Review Odepro KL41 Flashlight (hunting kit)

[Tahts-a-dats-ago]

Odepro's model KL41 is available, in two different packages, through their online store on Amazon. I first purchased the KL41 (comes with a 18650 battery, charger, lanyard, and spare O-rings) and found myself liking that flashlight so much that I ended up ordering the KL41 hunting kit. This review will focus on the hunting kit; though it also (for the most part) applies to the regular KL41 kit.



KL41 Hunting Kit

This kit shipped from the company's Amazon store; taking a mere two days to reach my doorstep. It comes in a nice looking glossy black box and features magnetic closures on the front flap. The foam interior provides ample protection for the flashlight and the included components.



The hunting kit consists of the KL41 flashlight, two 18650 batteries, a double-bay charger, spare O-rings, four led modules, a rifle mount, a hex key, and the pigtail (remote switch). Unfortunately there is no instruction manual included, but one can be downloaded from their website.



Direct link to owner's manual: http://www.odepro.com/images/file/20160617150861176117.pdf



At 7 inches in length, the KL41 is a perfect fit for my hands and features just enough heft to let the user know they're handling a quality piece of equipment. In fact I have let several friends use my two KL41 flashlights and all have made positive comments about the quality and how it just feels right in their hand.



The flashlight is constructed of aircraft-grade aluminum and is drop resistant to 1 meter. It also is waterproof to 2 meters (IPX-68). The KL42 has gold-plated springs for better connectivity and the flashlight is polarity protected.





There are four parts when the light is disassembled: the head, the led module, the body, and the tail. The body features the Odepro logo and an outline of a battery (so you know which way to insert the battery). The threads are all well cut and I noticed no grittiness when assembling/disassembling the flashlight. The owner's manual states that the flashlight is finished with a premium type III military hard-anodization with an anti-abrasive finish. I can only comment that in my experience the finish is done extremely well and has done a great job of holding up to frequent use.

The KL41 has 5 modes (with the white module) – low, medium, high, strobe, and SOS. The tail switch operates both the on/off function and the mode function. A half-press on the tail switch turns the light on temporarily (as long as you hold that half-press). Release the half-press and immediately half-press the switch again to cycle through the modes. Once you've found the mode you want (via half-pressing the tail switch) you can keep the light on (without maintaining pressure on the switch) by fully pressing the switch (you'll hear an audible click). The KL41 does have a memory mode – meaning it will turn on, to the last mode used, when you fully press and release the tail switch. It is also possible to progress through the modes by rapidly fully clicking the tail switch (on/off).

The included charger does its job, but I don't have access to the equipment needed to truly test it. It works – and that's about all I'm capable of saying about it. I do believe that the inclusion of a charger is one of the reasons that makes this hunting kit such a great deal.



The included pigtail (remote switch) is also gold-plated: it features a peel-able sticky pad for placement on the fore-stock and has two clickable switches (press and hold to keep light on).

The included rifle mount allows for a scope/barrel mount, or mounting on a picatinny rail. I did not test it, so I cannot say how it works (or doesn't). It does come with a hex key for tightening the screws.

 

[Tahts-a-dats-ago]

LED Modules

Let's face it: it's the led modules that make this flashlight kit unique. There are hunting lights out there that feature the ability to change led colors, but that system means the led is not centered in the reflector and beam output is diminished.

Odepro took an alternative approach – user changeable led modules that allow the led to be centered in the reflector; making it possible to achieve maximum beam output no matter which led color is chosen.

Upon delivery, one led module is installed on the KL42 and the other 3 led modules are in their own container. All led modules, excepting the red – for some unknown reason, are labeled with their prospective colors.

The white module features an XM-L2 led with 5 modes. Low is factory rated at 33 lumens and 50 hours of use. Medium is factory rated at 310 lumens and 4.5 hours of continuous use. High is rated at 850 lumens and 2.5 hours of use. I have no means of testing actual lumen output, but I can say that high is very bright.

I did not test the run times. I have used the flashlight on a regular basis and find the stated run times to be believable.

The green module features an XR-E led and is factory rated at 200 lumens.

The red module features an XR-E led and is factory rated at 150 lumens.

With both the red and the green modules, there is one mode. The light is either on, or it is off.

The IR module features an Osram led. I do not have the equipment necessary to even see this light. It remains unused, as delivered.




Beam Profile

Along with the size and simplicity, the beam profile is my favorite aspect of the KL41. Odepro rates the maximum distance to be 390 meters, but my experience shows that on high the KL41 will reach out a bit further than that (white module). That is true with both of my KL41 flashlights – they can easily light up targets that are 400 yards away, or a bit further.







It isn't just the throwing ability though; this flashlight also has a good amount of spill light. In fact the KL41's beam profile is my personal favorite (out of 25 different flashlights).











While not quite as impressive, the red and green modules also produce a throwing ability that is a hunter's dream. With both colors I could clearly see deer out to 150 yards or more, and eye-shining was achievable at greater distances. I will say that deer don't seem to like the green too much, but the red never seems to bother them. (White doesn't seem to bother them as much as the green does).

 

[Tahts-a-dats-ago]

Pros

• Great cost to benefit ratio (lots of bang for a very good price)
  
  
• User changeable led modules provide a great beam profile and multiple options
  
  
• The KL41 is a very well made flashlight and should last for years
  
  
• Comes with two rechargeable 18650 batteries and a double-bay charger.
  
  
• Customer service was exemplary (see cons below)

Cons

• User changeable led modules have some setbacks (carrying extra modules, stuck with one led color if other modules not taken with you)
  
  
• The red led module failed (hence the reason for contacting Odepro). The led is attached to a disc, which in turn is attached to the module. If the head is screwed down too tight, the disc can catch on the bottom of the reflector (head of flashlight) and cause the led to be removed from the module. Odepro is making it good, but that will take longer than I wanted to wait with this review. Odepro has re-engineered the way the led is attached to the module and that new module will be in place (very soon) on subsequent KL42 flashlights. To their credit, Odepro encouraged me to talk about all of my experiences with the KL42 – good or bad.
  
  
• When using the pigtail (remote switch) and the white module, each click of the switch will progress through the modes (if the clicks are made in quick succession). That does not happen if multiple seconds occur between clicks (the flashlight remembers the last mode used).
  

Conclusion

The KL41 is one of my favorite flashlights; I love the beam profile (it is nearly perfect in my mind) and the simplicity of the interface. The flashlight is very well made and I am convinced that it will still operate (as it should) for years to come. While not an edc flashlight, the size is just about perfect (in my mind) for the intended use. It'll fit in most coat pockets with ease, feels great in my hand, and offers a lot of bang for the buck.

I do like the led modules; mostly because they give the user a better beam profile.

However that does come with a caveat: changing modules in pitch-black darkness is doable, but not as easy as I'd like (I know, I tested that – assuming that the user wouldn't have another light available). Having the red led module fail didn't make me happy, but there's a newly designed module just around the corner and the solution for those of us with the older modules is simple: don't tighten the head as tight as you possibly can (tighten it only until you feel some friction).

I do recommend the KL41 (in whichever kit that suits your fancy). For those most interested in the hunting kit, I would caution you to heed the warning about over-tightening the head of the flashlight (at least until you're sure the newly designed modules are included). I'd also suggest that, if you're planning to change modules out in the field, you take along a key-chain flashlight so you can see what you're doing.

The KL41 isn't just a hunting light: I use it on my nightly walks, for checking my animals, and for just about anything else that requires extra light.