I’ve never owned a nitecore flashlight, I’ve always gone surefire or streamlight but the closest surefire equivalent to this costs almost $130 more and doesn’t put out the same amount of lumens or candela for that matter.
I chose to have an open mind and went with the nitecore and I’m very glad I did. The housing and tail cap button seem to be of very high quality. The tail clip will click kind of loud when you press it all the way in for sustained lighting. A lighter press is silent and the light will turn off when you let go of the button. The USB charger is a nice touch but I’d be concerned of that rubber plug maybe ripping or tearing off eventually. A lot of the major players in the flashlight industry seem to be going with integrated USB charging capability anyways so it’s probably been tested and evaluated.
I love the programming button on this light, it’s simple and has memory so the flashlight will turn on to whatever was the last setting you had it on. It can be hard to find that button but you are probably not in a life or death situation if you are trying to switch through light modes (keep the flashlight on high). The highest output is impressive and I find the spill and hot spot perfect. Definitely bright enough to give you situational awareness but can still reach out and see things at distance.
The battery life seems really nice, I’ve yet to run it down and it charges up fast. The battery is a 2150 so be ready to purchase extras if you are a hardcore user and don’t have a drawer full of them like the 18650s.
All in all I’m pretty impressed with the value of this light and Nitecore might not have Surefire’s long reputation but they are getting a very good reputation with many high quality brands offering Nitecore accessories like batteries and/or chargers.
UPDATE: 10 months later. Well, I’m going to eat my words here and say I wish I bought a SF or SL light. The Nitecore is bright and powerful but is already flickering, not a good sign and death is probably imminent. The worst part is that this light has lived a relatively easy life, in a holster on my belt 98% of the time and the other 2% on the charger getting topped off. I wish I would’ve saved for the other big name brand lights, I emailed Nitecore to see about a warranty replacement but this light a been reduced to a nightstand light and my surefire is going right back into the duty belt
| Special Feature | Durable |
|---|---|
| Color | Black |
| Power Source | Battery Powered |
| Light Source Type | LED |
| Material | Aluminum |
| White Brightness | 1800 Lumens |
| Included Components | battery |
| Product Dimensions | 5.55"D x 1"W x 1"H |
| Light Path Distance | 321 Yards |
| Battery Cell Composition | Lithium Ion |
| Item Weight | 2.66 Ounces |
| Number of Batteries | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
| Warranty Type | Manufacturer Warranty |
| Brand | Nitecore |
| Brightness | 1800.00 |
| Battery Description | Lithium-Ion |
| Runtime | 1500 hours |
| Style | Classic |
| Finish Type | HA III Hard Anodized |
| Recommended Uses For Product | daily carry, work, patrol, camping, hiking, duty, EDC |
| Manufacturer | Nitecore |
| Part Number | MH12S+ORG217 |
| Item Weight | 2.66 ounces |
| Item model number | MH12S |
| Batteries | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
| Finish types | HA III Hard Anodized |
| Special Features | Durable |
| Batteries Included? | Yes |
| Batteries Required? | Yes |
