In this review guide, we gonna take a look at the NEW Olight Odin mini tactical weapon light.
Upon the success of the full-size Olight Odin, the mini version is here to satisfy users who prefer a more compact model.
We want to thank Olight for sending us this amazing light to review, and we will compare this light side by side with the full size Odin and Surefire M300C.
Does it live up to the standard? let's check it out below:
Olight Odin Mini Core Specs
The light is tested against the ANSI/NEMA FL1-2009 standard.
- Max Lumen & Candela - 1250 lm & 14400 cd
- Min Lumen & Candela - 200 lm & 2356 cd
- Max Throw Distance - 240 meters (Min Lumen)
- Min Throw Distance - 97 meters (Max Lumen)
- Battery - 2040 mAh 18500 rechargeable
- Mount - Scout Mounting Foot Print
- Drop Proof - 1.5 meters
- Waterproof Rating - IPX8
- Length - 4.55 in
- Bezel Diameter - 1/14 in
- Weight - 6.2 oz
For anyone looking for a low profile powerful Scout light for range use & force on force training without spending more than $120, the Odin Mini is finally here.
What's Included In The Package
The light comes in a very nice carton blister packaging that feels very premium just like buying a iPhone. All included items are neatly packed inside the individual boxes and foams when you first open up the box.
- Odin Mini (Battery Included) x 1
- MCC3 Magnetic Charging Cable x 1
- Magnetic Remote Switch(with Stand) x 1
- Offset M-LOK Rail Mount x 1
- H2.5 Allen Wrench x 1
- Adjustable screw x 2
- Self-locking band x 2
- User Manual x 1
Core Features
Reduced Overall Length
The Odin Mini stretches just 4.55 inches without the attached pressure switch, which makes it the shortest high performing weapon light for long gun application.
When you take a look at the Surefire Scout Mini has the shortest body length of 4.1", and the Streamlight ProTac is about 5.4"
The Odin Mini has the same overall profile as the full-size Odin, it feels very compact when mounted on SBRs and other wicked modular handguard setups.
Lumen & Candela
The lumen & candela intensity out of Odin mini is very impressive for a light this size for mid range outdoor & indoor use.
In many ways it performs like a Olight M2R Pro with less output.
- 1250 lumens on the highest intensity - Full tail switch press or Pressure switch press
- 200 lumens on low intensity - Half tail switch press
- 14400 candela is about 27% more than the Surefire X300U, which provides plenty of candela for maintaining the the hot spotlight for CQB applications
It definitely beats the Surefire Mini Scout out of the park as far as candela performance, while the Surefire Scout Pro still uses the CR123A battery that can only outputs just 500 lumens & only 7600 candela.
However, the Odin Mini doesn't have the same throw performance like a MODLITE PLHv2 for long range illumination.
Odin's hot spot isn't focused tight enough for long range applications.
In today's weapon light standard, the more lumen & candela is better for increased illumination distance, bright enough to identify objects in low light, and power candela output to punch through photonic barriers.
To learn more about photonic barriers please read here.
Battery Life
The Odin Mini uses a 18500 battery with 2040 mAh capacity with a max run time:
- 200 lumen setting - 5 Hrs
- 1250 lumen setting - 6+11 39+14 mins (Temperature Regulated, Please read in the next section)
The 18500 battery has a smaller diameter profile compared to the 21700 battery, and it's much shorter.
In addition, the light comes with USB magnetic charging cable. The user can charge it at home via any USB port or USB battery bank on the go.
Temperature Regulated Output
Since the light is capable of high lumen & candela output, the temperature regulated output prevents the light from overheating.
So 1250 lumen intensity will last about 6 minutes, then drops down to 900 lumens for about 11 minutes, then drops down to 700 lumens for 39 mins and eventually it will power down to 200 lumens for 14 mins.
It saves battery and prevents overheating. Once the light has cooled down, the lumen intensity goes back to normal assuming you still have enough battery juice left.
Beam Pattern
The Odin Mini has a similar beam pattern to the full-size Odin. You get the hot neutral white center spot that has a throw distance of 200 - 240 meters for better color rendition in low light.
