# ReviewTheLight: Olight i3S EOS



## Bigmac_79 (Jun 2, 2013)

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Olight has been a well respected flashlight company for quite some time now, with lights of all sizes and purposes. Now that Cree has updated thier emitters to newer, more powerful and efficient versions, Olight has been quick to update their lights with the new top-of-the-line emitters, and I've been sent a batch of these for testing. In this review I'll cover the i3S E0S, a AAA keychain light updated with the new Cree XP-G2 emitter from the i3 E0S.



_
Thanks to Olight and GoingGear for providing the i3S for review._

I’ll be reviewing the i3S in two sections: first, I’ll discuss the light objectively (the facts about the light itself), then I’ll discuss the light subjectively (my impressions about the light's performance when used for specific applications). If you have any other specific applications you'd like the light tested for, let me know and I'll see what I can do.

2-Minute Overview

Below is a video "quick review" you can watch in just a few minutes, if you're not up for reading the full review right now:


_This video is available in 720p HD, but defaults to a lower quality. To select the playback quality click the settings button (looks like a gear) after you've started the video._


Objective

*Manufacturer's Specifications*

Price: 25 USD




*

Packaging*









The i3S comes in a small black plastic case with the Olight logo on the top. Inside, the light and an alkaline battery sit in a foam cutout.

*Construction*





The i3S uses a single AAA battery, and is barely larger than the battery it uses. The head is only slightly wider than the body. The i3S comes in several different colors; my review sample is a sort of "burnt orange". It looks like it's also available in blue, purple, red, and black. On the official photos, I think the color matching my sample looks more yellow-gold, but this photo above is pretty much exactly how the color looks to my eyes, a burnt orange.





This light uses the new Cree XP-G2, a brighter and more efficient upgrade from the old XP-G. Other than this, it seems the i3S is the same as the older i3 model. The emitter sits in the center of a small textured reflector, protected by a glass lens.







The head and body are mostly covered by long grooves for grip, except a smooth section bearing the Olight logo on one side and what seems to be a small flame on the other. The grip grooves are very important here, because this light is operated by rotating the head back and forth.





The tail has a clip-on-clip and a lobster-claw keychain attachment.

Now, let's take the light apart!





The i3S comes apart into two pieces: head and body/tail.









Inside the head, a small metal pad makes contact with the battery, so only button-top cells can be used in the i3S. The threads are thick, square-cut and anodized, so they should hold up to wear very nicely. Because they are anodized, the light is off when the head is loose. At the rear of the battery tube is a small spring to make contact with the negative battery terminal.


Dimensions





Accessories





The i3S comes with a lobster-claw on a short chain, a clip-on-clip, and a single Duracell AAA battery.


*User Interface*

The i3S has three brightness modes (Medium, High, and Moonlight) plus a Strobe mode. The mode is controlled by twisting the head back and forth.

When the head is loose, the light is off. When the head is tight, the light is on. When you first tighten the head, the light turns on in Medium mode. Loosening then re-tightening the head within a second advances to the next mode in the sequence Medium -> High -> Moonlight. There is no mode memory, so after leaving the light off for a second it will always come back on in Medium mode. When you cycle through all three modes within three seconds, the Strobe mode is activated.

*Action Shots*

You can click on any of these shots to see them full size.

Light in Hand








BeamSlice




MugShot




White Wall (Low, Medium, High)
_ISO 100, f/3.3, 1/20"
_







Indoor Shots (Low, Medium, High)
_ISO 100, f/3.3, 1"
_








*Performance*

Submersion: I submersed the i3S under a foot of water for an hour, twisting the head just enough to change modes a few times. I could find no evidence of water entering or damaging the light.

Heat: I could feel no heat buildup on any mode of the i3S.

PWM: I could detect no pulse-width modulation on any mode of the i3S.

Drop: I dropped the i3S from a height of about a meter onto various surfaces, including grass, carpet, packed dirt, and wood. There was no functional or cosmetic damage to the light.

Reverse Polarity Protection: I can find no claim by Olight for reverse polarity protection on the i3S, so I recommend only inserting the battery in the proper direction. However, with the flat contact for the positive terminal, you *might* be spared misfortune if you insert your battery backwards when the negative battery terminal fails to make contact with the head.

