ArmyTek Viking Review
Ben was kind enough to help out with a review of the Armytek Partner and both Ben and I shared the same opinion--it was a decidedly outdated light. But having handled more than my fair share of flashlights since I launched this site I could see that there were good bones. Armytek was on to something with the light. There were touches that demonstrated a concern for the right things and features that exhibited a much better than average build quality.
In many ways Armytek is a brand that has developed almost independent of other brands. They are design and built in Canada. Their line is made up of light that are very different from the mainstream. These aren't badge swaps or rebrands. They have a different approach to anondizing, resulting in a thick, almost chalky feel that is truly impressively tough. They have a focus on beam quality that seems absent from many brands. They had a diffusing film on the lens of the Partner, a weird way to smooth out a beam, but the fact that it was there was an indication they were worried about the right parts of a flashlight. The clickies feel different from other clickies. Over and over again there were small things that made both the Viking and the Partner stand out from the crowd.
The Viking is a much better light than the Partner, even when you compare them not to each other but to similar lights. I have reviewed a few 18650 lights and the Viking does a few things better than any of them. There are some small dings, but overall the Viking is a sweet, sweet light. In particular I am blown away by the beam. This light that cuts through the darkness like a sword through fog. Its probably too big to be an EDC light, but there are other reasons to own a flashlight.
Finally, here is the review sample sent to me by Armytek (to be given away):
Twitter Review Summary: Bleeding edge emitter and very good beam for an excellent 18650 light
Design: 2
This is a fat light. The head is positively huge, especially for the overall size. But it doesn't stray into the insane territory. If the beam weren't so good it wouldn't be worth the trade off, but here, it is good enough to make up for the bulk. The grip ring, a first for lights I have reviewed, is helpful. More on that later.
The light can run on an 18650 OR 2xCR123as and that flexibility is greatly appreciated. Its a touch that shows that Armytek has planned things out and that this not another me too design. So often with 18650 lights, the manufacturer assumes a degree of flashlight nerdiness, such that the end line user is expected to have an 18650 cell, a charger, and no need for emergency power from readily available primary cells. Not here. The light doesn't come with an 18650 cell, which is kind of a bummer, but the fact that it can use primaries makes up for it. And really, if you are buying a light this expensive, just spring for the 18650 as well. Note this is different from the FourSevens MMX-U review in that that light REQUIRED a specific cell that was both not readily available and not supplied with the light.
Here is a shot compared to the ubiquitous Mini Mag.
The stats are good, this is a screamer when it comes to lumens. The total lumens output is found on high at 161,600 (the specs have the light running at 1010 lumens for 160 minutes). The lumens:weight is 136.49. The total lumens output is by far the best number I have ever seen. I am not sure if that is because how bright the light is or how the lumens are calculated.
Fit and Finish: 2
The Partner was not a poorly made light, it was just boring and out of date. The Viking is neither of those. This is a very, very well made torch, sitting in the same league as the nicer Surefires. That is a huge compliment, but it is well-deserved. It is a stoutly build--the chalky anodizing is good, the threads are smooth and tight. The clicky is quite nice. The reflector is a great smooth reflector (resulting in a superlative beam). The emitter is well centered. There is absolutely nothing to complain about here.
Grip: 2
The grip ring is the first I have used and it is quite excellent. It really locks the hand in place and gives you a great deal of control. I don't like the spongy rubber it is made of and the grip ring can move around a bit, but overall it is nice.
Even without the grip ring the Viking is a very good like in the hand, thanks to a just-the-right-size body tube. I like the whole set up a great deal. But all of this grippiness comes at a cost...
Carry: 0
Either in the sheath that it comes with or the pocket clip that it comes with, the Viking is a nightmare to carry. The rubber grip ring is unmanageable and the the head it just enormous. The end result is there is no real way to carry this light without a pack or bag. The sheath, as most free sheathes are, is pretty atrocious. This makes me wonder just how Leatherman is able to make not just good, but truly spectacular sheathes, when no one else has--from high end production knife companies to high end flashlight companies like Armytek. I'd be more upset about the Viking's poor carry if it weren't for the fact that this is not REALLY anyone's idea of an EDC light. Even though it is about medium sized form an 18650 light, this is really a thrower for pack or bag carry.
