Update: We now have test results from an independent 3rd party lab. Check out the full report at www.lowlightdefense.com/modlite-pl350-how-many-lumens/
Thanks for all the effort in getting the third party tests out. There’s really an issue with their lumen and candela ratings. I’m interested to know how Modlite is going to fix this. Keep up the great work!
@@WerkzHolsters Haha 😂 I follow both of you and he just did an in-depth dive into the same category, nothing as extensive but still in-depth. He linked and referenced this video in his video, if you don’t know Roger is awesome and seems to be good people 👍🏼
At this price point it should absolutely meet their claims of max lumens. Their declining to answer seems to me like they know it doesn't and didn't expect to get called out. I still think people would buy the light regardless, but I think there shouldn't be false advertising involved. Hopefully cloud defensive steps it up even more and doesn't make false claims when their pistol light comes out.
People need to hop off Modlite's dick cause it has killed the company. The CEO has been allowed to run rampant lashing out at people including business partners who still support his product...and now they have a failed product launch? They had time...they should have just done more testing.
One of the best reviews I’ve seen about this light. The lumens issue is a bummer for sure. They can just advertise it at the 900+ ANSI lumen rating and people will buy given the candela. Production issues also need to be rectified. This light has great potential and I’d like to see the next iteration soon.
Couldn’t agree more!!! Almost a month after it’s release and you sir are the ONLY person to give an honest review!!! Thank you lol it’s just as overrated as the tiny Surefire.
For a 1000 lumen light for $300+ dollars nothing should malfunction or be deviated from advertised spec. That's my two cents. The candela is impressive but the switches would be the deal breaker for me. I've been spoiled with olight and inforce paddle style switches. Rotary ones are not my preference.
@@shinigami1925 hmm..i haven't had any issues with mine. But i understand where you're coming from cause i hate smith and Wesson m&P's and their dog shit triggers. Other folks love em though 🙂
You do some of the best reviews, thanks for the effort. For me personally, no momentary is a no go. I don’t think the lumens issue is one honestly, considering the candela. If they built a momentary switch, I’d be interested.
For the clicking. I unscrewed the 4 screws in the back of mine. Fixed the oring position and reassembled it and tightened the screws harder than they came in the box. It made the switches a little stiffer so I don’t overrun the off position. And it brought my beautiful clicks back
@@WerkzHolsters funny enough. And then the little metal piece that holds the switch, I bent it and it snapped right off with very little effort. So had to send my body back to modlite lol. But good thing they have great customer service and my new body with new switches and everything is already on its way back to me after a week lol
Thanks! Whether or not you buy from us, it is my hope that the data we provide will help all of us get better lights from manufacturers. It's my way of giving back to the firearms community. Blessings!
Absolutely love your reviews on WMLs. Combine these with Aaron Cowan who does the reviews on the opposite end of the spectrum and you have all bases covered.
@@T20-c8f yeah they are both phenomenal informationals. This is quality lab testing with objective numbers but Aaron goes into the field and beats the crap out of them to put the entire system to the practical test. Both amazing things to consider.
You are the man! You just saved my ass from purchasing this overpriced light. Not that it doesn’t have potential, I think they need to go over it and make some adjustments. Switch, and reliability.. This awesome review just earned you another SUB!
Jamison just ran the PL350 on a Walther PDP for 3 nights of Costa Ludus Restricted Visibility training. Look for our after-action report here on YT soon, and will include Jamison's thoughts on the PL350.
I think I’ll wait for them to fix the issues. As far as the switches, constant only is a matter of relearning switch manipulation. It could do without the loud clicks, though. The TLR-1’s constant on detent is fairly quiet.
Just to be fair, CD has released a drawing of one light body with two white light heads, one large and one small, and still nothing about the switchwork or the time line. ML has released one actual light body, three light heads and two IR heads. I have confidence that CD will do a great job, but as a previous customer of their other products, which I find to be excellent, I don’t expect them before the end of the year at best.
Nice honest review, I like it for the Candela, throw, ease of battery change, warranty, and how THIN it is but I think I will wait a bit to see if Surefire or Cloud can compete with this in the near future before I pull the trigger on some massive candela....
I was planning on purchasing one of these for a handgun, and still am - my overall impression is that, despite teething issues, it's still a good light. I'll just have to make sure to put it through it's paces first to verify everything functions correctly.
Great review. Having a sample size >1 adds a lot to the value of the info. Missing the rated lumens is pretty vexing considering the price point and the standards set by SureFire in this price range of exceeding rated lumens. It will be also be interesting to see how the switches do over the lifespan of the light and after an extremely high number of cycles. I think I'll wait on this model. I'm still highly invested in CR123a platforms, and with LiFePO4 support, the differences in capability are not very large.
To piggyback off your CR123a point, I would much rather have a reliable supply of batteries than to have to deal with what is almost a proprietary model. I can get CR123a batteries all day at Wal-Mart.
I was ready to buy one but am going to hold off as a result of this thorough review. I can’t afford to buy multiple $319 weapon lights to get a couple reliable ones.
Thanks much for your encouraging feedback Ray! Plan on being in Anacortes the last weekend of the month to visit family and take a class (not firearms).
I've only had one issue with it and it might be one not common to the everyday end user. When the battery gets to about 10 minutes of run time, the light will flash three times. The cadence for this is not what I would describe as quick so when it flashes, you have that loss of visibility. I run this on my duty pistol and had this issue come up unexpectedly while clearing a warehouse. Not a deal breaker for a lot of people but it would be nice to have a variant that maybe simply steps down when it is running low. And as an edit, it will do this flash cycle every time you disengage and re-engage the light.
Steve, we've seen this behavior as well. It also happens on the handhelds. I agree that the flashing to let you know that the light is stepping down is super distracting.