Over-Discharge Protection: Over-discharge protection is only an issue when using lithium ion batteries, and I have not yet heard back from Olight if they approve the i3S for use with lions.


Spectral Analysis




All light that we see as white is actually made up of several different colors put together. The relative intensities of the different colors in the mix are what determine the tint of the white we see. For example, cool white LED's have a lot of blue, and warm white LED's have more red or yellow. This measurement was done on a home made spectrometer. The plot below the picture is corrected for the spectral sensitivity of the human eye. Note: the peak in the 900nm region doesn't really exist, it's a piece of the second-order spectrum that's showing up here because of the high intensity of the light source. 

Output and Runtime




ANSI FL-1 runtime ratings are the time it takes for a light to fall to 10% of it's original output (counting from 30 seconds after turning the light on). 

The vertical axis of the graphs below represents a relative brightness measurement using a home made light box. The horizontal axis is time in hours:minutes:seconds. Runtimes are stated in hours:minutes:seconds. These graphs may be truncated to show detail.

*Mode Comparison*


High







Medium



(The title of this chart reads "Low", but it's actually the medium mode)


Throwing Distance

ANSI FL-1 standard for stating a light's throwing distance is the distance at which the peak beam intensity (usually at the center of the beam) is 0.25 lux. I calculate throwing distance and candela (lux at 1 meter) by measuring peak beam intensity at five different distances and using the formula lux*distance^2=constant.

*Peak Beam Intensity: 399cd*
*Throw Distance: 40m*

Subjective Review

Quick break down:

+ Great body color!
+ New XP-G2 emitter
+ Clip goes either way
+ Clip attaches firmly
+ Impressive regulation
+ Smooth beam
+ Can tailstand, even with chain attached

- Head must be very tight to turn on
- Hard to grip when hands are wet or cold
- "Moonlight" mode could be a bit lower

The old iTP A3 was a classic choice for a low-cost and high performance AAA light. Through the years it's received a few upgrades, and it's most recent upgrade to the i3S EOS is to use the new XP-G2 emitter, reportedly brighter and more efficient than the old XP-Gs. The XP-G is smaller emitter and thus easier to focus, but a reflector this size doesn't do much more than keep the light from going backwards, so the i3S is a pretty floody light, intended mainly for use in short-range applications.

The i3S is about average length for a AAA light. It's top output of 80 lumens isn't the brightest available in this class, but with the new XP-G2 you'll see significantly improved run times (I got over an hour on High using an 800mAh Eneloop). The "Moonlight" mode is a bit brighter than what I would label moonlight, but still low enough that it won't hurt your night vision too drastically when you turn it on. The Medium mode is just about right for average use in dark, short-range applications, especially indoors, and it stays well regulated for about 7.5 hours, which would work just fine to leave on throughout the dark hours of a summer night. So, it's understandable that they put the Medium mode first.

For most flashlight enthusiasts, the mode order of the i3S will be it's only significant downfall. With the sequence of Medium -> High -> Moonlight, that means you have to go through 80 lumens to get to the 0.5, and if you don't remember to cover it you'll ruin your night vision. This does give quicker access to High if you need a lot of light quickly, but I usually don't go for the i3S in an emergency if I have a choice, I grab something bigger (which I always have with me  ). As many have said before, the M - H - L output sequence seems specifically targeted at the non-initiate to inner circles of flashlight culture, many of whom many never realize the light has any mode other than the first. Ideally, I'd like to see the i3S upgraded to a model with a L - M - H sequence, but with as many upgrades as this has already been through, it seems unlikely that they'll change it now.

One of the upgrades from previous versions that I do really appreciate is the change from a keychain post to a cutout design that allows the light to do a stable tail stand, This adds a bit of extra length, and it doesn't hang quite so straight on your keychain, but I think it's a very good tradeoff.

The only two other complaints I have is that on my sample, the "Moonlight" mode seems like a bit lower would be nice, and that the head has to be pretty tight for the light to activate.

Overall, the i3S is an excellent light in it's class, still a great choice for a AAA key-chain style light if you're looking for multiple output levels and a great price.


*Long Term Impressions*
I'll fill this part in after carrying the light for a while. If nothing get's added here, either I find nothing else worth noting about the light, or I end up not using it often.


