Update: Olight is having a 40% off sale on their site now
Earlier this year Olight released the latest version of their full sized warrior flashlight the M2R Pro. The new Warrior light is similar in size to Olight’s popular rail-mounted flashlight, the Odin but packs a bit more of a punch. A week or so ago Olight sent one over for us to play around with. For the past few days Ive been trying to put it through the ringer and find out if its worth your hard earned cash. The M2R warrior we’ve got is an electric blue color with a black dual-function pocket clip and a black crenelated attack bezel and is reminiscent of Sub Zero from Mortal Kombat.
Product Specifications
- Material: AL6061 aluminum alloy (main body)
- LED: High performance neutral white
- Weight: 6.31 oz
- Height: 5.3 in
- Output: 1800 Lumens
- Battery: 4000mAh 21700 rechargeable
- Beam Distance: 300 meters
- Waterproof: IPX-8
One of the more aggro lights we’ve tested – the M2R looks like it could bite your face off.
As expected the light is built to the standard Olight is known for. Milled out of a single piece of AL6061-T6 Aluminum Alloy, the light is easy to hold in the hand and pushes out up to 1,800 lumens in Turbo mode in a highly concentrated beam profile. What really makes this light stand out is the aggressive design, led by the attack bezel on the front of the light. It really gives the light a distinct appearance when compared to other Olight lights or most other tactical flashlights.
Olight M2R Warrior Features
In the Box: Flashlight (Olight M2R Pro Warrior), Nylon holster, Belt clip, MCC3 USB magnetic charger, Custom 21700 5000mAh battery, Laynard, User manual
Size and Weight
The M2R is nearly identical in size to the Odin rail mounted light also from Olight and the more popular PD35Tac from Fenix. If you take a look at the photo below, you can see the M2R (middle) standing in between the Olight Odin (left) and the Fenix PD35Tac (right).
I genuinely feel like these lights are the perfect form factor. They are not too small, and feel substantial in the hand. They’re also not cumbersome when you are trying to get the light back into its holster or attached back to your belt or pack after usage. On that note, the size also makes it easy to quickly grab and operate in a pinch – unlike some of the smaller EDC lights out which are attached to your keys or stowed away in using a deep carry pocket clip.
As expected the millwork and knurling on this light is exceptional. I actually love the blue body because it makes the detailed knurling that much more obvious when you look at the light. In addition to providing a better gripping surface, the fancy knurling also helps distribute the heat the light puts off, operating somewhat like a heatsink to keep the light cool during use.
An aggressive tactical flashlight that exceeded all of our expectations.
The M2R Warrior Pro from Olight is a fantastically capable edc flashlight capable of putting out 1800 lumens in a great form factor.
Power and Output
The neutral white LED is capable of putting out up to 1800 lumens at a distance of almost 1,000 feet. It is a super bright light when it’s at its brightest. The light can step down to a few other output levels and each has a slightly longer runtime than the next. The LED is surrounded by a smooth reflector, which helps keep the beam focused out to almost 300 meters. The lens itself is reinforced AR coated glass, which is scratch resistant.
This particular light has a feature from Olight called ‘mode memory’ which makes it so that the light remembers the last mode you configured it to using the side switch and will automatically start in that mode when toggled on via the tailcap switch. Its super convenient and makes it so that you do not have to constantly switch between output modes just to see what you are trying to look at.
Additionally the dual switches on the light are quiet, and do not make a loud clicky sound often heard of comparable flashlights from Fenix and Surefire. This is a welcome addition to the product as walking around in the dark with a clicking flashlight can often defeat the purpose of approaching stealthily.
Related: Top Tactical Flashlights of the past year – Ranked
One of my favorite features with all Olights is the moonlight mode. By holding the side switch the light turns on at 1 lumen, making it incredibly useful for middle of the night, inside the tent operations or when trying to read a book to a toddler in a tent.
Battery Life
Like all of Olight’s other edc lights this one comes with a magnetic tail cap for quick charging making it easy as ever to keep your light powered up when you need it most. Similar to all other lights of this size and form factor the light was able to last a few hours of continuous use and then slowly starts to fade. The M2R steps down in brightness in fixed stops as opposed to just slowly getting less bright – which is helpful to understand how much battery life is left without looking at the LED on the side switch.
I leave the USB MCC charger connected to my USB hub and just leave the light attached so it’s always ready to go. I follow the same procedure in my car and have my warrior mini always charging in the center console.
Crenelated Attack Bezel
What really makes the M2R stand out from some of Olights other EDC offerings of this size is the distinctly colored attack bezel on the front of the light. A deadly bludgeoning tool, the bezel is a specific addition that gives the light a much more battle-ready look.
Operating the Olight M2R Warrior Pro
Taken from the included User Manual
Switching on and off Press the side switch to turn on the torch at the last stored level or to turn it off.
Variation of brightness levels While the light is on, keeping the side switch pressed, the levels will be cycled as follows: Low-Mid1-Mid2-High. Turbo and Moonlight are not included in the cycle.
Moonlight mode When the flashlight is off, a long press on the side switch will light on the Moonlight level of 1 lumen.
Turbo and Strobe Double click on the side switch to access the Turbo. Triple click for the strobe.
Lockout With the light off, press and hold the switch for over two seconds to electronically lock the interface. Repeat the operation to unlock it.
Tail switch With the M2R it is possible to select different output levels using the tail switch. There are two modes of use (Mode1 and Mode2) managed entirely by the magnetic switch the on the butt of the light.
- Green LED: Battery over 75%
- Orange LED: Battery between 30% and 75%
- Red LED: Battery less than 30%
- Flashing red LED: Battery less than 10% charge
Pros
- Perfect form factor
- Aggressive appearance
- Dual on/off switches
- Magnetic charging
Cons
- No Red Light Option
- Can get hot
Verdict
Overall the M2R from Olight is one of the better lights tested this year. It’s incredibly bright, has some of the best features in the industry and comes with a 5 year warranty to boot. For anyone looking for a no nonsense tactical flashlight to carry while on the job, out in the field or while out at night walking your dog, the M2R is an excellent choice.
An aggressive tactical flashlight that exceeded all of our expectations.
The M2R Warrior Pro from Olight is a fantastically capable edc flashlight capable of putting out 1800 lumens in a great form factor.
Zach Belmont has been working in the outdoor apparel industry in one form or another for over 20 years. During his career, he has worked at some of the most well-known adventure brands including Patagonia and The North Face in marketing, operations and product development. Zach currently lives in Wyoming with his wife and 2 kids.
