1lumen selects and reviews products personally. We may earn affiliate commissions through our links, which help support our testing.
Rovyvon GL3 Review: pistol light
Rovyvon GL3 specifications
| Brand/model | Rovyvon GL3 |
|---|---|
| LED | CREE XH-L HI |
| Max. Lumens | 700 lm |
| Max. Beam intensity | 3,025 cd |
| Battery config. | 1*16340 |
| Onboard charging | USB-C |
| Modes | 1 |
| Blinkies | None |
| Reflector | Smooth |
| Waterproof | IPX7 |
| Review date | February 2022 |
Introduction:
Rovyvon seems to specialize in EDC lights and gear. The vast majority of their lineup consists of numerous iterations of the A-series “Aurora” lights: small, pocket and keychain-friendly flashlights that pack a lot of utility in tiny bodies. The recent S3 Search and S3 Search Pro, Angel Eyes, and Hybrid H3 models depart a little bit from their bread-and-butter lineup, but are still EDC-centric.
So when I was asked about reviewing a new Rovyvon, a weapon-mounted light is certainly not what I had in mind. But sure enough – Rovyvon has just released a pair of WMLs (weapon mounted lights). There’s the GL3 Pro which combines white light and a green laser. And then there’s the GL (non-Pro) which is a white light-only version. That’s what we’ll be reviewing here today – the new Rovyvon GL3.
Package quality.
The Rovyvon GL3 arrived in a fairly nice looking package. The outer sleeve has the model name and highlights on the front (“700 Lumens!”) and an image of the WML superimposed over a subtle tactical-looking figure. The back lists out a few bullet points about what the GL3 has to offer. Inside the sleeve is a simple 2-part box containing:
- Rovyvon GL3
- Battery (inside the light)
- Glock and 1913 adapters with screws
- Allen key for switching adapters
- Manual
- USB charging cable
Flashlight in use
To ensure that the GL3 is compatible with most pistols, Rovyvon has included adapters for both MIL-STD-1913 (Picatinny) and Glock rails. These can be swapped out as needed with the included hex-head screws and allen key.
The light is cinched down and held tight with a tightening lever that latches into place to stay locked in. The lever can be rotated to loosen and tighten the grip. And if needed, it can be completely unscrewed from the light to aid with installation/removal.
The Rovyvon GL3 is a bit on the larger end of the spectrum for pistol lights. Mounting it worked well on a full handgun like the HK VP 9 with it’s 4.1” barrel. On a more compact gun like the Taurus G2c with its 3.2” barrel, the GL3 was not able to fully attach. It may depend on your model of firearm, but I’d say this Rovyvon is a better fit for larger pistols, not the small compacts.
There’s a switch on each side of the GL3; both of them function exactly the same. You push downwards to activate the switch.
Build Quality, and Warranty
Reeding or knurling (redding=lines, like the Fireflies PL47g2 tailcap vs diamond shape) Knurling
Material (copper, titanium, aluminum).
The GL3 is covered in matte black anodizing of an unspecified type. Being a WML, there’s not really any knurling to speak of or concerns about grip-ability. The threads where the head mount are square-cut, clean, and pre-lubed.
Overall, the Rovyvon GL3 seems really solid and if anything, kinda beefy.
Warranty policy:
- Within 2 years, repair or replace if caused by factory defects
- After 2 years, offer a discount towards products at a similar value
LED, Lens, Bezel, Beam, and Reflector
The photons of the Rovyvon GL3 are coming out a Cree XP-L HI LED. Unlike many of Rovyvon’s lights, there are no options here. This is a “you get cool white, take it or leave it” kind of situation. That XP-L HI is nicely centered in a smooth reflector. Between the domeless LED and the smooth reflector, the beam is pretty throwy.
According to my Opple Light Master Pro, the LED registers at:
- CCT: 6512K (cool white)
- CRI: 70.7 (average color rendering)
- DUV: 0.0020 (tint is nearly neutral, close to the BBL)
Dimensions and size comparison
- Length: 7.43 cm / 2.93 inches
- Head diameter: 2.60 cm / 1.02 inches
- Body diameter: 3.59 cm / 1.41 inches
Weight:
- Without cells: 78 grams / 2.75 oz.
- With cells: 97 grams / 3.42 oz.
