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You can never have too many flashlights. I have four flashlights that I use on a regular basis, and a couple more that I don’t use as often, and I still stand by that statement.
But, what I am severely lacking is a flashlight that also doubles as a fidget toy. Enter the Acebeam Rider RX everyday-carry flashlight. The moving parts give you something to fidget with and also allow access to the battery while integrating the flashlight into the metal case.
The Acebeam is pocket-sized and comes in a variety of colors, but I was drawn to the rainbow option immediately. The Acebeam is an everyday carry flashlight that I will be using on a regular basis.
What’s in The Box
The packaging is simple and functional, much what I expected from the flashlight. There is a small plastic window on the front so you can see the flashlight inside, and I immediately liked the look of the flashlight body. The rainbow coloring is fluid from one end of the metal case to the other without being too in-your-face.
Inside the box, you have the flashlight with an integrated stainless-steel case, instructions manual, USB-C charging cable, 4 replacement O-rings, and a wrist strap.
For an everyday flashlight, you don’t need a lot more than this, and the clip on the side of the flashlight allows you to clip the EDC flashlight to your MOLLE gear.
The one thing I will note is that the case is not initially removable, and you twist and protrude the flashlight by sliding and slotting the clip to gain access to the battery. To me, the rainbow stainless steel case is part of the flashlight and the appeal, so I would not want to remove it, but you can remove the two screws from the clip to then slide the flashlight out completely. I am happy with the extra layer of protection and high-quality finish, so that is something that I will not need to do unless there is a problem with the flashlight.
As far as the contents go, you get exactly what you need from an EDC flashlight.
Main Features and Technical Specifications
There are two main features of the Acebeam EDC, which I will go into more detail about below. You have a flashlight and a fidget toy. And, don’t worry—if you are not someone to fidget, the Acebeam functions extremely well as a flashlight without you even knowing that it is also a fidget toy.
What You Get:
- 4 levels of brightness.
- 1 button to control everything.
- Integrated clip and optional wrist strap.
- Up to 650 lumens and 315 feet / 96 meters of throw
- Fidget toy: simply slide the clip to the side and click it downward. Click it back up and to the side to bring it back to the original position. The clip locks in place at each location.
- Fast Type-C USB charging.
- Small and compact EDC flashlight and accessories.
- Lightweight design: 2.9 oz / 82 grams.
- Impact resistant: 3.2 feet / 1 meter.
- Waterproof: IPX-8.
- Aerospace-grade aluminum body.
- Stainless steel outer body/case.
- Over 3 hours of functional runtime (53 hours at ultra-low: 7 lumens).
- Can be used with regular AA batteries or the included rechargeable Li-ion battery.
- Easy one-handed operation.
Output, Runtime, and Beam Distance
The beam distance of the Rider EDC is 315 feet / 96 meters, which is what you will get from the maximum output, so the beam distance on mid and low will be less than that, though I was not able to find accurate distances for all 4 modes (5 if you include the SOS mode).
Output & Runtime
- High: 650 lumens / 450 lumens / 330 lumens for 2 min / 6 min / 55 min
- Mid: 280 lumens for 60 min
- Low: 70 lumens for 188 min
- Ultra-Low: 7 lumens for 53 hours
- SOS: 450 lumens for 60 min
Body Design and Materials
The main body of the flashlight is aerospace-grade aluminum allow. The body is blue, and this is the same for all four (at the time of writing) color options. On top of that, you have a stainless steel outer body (or case), and there are four colors to choose from: rainbow, silver, grey, and blue.
The double-layer tube design retains the heat better so the flashlight does not become overheated when you are using it. The main and outer body combine to create a durable flashlight that can be dropped from 3.2 ft / 1 m and submerged up to 6.6 ft / 2 m without any lasting damage.
The stainless steel clip is designed to be double directional. This means that you can clip it onto anything as you normally would, but you can also clip it in the opposite direction—perfect for clipping to your cap to use as a headlamp.
The clip also doubles as a fidget toy and allows for access to the battery. There are six small holes on the side of the clip at the top of the outer case, and what looks like two small ball bearings integrated into the main body. As you slide the clip to the side and up and down, these ball bearings “lock” into the holes. I have to admit that the sound and tactile feel is very satisfying. There is an indent in the outer body to accommodate the clip sliding against it without causing the stainless steel any damage.
The Beam
This is an EDC flashlight, so I am not expecting something that is extremely bright with a long throw. The maximum of 650 lumens is great for a flashlight of this size, and I am happy with the beam.
The hotspot is bright and is relatively small in relation to the spill (around what I would expect from a flashlight of this size and functionality). The reflector in the head of the flashlight is smooth, and you might already expect that given the whiteness of the hotspot and spill. This is surprising for an EDC flashlight and elevates it in my opinion. Many EDC flashlights will have an OP (orange peel) reflector to balance out the contrast between hotspot and spill, but the Acebeam uses a smooth reflector to give you a more focused hotspot and longer throw.
The beam pattern is definitely more traditional, giving a good balance between candela and lumen, meaning that you have good throw but good illumination too. You want this pattern for an EDC flashlight.
Operation
The operation of this flashlight could not be simpler, and you don’t even need to read the instruction manual to figure out the operation. In fact, I even managed to discover the secret SOS function without consulting the manual first.
There is one button on the base of the flashlight, and you can use it in two ways: full press and half-press.
Half-Press
Press the switch only halfway in to select the last selected mode. Release the button to switch the flashlight off.
Half-press and release quickly over and over to cycle through the flashlight modes: High-Mid-Low-Ultra-Low-High
Half-press and release 8 times quickly to enter SOS mode where the flashlight will flash 3 dots, 3 dashes, and 3 dots over and over.
As soon as you release the half-press in any mode, it will turn the mode off, but it will remember it for next time.
Full-Press
Full-press the button to switch on the last programmed mode. Full-press the button to switch the flashlight off.
If you full-press quickly over and over, the flashlight will cycle through the modes.
If you full-press on and off 8 times, the flashlight will enter SOS mode.
Battery and Charging
To charge the flashlight, you first need to remove the battery. Slide the clip to the side and then down to protrude the end of the flashlight. You can then unscrew the head of the flashlight and remove the battery.
The battery can be connected to any USB port with the USB-C charging cable. Simply plug one end of the charger into a power source and the other end into the Li-ion battery.
The battery has an indicator light that will show red when the battery is charging and green when the battery is fully charged. I can’t comment on the exact time it took to charge the battery as I had not fully run it down, but it does seem to charge quickly when connected to mains power.
Conclusion
I want an everyday carry flashlight, and I also like to fidget, and I now have one product that can fulfill two of my wants.
As far as an EDC flashlight goes, the Acebeam Rider RX is fantastic. I love the finish in all four colors but especially the rainbow. The throw and brightness are excellent for a compact flashlight, and the design and functionality are simple and intuitive.
The Rider RX EDC flashlight is one that I will be using on a regular basis.