Output: 2
There are four output modes, from the full 1010 lumens down to a twinkly 8 lumens and two other levels in between. The spacing is good and the high is plenty bright, but, as is usual, it is the low that makes the light so appealing. A good low can do a lot of things and make a light significantly more useful than it otherwise would be. For all of the flexibility with the outputs, their utility is hampered by a convoluted UI.
Runtime: 2
As with most lights that have an 18650 cell and a single digit low, the runtimes here are more than acceptable. If you dig a little though you might notice that the Viking's runtimes are really incredible on high. In fact, the Armytek Viking has the best runtimes for a high over 800 lumens I have ever seen. According to the specs, the Viking can run at FULL max for 160 minutes. Most lights, like the TX25C2 or the SC600 Mk. II drop down after a few minutes of "max burst" to their true max level. According to the specs for the Viking, this doesn't happen. I have run it on high for about twenty minutes with no noticeable loss of output so it just might be true. If so, this is so much better than other lights in the class, that the Viking, on paper, is a huge standout. If someone out there with an integrating sphere and computer programs tells me that the light drops down after a while I wouldn't be surprised, but based on the specs and my own eyes, Armytek's claims just might be right.
Beam Type: 2
And now we get to the heart of what makes this light so unique. There are dedicated throwers out there and there are lights that try to do throw by constricting the beam pattern (Surefire), but the Viking is a light that does not resort to bulbous mushroom heads but still has real and legitimate distance in the beam. The Viking easily hit the far end of the football field around my house, with more than a few feet to spare. But suffice to say, this is a true thrower and in that role it is very good. The head is big and makes the light somewhat awkward to carry, but it is nothing like the specialized heads on other lights. Because the Viking can strike that balance, its awarded a 2.
Beam Quality: 2
Like the decision to go for a thrower, despite the relatively small head, the quality of the beam on the Viking is superb. There are no artifacts, rings, or spots. While not a Hi CRI light, the review sample had a pleasant tint. Finally there a smooth and useful transition from the hotspot to the spill. Its easy to look at the light, what it can do in the dark, and see this is a well above average beam. Excellent job.
UI: 1
For all of the wonderful outputs and the great spacing between them, the UI on the Viking is a bit convoluted. It uses both a twist of the head and a click. Its not bad, it is just requires a bit of forethought and precision, something you would prefer not to have in a flashlight UI. The problem comes with getting to the low lumens modes. With the head tightened all the way, the light is "locked" into a "tactical" mode where the press of the clicky produces the max output. A second press will do nothing. But if you loosen the head "1/8" of a turn (yes, the instructions specify 1/8 of a turn) the light drops into a more user friendly mode where clicky presses will get you lower lumens counts. The idea that the light is locked in to a tactical mode is somewhat misleading because you have to check the head tightness to make sure its locked in, the very definition of something not being locked it. Second, the need for both a twist and a press to get into the more useful modes is unnecessary. The UI on the EagleTac TX25C2 is just better. In fact a straight clicky or twisty UI would be better. Combining the two in this bifurcated UI kind of way is not ideal. It works, but it is not ideal.
Hands Free: 1
The Viking doesn't roll, but it can't tailstand. Also, given the size and weight of the head there's no way you put this thing in your teeth.
Overall Score: 16 out of 20
Grip: 2
The grip ring is the first I have used and it is quite excellent. It really locks the hand in place and gives you a great deal of control. I don't like the spongy rubber it is made of and the grip ring can move around a bit, but overall it is nice.
Even without the grip ring the Viking is a very good like in the hand, thanks to a just-the-right-size body tube. I like the whole set up a great deal. But all of this grippiness comes at a cost...
