such that the screen was significantly brighter at the bottom (where the M2 shots are generally appearing in comparsion)--I wouldn't have believed this myself if I hadn't just experienced it!!
:naughty:


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## easilyled (Jul 11, 2009)

As Wattnot says, the PW and M2 are so close in brightness that you can argue either way as to which you think looks brighter in the beamshots.

However the O-star has 6 dies and consumes 16.38W in the PW.

The 4-die P7 is only consuming 12.6W in the M2.

This is what puts me off when it comes to considering purchasing an O-star based light.

I'd expect the O-star to be 1.5 times as bright (6 compared to 4) and obviously its not.

It clearly is not as efficient as the P7 unless the driver on the PW is very inefficient (which is unlikely since Wolfeyes are normally high quality products).


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## elho (Jul 11, 2009)

Wattnot said:


> From left to right: AA battery - Eagletac M2C4 - Pilot Whale - TK40 - 2C Mag


By far the best looking of the four, but then that isn't too hard. 
And it still irritates me, that one does not recognize it as a Wolf-Eyes right away and my first thought rather was "what the heck of a Polarion/Barbolight lookalike thingy is that?!".



Wattnot said:


> The lanyard ring is similar to the one found on the Surefire M6


Can the ring be taken off? From the pictures it seems as if it was permanently installed. 



Wattnot said:


> Sorry but no tail standing with this one


No need to feel sorry about a proper tailcap where the switch is unobstructed and thus easily accessible. I've nearly given up hope with the advent of the new Sniper & Co. tailcaps, but this is good news for me. :twothumbs



Wattnot said:


> The Pilot Whale (ugh, that NAME!) has a reverse clicky.


 It could have _any_ name, if only it had a proper forward clicky. :sigh:



Wattnot said:


> Wolf Eyes has come up with an excellent system to please both the SOS/STROBE lovers AND haters alike!


Indeed. I so wish I had this interface in my R2 Sniper already... can't have it all, I guess. 

Guess I'll wait for a Storm like Wolf-Eyes with 3 of the MC-E's the Explorer has and a non-tailstand forward-clickie. :devil:


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## hivoltage (Jul 11, 2009)

Nice review.....so nice that I ordered one:twothumbs


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## Patriot (Jul 11, 2009)

Wattnot said:


> The fact that the PW is so close to the EagleTac isn't that shocking and if you study the photos you will see that the extra 100 lumens from the PW is accounted for. The hotspot and corona is larger and the spill is a tad brighter too. They're extremely close. They're also close in value when you consider what comes with each. If there is someone who, after seeing this review, buys the M2 when what they really want is the PW then you will be doing yourself a disservice. Hey, I know . . . BUY BOTH!




Very well said. I suppose that I stated it was "clearly brighter" because it is to my own eye. I look for things like the white fence, tree tops, foreground etc and see the advantages in all of those areas.


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## Litbobber (Jul 11, 2009)

Wattnot very nice review and pics. 

Thank you


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## 276 (Jul 11, 2009)

(Can the ring be taken off? From the pictures it seems as if it was permanently installed. )

It's permanent, stays fixed and doesn't rotate around the light. Despite the fact that its a reverse clickie its not bad, if they had a later option to upgrade to a forward that be cool.


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## toby_pra (Jul 13, 2009)

Very impressive review!


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## applevision (Jul 13, 2009)

Hey guys, I made a new thread of some of my thoughts on the PW and some other ****oo things:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/236664

:wave:


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## Daylo (Jul 14, 2009)

Wattnot, very nice review. :thumbsup: You just racked up another sale for PTS.

Does anyone know of a holster that might hold this? Thanks for any suggestions.


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## hivoltage (Jul 15, 2009)

Yeah, a holster would be nice.......my PW shipped yesterday.


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## Patriot (Jul 17, 2009)

hivoltage said:


> Yeah, a holster would be nice.......my PW shipped yesterday.


 

Looking forward to your report also hivoltage.


