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The Xnova 8 LED is a very small, pocket sized 8 LED
flashlight made of machined aluminum. It contains a
boost circuit that provides semi-regulated output for
over 2 hours on a single AA alkaline cell. Output is
fairly good and construction is OK.
The body is made of anodized aluminum with a smooth
finish. There are 8 flutes running down the body for
grip and the tailcap has ridges for easy of rotation.
There is also a lanyard hole built into the tailcap.
The head is slightly larger than the body and has a
decorative silver ring machined at its base.
The head holds the eight 5mm white LEDs and a boost
circuit. These are held in place by a silver metal plate
which is pressed into place. Inside is a spring contact
for the negative end of the battery, which is inserted
with the positive end toward the tailcap. I did notice
that a couple of the LEDs have defects in the epoxy
capsule, one of which has a big wad of what looks like
lint right in the center. This takes away from the output
to some degree.
Output is in the form of a fairly wide, smooth beam.
Initial overall output is just a touch less than an
inexpensive 2-D cell incandescent flashlight - not bad
for a single AA powered light! Color temperature of
the beam is high, which is not shown well in the beamshot,
below. It's more of a bluish-purple tint.
Beam at one meter at target center
Runtime Plot: Expect 50% starting output in about 2
hours, and a complete dropoff around 45 minutes later.
This is pretty good for a single AA powered light running
off of an alkaline cell. Remember, too, that runtime
impacted by output and considering the output, this
light does quite well.
Runtime
completed with Eveready batteries. More information
on runtime plots is available HERE.
The tailcap is the switch - tighten for on, loosen
for off.
Seals: There is an o-ring seal at both ends of the
body. However, I gave the little light a good cleaning
and the contact cleaner easily found its way out of
the inside of the light through the head around the
LEDs. As a result, I'd do my best to keep it dry. I'd
call it splashable at best.
Ergonomics: It's small, and the surface is smooth and
a bit slick. If you have wet hands or oily hands it
may slip. The grooves around the tailcap make it easy
to turn on and off. Small enough for pocket carry.
Size compared to a common 2AA aluminum light
Batteries: A single alkaline cell runs the light. To
change it out, simply remove the tailcap and drop out
the old cell. Place a new cell in NEGATIVE first so
you are looking at the positive nub when you put the
tailcap back on.
What I Liked: Good output, Good
battery life, Decent construction, Stands on end, Uses
inexpensive AA alkaline cells
What I Didn't Like: Not very water
resistant.
Other Things I Noticed: Construction
fair, but not great.
Conclusions: An OK quality light.
Not super, but not junk either. Good to throw in the
purse or pocket, and good output considering that it
runs on a single AA cell. I'd be wary about taking it
in environments where it could get significantly wet
or moist.
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