Carry: 0
Either in the sheath that it comes with or the pocket clip that it comes with, the Viking is a nightmare to carry. The rubber grip ring is unmanageable and the the head it just enormous. The end result is there is no real way to carry this light without a pack or bag. The sheath, as most free sheathes are, is pretty atrocious. This makes me wonder just how Leatherman is able to make not just good, but truly spectacular sheathes, when no one else has--from high end production knife companies to high end flashlight companies like Armytek. I'd be more upset about the Viking's poor carry if it weren't for the fact that this is not REALLY anyone's idea of an EDC light. Even though it is about medium sized form an 18650 light, this is really a thrower for pack or bag carry.
Output: 2
There are four output modes, from the full 1010 lumens down to a twinkly 8 lumens and two other levels in between. The spacing is good and the high is plenty bright, but, as is usual, it is the low that makes the light so appealing. A good low can do a lot of things and make a light significantly more useful than it otherwise would be. For all of the flexibility with the outputs, their utility is hampered by a convoluted UI.
Runtime: 2
As with most lights that have an 18650 cell and a single digit low, the runtimes here are more than acceptable. If you dig a little though you might notice that the Viking's runtimes are really incredible on high. In fact, the Armytek Viking has the best runtimes for a high over 800 lumens I have ever seen. According to the specs, the Viking can run at FULL max for 160 minutes. Most lights, like the TX25C2 or the SC600 Mk. II drop down after a few minutes of "max burst" to their true max level. According to the specs for the Viking, this doesn't happen. I have run it on high for about twenty minutes with no noticeable loss of output so it just might be true. If so, this is so much better than other lights in the class, that the Viking, on paper, is a huge standout. If someone out there with an integrating sphere and computer programs tells me that the light drops down after a while I wouldn't be surprised, but based on the specs and my own eyes, Armytek's claims just might be right.
Beam Type: 2
And now we get to the heart of what makes this light so unique. There are dedicated throwers out there and there are lights that try to do throw by constricting the beam pattern (Surefire), but the Viking is a light that does not resort to bulbous mushroom heads but still has real and legitimate distance in the beam. The Viking easily hit the far end of the football field around my house, with more than a few feet to spare. But suffice to say, this is a true thrower and in that role it is very good. The head is big and makes the light somewhat awkward to carry, but it is nothing like the specialized heads on other lights. Because the Viking can strike that balance, its awarded a 2.
Beam Quality: 2
Like the decision to go for a thrower, despite the relatively small head, the quality of the beam on the Viking is superb. There are no artifacts, rings, or spots. While not a Hi CRI light, the review sample had a pleasant tint. Finally there a smooth and useful transition from the hotspot to the spill. Its easy to look at the light, what it can do in the dark, and see this is a well above average beam. Excellent job.
UI: 1
For all of the wonderful outputs and the great spacing between them, the UI on the Viking is a bit convoluted. It uses both a twist of the head and a click. Its not bad, it is just requires a bit of forethought and precision, something you would prefer not to have in a flashlight UI. The problem comes with getting to the low lumens modes. With the head tightened all the way, the light is "locked" into a "tactical" mode where the press of the clicky produces the max output. A second press will do nothing. But if you loosen the head "1/8" of a turn (yes, the instructions specify 1/8 of a turn) the light drops into a more user friendly mode where clicky presses will get you lower lumens counts. The idea that the light is locked in to a tactical mode is somewhat misleading because you have to check the head tightness to make sure its locked in, the very definition of something not being locked it. Second, the need for both a twist and a press to get into the more useful modes is unnecessary. The UI on the EagleTac TX25C2 is just better. In fact a straight clicky or twisty UI would be better. Combining the two in this bifurcated UI kind of way is not ideal. It works, but it is not ideal.
Hands Free: 1
The Viking doesn't roll, but it can't tailstand. Also, given the size and weight of the head there's no way you put this thing in your teeth.
Overall Score: 16 out of 20
While it "only" scores a 16, that is in part because of the limitations of this scoring system (or any scoring system for that matter). The runtime on high, the output on high, the beam quality and its ability to light up targets far away is really remarkable. The runtime, the beam type and beam quality could have earned a 3, but doing so would break the scoring system. Since the review is really a combination of text and score I can explain that easily. But keep that in mind when comparing 18650 lights to each other. Again, this isn't the most EDC friendly light in the world, with its bulbous head, chalky anondizing, and rubber grip ring, but for a thrower, you'd be hard pressed to find anything better of equivalent size.