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## hivoltage (Jul 18, 2009)

Mine showed up today, I love the look and feel of it, very Beefy light. The lanyard is big enough I can put it around my neck if needed. Wont get to play with it until late tonight when I get home from Roosters. I am hoping it will light up my front yard.


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## applevision (Jul 18, 2009)

I wrote up a few more thoughts over here: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/236664

...but I thought I'd add a few of the highlights to this thread for convenience.

Thoughts on the Pilot Whale:
-Nice packaging, lanyard included, charger integrated (very nice!)

-Fit and finish are very good; all metal, feels solid but not too heavy. 

-My Ostar is slightly off center, but not terribly so and this doesn't appear to affect the beam (see below).

-Ooookay... so turn it on and... BAM! 100% power is beautiful, creamy white with just a touch of green. I'm VERY sensitive to green so I see it but it's not enough to bother me, so I'd say this is a very nice color. The beam shape is lovely; smooth and floody without a super crisp cut off to the hotspot; very smooth and even and no sign of a donut hole! (this could be one of the best features of the 6-die LED!). 

-It is bright but I will say that it makes me think about the following crazy thing: a 60 watt incandescent bulb puts out somewhere around 800 lumens... That is to say, these sufficiently floody beams are great at lighting a room, but make you feel a little bit like taking the lampshade off the lamp and walking around with it! 

-Comparing this to the EagleTac M2 and M2X (I have and love both):
-M2 tint is a bit warmer in both my lights (M2 and M2X) which makes a difference indoor and out (for the better)
-The weight/balance and grip of the EagleTacs is superior for me; I feel like the PW could slip out more easily, especially if wet.
-M2 beam profile (the P7) is a bit tighter which makes for a more concentrated spot and overall, it does feel just a smidge brighter, but again, it's hard to say since remember: a 60W light bulb is also technically "brighter" than the M2! 
-The M2X with the triple Cree seems super bright compared to the PW. This is of course because it is concentrating most of the power to the center spot which appears as a blisteringly bright area. Confession: in simulating "bump in the night" scenarios, I like the Triple Cree the best. It gives the cleanest illumination where I want it, super bright, but then a decent spill to show me around the area. One realizes how important lux is in our sense of brightness

So, in sum, I like it a lot and it will be one of my "bump in the night lights" for which it is greatly overqualified... but, I am sad to say, if I had to chose, I'd have bought another EagleTac for $100 cheaper.


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## Daylo (Jul 19, 2009)

To reflect a little further on Applevision's comments, having sold my EagleTac M2C4 to help fund my Pilot Whale, do I feel with was worth it?

In short yes, for the most part. I think Applevision hit it on the head, the build and feel of the Pilot Whale is top notch. It is heavy duty through and through which in my mind helps justify the premium cost over the EagleTac. I prefer the Pilot Whale's interface as well.

After owning a Jetbeam M1X, Fenix TK40, Olight M30, and EagleTac M2C4, the Pilot Whale has to be my favorite. Some of the others throw a bit further and they are all certainly cheaper than the Wolf Eyes but the wall-o-light, build quality, switch feel, user interface, overall size, and run time (three 18650s :thumbsup put the Pilot Whale on top in my book. Is it worth the $100 premium? I guess that is up to the individual. The fact that it comes with 3 x 18650s and a charger sure helps. For an extra hundred bucks would it be nice to have a light that totally outguns everything else in its class? Sure, and this light does put out some amazing lumens but it is not a throw monster (concentrated beam) as Applevision stated. That being said, this light is pretty incredible with amazing build quality. I am very impressed with it. I have sold or traded all my other super high output lights, this one is definitely a keeper. :twothumbs This is the most I have ever paid for a light and I will say that there seems to be a threshold where dollar / utility, quality ratio begins to diminish. If my life depended on a balls out light, this one is the way to go in my opinion. As my life does not, it is a bit more difficult to justify the cost but all in all, I'm glad I bought it and I will not be missing the others that I have sold to acquire it.


