About US

The active team behind all the awesome reviews

Our mission: Cut the Crap…
Stop relying on Amazon reviews, top 10 websites, hearsay, or even manufacturer’s specs.
We test flashlights to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Scroll down for our team members

Most have likely encountered similar claims on forums and social media:
1. This flashlight is brighter than X…
2. This one out-throws Y…
3. This flashlight can sustain its brightness

yet, when pressed for evidence, the common excuses are:

1 I saw it with my own eyes…
2 I don’t have gear to test it, but I am very confident that….
3 I just sold it/ gifted it… so I can’t measure it..
etc.

But….

We are different, at 1Lumen.com
We TEST, COMPARE, and MEASURE!

Meet the team (our active members)

Name: Marco

Owner 1Lumen / Reviewer / Flashlight collector

About myself: I have been active in the flashlight community since 2009 when I first signed up to Candlepowerforums. 2 years later I joined the clan at BLF (budgetlightforum) where I stayed most of my time.

Country: the Netherlands flag nl small

My first real LED flashlight: a 2006 Taskforce Super 1 watt flashlight with Luxeon LED. (direct drive). See the link for the picture.

Current favorite flashlight: Depends on the situation. For a large thrower, I like the Acebeam K75. I have an old Fenix LD01 on my keys, that sometimes gets replaced with the MBI HF. Favorite tactical flashlight: Malkoff MDC bodyguard v2. I have the Malkoff in my pocket when I do beam shots at night, in the middle of nowhere. I basically have a flashlight for each occasion.

Favorite flashlight brand: I have been very fond of Sunwayman in the past, but they dropped the ball a few years ago. Acebeam and Olight are in the top 3 of my list as of now.

Other hobbies: Photography and Eneloop batteries (I’m ChibiM)

Gabriel

Flashlight enthusiast

About myself: I joined BudgetLightForum in 2016 after a very short stint at CPF. I love just about anything and everything that lights up. When I’m not busy illuminating things, you can find me at my day job (a business intelligence and systems analyst). I’m also a full-time family man with a great wife and five energetic kids.

Country: United States of America flag us small

My first LED flashlight: Dorcy Metal Gear model 41-4282, circa 2008. Years later, I got my first “modern” LED flashlight – a Fenix E25 at the advice received from CPF. It’s a nice light, but I knew there had to be more out there, and that’s when I discovered BLF and the rest is history!

Current favorite flashlight: This is like choosing a favorite child! My current EDC is a ReyLight Ti LAN with a sliced LH351D and 10 ice blue trits. When I need more lumens, I reach for my Mateminco MT07 or Wuben TO50R (with custom aux board). If I need a true thrower, I go for my Emisar D1S with a custom 5 amp linear driver and a OLSON White Flat.

Favorite flashlight brand: I really like Convoys because the customization options are endless. I also really appreciate Emisar/Noctigon for what Hank has done in terms of compact, high-power, attractive lights at an affordable price. Sofirn/Wurkkos has to be mentioned though because of their interaction with flashlight enthusiasts on BLF and their constant push for redefining what can happen in a budget flashlight.

Other hobbies: I’m an outdoorsman and a maker. I enjoy hunting, fishing, and being out in Mother Nature. Around the house, you’ll find me working on electronics, doing 3D design, or tinkering on a car.

Gabriel’s latest reviews:

Nick

Collector and modder 

About myself: I always had a fascination for bright lights growing up so that explains a lot. I dove headfirst into the flashlight hobby in 2017 when I built my first flashlight, a floating lantern I converted to lithium-ion batteries and 100 watt COB LED. After I saw how bright it was, I was hooked. I joined the Candlepower Forum first, then Budgetlightforum a week later in 2019 where I am a regular. I’m a bit of a closet flashoholic, and when I’m not reviewing flashlights, I’m a husband to an amazing wife and dad. My real job is in the medical field as biller, benefit specialist, and credentialing manager.

Country: United States flag us small

My first LED flashlight: Probably a 2 AA Maglite with TerraLux LED conversion or Nebo Redline zoomie with Cree XR-E

Current favorite flashlight: Astrolux MF01 Mini, Wildtrail WT90, Cyansky HS6R headlamp or Lumintop FWAA, but I like all flashlights!