Thank you for this test and review! I have 3 of the PL350s, I do not like the switches in the least. The mounting bolt is also far from ideal. I thought it would likely be the best light for the Flux Raider, but the switches make it kind of difficult to use. I agree it could be or is “a training issue”, but the best tools for defense are ones that are easily used, even without training. Thank you again! Subscribed!
Love these light reviews - I’ve been using the PL Valkyrie Pro, but have been looking at the TLR-1 HL. I think my biggest concern with the Olight is the fact that I have to charge it and just can’t swap batteries. These reviews really helped and I appreciate how honest and in depth you were.
Thanks much! It's our hope that these videos can help people make more informed decisions... with data. We have a lot more work like this in the pipeline!
I think the charging is the best part of Olight. Though I agree in a rapidly deteriorating situation where charge time becomes absolutely not possible swapping batteries is a better choice. This is why I have both styles of light and plenty of the stupid expensive batteries that always seem to be at some point LESS than full charge anytime you go to use them. Compared to the Olight that I can simply slap in a charger once every couple of weeks or monthly and always have a fully charged light that will surely outlast and pistol fight of 2 or 3 rounds.
@@koolsolutionszx12r55 Olights are cheap buy two. Swap it out if needed as you put the other on a charger. Problem solved and save on battery swaps. Quick disconnect makes it easier than changing a battery in the field.
Great video, I mounted my Modlite PL350 to my Sig P320 357 Sig unfortunately the Modlite failed and has to be returned for repairs, the recoil of the 357 Sig destroyed the 1913 rail insert in less than 2 magazines, after watching this video I think I'm gonna get a refund
Hey thanks Mr. Ellison for sharing your experience. I know my team did notify me about inserting and removing the inserts. They told me that the inserts are soft and get damaged after putting in and taking out only a few times... like too soft a plastic was used for injection molding. (We injection mold many of our own parts here, so we have some experience with molding.)
Doing excellent excellent work. Can you let us know if Surefire, Streamlight & Olight are putting out the correct numbers? But from this video, if I’m going to spend a lot on a light, seems like Surefire is the way.
There are "peak" numbers, which are numbers that a light puts out right after turning on. Then there is ANSI / PLATO definition of peak, which requires an average of the measurements from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. I'm switching to use ANSI / PLATO spec numbers as those are what everyone in the industry should be using. The Surefire "king" video has peak numbers in it, and the latest Olight Baldr Pro R video uses ANSI / PLATO. You can see all the data at lowlightdefense.com/ and see for yourself if manufacturers meet their specs. It depends upon both manufacturer and specific light.
I just put thes on 2 glocks and an M&p it blows all other wml out of the water and I just purchased 1000 lumen tlr1s and replaced them all with the pl350
Been waiting for this video. I did find it weird that my HLX lumen output seemed basically identical to my PLHv2 (excluding the hotspot/candela). Now seeing your lumen findings, it makes more sense. I've been following the PL350 launch and after pretty closely (as I bought one at launch) and well... modlite is being modlite and fanboys are being fanboys. And of course, fire fuelers being fire fuelers lol. I had to return my PL350 body as it had that dead click, the tabs when overextended or pressed inwards (towards the trigger) turned the light momentarily off. Lastly, there was some anodizing problems on the inside. Hopefully the one coming to me doesn't have any of these problems, but hearing that the dead click is within spec is pretty disappointing. I'm conflicted on whether the feel and controls and runtime and everything besides the output of the TLR1HL is worth running over the PL350 (with any head) or if the output overshadows everything else.
Thanks so much for posting your experience. Though my sample size isn't small (5... well 6 now that we bought the PLH5k-PL350) I'm not sure if my issues were unique or not. Sounds like you got momentary switches, but not the kind you were looking for. I'm with you on the conflict between output and the other decision vectors. Though I'll say that having super high candela is pretty compelling... Thanks again for posting your experience.
I've been debating on my next holster. After seeing such thorough reviews, I feel like werkz has to be a great company. Does the m6 aiwb g19 gen4 MOS holster work for a shadow systems mr920? If so I am making a purchase ASAP. Thank you for this great review!
Thanks Logan for your feedback. I don't have the SS MR920 here, so I cannot personally verify. However, if you want to try it and let me know (either way), I would appreciate it. If it doesn't work, point customer service to this post and I'll pay return shipping so you wouldn't be out anything.
I bought 1 mostly for the beam pattern. 1000lumen is fine and im betting modlite is quoting theoretical lumen output based on specs alone and not actually testing the light after all the internal losses causing voltage drop. Coming from x300u to modlite is easy considering most of my holsters interchange. And the rechargeable 18350 is nice. Honestly the beam pattern is just perfect and my edc light a noctigon kr1 18650 with the w2 emitter is nearly identical in both tint and beam pattern as well as being rated at 1300lumen. Ill likely get a plhv2 head and an 18350 body for my ar15 mostly due to weight and size. Cloud defensive has awesome lights but they are big and heavy. Curious to see the offering into the pistol market. If modlite can get the price under control id have a few more but my first pl350 order was nearly $480 after adding the charger and 4 more batteries.
@@WerkzHolsters Wow! I really thought that would do the trick. So the lights are overrated and the batteries appear to be delivering enough current. You guys are awesome taking viewer suggestions! Keep up the good work. I subscribed to your channel.
@@e7tegt503 We are sending 3 PL350s to an independent lab (2 of which are brand new) for testing. So we should have a definitive answer soon. Thanks for your encouraging words and feedback!
@@WerkzHolsters What was the current output with that 18650 battery you used? Modlite is selling their lights with Keeppower’s batteries, which have 10A current output. Keeppower have also 18650 battery with 15A output and 30Q and VTC6 it’s somewhere around 30A. I have Surefire Fury DFT with Surefire’s 18650 battery, output current 10A. I tried it with Keeppower’s 18650 battery with 15A output and it was brighter. Nothing dramatic but I could see it. Later I tried battery which had output closer to 30A but didn’t see any difference. I’t would be interesting to know what kind of battery Modlite use, when they are measuring their lights. Is it same Keeppower’s they are sending their lights with or is it something which have greater current output? Anyway, great review. 👍
We live in a great time... there are many good options today and I expect Cloud (and others) will continue to push the envelope to get us great products.