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## applevision (Jul 19, 2009)

Daylo said:


> To reflect a little further on Applevision's comments, having sold my EagleTac M2C4 to help fund my Pilot Whale, do I feel with was worth it?
> 
> In short yes, for the most part. I think Applevision hit it on the head, the build and feel of the Pilot Whale is top notch. It is heavy duty through and through which in my mind helps justify the premium cost over the EagleTac. I prefer the Pilot Whale's interface as well.
> 
> After owning a Jetbeam M1X, Fenix TK40, Olight M30, and EagleTac M2C4, the Pilot Whale has to be my favorite. Some of the others throw a bit further and they are all certainly cheaper than the Wolf Eyes but the wall-o-light, build quality, switch feel, user interface, overall size, and run time (three 18650s :thumbsup put the Pilot Whale on top in my book. Is it worth the $100 premium? I guess that is up to the individual. The fact that it comes with 3 x 18650s and a charger sure helps. For an extra hundred bucks would it be nice to have a light that totally outguns everything else in its class? Sure, and this light does put out some amazing lumens but it is not a throw monster (concentrated beam) as Applevision stated. That being said, this light is pretty incredible with amazing build quality. I am very impressed with it. I have sold or traded all my other super high output lights, this one is definitely a keeper. :twothumbs This is the most I have ever paid for a light and I will say that there seems to be a threshold where dollar / utility, quality ratio begins to diminish. If my life depended on a balls out light, this one is the way to go in my opinion. As my life does not, it is a bit more difficult to justify the cost but all in all, I'm glad I bought it and I will not be missing the others that I have sold to acquire it.



Well-put, *Daylo*.


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## Morelite (Jul 25, 2009)

I just received a Pilot Whale and I'm wondering why the supplied charger is stated as a 10.8v charger when it supposed to be charging a 12.3-12.6 volt pack (3 x 18650 cells in series).


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## Metatron (Jul 25, 2009)

for that bloke who thinks buying an eagle tac as opposed to this wolfy, because of the price difference, mate, ur in for a shock, my eagle tac fell apart whilst i was in a roof void, i have never had that happen with any wolfy, in fact i have even run a few over by error, when they fell from my belt, only to continue to work. its a no contest.


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## applevision (Jul 25, 2009)

Metatron said:


> for that bloke who thinks buying an eagle tac as opposed to this wolfy, because of the price difference, mate, ur in for a shock, my eagle tac fell apart whilst i was in a roof void, i have never had that happen with any wolfy, in fact i have even run a few over by error, when they fell from my belt, only to continue to work. its a no contest.



Not sure if I'm the bloke you had in mind, but this is an excellent point. Sometimes I am too focused on output and beam and lose sight of the actual flashlight hardware.

The Pilot Whale is beautifully built and I am very happy with that. I think that the off-center emitter is a bit of a ding and I still wish that the output was at least on par with the Eagle Tacs (I feel that ultimately it is a bit lower), but point well taken, indeed.


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## Metatron (Jul 26, 2009)

applevision said:


> Not sure if I'm the bloke you had in mind, but this is an excellent point. Sometimes I am too focused on output and beam and lose sight of the actual flashlight hardware.
> 
> The Pilot Whale is beautifully built and I am very happy with that. I think that the off-center emitter is a bit of a ding and I still wish that the output was at least on par with the Eagle Tacs (I feel that ultimately it is a bit lower), but point well taken, indeed.


lol, applevision, it wasnt u at all, i had just read post no 3 when i cracked it, wolfys are expensive, even the new 6 die ultrafire is less expensive, but wolfy do make em tough, real tough.:thumbsup:


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## hivoltage (Jul 26, 2009)

I really like mine, plus it is heavy enough that a smack on top of the head would do some damage to a mugger, and my light would not fall apart.


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## LEDAdd1ct (Jul 28, 2009)

I do not own a Pilot Whale, but I will chime in that when considering a light, brightness/runtime are two very important factors but not the *only* two factors that [should] make/break a light. Build quality, IMHO, is right up there with those two, and depending upon your use/needs, could be *the* determining factor.

