EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – Flat, rectangular-style flashlights have been all the rage in the everyday carry world for a couple of years now.
And Olight has been one of the leaders, if not the leader in that trend.
About two years ago, Olight introduced its first Arkfeld flashlight – a flat flashlight with a green laser and a white light with five brightness levels.
Since then, Olight has continued to innovate with its Arkfeld line of flat flashlights, adding a whole series of different options.
After the original Arkfeld, Olight added the Arkfeld UV which replaced the laser with a UV or black light.
They then came up with the following additions and innovations to its Arkfeld line:
- The Arkfeld Pro, with all three lights – white, UV and laser;
- The Arkflex, which has just a white light but the key feature is a rotating head that bends 90 degrees;
- And then finally the Arkfeld Ultra – again all three styles of lights, but it’s made with a special proprietary aluminum for extra toughness.
Frequent readers of this column know I am an Olight fan boy – absolutely love anything Olight makes.
But I had been able to resist the sweet, siren song of the Arkfeld.
For one thing, I really don’t have much of an interest in a UV light. I know they can be valuable for locating scorpions or making sure that U.S. currency is, in fact, legal tender.
But I really don’t want to be able to see dirt or anything else that a UV light can pick up. Some things are left better unknown.
Well, anyway, I finally broke down and picked up the original Arkfeld, the one with the laser and white light but no UV.
I picked mine up during a flash sale for Valentine’s Day. The original Arkfeld usually costs $89.99 on the Olight website. I got mine with a 20 percent discount.
Have to say, I absolutely love this light. The flat form factor really feels good in hand and it is super easy to throw in a pocket of a hoodie or in your cargo pants. It also has a pocket clip.
Let’s run through some specs.
The original Arkfeld is just a tad under 4 ½ inches long, is about an inch wide and weighs just 3 ounces.
It has a magnetic back end that can attach to the hood of your car or anything else that is metal, making it a great little work light.
It is fully rechargeable using Olight’s magnetic USB charging system.
Its white light comes in five levels of brightness – moonlight (1 lumen); low (15 lumens); medium (60 lumens); high (300 lumens) and turbo (1,000 lumens). It also has a strobe or beacon feature.
Its maximum throw is 330 feet.
It also has a battery level indicator that lights up when you first turn it on.
Adding to the ease-of-use quotient, the original Arkfeld has a toggle switch that allows you to move seamlessly between the white light and laser without having to turn it off.
The laser, I imagine, can be super useful in an office setting for presentations. I must confess I haven’t used it for anything practical like that yet.
Right now, I’m just having fun with it, seeing how far the laser can travel. I have also been using it to play with some of our animals at home.
The real selling point is the form factor. The flat design just feels good in hand and is super convenient for everyday carry.
I also love the colorway I got mine in – pinwheel gunmetal gray.
With this being the original version, I know at some point Olight will stop making this model as it continues to innovate and advance its Arkfeld line. I love this light so much I am now planning to buy another just to have it as a backup. Hmm, what color? Leaning toward either lime green or desert tan.
As for the other newer generations of the Arkfeld line, I have already pulled the trigger and I have ordered the Arkfeld Pro with the “paw edition” colorway. For every sale of this particular light, Olight donates $5 to help homeless cats and dogs.
What pet lover can resist this theme? Will have more on this one when it arrives.
Here is a link to Olight’s web page.
Here is a link to the original Arkfeld flashlight. You can find all of the options simply by using the keyword “Arkfeld” while searching the Olight site.
To find out more about Junkin Genius hanks, which I use to display my gear in this column, you can click here.
Here are some YouTube channels dealing with knives and EDC gear that I enjoy and find informative.
The Cutting Edge (formerly Last Chance Knives)
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