Splitting The Dark With Wedge XT

I tested Streamlight’s Wedge XT, an ultracompact 500 lumen EDC light. In the world of compact lights, this one can wear many hats.

Before we get too far into this review, I want talk about your basic load. If you are conscious about self-preservation, you probably already carry a gun much of the time. Along with that gun, you should have at least one reload and a knife. Additionally, I generally carry a tourniquet and something that has “Leatherman” in its name. I do not go anywhere without a flashlight. My flashlight must be capable of dynamic entry into a large interior room.

That’s the first quality of the Wedge XT that’s worth mentioning. It fires a wide 500 lm beam, that is more like a floodlight than most tactical lights. The Wedge XT design prevents surprises in the periphery.

Your flashlight should be reasonable for your wardrobe and mission. Most importantly, it must agree with your training. I am a “fingertip-to-bezel” user, when it comes to fighting in the dark. If I have a larger light, I need a side switch to maintain the gun/light balance. Small lights can have tail switches. The Wedge XT has a raised tail switch and a programmable lockout function. That’s perfect for me.

The second Wedge XT quality is the lack of a “hot spot” in its illumination. For the beginning night fighter, this is an important feature. If someone does not practice a lot in low light, they may tend to focus on the hot spot, in the same manner people “fly their handgun laser”. I used to get to the night qualifications and literally see Officers shoot the hot spot, even if it was off target. With the Wedge XT, even average shooters will tend towards aligning their sights, not chasing a beam.

I guess I should mention: If you carry a flashlight for tactical purposes, dry fire with the light. I have several sticks that mimic my “real” flashlights, which I use on the range.

The Wedge XT is Streamlight’s follow up to the Wedge, the original sized flat torch with a lithium polymer cell, with a form factor like popular OTF auto knives. When I first saw one, the form factor intrigued me. The Wedge orients easily in the hand, and, since it’s flat, carries better in the pocket.

Streamlight recognized that the flat configuration was handy, and lithium polymer technology allows the Wedge XT to have an 11 hour run time on low beam. This is the third Wedge XT quality: it is a very capable task light. I know that the 500 lm, 2 hour runtime beam is a critical feature, but so is the task light when it’s time to render first aid and regroup.

The Wedge XT has a USB-C charging port on the side of the grip. The specs say that it charges in 6 hours and delivers 2 hours run time in “high” mode. Streamlight uses Ten Tap programming, where the user can set the default beam to low when it is turned on. The charging port glows red or green to indicate the battery status while charging. I ran it for 2 hours on high, and it dissipated heat nicely.

The nose of this light is tapered, and the bezel is recessed, which is good, as it will discourage users from setting it down on its nose. The nose design makes it quick to orient and easier to have in the pocket.

It does have a pocket clip, which allows deep placement into the pocket. It only weighs 2.62 oz, and it is only 4.25 inches long, so one can completely forget it is there. I was glad to find that the clip is tenacious in keeping my EDC tool in my pocket.

I know you think that the included lanyard is for hooking the light on things so it can dangle somewhere. That’s not the purpose. Lanyard cords are for changing magazines and opening doors when the other tool is saying, “This side toward enemy”. As you might have guessed, my lanyard will be replaced with 550 cord soon.

The Wedge XT is made of anodized aluminum and the lens is polycarbonate. It is IPX7 rated.

I’m particular about the color of my tactical lights-not the color of the body, but the way they render color in their beam. With the Wedge XT, I could distinguish dark furry things against dark, non furry backgrounds. Using both red and green dot optics, the Wedge XT lit the target, without washing out the thing steering the gun. This beam has a fairly high CRI, which could be described as a “cold white” beam.

The Streamlight Wedge really changed how I looked at EDC lights. I find that I wear a jacket and tie almost as much as range wear. I found the Streamlight Wedge XT is one the most fully capable EDC lights of this size.

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