In that spirit, I can only say that Wolf Eyes lights are very, very well made. They are heavier than some competing lights, and are tough and durable.


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## TallNHairyDave (Aug 17, 2009)

Top review Wattnot, thanks mate! Looks a real beauty!

This beastie has just shown up on the website of my favourite UK retailer of toys for grown-ups, so it's gone on my shopping list


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## JeffInChi (Aug 21, 2009)

I like the look, and the name has been growing on me since the start of the thread - at the very least it's unique

Great review again! An earlier review of the TK40 helped convince me to get that light as well - keep up the good work! :twothumbs


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## deputyfl (Aug 29, 2009)

Well, i was looking to upgrade from my Wolf-Eyes Fox 1. I like my Fox 1 but i had been wanting something brighter for a work light. Searching for lights i stumbled across this site. I was planning on spending about $100 or so for a light. I read the reviews for the Pilot Whale and $269 later i just pulled the trigger on getting one. I was real happy with my Wolf-Eyes light i have now, i just wanted something brighter, it looks like ill be getting what i want. Im not sure if im happy or mad that i ran across this site Now i got to think of what to tell my wife when this gets here! I think ill go with something like, "it only cost $50 honey" 
I was going to order it from pts-flashlights but it said they are out of stock on the site so i went with tbflashlights.


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## SunFire900 (Aug 30, 2009)

I was lucky enough to be able to "sneak" a couple of lights past my wife (she just happened to be out of the house when they arrived) so she didn't know I got 'em. Later on, I got caught red handed, but after I showed her how great the light was, lo and behold she almost instantly became a flashaholic!:huh:

Would you believe she actually said that if I _really_ wanted a Polarion, I should get it. That's where I figured I shouldn't press my luck. A few hundred is a lot better than 2+grand.

I don't own a Pilot Whale yet, but I like 'em.


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## Vesper (Sep 3, 2009)

SunFire900 said:


> I was lucky enough to be able to "sneak" a couple of lights past my wife (she just happened to be out of the house when they arrived)



This is very funny to me. I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels +1 when I happen to get the mail first on light delivery day, tho I'm sure it's a common sentiment.


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## elho (Sep 3, 2009)

SunFire900 said:


> Would you believe she actually said that if I _really_ wanted a Polarion, I should get it.



Wow!  Now that is definitely one of the nicest ways to be ruined by a woman. :laughing:


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## Wattnot (Sep 3, 2009)

SunFire900 said:


> Would you believe she actually said that if I _really_ wanted a Polarion, I should get it. That's where I figured I shouldn't press my luck. A few hundred is a lot better than 2+grand.


 
DON'T DO IT, MAN! IT'S A SETUP! No woman, unless she's a wealthy, closet flashaholic, would approve such a thing! If you buy that Polarion, sure enough a week later there will be a pink BMW in your driveway; or some expensive jewelry or plastic surgery or _something_ incredibly expensive will show up!! DON'T DO IT! RUN!!


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## tebore (Sep 4, 2009)

Wattnot said:


> DON'T DO IT, MAN! IT'S A SETUP! No woman, unless she's a wealthy, closet flashaholic, would approve such a thing! If you buy that Polarion, sure enough a week later there will be a pink BMW in your driveway; or some expensive jewelry or plastic surgery or _something_ incredibly expensive will show up!! DON'T DO IT! RUN!!



I fail to see how one getting a Polarion and then the wife getting even with some plastic surgery to get some uh..... D.. Cells. Would be a bad thing. Seems win win to me. :devil:


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## DimeRazorback (Sep 4, 2009)

Lol!

Pure win!

:nana:


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## SunFire900 (Sep 4, 2009)

Only one problem.....If I get the Polarion, I'd have to find another place to live and another car to get there in!


I'm working on that right now.








Just kidding, guys.


