# Object/Subject Review: ShiningBeam Caveman



## Bigmac_79 (Nov 27, 2011)

ShiningBeam is a company that sells flashlights and accessories of many brands from their online store, and they also have their own brand of flashlights. I'll be reviewing the Caveman, which ShiningBeam advertises as their "second professional grade LED flashlight," the first being the ShiningBeam Blaze that came out not too long before the Caveman.

_Thanks to Bryan at Shiningbeam for providing the Caveman for review.
_






I’ll be reviewing the Caveman 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 lights performance when used for specific applications. This is a 2xAA light, so I anticipate it mainly being used as an EDC carried in pocket or on a belt, or a general purpose light. 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.

Objective

Here are the ShiningBeam's specs on the Caveman:

-------

*** 2nd ShiningBeam professional grade LED flashlight ***
*** Easy single mode operation with the tailcap switch **
** Excellent regulation with both alkaline and NIMH batteries
** Deep OP reflector offers excellent throw and spill **
*
*Features: *
* Cree XLamp Premium XM-L T6 1B tint emitter
* Working voltage range: 2 - 3V
* Power by: 2 x AA alkaline, 2 x AA NIMH
* Output: low 8 lm (24 mA), medium 130 lm (310mA), high 290 lm (700mA)
* Loosen and tighten light's head to switch between modes
* Tactical momentary-on forward switch
* Regulated circuit board for constant current output
* Square threads for smooth battery installation
* Reverse-polarity protection
* HA III anodizing
* Mil-spec: MIL-STD-810F
* IPX-8 waterproofing
* Memorize the last mode
* Toughened ultra clear lens for maximum light transmission
* Orange peel aluminum reflector offers smooth output beam pattern

* Accessories: holster, lanyard, switch, O-ring, silicone boot
** One year warranty by ShiningBeam.com*

*Operation:
* *Press tail switch to turn the light on/off
* Half press the tail switch for momentary-on function
* When the light is on, loosen and tighten flashlight's head to change through the modes

Dimensions: 15.8 CM x 3 CM x 2.4 CM 
Weight: 3.95 oz

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ShiningBeam plans to offer this light in both neutral and cool white tints, but due to a manufacturing error they are currently (as of 11/26/11) only available in T6 cool white or T5 cool white (with the T5 being cheaper). I'll be reviewing a sample with a XM-L T6 emitter.


*Packaging*

The Caveman comes in a nice looking cardboard box with a tab for hanging it on a rack. Included in the box are the light, a holster, spare switch, spare switch cover, spare o-rings, lanyard, and instruction manual.










*Construction Quality*

This light has a solid feel to it, without feeling too heavy. As you look this light over, you can tell that attention has been paid to detail.









The main body of the light is round with a flattened section on three sides. On one flat side the ShiningBeam logo is printed, on the other, the name "Caveman" (the third flat side lines up with the clip). The white lettering is clearly printed. The light has a slim profile that you can expect from a 2xAA light, with a larger head for increased ability to throw.






The Caveman fits nicely in it's holster, either head up or down. The holster seems to be well made, and should be able to stand up to a little rough use.












The head of the Caveman has some light knurling on it, like the rest of the body, which is important because modes are changed by twisting the head. Below the head are cooling fins arranged in a nice pattern of decreasing size down to the body, giving a smooth transition between head and body and also providing good ventilation to dissipate heat into the air quickly. On the body shot you can see the light knurling, and the profile of the included clip. The clip is pretty firm with a little spring to it. The tail also has the same light knurling as the head and body, which makes it easy enough to remove for battery changes. As you can see, the switch sticks out slightly beyond the end of the tail cap, which means this light cannot tail stand.












The XM-L emitter looks very well centered. I could see no trace of any dust or grit inside the head. The reflector is what I would call somewhere between MOP and HOP (mild and heavy orange peal), so with that texture the beam is going to be pretty smooth with few rings or artifacts, at the sacrifice of throwing distance. The head assembly doesn't come apart without tools, so it should have good water resistance.