Favorite flashlight brand: Convoy, Acebeam, Nightwatch.

Other hobbies: I love the outdoors, camping, and I’m an avid kayaker. I love hiking, exploring, and any kind of general tinkering.

Nick’s latest reviews:

Rob

About myself: In 2020, I was looking for a new bike light and stumbled upon r/flashlight.  Oops!  Now not only do I have a collection of lights, I’m reviewing them!

Country: United States flag us small

My first LED flashlight: Way back in 2004, I converted an old AA Mini Maglite I had gotten at a thrift store to LED with a Nite-Ize LED/tail cap combo kit.  The beam was off center and it only improved the output by a few lumens, but it was a start!  Later, around 2007, I got a Nite-Ize (Inova) XS AAA light.  It was incredibly green, but it served me well for 10+ years of daily carry.  In more modern times, I ended up getting an Emisar D4V2 instead of a new bike light.

Current favorite flashlight: That’s a hard question, as there are a lot of “flavors of the week.”  If I had to pick only one, I’d still be torn between the Manker E02 II and E03H II!  These little lights are just so versatile!

Favorite flashlight brand: I’d have to say Emisar, since that was my first modern light.

Other hobbies: I like cycling and playing some video games when I get a chance.

Nick’s latest reviews:

Dave (REMOVED FROM VIEWING ONLINE)

Flashlight fiend 

About myself: I work at a software company but have always had an interest in electronics, mechanics and how things work. I consider humankind’s aim to eradicate the night fascinating, as we’ve had the same quest driving technological advancement for millennia. I’ve been on BudgetLightForum since 2017, asking about different combinations of LEDs and drivers. You’ll also find me on r/flashlight posting things that are definitely not OSHA approved..

Country: United Kingdom flag uk small

My first LED flashlight: my first real flashlight was an AAA sized Thrunite Ti3. I quickly realised I wanted more lumens and got into 18650 cell lights with a Nitecore HC30 headlamp.

Current favorite flashlight: give me the most lumens you can in any form factor and I’ll be happy. I also really like pocketable throwers: the ridiculous Manker MC13 with SBT90.2 LED is my favorite, followed by the Lumintop Thor II LEP. Lumens and candela aren’t everything though and my modded Zebralight H53 with a high CRI, 3000K 219B LED is always within arm’s reach

Favorite flashlight brand: Imalent and Acebeam because you can never have enough lumens.

Other hobbies: As most flashlight enthusiasts, I also like the outdoors, hiking, camping and exploring caves, tunnels, and bunkers. Especially at night, of course.

Matthew

About myself: Now on the wrong side of 40, I’m a country bod at heart, having grown up on a farm in a small English village for much of my life. On the flip side of this, most of my working career has been in the software industry as a professional software tester and engineer. I’m also a qualified Geologist and have a passion for volcanology.

Country: United Kingdom flag uk small

My first LED flashlight: Back in around 2003 I was working in a photographic retail store, that also happened to list some torches on the catalog too. Having already special-ordered in a couple of incan Maglites, I then stumbled across an LED torch called a Primerlight PL-B and promptly ordered it up. It was a 5 LED compact torch running on 3 x AAA with an electronic side switch and a compass in the tailcap. It even included a branded sheath. Comparatively rubbish even back then, but oh so cool…

Current favorite flashlight: I’m still searching for that perfect flashlight. Favourites tend to come and go depending on the day of the week. Although oddly if I had to pick one single light out of my collection it would be my hot rodded Maglite MagCharger running a Phillips 5761 incandescent bulb. For an LED light, probably the Maglite XL200, such a cool light despite the PWM and horrid tint. The Astrolux EA01 and Emisar D1 are also top contenders though.

Favorite flashlight brand: This is a tough one to answer. I do like and own many Convoy lights, so they would certainly rank up there. But heart often overrules head which would mean that I’m very much a Magaholic at heart!

Other hobbies: As I grew up on a farm, I love all things outdoors. Especially off roading. Land Rovers and fast cars are my expensive hobbies. But I love all things Radio Controlled too, especially micro planes. A bit of shooting is fun in the nice weather too, be it clays or airguns.

Would you like to join the 1Lumen team?

Want to become a reviewer?

You can apply here: https://1lumen.com/reviewer-wanted/