REVIEW: Olight BALDR Mini

Smaller, further, faster, this trend can also be observed in weapon lights. Today we want to introduce you to the Olight BALDR Mini, the little brother of the BALDR Pro.

This light comes in this attractive packaging when you buy it. Unfortunately, for our German friends, the weapon light with laser is illegal, unless you are an authority.

Inside the box, you will find the weapon light, the user manual, an Allen key, and additional screws. Of course, the special charging cable is also included, as the BALDR Mini is equipped with a built-in battery.

Also included: an adapter for Picatinny rails, practical for all pistols with this standard. The cross bolt for Glock is installed at the factory.

The assembly on the weapon is simple, lift it up and tighten the clamp lever. Additionally, you can slide it lengthwise to find the perfect spot for pressing the buttons with your fingers.

Once you find the "Sweet Spot," simply tighten the clamp lever. Here is an example with a Glock 17 Gen 4. Of course, the procedure is the same for other pistols.

This is what the Olight BALDR Mini light looks like on the weapon. With its dimensions of 5.7 x 3.3 x 3.6 cm, it is a small and very compact pistol light.

This compactness is achieved thanks to a fixed built-in battery, but the battery also brings disadvantages. If you suddenly run out of power because you forgot to charge it, you cannot simply replace the battery.

The BALDR Mini offers you 600 lumens for a minute with a full battery, then it drops to just over 100 lumens. With these, you can shine for about 40 minutes until the performance drops to 60 lumens. After that, darkness arrives quickly.

On the bottom, you will find the mode selection switch. This only protrudes one millimeter to the side. Accidental shifting is possible, but rather unlikely. You have three different modes available. Only laser, only light, or both. There is no strobe mode.

The red laser has a power of 5mW, with a full battery and only the laser, you can achieve a runtime of up to 11 hours. It is a Class 3R laser - HERE is our laser class guide - so do not look into the beam or intentionally shine it into people's eyes.

The BALDR Mini is IPx4 water-resistant, so a little rain won't hurt it. It is charged using the typical Olight magnetic connector.

The battery of the BALDR Mini is fully charged after at most one hour, indicated by the green status light on the magnetic adapter.

The light beam provides the shooter with a bright, sharp center and a distinct halo of light around it. A very useful light pattern for pistol applications.

The meeting of the brothers, the little and the big BALDR. In the BALDR Mini, the laser comes out of the LED reflector. This places the laser about 3cm closer to the barrel, significantly reducing the offset between the sight and laser target point, if you aim for a parallel alignment.

The size difference is quite significant. But the BALDR Pro uses two replaceable CR123A batteries as its power source.

Especially with slim sub-compact pistols, such as a Glock G43X, the BALDR Mini is probably the better choice because it is simply more compact, with all its advantages and disadvantages.

CONCLUSION: The Olight BALDR Mini performs well compared to the BALDR Pro and other light laser modules. The compact, small form factor is achieved thanks to the battery. We find the brightness of the light to be sufficient, but opinions on this point vary. Overall, the Olight BALDR Mini is a solid pistol light at an attractive price.

You can get the Olight BALDR Mini Red at Olight Austria for 129.95 euros in black or tan. In the current April sale, you save 20% and get the BALDR Mini for 103.96 euros.

The April Sale by Olight Austria:

• Date: April 20 10:00 AM to April 22 02:00 AM
• Baldr RL Mini Red Laser Weapon Light 20% discount (MAP: 129.95€; Reduced Price: 103.96€)
• Bundle: Baldr RL Mini Red Laser Weapon Light+I3t Bundle 35% discount (MAP: 151.90€; Reduced Price: 106.33€)
• Odin Mini Tactical Weapon Light 20% discount (MAP: 167.95€; Reduced Price: 134.36€)
• More Rewards:
  1. Order value over 99€ - I3T Desert Tan (21.95€ value)
  2. Order value over 239€ - Open2 Black (59.95€ value)
  3. Order value over 329€ - Array Black (71.95€ value)