As you can see, the switch is slightly recessed into the tail cap, but not enough to allow a tail stand. This does make it a bit easier to use the switch though. A single small hole is bored in the raised part of the tail cap to put the lanyard through. This means that part of the lanyard will need to go around the outside of the tail cap in order to tie it on, but that's not a big deal since you won't be standing this light on it's tail anyway.






Here's as far as you can take it apart without the use of tools. This was a surprise for me: the clip is removable! I found that, at least on my sample, while the threads on both the head and tail had very smooth operation, the threads on the head has much less resistance than those on the tail, so I've taken to doing battery changes through the head.






You can see that the body separates from the head just below the cooling fins. The threads on the head are square, but not anodized, so the light will stay on as you loosen and tighten the head to change modes.









As you can see here, the threads on the tail are anodized, which means you can loosen the tail cap a bit to put the light in lockout mode.

To take the clip on and off, you first remove the tail cap, then slide the o-ring up a bit to get it out of the way. Then, you can unscrew the small knurled ring to free the clip. The clip fits nicely into the groove that you can see in the first picture. When the clip is off, all you can see is a small hole where it would be coming out from under the ring. This allows the clip to be removable without the use of any tools, but it is still very securely attached to the light when you have it on. Also, the ring will not come off as long as the o-ring is on, so you don't have to worry about loosing it.









On the left is the head of the Caveman, on the right is the tail. You can see that there is only a spring for the negative contact, so you'll need batteries with button tops to make good connections here. However, the Caveman doesn't support use of lithium ion batteries (only alkaline and NiMh), so as far as I know, everything should be button top anyway.


*User Interface*

This light has three modes: Low, Medium, and High.

The light is turned on and off using the tail cap switch. The switch is a forward clicky, which means you can press it half way for momentary on, or all the way for constant on.

To change modes, you slightly loosen the head, then fully tighten it again, and the mode is changed when you tighten the head. This will advance it to the next mode in the sequence, from low to medium to high. The Caveman has mode memory, so if you turn it off in low, it will be in low when you turn it back on, and the same with medium and high. The mode will not change if you loosen/tighten the head when the light is off.

Below is a video showing the operation of the Caveman. I apologize for the weird brightness shifts, my camera only has auto brightness for movie. 



*Action Shots*

Caveman in hand










These white wall beam profiles were taken with my camera set at ISO 100, f/3.5, 1/4" exposure. The first is a control shot, then low, medium, high.


















As you can see, the Caveman has a well-defined spot with a uniform spill. ShiningBeam's website advertises this light as having a deep reflector for goof throw. While the head isn't huge, you can tell that the hotspot is much brighter than the spill area, so it should throw pretty well. The OP reflector does a good job of smoothing out the beam profile, I can't detect any rings or artifacts when shining it at a white wall. The cool white tint seems to be pretty good, not noticeably greenish or purplish.

Here's some indoor shots, camera set at ISO 100, f/8, 1" exposure. Low, medium, high.















These outdoor shots were taken in a picnic shelter ~15 yards long, camera set at ISO 1600, f/3.5, 1/4" exposure. Control shot, then low, medium, high.



















The rest of these outdoor shots were taken at ISO 100, f/8, 2.0". Low, medium, then high. To the eye, it looks much brighter than this, but I couldn't get much better shots on my old camera. At least you can get the idea. (Note: you may have to make your browser window full screen in order for these pictures to line up correctly)

































*Measurements*

Current Draw

_2xAA Eneloop 1900 mAh_
High: 1100 mA
Medium: 461 mA
Low: 50 mA

Runtime

The charts below were done with 2xAA Eneloop cells. From the chart, it looks like the light is regulated for a time, then turns off. However, what happens is the light turns off for a short time, then comes back on very dimly, then blinks for a while, then turns off. To show you what's going on during that time, I've got a regular runtime graph for each mode, then below it I'll show a close-up look at what happens when the light comes back on dimly.

