First, the good stuff.
The Klarus EP 12 flashlight is only about 6" long, from end to lens, and is impressive in its solid build, relatively light weight, and overall light output. Its entire body, except for the lens, is metal, and can easily take some hard knocks though you wouldn't want to mar its beautiful exterior.
The flashlight throws out an amazing amount of light, no matter the intensity - low, medium, or high - for its small size. The light intensity is controlled by the power switch while the beam spread is controlled by twisting the lens head to the focus you want. These multi-adjustable features help you meet your needs. If taking a walk at night, use the low, wide focus mode. If searching for something in the underbrush, use the high, narrow focus. Note that the higher the intensity, the shorter the battery life. That is to be expected, and not a flaw. Just plan accordingly. Note that the lens end does get warm, regardless of light intensity. Warn children and use protection if handling that end of the flashlight after prolonged use.
The SOS feature - the flashlight spells "SOS" in Morse code - is a pleasant surprise and handy for backpacking and camping trips. This, combined with the intensity of the light, is a very nice safety feature.
The flashlight comes with a sturdy lanyard which is long enough to loop and tighten around your wrist or hang from a backpack with a carabiner. Either way, because the body of the flashlight is a solid aluminum build, you won't have to worry about knocking it against rocks and trees.
Now, the things that made me shake my head because they are silly but significant and could've easily been corrected before shipping.
The negative end of the battery is covered with a plastic disc that has to be removed for it to work. The flashlight comes charged, but because that disc prevents a complete circuit, it appears to be defective but isn't. This could've easily been fixed with a bold note in the product manual, a sticker on the body or back-end of the flashlight, advising the consumer to remove it. Instead, it's a small footnote on the Amazon product page where most people are likely to miss it and return a perfectly functional product because of a small marketing oversight.
The product manual could use some improvement. The flashlight comes with a rubber O ring and, for the life of me, I couldn't tell you where it goes. It seems like it should be intuitive, but it isn't. It's an oversight like the disc that covers the battery, and could be easily corrected with a statement in the product manual.
Overall, this flashlight is amazing. Truly. I have been a little obsessed with flashlights that are functional, durable, and lightweight. And this one meets all three criteria. It is readily giftable. Get it for the woman in your life who has to walk at night for any reason. She'll thank you for it. I am going to keep mine in my car where it's handy in case of emergencies. I love this flashlight and readily recommend it to others.
