Olight Expands Its Baton Lineup With the More Powerful Baton Ultra
Olight flashlights have been on our radar for a few years now, and we’ve reviewed several models. Recently, I took a look at the Mini Marauder 2 flashlight, which is a beefy light that boasts up to 10,000 lumens. Now, I’m looking at the other end of the size spectrum with Olight’s compact Baton Ultra. Is this light a good fit for your lifestyle? I’ll walk you through my experience using it to help you decide.
Olight Baton Ultra Flashlight Performance
Light Output and Modes
The Olight Baton Ultra offers up to 1800 lumens of brightness. That’s 200 more lumens than the Ultra Pro 4, which was announced alongside this model. The Ultra features four brightness settings: Moonlight, Low, Medium, High, and Turbo.
Right off the bat, I noticed how bright the Turbo mode looked. While 1800 lumens is hardly topping the charts compared to other models we’ve reviewed, Olight equipped the Baton Ultra with its self-developed LED, known as EIP 1. The brand claims it delivers around 10% higher luminous efficiency and a clear, natural white beam that doesn’t distort colors.
In Turbo mode, this flashlight reaches an impressive 300 meters—100 meters more than the Baton 4 Pro delivers.
Controls
Like many of the Olight flashlights we’ve tested, this model requires certain sequences of button presses to reach your desired brightness setting. There are two power buttons—one on the side of the flashlight and one on the handle base.
Both buttons have their own power functions, and once I got the hang of the button sequences, I was able to quickly reach the brightness setting I was after.
Both the side switch and the tail button give you access to Turbo mode, which is where you’ll find this flashlight’s top 1800-lumen brightness. Double-pressing either button accesses this setting, and so does holding the tail button down. During the latter, the flashlight turns off when you release the tail button.
Using the side button, a single press turns the flashlight on or off. When it’s on, you can toggle through the brightness settings by holding the side button and releasing on your desired brightness. Holding it while it’s off locks out/unlocks the power.
Finally, when the flashlight is off, hold the side button for one second to access the 1-lumen Moonlight mode. This mode can only be accessed with the side button.
At a Glance: Baton Series Compared
The Olight Baton Ultra flashlight is the newest addition to the Baton series. Here’s a look at this model side-by-side against the Baton 4 Pro.
Note that the Baton models older than the 4 Pro are no longer available on Olight’s site, so we’re not including them in the comparison.
| Baton Ultra | Baton 4 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Max Brightness: | 1800 lumens | 1600 lumens |
| Max Throw: | 300 meters | 200 meters |
| Material: | OAL aluminum | 6061 aluminum |
| Runtime: | 155 hours (low) | 155 hours (low) |
| Price: | $100 | $70 |
Runtime
Since there are five different brightness settings, your runtime will vary based on the mode you’re in. Also, the Baton Ultra limits the duration during which its top 1800-lumen brightness setting can be used to prevent overheating. Olight only maintains the maximum brightness for about 1.5 minutes before dropping to 600 lumens to protect both the tool and the battery.
Here are the runtime specs for each brightness setting:
- Turbo (1800 → 600 lumens): 1.5 + 198 minutes
- High (600 → 120 lumens): 200 + 20 minutes
- Medium (120 lumens): 18.5 hours
- Low (15 lumens): 155 hours
- Moonlight (1 lumen): 100 days
Additionally, Olight included an LED ring around the side button that indicates what brightness setting you’re currently in, as well as the flashlight’s battery level.
Olight Baton Ultra Flashlight Design
Size and Weight
This flashlight weighs just over 4 ounces and measures just 4.5 inches in length, making it very compact and easy to carry. A metal belt clip comes pre-installed on the flashlight, ideal for keeping it at arm’s reach on your belt, pocket, or bag strap.
Olight also includes an adhesive metal bracket that sticks to any flat surface to store your flashlight in your home or shop using its magnetic base.
Charging
The charging method with the Baton Ultra is the same as the Baton 4 Pro. You can either pop the included MCC magnetic cable onto the base of the flashlight or connect a USB-C cable to the hidden port that you can access by unscrewing the base of the flashlight.
Durability
Olight constructed the Baton Ultra with its proprietary OAL O-aluminum material, which the brand claims provides high durability and scratch resistance. Despite its relatively light weight, the material does feel quite sturdy. The handle also features a textured knurling pattern for a secure, tactile grip.
Additionally, this flashlight has a drop resistance of up to 2 meters, or around 6.5 feet. You don’t have to worry about damage if it drops from your pocket or becomes unclipped from your belt/bag.
The Baton Ultra is also equipped with an IPX8 ingress rating, protecting it against water splashes. However, be sure the base is fully screwed in to prevent water from getting into the USB-C charging port.
Olight Baton Ultra Flashlight Price
This flashlight retails for $99.99, and you can find it on Amazon or directly through Olight. It carries a lifetime warranty.
The Bottom Line
The Olight Baton Ultra boasts a rugged, durable build that’s ready for anything. While it’s not the absolute brightest compact light we’ve tested, 1800 lumens and a 300-meter throw are certainly nothing to turn up your nose at. Where this light really shines is in its ultra-compact design that tucks away in your pocket or on your belt until you need it.
If you’re looking for a solid, reasonably-priced everyday carry flashlight, the Olight Baton Ultra is worth considering. However, for a more budget-friendly pick, the Baton 4 Pro is a less expensive alternative if you don’t mind sacrificing some of the more premium features.
Specifications
- Model: Olight Baton Ultra
- Max brightness: 1800 lumens
- Max throw: 300 meters
- Max runtime: 155 hours
- Ingress rating: IPX8
- Weight: 4.06 oz
- Material: OAL Aluminum
