Wuben L3 Tactical Torch Review
Wuben L3#
- Specifications
- Introduction
- Torch in use
- Build quality
- LED, bezel, lens, reflector and beam
- Size and comparison
- User interface
- Batteries and charging
- Powerbank
- Performance
- Beamshots
- Thermal Images
- Conclusion
- Price
- Product page
Specifications#
| Brand/model | Wuben L3 |
|---|---|
| LED | Luminus SST70 |
| Maximum lumens | 3,000 lm |
| Maximum beam intensity | 12,800 cd |
| Maximum throw | 226 m |
| Battery | 1*21700 Li-ion |
| Onboard charging | Yes (USB-C) |
| Material | Aluminium |
| Modes | 5 |
| Blinkies | Strobe, SOS |
| Reflector | Smooth |
| Waterproof | IP68 |
| Review date | June 2025 |
Introduction#
The Wuben L3 is a 21700-sized tactical-style flashlight with brightness levels ranging from 5 lumens to 3,000 lumens. It has built-in USB-C 18W charging and a powerbank feature. The forward-clicky tail switch has a very pronounced half-press.
The Wuben L3 is an upgrade over the Wuben C3 [AU] and the Wuben L50 [AU]:
- It is much brighter with 3,000 lumens on Turbo.
- The 21700 4800mAh battery is bigger and better (compared to 18650 2600mAh).
- The USB-C port is securely hidden away behind a ring that unscrews on the head of the torch.
Wuben kindly sent this torch for review. I have not been paid for this review nor have I held back my opinions of this torch.
Packaging#
The Wuben L3 comes in a white and blue box with an image of the torch on the front and specifications on the back.
The following is included in the box:
- Wuben L3.
- Wuben ABD4800 21700 3.7V Li-ion 4800mAh cell.
- USB-C to USB-C charging cable.
- Lanyard.
- Two spare o-rings.
- User manual.
User Manual#
Torch in use#
The Wuben L3 feels relatively slim for a 21700-sized torch.
The torch can be controlled by half-pressing and by full-pressing the tail switch.
The torch has a strong one-way pocket clip.
The recessed button and the lanyard holes allow the torch to tailstand.
Build quality#
The Wuben L3 is made of aluminium and it has a matte black anodised finish. It is also available in green.
There is a small amount of grip on the tailcap and on the ring that hides the USB-C port. The torch feels smooth.
The rubber button cover has plenty of grip and it gives a satisfying click. There is a minimal amount of play before the switch is engaged when pressing it.
The threads are unanodised and they may become gritty over time. I found the tailcap to be quite stiff.
The torch can be mechanically locked out by unscrewing the tailcap slightly because the inner signal tube becomes disconnected but there may still be a standby drain. You can turn the torch on, unscrew the tailcap slightly, and the torch will remain on.
The head and tail springs allow flat top of button top 21700 cells to fit. That said, the torch may turn off when shaking it while using a short flat top 21700 cell.
The build quality is pretty good overall.
LED, bezel, lens, reflector and beam#
The Wuben L3 has a Luminus SST70 emitter with a smooth reflector sitting on a black gasket.
The glass lens has an anti-reflective coating.
CCT, CRI, and duv#
I have taken Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT) and Colour Rendering Index (CRI, RA of R1-R8) measurements with the torch positioned one metre away from an Opple Light Master Pro III (G3).
The CCT is around 5200K, the CRI is around 59 and the Delta u, v is positive (green).
The beam produced has an intense white hot spot with a green corona that blends into a spill with a hint of purple. There are rings around the edge of the beam due to the reflector. And I can see a slightly dark spot in the middle of the beam (likely due to the large emitter being combined with a small reflector).
| Mode | CCT (K) | CRI (Ra) | x | y | Duv |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moon | 5049 | 56.4 | 0.3468 | 0.3932 | 0.0189 |
| Low | 5108 | 58.0 | 0.3447 | 0.3893 | 0.0179 |
| Med | 5176 | 58.9 | 0.3423 | 0.3842 | 0.0166 |
| High | 5302 | 60.5 | 0.3382 | 0.3756 | 0.0143 |
| Turbo | 5446 | 62.7 | 0.3340 | 0.3665 | 0.0118 |
Calculate Duv from CIE 1931 xy coordinates
Dimensions and size comparison#
Dimensions#
I took the following measurements using a digital caliper.
| Measurement | Unit (mm) |
|---|---|
| Length | 138.14 |
| Head diameter | 29.03 |
| Tail diameter | 28.87 |
Weight#
I took the following measurements using a digital scale.
| Weight | Unit (g) |
|---|---|
| Wuben L3 | 108.26 |
| Battery | 72.43 |
| Wuben L3 with battery | 180.69 |
Size comparison with its competition#
From left to right: Wuben L3, NEXTORCH TA30C MAX, Cyansky P25 V2.0, Olight Baton 3 Pro Max
From left to right: Wuben L3, NEXTORCH TA30C MAX, Cyansky P25 V2.0, Olight Baton 3 Pro Max
User interface#
The Wuben L3 has a -stage forward-clicky tail switch.
