Review: Klarus P1C Torch

Bob and I do like a good torch (or flashlight as we call them in the pro's. Ahem.....), and my current weapon of choice for wild camping is the Klarus P1C. Its not an obvious choice, so here's why it made it into my kit:

Klarus as a brand is one of the wave of highly-regarded Chinese professional flashlight manufacturers that have emerged over the last decade-or-so with the advent of LED lighting, along with rivals such as Olight and Nitecore.

As a general flashlight, the Klarus P1C has everything going for it. At a diminutive 89mm long by 23mm diameter (at its widest point), and a mere 54g in weight (excluding battery), its perfect for carrying around in a pocket or bag. Its also waterproof and dust-proof to IPX8 standards and made from military-grade hard-anodised type 3 aluminium.

It has high and low output modes, with low being rated at 20 lumens and high at 245 lumens. To put that in perspective, the majority of Petzl head torches put out a maximum no higher than 160 lumens. Run time, according the manufacturer, is 1 hour in high or 18 hours in low output, and the low setting is plenty enough to illuminate a 2-3 man tent.

The torch comes with a removable belt clip and lanyard, can tail-stand, and is compatible with the Klick Fast system for attaching to belts and (police) vests.

So all that sounds pretty impressive, right? But what makes it a good camping torch?

Well, we've established its small, light and powerful. It can be thrown in your pocket, bag, or clipped to your belt or rucksack. And its waterproof, another advantage.
It runs on a single CR123 battery* which typically weigh around 16g, while a AAA battery, the most common type found in head torches and many low-end flashlights, weigh about 12g- but most torches that use AAA's need at least two if not three, so carrying spares for the Klarus is much lighter and takes up less space. It also means the torch with battery installed weighs in at miniscule 70g.

The torch has a momentary-on switch; basically you can half-press the switch and the light will come on, and go out again when you let go. This is not only great for general use when you just want a quick root around your bag in the middle of the night, its also a lot better for signalling if you ever find yourself in a scrape.

Unlike many multi-mode torches, output selection is independent of the on/off switch, so once you've chosen an output level it will stay at that level until you purposely change it- no more waking the entire tent up in the middle of the night because you accidentally turned the torch on full whack.

Then there are the accessories.

Available as optional extras, Klarus make a head band and two diffusers (white and red) to suit this model. Pop the torch in the head band, and you have a head torch. Pop a diffuser on the end and you have a lantern, with the red one being perfect for preserving night vision and avoiding unwarranted attention from the local wild life.

And its the combination of all these features that make this the perfect camping torch in my view. Its versatility to provide a three-in-one solution, coupled with its respectable run-time, excellent light output, very low weight, and waterproof and drop-proof credentials make it an outstanding all-rounder.
You may find a better lantern. You could possibly find a better flashlight. You'll most certainly find a better head torch. But will you find a better torch that competently does all three? You'll have to look long and hard I think.


*CR123 batteries tend to be used in higher-end flashlights because for one thing, they deliver a higher voltage than AA or AAA batteries. One thing to be aware of in CR123 flashlights (and other lithium battery-based torches in general) is they tend to use drive circuitry, which helps delivery a constant voltage to the LED.
The negative side of drive circuity is, unlike AA/AAA powered torches, whose light output will generally get dimmer as the batteries near their demise, drive circuitry will shut the light off once the battery is no longer capable of supplying the required voltage, which in real terms means that one minute your torch is on full whack and the next minute its dead. For this reason its always worth carrying a spare battery or two, as the remaining battery life cannot be judged just by turning on the torch. 


Klarus P1C