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Convoy T3 review

Convoy T3 specs
Brand & Model | Convoy T3 |
---|---|
Flashlight category | EDC |
LED | Nichia 519A 4000k |
Max. output | 300-500 lumens |
Max. beam distance | not claimed by Convoy |
Max. beam intensity | not claimed by Convoy |
Battery config. | 1 x AA / 14500 |
Onboard charging | No |
Modes | Programmable 4 Modes & 13 Groups |
Blinkies | Programmable |
Waterproof | IPX6 |
Review publication date | April 2023 |
Review intro:
In the flashlight World, Convoy is a very well known brand these days. And their latest AA offering the T3 seems at first glance to uphold the expectations we have of the brand.
You can buy the T3 in various different colours in a variety of different finishes. There is a huge choice of LED emitters and tints to be had. You can even spec it with an included 14500 battery if you want. Although the T3 will also happily run on regular AA’s too.
Single AA lights have an appeal all of their own, being some of the smaller Every Day Carry lights available. But often lack punch when running on an AA. The inclusion to cater for high lumen output using a 14500 should appease most people.
To start using the T3 all you need to do is pop in the battery chemistry of your choice and fire it up via the reverse clicky tail switch.
Package quality.
The T3 comes in the traditional Convoy plain box. The light is secure and well packed to be protected, but that is about it. No frills or branding on the package.
Included:
- Pocket clip (pre-fitted)
- Lanyard
Any hoping for instructions will need to head to Convoys Aliexpress store for an online description of modes and specs..

Flashlight in use
The T3 has a lovely looking design with different patterns or knurling on the head, body and tailcap. But they all seem to fit together cohesively. The anodising is lovely and silky smooth and in this instance I’m loving the orange colour too.
The T3 will happily tail stand or stand on its head and the pocket clip offers a degree of anti-roll. The switch is rubber cap and of the reverse clicky variety. The switch itself has no mush at all and is a very satisfying and solid feeling switch to operate with a deep resounding click as you turn the light on or off.
The pocket clip comes pre-fitted, which is fine with me as I always like a pocket. The clip itself is completely fine and does the job fine, although for preference I’d have preferred if it was more of a deep carry style.
The T3 is a compact easy to use flashlight which is ideal for everyday carry use and is ideal around the home or outside. Albeit with limited beam distance outside


Build Quality and Warranty
As we have come to expect from Convoy, the build quality is absolutely fantastic. I can not see or find a single issue with the quality of the light, components or construction. To this end the square cut threads are both smooth and slop free. The pocket clip is nicely sprung and offers a firm grip. The knurling and detailing on the T3’s body is very smooth and presents no sharp or rough edges.
The reverse clicky switch is well recessed, yet easy to reach and has a very positive feel about it, with a reassuring clunk click when you use it.
I also like very much that Convoy offers the T3 in an array of colours and finishes.



LED, Lens, Bezel, Beam, and Reflector
The T3 uses an OP reflector and glass lens. Convoy also offers a selection of different LEDs and tints. In this case I have the 519A in 4000k. It is a nice warmish neutral tint with no bad habits at all.
The beam is nice with a largish hotspot and reasonable spill beam. Making it ideal for general use around the house or at closer ranges outdoors.
Opple Light Meter readings (2.5m):
AA Medium mode
- 4324 CCT
- 97.8 CRI Ra



Dimensions and its competition
Dimensions:
Convoy T3 | Millimeters | Inches |
---|---|---|
Length | 93.3 mm | 3.67 in |
Head diameter | 21 mm | 0.83 in |
Body diameter | 21mm | 0.83 in |
Dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter, and to the nearest tenth of an Inch.
Weight:
Convoy T3 | Weight in grams | Weight in oz |
---|---|---|
Without battery: | 47 g | 1.66oz |
Weight is rounded to the nearest gram, and to the nearest tenth of an Oz.
Flashlight size comparison with its competition:
Compared to some other EDC flashlights
Group 1:Convoy T3, Convoy S2+
Group 2: Thrunite T10T, Convoy T3, EagleTac D25A Ti, Klarus Mi7




