Manker E03H II vs Wurkkos HD15
Quick take: The Wurkkos HD15 costs $5 less; the Wurkkos HD15 is brighter (1,300 vs 600 lm); the Wurkkos HD15 throws farther (173m vs 118m); the Wurkkos HD15 runs longer on high (2 vs 1 hrs).
| Spec | Manker E03H II | Wurkkos HD15 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $30 | $25 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Right-Angle | Right-Angle |
| Lumens | 600 lm | 1,300 lm |
| Candela | 3,500 cd | 7,500 cd |
| Beam distance | 118m | 173m |
| Runtime | 1 hr (14500 high) | 2 hrs (high) |
| Battery | AA/14500 | 18650 |
| LED | Nichia 519A 4500K | LH351D 5000K + red |
| Beam type | Flood | Flood |
| Modes | 4 Stepped | 4 Stepped |
| UI | Simple | Simple |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP67 |
| CRI | 95 | 90 |
| Weight | 1.1 oz | 2.2 oz |
| Dimensions | 3.5 x 0.8 in | 4.0 x 1.0 in |
| Warranty | 2 Year | 1 Year |
What owners report
Manker E03H II
- ✓Right-angle body in a genuinely small AA format
- ✓SST-20 with 84 m of throw for the size
- ✓IPX8 — submersible beyond a metre for a prolonged period
- ✓Type III hard-anodised anti-abrasive coating
- ✓Accepts button-top 14500 cells, unlike its predecessor
- ✗The NW version has no built-in thermal protection
- ✗The CW version lacks low-voltage protection — use a protected cell
- ✗The CW version has no charging port
- ✗Unlikely to hold 360 lumens for more than a few seconds on AA
- ✗Variants differ in ways the listings don't make obvious
Wurkkos HD15
- ✓Build quality reviewers describe as fantastic for $33
- ✓USB-C charging in the head at over 2.3A
- ✓Strong magnetic tailcap for hands-free use off the band
- ✓Two emitters plus an 18350 tube included in the box
- ✓Smaller and lighter than the 21700 HD20 while keeping the same idea
- ✗Too few brightness levels — high is often too bright, medium not bright enough
- ✗Published runtime figures overstate reality by two to three times
- ✗Only three steps between the lowest and highest levels
- ✗The head strap is ordinary
- ✗No Anduril, so the mode spacing can't be reconfigured