# Lumapower Mentor (1x or 2xC) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS and more!



## selfbuilt (Nov 4, 2009)

_*Reviewer's Note: *The Mentor and TeleForce kit were provided for review by Lumapower. Please see their website for more info._

*Warning: pic heavy as usual! *

*Manufacturer's specifications:*

LED: Cree XR-E, available in Q5, R2, or Q3-5A output bins (max output 200 lumens, 220 lumens, or 150+ lumens, respectively)
OP textured reflector
DC-DC circuit with 3 level output levels
2-way memory locking system
Powered by 2 x C-size alkaline battery or NiMH, 1x C-size alkaline battery or NiMH 
Electronic battery polarity protection
Forward clicky with momentary-on
Type III HA coating (Black)
Square threads + Thread lock system
Double side AR-coated lens
Full O-ring seal for Water resistance
Anti-roll and Tail stand
Standard 2xC Dimension: Overall length : 171.2mm; Max. Diameter : 45mm, Body Diameter : 33.2mm; Weight : 220g (without battery)
Accessories: Spare O-rings, switch cap
MSRP $70-80 (depending on model)
Optional TeleForce kit with smooth reflector and bezel extender for max throw

The Mentor is the first in a series of new "tool lights" from Lumapower. The Mentor is very unusual as it runs on common C cell batteries, and is thus closer in size to common general-purpose lights available in retail stores. Lumapower thoughtfully provided a pair of 4500mAh NiMH rechargeable batteries for this review. Standard AA size batteries will work fine in this light, with appropriate adapters.















By default, the Mentor comes with manual, warranty card, spare o-rings, and extra black boot cover (GITD installed). Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the box , but it looks just like the packaging from my other recent Lumapower reviews.














First thing to note is that the light can run in both 1X and 2X battery formats. 










The light comes with the fairly standard Lumapower black type-III hard anodizing finish (somewhat matte finish). There are no chips or blemishes on my sample. Lettering is fairly sharp and clear, although not quite as bright white as some other samples I have seen.

Screw threads are anodized throughout allowing for easy lockout when not in use. The threads themselves seem high quality, with a square cut. :thumbsup:





From left to right: 4500mAh NiMH, Mentor, MRV (1st gen), 2-D cell Dorcy (Mag-equivalent)





From left to right: alkaline C-cell, Sanyo AA eneloop in C-cell adapter, 4500mAh NiMH, Mentor, D-mini (1st gen)

Weight: 181.4g (1X size), 219.5g (2X size)
Length: 123mm (1X), 173mm (2X), 186mm (2X-TF)
Width: 45.2mm (bezel), 35.6mm (tailcap)

The stock Mentor is relatively small for an 1X or 2X C-cell sized light (i.e. look at the 2D-cell Mag clone for a comparator). I've also shown above the comparisons to the MRV and D-mini. For its size, it is still quite "beefy" – it feels very solid in the hand, and the walls are good thickness (as you can tell by the weights above). Overall, I find the Mentor comfortable in the hand. 

Note that there is very little knurling on the light, so some may find it a bit slippery.














Light comes with a forward clicky that allows for momentary mode, but can still tailstand due to the built-up tail ridge.

Lumapower sells an optional TeleForce kit that contains a deeper SMO reflector for greater throw. This kit also comes with an adapter piece, to extend the head. The retaining ring on the front of the light unscrews fairly easily by hand, allowing you to change the reflector and add the extension bit.


















The light uses the standard Cree XR-E emitter, with a choice of cool white R2 or Q5 output bin, and Q3-5A warm "neutral" 5A tint. For those of you not familiar with tint bins, please see my Colour tint comparison and the summary LED tint charts found here. 

And now for the requisite white wall wanting hunting  … all lights are on Max in 2X form, about 0.5 meters from a white wall. 














First thing to notice is that the stock Mentor has a much wider spillbeam than typical (due to the shallow and wide reflector). For a comparator, I am showing you the 4sevens Quark AA – which has one of the widest spillbeams for any 2xAA light in my collection. The Mentor clearly trumps even it for spill oo: - most lights are much narrower than even the Quark.


















