The
Olight PLX is one of those lights that immediately falls into controversy. Compact weapon lights with internal rechargeable batteries. Some guys love the convenience, others hate the idea of not being able to swap batteries on the fly.
Mounted on my Glock 29, the PLX feels solid, thanks to a straightforward, secure mounting system. The PLX is interchangeable with a standard Picatinny Rail and the Glock rail.
The controls are intuitive, with ambidextrous switches that are easy to reach without breaking your grip. No learning curve here, you can pick it up and run it immediately. The selector switch switches from spot to flood light. The finger switches turn on the light and, with a quick double press, cycle through low, high, and strobe outputs. The distance from the controls to the trigger guard is adjustable for comfortable reach.
Build Quality & Design
The housing is aluminum finished in Type III anodization. keeping weight down without feeling fragile. The lens-and-reflector setup is well done for the triple emitter design.
One thing I do like is the footprint; it fits well on compact and subcompact pistols without turning them into a brick. On something like a Glock 29, it looks right at home and doesn’t overhang excessively.
The Big Debate: Rechargeable Battery
Let’s address the elephant in the room. The PLX uses an internal rechargeable battery.
Pros:
Convenient charging
No need to stock spare batteries
Fast recharge time (from what I’ve seen)
Cons:
If it dies, you’re down until it charges
No quick swap in a defensive scenario
Long-term battery degradation is a real concern
This is going to be a dealbreaker for some people. Period.
If you’re the kind of guy who wants absolute redundancy and the ability to swap batteries instantly, this ain’t your light.
If you’re okay with charging it, keeping it topped off, or having a spare PLX, it’s not a problem.
Durability (So Far)
With about 200 rounds through the Glock 29 and about 100 rounds of 9mm through the Rost Martin RM1 C. The PLX stayed put and showed no ill effects through that limited number of rounds.
The real question isn’t “Is it good?”
It’s “Are you okay with a rechargeable weapon light?”
If the answer is yes, the PLX is worth a look.
If the answer is no, you already know this isn’t for you.
Guest input from my friend Lance who has experance with Olight
About seven years ago, I received an email from the company with some great sales for the holidays. After an endorsement from a trusted friend, I bought two PL-Mini and a PL-Pro Valkyrie, along with a few handheld flashlights. After a short time, I found myself buying both weapon lights again to rotate these tactical lights monthly to ensure the home defense (HD) gun platforms were ready.
Since that time, I have purchased a few additional handheld lights to serve as emergency vehicle lights for everyone in the household. Additionally, I have even bought a few Christmas gifts for family members.
I would like to share that my experiences with the products have been fantastic. The lights are of great quality construction with convenient features, for example, the magnetized USB chargers with a red/green ready light.
In the time I have relied on these lights for HD and vehicle usage, I have only had one minor issue. I had a Javelot Mini flashlight for two years, and it would no longer hold a battery charge for more than a few minutes. I classify this as a minor issue because I wrote to the company, and they quickly emailed me a free shipping label to replace the item. The new light arrived in less than one week, with no hassle, and it was back on the job. As a bit of a funny story, this flashlight is used to pre-check the backyard for skunks before letting the dogs out every night.
In summary, I have constantly had great experiences with this company’s products over the years and will continue to do business with them. It is a total win-win to have confidence in your emergency equipment to rely on and to know they have amazing customer service.
Sincerely Lance
ArmyMedic57
Specfications
1,200-lumen wide-floodlight for area illumination and a focused 22,500-candela spotlight that throws up to 300 meters.
Battery: 960mAh
Weight: 3.07 ounces
Waterproof rating: IPX7
Drop test: 1.5 meters
Charging USB-C
Warranty: Lifetime
MSRP: $119.99
Acknowledgments
Olight
Defender Ammunition
DoubleTap Ammunition
