Wuben T70 Review: The Brightest Tactical Flashlight of 2019

Today I’ll be reviewing the Wuben T70. It’s a very well-built tactical-sized flashlight that cranks out a class-leading 4200 lumens. That’s twice the output of other high-end rivals( such as Fenix, Streamlight or Nitecore.)

It is currently the brightest tactical-size flashlight in the world for 2019.

The kicker? The Wuben T70 actually costs less than many of its rivals.

Wuben T70 Specs

Beam Shots

Let’s be honest, most of you came here to see this beast at work. So for reference sake, I’ve compared the T70’s output to the Olight H2R Nova@ 2300 lumens(see it on Amazon), and the Fireflies E07 @ 6700 lumens.

Note: These stills were taken using identical manual camera settings to replicate as closely as possible what is seen with the naked eye although I could actually see slightly more than what the photos shows here.

Performance

Very impressive!

The Wuben split the difference as expected being brighter than the H2R Nova and less powerful than the E07(see the review of the E07). I know that’s not a very scientific conclusion(I don’t have the equipment for that), but the T70 is definitely within the ballpark. Wuben isn’t bluffing when they claim the T70 can put out 4200 lumens.

I would have liked a moonlight mode but other than that I found the pre-set light levels(Low, Mid, High, Turbo) to be sufficient. You can, of course, switch to continuous ramp mode for fine-tuning your desired light output.

Modes

Usage

The Wuben T70’s user interface has a short learning curve but is fairly simple to memorize(see the modes above).

However, I found myself having to unlearn some of my other flashlights click-sequences. For example, Turbo is accessed by pressing and holding the power button not double-clicking (strobe). I kept blinded myself, because I was used to “press and hold” being the function to recall the last used power setting.

Also, Several times I confused the rubber charge port cover for the power button in the dark. The charging port is located at the same place on the opposite side of the flashlight and they feel similar to the touch. Wuben could consider putting the port in a different location to avoid this tactile confusion.

I’d like to see this flashlight include a dual switch setup. A tail switch would great tactical functionality to this flashlight.

Wuben Brand Profile

“Who the heck is Wuben?!” Those were the first words I muttered under my breath when I first discovered the T70. Wuben, as a brand, is not as well known. They certainly came out of nowhere for me while I was reviewing the flashlight industry for my regularly updated list of the brightest flashlights on earth.

Chinese products are often criticized for having poor quality. However, China’s flashlight industry has some shining exceptions to that stereotype. In fact, China now dominates the world market for high-quality, leading-technology flashlights.

Wuben may not be the biggest name out there, but it’s been producing flashlights in China since 1981 and has been aggressively improving and proving itself as an “up and coming” premium flashlight manufacturer. They are nipping at the heals of Acebeam and Imalent, in particular.

Beyond the stereotypes of Chinese products, I was still a bit skeptical of Wuben’s claims for the T70. The flashlight industry, as a whole, is over-run with over-hyped claims.

So, how did Wuben manage to produce the brightest tactical flashlight on earth? And, are their claims accurate?

Well, the only way to answer those questions was to do a hands-on Wuben T70 review myself.

Build Quality

Overall, Wuben has done a solid job building this flashlight

• It comes in a premium box with magnetic closure and custom foam insert
• Grooving and heatsinks are well machined without flaws
• Dual spring elements ensure a reliable connection to satisfy the high-current demands this flashlight puts on the battery.
• Head and body machined from 6061 aircraft-grade aluminum.
• The anodized coating is smooth and even throughout.
• No sharp/unfinished edges
• Smooth threading

Lens & Optics

The Wuben T70 utilizes a single Cree XHP 70.2 LED projected by an “orange peel” reflector. The XHP 70.2 is the same LED used in the brightest flashlight in the world for 2019 (See it on Amazon). The Imalent MS18 uses 18 of these bad boys to produce 100,000 lumens!

The Cree XHP 70.2 produces a Cool White beam but I also detected a subtle blue hue in the beam spill. The T70’s “orange peal” reflector gives the beam a strongly focused center hotspot which can reach up to 250m (273 yards.)