Note: The vertical axis of these charts 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.


*High*








Time Regulated: 1:43
Time to 50%: 1:45
Time until first off: 2:25
Time back on: 1:00
Total Runtime: 3:25

*Medium*








Time Regulated: 3:50
Time to 50%: 3:50
Time until first off: 4:42
Time back on: 1:11
Total Runtime: 5:53

*Low *(in this set, note that I expanded the time axis as well as the brightness axis for the second graph)








Time regulated: 27:54
Time to 50%: 28:19
Time until first off: 28:22
Time back on: 0:13
Total runtime: 28:35

*Mode Comparison*
High Medium Low






This light does use PWM (pulse width modulation) on the low and medium modes, I could not detect PWM on high mode. On low and medium, I can hear a very faint whine when I put the head of the light directly on my ear when in a quiet room, but otherwise I can't hear the noise (and normally I'm fairly sensitive to this).

Subjective Review

*General*

Overall, the Caveman is a high quality light, especially for it's price range. I've noticed no flickering or any abnormalities in performance, and the construction quality is great, so I have confidence that this light will work exactly like it's supposed to, every time. It would be fun if the light had the ability to take li-ion rechargeables for crazy brightness, but I think I like that this light will perform consistently and reliable, which would be harder (and more expensive) to do with support for lions.

Here are some great things about the Caveman:
-Solid construction
-Well-spaced modes (low is good for most tasks, high will light up a whole room)
-Professional look/style
-Available in neutral (soon, I hope)
-Smooth beam profile, with pretty good throw
-Solid yet easily removable clip
-Common battery type
-Good feel to the forward clicky switch
-Mode change not done by click sequence
-Mode memory
-Good amount of time where light is dim, but not off (moon mode?)

Here are some things I'd like to see improved on:
-Slightly lower medium and low
-Clip slightly longer
-Ability to tail stand (maybe a cutout tail cap)
-Get those neutrals ready!
-Lighter OP texture reflector to maintain smooth beam but increase throw

I like the "moon mode" at the end of each run, because that will give me plenty of time to get fresh batteries, without having to do it in the dark. Like a mentioned, I'd like a slightly lower medium and low, because I think they could be dropped a bit to improve run times without sacrificing functionality. As it is, I don't anticipate using te medium mode much. I know not everyone wants a super low low, but I think this could go slightly lower 

I also mentioned the feel of the switch in the positives. Some lights with forward clicky switches advertise momentary on, but when you actually use the light, it is hard to do momentary on because it's hard to keep the switch half-pressed without accidentally doing a full press. In my experience, when I use momentary on, it's usually because I don't want to make any noise, and the sound of the click would be loud. On this light, there is a good amount of travel on the switch, and the actually click is fairly firm, so I can easily half-press for momentary on without accidentally clicking into full on. 

I'll note, that while I don't like lights with a click sequence UI, the head turn UI of the Caveman does mean that you either have to use two hands with it, or change your grip between overhand and underhand to operate both the head and the tail. I find myself usually using my off-hand to change modes, and maintaining an overhand grip.

I want to give some more praise to the clip design. I don't know if this is the first light to use a system like this for the clip, but I don't have any other lights like this, and I love it! When on, the clip is super secure, and I have no worries about it falling off. However, I don't like clips that are screwed on or permanently attached, because I often want to be able to go clipless for a variety of reasons. For this reason, most of my lights don't have clips, even though I would love to have the option to use a clip with them. This is the only light that I've seen that I feel has really nailed a good design for the clip.

This light does use PWM on medium and low, which isn't ideal, but like I said earlier, the sound is barely audible, and I can only notice the PWM at all when moving the light really fast, not under normal use.

The beam on the Caveman has a very bright hotspot and very wide spill, so in my experience, it was a very good thrower for it's size and power source, but it was difficult to use for close up tasks.