There are four main modes: Moon, Low, Med and High. Turbo may be accessed momentarily.
And there are two blinky modes: Strobe and SOS.
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Half press | Momentary on (mode memory) |
| Off | Full press | On (mode memory) |
| On | Full press | Off |
| On | Half press | Cycle (Moon, Low, Med, High) |
| On | Half press and hold | Momentary Turbo |
| Any | Half press 2 times | Strobe |
| Any | Half press 3 times | SOS |
Mode memory#
There is mode memory.
The torch will memorise the last used mode (Moon, Low, Med, High).
Turbo, Strobe and SOS are not memorised.
Strobe#
Strobe has an alternating frequency.
Strobe, SOS
I measured Strobe and SOS with a Zoyi ZT-701 oscilloscope.
Battery status indicator#
The battery status indicator on the head of the torch display the following for 5 seconds when the torch is on:
| Colour | Battery level |
|---|---|
| Blue | Capacity ≥ 90% |
| Blue blinking | 40% ≤ Capacity < 90% |
| Red | 15% ≥ Capacity < 40% |
| Red blinking | Capacity < 15% |
Low voltage protection#
There is low voltage protection. The light turns off around 2.76V.
I tested low voltage protection by connecting the driver of the torch to a bench power supply and then by lowering the voltage from 4.2V to 0V.
Pulse Width Modulation#
I did not notice any visible PWM (flickering).
I measured the PWM of the light with a Zoyi ZT-701 oscilloscope.
Moon, Low, Med, High, Turbo
What I like about the UI#
- Big tail button.
- Simple to use.
- Direct access to Strobe from off by double tapping.
What could be improved#
- Direct access to Turbo from off.
- A constant Turbo mode instead of momentary.
- 5 lumens is a bit bright for a moonlight mode. 0.5 lumens would be better.
Batteries and charging#
Battery#
A button top Wuben 21700 3.7V Li-ion 4800mAh cell was included inside the torch. It arrived with a voltage of 3.63V.
The cell was isolated with a piece of plastic to prevent accidentally turning the torch on.
I tried the following cells:
| Cell | Top | Compatible? | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wuben ABD4800 21700 3.7V Li-ion 4800mAh | Button | Yes | |
| Molicel P42A 21700 3.7V Li-ion 4200mAh | Flat | Yes* | The torch might turn off when shaking it firmly. |
| NEXTORCH 21700 3.7V Li-ion 5000mAh USB-C | Button | Yes | Tight fit. |
| Weltool UB21-50 21700 3.7V Li-ion 5000mAh USB-C | Button | Yes |
Charging#
The Wuben L3 has built-in USB-C charging hidden behind a ring around the head.
Power supply: PinePower Desktop USB-C
USB Meter: ChargerLAB Power-Z KM003C
Room temperature: 15 C
The battery took 1 hour 50 minutes to charge from 3.10V to 4.15V at a rate of 12V 1.4A.
The charging status indicator is red while charging and it turns blue when charging is complete.
Powerbank#
The Wuben L3 can be used as a powerbank. It supports 18W output.
These are the protocols that were detected by various USB Meters:
QC3.0 5V, 9V, 12V, 3.6-12V
FCP 5V/2A, 9V/2A, 12V/1.5A
SFCP
PD3.0 20W 5V/2.40A, 9V/2.22A, 12V/1.68A
DCP
Apple 2.4A
PD -> PD3.0 20.16W PDO:3
APPLE -> 5V 2.1A PE+1.1
BC1.2 -> CDP PE+2.0
SAMSUNG AFC -> NONE
HUAWEI FCP -> NONE
HUAWEI SCP -> NONE
QC2.0 -> 5V 9V 12V QC4.0
QC3.0 -> 12.05V Max
The charging status indicator will change from blue to red and start flashing when the battery level is low.
| Status | Battery level |
|---|---|
| Blue | Normal |
| Red flash | Low |
Performance#
Specifications from the user manual:
| FL1 Standard | Turbo | High | Med | Low | Moon | Strobe | SOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Output (lumens) | 3,000 | 1,500 + 1,100 | 500 | 150 | 5 | 3,000 | 150 |
| Runtime | 4min + 2h 30min | 6h | 20h 18min | 120h | 3h 12min | 37h 30min | |
| Beam Distance (metres) | 226 | ||||||
| Beam Intensity (cd) | 12,800 |
I tested the light using the included cell.
Lumen measurements#
I used a bench power supply to measure the current at turn on.
| Mode | Amps at start | Specs | Lumens @turn on | Lumens @30 sec | Lumens @10 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moon | 0.01 A | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Low | 0.18 A | 150 | 129 | 129 | 128 |
| Med | 0.68 A | 500 | 429 | 425 | 421 |
| High | 2.75 A | 1,500 + 1,100 | 1,267 | 1,226 | 947 |
| Turbo | 12.6 A | 3,000 | 2,847 | 2,510 | 1,163 |
The lumen output for Turbo is slightly lower than expected. A high drain cell might be able to achieve 3,000 lumens at 30 seconds.
