While attending the 2023 National Rifle Association Great American Outdoors Show, I had an opportunity to meet up with some of the fine people of Powertac. Powertac is a company that manufactures quality flashlights. When at shows, I’m rather skeptical of the tactical flashlight people, having used and purchased my fair share of sub-standard lamps, but my experience with Powertac is far from that. After talking with the marketing director for a while, I left with a Powertac M5 everyday carry generation 2 flashlight to do a testing and evaluation on.

The M5 body is constructed of a quality aluminum and has an anodized finish. The unit comes with a rechargeable battery, proprietary charger, some spare o-rings, a lanyard loop, some split rings, and a manual. With the battery installed, the lamp is not heavy at all. The stippling on the body of the light is noticeable, but not offensive.

The light is outfitted with a spring steel pocket clip. The clip is actually very aggressive. Depending on one’s needs, this could be a plus or a minus. For me it’s a bit of a hindrance, as it does take some force in order to clip the light into a pocket, however with that comes the fact that it won’t move. Be careful if you elect to rotate the pocket clip while it is on the lamp, as it will score the finish of the light.

To operate the light, there’s a tail-switch. The light has 6 different modes. To cycle through the modes, there’s an additional switch on the side of the head of the lamp, towards the lens, which when pressed will change the brightness of the lamp. The “strobe” feature requires a user to press and hold the mode switch in order to engage that feature. 

According to the advertising, the light brightness goes up to a blistering 2,030 lumen. Firefly mode at .51 lumen, low at 65 lumen, medium at 260 lumen, high at 850 lumen, turbo at 2,300 lumen, and strobe at 2,300 lumen. The battery life of the lamp, with the included rechargeable battery, ranges from 25 days on firefly, to 2.65 hours while in turbo mode. Firefly mode is not necessarily practical for some operations, but on low, which clocks in at the aforementioned 65 lumen, will last over 23 hours. Users can opt to use two CR123A batteries instead of the rechargeable battery, which is a versatile feature. Being able to use the CR123As is nice and you can keep some on hand as backup if needed.

While considered waterproof and submersible, the water depth the light is rated for is 2 meters. The light is not designed to be a diving light, but being able to dunk it and use it in water is a great feature. Not having to worry about smoking the electronics if you get it wet is nice. Say you have some sort of a water sports mishap, finding yourself in the drink, the light would survive.

I took the M5 for a test drive for two months. I utilized the lamp as an EDC light and was sure to use it every day in my activities. Day one I threaded the included lanyard loop through one of the holes on the tailcap and affixed it with a lark’s head hitch.

Using the included charging cable, I plugged it into a standard USB A power supply port and the LED charge indicator glowed red. The charging cable is a proprietary design with a magnetic connector. I don’t like proprietary cables because that’s just more junk to keep after, however, in this case it does make sense in order to help maintain the watertight integrity while giving the user an easy interface to charge the lamp. The charging port is located on the side of the head, opposite the mode button. When the light was fully charged, which did not take very long – times will vary based on your particular charging supply port – the charge indicator LED turned blue.

My first impression of the M5 was, “holy $hit this thing is bright.” I went hard too, and used the turbo mode almost for the entirety when I was using the light. The only times I did not use the turbo mode was when the light was so bright in a close area that the light actually washed out what I was trying to see. The 2000+ lumen brightness is impressive and will light up areas in incredible ways.

The battery life of the M5 was really good. Sure, there’s a chart that Powertac provides with how long the light lasts when being used in a certain mode. That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m saying while using the light a moderate amount, I did not have to recharge for three weeks. That’s pretty impressive when it comes to staying power, while being used. When put up and not in use as an EDC – being used daily – the light has maintained a charge. It was nice avoiding the ever-so-common occurrence of grabbing a rechargeable device, only to learn that it’s dead.

The M5 is well suited for both occupational and EDC use. Carry methods include in the pocket, employing the sturdy clip to keep it in place, or an optional holster style case like the plastic one or nylon pouch Powertac sells. The 2000+ lumen lamp would serve as a good blinding mechanism if needed to be deployed on a threat. The bezel has a rounded slight castellation to it, and I’d not want to get whacked in the skull or face with it.

The included lanyard did not wear well. The lanyard is made of a kernmantle piece of line, where the kern is a piece of monofilament. I only learned this because the outside mantle managed to wear away exposing the monofilament. I replaced the lanyard with a piece of paracord.

According to the information in the manual as well as online, the M5 is waterproof up to 2 meters. To test this, I fashioned a water column over two meters, filled it to the top, and lowered the M5 down to the two meter threshold. I did not just put the light underwater. With it fully charged, I turned it on turbo mode, and then lowered it into the column. The light was left for two hours and fifteen minutes, and was still brightly shining when retrieved from the water. After ensuring the entire exterior of the light was dry, I removed the tailcap and noted there was not a drop of water inside the light. A little moisture was on the atmosphere side of the circumference of the o-ring, however no water penetrated into the inside of the flashlight. The light did not need recharging until several days after the experiment under continued use.