*EDC*

The Caveman could possibly fit into the EDC class, depending on your preferences. As far as function and performance, I'd have no reservations. The low is pretty low (though I'd prefer lower) and the high is high enough for most tasks that you wouldn't have a bigger light around for anyway. The only hurdle would be the size. It's got the form of a typical 2xAA light, which means long and skinny. If you have long pockets, or like using a holster, this is great. I will say, the clip doesn't feel quite long enough for such a long light, so I usually put it all the way in my pocket.


*Professional Use / Work Light*

I anticipate this light would work well for professional use. My profession doesn't require a lot of flashlight use, so I test this light working outside in the dark. I found, as I mentioned, that the hotspot is very bright compared to the spill, so it can be difficult to use this light for close tasks. However, it did perform surprisingly well as a thrower. 

The main things I look for in a professional or work light are reliability and durability. So far, this light has worked just as it's supposed to every time. No flickering, no accidental mode change, it just works. The UI isn't perfect, but it's a pretty good setup. I do wish it was easier to operate with one hand. Durability seems good so far, I'll update the "long term impressions" section after using the light for a while.


*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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## vickers214 (Nov 27, 2011)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Shiningbeam Caveman*

Good review, is it current controlled our pwm in the lower modes?


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## ragweed (Nov 27, 2011)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Shiningbeam Caveman*

Everything I bought from Bryan works the first time & every time. I am curious about the pwm as well. If it makes noise then I am out on this one.


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## T45 (Nov 27, 2011)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Shiningbeam Caveman*

Good Review BigMac 79. I think the Caveman will be another excellent addition to the 2AA form factor. Glad to see ShiningBeam has done the research to have 3 well placed levels of light. While there are those that always want to push an LED to the limit, I am a firm believer in longer, more useful run times. The RC-C3 and RC-A4 are 2 models that could use a few less lumens in exchange for much longer runtimes. The caveman's form factor brings to mind the 4Sevens Quark 2AA Turbo model with the same fins around the head. I appreciate the protruding Tactical switch also, since I am not an enthusiastic fan of tail standing for every flashlight form.


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## kreisler (Nov 27, 2011)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Shiningbeam Caveman*

I guess you could exchange parts with the Quak and play lego. that's the point of the Shiningbeam model, to offer the same looks and performance as the quark turbo aa² but at a much cheaper price point. and people who already own quark parts will be interested in this offering. (and if the Shiningbeam parts dont fit, then none of the 4Sevens fan boys would be interested.)

in future i might ask Shiningbeam to send me just the turbo head


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## Bigmac_79 (Nov 27, 2011)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Shiningbeam Caveman*

Thanks for the feedback! I added the info on PWM, as well as the mode comparison chart, and part of the subjective review.

Here's the details on PWM:
"This light does use PWM (pulse width modulation) on the low and medium modes, I could not detect PWM on high mode. On low and medium, I can hear a very faint whine when I put the head of the light directly on my ear when in a quiet room, but otherwise I can't hear the noise (and normally I'm fairly sensitive to this)."


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## kreisler (Nov 27, 2011)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Shiningbeam Caveman*



Bigmac_79 said:


> Thanks for the feedback!


Do you have Quarks to compare with? (Do the parts fit among each other?)


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## Bigmac_79 (Nov 27, 2011)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Shiningbeam Caveman*



kreisler said:


> Do you have Quarks to compare with? (Do the parts fit among each other?)



Sorry, I don't have any Quarks, so I can't see if they fit together.


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## Chidwack (Nov 28, 2011)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Shiningbeam Caveman*

With a Quark AA2 Tactical, Jetbeam BA20 and a Klarus P2A I thought I was done buying any 2xAA lights. This Shiningbeam Caveman just might have changed my mind.


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## Bigmac_79 (Nov 28, 2011)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Shiningbeam Caveman*

Four rainy nights in a row. :shakehead When we get some good weather I'll get get some more outdoor shots. Sorry for the delay friends.


