Olight Perun 2: Ultimate torch review

Field test and review – Olight Perun 2

Hiking torches can play an important role in ensuring hiker safety, especially when hiking in low-light conditions or in the dark. Here’s a couple of ways a hiking torch can help keep you safe:

• Provides better visibility: A hiking torch can help you to see potential hazards on the trail, such as rocks, roots, or holes, that you might not otherwise notice in low-light conditions. This can prevent tripping, falling, or other injuries.
• Allows for safer navigation: A hiking torch can help you stay on the right trail, especially if trail markers are difficult to see in low-light conditions. It can also help you to navigate around obstacles or difficult terrain safely.
• Makes you more visible: If you get lost or injured, a hiking torch can make you more visible to rescuers or other hikers who might be searching for you. This can increase the chances of being found quickly and safely.
• Increases confidence: Knowing you have a reliable source of light can increase your confidence, making it easier to stay calm and focused in unexpected situations.

Hiking torches are often lightweight, compact, and easy to carry, making them an essential piece of gear for any outdoor enthusiast. Whether you’re a seasoned multi-day hiker or a casual day-tripper, a good hiking torch can make all the difference to your outdoor experience, providing you with the light you need to stay safe, confident, and connected to the natural world around you. These small, portable torches are often called ECD’s as they are designed for everyday carry (EDC).

Another type of torch often used for hiking is a head torch or headlamp. There are several benefits of using a head torch on your hikes:

1. Hands-free lighting: One of the main benefits of a head torch is that it provides hands-free lighting, allowing you to use your hands to climb, hold onto branches, or use hiking poles while still having a clear view of your surroundings. They are also great around the campsite when you are pitching your tent and cooking as they leave your hands free for the important work.
2. Safety: A head torch can provide an extra layer of safety while hiking in low-light or dark conditions, as it helps you see any obstacles or hazards on the trail and allows you to use your hands to navigate them. It also makes you more visible to other hikers or rescue teams and can be used as a signalling device to draw attention to your location.
3. Convenience: A head torch is a convenient option for hikers who want to keep their packs light and not carry additional lighting equipment. It is also easy to use and adjust, and many models come with different lighting modes, allowing you to choose the level of brightness according to your needs.
4. Versatility: Head torches are not just useful for hiking, but also for other outdoor activities such as camping, caving, and running. They can also be used for tasks that require hands-free lighting, such as home repairs, automotive work, or reading.
5. Improved night vision: Using a head torch can improve your night vision, as it allows your eyes to adjust to the darkness while still providing enough light to see your surroundings. This can be especially helpful if you need to navigate through a dark forest or trail.

Recently I was sent an Olight Perun 2 to field test and review. Before I get into what I thought, here’s a few features according to Olight.

Perun 2 features

• The Olight Perun 2 is a powerful EDC Flashlight: With a maximum output of 2,500 lumens, it has the power required for even the darkest of nights. The Perun 2 has the added benefit that you can also use it as a head torch using the supplied headband.
• Proximity Sensor: The optical system has been optimised, allowing the hidden proximity sensor to help protect you without being oversensitive or affecting the light’ s beam pattern and you can disable the sensor temporarily or permanently. It’s possible to disable the sensor temporarily or permanently and re-enable as desired. The Perun 2 will also power off within 1 minute of the lens is completely obstructed.
• Long Runtime: Its 4000mAh battery provides a runtime of up to 12.5 days in moonlight mode (5 lumens), and close to 4 hours in high mode (500 lumens). Plenty of lighting power for your hiking adventures or use around the home. Easily charge with Olight’ s signature magnetic USB charging cable.
• User-friendly Interface: The large recessed top switch is easy to operate while simultaneously reducing the chance of accidental activation, providing an improved user experience.
• Multifunctional: The Perun 2 can be used as both a headlamp with a headband and as a handheld light with a comfortable grip, and it is easy to carry and attach with the convenient pocket clip.

Tech Specs

Following are some of the tech specs. you can find a great deal more on the Olight website.

• Maximum Performance: 2,500 lumens
• Beam Distance: 166 metres
• Battery: Customized 4000mAh 3.6V 21700 Rechargeable lithium-ion Battery
• Charge type: MCC3 Charging Cable
• Body Diameter: 27mm
• Length: 120mm
• Weight: 161 grams (Including Battery)
• Waterproof: IPX8

How did the Perun 2 perform?

The Perun 2 has a maximum output of 2,500 lumens. So, what are lumens? Lumens are a unit of measurement for the total amount of visible light emitted by a light source. In simpler terms, lumens are a measure of the brightness of a light source. The more lumens a light source has, the brighter it will appear. 2,500 sounds pretty good right?

Lighting levels

The Perun 2 has six different light modes that are easily accessed by pressing and holding the switch in a range of combinations. All these modes have different lumens levels and run time duration. Here’s a quick overview of the output and estimated run time for each level:

Moonlight mode: When the torch is off, you can press and hold the switch to activate moonlight mode which has an output of 5 lumens. This mode is perfect in situations where you don’t want to light up the world and are finding your way around a campsite, your tent or at home when you don’t want to wake the rest of the family. With such a low output, you should expect a fully charged battery to last for 12.5 days when using this mode alone.

Low mode: This mode is perfect when you need more light on the trail or around the campsite. With an output of 30 lumens and a run time of 66 hours, the torch could easily outlast a multi-day hike on a single charge.

Medium mode: For darker nights, when the moon is hiding, the medium mode will help light up your surroundings a little bit better with an output of 120 lumens. The only drawback when you start increasing the brightness is that your run time decreases. Using this mode alone will see your battery depleted in less than 18 hours.