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## yoyoman (Jun 2, 2013)

Don't forget to highlight the square threads.


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## Bigmac_79 (Jun 2, 2013)

yoyoman said:


> Don't forget to highlight the square threads.



Of course! They are very nice threads...





Would you consider that well highlighted?


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## Ueno Otoko (Jun 11, 2013)

Seems that ~8 hrs runtime at 20 lumens is true. That is incredible indeed. Consider an AA light of this level of efficiency would give over 20 hours at 20 lumens. Is there such a light?


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## rayman (Jun 11, 2013)

Nice flashlight and especially nice review . Had the i1 SS for quite some time and liked it so much im considering to buying the i3s.

rayman


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## yoyoman (Jun 11, 2013)

The only thing not to love about this light is the UI. M>H>L is for the masses. Most people will twist it on and say, That's nice." They will never even know there are more modes. I prefer L>M>H so I don't blind myself when my eyes are adjusted to the dark. And 3 twists is not too much to get to high.


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## Ueno Otoko (Jun 11, 2013)

yoyoman said:


> The only thing not to love about this light is the UI. M>H>L is for the masses. Most people will twist it on and say, That's nice." They will never even know there are more modes. I prefer L>M>H so I don't blind myself when my eyes are adjusted to the dark. And 3 twists is not too much to get to high.


You can simply close your eyes or cover the front with your finger


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## Bigmac_79 (Jun 11, 2013)

Ueno Otoko said:


> Seems that ~8 hrs runtime at 20 lumens is true. That is incredible indeed. Consider an AA light of this level of efficiency would give over 20 hours at 20 lumens. Is there such a light?



Yep, the medium mode run time stops just barely short of 8 hours. I actually just calibrated my light box this weekend, and it looks like this might be at slightly under 20 lumens, but it's still very impressive.


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## Bigmac_79 (Jun 11, 2013)

rayman said:


> Nice flashlight and especially nice review . Had the i1 SS for quite some time and liked it so much im considering to buying the i3s.
> 
> rayman



Thanks for the compliments! And yes, if you like the i1, it's likely the i3s will be right up your alley.


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## Bigmac_79 (Jun 11, 2013)

yoyoman said:


> The only thing not to love about this light is the UI. M>H>L is for the masses. Most people will twist it on and say, That's nice." They will never even know there are more modes. I prefer L>M>H so I don't blind myself when my eyes are adjusted to the dark. And 3 twists is not too much to get to high.



I agree that having medium first is not my preference for my personal use. I don't like having to make my light brighter than I want for my situation. However, it is a nice UI for lending to others, and while doing keychain duty, it's the first one to come to hand when a friend needs to borrow a light. With medium first, and them not knowing any better, they get the most generally useful output level, and don't burn down the battery by running on high unnecessarily. 



Ueno Otoko said:


> You can simply close your eyes or cover the front with your finger



Lol, yes, the finger can be a very useful tool for any flashaholic. :thumbsup:


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## yoyoman (Jun 12, 2013)

I like the light. I love it. It is just that I don't love M first.
And your review and charts are very useful. Thank you for taking the time for a comprehensive look at this great light.


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## Bigmac_79 (Jun 12, 2013)

yoyoman said:


> ...
> And your review and charts are very useful. Thank you for taking the time for a comprehensive look at this great light.



Thanks!


Sent from my mobile device. Please excuse brevity and typos.


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## staghater (Jun 13, 2013)

Hi Bigmac 79, your reviews are my favorite on CPF and pictures are superb!
Thank you for great work.
As far the I3S i like this little light so much i bought two


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## Bumble (Jun 13, 2013)

Bigmac_79 said:


> Yep, the medium mode run time stops just barely short of 8 hours. I actually just calibrated my light box this weekend, and it looks like this might be at slightly under 20 lumens, but it's still very impressive.



the runtime on medium is very immpressive on the i3s.. what ever the actual lumens are i dont know as i have no way of measuring it myself, but its a very usable amount of light . im happy with my i3s overall.


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## Bigmac_79 (Jun 13, 2013)

staghater said:


> Hi Bigmac 79, your reviews are my favorite on CPF and pictures are superb!
> Thank you for great work...



Thanks!