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## kreisler (Nov 28, 2011)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Shiningbeam Caveman*

i've added the caveman in the Mil spec thread.

nice stuff


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## Bigmac_79 (Nov 28, 2011)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Shiningbeam Caveman*



kreisler said:


> i've added the caveman in the Mil spec thread.
> 
> nice stuff



Thanks kreisler! I tried to look up exactly what the MIL-STD-810F rating means. What I found is that "It focuses on the process of tailoring materiel design and test criteria to the specific environmental conditions a materiel item is likely to encounter during its service life." (from it's department of defense document). The document includes info on tests ranging from ice to impact to fungus, but if I understand it right, you don't have to do all the tests, only the ones you think the device will encounter. I'm going to ask Shiningbeam which tests were done on the Caveman 

(someone correct me if I've misunderstood how this works)


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## kreisler (Nov 29, 2011)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Shiningbeam Caveman*

yah please keep us updated, thanks!
one day one of the CPF-boardies should find out if its parts are compatible with Quark stuff and vice versa. why find out? for the sake of information and completeness haha

Thanks for the great review. Interesting and helpful. And as always, congrats to the purchase!


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## Bigmac_79 (Dec 2, 2011)

Alright, the beamshots are up, and the subjective review is complete (other than long term impressions). That means this review is done!

An update on the mil-spec stuff, I received a reply from Bryan, basically saying that will only be important for those intending military use.


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## Chidwack (Jan 12, 2012)

My Caveman got here today. It is about what I expected with one exception. I thought the UI was the type that ramped up and down like the Shiningbeam I-mini. Instead it has three well spaced preset modes. I like this about the light. Quality and feel is excellent and on par with my Shingbeam Blaze. Knurling is excellent. LED is well centered. Beam is pleasant. Clip is wonderful. I think this light will be my favorite 2xAA light.


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## HotWire (Jan 24, 2012)

I don't have many 2 X AA lights, but this one has instantly become my favorite. It is superbly built, the HML are well spaced. Low is perfect for creeping around the house, high is perfect for inspecting engines, wiring, or plumbing. Eneloops last a long time between charges. I like the UI. I've never liked the 5 level clicky light shows some lights have. Bryan gets an A+++ for the Caveman!


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## JohnnyBravo (Jan 28, 2012)

Just got my "Cave Cree" today! WOW, it was shipped the day before yesterday (Thr) and I got it today (Sat). And that's with regular 1st class mail. This is my 3rd 2AA light. My Energizer Ultimate was my first (2010), and then my TerraLux LS300 (2011). Even though it's very early, I'm thinking this is my favorite 2AA in my lineup. The clip is probably the most secure/sturdy that I've ever seen; and it's removable too.  PS. I got the XM-L T6 CW...


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## Benz99 (Jul 3, 2012)

Wow what a great looking light! Does anyone know, are the stated lumens "out the front" lumens? Is the light able to be run on high continuously without fear of damage to components due to heat build-up?


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## Bigmac_79 (Jul 6, 2012)

Benz99 said:


> Wow what a great looking light! Does anyone know, are the stated lumens "out the front" lumens? Is the light able to be run on high continuously without fear of damage to components due to heat build-up?



I'd give a very rough estimate of high mode being about 315 lumens out the front, and medium being about 115, which is pretty close to the advertised values.


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## thospress (Nov 8, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Shiningbeam Caveman*



Chidwack said:


> With a Quark AA2 Tactical, Jetbeam BA20 and a Klarus P2A I thought I was done buying any 2xAA lights. This Shiningbeam Caveman just might have changed my mind.


Shiningbeam's own brand of lights are all exceptional and this one might be the best of the bunch (my basis of comparison is the S-Mini and Blaze). Wonderful ergonomics, machining and beam quality. The included pouch is no slouch, either. Way to go, Bryan!


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## LV426 (Feb 11, 2013)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Shiningbeam Caveman*

Bigmacc_79,

Any long term impressions yet?


