I have seen two of them in my entire life.

One was on the back of trailer being escorted down the highway. The escorts, with their magnetic lights and flags to get everyone’s attention, were like the bodyguards for Jason Mamoa—capable but pointless. Having it ride on the back of a trailer is like transporting the SR-71 across the ocean on a tugboat. It was a vivid yellow, almost the color of a banana, but somehow brighter. It was in pristine condition, no flakes of rust or bits of tarnish. The chrome gleamed like a hand-polished katana. And it was a breathtaking site.

The other was less pristine, not anywhere close to perfect, but it was on its own four wheels. This means that it was as God intended it, not on some crummy trailer. It was, of course, red (but not just “red” it was actually Rosso Corsa). It had miles on it and the driver’s seat had a burnished leather surface where a person would sit. Even with its signs of age it came across like a lithe beast, like a leopard slinking between treetops as it stalks its unwitting prey on the ground below. There was a sign on it: “Call for price.” Don’t ask about the price. This isn’t “or best offer.” Just a price. And if you have to ask, you can’t really buy it. It looks like a muscle, not the hulking vein-covered monstrosity of a body builder, but the lean, functional muscle of a sprinter. It was glorious.

And the minute I saw either, I knew, knew with certainty, they were special.

These two things were Ferrari 1963-64 250 GTOs. I saw one on the highway and the other at a local car show in Boston called Tutto Italiano. I personally have seen more than 5% of all 250 GTOs as there were only 36 ever made. They are surpassingly beautiful, a sculpture you drive more than a car you own. But the second I saw them I knew they were special. That first one was before I even knew what it was really. The second one was much deeper into my appreciation and love of cars. But both times, almost 30 years apart, I knew right away they were special.

Truly great things are like that—the 9th Symphony is hummably great even for those that do not appreciate symphonic music, the Maloof Rocker is appealing even for those that cannot distinguish between a dovetail and a rooster tail, the Empire State Building is an ediface of beauty even if you don’t know who designed it (Shreve, Lamb, and Harmon, in case you were wondering), and the intricate details of the Rape of Proserpina are so beguiling you can never forget them despite most lacking the knowledge how it was made.

The Kosun x Malkoff VME is that for flashlights. It is unquestionably great, instantly recognizable as a superior tool. If you have held a flashlight ever in your life, clicking the VME on will tell you this is something different and something special. This is a stunningly great light. You might be a fan of gizmo lights and look at the specs and smirk. Trust me—in ten years people will still want a VME. Your gizmo light will have long be relegated to a junk drawer with a bleeding cell waiting to be thrown away when the fluids leaks out and crusts the interior. This is a light for only the truest of enthusiasts. But if you have had the chance to handle one, like with the 250 GTO, you will instantly know it is something special even if you don’t know why. This isn’t a review, its a love letter. Enjoy.

Here is the product page. The VMEcosts $190. The only option involves a larger body tube for 14500 batteries. There are no other reviews.

Finally, here is my review sample:

TLDR: The VME sits nicely among the best torches ever made.

Design: 2

This is not a revolutionary take on a flashlight design but it does have quite a few nice touches. The body tube has a nice taper. The machining is exceptional. The side, especially in the CR123a body tube, is just about perfect. The clip, while simple, is incredibly nice. Over and over again, there are touches that let you know that the VME is the product of thoughtful consideration.

Fit and Finish: 2

Malkoff stuff is always pretty nice, but it struck me as basic. The VME difference is a big deal. The machining on the body tube is quite nice with an obvious spot for a tapered grip. The entire light’s exterior surface is nicely and smoothly anodized. The premium fit and finish carries over to the reflector. It is clean and the impact on the beam is obvious.

Grip: 2

With two different body tubes, the VME has something that works for pretty much any hand size. I care more about carry, so the CR123a body tube is perfect for me. The tapered waist and the overall hourglass shape makes a huge difference to me. The light locks into the hand quite nicely. The clip is simple and has almost no impact on grip. If anything it adds to the grip.

Carry: 2

This is a little tank of a light, so you are hoping for coin pocket carry, this is not the light for you. But if you are looking at a smaller midsized 1xCR123a light, this is a great choice. It is smaller than the Haiku or HDS. In fact, it is only slightly larger than the BOSS35, which is impressive. The head, with its glorious emitter and reflector, is heavy and bulky, but still smaller than the head on most of the other lights in this size and price range. You know this isn’t going to be super tiny, but for the format, its quite small. Only the BOSS35 and the CWF Peanut are clearly better.

Output: 2

Malkoffs have always done well at the low end and the VME is no different. It is enough to navigate a trip to the bathroom on vacation or when camping without robbing you of your night vision. The high is special for reasons listed below, but it is quite nice at 500 lumens. As you will read, this is a little that is actually brighter than almost everything in its size range and battery format. How could a 500 lumens light be brighter than a 2000 lumens light? Read on…

Runtime: 2

You know how lights have a “high” that lasts 90 seconds and then they drop down to about 1/3 to 1/4 of their claimed peak output? Not here. The VME comes on and stays on its actual high for much longer. Now, of course, that high is lower than the fake high that a lot of lights claim as there is no such thing as a free lunch in physics. This choice, I think, is the right one. It doesn’t look as good on a box or a webpage bullet list, but it gives you a number you can count on, one that is accurate and reliable. And the VME is, to my knowledge, the only modern light to do this. When you couple the “truth-in-stats” approach with the radiant, breathtaking color rendering it is very hard, as a flashlight enthusiast not to just love this light. It is so good, so radiant, so reliable and useful, that this could be your one and only light and you’d be happy.