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## Wiggle (Jun 13, 2013)

I picked up one of these for my gf and an O'pen for myself. I have to say, I'm very impressed with the gain in efficiency from the old PWM driver that i3 and Preon previously used to the new current regulated one. The gains in medium are just excellent on the new i3 and O'pen versus the old i3/Preon/Preon 2. It's too bad cause I totally love my Preon 2 Titanium but the much more usable medium of the O'pen means I won't be using it as much. The square threads are a good touch as well.


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## Ueno Otoko (Jun 17, 2013)

Again, thank you for your independent runtime test on this one! I have a lot of respect for people who contributed their own time collecting data. BTW, just wondering when Olight will offer an i2s update. I'd like to see some stunning performance on runtime.


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## Bigmac_79 (Jun 17, 2013)

Ueno Otoko said:


> Again, thank you for your independent runtime test on this one! I have a lot of respect for people who contributed their own time collecting data. BTW, just wondering when Olight will offer an i2s update. I'd like to see some stunning performance on runtime.



Thanks! I haven't heard any info about an i2S update, sorry.


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## yoyoman (Jun 17, 2013)

There are some other threads about the i3S and some users are experiencing reliability problems. Have you seen these and do you care to comment? I haven't had any issues with my i3S. Looking forward to you updating your long term impressions section.


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## Bigmac_79 (Jun 17, 2013)

yoyoman said:


> There are some other threads about the i3S and some users are experiencing reliability problems. Have you seen these and do you care to comment? I haven't had any issues with my i3S. Looking forward to you updating your long term impressions section.




I've had no trouble with reliability so far. I haven't seen the other threads where people are reporting problems, do you know what kind of problems they're having? I did use to have an old iTP A3 (the predecessor of the Olight i3), and the head fell off while it was on my keychain, but other than that it always worked fine. This one has no trouble, and it still has it's head


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## yoyoman (Jun 17, 2013)

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-i3S-(1xAAA-XP-G2)/page5&highlight=Olight+i3s 

Starts around post 137. Some people report it gets stuck on a mode and is hard to switch modes. Never happened to me.

There are also people reporting the little triangle attachment fails (i.e. opens). Again, I haven't had a problem.

I like this light a lot. I would love it more if it was L>M>H.


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## Bigmac_79 (Jun 17, 2013)

yoyoman said:


> http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-i3S-(1xAAA-XP-G2)/page5&highlight=Olight+i3s
> 
> Starts around post 137. Some people report it gets stuck on a mode and is hard to switch modes. Never happened to me.
> 
> There are also people reporting the little triangle attachment fails (i.e. opens). Again, I haven't had a problem.



Haven't noticed anything like that. I have to be pretty firm with it for it to engage, but nothing ridiculous.



> I like this light a lot. I would love it more if it was L>M>H.



Agreed


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## moldyoldy (Jun 17, 2013)

Ref i3S problems: I have an earlier model with a different interface - no problems. Based on success with that unit, I purchased a couple i3S copies of the latest edition:

- no problems with the chain/triangle attachemnt.
- one i3S does not switch out of the 20 lumen level when the temp is below ~10C for maybe a couple attempts. Once the electronics heat up a bit, no problem in switching levels. I do not consider this to be a rejectable problem although it is an anomaly.
- the beam color is definitely different between my 2 recent copies. One has more of a neutral color. The other is paper white.
- as for the M-H-L sequence, yes, that is for the masses. As stated previously, most people may never switch out of the 20 lumen mode. Nevertheless, the long run time at 20 lumens on an AAA is impressive!

In my view, the i3S is a keeper and low enough in cost to be a giftable light.


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## Bigmac_79 (Jun 19, 2013)

Alrighty, this review is complete!


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## dosquetzales (Jul 7, 2013)

The small crab claw closest to the light snapped on mine, and the light disappeared. I loved it until then.


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## Bigmac_79 (Jul 7, 2013)

dosquetzales said:


> The small crab claw closest to the light snapped on mine, and the light disappeared. I loved it until then.



Bummer! I'm sorry to hear that.


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## F. Premens (Jul 9, 2013)

dosquetzales said:


> The small crab claw closest to the light snapped on mine, and the light disappeared. I loved it until then.