Very good review. I still think the modlite is king of all the lights available on the market. My mind hasn’t changed. Like you said, the most important thing with a weapon light is to be able to defeat the photonic barriers and this one does it while the other fail. All the other stuff you mentioned are minor issues that can be fixed but the candela output can not be fixed. Again, very nice review
The most important thing is for a weapon light is to work every single time you need it. Hence why 0 professionals will be using a brand new light from an instragam company. Even though the social media shills will make you think otherwise. Surefire and Streamlight are the the top tier cant go wrong with either. Those 2 brands are proven and operating in harms way daily in the hands of thousands of brave men and women.
@@packer492the Surefires and streamlights are GREAT lights. There is no doubt about that but no matter how good they are, someone will find a way to make a better light and the modlite will be the one. It hasn’t gotten a lot of attention because of the price. If the modlite was only $150-$200, I bet you more people will buy it and use it
Modlite put everything towards the design. Performance is terrible for the pricing! For the $300 price range, I recommend the surefire x300u. Overall, the TLR-1 HL is best performer for the pricing!
I like how you added “training” as a reliable answer to an issue that most Americans would be “victimized” over!! Haha. For me…the rest that showed the passenger in the vehicle blasting through headlights was the most important test. A vehicle with tinted windows film me with anxiety if approach is necessary. Better to get em in the vehicle than to allow exit.
Only Modlite knows if our set was representative of the production in general, or if our samples were "different". We have tested the Modlite 18650 flashlight body and battery with the PLHv2 head from the PL350, and it gave us 1055 ANSI lumens. We are having an independent testing company test the PL350-PLHv2 (3 samples, 2 of which are brand new), so we'll see what they come back with.
Just a thought. I really have no idea what I'm talking about from a technical standpoint, but does the size of the battery make a difference in the lumen and candela output? If you compare the specs to their handheld lights, they both list the same outputs.
Usually we see battery size affects runtime between 18650 and 18350, but it's possible it could affect current capability, but the circuitry is what determines how much current the light will pull from the battery. So if Modlite designed their lights to pull less current (and have less output) from the 18350 batteries, then Modlite would be the appropriate company to specify the reduced output when using 18350.
So what about your opinion of the rail you had here vs your durability testing you did months after this video where it was the only one that failed to stay attached?
Thank you for the content I enjoyed this next level unbiased review very much.. I love my modlite handheld but they need to be honest with the lumens if they aren't what they claimed. If they said 1000 lumens and 54,000 candela people would still buy it for the candela alone. It's more of an integrity thing for me. The plhv2 I have is phenomenal whether it was 1350 or 986 ansi lumens 😆. They should update the specs or update the light to match the specs barring this isn't some weird first production fluke with high resistance in the switch body or something. Is the handheld also only 1000 lumens?
@@eddiearchuleta615 yes my plhv2 hotspot makes my surefire x300 look like a kids toy in comparison as well. But if it's all candela in the center hot spot it could still have less total lumens than the 1350 claimed.
Awesome review, the burning question is would you recommend them, or is it still too early to say? I’ve ordered one and it should come next week. The lumens issue is not such a problem but the switching could be.
@@Highgear145 that’s a shame to hear. I’m beyond the point of no return as I’m living in Estonia so had to go through the hassle of importing one as Modlite do not have any European distribution channels at this time! Anyway if it fails then I’ll get it replaced under warranty.
@@maitrejacques everything seems to be working great so far, the build is very impressive and the switches seem rock solid after multiple actuations. I’ll feedback if anything changes.
Does any other manufacturer's lights meet their claimed specs? What about with hand-held lights using the same types of batteries? In the end, if the Modlite "only" puts out a max of abou 1000 and still does the job.....It's not like the human eye can tell the difference between 1000 and 1300 lumens...whether looking into the brightness (trying to) or illuminating something in the distance. Has any light faired better?
I agree with your "to my eye" assessment. The light has the strongest candela output. However, I have a number of lights that do meet their spec. I think that is definitely worth an article on lowlightdefense.com , and perhaps worth a video. I have the data; I just need to summarize it for folks.
Im waiting for Cloud Defensive’s pistol wml. I prefer their warmer color for true color representation of the lit area, plus it shows more detail. In my experience with their rifle mounted weapon lights it has great candela with some spill which gives you more situation awareness.
It definitely matters to me. That’s basically the main selling point. That combined with everything else is disappointing to say the least. Especially for the price. Thanks for this video 👍
Pistol lights that use 2 CR123 batteries run them in series. Running batteries in series increases the voltage, not the capacity. Watt-hours is a better estimator of runtime, as a flashlight can output the same amount of light at a lower amperage if the voltage is increased. 18350's and 18650's have a nominal voltage of 3.7v, while CR123 batteries have a nominal voltage of 3v. Though, the CR123 powered lights run at 6v, because they're in series. If the CR123 run at 3v with a capacity of 1500mah, then two can store 9 watt-hours of power. The 18350 included with the light runs at 3.7v with a capacity of 1200mah, for a total of 4.44 watt-hours of power. Your conclusion was fairly accurate, but the math wasn't.
I had to send mine back twice for switch issues and then when I tried to put the long arc switch on with the super glue like they recommend the super glue started drying before I got it seated all the way so I had to push it harder and then the thin metal switch post bent and so I bent it back and now it feels more flimsy than the other side like a paper clip about to break now it makes me worry about if it ever gets caught on something will it snap off they need to make it a solid piece design not a fan of the thin metal post at all
My PL350 switches turn the light off after every 2-3 rounds fired with the ARC switches on. Works fine with NO ARC switches. They are going to replace the entire light body.
