Flashlights serve hunters in several essential ways. Setting up before daybreak, locating downed game, signaling for help, and shining are all crucial to successful hunting. Most flashlights are something you buy once, throw in your pack, and forget about until you need it next. The idea of spending $200 on one is likely to be viewed with a heavy dose of skepticism at best. The Olight Javelot Pro is a light that will challenge the notion that all flashlights are created equal.
Packing a whopping 2100 lumens, this is not your dad’s light. Ideally suited to shining, the impressive lumen count is backed up by 291,600 candelas which throws the beam like no light you’ve used. Rated to 1000 meters of beam distance, the Javelot can illuminate objects at night past a half-mile. A built-in 18650 rechargeable lithium-ion battery promises anywhere from 2 hours to 23 hours of runtime on a charge depending on the brightness setting. This performance does come at a cost—and the weight and size of the light is the price you pay. The flashlight is 10 inches long and weighs in at just shy of a pound (13 oz). You probably won’t be bringing this on any ultralight backcountry trips, though it is light enough to throw into your treestand pack.
I have been using the Javelot for just shy of a month now and have been trying to put it through its paces. I purchased it primarily as a light for shining and it has not disappointed me. For the first time, I have been able to use my binoculars in conjunction with a light to look deep into clearings and timber, even in almost complete darkness. When walking with the light at night, the ribbed aluminum body provides a secure grip and the included holster allows you to stash it away if needed. It is by far the brightest flashlight I’ve ever used outperforming my trusty Fenix PD35 by a longshot and making the old giant floodlights I grew up with look like toys. The most impressive thing is the even distribution of the beam. Any decent flashlight with a high lumen count can light up the immediate vicinity well, but the ability to throw that light way downfield is what makes the Javelot special.
At the $200 price tag, the Olight Javelot Pro is not for everyone. It will not replace your headlamp and may be too large to replace the compact flashlight most of us carry in our hunting packs. However, if you need to be able to illuminate a long way off in the distance, you would be hard-pressed to find a better light. It ships with a hard plastic case, magnetic USB charger, and a durable stiff nylon holster.