The Competition
Against the FourSevens MMR-X, the Viking is better on runtime on high by a large margin, but the UI on the MMR-X is better. The Viking is not really in the same class as the TX25C2 and the SC 600 Mk. II as they are basically EDC lights that squeeze in a bigger battery and the Viking is a true mid sized light. I'd probably take the MMR-X over the Viking for general use, but if you need throw, the Viking is the way to go. Compared to the Fenix, well there is no real comparison. The lights are just too different. This is an interesting entry in the flashlight market and definitely a sign that Armytek knows what they are doing.
Correction and Update:
Some of the comments below indicated that Armytek is not made in Canada, despite their website being festooned with the Canadian flag. I reached out to my contact at Armytek and here is the conversation:
Dear Armytek,
Some of my readers have questioned the origins of the Armytek lights. They claim that the lights are made and designed overseas, but I have nothing to confirm this. Any insights?
Thanks.
Tony
And Armytek's response:
Dear Tony,
The flashlights are designed by a team of Canadian and European engineers in Canada. But they are assembled in China - it's true. We have our own manufacture in China where the lights are ONLY assembled from the components imported from the USA and Japan. The reason for a such location choice is simple - we want to make compatible prices for our products so that our customers pay for the technology and parameters not for the "made in Canada" label. I think you understand that it's cheaper to assemble the products there (such company as Apple even has factories in China =))
So to make it clear - the lights are not designed overseas. And it can't be told that they are made in China because all the electronic and light components are imported there. But it's true that the flashlights are assembled in China - we have our own 6-floor factory there =)
I hope I've answered your question =)
I hope this clarifies the point. The lights are not made in Canada, but designed there. The parts aren't made in China, but are assembled there. I think if you did digging you'd find that a lot of companies in and out of the gear world do something like this. I am not condoning or condemning it, just pointing out the reality of the situation. Regardless of country of origin, I liked the Armytek Viking quite a bit.
The Competition
Against the FourSevens MMR-X, the Viking is better on runtime on high by a large margin, but the UI on the MMR-X is better. The Viking is not really in the same class as the TX25C2 and the SC 600 Mk. II as they are basically EDC lights that squeeze in a bigger battery and the Viking is a true mid sized light. I'd probably take the MMR-X over the Viking for general use, but if you need throw, the Viking is the way to go. Compared to the Fenix, well there is no real comparison. The lights are just too different. This is an interesting entry in the flashlight market and definitely a sign that Armytek knows what they are doing.
Correction and Update:
Some of the comments below indicated that Armytek is not made in Canada, despite their website being festooned with the Canadian flag. I reached out to my contact at Armytek and here is the conversation:
Dear Armytek,
Some of my readers have questioned the origins of the Armytek lights. They claim that the lights are made and designed overseas, but I have nothing to confirm this. Any insights?
Thanks.
Tony
And Armytek's response:
Dear Tony,
The flashlights are designed by a team of Canadian and European engineers in Canada. But they are assembled in China - it's true. We have our own manufacture in China where the lights are ONLY assembled from the components imported from the USA and Japan. The reason for a such location choice is simple - we want to make compatible prices for our products so that our customers pay for the technology and parameters not for the "made in Canada" label. I think you understand that it's cheaper to assemble the products there (such company as Apple even has factories in China =))
So to make it clear - the lights are not designed overseas. And it can't be told that they are made in China because all the electronic and light components are imported there. But it's true that the flashlights are assembled in China - we have our own 6-floor factory there =)
I hope I've answered your question =)
I hope this clarifies the point. The lights are not made in Canada, but designed there. The parts aren't made in China, but are assembled there. I think if you did digging you'd find that a lot of companies in and out of the gear world do something like this. I am not condoning or condemning it, just pointing out the reality of the situation. Regardless of country of origin, I liked the Armytek Viking quite a bit.