High mode: Due to the decreased run time of this mode, I would recommend using it on short evening hikes, when you are specifically searching for something, or need to use the torch as a signalling device. High mode will output 500 lumens for around 4 hours before dropping to an output of 120 lumens for around 30 minutes.

Turbo mode: As the name suggests, this is the brightest mode. Double pressing the switch within 5 seconds will activate this mode. Wow, does it throw some light. You can easily illuminate objects at 166m away so if you are searching for wildlife or signalling for help, this is the mode to use. Do bear in mind though that this mode, at 2,500 lumens, will last for 2 minutes of run time before dropping automatically to an output of 800 lumens (high mode) for around 3 hours. The head of the torch can also get quite hot in this mode so be careful where you place your hands. It is worth noting that the Perun 2, while marketed as a 2,500 lumens torch, in a practical sense it really should be considered an 800 lumens torch given the limited run time at the maximum output.

SOS mode: Having a torch to signal for help can mean the difference between life and death or, at the very least, the difference between sleeping in a warm bed or outside in the cold until you are found the next day. When it comes to signalling, there are internationally recognised techniques such as SOS where you flash the light rapidly three times, slowly three times, then rapidly three times. Activating this mode is easy, simply triple click the switch three times and point in the direction of your rescuers. To remember how to activate this mode, just think SOS has three letters, so click the switch three times.

Red light mode: Once additional feature that could be added to the Perun 2 is red light mode. This mode is a common feature in headlamps in addition to the white light setting. This is because red light has some advantages over white light in certain situations such as sitting around  camp, cooking your meals, and reading maps. One notable advantage is that red light doesn’t affect night vision as much as white light does. When you use a white light in a dark environment, it can take your eyes several minutes to adjust to the darkness again. However, red light doesn’t stimulate the cone cells in your eyes as much as white light, so your eyes can maintain their sensitivity to the dark. Additionally, red light can be less noticeable from a distance than white light. This can be useful in situations where you want to remain inconspicuous or not attract too much attention, such as when camping or stargazing. Overall, the red light setting on a torch can be a useful feature to have in certain situations where you want to maintain your night vision or not draw attention to yourself.

Design and comfort

The torch is a great size for hiking. Compact, at 120mm, and light weight, at 161 grams, it is easy to carry and fits neatly into your pocket or pack. The torch also comes with a removable two-way clip so you can easily secure it to your belt or on the outside of your pack. As with the Olight Baton 3 Pro Max that I recently tested, I found the knurling pattern on the grip to be comfortable and even when my hands were wet, I was able to grip the surface well. The vertical design (which is for its use as a headlamp) took a moment to get used to but the versatility of this design is great, especially around the campsite as you can simply stand it up on any solid surface.

For anyone used to torches with an adjustable beam focus, the Perun 2 dos not have this feature. The beam width is always fixed but you do have great control by utilising the various lighting levels. The torch has an inbuilt proximity sensor that will automatically reduce the lighting level to medium when the lens gets close to objects or the lens becomes obstructed. This is particularly useful when reading a map in the dark, in your tent at night, or when searching through your hiking pack, when higher lighting levels are not needed. This feature is turned on by default but can be deactivated if its not needed.

The Perun 2 also has a lockout function that will prevent the torch from accidentally being turned on. This is really useful when hiking as I’ve had torches accidentally switch on while in my pack, only to find the battery drained when I needed to use it. By pressing and holding the switch for 1-2 seconds, the torch is locked, preventing these accident from occurring.

Waterproof

The Perun 2 has an IPX8 rating. What does that mean? An IPX8 rating is a waterproof rating given to electronic devices and gadgets that are designed to be submerged in water. The “IP” in IPX8 stands for “Ingress Protection,” which is a measure of a device’s ability to resist intrusion from water and other foreign objects. In particular, the “X” in IPX8 means that the device has not been rated for protection against solid particles such as dust or sand, but the “8” indicates that the device can withstand continuous immersion in water beyond 1 meter depth. Olight’s website claims the Perun 2 is rated to withstand being submerged in up to 2m of water for 30 minutes. I guess one day I will test it out, as I don’t feel like falling in any rivers right now. It’s too cold in Victoria now for that.

Easy charging

I have to say, I love the easy of charging with the magnetic USB charging cable. USB is handy because nearly all my power outlets at home have USB plugs stuck in them and when I’m on the trail, I generally have a power-bank with USB ports stuffed in my pack. While I do like torches that have easily replaceable AA or AAA batteries, the knowledge I can recharge this torch while out in the bush is certainly great peace of mind. I will have to test my power-bank though to see just how much of this is drained to charge a torch battery that is completely flat. Oh, and don’t forget to take the cable with you as you won’t be able to use a generic one. One great benefit of the magnetic charging base is the knowledge I don’t have to be concerned about dust, dirt and sand getting stuck in a charging socket.

Final comments

With a maximum output of 2,500 lumens (for short bursts), and a more acceptable run time at 800 lumens, the Perun 2 has the power and battery capacity required for even the darkest of nights on the trail. The acceptable weight, compact size, durable materials, and comfortable grip are well suited to harsh outdoor environments. Comparing the runtime with the Olight Baton 3 Pro Max, I prefer the Baton 3 Pro but then you have to weigh up the added headlamp benefit of the Perun 2. Hiking is easier (and lighter) when you carry multi-use items. So having the 2-in-2 combo is certainly a sweetener.

Whether you are looking for a powerful and versatile torch for around the home, in your car or out on the trail, the Perun 2 is certainly worth checking out.

You can buy the Perun 2 direct from Olight for $126.95 (as of May 2023)