Mine's also broke, the flashlight was hooked in my pocket and when streched it broke.


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## rickypanecatyl (Jul 9, 2013)

Great review... I really appreciate you taking the risk to do the underwater and drop tests. Personally I care more about that than if it really only puts out 18.3 lumens when it is claiming 20 but obviously it can be expensive to test water and drop resistance!


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## kevin2 (Jul 9, 2013)

I read threw this review pretty good, but didn't see if it was waterproof or resistant at all. I dropped my zebra light into the river while fly fishing & was thankful it was waterproof. Will this light help me in that manner? Nice review by the way...

I've got a recommendation thread going that has "waterproofing" as one of the semi important needs, feel free to visit it! Here it is! My Thread

thanks, Kevin


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## Bigmac_79 (Jul 13, 2013)

F. Premens said:


> Mine's also broke, the flashlight was hooked in my pocket and when streched it broke.



One report is unfortunate, two means I have to keep my eye out for more... Sorry about your clip.


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## Bigmac_79 (Jul 13, 2013)

rickypanecatyl said:


> Great review... I really appreciate you taking the risk to do the underwater and drop tests. Personally I care more about that than if it really only puts out 18.3 lumens when it is claiming 20 but obviously it can be expensive to test water and drop resistance!



Thanks! It always is a little tough to make myself let got and watch it fall, but like you say, it really is a very important aspect of the light, and in practical use will likely make more difference than the exact lumen output.


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## Bigmac_79 (Jul 13, 2013)

kevin2 said:


> I read threw this review pretty good, but didn't see if it was waterproof or resistant at all. I dropped my zebra light into the river while fly fishing & was thankful it was waterproof. Will this light help me in that manner? Nice review by the way...
> 
> I've got a recommendation thread going that has "waterproofing" as one of the semi important needs, feel free to visit it! Here it is! My Thread
> 
> thanks, Kevin



Hey Kevin! I did mention, it is water resistant. That's covered in the "performance" section, just after beamshots:



> Submersion: I submersed the i3S under a foot of water for an hour, twisting the head just enough to change modes a few times. I could find no evidence of water entering or damaging the light.




I know these reviews can get pretty long and it can be a pain if you just want one piece of data. For future convenience, you can use your browser's on-page search function, usually accessed by Control+F for a PC or Command+F for a Mac. :thumbsup:

BTW, I checked out your thread, the only other headlamps I've tested are the Fenix HP25 and XTAR H1, neither of which match what you're looking for, sorry.


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## mhpreston (Jul 31, 2013)

Nice review thanks and helped me to choose what to buy. I've just received this for the car keys along with a Zebralight SC52 for compact EDC (again based on CPF feedback). Happy with both at this stage but will watch for tint and stay away from freezers  

Have any of you shortened the key chain on the Olight? Here's a pic out of the box to show you what I mean. The chain looks a little long and fiddly to me, but I suppose if I shorten it too much I won't be able to rotate the head easily while holding the torch in the palm of my hand. Has anyone chopped off the chain and now regret it?




Olight by mhpreston, on Flickr


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## mhpreston (Jul 31, 2013)

Do you know - this is a smart little light. I think I like it better than the Zebralight that arrived at the same time...


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## Swede74 (Jul 31, 2013)

mhpreston said:


> Have any of you shortened the key chain on the Olight? Here's a pic out of the box to show you what I mean. The chain looks a little long and fiddly to me, but I suppose if I shorten it too much I won't be able to rotate the head easily while holding the torch in the palm of my hand. Has anyone chopped off the chain and now regret it?



After having read reports of how the triangular ring seems to come off quite easily (I think some members lost their lights because of this) I decided to replace it with a small round split-ring which I attached directly to the larger ring I have my keys on. I think with this setup the light is able to move rather freely in all directions. This solution may not suit you, but if you want to try it out for a few days, it's very reversible


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## moshow9 (Jul 31, 2013)

Generally, I am not a fan of a UI that goes: medium-high-low (or moonlight in this case). However, I purchased an i3S to gift to a friend and tested it out prior to wrapping it up with a few eneloops. I compared it to an old iTP EOS with an XP-E and the tint looks quite purple when compared side to side. Output and tint on the latest i3S were quite nice on the one I gifted.

