Olight Warrior Nano Review: A Compact 1,200-Lumen EDC Flashlight

Introduction

The Olight Warrior Nano is the miniature version of the Warrior Mini 3, and it packs a surprising amount of performance into a very small body. With a maximum output of 1,200 lumens, a 135-meter throw, and a peak intensity of 4,697 candela, it aims to be the smallest, most compact tactical-style flashlight in Olight’s lineup. Whether it truly qualifies as tactical is debatable, but as an everyday carry light, it makes a strong case for itself.

Design and Build

The body is made from aluminum and is currently available in two colors: black and a limited edition zombie green. Olight includes a magnetic charger, a magnetic mounting bracket, and the usual manual and safety documentation in the box.

Dimensions are compact without being tiny: 3.19 inches long, 0.91 inches at both the head and body, and 3 ounces (84 grams) with the battery installed. Compared with the Warrior Mini 3, it is virtually identical apart from the shorter length, right down to the crenelated bezel, two-way pocket clip, and the newer larger side switch. Next to truly small lights like the S1R Baton 2 or Perun Mini 2, the Nano is noticeably bigger, but it is far smaller than the Warrior Mini 3.

It carries an IPX8 waterproof rating, meaning it is submersible in up to 6 feet of water, along with 1.5-meter impact resistance and a 5-year warranty.

User Interface

Everything is controlled through a side switch and a tail switch. The side switch uses full-press on and off; once on, press and hold to cycle through low, medium, and high. Double-press for 1,200-lumen turbo, triple-press for strobe, and press and hold from off for the half-lumen moonlight mode. Mode memory returns the light to the last level used, and a press-and-hold lockout is indicated by the red state of the three-color battery indicator LED in the switch.

The tail switch is where things get interesting. A half press gives momentary medium, and a full press and hold delivers momentary 600-lumen half turbo. Quick full presses lock in constant output. Putting half turbo on the tail switch makes more sense than duplicating turbo, and Olight even lets you reconfigure it: attach the magnetic charger, press and hold the side switch as if locking out, and the tail switch switches between half turbo and full turbo for instant access. You can also set up instant strobe access by holding the tail switch and tapping the side switch until strobe activates.

Beam and Runtime

The Nano runs on a 3.6V, 1,100 mAh 18350 rechargeable lithium-ion battery charged via the included magnetic charger, and it uses a cool white emitter.

The brightness ladder is well spaced. There is a half-lumen moonlight with a 40-day runtime, a 15-lumen low lasting 36 hours, and a 60-lumen medium running 10 hours. High is 400 lumens for 85 minutes before stepping down to 60 lumens for another 35 minutes. Half turbo pushes 600 lumens for 10 minutes before stepping down to 400 lumens for 75 more minutes, and full turbo delivers 1,200 lumens for 3 minutes before dropping to 400 lumens for a further 77 minutes.

Outdoors, the beam offers a fairly wide spread with a defined hotspot rather than an extremely floody pattern, and the outer perimeter is not super crispy. Heat is a non-issue in practice: turbo gets slightly warm but never uncomfortably hot, so no dedicated heat test was needed. One small note: the strobe feature exists, but Olight does not publish its lumen output anywhere.

Things to Consider Before Buying

Olight markets this as its smallest, most compact tactical flashlight, and technically it has tactical features like instant access to turbo and strobe. But it is simply too small to serve as a self-defense-oriented tactical light, so buyers looking for that role should look elsewhere. It is also currently limited to two colors and a cool white emitter only, so a neutral white version would be a welcome future release. The lens sits slightly less recessed than on the Warrior Mini 3, a minor difference worth noting if you own both.

Buying Advice

As an EDC flashlight, the Warrior Nano is a solid choice. Getting 1,200 lumens out of this small a body is genuinely impressive, operation is effortless thanks to the large side button and the new tail switch, and the configurable tail-switch modes add real flexibility. If you want a compact light with serious output and thoughtful controls, it is an easy recommendation.

Conclusion

The Olight Warrior Nano shrinks the Warrior Mini 3 without losing much of what makes that light good. The half-turbo tail switch is a genuinely smart touch, the UI is easy to live with, and the output-to-size ratio is excellent. Just think of it as a compact everyday carry light rather than a true tactical tool, and it delivers exactly what it promises.