@@WerkzHolsters supposedly in 2022 with significant updates on the WML's progress coming in the next 2 or 3 months, from what they said the body and heads are complete and there just trying to get the switches perfect...
It definitely matters from a legal perspective. If it’s better than it’s competition then it’s the best, but if it doesn’t match the advertised output, then is class action lawsuit ready.
I was hesitant because I hear about Modlite handheld issues. Looks like they're still going through growing pains. I've had no problems with their rifle lights...
@@WerkzHolsters the issues I heard were the same as these pistol lights. The heads were faulty and had to be sent back a few times. Being a fan of Candela, I still might get a handheld but am a little nervous. 😅
If you're aware of any 18650 pistol mount bodies, please let me know. If you're talking moving the light head, then yes, in the video I switched my PLHv2 head from my Modlite 18650 body to the PL350. The heads switch out easily. Hope that helps!
@@WerkzHolsters apologies. I assumed the pl350 used the standard modlite 18350 body not a body proprietary to the pl350 model. Hence why I asked if it was possible to use a modlite 18650 body instead.
@@KneeGrowDoingKneeGrowThings Got it. Yes, threads are standard. Heads swap over between handheld and PL350 just fine. Heads physically interchange with the Surefire Scout as well.
@@WerkzHolsters not my meaning. Can the pl350 be disassembled such that I can instead put an OKW head on an 18650 body (longer body) and then attach that amalgamation to the p350 tail and put it back together??? Essentially I want the length and battery life increase!
Issue for me is it makes a not insignificant amount of noise when using the switch. Should have gone silent. Room clearing, a silent light would be much better also no momentary.
![[DRAGON BALL LEGENDS REVEALS ＆ STUFF] LEGENDS FESTIVAL 2024 Special Edition Part 2](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/af0phKxitX8/mqdefault.jpg)
Update: We now have test results from an independent 3rd party lab. Check out the full report at www.lowlightdefense.com/modlite-pl350-how-many-lumens/
Heads up!!! Roger at QVO just sent thousands of people your way Lol 👍🏼
Thanks for all the effort in getting the third party tests out. There’s really an issue with their lumen and candela ratings. I’m interested to know how Modlite is going to fix this. Keep up the great work!
@@joshmajor8662 Say more?
@@christian.villapaz My pleasure sure!
@@WerkzHolsters Haha 😂 I follow both of you and he just did an in-depth dive into the same category, nothing as extensive but still in-depth. He linked and referenced this video in his video, if you don’t know Roger is awesome and seems to be good people 👍🏼
This is perfectly in line with modlite ignoring anything about their products that could be considered negative.
Let's hope Cloud Defensive's wml pulls through.
Amen
Can't wait
At this price point it should absolutely meet their claims of max lumens. Their declining to answer seems to me like they know it doesn't and didn't expect to get called out. I still think people would buy the light regardless, but I think there shouldn't be false advertising involved. Hopefully cloud defensive steps it up even more and doesn't make false claims when their pistol light comes out.
That's what I'm waiting for, Cloud Defense to drop their light. I love their rifle Iight.
@@the_joe_baker67N_official The REIN rifle lights are awesome and I like the color temps. I like the PL350 a lot, but if CD can do better, we all win.
People need to hop off Modlite's dick cause it has killed the company. The CEO has been allowed to run rampant lashing out at people including business partners who still support his product...and now they have a failed product launch? They had time...they should have just done more testing.
One of the best reviews I’ve seen about this light. The lumens issue is a bummer for sure. They can just advertise it at the 900+ ANSI lumen rating and people will buy given the candela. Production issues also need to be rectified. This light has great potential and I’d like to see the next iteration soon.
I agree with you!
By far the best review of this light.
Couldn’t agree more!!! Almost a month after it’s release and you sir are the ONLY person to give an honest review!!! Thank you lol it’s just as overrated as the tiny Surefire.
I see your part of the baseless anti-surefire cult
For a 1000 lumen light for $300+ dollars nothing should malfunction or be deviated from advertised spec. That's my two cents. The candela is impressive but the switches would be the deal breaker for me. I've been spoiled with olight and inforce paddle style switches. Rotary ones are not my preference.
I think we are indeed seeing a trend away from the rotary style switches. Thanks for your feedback Douglas!
@@WerkzHolsters thank you my own aiwb holsters from you guys have been awesome
Olight makes good lights honestly
@@byronbranch4645 Not from what I have personally seen. 3 out of 5 of the ones in my shooting circle have failed in one way or another. Chinese junk.
@@shinigami1925 hmm..i haven't had any issues with mine. But i understand where you're coming from cause i hate smith and Wesson m&P's and their dog shit triggers. Other folks love em though 🙂
Definitely one of the best reviews I've seen on this light...
To abet your question in point 4... yes, it matters. Honesty and integrity are a necessity.
At this price point. Reliability and dependability should be at the top…. This is a great review and shows me that modlite doesn’t have it!
I’ll keep my surefire X300U as there still isn’t a better light.
Subscribed - your WML comparison videos are easy to watch and follow while still being in-depth. Great work sir
You do some of the best reviews, thanks for the effort. For me personally, no momentary is a no go. I don’t think the lumens issue is one honestly, considering the candela. If they built a momentary switch, I’d be interested.
Thanks brother. Changed my mind! Going w the Modlite PL350 as of now 👊🏼
Hmm.... Think I'll wait for a "gen-2" of this one. Thanks for the awesome review!
Thanks
My pleasure!
For the clicking. I unscrewed the 4 screws in the back of mine. Fixed the oring position and reassembled it and tightened the screws harder than they came in the box. It made the switches a little stiffer so I don’t overrun the off position. And it brought my beautiful clicks back
Interesting! Maybe I'll take apart one of our test lights and take a look myself. Thanks for the suggestion!