Runtime graphs#
I used my own DIY lumen tube with a TSL2591 sensor and forked bmengineer’s project RuTiTe to record runtimes.
Note: Lumen measurements may be off by 10% with my DIY lumen tube.
The room temperature was approximately 15 C.
Runtime#
Here is a summary of the runtime results:
| Mode | User manual | Runtime | Turn off | Final voltage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo | 1h 51min 34s | 2h 20min 51s | 3.02 | |
| High | 4min + 2h 30min | 2h 40min 30s | 2h 40min 30s | 3.10 |
| Med | 6h | 6h 37min 55s | 6h 37min 56s | 3.04 |
| Low | 20h 18min | 22h 37min 29s | 22h 37min 29s | 2.98 |
| Moon | 120h | 10min+ | 10min+ |
“Runtime” is the time until the output reduces to 10% of the output at 30 seconds (as per the ANSI/PLATO FL1 2019 Standard).
“Turn off” is the time until my DIY lumen tube no longer detects more than one lumen.
“+” indicates that the light remained on after recording had stopped.
The output is regulated really well for Moon, Low, Med and High.
The output for Turbo dropped off quickly, it became stable for about 15 minutes, but then the brightness starting going up and down gradually. The regulation could be improved for Turbo. To reproduce this scenario, you would need to hold the button down for longer than 15 minutes (I used two cable ties and a piece of wire to keep Turbo turned on).
The runtime results are better than expected.
Throw#
I took lux measurements with a UNI-T UT383BT at 30 seconds. High and Turbo were measured at five metres.
| Mode | Specs (cd) | Specs (m) | Candela measured (cd) | Distance (m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | 10,400 | 203 | ||
| Turbo | 12,800 | 226 | 22,000 | 296 |
The beam distance is slightly better than expected.
Beamshots#
I went to a local park and I aimed the torch at a tree 100 metres away while using High.
Beamshots were taken using a Sony RX100M2 using 1.3", f3.2, ISO 800, 5000K WB.
Wuben L3 (High)#
Note: Turbo is much brighter but you need to hold the button down to activate it.
Cyansky P25 V2.0 (Turbo)#
NEXTORCH TA30C MAX (High)#
Olight Baton 3 Pro Max (Turbo)#
Klarus GL4 (Turbo)#
Thermal Images#
I used a Zoyi ZT-R01 IR Thermography Multimeter to take thermal images of the torch on a silicone mat while using Turbo.
Room temperature: 13 C
| Time (mm:ss) | Max Temperature |
|---|---|
| 00:00 | 17.0 C |
| 01:00 | 48.1 C |
| 02:00 | 45.1 C |
| 03:00 | 43.2 C |
| 04:00 | 43.1 C |
| 05:00 | 42.3 C |
The temperature peaked at about 50 C within the first 2 minutes and then it started to cool down.
Conclusion#
The Wuben L3 is a pretty rugged outdoor flashlight.
The user interface has some tactical features (forward-clicky tail switch with direct access to Strobe) but it may be better suited for EDC. Turbo can only be accessed momentarily while the torch is already on by half-pressing and holding the button.
The Wuben L3 is definitely an upgrade over the Wuben C3 [AU] and the Wuben L50 [AU].
The lumen output is close to what Wuben claim for most modes but Turbo fell slightly short (2,847 lumens at turn on and 2,510 lumens at 30 seconds). I was expecting 3,000 lumens at 30 seconds for Turbo.
The output is well regulated. It is such a nice feeling when I look at the graphs after several hours of testing and the lines are mostly straight. Wuben has been doing a good job with their drivers.
The runtimes are slightly better than expected.
The beam distance is better than expected.
Aside from the powerful Luminus SST70 emitter, one thing that stood out for me is the design of the USB-C charging port cover. It has a ring that screws over the port. This is much more durable than a flimsy rubber cover that you might find on a lot of torches.
I can highly recommend the Wuben L3 if you are looking for 21700-sized EDC torch with a durable design.
Pros:#
- Good build quality.
- Good runtimes.
- Good beam distance.
- Output is well regulated for most modes.
- Simple user interface.
- Direct access to Strobe from off.
- Built-in charging and powerbank features.
- The USB-C ring cover is durable.
Cons:#
- No direct access to Turbo from off.
- Turbo is momentary.
- Lumen output for Turbo was slightly lower than expected.
Price#
The black Wuben L3 is US$39.99 from amazon.com while the green Wuben L3 is US$38.99.
Product page#
20% off with code: L3flashlight
Wuben L3 at wubenlight.com (affiliate link)
20% off the green version with code: 704TACTICLE
Black Wuben L3 at amazon.com (affiliate link)
Green Wuben L3 at amazon.com (affiliate link)
I may earn a commission if you use an affiliate link or a promo code. This will help fund future torch reviews and tutorials.