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## JohnnyBravo (Feb 12, 2013)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Shiningbeam Caveman*

Have had mine for over a year now! Clearly my favorite 2AA light. I run mine on Eneloops (1500 cycle gen.)...


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## Vish (Sep 17, 2013)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Shiningbeam Caveman*

Excellent review. Thank you for the time taken to write this up. Very helpful. I am thinking of buying one but still doing some research. my only question is - Is there a better light brand at the same or lower price point for 2XAA.


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## Bigmac_79 (Sep 18, 2013)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Shiningbeam Caveman*



Vish said:


> Excellent review. Thank you for the time taken to write this up. Very helpful. I am thinking of buying one but still doing some research. my only question is - Is there a better light brand at the same or lower price point for 2XAA.



There are bigger name brands with cheaper 2xAA lights, but the caveman is more durable and reliable than other similar lights I've seen. If you don't need such a rugged light, there are cheaper options.


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## ronniepudding (Sep 19, 2013)

On the basis of this review (and other positive remarks on CPF) I purchased a SB Caveman and just received it today. 

I have to say first off that the review is right on, and very thorough... thanks Bigmac for putting in the time. I'm new here (first post), and consequently my point of comparison for this new purchase is pretty limited. My first "real" LED light was a Fenix E21. I know that's very basic, entry-level stuff for most folks here, -- but nonetheless I like the E21 for it's simplicity and when I got it I really wasn't interested in blinky modes or having to do lots of clicking and head-twisting to find the right brightness, so the E21 has served me well.

Anywho, the main thing I DON'T like about the E21 is the lack of a low mode, and in that respect the Caveman is exactly what I was looking for. I also like the Caveman UI very much, and the floodier beam.

My only (minor) gripes about the Caveman would be 
A) it should have 1 or 2 more brightness levels, -- maybe a moonlight mode, and another step between low and medium.
B) the finish on the one I have is not perfect... there are some minor nicks in the anodizing from tooling. Which is not a big deal since it's a "user", and given the price.

Big on the plus side...

I was playing around with my new toy, and my 4 year old asked to look at it. I turned it down to low, and handed it to her. She promptly dropped it on the concrete, right on the bezel. 

No problem. You can barely see the spot where it hit the concrete, and everything still works. So having only had the light for a few hours, it's already undergone and passed some real-life shock testing.


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## RI Chevy (Sep 20, 2013)

Welcome to the forum! :welcome:

Good light. Good luck and enjoy it. :thumbsup:


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## Cypher_Aod (Jan 17, 2014)

I've had a Caveman for over a year now, it still works absolutely perfectly with no issues whatsoever. A couple of days ago I got a Quark Tactical QTA so I can now confirm that the Quark parts and the Caveman are _*not*_ intercompatible. The Quark parts and the Caveman parts cannot be legoed with each other.


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## RI Chevy (Jan 17, 2014)

Interesting. Thanks for the update. :thumbsup:


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## Wiggle (Oct 31, 2014)

Cypher_Aod said:


> I've had a Caveman for over a year now, it still works absolutely perfectly with no issues whatsoever. A couple of days ago I got a Quark Tactical QTA so I can now confirm that the Quark parts and the Caveman are _*not*_ intercompatible. The Quark parts and the Caveman parts cannot be legoed with each other.



Reviving an old thread here 

Can you comment on the build quality of the Caveman compared to the Quarks? I own a Quark AA-Tactical and have owned a Quark AA2 Tactical, I also own a Shiningbeam Blaze. The quality of the Quark is very good but I would rank the Blaze on a higher level due to the thicker body and solid feel. Does the Caveman have superior build quality to the Quarks?


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## LV426 (Sep 11, 2017)

Folks,

Is there any alternative to the Caveman today?


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## JohnnyBravo (Oct 7, 2017)

Yes. The Inova X2. Now supplied w/ a clip. And it's at 280/10 lumens. 

My Caveman is still my favorite 2AA light, and I got it 1/28/2012. I think it may be discontinued though. I don't see it at the main website, nor do I see it on his eBay account...


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