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## tab665 (Sep 4, 2009)

do what i did man, get out a bunch of led lights and say "look at all that wasted money, these lights just keep getting better and better and now these are obsolete!" then say, "i should just get a light that is as good as itll ever get". when she agress, get the polarion. a 40watt HID bulb will allways be 40watt HID bulb, the main room for advancement is in the batteries.
has anyone taken their pilot whale underwater yet?


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## SunFire900 (Sep 5, 2009)

Yeah.............that will work for sure.............





Now, let's keep this thread about the Pilot Whale from here on.


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## chimneycheck (Oct 4, 2009)

Nice Review.

I just got my PW and am very happy I got it. I was very disappointed in the Sniper P7 (as admittedly have been with many of my light purchases) when I got it and wasnt able to send that POS back because I scratched it. Did I say, "very disappointed?" in that crappy light (no offense to those of you that may love it).

In ordering the PW I was apprehensive and expected to be mailing it back once I got it.

Well, it has more throw than I expected and the light is very easy on the eyes and the rendition is better than expected. In fact, plenty to light up a dark chimney and still see to the bottom of it. It will more than light up anywhere in an attic or crawl space I am looking and the batteries seem to last a good long time. By the way, you don't have to use WE's batteries. I suggest buying it without a charger and batteries if you can and then supply your own.

It feels great (a bit heavy and there is no holster for it, bummer) and very solid. I was considering the Eagletac but now after reading this thread I will skip it. I have a Urnabeam Behemeth that needs a new LED, I'll just get it fixed instead.

I am a very happy recipient of this very workable all around light. I keep the Urnabeam Freedom in my holster for most of my use and pull out the Whale for the ugly stuff.

It is amazing how far LED technology has advanced in the past 5 years since I realized there were other lights besides Maglights

It's great to be able to see what the heck I am looking at.

Best,

John LeBaron


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## Wattnot (Oct 4, 2009)

chimneycheck said:


> Nice Review.
> 
> I just got my PW and am very happy I got it. I was very disappointed in the Sniper P7 (as admittedly have been with many of my light purchases).


 
Thanks! I'm glad you like the PW. Evidently, you are hard to please if you didn't like the Sniper P7. I reviewed that one too and I found it awesome. A nice wall of light for a relatively small package. You must like floods. I just sold my P7 Sniper but only because I have the WE Explorer and they're very similar. I might even sell the PW I used in this review too. It's going to waste here!



chimneycheck said:


> By the way, you don't have to use WE's batteries. I suggest buying it without a charger and batteries if you can and then supply your own.
> 
> John LeBaron


 
You can use other batteries but I would make sure they are good ones (like Wolf Eyes or AW). According to PTS, the Wolf Eyes branded cells are best for the PW, especially if you plan on using their charger. The cells charge in series so you're counting on the PCB to trip at the right time.


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## Archie Cruz (Oct 4, 2009)

Been trying to get one for a while. Who sells them?


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## Patriot (Oct 4, 2009)

Archie Cruz said:


> Been trying to get one for a while. Who sells them?




http://www.pts-flashlights.com/products/product.aspx?pid=1-139-160-6700


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## Uncle (Jun 16, 2010)

And how you have turned off a head and have pulled out a reflector? It is impossible to me.
And on the maximum capacity my lantern works only 70 minutes, with 2400 mA/h 18650 Rechargeable Battery.


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## harro (Jun 23, 2010)

Hey Uncle; to remove reflector, clean inside of glass lense etc, etc, take the head of the PW in your hands ( where all the heatsinking fins are ) and undo. The head splits roughly in half and its a lefty loosey thread. This then allows access to your reflector, pill, lense etc. Maybe yours is very tight due to a lack of lubricant on the thread and "o" ring. I find a fine smear of Molykote 111 works well. 70 minutes sounds about right for the runtime and mine is on Wolfeyes 2200 mah LRB168a's protected cells. Can't tell you lux @ 1M as i havent bothered to put the meter in front of it yet.
My TK40 Fenix would probably outthrow the PW, but then take a look at the PW reflector, OP and fairly shallow. Built for a good flood ( nothing wrong with that ). Remember that the Ostar 6 in 1 is LED Lumens so you lose on OTF.
Its a good light and does what its meant to do well.
Cheers, harro :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## Uncle (Jun 23, 2010)

