Olight Baton series hands-on review: Bright multi-switch flashlights for everyday carry

The Olight Batons shine bright for flashlights that fit in the palm of one’s hand. Both the rugged Baton 4 Pro and Baton Ultra come with dual switches, enabling use in a variety of handholds. A strong metal clip along with a magnetic tail lets users attach the flashlight to clothes, packs, and steel surfaces for everyday carry and use. They have over three hours of runtime at their brightest, and the magnetic charging pad makes recharging easy.

As trade-offs, the front becomes hot when used at the brightest setting. Also, the tail switch cannot be activated for the briefest of moments, preventing Morse Code signaling at normal speeds. The knurled body can damage delicate clothing if the clip, which is difficult to pull, is not pulled away during attachment.

Nonetheless, the flashlights are a solid choice for those looking for a bright EDC due to their versatile design and durable, water-resistant construction.

The Baton 4 Pro comes in matte black, orange, and OD green at an MSRP of $69.99, and the Baton Ultra comes in olive green at an MSRP of $99.99. Both are available from Olight and Amazon (Baton 4 Pro and Baton Ultra).

The Olight Baton 4 Pro and Baton Ultra provide users with long-throw, high-brightness output in a rugged body with dual switches for convenient use and carry.

The sturdy boxes include a flashlight with a read-me card, manual, and magnetic charger. An L-shaped steel bracket with sticky tape is included as a flashlight dock.

The Olight Batons features a knurled aluminum body with a side and tail switch. A metal clip is attached to the side, allowing the Batons to be clipped onto clothes and packs.

A single LED is mounted in the center of the reflector. The Baton 4 Pro uses a standard LED module, whereas the Baton Ultra uses a brighter, custom-designed EIP1 LED module. The beam angles on both are designed for long-throw, with a slightly tighter pattern in the Ultra.

Unscrewing the head reveals the replaceable battery, while unscrewing the tail reveals the charging port. The Ultra has a slightly grittier feel while unscrewing due to its matte surface.

A combination of presses on the clicky side and tail switches activates different modes. None of the switches allow rapid Morse code signaling or momentary tactical lighting because a brief pause is required before turning the Batons off.

A single tail press activates High mode, while a double-press activates Turbo mode. Another single press turns the flashlight off. The magnetic tail lets you attach the flashlight to steel surfaces or charge it on the included pad.

A status indicator surrounds the side switch, indicating the current mode and battery level. A single press returns to the last brightness used, while a long press activates Moonlight mode and a triple‑press activates Strobe. A double-press when on activates Turbo mode, and holding the button cycles through Low, Medium, and High modes. Another single press turns the flashlight off. 

Both models can be recharged using power banks, pulling about 1.4 A at 5 V or less through a wired USB-C connection or the included wireless magnetic charging pad.

The Olight Batons pointed up at the ceiling of a bedroom in Turbo mode can easily act as a bright night light, but the heads will quickly become very warm to the touch. Olight says its regulator will limit maximum temperature to 45°C (113°F), but users will want to educate children to keep their hands away. Both flashlights remained a few degrees below maximum during testing in Turbo mode and were comfortable to the touch in the other modes.

COLOR RENDITION

Both have a color temperature ranging from roughly 5500K to 5900K across their four main modes. The color rendition is fairly good for an LED module, so while some colors could be more accurate, the immediate impression is very positive.

Due to variations in beam spread, brightness, and throw, the following color test targets illuminated by the Batons should only be taken as a rough example of light quality.

BEAM SPREAD AND THROW

Both lights have long throws, with a tight, bright central cone and a wider, dimmer outer cone. The Baton Ultra possesses the tighter, brighter beam that helps it reach distant subjects. On the other hand, the wider beam of the Pro makes it more useful in lighting a broad area close up.

50 FT. TEST

The Batons were tested in their three brightest modes. The swan boats are about 50 ft. (15 m) away.

250 FT. TEST

The Batons were tested in their four modes along a walkway. The bench is about 50 ft. (15 m) away, while the end of the path is 250 ft. (76 m) away.

600 FT. TEST

The Batons were tested in their four modes across a lake. The treeline in front is about 600 ft. (183 m) away, while the left side is about 300 ft. (91 m) away.

BATONS VS HEADLIGHT

The Batons were tested in Turbo mode against 9003/H4 car headlights. They were able to light a residential street well enough to drive by at night, illuminating at least 300 ft. (91 m) down the road.

BATONS VERSUS SINGLE 60W BULB

The Batons were compared to a single, overhead 60W bulb in a small bedroom, with the flashlights pointed up in the center of the room. (Differences in tint occur in the video because there is no single camera color-temperature setting that can accommodate both the bulb and the Batons.)

The Olight Baton flashlights couple bright long-throw LEDs with a rugged design that includes dual switches and dual charging methods for convenient everyday carry and use.