Anyone picking up an Arkpro will barely need to adjust if they’re familiar with the Arkfeld. The brightest mode can once again be activated with a double-click, which is particularly convenient now that the button is slightly concave. It feels comfortable under the thumb and helps prevent accidental presses. The flashlight can also be locked, and this is now easier thanks to the additional side button for the laser. Holding both buttons for a moment activates the lock. A small LED lock symbol confirms the mode.
This lock indicator is one of three status lights. To its right, a semicircle of green LEDs shows the battery level, and to its left, a white LED scale displays the current output level. It’s a well-executed design touch: Olight perforated the aluminum to let the LEDs shine through, yet when they’re off, you only faintly see the recesses behind the transparent aluminum surface. Unlike earlier models, you can’t feel the light windows with your finger. Olight put surprising effort into the design of this flashlight. Even the understated black version has a clean, stylish look.
In terms of design, the Arkpro clearly outclasses its predecessors. Various special editions are likely to appear in the future, which would be entirely in line with Olight’s habits.
But what about performance? The Arkpro finally solves the compromise issue found in the Arkfeld series. Our two older test units had a very narrow floodlight pattern. The new models, however, offer both a floodlight and a focus light. The Arkpro Lite, which was not tested here, resembles the older models in this regard. The rest of the Arkpro lineup delivers the ideal beam pattern depending on the situation. For context: the old Arkfeld Pro is brighter than the Arkpro’s flood mode in its highest restricted setting, but dimmer than the Arkpro’s focus mode. In any case, we prefer the flexibility of the new dual-beam design.
The Arkpro also introduces an additional low-output UV mode. Otherwise, the UV performance matches that of its predecessor on the high setting. The laser remains unchanged in terms of output, but the operation is much simpler. Switching between the laser and the normal light is now handled by an easy-to-remember extra button press. With the Arkfeld Pro, users had to memorize the combination, and many reportedly never realized the modes could be used together. With the Arkpro, you can even combine the laser with UV light. Overall, the Arkpro is more versatile than any previous model. We also appreciate the mechanical selector for switching between light sources. Back when the Arkfeld Pro arrived, we considered its design a step backward compared to the older two-source Arkfeld. Now, the selector feels good again.
We generally like the beam characteristics. The floodlight has a pleasant, smooth falloff toward the edges. It’s very uniform in the center and provides some spill into the surrounding area. However, it’s relatively weak and somewhat smaller than the focus beam. We noticed slight color variations with the naked eye. Olight does not guarantee a specific color temperature, and consistency in this area isn’t exactly the brand’s strong suit.