@@WerkzHolsters funny enough. And then the little metal piece that holds the switch, I bent it and it snapped right off with very little effort. So had to send my body back to modlite lol. But good thing they have great customer service and my new body with new switches and everything is already on its way back to me after a week lol
@@jakeminton74 Modlite definitely works to take care of their customers!
This video is a great sales pitch for the tlr-1 HL.
Edit. The modlite is clean looking tho.
Yikes. Maybe a surefire x300u
Thank you for this detailed review. Don't have a Werkz holster, but I think I'm going to do business with you guys.
Thanks! Whether or not you buy from us, it is my hope that the data we provide will help all of us get better lights from manufacturers. It's my way of giving back to the firearms community. Blessings!
@@WerkzHolsters Same to you. 🙏
Absolutely love your reviews on WMLs. Combine these with Aaron Cowan who does the reviews on the opposite end of the spectrum and you have all bases covered.
My thoughts exactly man. Hahaha this popped up in my feed and I was like hey didn’t Aaron just review this thing? Saw ur comment and I was like yep.
Bases*.
@@T20-c8f yeah they are both phenomenal informationals. This is quality lab testing with objective numbers but Aaron goes into the field and beats the crap out of them to put the entire system to the practical test. Both amazing things to consider.
You are the man! You just saved my ass from purchasing this overpriced light. Not that it doesn’t have potential, I think they need to go over it and make some adjustments. Switch, and reliability.. This awesome review just earned you another SUB!
Jamison just ran the PL350 on a Walther PDP for 3 nights of Costa Ludus Restricted Visibility training. Look for our after-action report here on YT soon, and will include Jamison's thoughts on the PL350.
@@WerkzHolsters Will do, thanks!
You are doing a fantastic job with these reviews. They are very meticulous and high quality. Keep up the good work! 👍🏻
Thank you. These videos are a legit public service.
I think I’ll wait for them to fix the issues. As far as the switches, constant only is a matter of relearning switch manipulation. It could do without the loud clicks, though. The TLR-1’s constant on detent is fairly quiet.
Thats what im thinking. I'll keep using my 300 lumen TLR-1 until modlite hopefully fixes the quirks.
I’d still go with a SF x300 or streamlight TLR1 hl
Cloud defensive announced their TWO pistol lights coming soon, so glad I didn’t sell my x300 for this light. Going to be waiting on CD! ☁️ 🔦
It will be interesting to see what Cloud has for us.
Just to be fair, CD has released a drawing of one light body with two white light heads, one large and one small, and still nothing about the switchwork or the time line. ML has released one actual light body, three light heads and two IR heads. I have confidence that CD will do a great job, but as a previous customer of their other products, which I find to be excellent, I don’t expect them before the end of the year at best.
Nice honest review,
I like it for the Candela, throw, ease of battery change, warranty, and how THIN it is but I think I will wait a bit to see if Surefire or Cloud can compete with this in the near future before I pull the trigger on some massive candela....
Thanks much. My goal is to be neutral, but not hesitate to call out issues that I see.
I hope you are considering testing the x300 turbo
Really like that you guys do these types of videos. Good info to have.
Thanks much! We have quite a bit of work similar to this in the pipeline!
I can’t believe this testing. Those are some crazy results.
It matters; makes you wonder what other specs don't live up to their claims.
I was planning on purchasing one of these for a handgun, and still am - my overall impression is that, despite teething issues, it's still a good light. I'll just have to make sure to put it through it's paces first to verify everything functions correctly.
Thank you for a through and honest review. Lots of shills on social media and in the industry unfortunately.
Great review!!! Subscribed. I hope you review Cloud defensive pistol light when it comes out
I'm looking forward to reviewing that light!
Great review. Having a sample size >1 adds a lot to the value of the info. Missing the rated lumens is pretty vexing considering the price point and the standards set by SureFire in this price range of exceeding rated lumens. It will be also be interesting to see how the switches do over the lifespan of the light and after an extremely high number of cycles. I think I'll wait on this model. I'm still highly invested in CR123a platforms, and with LiFePO4 support, the differences in capability are not very large.
To piggyback off your CR123a point, I would much rather have a reliable supply of batteries than to have to deal with what is almost a proprietary model. I can get CR123a batteries all day at Wal-Mart.
I was ready to buy one but am going to hold off as a result of this thorough review. I can’t afford to buy multiple $319 weapon lights to get a couple reliable ones.
Such good info! Thank you. Still very impressed with my rig your team built for my G3C with a balder mini. Great holster…
Cheers from Anacortes.
Thanks much for your encouraging feedback Ray! Plan on being in Anacortes the last weekend of the month to visit family and take a class (not firearms).
I liked the one I got so much that I bought a second one to mount on Picatinny since I put the Glock tab in my first one.
Man-what a great review!
Thanks much Juan!
I’d like to see the lumen and candela measurements for their 18650 lights. I wonder if the 18350 is somehow holding the heads back.
Excellent review, information, and accountability of modlite. Thank you for all your hard work you guys are awesome!
Thank you for your encouragement! As long as you guys keep watching, we'll keep making weaponlight videos. :)
I've only had one issue with it and it might be one not common to the everyday end user. When the battery gets to about 10 minutes of run time, the light will flash three times. The cadence for this is not what I would describe as quick so when it flashes, you have that loss of visibility. I run this on my duty pistol and had this issue come up unexpectedly while clearing a warehouse. Not a deal breaker for a lot of people but it would be nice to have a variant that maybe simply steps down when it is running low.
And as an edit, it will do this flash cycle every time you disengage and re-engage the light.
Steve, we've seen this behavior as well. It also happens on the handhelds. I agree that the flashing to let you know that the light is stepping down is super distracting.
These videos are awesome
Thanks Matt!
I have two one was a warranty both had switch problems one had flickering problems I think if they get that fixed it could be a great light
I have the same issue with the non-clicking on the switches. I noticed it probably within the first 20 clicks lol.