With the TeleForce kit, things change quite a bit. The overall size and shape of the reflector reminded me of the classic Lumapower MRV, so I used it in the comparison above. Note a lot of similarity? 

*User Interface*

The Mentor features Lumapower's new "Smart UI". Basically, the light works as a simple 3-stage light with mode memory – but also features the option to lock it as a simple single-stage only light (at your choice of output level).

For basic operation, turn the light on/off by a click and release of the tailcap switch. To switch between output modes, soft-press the clicky: the light advances through Lo-Med-Hi in sequence, in an infinite repeating loop. This basic mode includes memory – if you leave the light on for more than 1 sec in any given mode before clicking off, it will come back on in that mode when next activated.

To lock the light as single-stage light at whatever level you want, turn the light on and leave it in the output state you want for at least 1 sec. Then turn off the light and repeatedly flash the tailswitch 4 times within 1 second (this may take some practice). The light will stay locked in this one output mode indefinitely – until you do another 4 time flash in under 1 sec again from off (which will restore you to basic functioning).

There is no strobe or SOS modes.

*PWM (Pulse-Width-Modulation)*

Like other recent multi-level Lumapower lights I've reviewed (e.g. Avenger GX), PWM is used generate the Lo/Med output levels. I have measured the frequency in my setup as 1.32kHz – exactly the same as other Lumapower lights.






This PWM level is high enough for you to not notice it in practice (but you can detect its presence if you shine it at a fan, etc). Frankly, I consider this level acceptable.

*Testing Method:* All my output numbers are relative for my home-made light box setup, a la Quickbeam's flashlightreviews.com method. You can directly compare all my relative output values from different reviews - i.e. an output value of "10" in one graph is the same as "10" in another. All runtimes are done under a cooling fan, except for the extended run Lo/Min modes (i.e. >12 hours) which are done without cooling.

Throw values are the square-root of lux measurements taken at 1 meter from the lens, using a light meter.

*Throw/Output Summary Chart:*






Even in its stock form with basic OP reflector, throw and output are quite good for a 1x or 2x NiMH-based light – in fact, they either match or exceed all of my 1x or 2xAA lights. :thumbsup:

The real difference comes in with the TeleForce reflector – now, max throw is greatly increased. Consistent with the beamshots above, throw and output are actually rather similar to the original Lumapower MRV in this configuration. oo:

*Output/Runtime Comparison:*











Performance and regulation on all batteries is quite good – and consistent with what you would expect. As you can see, output is much less on all modes for 1X versus 2X configurations.

C-cell sized NiMH are not too easy to come by, and Lumapower thoughtfully provided a pair of 4500mAh ones for this review. Alternatively, you could use Sanyo Eneloop AA cells with a C-cell adapter, but you would get much lower capacity (2000mAh) than full C-cell NiMH. But for all that, performance on standard alkaline is is quite good.










To give you a sense of the relative output/runtime efficiency of the Mentor, I am showing its performance in 2xAA mode, relative to other lights of that class. As mentioned previously, it is certainly an impressive light on Max mode. On Medium, its performance is about what you would expect for a PWM-based light (i.e. overall efficiency is similar to the LightFlux LF3XT-2AA and Lumapower Connexion 2AA). The current-controlled lights of this class have a clear efficiency advantage, as always.

*Potential Issues*

Although small by C-cell class standards, the Mentor is still larger than a standard AA or CR123A-based light. However, I find the ergonomics of this light to be fairly good - it is reasonably comfortable in the hand for its size. But note there is fairly minimal knurling, so some may find the light a bit slippery.

Consistent with its C-cell stature, a traditional forward clicky near the head would be more convenient than the rear tailcap clicky. While this would add greater height to the light, it would be more convenient for traditional underhand carry.

Carry options are limited, as the light does not come with a pouch. Although there are two holes in the tailcap for a wrist strap, I doubt this would be a very comfortable or secure way to carry the light. 

*General Observations*

The Mentor is a bit of a departure for Lumapower. It is unusual to see new lights in the standard C-cell class coming from one of the major quality manufacturers. C-cell lights are usually produced by budget makers, for sale in common big-box stores (Walmart, Home Depot, etc.) and bundled with standard alkaline cells.

