Execs: Compact, brilliant, handy and versatile. Common USB C charging, simple controls, useful flood-to-spot focusable beam. Rechargeable battery could be switched for an everyday AA lithium/alkaline batteries (making it simple to hold a spare or two for emergencies), handy LED indicator exhibits remaining cost on power-up and charge-level when charging. 7-Yr Guarantee (on registration).
Cons: As with earlier variations of the P5R we’ve examined, we discovered the bottom of the three out there commonplace brightness ranges to be too brilliant for some functions. No strobe/SOS possibility or different flashing modes.
RRP: c. €90
Worth: Good
Score: Advisable
The most recent incarnation of LED Lenser’s fashionable P5R sequence provides simplicity, versatility and comfort in a smooth, pocketable design that appears and feels premium. Whereas it lacks the variety of gentle modes and super-high lumen rankings provided by some rivals (simply low 25lm, medium 100lm and excessive 350lm of brightness, with a turbo possibility to spice up brightness to a max of 750lm for brief bursts), when mixed with the useful focusable flood-to-spot beam the out there gentle ranges cowl most potential use-cases, and that simplicity is usually a energy if all you want is a simple, no-nonsense light-source you may rely upon.
View the NEW P5R on the LED Lenser web site.
LED Lenser P5R (2025) Full Evaluate
I’ve mentioned it earlier than on this website… nevertheless it’s value reiterating right here… one of many handiest bits of equipment you may carry as a wildlife fanatic, or anybody who spends a number of time within the open air, is an honest torch. The perfect torch is supremely pocketable, brilliant, versatile and, for optimum comfort, simply rechargeable.
The brand new P5R from LED Lenser ticks all of these packing containers, and makes for a extremely compelling package deal in the event you’re on the lookout for a take-anywhere gentle supply that will get the job executed.
Design and Construct High quality
As you’d anticipate from a model like LED Lenser, the P5R seems to be and appears like a premium product. This time although, the anodised aluminium physique is machined from 75% recycled aluminium, decreasing environmental impression whereas retaining the standard, precision and strong reliability of earlier fashions.
The P5 is designed to slide simply in a pocket or bag, so its immediately out there everytime you want it, and at simply 99g it barely provides any weight. It’s snug within the hand, the only side-mounted change is conveniently positioned and intuitive and the twist-focus head makes it very fast and simple to focus the beam from flood to identify immediately.
An revolutionary twisting collar hides and protects the USB C charging port from water and mud, and the IP68 ranking signifies that the P5R is impervious to water and mud, no matter what the Irish climate decides to ship its means.
General the design of the P5R is smooth, practical {and professional}, and it feels prefer it’s constructed to face as much as the rigours of regardless of the open air can throw at it.
Utilizing the torch within the subject
The true check of any piece of apparatus shouldn’t be the way it performs in lab-like circumstances and testing, however the way it delivers when used within the subject throughout a wide range of circumstances and use-cases. Since receiving the P5R from LED Lenser for evaluation, I’ve used it in a variety of conditions each at dwelling on the West Cork coast, and on a birding journey to Shetland, and it proved a greater than succesful gentle supply in most conditions. It’s compact measurement, and the flexibility to simply and shortly recharge utilizing a typical USB C connection, have been invaluable when travelling — offering high-performance illumination with out including vital bulk.
One other useful journey characteristic is the travel-lock perform: merely push and maintain the change for just a few seconds (till the LED indicators flash) and the sunshine enters lock mode to stop it by accident activating in your pocket or bag. Repeating the process unlocks the sunshine prepared to be used: easy, sensible and efficient. These 4 tiny inexperienced LED indicators above the change additionally offer you a useful indication of the cost stage, each while charging by way of the USB C port, but in addition for just a few sections after you turn the torch on, so that you’ll know when your P5R wants topping up.
One factor I did discover myself wishing for sometimes was a lower-intensity gentle — many pocket-sized LED lights have a moonlight or perhaps a starlight mode, delivering only a few lumens of sunshine that can assist you discover your means, learn a map or subject information or usually present a low stage of background gentle with out disrupting your night time imaginative and prescient, or that of these round you, and with out probably disturbing close by wildlife. The 25lm low setting on the P5R was too brilliant in these conditions, and I discovered myself shuttering/shielding the sunshine with my hand to cut back gentle ranges.
Gentle modes on the brand new P5R
- Low Energy 25 lumens, 50 meters for 20 hrs
- Mid Energy 100 lumens, 100 meters for 4 hrs
- Commonplace Energy 350 lumens, 180 meters for 1 hr
- Enhance Mode 750 lumens for 280 meters, a brief burst of most energy for once you want it most
The 450lm excessive setting is sort of a bit decrease than some rivals (the Sofirn SC31 Professional reviewed right here provides a light-weight vary that spans from 1lm all the best way as much as 2,000 lm, for instance), however the clear beam and flood to identify focussing mechanism on the P5R goes a protracted method to making up for the shortfall, with the spot providing spectacular light-intensity at distance. With the beam set to identify, the 750lm enhance mode provides an honest throw of 280m.
The run-times on the P5R additionally lag somewhat behind comparable 18650 options — due to its smaller 14500 Li-ion battery — however that call makes for a really compact gentle with the choice to change to a disposable AA battery in an emergency scenario. In follow whereas the P5R did want recharging extra frequently than different torches I’ve used, recharging by way of the USB C port was so fast and simple that it was by no means a problem.
Conclusion
General I’d advocate the LED Lenser P5R to anybody on the lookout for a light-weight, pocketable and simple to make use of torch/flashlight. It’s a fantastic selection for every thing from discovering that elusive device behind a darkish shed, to strolling the canine, to extra adventurous nocturnal expeditions searching for wildlife. Whereas different torches pack in additional options, they’re inevitably extra difficult and could be trickier to make use of. If all you want is a conveyable, brilliant, dependable and versatile gentle in a the brand new P5R from LED Lenser is a stable possibility.
Specs (from LED Lenser)
- Weight: 99g
- Size defocused: 121mm
- Size targeted: 125mm
- Tube diameter: 22mm
- Battery Kind: 14500 Li-ion or AA Alkaline
- Battery voltage: 3.7v
- Battery capability: 920 mAh
- Time to full cost: 180 minutes
- Drop check: 2 meters
- IP Class: IP68
- Working temp vary: -20c to +40c
- No. of LEDs: 1
- LED color: Cool White
- Color temp: 6000k to 7500k
- Color rendering index: 70
What’s within the field?
- P5R Torch
- 1 x 14500 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery
- Adjustable Wrist Strap
Guarantee
Commonplace guarantee interval of two years, which could be prolonged by an extra 5 years with on-line registration. An trade main guarantee that covers defects in manufacturing, as much as 7 years.
Acknowledgements
I’d wish to thanks LED Lenser for submitting the brand new P5R for evaluation on Eire’s Wildlife.
NB. Eire’s Wildlife has no particular affiliation to any optics or gear producer and all opinions on the location are fully impartial and goal. See our disclosure assertion for extra particulars. When you’re an optics or gear producer and want to submit your wildlife associated product for evaluation on the location please drop us a line utilizing the contact kind and we are able to take issues from there.
