Olight's ArkPro Ultra Flashlight Shines As An Everyday MVP

Life is unpredictable, so when it comes to being prepared for anything it throws your way, very few tools come in as handy as a compact, versatile flashlight with all the bells and whistles. Be it an outdoor adventure, unexpected emergency, or any of life's other delights or surprises, having a reliable, customizable, and powerful source of light at your fingertips is essential. Enter Olight's ArkPro Ultra, a sleek, portable flashlight with a rugged, lightweight aluminum body and seven different lighting mode configurations to fully adapt to life's meandering path. Retailing for $129.99, this exceptionally well-reviewed all-in-one flashlight is touted for its incredible power and reliable performance, tucked beautifully into a small, durable package for everyday portability. Sounds pretty impressive, right?

So when Olight offered to send me one of their ArkPro Ultra flashlights to try in exchange for an honest, no-strings-attached review, I was very excited, though my first gut reaction was truthfully that there must be another Hunker writer far more adventurous and outdoorsy than I am to really give this thing a proper whirl. But the more I thought about it, the more I loved the idea – if a self-proclaimed homebody and casual nature enthusiast can find a way to fall in love with an everyday use flashlight, then what better endorsement could there be? Surely, the midnight hikers and cave spelunkers already have one of these bad boys anyway, right? So I said yes, ready to dive in and see how I, as an average 30-something mom and homeowner who occasionally relies on her iPhone flashlight, could put this thing to good use. Spoiler alert: I was in no way prepared to love it so much, and I'd give it 8.5 out of 10 stars (and counting) after only two weeks of testing.

When the box arrived, I was impressed right off the bat with the streamlined, chic packaging, not that the satisfying branding would have any bearing on the actual use of the flashlight. But upon opening the box, the ArkPro Ultra itself was equally impressive, and I loved the way it felt in my hand. The aluminum body felt both durable and substantial enough to use and abuse, but somehow also simultaneously lightweight and portable enough to tote around or throw in my purse. The color, which they call Olive Green, is actually more of a pretty metallic gold with green undertones (a green-gold if you will) that looked very high-end. The silhouette was slim and contoured, obviously intentionally designed to be ergonomic and comfortable in the palm, even for someone with notoriously small hands like me.

But, without a doubt, the very best part of my first interaction with the Olight ArkPro Ultra was that getting the device up and running was literally a simple plug and play. No app to download, no frustrating Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection, no account creation — nothing. Just use the included USB-powered magnetic charger (or an optional secondary USB-C charging option) to give it some juice, and you're done. This may seem dumb to be excited about, but in a world where it feels like you need to sell your soul('s data) just to use your fridge or vacuum, this was a refreshingly unattached, simplistic experience.

Once the flashlight was powered up, I went to go test it out, only to find my husband had already swooped in and stolen it to give it a try himself. I didn't see the device for several hours, so I'm guessing he got the hang of it quickly!

Once the ArkLight Ultra was returned safely into my possession with the thief's emphatic seal of approval, I got the opportunity to dig in. I found the operation was extremely straightforward, intuitive, and simple enough for me to figure it out in seconds without the instructions. The round ring toggled between the main UV, flood, and spot modes, while the button in the center turned the selected mode on or off. A button on the side of the device activated the pinpoint green laser independently from or in conjunction with the other three modes. Once I mastered the basics, I consulted the directions for a more in-depth look at the range of mode variations and power levels that could be quickly and easily adjusted as needed. I was impressed by the many versatile configurations available to harness and customize the powerful lights for each scenario and user.

The three main modes on the center ring toggle activate three different lights at the front of the device: UV mode that activates a black light, Pure Flood that illuminates a large area with an overall wash of light for ultimate visibility, and spotlight that provides a narrower, more focused beam of light for illuminating objects at longer distances. Add into that the ability to activate the green laser with any of these modes, and you have seven different distinct light modes to choose from, all with adjustable power levels. While I had a hard time imagining in the moment how I personally might use every combination in the course of daily life, it was easy to see why people get so excited about adding an adaptable and highly personalized tool like this to their arsenal.

Over the course of the next two weeks, I let life guide when this everyday flashlight would prove itself useful, and boy was I surprised how often I found myself reaching for it: Illuminating an attic reorganization project, nighttime access to our basement Bilco door, entertaining the kids with the glow-in-the-dark UV, terrorizing our new cat with the green laser (pet-safe on the low setting), testing out how far we could see the turbo spotlight on an evening dog walk (easily several blocks!) and so much more. And the main takeaway for me was that I was truly blown away by how much power this little device actually had!

While I was able to find scenarios for trying out all settings, the mode I kept coming back to over and over was Pure Flood, which produces a widespread, seamless wash of light at an output of 1700 lumens in its highest turbo level (approximately the equivalent of a 120-watt bulb), though I appreciated the ability to quickly toggle between the various levels, depending on the scenario. For example, as if Olight had planned it just to let the ArkPro shine — obviously they didn't — the specialty bulb on my outdoor wall sconce went out and a replacement would take days to arrive. So when it came to taking my black (meaning that they're invisible in the dark) dachshund mixes out before bed, I grabbed my ArkPro Ultra and activated the Pure Flood turbo setting. Unlike my existing outdoor lighting, I could actually see and keep an eye on the dogs in our double deep yard. I won't do this any other way from now on, even when the new lightbulb comes!

After two weeks of testing the ArkPro Ultra, I was pleasantly surprised how often I, an average Joe stuck mostly inside during a winter cold snap, ended up relying on this handy flashlight. While UV and green laser were great for entertaining my kids and pets, and the spot setting proved to be insanely powerful for the right scenario or emergency, it was the various power levels of Pure Flood that made the ArkPro a true everyday MVP and earned it 8.5 of 10 stars.

However, it's the promise of ultimate versatility, adaptability, and power that makes me confident the ArkPro will continue to prove its worth in the months and years to come. From planned outdoor hikes and adventures to unexpected emergencies and power outages (I can't help but imagine how helpful this tool would've been last summer when a storm took down our tree and power lines for five days), having the ArkPro to rely on feels like a sigh of relief. The ease of operation means no fumbling in the dark or in a crisis when my focus needs to be directed elsewhere, a huge factor in determining realistic usefulness and practicality. While I was previously relying on my lackluster phone flashlight, it only took a couple days to seamlessly transition my trust into this portable little powerhouse of a device. No turning back! The ArkPro Ultra is, in my mind, worth every penny of the investment and likely to continue to earn more than 8.5 stars as time goes on.

And as if I needed one more reason to love the ArkPro, after the litany of fun tests over the past couple weeks, I've yet to be required to recharge the long-lasting battery. Busy mom approved.

As a speciality flashlight novice, my method for testing the ArkPro was to observe and experiment with its various modes and power settings in everyday scenarios occurring over a two week period. While the winter timeframe did limit the scope of the outdoor usage scenarios that would have been more prevalent in warmer temperatures, there was plenty of indoor and outdoor variety in the testing period. I committed to carrying the flashlight around in my purse or clipped to my pocket for the two week period so that it would be right at hand for organically occurring events in my average day. As I also carry my phone with me in a similar manner, I was able to directly compare the ArkPro to my phone's flashlight that I had been previously relying on for each scenario to determine if the secondary device proved to be worth the cost of buying and carrying.

My evaluation criteria included ease of use, convenience, power, adaptability, battery life, durability, and portability. I also took into consideration the overall impressions by my family members of various ages, as universal usage and simple operation felt important for a device that could be relied on during an emergency. Overall, the ArkPro Ultra was evaluated primarily through hands-on testing, though probable future uses of the device were certainly taken into account to assess long term worth.