I'm not sure how much demand there will be for this more premium type of C-cell light, but I will say Lumapower did a good job of putting together a nice light for this target audience. Its performance on all battery types is right where I would expect for a multi-stage Lumapower light. 

The flexibility to run in 1X or 2X formats - both in a regulated fashion on all cells - is impressive. The choice of output levels is similarly quite good for general purpose use, as is the sequence from Low to High. And the ability to run all possible configurations of standard batteries (i.e. AA through C) makes it a versatile tool in your arsenal. 

But that's also a potential sticking point - if you don't plan to use C-cell batteries, you are putting up with a lot of extra bulk and weight (although you do get excellent throw). In my testing, 4500mAh NiMH is the clear winner for runtime. However, I don't imagine too many users will have this battery type - or a charger capable of dealing with them. :shrug: 

But there's also a few aspects here to appeal to the more flashaholic community.  The TeleForce expansion kit is a smart way to turn this light into a real thrower. In fact, for all intents and purposes, this light could be considered the standard battery version of the original Lumapower MRV or D-mini! oo:

Actually, for all that, I quite like beam pattern of the stock OP reflector. Due to the reflector depth and width, it provides one of the widest spillbeams I've seen, while still maintaining decent throw.

Coupled with the attention to detail in construction (e.g. square-cut screw threads, tailcap lock-out, tailstanding, etc.), smart UI for the KISS crowd (i.e. you can lock the light to a single mode state at any of the outputs), and flexibility in the reflector setup, you get a lot for the asking here. I guess the question is – who is asking? I’m curious to hear your views on the merit of this class of light. It's certainly the best quality C-cell class light I've come across.

P.S.: my apologies to Lumapower for the length of time it took to get this review done – the real world has been impinging on my online life lately.


----------



## bigchelis (Nov 4, 2009)

Great review and thank you for the lux readings. The teleforce kit more than doubles the lux.


Do you have any popular throw lights to compare the Teleforce kit with?


Maybe a ROP Low vs. Teleforce to see what throws better....


Thanks,
bigC


----------



## gunga (Nov 4, 2009)

Great review Selfbuilt!

I agree about the wide spill, but personally, I'd prefer a somewhat narrower but brighter spill coupled with a wider hotspot (in stock form) for more near range utility.

That said, I sold my modded Mag 2C after getting the Mentor. For genreal use, it was so much more flexible and useful.


----------



## DM51 (Nov 5, 2009)

Thank you for another very thorough review. It looks an interesting and versatile light, thoughtfully designed. It should appeal to those who are looking for a more substantial handful than the ever-shrinking AA and AAA pocket rockets!

Moving to the Reviews section.


----------



## selfbuilt (Nov 5, 2009)

bigchelis said:


> Do you have any popular throw lights to compare the Teleforce kit with?


It's a bit out of date now, but my last thrower round-up included the MRV-Q5 shown here (which is a very close match to the Mentor+TF kit).

That should at least give you a basis to "calibrate" my light-meter's lux scores. I don't have a ROP to compare



gunga said:


> I agree about the wide spill, but personally, I'd prefer a somewhat narrower but brighter spill coupled with a wider hotspot (in stock form) for more near range utility.


Good point gunga (and FYI, nice review of the light yourself). Yes, I agree - brighter spill and a more diffuse hotspot would be best, coupled with the already excellent spillbeam width. For general use, I've always been a fan of the more typically SSC- or GDP-like beam patterns (i.e. stronger corona around the hotspot, etc.). Actually, a diffuser would be a fantastic upgrade to the light. 



DM51 said:


> It should appeal to those who are looking for a more substantial handful than the ever-shrinking AA and AAA pocket rockets!


Yeah, I've noticed the recent push toward AAA lights myself (and I plan to be reviewing many of the new ones coming out). But this light does meet a very different need/niche - the C-cell domain is certainly a good one for runtime fans.


----------



## madmook (Nov 5, 2009)

I recently bought a Mentor myself, and haven't done any runtime tests, so I'm glad to have some ballpark figures to keep in mind. It looks like with 2xC, the runtime has exceeded Lumapower's own specs of 160 minutes on high mode, which makes me happy. Which led was in the review unit, selfbuilt? I chose R2 when I bought mine, but runtimes should be similar across the 3 types, right?