As we have mentioned above, the hot spot isn't super tight compared to other high end lights such as MODLITE PLHv2. While the PLHv2 light beam throws very far and spills the beam further out.
For CQB applications, the Odin Mini has no problem illuminating the environment for positive identification.
More targeted hot spot that punches far
In pitch black outdoor environments, we are very happy to see that the light has a tight spotlight alike beam pattern that is beneficial for illuminating long-distance targets when mounted on a rifle or use as a CQB light.
The spill of the light beam isn't too sharp or soft.
Low Power Vibration Warning
The Odin series light features the low battery vibration notification for the user to recharge the light.
It's a nice to have feature, but not necessary. Our rule of thumb is to recharge the light as soon as the lumen intensity drops down to the level where it doesn't feel effective to the user.
Integrated Scout Light Mount (Includes Offset MLOK Mount)
The Odin Mini features the same Scout mount as the full size Odin to accept any Scout light mounting accessories available on the market (Keymod, MLOK & Picatinny)
The package comes with Olight's dedicated offset M-LOK scout light mount that allows the user to easily mount the light on any M-LOK mounting platform.
Check out more here: Best Weapon Light Mounts
Lockable Magnetic Pressure Switch Pad
The magnetic Push N Lock pressure switch can now be locked in place simply by pushing the anti-slip knurling ring in place without any tools.
Once the magnetic connector is locked in place, it feels rugged and it won't go anywhere unless you accidentally bumped the lockable ring cap into something.
An improvement Olight can add in the future is to make the lockable knurling ring a bit stiffer or add an extra latch to lock the connector in place.
When it comes to light activation, the pressure switch is very tactile and responsive. The pressure switch runs the light at 1250 lumens, where the tail cap switch can operate between two modes:
- Half-press: 200 lumens
- Full press: 1250 lumens
However, the pressure switch doesn't allow momentary on and off if the user press & release the pad too quickly. As Olight continues to improve their products, we would like to see this feature to be finally added.
Durability
The Olight Odin Mini comes with a durable non-scratch coating and can survive reasonable drops and bumps.
It's waterproofed to IPX8 rating, the highest standard in the industry.
Full-Size Odin VS Odin Mini VS Surefire Mini Scout
PREVIEW | Product 1 | Product 2 |
---|---|---|
PREVIEW
| ||
PRODUCT | OLIGHT Odin Mini | SUREFIRE M340C Scout |
LUMEN | 1250 | 500 |
CANDELA | 14400 | 7600 |
LENGTH | 4.55" | 4.1" |
WEIGHT (NO MOUNT) | 6.21 oz | 4.1 oz |
BATTERY | 18500 | CR123A |
WATER RESISTANCE | IPX8 | IPX7 |
MOUNT | Scout | Scout |
ACTIVATION SWITCH | Tail Cap/ Pressure Switch | Tail Cap/ Pressure Switch |
BUY HERE | SEE BEST DEAL | SEE BEST DEAL |
Final Verdict
If you want a powerful mini scout light for NON-full time professional use, the Olight Odin Mini is here for you.
Check out other high-end SureFire alternative products here
Pros
- Improved lumen & candela output
- Hot spot punches far without dimming down
- Neutral beam tint for accurate color rendition under low light
- Rechargeable battery to save more money
- Uses the same scout mount as Surefire
- Compact Design
- Great for Airsoft force on force training
- Better price
The light is dedicated for weapon use. The integrated Scout mount makes this light very appealing to people who are looking for Surefire Mini Scout alternatives.
Cons
The only thing we hope Olight to improve is the ability to activate the light with a momentary switch so the user doesn't have to hold & release the button.
- Hot spot isn't tight focused enough for long range applications
- End cap not compatible with other laser devices
- Tail cap switch not user friendly for angled thumb press
- Not beefy enough to handle severe abuse
Where To Buy
You can get it by visit OlightStore.com and use the exclusive 10% OFF discount code: BADASSOPTIC10