By Dan Sanchez
Over the years we’ve tested lots of LED flashlights and the Olympia RG850 is one of the best we’ve come across lately. While the Olympia RG850 has many features that make it a great flashlight for a multitude of outdoor activities, we especially liked that it is waterproof to two meters, and that is has a rechargeable battery.
ver the years we’ve tested lots of LED flashlights and the Olympia RG850 is one of the best we’ve come across lately. While the Olympia RG850 has many features that make it a great flashlight for a multitude of outdoor activities, we especially liked that it is waterproof to two meters, and that is has a rechargeable battery.
The Olypmia RG850 is first and foremost a strong and durable flashlight. Made from aircraft grade aluminum, it features a black anodized finish that gives it a rugged, almost tactical appearance. The RG850 has a rear push button switch that can activate five different settings. Press the switch half-way and the LED turns on momentarily, as long as you hold the button. Push the button in until it clicks, and the flashlight goes into the continuous lighting mode. You can continue to push the button in to access the high-beam, mid-beam, low-beam, strobe and SOS modes too. In the high-beam mode, the RG850 can put out 850 Lumens of light which will last approximately a little more than one hour. When in a tent or looking for gear in your vehicle, the mid beam mode at 360 Lumens, or the low-beam mode at 20 Lumens, can dramatically improve the overall run time of the flashlight; enough to last you your entire weekend camping trip.
But should you run out of power, the RG850 has a hidden Micro USB port that is accessed by unscrewing the head of the flashlight to reveal the port. The included charger cord can be plugged into a standard USB port or a 12-volt outlet. Charging time is about eight hours.
Olympia spared no expense in creating a high-end, heavy-duty flashlight that feels hefty, rugged and extremely durable. It even memorizes the last setting it was in after you turn it off, so that it goes into that same setting once you turn it back on again. Olympia uses high quality Cree XML LEDs with this flashlight, which have a lifespan rating of 50,000 hours. So you’ll get nearly a lifetime of use out of this flashlight and be able to hand it down to your kids for them to use too.
While the RG850 is rugged, it does have some potential drawbacks. Several O-rings are used to keep the housing water tight and sealed. Over time, these can tear or leak, so as Olympia points out in its instructions, you can lubricate the O-rings with a small dab of silicone grease or petroleum jelly to make them last much longer. Nevertheless, Olympia gives you two extra O-rings just in case.
The advantage of low power consumption with high Lumens outpot, makes the Olympia RG850 a great value for the outdoor enthusiast. The flashlight comes with the Micro USB charger cable and charger, one rechargeable battery, nylon holster, lanyard extra rubber tail switch cover, two-extra O-rings, and a user guide. For more information, visit www.olympiaproducts.com.
Specifications:
- Aircraft Aluminum Body
- Max Output 850 Lumens (FL 1 Standard)
- Max Runtime On Full Charge 65 Hours (Low Beam Setting)
- Waterproof To 2 Meters
- Power – Rechargable NiMH Battery
- Dimensions 5.7″L x 1.3″D
- Weight 4.2 oz (118.2g)
At the 2014 Outdoor Retailer show, we had an opportunity to find out about the RG850 flashlight and other Olympia lights, solar panels, and two-way radios.
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