The best predictor of future success is past success. So when Olight releases a second generation of an already successful and innovative product, you just know it’s going to kick ass. May I present to you the Olight Warrior Mini 2, the second generation of the miniaturized Warrior flashlight. Maybe that makes it the third gen because there first was the Warrior. Then the Warrior Mini. And now the Warrior Mini 2. But enough chit-chat. Let’s get to the good stuff.
Read Overlanding Survival’s Review of the original Olight Warrior Mini Here!
The Olight Warrior Mini 2, being a 2, is a second generation Warrior Mini so obviously there are some distinct differences when compared to the original Warrior Mini. A few of these upgrades include:
- A reversible deep carry pocket clip instead of only the obscure lens-up design of the past,
- A higher overall output of 1750 lumens up from 1500 (probably not noticeable)
- A glass lens and another glass lens below that one (very noticeable),
- A proximity sensor that throttles down the brightness when within six inches or so of a surface,
- A more distinct and aggressively crenelated bezel,
- More overall color options and highlights,
- And finally, more curb appeal with colorful anodizing, texture and feature flow.
The Warrior Mini 2 features a ton of upgrades over the original including higher performance, better runtimes, glass lens, deep carry bezel down clip position, proximity sensor, and more! Get yours at a huge introductory discount (Up to 35% off!) during this week’s flash sale which starts Thurs. June 17 at 8:00 PM Eastern time and runs until Fri. night at midnight EDT. Get yours here!
The first and often most useless question is max output. The Olight Warrior Mini 2 has a maximum output of 1750 lumen. Now that we have that out of the way, we can get to the really amazing features of this light. I consider the Olight Warrior Mini 2 a professional light as opposed to a recreational light. What I mean by this is that the capabilities of the Olight Warrior Mini 2 are beyond just a bright flashlight with a bunch of features. It is the blending of features that makes operation of the Olight Warrior Mini 2 a professional’s choice. While the Olight Warrior Mini 2 is a fine light for those new to the quality flashlight space, I suspect that many of the Olight Warrior Mini 2’s selection of capabilities would be lost on someone that just needed an adjustable-brightness flashlight. And like any high-end EDC or survival instrument, a little practice and so-called muscle memory will make fast and deliberate operation of the Olight Warrior Mini 2 is really something to behold.
There are two activation buttons on the Olight Warrior Mini 2, a forward button and a tail cap button. For simplicity and effect, I’ll refer to them as the recreational button (forward) and the tactical button (tail cap). The reason is that the two buttons operate the Olight Warrior Mini 2 in completely different ways. The recreation button cycles through a set of medium settings while the tactical button fires off either on high or full blast in either pulse or steady on. The recreation button has a rubbery feel and falls naturally under your thumb when holding the light in an optimum way that includes enough grip for a thumb-forward punch with the flashlight (for defensive purposes, of course). The tactical button, on the other hand, is an industrial looking circle of metal that has a triple function of being the charger contact point, light activation and operation, and a magnetic base that holds the light mostly secure to ferric (iron metal) surfaces. Three angular bumps spaced 120 degrees apart provide a better base for tail-standing and keep the light from being activated when pressed tail-first onto a flat surface.
One of the important changes between the Olight Warrior Mini 2 and the original version is that the pocket clip can be reversed allowing a deep lens-down carry. And once reversed, the pocket clip can be rotated (with effort) into any position around 360 degrees of end cap. I prefer to index the pocket clip at the 8-o-clock position so it nestles into the first knuckle joint of my hand. That way my thumb naturally falls right on the recreation button and I am in full control of the recreational options. A quick flip of the hand and the tactical options are front and center.
But that is just all the stuff you would expect from a pro-level light. Now comes the good stuff. First of all, on the recreational button side, there is a one lumen option that is accessed by a three-second hold on the recreational button. That alone is worth the price of admission. And here’s a tale to cement this feature. Just last week I was overlanding in a high plateau of Idaho that will remain unnamed. We were base camping at about 8200 feet. It was glorious. Especially at night when the stars were so thick that constellations were nearly impossible to recognize and the Milky Way was a bright speckled band slicing from horizon to horizon. Early that day, we spotted no less than three wolves, and the coyotes were howling like magic when the sun went down. So when my 15 week old black lab puppy needed to water the sagebrush at midnight, the 1 lumen setting was perfect, and I didn’t have to risk blowing out my night vision cycling to the needed setting. Three seconds on the recreational button and a useful glow emitted out the snout of the Olight Warrior Mini 2. That was plenty to navigate the great outdoor bathroom. However, any bump in the night swiftly got a full blast of 1750 lumens. That’s the point. This Olight Warrior Mini 2 is many things. The 4 AM outing was less eventful but the Olight Warrior Mini 2 provided the same security and options.
While the Olight Warrior Mini 2 has two activation buttons, the way those buttons are used opens up more features. This is the professional aspect. To truly appreciate the depth of startup choices, one needs to use the Olight Warrior Mini 2 in many different situations. Lesser flashlights have a memory, as does the Olight Warrior Mini 2, meaning that the most recent setting is the one that will appear on startup. If the maximum brightness was the last used setting then it will be first up on button click. Minimum will return if that was last used. But what if you don’t remember your last use and you cannot afford to have a bright start? Simple. Just hold the recreational button for three seconds and the Olight Warrior Mini 2 kicks on in its moonlight one lumen setting. You can then cycle up brighter from there.
Want to catch someone off guard with the strobe? That’s hidden under a triple-click of the recreational button. While a strobe is more of a tactical feature, the tactical (tail cap) button was already maxed out with it’s options.
One more trick up the recreational button’s sleeve is the battery life indicator. A near microscopic colored light is centered in the button with four indication functions. Solid green means 60% or more battery life remaining. Orange is 10%-60% life left (a little wide if you ask me). And a solid red light for 5%-10% followed by a blinking red when below 5%. The outstanding runtime of the Olight Warrior Mini 2 means you won’t be caught far off guard by a change in indicator light color. But of course your mileage may vary.
Powering the Olight Warrior Mini 2 is the same 3.6 volt 3500mAh battery as in the first gen. It’s a solid performer in the 18650 (or eighteen-six-fifty as it’s often called) cell design. It’s probably the most proven battery in the world. So much so that they even power some Tesla vehicles.
Olight entered a crowded marketplace in 2006 (or 2007 depending on the source) only to quickly gain and deserve name recognition through quality and performance, but mostly price. Recently Olight has moved into front-runner status with it’s near-constant innovation. While price is still what steers many buyers to Olight, the outstanding design and execution of their lighting instruments has disrupted the market because the consumer now expects to be wowed by each new light as if it was an iPhone or next year’s Corvette. And although Olight is a Chinese company with offices in Georgia (the USA one), there is really only one mostly-USA flashlight maker and that’s Surefire. And even Surefire sources materials from overseas partners. Like most other high-end electronics, China has the capacity, talent, and facilities to service a global market which in turn allows for faster and less expensive innovation which fosters experimentation and SKU depth (a fancy way of saying a lot of products) ultimately ending in customer satisfaction. Which is exactly where I am at with the Olight Warrior Mini 2.
