Review: PK (Paul Kim) Warrior Flashlights

    For those of you who don’t know who Paul Kim is, he was the Senior VP of Engineering at SureFire. He was the one designing all the cool LEDs, flashlights and Hellfighters in the mid 2000s. Paul Kim, aka PK, has moved onto creating his own design firm. Here is his website.

    Just check out his list of U.S. patents. You will see some iconic SureFire lights in there.

    US06046572 Battery operated appliance, flashlight and switching systems
    US06222138 Battery operated appliance, flashlight and switching systems
    US06276088 Firearms with target illuminators
    US06345464 Firearms with target illuminators
    US06378237 Firearms with target illuminators
    US06439738 Battery powered portable electric light source systems
    US06508027 Accessory mounts for firearms
    US06609810 Illumination  apparatus with removable securable switch device
    US06622416 Target and navigation illuminators for firearms
    US06655069 Accessory Mounts for Shotguns and other Firearms
    US06675521 Adjusting Orientation Offset of a Light Beam Generator
    US06761467 Light Beam Modifier Devices
    US06841941 Brightness Controllable Flashlights
    US06779288 Accessory mounts for firearms
    US06895708 Accessory mounts for firearms
    US06994449 Flashlight with securement capability
    US07076908 Accessory mounts for firearms
    US07083297 Flashlight with lens for transmitting central & off-axis light sources
    US07116061 Brightness controllable flashlights
    US07117624 Accessory devices for firearms
    USD0534293 Flashlight Body Portion
    USD0534294 Flashlight Body Portion
    USD0534671 Flashlight Body Portion
    USD0534672 Flashlight Body Portion
    USD0544621 Flashlight Head
    US07220016 Flashlight with Selectable Output Level Switching
    US07241025 Switch Actuated Flashlight with Current Limiter
    USD0544120 Flashlight
    US07273292 Switches for Firearm Electrical Accessories
    US07278764 Object-Attaching Clip
    US07284875 Flashlight Attachment Arrangement
    US07293893 Flashlight with Adjustable Color Selector Switch
    US07310903 Accessory devices for firearms

     

    Well now, PK has helped Powertac redesign their Warrior flashlight.

    The PK Warrior II is a two cell flashlight. It can use 2xCR123 primary batteries and even includes a battery spacer for the two primaries. If you remove the battery spacer, the body can accommodate a large 18650 rechargeable li-ion.

    Here are the specs:

    LED type: CREE XM-L2 U2 LED.

    Functions: 4 Illumination Levels and Strobe Mode.

    Output/Runtime:5 lm/375 hrs – 288 lm/5.5hrs – 618 lm/2.6hrs – 1000 lm/2.4 hrs

    Peak beam intensity / Beam distance: 23000cd / 300m

    Impact resistant : 2m  Waterproof: IPX8 standard(under water 2m)

    Battery: Uses 2* CR123A Li-ion battery or 2* RCR123A/16340 or 1*18650 rechargeable Li-ion battery

    Optic:Aluminum reflector-micro mirror finish  Window: tempered float glass-anti reflective coated both sides

    Dimension: Length=150 mm.; Bezel diameter=36.5 mm; Body diameter=25.4 mm. Weight: 153g (without battery).

    PK WARRIOR II

    The PK Warrior II is a bit bigger than your traditional 2x cell lights. Here is a comparison with some other lights.

    L-R: SureFire P3X Fury, PK Warrior II, PK FL2LE, SureFire P2X Fury Combatlight.

    You can see how the P3X Fury is only a little bit taller than the PK Warrior II and the P3X is a 3x cell light. Both output 1000 lumens. That is the benefit of more efficient LEDs you can get more performance for less power.

    DSC_0114

     

    The PK Warrior I is a shorter version of the PK Warrior II. It does not have a pocket clip like the PK Warrior II. The PK Warrior I is a single cell flashlight and can be powered by a primary CR123 battery or a rechargeable li-ion battery. It puts out 450 Lumens.

    Here are the specs:

    LED type: CREE XM-L2 U2 LED.

    Functions: 4 Illumination Levels and Strobe Mode.

    Output/Runtime:10 lm/28 hrs – 78 lm/3.7hrs – 223 lm/1.4hrs – 450 lm/0.7 hr

    Peak beam intensity / Beam distance: 12200cd / 220m

    Impact resistant : 2 m Waterproof: IPX8 standard(under water 2m)

    Battery: Uses 1* CR123A  or 1* RCR123A/16340  rechargeable Li-ion battery

    Optic:Aluminum reflector smooth finish  Window: tempered glass-anti reflective coated both sides

    Dimension: Length=115 mm.; Bezel diameter=36.5 mm; Body diameter=22 mm. Weight: 140g (without battery).

    PK WARRIOR I
    The size of the PK Warrior I is different for a single cell flashlight. It is rather big for a single cell light. Look at the photo below. The PK Warrior 1 dwarfs the SureFire E1D and is almost as big as the 2x cell FL2LE.

    L-R: PK FL2LE, PK Warrior I, Surefire E1D

    DSC_0118

    The size of the PK Warrior I can be a benefit. Look at the picture below. In my left hand I am holding the SureFire E1D and in my right, I am holding the PK Warrior I. The size of the PK Warrior I feels more substantial compared to the tiny SureFire E1D. The radical design of the PK Warrior light actually provides more texture for a better grip. If I was to use the light as a striking implement, the small size of the E1D would make it difficult to control the light compared to the PK Warrior I.

    DSC_0122

     

    The tailcap of the PK Warrior lights contains the controls for the light. The tailcap has two switches. The rear tailcap switch just turns the light on and off. There is a small gray button on the side and that is how you would switch modes. By isolating the mode switching you can leave the light on whichever mode you want and the light will stay on that mode whenever you turn it off and back on again. The downside to the mode switching design is that you have to find that button on the side. Due to the uniform design of the light and tailcap, indexing the side button is a bit difficult. I prefer to keep my thumb on the rear switch and my index finger rides the side button. One benefit to the side button, is when the light is turned off. With the light off, the side button becomes a momentary switch. It will activate the strobe mode of the light. Once you let go of the side button, it shuts off.

    DSC_0119

    As I mentioned above, the PK Warrior does not have a pocket clip whereas the PK Warrior II does. However, the pocket clip of the PK Warrior II is in the center of the flashlight, you have a significant amount of tailcap protruding from your pocket.

    Powertac lights are extremely robust. Having seen torture tests of the regular Warrior on YouTube, these lights should be able to take a serious pounding and keep on running.

    Both of the PK Warrior lights are currently available and limited to only 250 units of each. The PK Warrior I is only $99.95 and the PK Warrior II is only $119.95.


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