I’ve used a lot of flashlights in my life for many different purposes. The M5, while I’d like to say it’s perfect, I can’t. I don’t believe anything is perfect. I find processes and products can always have something about them that could be improved, this light being no different. The M5 does not fall subject to the adage of, “don’t allow perfect be the enemy of good,” as this flashlight goes above and beyond much of my expectations. The M5 can find a home in a pocket for EDC, a tool box for work, a vehicle for those “just in case moments,” night stand, emergency kit, or be taken along for a hiking or camping trip, etc.

In comparison to other EDCs that I do lean on, this light is probably now my favorite out of all of them. My former favorite make and model only recently rolled out a rechargeable version just this year, and runs $20.00 more than the M5. The two lights are comparable in shape and size. The same former favorite, and this is a big name brand mind you, only creeps in at a 1700 max lumen brightness, and has an hour and 15 minutes less battery life on its highest setting. I’m not going to toss my former favorite in the trash, as it’s still a great light, but I’ll say that the M5 is relegating it to a backup position as a secondary, or loaner light.

Pluses: Lifetime warranty. Well made and solid design. The light is rechargeable and you don’t have to remove the battery to recharge it. Light weight and will fit in the pocket, compact design. Price point is comparable to many, if not better than, other EDCs of similar design. 2000+ max lumen brightness is ridiculously blinding. Tail-switch and modal switch are easy to manipulate.

Minuses: Gets hot – like many high lumen LEDs – and needs to be monitored when using, not a good light for children. Pocket clip might be too aggressive for some people’s liking. Proprietary charging cable. Included lanyard mantle wore prematurely.

Would I buy the M5 generation 2? In a heartbeat I would, as well as recommend it to others. The light would meet the requirements of many EDC users, and fulfill occupational and outdoor activity needs. Buying direct from Powertac’s site, the light, at the time of writing, costs $69.95. For the price, you’re getting one hell of a light. There’s also a multitude of accessories that are compatible with the light, such as the aforementioned plastic holster, nylon pouch, tactical kit, remote pressure switch, and different spare battery options. Powertac also advertises the light to have a lifetime warranty.

Since receiving the Powertac M5 generation 2 light, a 3rd generation light has hit the market. The lights seem to be comparable with the generation 2, with the only difference I’ve noted from looking at online material is the charging cable and the “Improved Gen 3 Style Magnetic Charging Port.” Maybe there’s a charging port design flaw in the gen 2 that I have yet to identify.  I have not had a chance to try the 3rd generation version, but if it’s an improvement upon the 2nd generation, then it’s a winner too.

The Powertac line of products can be checked out at their website Powertac.com. 

Features and Specifications from the Powertac M5 everyday carry generation 2 flashlight:

KEY FEATURES

• 2,030 Lumen Max Output
• 330 Meter Throw
• One Of The Most Compact 18650 Lights For Pocket Carry
• Rechargeable With Magnetic Charging Port

The Powertac M5-G2 is an all-purpose and edc flashlight. The M5-G2 has a 2,030 lumen max output and features a magnetic charging port. As one of the most compact 18650 lights available for pocket carry, this light is perfect for everyday carry in your car, purse, or backpack.

ALL-PURPOSE TACTICAL EDC FLASHLIGHT

For extreme brightness in a super compact build, The Powertac M5 Gen2 delivers power you can comfortably fit in your palm. As an all-purpose EDC / tactical flashlight, you can use it wherever you are, anytime you need to light your path. It emits a striking 2,030 lumen and features a magnetic charging port for simple recharging with cutting-edge tech. With two-button control, tactical functionality, and a lifetime warranty, this flashlight is perfect for security professionals, law enforcement, and military members around the world.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

• Simple User Interface
• Tail Switch Provides Both Momentary And Continuous Modes
• Integrated Side Switch For Quick Access Of Different Modes
• 6 Different Settings That Include 5 Levels Of Brightness Plus A Strobe
• Anti-Slip Knurling And Matte Style Finish For Firm Grip
• Removable Pocket Clip
• Auto Memorization For All Settings
• Digital Circuit-Control Technology For Max Performance And Long Runtime
• Reverse Polarity Protection Protects From Improper Battery Installation
• Preserves Led And Electronic Components With A Superior Heat Sink Designed For Quick Heat Dispersion
• Resists Water Damage By A Precision O-Ring Sealed Design To Provide Reliable Use In Extreme Conditions
• Machined From Aircraft Grade Aluminum With Type Iii Anodized Finish
• Tempered Glass To Resist Breaking And Scratching Upon Impact
• Double Coated Glass Lens To Give Maximum OTF (Out The Front) Brightness And Beam Distance
• Mountable With Optional Remote Pressure Switch
• IPX8 Waterproof Submersible Up To 2 Meters Under Water
• Lifetime Warranty

PACKAGE INCLUDES

• M5 Gen2 Flashlight
• 18650 2600mAh Rechargeable Battery
• Magnetic USB Charge Cable
• Spare O-Rings
• Lanyard
• Instruction Manual

SPECIFICATIONS

• Battery:(1) 18650 Rechargeable Li-ion. NOT compatible with RCR123A/16340
• Length:124 mm
• Bezel Diameter: 25.4 mm
• Body Diameter: 23 mm
• Weight: 65 g (without battery)