If you’re looking for a compact, yet powerful weaponlight, then you need to check out this Olight PL X review. I’ve tested this light in a wide variety of conditions, for over 60 days, and it’s performed very well. Don’t let it’s compact size fool you, it has tremendous light output. Keep reading to see all the details.
Many of you know that I’ve reviewed Olight products before. I’ve done their full sized pistol lights, as well as their every day carry light / laser flashlight. I’ve yet to try one of their products that didn’t do well in my testing, and the PL X is no different.
It has some tremendous features, not found on other compact pistol lights. It’s also very reasonably priced, coming in at under $120. Check out the key features of the Olight PL X below.
Olight PL X Review: Key Features
- Selectable dual beam with the flip of a switch
- 1200 lumens, and 22,500 candela for a 300m throw
- IPX7 waterproof rating
- Drop resistant to 1.5 meters
- Features USB-C charging
- Fits Picatinny and Glock rails
Before we get into my experiences with this Olight PLX review, I want to disclose that Olight did send this to me free of charge. They did not pay me for this review, and I always inform any equipment manufacturer that I won’t publish a review for equipment that doesn’t meet the standard.
With that out of the way, let’s get to the review. If you want to see this review in video form, you can find that below.
Olight PL X Weaponlight Review
The Olight PL-X is by far the brightest most compact weapon light I’ve ever tested. It has an incredible 1200 lumen output. It also features a 22,500 candela output. Moreover, this is the first light I’ve seen that allows you to select which mode you want to use, wide flood, or tight beam.
Most compact weapon lights have only one light emitter. As a result, you’re stuck with that beam pattern. This light has a switch on the light body that lets you pick what you need. While this dual-beam system might not matter to most casual users, this can be important for tactical users.
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Choosing the Right Beam Pattern for Tactical Use
My current job allows for a lot of tactical training, especially scenario based training, in commercial, and residential structures. If you’ve ever done this type of training you know the uneasy feeling you get standing outside of a glass entry way, or a window you can’t see into, because of daytime reflection.
My current issued weapons light is a Surefire X300, which is a great all around 1,000 lumen light. Like most lights, it has a bright, but relatively unfocused beam. During one scenario I compared pointing the Surefire into a window I was trying to cover. I couldn’t see anything inside.
I tried it again with the PL X, in focused beam mode, and I was able to get visibility into the room. I was only able to do this because of the high candela output. Score one for Olight. You can see the beam comparison in the video review.
Olight PL X Review: Extreme Versatility
One thing most reviewers, and users of tactical lights never consider is that a pistol light is actually the best purchase for someone on a budget. This light has a compact footprint, as you can see in the photos. This allows it to be used on almost any platform.
I used this on a pistol, as it was what it was intended for. However, this would make an excellent rifle, or sub gun light, as it is so small. It’s also very easy to activate by pushing the rear switches in or down. This allows you to mount it nearly anywhere and still activate it. It also allows you to use your muscle memory from other lights, and easily activate the PLX.
Olight PL X as a Helmet Light
Because this light is so compact and versatile, I actually mounted it to my helmet, using a Thyrm Variarc VS adapter (Amazon affiliate link). Let me tell you, this thing kicks ass as a helmet light. I left it in focused beam mode, and it was awesome for conducting searches, both inside and outside.
I could easily light up a whole car from 30 yards to 80 yards, with a blindingly bright light. It also worked well for digging through attics and other confined places, to clear structures.
Because this was never designed as a helmet light, you have to be careful when you take your helmet off. You can easily bump the switch and leave the light on, depending on how you store your lid. This really wasn’t an issue for me, but it might be for you, if your helmet slides around.
Olight Holster Compatibility
Like any new light it can take the holster industry a while to catch up with compatible models. Olight has a great link to companies that already make holsters to fit it. You can find that here.
I found that it worked well with the Safariland Level 2 / 3 duty holster ecosystem. Moreover, there are large companies like Crossbreed that make some great options that will work for even uncommon pistols like my favorite HK CC9.
If you have a Glock, CZ, Smith and Wesson, or any common pistol, you can probably find a holster to fit your needs. Now that we’ve covered the big ticket items, let’s finish this article up with my final thoughts.
Final thoughts
I really like this light and I expect to keep using it, as it’s extremely flexible. I like that it’s USB-C rechargeable, as I have several battery banks and charging options for that. I will straight up refuse to use equipment if it has weird, proprietary batteries. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
You should be aware that you will only get the full light output for 5 minutes or so. Once the light heats up at that level, it automatically cuts the lumens to keep the battery in good condition. I never ran into this issue when using it as a pistol light, or as a helmet search light. Frankly, almost no one turns on weaponlights for that length of time, but it is worth noting.
I should also mention that this compact pistol light has a strobe feature, but I never used that. I prefer a simple on off mode like it comes with right out of the box.
I’ve used lights from most of the major manufacturers, Surefire, Streamlight, etc. All of the Olight products I’ve tested perform the same or better as these more well known options. At this point I think you’d be crazy to pay 2-3 times more for a weapon-mounted light that delivers worse performance.
If you want to pick your own PL-X up you can do so using this Amazon affiliate link. Not only to you get a great price, but you get fast / free shipping while supporting the website.
If you have any comments or questions, you should check the video out to see if they are answered there. You can also put them in the comments section below. Don’t forget to join the email list below.
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