Olight i3E EOS Flashlight Review
For this Olight i3E EOS flashlight review, I field tested it as a secondary backup light. I have had the i3E EOS for over eleven months and used it while camping, fishing, backpacking and general outdoor use.
The reason I brought the flashlight was, I wanted a light that was small enough to attach on my keychain for a backup light, but still be reasonable powered.
Also the switch was very important for me. As I didn’t want to accidentally turn the torch on, without me knowing and use the battery up. This was very important as I would a lot of times venture into the woods backpacking alone.
So when I saw the specs of the Olight i3E EOS flashlight was advertised as the smallest keychain flashlight with 90 lumen light on the market, I done further research on it.
Learning that it took only one “AAA” battery as well was another bonus, so I excitedly ordered it.
Initial Impression out of the box when I first got it.
My first thoughts getting the light out of the box was how small it was, which was what I wanted for a good keychain flashlight.
I took a closer look at the unit. The workmanship looked good and I couldn’t see any flaws or blemishes on it.
The body was aluminum anodized steel and looked and felt very solid.
My Olight was a black color and looked like a tactical flashlight with the groves running parallel along the body and head of the torch.
It gripped easy and wasn’t slippery.
After unscrewing the head and removing the piece of plastic that stops the battery from connecting (So it can’t accidentally turn on. Mine came with a battery.) to the circuit board in the head, I turned it on. Wow, the light was pretty bright and impressive for such a small flashlight.
I couldn’t wait to try it in the field and do a review on it.
The Olight i3E EOS flashlight review details.
Flashlight Specs.
LED – Philips LUXEON TX LED and a PMMA TIR lens
A6061-T6 aluminum alloy body with anti-scratch Type-II hard anodizing
Max Brightness: 90 lumen
Candela: 500cd
Throw: 44m
Max Run Time: 45min (Alkaline Battery)
Max Run Time: 70min (NiMH Battery)
Weight: .28 ounces. Approximately 7.9g
Length: 2.38 inches. Approx 60.5mm
As above image, with the battery included the Olight weighed around 20 grams. (Approximately 70 ounces .)
Turning it on.
With the i3E EOS model, you rotate the head to turn it on. To turn it off, you just rotate the other way. In the turned on position, the head is fully screwed down.
Battery Power source and light.
I really like the one “AAA” battery function it uses. As this also is the size of the batteries in my GPS and also my headlamp.
This is great for swapping around batteries in case one item had flat batteries when in the woods. This also saves stocking up and carrying 101 different battery sizes. I also carry a couple of spare “AAA” batteries in my back pack for extras.
In the pack comes one “AAA” Alkaline battery as well. In the eleven months of use I haven’t changed the battery.
I haven’t recorded the use time, but mostly the torch was used for just getting items out of my backpack. Or tying some flies on when fly fishing. (Hard to beat a hands free headlamp though. It is hard to hold the torch and tie hooks on the same time. But I did want to test it out for the flashlight review.) See my tips on Night Fishing.
Or just general use around camp for a few seconds or minutes. I also use it briefly at home, like seeing the door lock and key at night.
Overall the brightness is great, it lives up to the 90 lumen. A few fishing friends are surprised how bright the little thing is.
Function /mode.
The i3E EOS doesn’t have an adjustable mode, like a strobe setting or dimmer. But for its weight and size, it isn’t a concern for me.
The tail end of the torch.
There is a split ring is attached to the tail end of the torch and seems solid. As stated I have had it for eleven months and during that time it has been attached and taken on and off from my car keyring a fair bit. It hasn’t looked like pulling of or breaking.
Colors.
The Olight i3E EOS comes in 7 colors. Black, copper, blue, purple, red, and green. There is also a silver color model Olight i3E EOS, which is 120 lumens.
Is the Olight i3E EOS waterproof?
The i3E EOS is advertised as waterproof.
I didn’t submerge it in the water deliberately for the review. Although when fishing, I nearly accidentally dunked it in the water a few times.