Pistol lights comparison
Gun lights, from left to right: Olight Baldr S, Rovyvon GL3
Rovyvon lights, from left to right: Rovyvon S3, Rovyvon GL3
Driver & User Interface:
With some lights, especially gun lights, the “less is more” mantra applies perfectly. In that vein, Rovyvon nailed it. Despite what the website says at the time of this writing, the GL3 (non-pro) appears to be single-mode light. Rovyvon’s website mentions a Low mode, but the instructions that were included don’t mention it, nor can I figure out how to access it. So I’m going to believe the instructions that there is only High mode.
Available modes: High
From OFF:
- Press and Hold: momentary on
- Single click: on
From ON:
- Single click: off
Mode memory:
- N/A (only one mode)
Shortcuts:
- N/A (only one mode)
Low voltage warning:
- The light gets very dim before shutting off; no other indications
Strobe/blinkies
- None
Lock-out mode:
- None
PWM
- None
Additional info on the UI:
- This is about as easy as it gets: off and on (well, and momentary on)
Batteries & Charging
The Rovyvon GL3 comes with a Rovyvon-branded 650 mAh 16340 battery pre-installed. The battery is protected. The battery is removable, just unscrew the head of the light and remove the battery carrier. Rovyon says the GL3 is compatible with CR123 batteries. I also tried it with a Vapcell T6 16340 and it worked just fine.
While you can open the light and remove or replace the battery if you need to, in general, there will likely be no reason to remove the battery as the GL3 has built-in USB-C charging. With a measured 1.2 amp charge rate, the battery topped up in 1 hour and 7 minutes, finishing around 4.15 volts. While charging, the blue indicator LED displays a “breathing” action before switching to a solid blue upon completion.
The included USB-A to USB-C charging cable works well. I tried a USB-C to USB-C cable that I had available with a USB PD charger and the GL3 didn’t want to charge with that.
Performance
Lux was measured by a UNI-T UT383 BT at 5 meters. Lumens were measured in a homemade lumen tube using a TSL2591 sensor, calibrated with a Maukka calibration light. Testing was performed with the included 16340 battery.
Lumen measurements (for each mode)
| Mode | Specs | Lumens @turn on | Lumens @30 sec | Lumens @10 minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo | 700 lm | 671 | 607 | 321 |
Parasitic drain:
- unable to test
Runtime graph
The GL3 turned on at 671 lumens and began sagging slightly as the battery voltage dropped. At 30 seconds, out was 607 lumens – a bit shy of the 700 lumen spec. At 1 minute and 13 seconds, the light began to ramp down, settling in at 345 lumens at 3 minutes. Output dropped slowly over the test as the battery voltage continued to wind down. The light passed the 10% threshold at 1 hour and 10 minutes. The maximum temperature was 45°C.
Throw numbers:
Throw was measured at 5 meters and 30 seconds
| Mode | Specs | Candela measured | Meters | Yards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | 3025 cd | 7175 cd | 169 | 185 |
Beamshots
Beam shots of the building are taken at 15 m (16 yd) using a Pixel 6 set to ISO 200 with 1/10 second exposure time.
Beam shots of the playset are taken at 30 m (33 yd) using a Pixel 6 set to ISO 200 with 1/2 second exposure time. The trees in the background are around 65 m away.
- Rovyvon GL3
- ThruNite T1S
- ThruNite TH30 V2
Disclaimer: This flashlight was sent to me for review at no cost by RovyVon. I have not been paid to review, nor have I been holding back on problems or defects.
Final Verdict
Pros
- Beefy build
- Dead-easy UI (single mode)
- USB-C charging
Cons
- Charging not compatible with USB-PD
- Unregulated driver
Explanation on star ratings:
1: Avoid: my phone flashlight 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 stars: ★★★★
The Rovyvon GL3 is a beefy, no-nonsense pistol light. Whether this is the right WML for you really depends on your use case. This isn’t for compact pistols. It doesn’t have multiple brightness levels (despite what Rovyvon’s website says). There aren’t lasers or anything of the sort. If you want some of those things, then check out the GL3 Pro. However, if you’re looking for a solid, one-mode, rechargeable light that you can throw on a full-size pistol without breaking the bank… the Rovyvon GL3 may just be what you’re looking for.
Flashlight For Sale
1lumen selects and reviews products personally. We may earn affiliate commissions through our links, which help support our testing.