First, let’s talk about what an LEP is. LEP stands for Laser Excited Phosphor and it’s one of the latest developments in flashlight technology. Light is emitted from a blue laser aimed at a fluorescent slice (phosphor) and passes through a collimating lens resulting in a hyper focused white laser beam with zero spill. The technology itself isn’t new and some higher end car manufacturers use LEPs for their headlights. It finally made it’s way into flashlights over the last 2-3 years.
The new Odin Turbo is Olight’s first LEP weapon mounted light and it’s unlike any light I’ve ever used. Powered by a class 1 laser, the Odin Turbo has a max output of just 330 lumens. While this doesn’t sound impressive compared to the standard 800+ lumens found on other lights, the Odin Turbo concentrates almost 100% of that light into a single hotspot. The collimating lens paired with the laser do an incredible job of throwing light out to extreme distances. Olight claims the max throw to be 1,050 meters. There is something oddly satisfying about having a tight focused beam that seems to reach out to infinity. It truly is like having a light saber.
Specs:
Light Output – 330 lumens High, 90 lumens Low
Max. throw distance – 1,050 meters High, 600 meters Low
Weight – 8.78 oz with battery
Length – 6.1 in.
Bezel Diameter – 1.22 in.
Max. run time – 3.5 hours on High, 7.5 hours on Low
Battery – Rechargeable 5,000 mAh 21700
IPX8 Waterproof rating – Able to withstand continuous submersion in water.
The Odin Turbo comes with a battery, magnetic USB charging cable, magnetic remote pressure switch, picatinny rail mount, wrench, and extra screws. Olight’s newest MCC-3 (magnetic charging cable) is capable of charging at 2A; a much-welcomed upgrade over the previous 1A version. Everything you need to get going comes included. I always get frustrated having to buy additional essential accessories or batteries when getting a new product. The only thing I’d buy is an extra battery.
Olight’s patented magnetic remote pressure switch features a unique quick disconnect detent system for attaching the tail cap to the flashlight. Simply place the tail cap onto the flashlight and the magnet holds it in place. Push down on the tail cap ring to secure the switch to the light. A single quick press on the pressure switch turns on continuous mode, while a push and hold activates momentary on.
The included picatinny rail mount features two quick detach slots for the Odin Turbo and a locking knob to make sure it stays in place. The different mounting slots allow you to orient the light to your liking. To mount the light, make sure the side lock is in the open position, and slide the light into the desired location and push until it clicks into place. Turn the side lock to the locked position and it’s ready to go. Removal is just as easy – turn to the unlock position, push in the knob, and take off the light. The mount is milled from billet aluminum and has zero play when on the rail.
The light body is precisely machined from high grade aluminum. Compared to some of my other Olight flashlights, the Odin Turbo feels like a step up in quality. I can’t quite describe it other than it just seems to be a better grade of aluminum or possibly thicker than my Warrior M2R Pro. Whatever they used, the fit and finish are top notch. The relief cutouts near the tail cap and head are aesthetically pleasing without being overly aggressive. A wave patterned bezel sits on top protecting the polished collimating lens. The mounting base is attached to the body and doesn’t bother me when handling the light unmounted. The light mount can be removed with the allen screws if you wish, but it was designed to be a weapon mounted light. Overall, the build quality is better than lights twice the price.
Like many other Olight flashlights, the Odin Turbo features a two-stage tail switch. A quick half press turns on continuous low mode, and a full press with click activates continuous high mode. Press and hold in either position for momentary on. The tail switch also where the magnetic charger snaps into place. Place the charger on the tail cap to charge the battery. It will turn from red to green when charging is complete. When the battery is running low, the flashlight will vibrate once every 5 minutes. The vibration is minimal. However, I don’t want a vibrating light at the end of my rifle. It took about 4 hours for me to fully charge the 5,000 mAh battery.
Turning on the Odin Turbo for the first time had me giddy. I immediately noticed the lack of spill and was amazed at how concentrated the beam pattern was. At 30 feet, the beam diameter is no more than just a couple feet and that is all you see. It does not illuminate the room like a traditional LED flashlight. The color also appears to be more of a yellowish white than a true white. If you prefer a true white or neutral white, this might be disappointing.
For only being 330 lumens, the LEP produces such a bright hotspot that the reflecting light can be blinding. Olight claims this LEP light is considered “eye-safe.” When the laser passes through the fluorescent phosphor, the wavelength is reduced to a safe level that’s not supposed to damage the eyes like a traditional laser. I certainly wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of the Odin Turbo.
Outside is where you really get a sense of how powerful and super focused the beam is. I had no problem illuminating and seeing trees at 300 yards. The beam remains tight and has virtually no spill the entire distance to the tree. The LED beam on the Warrior M2R illuminates the ground all the way out to the tree line and spills into the surroundings and really gives away your position. Having a tight beam all the way to the target not only saves your night vision but also does a better job at keeping you concealed. You can easily sit inside a house and shine out the door without illuminating the room with spill. For someone in LE this could be a huge benefit.
Shining down the bayou, I was able to illuminate objects out to ~600 yards. This was the maximum distance I had access to, but I don’t doubt it could go further. The Odin Turbo will be a great nighttime varmint hunting tool for scanning tree lines. It’d be awesome if Olight eventually made some green or red filters for predator hunting. Long distance throwing is what the Odin Turbo was meant to do and it does it very well.
Conclusion
The Odin Turbo is not ideal for everyday tasks or indoor use. It is what I’d call a specialty light with specific use. It’s intended to be used as a weapon mounted light, but can be used in the hand if you take the mount off. The beam color can take some time to get used to, and I’m not sure how I feel about the vibrating low battery indicator – especially when it’s mounted to your rifle. If you are someone who owns property, lives in a rural area, or someone who wants to have a survival signal light when hiking, the Odin Turbo is for you. For me, the Odin Turbo is a nice supplement to the collection and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a quality LEP flashlight.
MSRP for the Odin Turbo is $259.95 and is available in Black or Desert Tan (limited edition). You can find them for $179.96 during the occasional flash sale.
I’ve played with lights of this kind. I consider it to be nearly useless as defensive light. The beam is too narrow.
However, for someone who can’t afford night vision, this is AMAZING when combined with a magnified telescopic sight. The narrow beam, when lined up with the sight allows you to take shots at distances that no normal light can reach. And even more than many night vision sights can reach.
I could see this as part of a low budget night hunting setup. (where legal of course)
Once the tacticool guys quit buy these and the price comes down I might buy one. A light like that just allows your own position to be pinpointed.
@DIYinSTL – Try conveying information or correcting mistakes without being a prick, if you can.
Responding to the above regarding “collimated” vs “coherent”, this type of light uses coherent laser light to excite a phosphor in a very small region. This very small region of light conversion is much smaller than what is normally attainable using an LED to excite a phosphor as found in most normal lights.
Because the region emitting the “white” light is so concentrated, it can be treated almost as a point source of light and so optics and can be optimized to focus the light and collimate it much more effectively into a beam.
The laser source is almost a point source of light and it creates an almost point source of converted “white” light.
Colllimated does not mean the photons are in coherence. Did you sleep through High School physics or just skip it?