The UI this time around didn't seem as bad. I don't know if it was the output on the light or just that I've come around a bit to the mode sequence. I also don't mind at all that strobe is there, only hidden. Nice to have if needed, but easy to avoid if not. I just may pick up a few of these for myself and other family members.


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## mhpreston (Aug 1, 2013)

Last night it helped me realise that the SC52 I got at the same time does look green. Oddly, I find the UIs on both are sort of complimentary and its difficult to find the strobe - I know its something that I would forget to try in a real situation anyway. As a Newbie, I have to say the UI on my SRT 7 can't be beaten.


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## mhpreston (Aug 1, 2013)

Swede - thanks for the tip! It doesn't look too robust so I will replace mine with a split ring too. The chain is gone now and it works well, plus doesn't hit my knee when the key is in the ignition!


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## mhpreston (Aug 2, 2013)

Grrr - can you belive it?! You were so right Swede! Before I could get to the DIY store this weekend, the triangular ring on my new torch parted and it fell onto the concrete forecourt at the garage (gas station). Managed to score the finish


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## Swede74 (Aug 3, 2013)

mhpreston said:


> Swede - thanks for the tip! It doesn't look too robust so I will replace mine with a split ring too. The chain is gone now and it works well, plus doesn't hit my knee when the key is in the ignition!



You're welcome...



mhpreston said:


> Grrr - can you belive it?! You were so right Swede! Before I could get to the DIY store this weekend, the triangular ring on my new torch parted and it fell onto the concrete forecourt at the garage (gas station). Managed to score the finish



...I only wish I had mentioned it a few days earlier - maybe the little mishap could have been prevented.

Keychain lights, if put to actual use, are going to get scratched sooner or later. There's simply no avoiding it, and as often said on this forum, after that first ding you no longer have to worry about trying to preserve a pristine finish, and can start enjoying your light instead


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## mhpreston (Aug 3, 2013)

Swede74 said:


> You're welcome...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Ha ha - thanks again. Mine looks properly used now, for sure!


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## mhpreston (Aug 7, 2013)

I was contemplating sending my damaged Olight back, with was chipped after it fell onto concrete when the key ring broke (I must be CPF OCD!). I learned from here that this is a known issue. As it happened, I have concealed the damage and as Swede says, all torches are going to get scratched sooner or later…

Having quickly emailed the retailer (we have a seven day reject rule here for online sales), I was surprised at their apparent lack of knowledge about the Sale of Goods Act. They only offered to replace the broken key ring attachment and not the torch. Is this a common issue with UK online sales?


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## Quality (Sep 6, 2013)

I think this is currently the best review available on the internet for the i3S, thanks for doing it.


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## yoyoman (Sep 6, 2013)

The M>H>L UI is growing on me. The runtime on M is impressive and I have other lights that start on L (and have a lower L). So the i3S doesn't get night table duty, but gets a lot of other use.

This is a good review and I'm happy the thread is still active.


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## Bigmac_79 (Sep 6, 2013)

Quality said:


> I think this is currently the best review available on the internet for the i3S, thanks for doing it.



Thanks!


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## TheDudeAbides (Sep 6, 2013)

Fantastic light! I find myself using it more and more. It's so nice always having a light on my person, as 95% of the time I have my keys in my pocket. I have nicer lights, but find I use this more than any of them purely due to the convenience of always having it. Kind of like the saying: the best camera in the world is the one you have with you when the moment arises... Same goes for lights. 

Only complaint is that my triangular attachment split and fell off, as others have experienced. This occurred literally within 5 minutes of attaching it directly to my primary keychain (with only 3 keys on it) without using the supplied lobster claw. I didn't think I was that aggressive with my keys, though I suppose the light was at a bad angle in my pocket which used the length of the light as leverage to pry apart the triangular attachment when I sat down. I was lucky to have a split ring that was just barely small enough to use (~6mm diameter). All is well now, but it did put a damper on my brand new light high.


