Disclosure: this light was sent to me for review by Louise1992 (Amazon seller Eachinedirect). I specifically requested only the light...I don't have any way to accurately test the battery/charger combo that comes with the kit version, and wanted to stick with what I know.
The light comes in a plain cardboard box, with a sticker doing the Thorfire branding and securing the box shut.
The light comes with a very complete set of spare parts and accessories: switch, switch cover, O-rings, glass window, a lanyard, a very robust pocket clip (you won't have to worry about it coming off accidentally, that is for sure), a cigar grip ring, and a pretty decent holster. The holster has only a belt loop...no quick attachment options...but since I only use the belt loop anyway, that is not a significant drawback for me. The holster works equally well for head up or head down carry. :thumbsup:
This light is a FANTASTIC value for what it does. It is built much more solidly than the average mainstream-brand 1x18650 light (usually $50-100), at half to a quarter of the price. In fact, when I first opened up the box and saw the build quality, the first comparison that came to mind was the Surefire P2X Fury - no joke. The build is similar in many ways, with ultra-thick walls, dual springs (in the head and in the tail), similar dimensions and heft. It is by no means a clone...the VG10 is brighter, has more modes, has a different shape, and is about a quarter of the price. But the fact that you can honestly put them in the same league for build quality was surprising to me, even though I have handled a few Thorfire lights already. This thing is built like a tank! Definitely aimed at the tactical crowd, who want reliability above all else.
It was pointed out to me that some of the other Thorfire lights did not have an O-ring in the head, which could lead to water ingress. In my tests it was not an issue, even when fully submerged...but Thorfire did listen to feedback. The VG10 has O-rings everywhere water ingress can happen. There is an O-ring in the head, another between the head and battery tube, and another between the tailcap and battery tube. I did do my usual submersion test, and there was no water entry whatsoever, and the light worked fine throughout.
I did a number of drop tests...and I went more aggressive than typical. I did all fifteen drops from above head height, from a variety of angles. Headfirst, directly onto tailcap, horizontal, etc. No flickering or shutoffs of any kind. (The recessed tail switch is protected from impact, and that has a bonus of allowing the light to tailstand stably.)
I did a runtime test on the highest mode. Ran it for forty minutes continuously with no stepdown. Cell started out at 4.17 volts and ended at 3.71 volts. Output was still seventy-five percent of the max initial brightness, according to my lux meter!
I'm not a huge fan of single switches for power and modes...but the VG10 works pretty well. You can cycle through all modes with momentary-on (soft press) or with full presses. I find the momentary press to be more effective, and more reliable (due to the timing, using full presses doesn't always give you what you expect), and then you can do a full press to maintain your chosen mode. Since the threads are fully anodized, you can also change modes by loosening and tightening the tailcap slightly...this method works as well or better. It is also useful for locking out the light while not in use, so it cannot come on accidentally. :thumbsup:
The reflector is smooth, so the beam does have mild rings. They aren't bad, though, and for a tactical light with some throw, this is just a trade-off you have to make. The XM-L2 LED is perfectly centered at the base of the reflector. The large stainless steel bezel is easily removable (screws in and out), if you don't like it.
I only have a couple suggestions for improvement. The first is to lube all the threads/O-rings before the light is sent out. The tailcap on my light was lubed...but the threads between the head and battery tube were bone dry, and made a horrible squeaking sound at first. A little lube cured that problem, and now all the threads are smooth. This could be important, since well-lubed O-rings and threads are more resistant to water ingress. This is a minor point, though, and for the price, I didn't mind taking a couple minutes to fix that. The other, and more important issue, is to work on quality control for the reflector/window. The reflector does have a minor imperfection, and there are a couple specks of something on the inside of the window. This is something that happens with far more expensive lights, too, and the imperfections are not visible in the beam. But it could be better.
Rest assured, the light is worth the price, and then some. Definitely one of the best value lights I have come across so far. Highly recommended if you are looking for a robust, simple light. It fights well above its weight class!