That said, there is still an adequate amount of light spill for good short-range area lighting. Without precisely measuring, I estimated the spill to be around 45 degrees on either side of the beam center.

Head

The T70’s head features medium depth cooling fins and an attractive bezel machined from stainless steel which contrasts nicely against the black anodized aluminum. 6061 Aluminum is corrosion resistant and commonly used in things like yachts, aircraft, pop cans, and even the frame of the Audi A8.

The bezel has long shallow notches around its perimeter making it an asset in self-defense situations. The bezel also allows the flashlight to let a bit of light out while standing on its head.

Warning: Only put this flashlight on surfaces when in low mode. You could very easily start a fire with the T70 on high or turbo(Not such a bad thing in a survival scenario though.)

The lens is AR coated on both sides and tightly weather sealed via two O-rings.

Body

As mentioned the body is machined from aircraft-grade aluminum and is nicely anodized. The aggressive machined grooves allow a solid purchase in the palm even when wet.

Tail Cap

The tail cap is well made, the threading is fine and smooth, but screwing it on can be a bit finicky due to the heavy-duty battery spring inside the cap. One must push in quite hard while turning to get the cap on. The finer threads make it more of a fussy maneuver.

Just below the tail cap on the body is a helpful battery orientation symbol to avoid reverse polarity when inserting the battery.

Battery

Wuben ships the T70 with a 5000mAh 26650 lithium rechargeable cell. It ships inside the battery. I forgot to remove the shipping insulator when I first tried the light and thought the T70 was broken. Don’t be dumb like me.

I have no complaints about the battery’s performance. Here are the approximate run-times for the various modes:

USB-C Fast Charging

Frankly, any flashlight today should be using USB-C. Its the new standard so hats off to WUBEN for keeping up with the times.

I really like that I don’t have to charge the battery separately. As long as you have a USB-C connecter on one end you can use any USB source(not just USB-C) to charge it up.

The USB-C charging port is located under a rubber cover on the opposite side from the power button. The power button itself is backlit and doubles as a charge-level indicator.

Charge Level Indicator

via GIPHY

• Blinking red: Under 15%
• Solid Red: 15-40%
• Blinking Blue: 40-90%
• Solid Blue: Over 90%

It takes about 4 hours to fully charge the Wuben T70

Accessories

Belt Holster

The nylon belt holster that is included is pretty decent. It certainly isn’t bulletproof but, one nice feature is that the belt loop is detachable via velcro. That means you don’t have to remove your belt to take the holster off.

There is also an extra elastic side pocket for a jackknife, lighter or whatever you’d like.

After this Wuben T70 review, I’ll be giving it to my brother-in-law who is police officer with the RCMP(Royal Canadian Mounted Police.) He’ll put the flashlight and holster through its paces and I’ll get back to you with his feedback.

Lanyard

I never use lanyards myself, but some folks prefer the extra security of having the flashlight attached to their wrist during night walks.

Wuben ships a removable threading wire to assist threading it through the tiny lanyard hole in the tail cap. That’s a very thoughtful detail to include.

Wuben T70 Review Conclusion

What I’d Improve

I think the T70 has a lot going for it, but I’d like to see the location of the charging port moved to avoid confusion with the power button in the dark. The tail cap is also hard to screw on due to the battery spring tension and I think a tail switch would be a big bonus too.

What’s Great

There are far more expensive flashlights in the same category as the T70 that only put out half the light of this little beast. That for me is the most compelling reason to consider it.

The T70 is well built and rugged. I love the built-in USB-C charging, super-powerful tactical strobe and the notched bezel which could “major-damage” any fool that messes with you in the dark.

Best alternatives to the T70? I’d look into the AceBeam L30 Gen2@ 4000 lumens (see it on Amazon), or the Klarus XT21X@ 4000 lumens(see it on Amazon) They are nearly as bright, use the same XHP 70.2 LED and are good quality too.

Oh yeah, and one other thing.. It’s the brightest freaking tactical flashlight on earth! Yup, It comes with some braggin’ rights too! I think it would make a cool gift.

You can check the T70’s latest price over on Amazon.

If you liked this Wuben T70 review, Check out my regularly updated post on the World’s Brightest Flashlights for more crazy-powerful flashlights.