Olight Arktac Ultra EDC flashlight, Digi Mart USA News: Olight showed its latest products at O-Fan Day in the Netherlands, including the upcoming Arktac series. The Arktac Ultra is the new flagship of the company’s flat EDC flashlight range, and a publisher’s hands-on session found it easy to handle.
The Arktac Ultra is slightly longer than the Arkpro Ultra and has a different weight distribution that makes it feel a little lighter, though the reported differences in weight and length are negligible. It adds two rear switches, bringing its controls to four buttons and a rotary selector.
The selector, a familiar feature of the Ark series, chooses red light, floodlight and UV light, while the laser pointer keeps its dedicated side button.
The spotlight is no longer on the rotary selector, which the reviewer initially found bothersome. On the Arkpro Ultra it can be selected directly, but on the Arktac Ultra it requires a double-click in floodlight mode.
The spotlight remains directly accessible through the tail switch, which also serves as the connection point for the MCC4 magnetic charging cable. That switch has two stages, and pressing it fully activates the spotlight.
Brightness of the spotlight can be adjusted continuously and saved. A separate red “Commandpoint” switch beside the tail switch also gives direct access to a light source.
Olight told the reviewer it defaults to red light, although the website still lists strobe as the default, and the shortcut can be reprogrammed.
Because the Arktac Ultra can get very hot, Olight has added a sensor that prevents the light from switching on when something is directly in front of the lens, such as inside a backpack. The sensor does not turn the flashlight off once it is on.
The publisher describes this as a deliberate choice by Olight that likely matters for professional use.
Olight is targeting professionals with the Arktac Ultra while still serving consumers. The company has hinted that special colors could follow, but at launch only black is available, and the long-established outdoor orange is absent.
Users who need a more visible color will have to choose the less powerful Arktac without the Ultra designation.
Olight also showed a new magnetic holster designed for professional use. The flashlight attaches from the front, and matching features in the holster engage the cutouts in the clip to prevent slipping while allowing easy access.
The USB-C MCC4 cable is also new and will initially be available only with the Arktac series. The publisher said the controls work well, though users switching from an older Arkfeld or Arkpro will need to adjust.
The Arktac Ultra is scheduled to launch on Black Friday this year at an official sticker price of $159, which the publisher considers steep for a personal-use EDC flashlight, although Olight frequently offers discounts. The holster will arrive later, and Olight said the premium kit with a carrying case needs more time in production, with shipments expected to follow in December.
The author received information in the context of an event hosted by the manufacturer, whose travel and accommodation costs were partly or fully covered; the article notes the manufacturer had no influence on it.