Convoy T3 UI: User Interface and Driver
Available modes:
- 4 modes in 13 groups
Available blinky modes:
- Strobe and/or blinking
From OFF:
- Click for On
From ON:
- Half press to advance modes
- Click for Off
Mode memory:
- Yes, but can also be turned off
Low voltage warning:
- Yes, when using Li-ion, No when using 1.2-1.5v AA’s
Strobe/blinkies
- Certain mode groups include blinkies and strobe modes
Lock-out mode:
- Physical
PWM
- None
Additional/summary info on the UI:
- With the light on, tap the button 20 times to enter the program selection mode
Convoy T3 programming: how to enter and customize
Problems with programming your Convoy T3? Here are the steps, including some tips.
First, you need to enter the programming menu. Turn the light on, and start tapping the switch (not clicking) for about 20+ times. (you’re basically changing modes, until the light just stays dark). When you don’t see any light, you entered the configuration mode.
Now release the switch, and you’ll see 1 blink, followed by quick flashing.. It will then do 2 blinks… and quick flashing.
Those are the 2 options you have. The first blink is to select your desired mode menu, while the second is to turn the mode memory on/off.
Activate/deactivate mode memory:
First I’ll explain the second option (with the 2 blinks) for selecting the mode memory. When you see the 2 blinks + flashing, you can fully click the switch to turn the mode memory on/off. It won’t let you know what you selected, so you basically have to test it yourself to see which option is currently selected.
You can do this by turning the light on, changing modes… and then turning it off.. When you turn it back on, you’ll either notice that the light is back in the same mode you used last time (Mode memory), or if the light it in the first mode (by default this is the lowest output mode).
Note: When testing mode memory, you shouldn’t select Moon mode. Because if you have mode memory turned off, it will always turn on in the lowest output. You have to use a different mode for testing.
If it’s not what you wanted, you have to go back, tap the switch again for 20+ times to enter programming mode, and wait for the 2nd blink, and again turn the light off. This time you have selected the other mode memory setting.
Change Mode Group in Biscotti firmware:
Ok, now we will change to another mode group.
First, you need to enter programming mode, by tapping the flashlight about 20+ times till there is no light coming from the flashlight. You let the switch go, and wait till you see the first blink + flashing. Now you have 2 options:
- You tap the switch to enter Mode Group Selection directly, and the light will show a number of blinks.
- You click the switch, so the light will turn off, so you have a bit more time to concentrate. If you turn the light back on, you enter Mode Group Selection.
In the Mode Group Selection, you will see a number of blinks. Of course, starting with only 1 blink. (This is the default option).
When you wait about 3 seconds, the light will blink 2 times. After another 3 seconds, it will blink 3 times.. this continues till you see all 12 blinks.
If you’d like to activate Mode group 5, with only 3 modes. You simply turn the light off after the 5 blinks.

Convoy T3 Charging and batteries
The T3 does not have onboard charging, but will run on a single AA battery or 14500 Li-ion. The T3 also isn’t fussy and will take button or flat top batteries of varying lengths.
On AA’s it stays cool for the duration, even at max output, although High mode with a 14500 will heat it up a little, but it is quite manageable to handle for the most part.
Performance test
All measures are made with a homemade lightbox and the CeilingBounce app on an Android phone.
Lumen measurements (for each mode)
AA NiMh (Amazon basics):
Mode | Amps at start | Specs | @turn on | @30 sec | @10 minutes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Moon | 0.02 | – | 1 lm | 1 lm | 1 lm |
Low | 0.13 | – | 17 lm | 17 lm | 17 |
Med | 0.48 | – | 57 lm | 57 lm | 57 lm |
High | 2.87 | – | 161 lm | 158 lm | 158 lm |
14500 Li-ion (Efest IMR ‘Purple’ 650mAh):
Mode | Amps at start | Specs | @turn on | @30 sec | @10 minutes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Moon | 0.01 | – | 4 lm | 4 lm | 4 lm |
Low | 0.11 | – | 46 lm | 46 lm | 46 lm |
Med | 0.40 | – | 155 lm | 151 lm | 151 lm |
High | 1.30 | – | 401 lm | 383 lm | 372 lm |
Parasitic drain:
- None
Battery Life: Runtime graphs