I also agree that the wide and bright spill is nice, but that teensy hotspot is a bit too small for my tastes. Overall I'm pleased with the Mentor, but the price was pretty high.

P.S. I'm pretty new to cpf, but I always love selfbuilt's reviews!


----------



## lumapower (Nov 5, 2009)

Hi selfbuilt,

Thank you very much, great job. 

Best regards,

Ricky - Lumapower CS


----------



## ANDREAS FERRARI (Nov 6, 2009)

Thanks for a great review!



selfbuilt said:


> Consistent with its C-cell stature, a traditional forward clicky near the head would be more convenient than the rear tailcap clicky. While this would add greater height to the light, it would be more convenient for traditional underhand carry.



+1 This is the very reason I use my 2C ROP more than any other light.

Does a light(C size Led/sideswitch) like that actually exist?


----------



## madmook (Nov 6, 2009)

ANDREAS FERRARI said:


> Does a light(C size Led/sideswitch) like that actually exist?


 Rayovac has a 3C light that uses a side button: http://www.rayovac.com/flashlight/se4w3c.shtml

I have one, but I hate the beam pattern. Small (albeit bright) hotspot and dim spill.


----------



## selfbuilt (Nov 9, 2009)

madmook said:


> Which led was in the review unit, selfbuilt? I chose R2 when I bought mine, but runtimes should be similar across the 3 types, right?


Based on performance, I believe my sample was R2 equipped. But yes, in general terms, I would expect similar runtimes across the various models.

The wrinkle here is that certain batches of specific output bins are sometimes associated with relatively hi or low Vf. That would very likely affect runtimes in a consistent manner for that output class (i.e. one output bin group could have higher or lower runtime than the other). However, it really is impossible to know if that's the case here - emitters are not routinely binned for Vf, and changing lots can vary the results significantly over time.

So, short version, yes, I would expect similar runtimes across the various versions.  



ANDREAS FERRARI said:


> Does a light(C size Led/sideswitch) like that actually exist?


Good question ... aside from the Rayovac madmook mentioned, there's always the Mag 2C. Oddly, they are virtually unavailable in Canada (we typically only have the 2D/3D Mags only around here - plus the MiniMags, of course). 

But front side switches are very rare on all lights outside of the entry-level consumer market. Ironically, Lumapower is one of the few makers to use this style switch (e.g. MRV, MVP, etc). I would recommend they port it over to the Mentor series as well.


----------



## Dioni (Nov 10, 2009)

Thanks for great review selfbuilt! :thumbsup:


----------



## 22hornet (Nov 23, 2009)

Hello,

This is a very good review, thank you for posting this.
I've been having my Mentor (R-model) for some time now and I have a real love/hate relation with it :thinking:.

*What I like*:
- Finally a C-cell flashlight that runs on C-cells (it even runs on 1 cell as well) :thumbsup:
- Seems well made and put together with care. :thumbsup:
- Form factor: great light to take walking
- (with the standard head) nice balance between good throw and a lot of sidespill as well. :thumbsup:
- Good solid output (220 lumens) which will do nicely. (this is the output level/league of the 3 cell Malkoff P4 dropin, Surefire P91, etc.) :thumbsup:
- Tailstands :thumbsup:
- Good water resistance (shower proof) :thumbsup:

*What I rather dislike*:
- Regulation with 2C alkaline is not so flat, after a (short) while, output starts declining, instead of a sudden drop.:whoopin:
- When using C nimh cells, when the cells get depleted, output suddenly drop to a lower level, comparable to the medium setting.
Contrary to the graph by Selfbuilt, my AA nimh (Eneloop) do not drop that abruptly. They also decline slowly when they get empty. :whoopin:
- Changing modes is a PITA. This is a tool light for *** sake, keep it simple. On and Off will do. If multimodes are really "necessary" add a lower setting (15 or 25 or 50 lumens?) and make this accessible simply (à la Fenix TK20 or L2T) by loosening the head, or something comparable)
(I do not carry a light of this size for having a 5 lumen low output. Sorry, but my ARC AAA will fulfill that job).
Four fast clicks to block it in a given output level :thinking:. Who invents this? 
A flashlight that needs a manual is basically a failure, in my opinion. :whoopin:
- O-rings are quite thin and do not seem to be up to harsh and frequent use. :whoopin:

Kind regards,
Joris


----------



## 22hornet (Nov 23, 2009)

but, basically, I do like my mentor ;-)


----------



## MattK (Nov 26, 2009)

Great work as always selfbuilt!

