Introduction
HRT impressed us with their entry into the illumination market, the AWLS Advanced Weapon Light.
Now, HRT is offering a handheld which boasts 1,600 lumens and 58,000 candela.
Can it live up to the same standard?
First Impressions
HRT has two different heads for their lights. One is the PSF-MK6, which is the super-high candela version we tested on the rifle-mounted light. Our handheld sample has the PSF-MK3 head, which is more suited to closer-range, EDC use.
The difference in output comes down to the use of two different LEDs, and what appear to be different reflectors.
The PSF-MK6 head utilizes the Osram W1, which is the go-to for high-candela flashlights. Modlite uses this exact same LED in their OKW heads, SureFire uses it in their Turbo lights, and many Chinese brands use it as well.
The PSF-MK3 head, on the other hand, uses a Luminus SFT-40. This LED typically produces less candela than the Osram, but can be pushed to higher lumen output. This LED is found in the Sig Sauer Foxtrot-EDC series of lights, and in some of the Olight handhelds. One disadvantage of this LED is that it can have a green tint depending upon its binning.
HRT also offers two different bodies for their lights, 18650 and 18350. Our sample is the larger 18650 body. In terms of physical size, it’s almost identical in length and diameter to the Modlite handhelds. It’s totally pocketable for those of us accustomed to carrying full-size flashlights.
The light comes with an HRT-branded Thyrm switchback, which is a nice touch.
Let’s take a look at the specs.
Manufacturer Claims and Specs
Here are the specs:
| Spec | HRT AWLS Handheld (18650, PSF-MK3) |
| Lumens | 1,600 (raw) |
| Candela | 58,000 (raw) |
| Runtime | 103 Minutes |
| Battery | 18650 |
| Waterproofing | IP68 |
| Price | $184.95 |
I’m not sure what HRT means by “raw” on their output claims. Some manufacturers measure the lumen output of the LED before installing it in the flashlight, which mitigates losses in the reflector and lens, so maybe that’s what they mean. Then again, I’m not sure what “raw” candela requires that the LED be installed in the reflector. Regardless, I think HRT wants us to take those numbers with a grain of salt.
Judging by the specs, we can assume that this light will have a large, bright hotspot. 1,600 lumens seems like a lot for a handheld, so I suspect this light will heat up and step down quickly. Let’s see:
Into the Lab: Lumens, Candela, Color Temp and CRI
Lumens
As I suspected, 1,600 lumens was a bit optimistic for this light.
The HRT runs for an impressive two and a half hours before dropping below ten lumens, and it produces over five hundred lumens for an hour and twenty minutes. If you need a lot of light for a prolonged period of time, this light delivers.
Let’s take a closer look at the first ten minutes:
Over 1,000 lumens for the first seven minutes is impressive. In my personal experience, it’s rare that I use my light for anything more than a couple minutes.
By the ANSI/Plato standard, this light emits 1,411 lumens.
Candela
HRT claims 58,000 candela for this light.
| Candela (0s) | Candela (30s) |
| 50000 | 44710 |
By the ANSI/Plato standard, this light produces 44,710 candela. Not quite 58,000, but again, HRT claims that is a “raw” number, and 44,710 is more than enough to illuminate objects across parking lots and blind would-be assailants.
Color Temp and CRI
As mentioned earlier, the LED in this light is known for an unpleasant green tint. Let’s see if this sample exhibits this.
We can see from the above chart that the light has a very cool color temperature at 7082K, and emits a lot of green light in the R11 and R14 categories. Here’s another visualization of this data:
As far as color temperature goes, this light is not bad. The green tinge is not noticeable and the light is totally serviceable.
CRI is low at 68.8. Targets illuminated by this handheld will appear washed out and blueish. This is common for high-output tactical lights.
Takeaways
The HRT AWLS handheld in this configuration is a great option for EDC, particularly if you’re looking to save some money over the Cloud Defensive and Modlite offerings. That being said, I don’t see any mention of dual-fuel capability for the HRT, which has become expected in this industry.
Its output is competitive, and while we haven’t tested its durability, we can vouch that the HRT rifle light held up very well during our torture testing.
It’s great to see yet more options in this competitive market. What do you think? Do you have the HRT rifle light? Are you in the market for a tactical handheld? What other options have you considered? Let me know in the comments below.
