[candle lamp]

Reviewer's note : The partner A1, A2 (XM-L U2 version) were provided by Armytek for review.

I have previously reviewed the partner A1, A2, C1 (XP-G R5 pre-prouction version). This review will look at the shipping version of A1, A2 (XM-L U2).
The partner XM-L U2 version have different emitter and different optic in comparison with XP-G R5 version.





Packaging is a simple cardboard box. Inside you will find the light, user manual, holster, lanyard, two spare O-rings, and spare rubber button.
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Manufacturer Specification adapted from user manual & Armytek website :

Common Spec. :
• Cree XM-L LED (Cool White 5500K)
• TIR optics
• 2 Modes and easy operation
• Hotspot : 50°
• Spill : 90°
• Impact-resistant glass lens with sapphire and anti-reflection coating
• Body material : Aircraft-grade aluminium (Premium type III hard anodizing 400HV)
• Premium antislipping matt surface treatment
• Water submersible : 33 yd
• Waterproof and dustproof standard : IP68 (highest)
• Reliable spring construction for battery protection (Special spring material for higher efficiency)
• Type of mode switching : 2
• Type of clicky switch : Reverse
• Advanced heat transmission for LED with copper MPCB
• Advanced heat transmission for electronics
• Advanced electronic reverse polarity protection
• Light output without flickering
• Ability to use batteries with a flat contact



Runtime were measured for Sanyo Eneloop 2000mAh / CR123A 1500mAh batteries. You can not use rechargeable Li-ion batteries with voltage 2.7~4.2 (RCR123 or 14500) more than 30 minutes without active cooling. These batteries can make small flashlight much brighter and hotter. This can bring the flashlight out of operation and damage the batteries. And battery damage can cause combustion or explosion.
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The anodizing (type III) is a very matt black and consistent throughout with no damage or blemishes of other faults to be found on my samples. There are model name & manufacturer website on the bezel only. They are sharp, clear, and bright white against the black background. There is no real knurling to speak of on the light, but grip is much better than expect, thanks to the same unique anodizing finish as Armytek Predator & Viking line. Anodization is good and comfortable for hands, but this finish may result in dirty surface more easily than other kind of the lights.
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The lights have two parts (the body is one piece with the head). The bodies and tailcaps are physically interchangeable among the lights, as they have common threading and diameters for bodies. The machining work with the light is very good and without any flaws.
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I found a physical difference between A1( XP-G) and A1 (XM-L). It's the position of the cut portion on the body.
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The head has a clean looking cylindrical design with a shallow dodecagon-shaped neck which provides grip. There is a raised positive contact disc in the head. The lights have a reverse polarity protection to protect from incorrect battery installation (i.e., the electronics of the lights have in-built reverse polarity protection).
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As you see, XM-L version has a honeycomb acrylic TIR optic and XP-G has a general acrylic TIR optic. Note that both versions have a upper impact-resistance glass lens with AR coating (i.e., the upper glass lens protects the TIR optic). There is no reflector in both versions.
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From left to right, XM-L U2, XP-G R5 emitter. All emitters were well centered on my samples.
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The body tube has a clean cylindrical tube design. There is no knurling on the tube, and some notches on body are clearly machined and quite deeply cut.
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The wall thickness of the body is 3.5mm. The partner A1, A2 are very substantial lights. Sanyo Eneloop AA or other alkarine or AW 14500 rechargeable batteries fit in the tube without a lot of free space (i.e., there's no battery rattle in the body). Note that you can use one Li-ion 14500 rechargeable cell in A1 or A2 for a short time (less than 30min) with resonable cooling as Armytek claims.
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The screw threads are square-cut. Threads are well machined and anodized which allows the light to be locked-out when the tail cap is slightly loosened. Threads on the body mate well with the tailcap with no issues of cross-threading or grinding.
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The tailcap switch is a reverse clicky. The negative terminal at the tailcap has a thick spring. There is a hole for lanyard attachment. Due to the protruding switch, the light can't tailstand. The switch has above-average tension (i.e., stiffer feel) with average travel. Overall build quality is very high.
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User Interface