Thanks for the answer! However, I not have understood all, how as my English is very bad, and the electronic translator - is even worse)). 
I have understood that is necessary more forces for dismantling of a head of a lantern. But I have not understood: I find a fine smear of Molykote 111 works well.
Also what means OTF?
Batteries 2400 mA/h, duration of a luminescence on a maximum - 70 minutes. The manufacturer declares duration of a luminescence on a maximum of 100 minutes!


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## harro (Jun 25, 2010)

I am sorry for not explaning properly. "Molykote 111" is a grease to lubricate threads and rubber "O" rings with, but there are many other lubricants available that are suitable if you cannot obtain "Molykote 111".
I will post results of a lux measure for you soon.
Cheers, harro.


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## harro (Jun 25, 2010)

I will post results of a lux measure for you soon.
Cheers, harro.
Results of lux measurements were,
High Spot 8700 lux. High Spill 180 lux.
Medium Spot 4100 lux. Medium Spill 90 lux.
Low Spot 190 lux. Low Spill 6 lux.

I have rechecked runtime with fully charged Wolfeyes LRB168a 2200mah rechargeable lithium ion cells.
Runtime 90 minutes then automatic shutoff. Slight dimming in last 5 minutes or so!

Cheers harro.


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## Uncle (Jun 28, 2010)

What is the time lasts recharging your batteries?


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## Daylo (Jun 28, 2010)

Uncle, not sure if this is answering you question but I have had my Pilot Whale for about 11 months using it here and there and the batteries are still on their original charge. 

I have some charged 18650s on the side should I need them but it has not happened yet.

The Pilot Whale is great light, huge wall of light out of a pretty compact package.


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## Uncle (Jun 28, 2010)

Excuse. Me interests duration recharging batteries.


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## harro (Jul 4, 2010)

Hello Uncle,
I charge the three batteries in the torch magazine with the provided WolfEyes charger. Time from empty to full takes about three hours.
If you are not doing this, the torch will only run for the time that the weakest battery will provide!! I would suggest that you charge each battery one at a time in a single charger and then install in torch magazine. This should ensure that each battery has its maximum charge and will give you good runtime. You should also use three batteries of the same brand and capacity.
Cheers Harro.


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## Uncle (Jul 6, 2010)

Thanks.


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## danl289 (Jul 27, 2010)

Brought 2 of these torches(dive model) from the led torch shop online and have had nothing but problems!!! They both leeked from day 1, after sending them back for testing they came back and leeked again. I have had 3 of the battery packs break also and they will not do anything about it under warranty. Very poor service from wolf eyes considering the 2 torches were $900.00 worth! Has anyone else had any problems with these torches please let me know?

:thumbsdow


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## Night Hunter (Sep 15, 2010)

I also buy a lot of wolfeyes flashlights T3, and after 1year, it does not light, I send email to the distributor in our country,they immediatey help me to pickup the reason and replace a new lamp assemblyfor me. I am quite happy for this.

I think if you have any problems, do contact the seller where you buy the torch from then if still cannot solved,do send email to wolfeyes company. I am sure they will solve your problems:thumbsup:


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## CyberCT (Oct 28, 2010)

Hmm, I was looking for a very floody light that was around 1000 lumens, and was waterproof to IPX8 at least, and thought this was my light. However, I'm not happy seeing the latest reports on the quality. And this light would be primarily used for snorkeling. I have four fenix lights, all which have been used for snorkeling before, and the TK40 & TK45 as my primary snorkel lights. No problems what soever.

I think I'm just going to wait until next spring when the weather gets nice again. By then, there will be better offerings all accross the board, and if I get my divers certification, I'll get a really good dive light.


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