Beam Type: 2

This is very clearly a balanced beam type, with an effort to provide SOME punch on the range. I generally prefer this decision, liking the 47 Mini Turbo Mk 3 over the regular Mini. I am not convinced that you need a throw-focused light for an EDC torch nor do I think you want a squashy TIR optic. Given the balanced beam type choice, I don’t think you will find a better balanced beam anywhere. The VME focuses relentlessly on output and that focus paid off. It is at least the equal of the Haiku, which has been the gold standard for beams for years.

Beam Quality: 2

With a flawless true reflector, an excellent dedomed 519A sm353 emitter, and a well-designed beam the VME basically breaks the scale. Here the only light I have seen that is even in the same ballpark is the Haiku, but with a newer and better emitter, the VME is the king of the hill in terms of beam quality.

UI: 2

A dead simple clicky 3s UI with mode memory, the VME is awesome. Plus it carries over the ultra precise debounce times that Malkoffs are known for. This is a place where simplicity wins every single time.

Hands Free: 2

It tailstands, works between the teeth, and never rolls away because of the clip. Given how easy and useful it is to have a light that works well hands-free it is kinda crazy that more lights don’t easily check these boxes. We have more lights with significantly less useful magnetic bases than we do that hit all three of these things.

Other Considerations

Fidget Factor: Moderate

Other than the cool waist/corset shaped part of the body tube and a strong clicky there is not much here to entertain a fidgeter.

Fett Effect: Very Low

The last Malkoff I had (which my son has since lost) made it all winter buried in the mud with zero wear. That is a New England winter not a Georgia winter. Even the battery was fine. Wiped off the mud and clicked it on—no problem.

Value: Very High

How is it possible that a $190 is a good value? Compared to FLASHLIGHT, some generic off brand aluminum tube that is .59 at Harbor Freight, this is not a good value. Compared to something like its peers in performance, it is a stunning value. The Haiku is $500. The HDS Rotary is $300. The BOSS35 used to be around $400. This light is at least their peer in terms of performance and it is $190.

Overall Score: 20 of 20; PERFECT

This is the first product I have reviewed in the history of the blog that warranted no changes of any kind. I would always like a small light, but not at the cost of grip. The VME hits that perfectly. I would always like a brighter light, but runtimes suffer. In places where tradeoffs are required the VME made all of the right calls. And in the one place where it matters most—light quality, nothing compared to the VME. The Haiku has an equally good reflector and the SC65 has just as good an emitter, but the combination of the two is found only in the VME. For those reasons, this is a perfect light.

Competition

What competes with this level of greatness?

I think the closest comp I can think of is the McGizmo Haiku, a light that I think, even more than a decade and half since its release, has not been surpassed. There are brighter lights, but nothing as the Haiku’s beam pattern or its wonderful form factor. With a modern emitter, the Haiku easily leaps to the front of the field. My drop in brightens it up to 800 lumens and it works flawlessly and retains its gorgeous beam pattern. The VME, however, gives it a run for its money. The emitter is even nicer, the form factor is at least as good, and the VME is a bit more compact without being stubby. But its an either/or scenario.

So too with the HDS Rotary. The Rotary is dimmer, probably to the point where it is not quite up to par even by my loose lumen standards. But its UI is still the best and the form factor and build quality are great. The VME is brighter and smaller, but the UI is not quite as good. But in terms of build quality and robust construction, I think the VME is probably equal to the Rotary. Again, one of the best is about as good.

Another classic, the BOSS35 is really good. It is actually a bit smaller than the VME with my favorite body tube of all time. It is also brighter. But, and this is a big issue, the beam pattern and output are not as nice. No triple will ever match up to a good reflector and the BOSS35 is no exception. The UI is essentially identical and while I absolutely adore the 35’s form factor, the VME probably runs second on that account. Again the comp shows that the VME is a little better and a little worse than one of the best lights ever.

The last of the “Favorite Five” is the Muyshondt Aeon Mk. 3. Of course, that light is better in the pocket, but worse in the hand. The beam quality is not quite as ravishing, though it is pretty darn good. The high is nothing close to the VME, while the VME is a bit more battery hungry. Again the comp is basically a wash.

In the end comps prove what the numbers attest to—this is one of the very best lights of all time, a jewel even among a pirate’s bounty of great torches. This is a light that makes my brain happy, my flashlight loving soul sing, and my fingers delighted with its wonderful finish. Gene and Carrot deserve a tip of the hat. If I were to be in a sealed facility and build my dream light, it would come out very, very close to this light.