Using the recently-added rubber security loop with the clip installed is a little awkward.
#ARMYTEK WIZARD PRO 1200 INSTALL#
It's possible, though not exactly what I think Armytek intended to install the Wizard in the holder with the pocket clip attached, which adds to the convenience. It's a simple plastic holder, but I find it more comfortable than every alternative I've tried, including the fancy-looking padded one from Olight. Armytek's headband mount has long been my favorite. Carried head-up in a right-side front pants pocket, I've had accidental activations with older Wizards pressing into the seam of the pocket, but the switch on this one is a little less proud and I have not seen that issue with this one. The switch is on the side of the head, which is perhaps easier to press in a headlamp configuration than many competitors which place it on top of the head, but harder to find in handheld use. It provides a relatively deep carry in either head-up or head-down configurations. It's more likely to bend or break than get pulled off the body by accident. The pocket clip is a loopover design with a very tight friction fit on the battery tube. The physical design seems centered around resisting mechanical abuse, and judging from my two older samples, which have not led easy lives, Armytek has accomplished that goal. The plastic TIR optic is covered by a glass lens to prevent scratches. The tailcap has two O-rings protecting the battery tube from water ingress, and requires a large number of turns to remove. All of the electronics are potted in what I suspect of being a silicone-based rubber. It uses thicker material around critical components than many of its competitors. In its current form, the Wizard Pro is a medium-size 1x18650 right-angle light.
#ARMYTEK WIZARD PRO 1200 DRIVER#
Inside, the emitter has gone from Cree XM-L2 to Cree XHP50 to Nichia 144A, and the driver has been updated to handle a larger amount of power. Over time, its exterior has gained cooling fins, a magnetic tailcap, and charging contacts. The Wizard Pro design has evolved over a 7 year period from its 2013 introduction. I'd probably want more throw if it was my only light, but a more diffuse beam pattern is preferable for a lot of use cases. If that's sounding a lot like the Wizard Pro 144A, you're not mistaken. It would have a boost driver for stable output, and a high-CRI LED with neutral tint. If I could only have one flashlight, it would be a right-angle design powered by an 18650 battery, with a clip and a magnet. This version replaces the XHP50 with a Nichia 144A with a neutral 4500K color temperature and a color rendering index of 90+ for vivid, accurate, sunlight-like color. The Wizard Pro has long been Armytek's top model of right-angle light, and the most recent previous version used a Cree XHP50 LED, included a battery, and had USB/magnetic charging. This form factor works equally well as a handheld flashlight or a headlamp, and many of them, the Wizard Pro included have a pocket clip and a magnetic tailcap, allowing them to be used clipped to clothing or magneted to surfaces. Everyone else calls that a right-angle flashlight or headlamp. The Armytek Wizard Pro is a "multi-flashlight" in Armytek's terminology, powered by an 18650 battery. I've seen two reports of failures, one of which was effectively DOA, and that's relatively normal for a light that's as popular as this one has been in the enthusiast community. I am rescinding my warning to not buy this as one's only flashlight/headlamp.
#ARMYTEK WIZARD PRO 1200 UPDATE#
Update May 2020: the reliability concerns I express in this review don't appear to have resulted in a high failure rate so far. It's fair to say that I'm biased in favor of this light. I was thrilled when they shared professionally-produced marketing material for it, suggesting an actual release was imminent, and even more thrilled to receive a pre-production sample. After a couple years of occasional teasing from them with no visible steps toward making it a reality, I assumed it would never happen. I suggested the idea to Armytek, and promoted the idea on forums. I believe I was the first person to put a Nichia 144A in an Armytek Wizard Pro. Only one can be used per order, and I believe they're in order of best to worst at the time of this post. Try coupon codes "BLF35", "RED", "reddit", or "review", for a discount. This Armytek Wizard Pro Nichia 144A was provided by Armytek for review. Tags armytek wizard nichia 144a CRI 18650 right-angle headlamp
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