22hornet - I wanted to address some of your 'cons'
1 - the regulation with alkalines isn't the fault of the light - it's the alkaline batteries. In this type of constant run test their voltage drops steadily from the moment the light is turned on. As the voltage drops, and the internal resistance increases, the circuit is forced to draw more current to maintain output but there's a limit to the current that an alkaline C cell can provide - when that limit is reached the output will drop off.

2 - Batteries; I'm not sure why NiMh C cells would drop off like that UNLESS you're using those 'fake' C cells with a AA or SubC inside (capacity is usually 1800-3500mah). If you're using true high capacity NiMh cells of 4000-6000mah then your light would stay in regulation. Personally I don't see the point of using eneloop AA's ina holder in this light - just buy a LumaPower Vantage if you want an AA light. 

3 - UI: As lights have become brighter (remember, 3 years ago 80-100 lumens was the most you could get) it has made sense to add multiple output modes to allow users to tune the balance of output and runtime that matches their needs. The SMART UI on the MENTOR and many other LumaPower products is made specifically to keep 'everyone' happy; it allows you to lock the light on to a single level so the switch is just on/off. I can't change how you feel about a users manual but in comparison to many of the lights on CPF the SMART UI interface is pretty simple and manages to give different types of users the tool that THEY WANT.


----------



## gopurple (Dec 28, 2009)

I love my Mentor, got it back in October, but it die tonight. :mecry:Turn on the flashlight, comes on real low, try to change mode, DOA. Smell like something burn inside, work fine last night. Did all the basic, cleaning contact surfaces, check battery, try different battery, No such luck, DOA. Guess I'll see how the Warranty work on a Lumapower.

Edit 12/31: Contacted Don at BatteryJunction, he issued an RMA number without any problems, Package on the way back to Dealer.
Edit 1/13: Everything fixed, thanks Don.


----------



## Leonardo Rosel (Jun 13, 2010)

I am enjoying my Mentor so much, finally got it last September, still using it up to now.My friend told me that her Mentor cracked down yesterday.Turn on the flashlight, comes on real low, try to change mode, DOA. How does the Warranty work on a Lumapower?

http://www.forexfactor.com


----------



## selfbuilt (Jun 13, 2010)

Leonardo Rosel said:


> I am enjoying my Mentor so much, finally got it last September, still using it up to now.My friend told me that her Mentor cracked down yesterday.Turn on the flashlight, comes on real low, try to change mode, DOA. How does the Warranty work on a Lumapower?


Have your friend check with the dealer that sold her the light, hopefully they will issue a RMA for her. I presume she has tried changing the batteries to a new set first?

Oh, and :welcome:


----------



## solveitstore (Jun 15, 2010)

Selfbuilt, you are a true flashlight geek. Keep doing your thing. Awesome review.


----------



## Erica Downward (Jun 21, 2010)

solveitstore said:


> Selfbuilt, you are a true flashlight geek. Keep doing your thing. Awesome review.



Uh, I was about to purchase one.. I saw a slightly used Mentor in Ebay UK - bad thing was that the seller can only ship to their country and not internationally.. >.> Any idea where I could get one? Am from Florida, US.. Thanks a lot..


_____________________________________

*assisted living vancouver wa*​


----------



## selfbuilt (Jun 24, 2010)

Erica Downward said:


> Uh, I was about to purchase one.. I saw a slightly used Mentor in Ebay UK - bad thing was that the seller can only ship to their country and not internationally.. >.> Any idea where I could get one? Am from Florida, US.. Thanks a lot..


Any of the US dealers that carry Lumapower should be able to help you out (I notice battery junction has them listed in stock - check with them to confirm though).

Alternatively, you could contact Lumapower directly - there website should also list authorized US dealers.


----------

