The tactical light world is chalk full of companies that are trying to reinvent the wheel these days. But it begs the question – Why? At the end of the day, we’re talking about a flashlight that’s mounted to the end of your weapon system. It needs to be reliable, it needs to be bright, and it should be low profile with minimal weight. Well, Olight has achieved that with great success.
The team at Olight reached out to me to test their premium weapon light – the PL-2 Valkyrie. Seeing as how I have used and own most other lights from other manufacturers, I pitted the Valkyrie against the TLR-2 and the X-300 to see how it stacked up against its competitors. My findings were quite surprising.
What really stunned me about this light is that they boast an absolutely impressive 1,200 Lumens. That is double what Surefire says the X-300 is blasting and over four times the lumens from the TLR-2. I was curious if this was a little exaggerated on Olight or if they actually made a 1,200-lumen weapons light. So what I did is I put fresh batteries in all three systems and tested them from my roof overlooking a wide-open lot. Not only was the PL-2 brighter than the other two, but it also had a really nice focus beam and a good amount of wide illumination. This is perfect for a tactical scenario so you don’t get tunnel vision on one singular beam of light and fail to see other peripheral threats.
If the 1,200 lumens weren’t enough of a bonus, the PL-2 is not only waterproof, but it’s also the smallest and lightest out of the three competitors. Coming in at 3.25” long and only weighing 2.28 ounces, this is significantly less of a footprint than the TLR-2 and X-300. This compact size really keeps the carbon off the lens keeping it clearer, longer and also prevents fatigue due to the extra weight at the muzzle.
Another design function that I found pleasing was the almost haptic click response of the on/off switch. Even with gloves, you can feel a firm response to finger pressure making every on and off activation of the light very deliberate. This seemingly simple feature is very critical in a tactical situation so as to not unintentionally destroy your adjusted eyes or give away your position. The Surefire X-300 failed miserably at this task, but the TLR-2 did a good job. I think that the PL-2 switch far surpasses the TLR-2, especially with the seamless use of keeping the light on or only momentarily.
With an attainable price point of $99.95, the Valkyrie should be a must-have for any responsible citizen or law enforcement professional. Olight has tapped on all of my must-haves for a weapon light – Bright, reliable, compact and lightweight. The PL-2 met and exceeded all of my expectations.
| Beam Distance (ft) | 770 |
| Beam Distance (m) | 235 |
| Max. Performance (lumens) | 1200 |
| Charge type | Optional charger |
| Compatible Batteries | 2 x CR123A/RCR123A |
| Light Intensity (candela) | 13800 |
| Light Form | Standard hotspot diameter with impressive distance. The perfect all-around beam profile. |
| Lens / Reflector Type | TIR reflector (big, defined wide hotspot) |
| Mode Operation | Side Switch |
| Form/Size Factor | Small size (Car key / Zippo Lighter) |
| Series | Series PL (gun flashlight) |
| Unique Characteristics |
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