The Olight I3T EOS is Enlightening your EDC

As you know, we like to talk about stuff for Every Day Carry (aka, EDC) here at WWR. Frankly, a watch is EDC for all of us here, right? Think about the other stuff you always have with you – wallet and keys, of course. Quite likely, a small pocketknife of some sort (say, like this Deejo) is in the mix. After that, what would be common? I’m going to go with a flashlight. Sure, you could use your phone, and that works in a pinch, but a dedicated light will serve you better in the long run. We’ve looked at a few different options previously, and today we’re looking at a rather great option – the Olight I3T EOS.

For my main flashlight that I use for the outdoors and camping, it relies on a less-common battery (the CR123). While this makes for a powerful output, it is not a battery you’re liable to find in any corner store. Well, what about a AAA? Yes, the lowly AAA. You hear that, and you’re probably thinking that this is some sickly weak light barely good enough for lighting up a keyhole. Well, those older ones from 10+ years ago, that may be the case. With the Olight I3T EOS, you can light up a whole lot more.

Low output

High output

Well, if you want to, that is. You see, the Olight I3T EOS has two different brightness – a low, “moonlight” that kicks in with 5 lumens, great for navigating around without blinding anyone. Need to see what made that noise, or whats way back in that corner of the garage? Well, a double-tap of the switch (more on that in a second) hits you with the full-power 180 lumens that the flashlight can generate. This is seriously, seriously bright. Of course, at that intensity, if you left it on, you’d blow through the battery in about 21 minutes (at the lower power 5 lumens, you get 16 hours of run time). Not sure what the lumens talk means? This article over on REI may help explain some of this terminology for you.

Now, about the switch on the Olight I3T EOS. Here, we’ve got a tail-cap click switch, with is a joy to use. It’s got a nice texture, so you know your finger is on it. This means you can also just partially depress the switch (without locking it into the on position) to just get a brief bit of light, or to get into the brighter mode before locking it on. This is great, particularly for how I use a flashlight – say, getting things out of a closet in a dark room without waking people up, or looking for something in a tent at night. Twisty interfaces can get the job done as well (and that’s what my keychain light relies on), but the tail clicker is quite nice indeed.

If you’re thinking about the Olight I3T EOS for EDC, you’ve got a few concerns. First is going to be size and weight. At 40g (28g without the battery), 89mm long and a 15mm diameter, this is a compact light – not a lot bigger than the battery inside it. Just as important is going to be the clip. While Olight could have gone with a simple pen-style clip, here, you’ve got one that I’m going to just call the S-curve style of clip. Still pen looking, but there’s an extra bit in there. Why? Well, that means you can carry the light in your pocket with the light either pointed down, or pointed up. This also gives you some options if you’re going to clip it on while it’s on (say, onto a pack strap or something of that nature) with orienting things. I found the clip is a bit too tight for you to try putting it onto a cap brim, but short of that, you have yourself some options.

If I can put myself in your shoes, you’re probably thinking that the Olight I3T EOS sounds real, real nice so far. But you’re worried about the price, right? And that’s fair, given how compact, higher-performing lights can sometimes get some surprising price tags. Well, no worries here. The Olight I3T EOS comes in at a very affordable $19.99, which is aces in my book. Even if you’ve already got a light, something like this clipped into your work bag or your purse, well, it’s a simple, powerful, and affordable way to have a light always available. Or, hey, if you’re looking for a flashlight for your kids, that taillight clicker is easy to operate, and the aluminum body and IPX8 (more on that here) waterproofness rating should handle what they might do to it. Pair this up with a good set of AAA batteries (for spares, since it only needs the one), and you’ve got a solid everyday light that should serve you quite well. And if you’re looking for something a bit more robust, have a look – the Olight catalog runs deep! If there’s one you’d like us to take a look at, comment below, and we’ll see what we can do. olightworld.com

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Review Summary

Brand & Model: Olight I3T EOS
Price: $19.99

Who’s it for? Who ISN’T it for? Just about anyone could stand to have a reliable light, this one has a great combination of form factor, interface, and pricing
Would I carry and use it? Without a doubt
The best things about it: It’s light, it’s compact, and it uses easily-findable batteries.

Tech Specs from Olight

Beam Distance: 196 ft / 60 m
Max. Performance (lumens): 180
Charge type: Optional charger

Compatible Batteries: 1 x AAA(R3)
Light Intensity (candela): 900
Light Form: Wide/broad hotspot. Perfect for up close illumination.

Lens / Reflector Type: TIR reflector (big, defined wide hotspot)
Mode Operation: Tail Switch
Form/Size Factor: Small size (Car key / Zippo Lighter)

Series: Series I (Keychain)
Unique Characteristics:
- Powered by a convenient and widely available single AAA battery producing an output of 180 lumens.
- Double helix body knurling for unique style and solid grip.
- Super easy carry: Barely know it is there with its lightweight and slender form factor. The dual direction pocket clip makes the
- I3T even more convenient for carrying in a pocket or attaching to a hat or strap.
- Highly integrated tail switch: The user can operate momentary on and quick mode shifting (5/180 lumens) all through a convenient tail switch.
- The I3T is equipped with a TIR optic lens producing a soft and balanced beam for comfortable use.
LEVEL 1 (lumens) : 180

Run-time LEVEL 1: 21m
LEVEL 2 (lumens): 5
Run-time LEVEL 2: 16h