Thank you for this test and review! I have 3 of the PL350s, I do not like the switches in the least. The mounting bolt is also far from ideal. I thought it would likely be the best light for the Flux Raider, but the switches make it kind of difficult to use. I agree it could be or is “a training issue”, but the best tools for defense are ones that are easily used, even without training.
Thank you again! Subscribed!
It’s not a training issue. The switches are trash.
Your vids are great, keep up the terrific work.
Thanks so much David! We have a bunch more in production!
I don’t like that modlite appears to be lieing about the output but I honestly am still considering giving this light a chance vs a surfire
Love these light reviews - I’ve been using the PL Valkyrie Pro, but have been looking at the TLR-1 HL. I think my biggest concern with the Olight is the fact that I have to charge it and just can’t swap batteries. These reviews really helped and I appreciate how honest and in depth you were.
Thanks much! It's our hope that these videos can help people make more informed decisions... with data. We have a lot more work like this in the pipeline!
I think the charging is the best part of Olight. Though I agree in a rapidly deteriorating situation where charge time becomes absolutely not possible swapping batteries is a better choice. This is why I have both styles of light and plenty of the stupid expensive batteries that always seem to be at some point LESS than full charge anytime you go to use them. Compared to the Olight that I can simply slap in a charger once every couple of weeks or monthly and always have a fully charged light that will surely outlast and pistol fight of 2 or 3 rounds.
@@koolsolutionszx12r55
Olights are cheap buy two. Swap it out if needed as you put the other on a charger. Problem solved and save on battery swaps. Quick disconnect makes it easier than changing a battery in the field.
@@jameskozlowski5496or just never buy OLight
wow so glad I seen this tonight
very useful review
Great video, I mounted my Modlite PL350 to my Sig P320 357 Sig unfortunately the Modlite failed and has to be returned for repairs, the recoil of the 357 Sig destroyed the 1913 rail insert in less than 2 magazines, after watching this video I think I'm gonna get a refund
Hey thanks Mr. Ellison for sharing your experience. I know my team did notify me about inserting and removing the inserts. They told me that the inserts are soft and get damaged after putting in and taking out only a few times... like too soft a plastic was used for injection molding. (We injection mold many of our own parts here, so we have some experience with molding.)
@@WerkzHolsters Wow!! Unacceptable on a light that cost $330, Modlite shipped me out a new rail insert so I'm gonna give it another chance 🙂
@@Highgear145 They might figure folks won't change them out as often as we might, and it's cheap and easy to send customers a replacement.
excellent review
because of training. TRUE
Nice honest review. What extended mag base plates are you using?
Thanks much Paul! That baseplate is from Henning.
Doing excellent excellent work.
Can you let us know if Surefire, Streamlight & Olight are putting out the correct numbers?
But from this video, if I’m going to spend a lot on a light, seems like Surefire is the way.
There are "peak" numbers, which are numbers that a light puts out right after turning on. Then there is ANSI / PLATO definition of peak, which requires an average of the measurements from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. I'm switching to use ANSI / PLATO spec numbers as those are what everyone in the industry should be using. The Surefire "king" video has peak numbers in it, and the latest Olight Baldr Pro R video uses ANSI / PLATO. You can see all the data at lowlightdefense.com/ and see for yourself if manufacturers meet their specs. It depends upon both manufacturer and specific light.
Can you do a review on crimson trace lights
We'll add them to our list thanks!
Amazing review
Great video
Good thing there's an aftermarket solution for the overrunning off position
I just put thes on 2 glocks and an M&p it blows all other wml out of the water and I just purchased 1000 lumen tlr1s and replaced them all with the pl350
Agree... the candela on the PL350 are outstanding.
Been waiting for this video. I did find it weird that my HLX lumen output seemed basically identical to my PLHv2 (excluding the hotspot/candela). Now seeing your lumen findings, it makes more sense. I've been following the PL350 launch and after pretty closely (as I bought one at launch) and well... modlite is being modlite and fanboys are being fanboys. And of course, fire fuelers being fire fuelers lol. I had to return my PL350 body as it had that dead click, the tabs when overextended or pressed inwards (towards the trigger) turned the light momentarily off. Lastly, there was some anodizing problems on the inside. Hopefully the one coming to me doesn't have any of these problems, but hearing that the dead click is within spec is pretty disappointing.
I'm conflicted on whether the feel and controls and runtime and everything besides the output of the TLR1HL is worth running over the PL350 (with any head) or if the output overshadows everything else.
Thanks so much for posting your experience. Though my sample size isn't small (5... well 6 now that we bought the PLH5k-PL350) I'm not sure if my issues were unique or not. Sounds like you got momentary switches, but not the kind you were looking for. I'm with you on the conflict between output and the other decision vectors. Though I'll say that having super high candela is pretty compelling... Thanks again for posting your experience.
I've been debating on my next holster. After seeing such thorough reviews, I feel like werkz has to be a great company. Does the m6 aiwb g19 gen4 MOS holster work for a shadow systems mr920? If so I am making a purchase ASAP. Thank you for this great review!
Thanks Logan for your feedback. I don't have the SS MR920 here, so I cannot personally verify. However, if you want to try it and let me know (either way), I would appreciate it. If it doesn't work, point customer service to this post and I'll pay return shipping so you wouldn't be out anything.
@@WerkzHolsters definitely! Thank you!
The MR920 fits all G19 gen 3-5 holsters
@@Ir0nF1st924 That's what I thought as well. Did you verify in one of ours, or that's something from SS?
@@WerkzHolsters From SS. I don't have a Werkz holster, but it fits my other G19 holsters.
Amazing info!
I bought 1 mostly for the beam pattern. 1000lumen is fine and im betting modlite is quoting theoretical lumen output based on specs alone and not actually testing the light after all the internal losses causing voltage drop.
Coming from x300u to modlite is easy considering most of my holsters interchange. And the rechargeable 18350 is nice.