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## mhpreston (Sep 7, 2013)

TheDudeAbides said:


> Fantastic light! I find myself using it more and more. It's so nice always having a light on my person, as 95% of the time I have my keys in my pocket. I have nicer lights, but find I use this more than any of them purely due to the convenience of always having it. Kind of like the saying: the best camera in the world is the one you have with you when the moment arises... Same goes for lights.
> 
> Only complaint is that my triangular attachment split and fell off, as others have experienced. This occurred literally within 5 minutes of attaching it directly to my primary keychain



Crazy isn't it? This must be my main EDC now too! Very handy indeed. Not sure I'd buy another one though - the anodising seems to come away easily (not counting the scars from the initial drop on concrete when the attachment failed). I don't think I am being rough with the keys etc. Anyway, nothing that a permanent marker can't fix for now!

I wonder if a rubberised version would work better?


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## Wiggle (Sep 8, 2013)

Do you have one of the colored ones or a black one? I bet the black one has the harder anodizing. It'd be really cool if they could do the thick anodizing like Armytek uses on their lights, it feels almost rubber like but is just an extra thick anodized layer.


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## mhpreston (Sep 8, 2013)

Plain black one - matches my car 'key'


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## Bigmac_79 (Sep 8, 2013)

Yeah, usually black anodizing holds up better than colored (last I looked into it colors were only available in HAII, where black can be HAIII), but I've seen any aluminum anodizing that can stand up to keychain duty. I have a stainless steel AAA light that doesn't show any wear, and I'm sure titanium would do well, but aluminum is just going to get scratched whatever you do.


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## Wiggle (Sep 9, 2013)

My grey itp A3 actually held up really well to keychain duty. My girlfriends i3 purple already has more wear on it than the old grey one did and the purple one has been carried just a couple months and the grey was carried over a year and looked nearly new til I broke it from a careless drop onto concrete.


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## GoingGear.com (Sep 13, 2013)

Bigmac_79 said:


> Yeah, usually black anodizing holds up better than colored (last I looked into it colors were only available in HAII, where black can be HAIII), but I've seen any aluminum anodizing that can stand up to keychain duty. I have a stainless steel AAA light that doesn't show any wear, and I'm sure titanium would do well, but aluminum is just going to get scratched whatever you do.



The orange is actually Type III. It's the same finish we have on our fire piston. I've seen green and a few other colors in Type III as well. 

I believe the other I3S colors are Type II.


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## Wiggle (Sep 15, 2013)

I didn't realize the orange was a true type 3. That would be great to have a bold color and the durability.


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## Dr.444 (Sep 16, 2013)

Thanks for the review :thumbsup:

Any chance for an update with ( Low - Med - high ) ? oo:


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## BlueSwede (Apr 13, 2014)

Does anyone know how many hours the moonlight mode lasts?

Brgds... /BlueSwede


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## mcnair55 (Apr 13, 2014)

BlueSwede said:


> Does anyone know how many hours the moonlight mode lasts?
> 
> Brgds... /BlueSwede




60 hours


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## BlueSwede (Apr 13, 2014)

mcnair55 said:


> 60 hours


Thanks... was wondering if I could use it as a night light for the kids on a vacation we'll be going on soon. 60 hours seems just perfect 

/BlueSwede


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## RI Chevy (Apr 13, 2014)

yoyoman said:


> http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-i3S-(1xAAA-XP-G2)/page5&highlight=Olight+i3s
> 
> Starts around post 137. Some people report it gets stuck on a mode and is hard to switch modes. Never happened to me.
> 
> ...





dosquetzales said:


> The small crab claw closest to the light snapped on mine, and the light disappeared. I loved it until then.





F. Premens said:


> Mine's also broke, the flashlight was hooked in my pocket and when streched it broke.





mhpreston said:


> Grrr - can you belive it?! You were so right Swede! Before I could get to the DIY store this weekend, the triangular ring on my new torch parted and it fell onto the concrete forecourt at the garage (gas station). Managed to score the finish



I also replaced the OEM clip/chain setup with a split ring and a better, stronger stainless steel clip. Mine broke when I was just getting to know the light while inside my house. Fortunately I read about the issues and changed out mine prior to losing it or damaging it. Olight really needs to update the clip/chain setup. Other than that, this light is an excellent AAA light.


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## mikemalone (Apr 27, 2016)

I have been looking for a good review of this flashlight, considering to buy one soon.


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## LosingBattle (Jul 8, 2022)

If anyone has an Ember Orange i3s that they would like to sell, please get in contact with me.


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