REVIEW: OLIGHT PL-1 VALKYRIE

Light on the pistol - while Surefire and Streamlight battle for the top spot, other manufacturers are also coming up with compact lights for handguns: Inova, Nebo, Crimson, and now Olight with the PL series. Since we already liked the previously introduced Olight M20x so much, we want to take a look at the PL-1 first. The brand-new model PL-2 will be available soon.

When you hold the PL-1 in your hand, the first thing you notice is how light this light is. It weighs only 84 grams without a battery - with a CR123A battery, it's a mere 101 grams. The battery is inserted from the front by unscrewing the head of the light. This has the advantage that the battery can be easily replaced even when the light is mounted.

In addition to the CR123A, an RCR123A battery can also be used. The battery compartment is sealed with an O-ring, making the PL-1 splashproof according to IPX-6. Speaking of the light head: it's quite small at 38mm. You will be amazed when you turn the light on for the first time. The Cree XP-L LED produces a whopping 400 lumens, with a lifespan of 50,000 hours.

For turning on the light, there is a push button on each side at the end of the light, accessible next to the trigger guard for both right and left-handed users. These buttons can be operated not only from the back but also from the side, making turning the light on and off very easy.

If you press both buttons simultaneously, you will be in for a surprise - in the truest sense of the word - what does it do? IT LIGHTS UP BLUE! With the help of two small LEDs, hidden in the casing above the light head. This blue light mode, with 2 lumens, can operate for 40 hours with one battery and is used for discreetly illuminating the surroundings or quickly looking at documents etc. It can be turned off by pressing any button once. The white light has a battery life of 50 minutes and can also be used as a stroboscopic light (10 Hz) for 1.5 hours with a double-click. The white light mode has a range of about 100 meters, with a soft spot and very good illumination in the close range. To withstand harder hits and falls from a height of up to one meter, the Valkyrie has a housing made of hard-anodized aircraft aluminum. The mounting on the weapon is done with a small quick-release lever, which is user-friendly with heat-shrink tubing. The operation of the quick-release lever is smooth thanks to strong springs, with the mounting jaws being pushed further apart in the open state.

To prevent slipping forward or backward, there is a center bar that fits into the pistol's rail. To cover as many weapons as possible, you can choose between two supplied bars: the first bar is for Glock, the other for Picatinny (labeled with 1913). With dimensions of 78mm length, 31mm width, and 38mm height, the size of the light is absolutely competitive, or rather, the Valkyrie is much smaller than other lights.

We cannot yet adequately confirm its resistance to firing, but the light is securely attached to the rail and does not move, which counteracts any "shaking off" under firing load. It is worth mentioning that in the Pulverdampf Forum, it was reported that the light loosened and did not tighten correctly on some models from a group order. However, the manufacturer has announced a revision.

CONCLUSION: Why should you consider the PL-1 Valkyrie? Because it offers a very affordable and compact pistol light with a powerful 400 lumens light output for just under 100€. The quick release lever works flawlessly, and thanks to the blue light, the light can also be used solo effectively to illuminate areas. An issue could arise with using a holster due to the lever protruding slightly.

The PL-1 is available at 365+ Tactical and at all other stores carrying Olight.

In Germany, the Olight PL-1 is only available for authorities.

Olight Germany website: Olightstore.de

Stay tuned for our upcoming review of the Olight PL-2