Honestly the beam pattern is just perfect and my edc light a noctigon kr1 18650 with the w2 emitter is nearly identical in both tint and beam pattern as well as being rated at 1300lumen.
Ill likely get a plhv2 head and an 18350 body for my ar15 mostly due to weight and size. Cloud defensive has awesome lights but they are big and heavy. Curious to see the offering into the pistol market.
If modlite can get the price under control id have a few more but my first pl350 order was nearly $480 after adding the charger and 4 more batteries.
Kyle thanks for your feedback and sharing your experience! Agree that the 18350 batteries using a removable head/bezel are pretty nice.
I was looking at purchasing one of these but I think I'm going to stick with Streamlight TLR1HL
The TLR-1HL is a strong choice for many.
It’s the battery. It can’t handle the current. Try the plhv2 with your handheld body and a 30q or vtc6. I bet it’ll deliver the goods.
I think that's a relevant test... test all the same heads on my 18650 body.
Ok, tested with the Modlite 18650 battery and body, fully charged. It increased the output... slightly. 1055 ANSI lumens.
@@WerkzHolsters
Wow! I really thought that would do the trick. So the lights are overrated and the batteries appear to be delivering enough current.
You guys are awesome taking viewer suggestions! Keep up the good work. I subscribed to your channel.
@@e7tegt503 We are sending 3 PL350s to an independent lab (2 of which are brand new) for testing. So we should have a definitive answer soon. Thanks for your encouraging words and feedback!
@@WerkzHolsters What was the current output with that 18650 battery you used? Modlite is selling their lights with Keeppower’s batteries, which have 10A current output. Keeppower have also 18650 battery with 15A output and 30Q and VTC6 it’s somewhere around 30A. I have Surefire Fury DFT with Surefire’s 18650 battery, output current 10A. I tried it with Keeppower’s 18650 battery with 15A output and it was brighter. Nothing dramatic but I could see it. Later I tried battery which had output closer to 30A but didn’t see any difference. I’t would be interesting to know what kind of battery Modlite use, when they are measuring their lights. Is it same Keeppower’s they are sending their lights with or is it something which have greater current output? Anyway, great review. 👍
I'll have to wait and see what cloud defensive comes out with... hopefully soon.
We live in a great time... there are many good options today and I expect Cloud (and others) will continue to push the envelope to get us great products.
What iron sights are you running on the g34 in the video
Very good review. I still think the modlite is king of all the lights available on the market. My mind hasn’t changed. Like you said, the most important thing with a weapon light is to be able to defeat the photonic barriers and this one does it while the other fail. All the other stuff you mentioned are minor issues that can be fixed but the candela output can not be fixed. Again, very nice review
Excellent feedback as well Phillip, thank you!
The most important thing is for a weapon light is to work every single time you need it. Hence why 0 professionals will be using a brand new light from an instragam company. Even though the social media shills will make you think otherwise. Surefire and Streamlight are the the top tier cant go wrong with either. Those 2 brands are proven and operating in harms way daily in the hands of thousands of brave men and women.
@@packer492the Surefires and streamlights are GREAT lights. There is no doubt about that but no matter how good they are, someone will find a way to make a better light and the modlite will be the one. It hasn’t gotten a lot of attention because of the price. If the modlite was only $150-$200, I bet you more people will buy it and use it
Modlite put everything towards the design. Performance is terrible for the pricing! For the $300 price range, I recommend the surefire x300u. Overall, the TLR-1 HL is best performer for the pricing!
I like how you added “training” as a reliable answer to an issue that most Americans would be “victimized” over!! Haha. For me…the rest that showed the passenger in the vehicle blasting through headlights was the most important test. A vehicle with tinted windows film me with anxiety if approach is necessary. Better to get em in the vehicle than to allow exit.
Great review. But does this mean every mod lite heads been wrong about output? Same battery and head? Would the body limit lumen ability?
Only Modlite knows if our set was representative of the production in general, or if our samples were "different". We have tested the Modlite 18650 flashlight body and battery with the PLHv2 head from the PL350, and it gave us 1055 ANSI lumens. We are having an independent testing company test the PL350-PLHv2 (3 samples, 2 of which are brand new), so we'll see what they come back with.
Great video love my m6 holster. 🤘🇺🇸
Just a thought. I really have no idea what I'm talking about from a technical standpoint, but does the size of the battery make a difference in the lumen and candela output? If you compare the specs to their handheld lights, they both list the same outputs.
Usually we see battery size affects runtime between 18650 and 18350, but it's possible it could affect current capability, but the circuitry is what determines how much current the light will pull from the battery. So if Modlite designed their lights to pull less current (and have less output) from the 18350 batteries, then Modlite would be the appropriate company to specify the reduced output when using 18350.
So what about your opinion of the rail you had here vs your durability testing you did months after this video where it was the only one that failed to stay attached?
The PL350 that we had fail here was the only rail failure I have experienced to date.
@@WerkzHolsters OK. Thank you.
Thank you for the content I enjoyed this next level unbiased review very much.. I love my modlite handheld but they need to be honest with the lumens if they aren't what they claimed. If they said 1000 lumens and 54,000 candela people would still buy it for the candela alone. It's more of an integrity thing for me. The plhv2 I have is phenomenal whether it was 1350 or 986 ansi lumens 😆. They should update the specs or update the light to match the specs barring this isn't some weird first production fluke with high resistance in the switch body or something. Is the handheld also only 1000 lumens?
They are definitely brighter than 1000 lumens the pl350 plhv2 washes out my Tlr1hl like a mofo
@@eddiearchuleta615 yes my plhv2 hotspot makes my surefire x300 look like a kids toy in comparison as well. But if it's all candela in the center hot spot it could still have less total lumens than the 1350 claimed.
So at the price point these light sell at, I would expect it to meet the advertised spec and be of higher or better quality.
Test the Weltool LH1 or LH3 head please!
I'm a flashaholic and it's cool to see someone test with real equipment on WMLs.