When I used if for camping and bowhunting, the Olight got wet quite a few times with some heavy downpours of rain. It held up fine in the cold and wet.
Negatives of the Olight i3E EOS Flashlight.
One drawback about the Olight was, well it wasn’t a negative about the Olight, and it was more me being concerned. I was worried about the head coming unscrewed, with the continuous turning on and off the flashlight.
But it hasn’t come off accidentally. As to turn it on, you have to fully screw or tighten the head down. To unscrew the head, you have to nearly twist it four full rotations for the head to come off. So when I turn it off, I make sure that I only rotate the head only about half a turn off.
The only negative point for me when doing the review on the Olight i3E EOS is when the head is fully screwed down in the “ON” position. If you only twist the head a quarter of a turn to switch it off, the head can be pressed down and it turns on. So the actual torch can be turned off from about a one eighth of a turn, but the head can be pressed against the body and it can turn on.
For my unit, even just a turn / unscrew the head to a bit over a quarter of a full rotation and the head can be pressed down against the body and it turns on.
This could be an issue if squashed in a backpack or your pockets.
If the head isn’t rotated enough to turn it off, the flashlight could be accidentally turned on if pressed down on the head. This was my only negative point in the review for the whole torch. And this can be easily fixed by when you turn off the Olight, you rotate the head a half a turn. This will stop it being turned on accidentally.
One con for some people about the light is, you can’t stand it up as the tail end has a split ring attachment point on it. For me this wasn’t an issue as you could easily lean it on something to stand it up if you wanted to.
The Olight i3E EOS for hiking.
For backpacking and hiking, if you didn’t need an ultra-powerful beam for walking the trails and low light, the Olight i3E EOS for its size and weight would be a great ultralight hiking flashlight.
Olight i3E EOS flashlight tips.
For those who like using the red light, to help save your night vision a bit more, you could easily put some red cellophane on it. Or a red balloon over the torch, this also helps diffuse the light so it isn’t as bright as well for map reading, etc.
For those who like the old fashioned method of holding a penlight / key ring torch in your mouth while doing things, (Before headlamps become more widely accepted and popular.) such as tying fishing knots. You can wrap the body with one or two layers of electrical tape. This stops the cold taste of metal in your mouth while holding it. (I don’t hold it this way for hands free use, but some people do.)
I have also brought the kids one each for a backup flashlight. For the children’s light, I might wrap it up with a bit of fluro orange tape and also put a lanyard on it, so they don’t lose it. (Which they probably will.)
Other Olight models.
The Olight i3S EOS flashlight model has a strobe and three brightness levels by twisting the head. It can range from .5 to 80 lumens. The “S” stands for special and has a pocket clip.
The big brother of the i3E, is the Olight i3T EOS which is 180 lumens and uses a single “AAA” battery as well. The i3T also has a tail switch. Which I will hopefully do a review soon on this model.
I was taking photos and a butterfly landed on my son’s hand, so I thought it would be a good photo with the Olight.
Conclusion – Olight i3E EOS Flashlight Review
Overall the quality is very good. I am very pleased with the performance and price is also very good for a high quality torch.
I have no hesitation having this for an EDC (Everyday Carry.) back up flashlight on my key ring. As the size and weight is minimal for the brightness.
I have gifted the light to a few to friends, as I really like the model and design.
The Olight i3E EOS would have to be in the best 5 flashlights out there in the keychain flashlight and miniature model category.
For camping, fishing, hiking, or any venture outdoors, the Olight i3E EOS flashlight is a great little light.
*Update on The Olight i3E EOS Flashlight Review
Just an update, I have had the mini flashlight now for over two and half years and it is still going strong. I still have it on my car keys and I just use it for emergencies. I think I have only changed the batteries once or maybe twice in that time. Overall I still give the little Olight flashlight a big thumbs up for the review.
Extra Reading, Resources And Information
For more information on the best Olight models for the outdoors, click on – Best Olight Flashlights For Camping 2021
For details on the best torches, click on – Best Flashlights For Camping 2021