The UI is simple. Turn the light on by pressing and releasing the tailcap clicky. Soft press to advance to Low to Hi, in sequence. Or turn the light off and on quickly by pressing the tailcap switch to access between Low and High.
There is no mode memory (i.e., the light comes on in Low if you turn the light off on High and vice versa). There is no blinking modes.
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Measured Dimensions


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PWM



All lights show no sign of PWM at all output levels. I notice there is no buzzing sound at any levels.
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Relative Output Comparison

1. Partner A1


The numbers on the above table are not Lumens but Lux, measured at 30 seconds after the point the light is first turned on in my home-made integrating box (i.e., those numbers do not directly denote the lumens output comparison). All measured lux values in my integrating box are just converted to relative output percent for each light. You will compare each light's output percent in each column.
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2. Partner A2


The numbers on the above table are not Lumens but Lux, measured at 30 seconds after the point the light is first turned on in my home-made integrating box (i.e., those numbers do not directly denote the lumens output comparison). All measured lux values in my integrating box are just converted to relative output percent for each light. You will compare each light's output percent in each column.
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Runtime

1. Partner A1


The runtime to fall to 10% of its initial output from 30 seconds after the point the light is first turned on (i.e., based on ANSI FL-1) for High output is as follow :
1) 1xSanyo Eneloop AA : 54 min (0.9hr)
2) 1xEnergizer Max AA : 42 min (0.7hr)
3) 1xAW14500 : 38 min (0.63hr)
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2. Partner A2


The runtime to fall to 10% of its initial output from 30 seconds after the point the light is first turned on (i.e., based on ANSI FL-1) for High output is as follow :
1) 2xSanyo Eneloop AA : 86 min (1hr 26min)
2) 2xEnergizer Max AA : 30 min (0.5hr)
3) 1xAW14500 : 42 min (0.7hr)
Note that I tested on 1xAW14500 with a dummy cell. The Partner A2 has a boost driver with 0.8~4.2V input voltage, so it works fine on 1x14500 Li-ion rechargeable cell (i.e., Do not use 2x14500 Li-ion rechargeables).
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3. Partner A1, A2


I think the runtime results in my test are quite acceptable and reasonable. Runtime performance on High seems consistent with the reported Armytek's specifications.
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Beamshots

1. White door beamshot (about 50cm from the white door on High)

- ISO100, F/4.5, 1/250~1/1000sec, Auto white balance




The above beamhshots are for only A1 (XP-G & XM-L), due to the quite same beam patterns in both A1 & A2 lights.
The XP-G R5’s TIR optic gives you a very bright wide focused hot spot, with very slightly bright ring around the outer edge of the spill. The XM-L U2's TIR optic gives you flood beam (i.e., bright hotspot with a nice tapering hotspot into less bright spill, but the spill of the XM-L U2 is much brighter than XP-G R5). Note that the spill beam looks not round but square shape at close 30~40cm distance, due to the TIR optic and large XM-L U2 emitter. But this is not an issue for practical use in the real world.
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2. Indoor beamshot (about 3.5m from the target on High)

- ISO100, F/2.8, 1/4sec, Auto white balance

1) Partner A1

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2) Partner A2

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3. Indoor beamshot (about 4.0m from the target on Low)

- ISO100, F/2.8, 1/2sec, Auto white balance

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4. Indoor beamshot (about 7.0m from the target on High)

- ISO100, F/2.8, 1/2sec, Auto white balance

1) Partner A1

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2) Partner A2

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The partner A1, A2 (XM-L U2) are robust flashlights and has a simple UI (two modes) for EDC and outdoor. The lights have the quality of clear TIR optics. It's resonable & good price for quality light with TIR optic in my view.