Awesome review, the burning question is would you recommend them, or is it still too early to say? I’ve ordered one and it should come next week. The lumens issue is not such a problem but the switching could be.
Get your money back seriously, I have one it failed in less than 2 magazines
@@Highgear145 that’s a shame to hear. I’m beyond the point of no return as I’m living in Estonia so had to go through the hassle of importing one as Modlite do not have any European distribution channels at this time! Anyway if it fails then I’ll get it replaced under warranty.
Unless it’s failure leads to your untimely demise😬🤦🏻♂️
@@maitrejacques everything seems to be working great so far, the build is very impressive and the switches seem rock solid after multiple actuations. I’ll feedback if anything changes.
painful + is amazing
Does any other manufacturer's lights meet their claimed specs? What about with hand-held lights using the same types of batteries?
In the end, if the Modlite "only" puts out a max of abou 1000 and still does the job.....It's not like the human eye can tell the difference between 1000 and 1300 lumens...whether looking into the brightness (trying to) or illuminating something in the distance.
Has any light faired better?
I agree with your "to my eye" assessment. The light has the strongest candela output. However, I have a number of lights that do meet their spec. I think that is definitely worth an article on lowlightdefense.com , and perhaps worth a video. I have the data; I just need to summarize it for folks.
Im waiting for Cloud Defensive’s pistol wml. I prefer their warmer color for true color representation of the lit area, plus it shows more detail. In my experience with their rifle mounted weapon lights it has great candela with some spill which gives you more situation awareness.
It definitely matters to me. That’s basically the main selling point. That combined with everything else is disappointing to say the least. Especially for the price. Thanks for this video 👍
Pistol lights that use 2 CR123 batteries run them in series. Running batteries in series increases the voltage, not the capacity. Watt-hours is a better estimator of runtime, as a flashlight can output the same amount of light at a lower amperage if the voltage is increased. 18350's and 18650's have a nominal voltage of 3.7v, while CR123 batteries have a nominal voltage of 3v. Though, the CR123 powered lights run at 6v, because they're in series. If the CR123 run at 3v with a capacity of 1500mah, then two can store 9 watt-hours of power. The 18350 included with the light runs at 3.7v with a capacity of 1200mah, for a total of 4.44 watt-hours of power. Your conclusion was fairly accurate, but the math wasn't.
Yes! I hate making mistakes, so for that I apologize. Thank you very much for the correction!
@@WerkzHolsters No worries. This video is fantastic. Great information!
Can you review the surfire x300u
Here you go: ruclips.net/video/cHlPnfcwUgg/видео.html
@@WerkzHolsters thank you. I typed that before checking your channel. Great content and video! Love it!
@@cchen4754 Glad you like it! Thanks for joining us! We have a lot more work in the pipeline.
I had to send mine back twice for switch issues and then when I tried to put the long arc switch on with the super glue like they recommend the super glue started drying before I got it seated all the way so I had to push it harder and then the thin metal switch post bent and so I bent it back and now it feels more flimsy than the other side like a paper clip about to break now it makes me worry about if it ever gets caught on something will it snap off they need to make it a solid piece design not a fan of the thin metal post at all
My PL350 switches turn the light off after every 2-3 rounds fired with the ARC switches on. Works fine with NO ARC switches. They are going to replace the entire light body.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
lemme get one you have 5 of them, thanks
Great review. I was wondering whether this brand was worth the money, and based on your analysis, the answer is NO.
Should be perfect for the price
...so when is Cloud Defensive releasing a pistol light?
I am not aware of a date yet.
@@WerkzHolsters supposedly in 2022 with significant updates on the WML's progress coming in the next 2 or 3 months, from what they said the body and heads are complete and there just trying to get the switches perfect...
It definitely matters from a legal perspective. If it’s better than it’s competition then it’s the best, but if it doesn’t match the advertised output, then is class action lawsuit ready.
😂
I just put the tlr 1 hl 1000!lumen 20k candella up against the pl350 no comparison the midlife is an absolute monster
Agreed!
Put a Surefire DF head on the pl350 and do a lumen test with it.
I was hesitant because I hear about Modlite handheld issues. Looks like they're still going through growing pains. I've had no problems with their rifle lights...
I do carry a Modlite handheld and it's been flawless -- zero issues.
@@WerkzHolsters the issues I heard were the same as these pistol lights. The heads were faulty and had to be sent back a few times. Being a fan of Candela, I still might get a handheld but am a little nervous. 😅
@@archstanton664 Customer service is excellent... if you have a problem I'm sure they'll take care of it.
The X300 Turbo with 650 lumens and 66,000 candela will be stiff competition for the PL350
Yes, check out my more recent video on the X300T.
Can you replace the 18350 body with the 18650 body?
If you're aware of any 18650 pistol mount bodies, please let me know. If you're talking moving the light head, then yes, in the video I switched my PLHv2 head from my Modlite 18650 body to the PL350. The heads switch out easily. Hope that helps!
@@WerkzHolsters apologies. I assumed the pl350 used the standard modlite 18350 body not a body proprietary to the pl350 model. Hence why I asked if it was possible to use a modlite 18650 body instead.
@@KneeGrowDoingKneeGrowThings Got it. Yes, threads are standard. Heads swap over between handheld and PL350 just fine. Heads physically interchange with the Surefire Scout as well.
@@WerkzHolsters not my meaning. Can the pl350 be disassembled such that I can instead put an OKW head on an 18650 body (longer body) and then attach that amalgamation to the p350 tail and put it back together???
Essentially I want the length and battery life increase!
@@KneeGrowDoingKneeGrowThings I don't know. I suppose anything is possible with enough time & engineering skill.
Issue for me is it makes a not insignificant amount of noise when using the switch. Should have gone silent. Room clearing, a silent light would be much better also no momentary.
You make an interesting point about the noise!
Nicely Done! Now they will probably ban you & take away your birthday. Carry On 😂