AA NiMh (Amazon basics):
Mode | Specified runtime | Measured runtime ANSI | Time till shut off |
---|---|---|---|
Med | – | 3h 58min | 4h 4min |
High | – | 1h 4min | 1h 10min |
14500 Li-ion (Efest IMR ‘Purple’ 650mAh):
Specified runtime | Measured runtime ANSI | Time till shut off | |
---|---|---|---|
Mode | |||
Med | – | 58m 48s | 58m 48s |
High | – | 21m 20s | 21m 20s |
About ANSI FL1 standards: The runtime is measured until the light drops to 10% of its initial output (30 seconds after turning on). This does not mean that the flashlight is not usable anymore. The last column shows how long the light actually works till it shuts off. If there is a + symbol, it means that the test was stopped at that particular point, but the light was actually still running. This happens on certain occasions, with certain drivers, firmware, or batteries.
Peak beam intensity and beam distance measurements measured at 2.5m with the CeilingBounce app on an Android phone.
AA NiMh (Amazon basics):
Mode | Specs | Candela measured | Meters | Yards |
---|---|---|---|---|
Low | – | 101 | 20m | 22 yd |
Medium | – | 353 | 38m | 42 yd |
High | – | 971 cd | 62m | 68 yd |
14500 Li-ion (Efest IMR ‘Purple’ 650mAh):
Mode | Specs | Candela measured | Meters | Yards |
---|---|---|---|---|
Low | – | 292 | 34m | 37 yd |
Medium | – | 983 | 63m | 69 yd |
High | – | 2665 cd | 103m | 113 yd |
About peak beam intensity: Peak beam distance according to ANSI FL1 standards: The calculated value of distance in meters at which the flashlight produces a light intensity of 0.25 lux. (0.25 lux is about the brightness of a full moon shining on an object). The columns ‘Meters’ and ‘Yards’ use rounded numbers.
Beamshots
Camera settings and distance: 15m using Canon EOS 200D – Canon 18-55mm EFS IS – 2”/F6.3/ISO 400/WB 5200k “Daylight”
Beamshots of the following flashlights compared:
- Thrunite T10T XM-L2 (AA)
- EagleTact D25A Ti XPL-HI (14500)








Disclaimer: This flashlight was sent to me for review at no cost by Convoy. I have not been paid to review, nor have I been holding back on problems or defects.
Final Verdict
Pros
- No vices
- Programmable UI
- Ability to disable Mode Memory
- Tints & LED choices
- Price
Cons
- Slightly larger than some other AA lights
- Short runtime on max output with 14500 batteries
Explanation on star ratings:
1: Avoid: a match would be a better choice – 2: Poor: significant defect or issues; almost unusable – 3: Average: some defects or issues; but still usable 4: Good: recommended (minor issues) – 5: Great: highly recommended

4.5 stars: ★★★★⋆
While our star rating provides a reliable indicator, we encourage you to read the full review to make an informed decision based on your own needs and preferences.
The Convoy T3 is a superb compact flashlight with no real vices worth mentioning and earns a 4.5 out of 5 from me.
Some would argue it is slightly larger than other AA offerings and it is. But not by huge proportions and it is vastly smaller than most 18650 powered lights.
I really like the T3, points that truly elevate it above many others are the choice of LED emitters and tints and the programmable User Interface. Most notably the fact I can disable mode memory, which allows me to use the light by the bedside, as I know it’ll always turn on in the lowest mode. For me I value this trait much more than outright output or looks.
However the design of the T3 is also great, it is a looker. As with most 14500 lights, I find the runtimes are too short for me. 20 mins on High is not very long and while you could be disciplined to only use Medium, which offers almost identical runtime and performance to the High mode on an AA. I still would say this light is at its best with a NiMH AA battery. This is how I’ve mostly used it. It might not make the headline 400 lumens, but it is highly usable in this configuration and you really don’t have to count the minutes or seconds you have it activated for.
Buy your Convoy T3 here
1lumen selects and reviews products personally. We may earn affiliate commissions through our links, which help support our testing.