Flashlight Fiesta
SkyWolfEye TLY-8501 Gold Edition
Price: 95p free shipping
Manufacturer: SkyWolfEye
Model: TLY-8501
Power: Cree XP-E Q5 3W Emitter
Run By: 1x 18650 lithium cell
Focus Type: Zoom
Modes: 5
Vendor: seller via ebay
Description:
Shipped From: Hong Kong
What's in the Packet?: Just the torch and standard lanyard
First Impressions
Wow! What is this? A torch made from Gold available on eBay for a silly price? Seriously though, this little torch looks like it could be worth a lot more than 95p! Expectations are high with this one.
The packaged arrived in a little over a fortnight. The packaging was adequate. After a quick inspection it seems to have made a smooth voyage from HK without damage.
What a beautiful looking torch! I'm sure I have seen the all-silver version of this in the listings but it doesn't look as good as this one does in the photos.
The first thing that hits you is the brilliant Gold Anodised finish. The shade of gold used here really reflects well in the light. It doesn't look cheap by any means.
The second thing that surprises is the actual size of this thing. It's tiny and small enough to fit in your hand. In terms of practicality this item could be ideal for hikers and outdoors people who don't want to carry loads of heavy gear around with them.
The main body is constructed from good grade aluminium alloy. The main section, tail cap and head are produced to a good standard. Everything screws together nicely thanks to the lubricated threads but the lack of a rubber o-ring around the lens makes the question of waterproofing an interesting one.
The tail cap clicky switch is the usual 'glow-in-the-dark' green type. It makes a good seal around the switch and is set dead center in the middle. (Some are not!)
In the head end a genuine Cree XP-E diode is present. The Lens is a standard plastic fisheye capable of a reasonable amount of magnification, certainly for a torch of this size.
In conclusion the overall presentation and build of this torch is stunning for something that costs so little. It has a feel of quality
as well as looking expensive.
Testing
Testing on high power and it's evident straight away that this tiny thing is a power house. When the zoom is set to wide the flood beam is clear and well defined. Set to narrow beam and the torch becomes a mini superthrower. Hitting trees and buildings well over 150 yards away this device can compete with the best.
The colour temperature of the diode is a cool white, when projected across the lawn it illuminates everything ahead of you. Moving into medium and low modes reduces the overall brightness and highlights just how good this torch could be for close campsite work and map reading without the worry of close-up glare.
Waterproofing wasn't quite up to scratch unfortunately. Zoom lens torches can never really be watertight due to how they work but most manufacturers have made an effort to upgrade the rubber seals etc.
SkyWolfEye in this case have added some good waterproofing around the tail cap and head but failed to add an o-ring between the lens and the crown - funnily enough this was where the water breeched when I threw the torch in a sink full of water.
A few bubbles..... A number of seconds apart.... oh dear!
Thankfully only a small amount of water had got into the head unit. The main body and tail were completely dry.
This torch is definitely splashproof
Some water was able to penetrate the seals.
Rating: ✅✅✅✅✅ 5 out of 5
Who wouldn't want a Gold torch?! I can't believe this quality device cost me less than a lottery ticket. As far as mini power torches goes this has to be the most stylish.
