Overview

The Skilhunt MiX-7 (affiliate link) is a flashlight with seven LEDs and five colors of light output: white, red, green, blue, and ultraviolet. It runs on an 18350 battery, which is usually associated with small, pocket-friendly lights, but the wide head required for all those LEDs and their individual reflectors means that the MiX-7 is a wide flashlight best suited to carry in a bag or jacket pocket.

When I try to think of practical use cases for the MiX-7, I come up short. It performs well, but for a short time due to the small battery. There are sometimes practical uses for UV and colors, but most people need only one secondary color, not four. The MiX-7 is, however, entertaining.

For those who want something different and fun, the MiX-7 qualifies and is conditionally recommended.

Specifications

Spec	-
Battery	1x18360
LED	Nichia 519A x3 (white), Cree XP-E2 (red, green, and blue), Seoul UV Z5-1B (ultraviolet)
Color temperature	4604K
Color rendering index	97
Max output	2157 lm
Max throw	121 m
Max sustainable output	600 lm
Max output at 50% battery	1902
Best efficiency	155 lm/W @ 200 lm
Candela per lumen	1.7 (very floody)
Length	78.8 mm
Head diameter	32.5 mm
Weight	63.5 g
Weight with battery	88.5 g
Charging	USB to magnetic
Low Voltage Protection (LVP)	Yes, 2.75V
Lockout	Mechanical and electronic
Approximate price	$70
Provided by	Skilhunt
Rating	★★★☆☆ (conditionally recommended)

Highlights

• High CRI (with 519A option)
• Multiple colors are fun
• Good efficiency

Lowlights

• 18350 battery seems like an odd match for this design
• Charging pad can spark when shorted

Details and technical analysis

Versions

The MiX-7 is available with either neutral white, high-CRI Nichia 519A LEDs, or cool white, low-CRI Cree XP-G4 LEDs. It is available in black, green, orange, blue, and white body colors.

Accessories

The MiX-7 comes with a battery, charging cable, pocket clip, lanyard, spare O-rings, tailcap magnet, non-magnetic tailcap insert, and visible light filter.

The visible light filter is for the UV LED and does not come pre-installed because an American company claims to have a patent covering the use of filters with UV LED flashlights. I do not think this patent would survive a well-funded court challenge since Wood's glass was invented in 1903, but patent litigation is expensive.

The filter greatly reduces visible purple light when using the UV LED. It's easy to install: just unscrew the bezel, lift off the glass lens, and drop it in.

Modes and user interface

User Interface

3C means to press and release the button three times in rapid succession. 3H means to press and release twice, then press and hold. Memory means that the last-used mode in the group is activated.

State	Action	Result
Off	Hold	Low group (memory)
Off	Click	Medium group (memory)
Off, low, medium	2C	Turbo group (memory)
Turbo	2C	Medium group (memory)
Low, medium, turbo	Hold	Adjust brightness
Any	3C	Strobe group
Off	4C	Lockout
Lockout	4C	Low group (memory)
Lockout	Hold	L1 (momentary)
Low	2H	Medium group (memory)
Medium	2H	Low group (memory)
Strobe	2C	Cycle strobe, SOS, beacon
Low	Hold	Cycle low -> red -> green -> blue -> UV
Low	2C	Toggle L1/L2, R1/R2, etc...

Mode	Estimated lumens	Estimated throw (FL1 meters)
L2	1	2
L1	3	3
M2	56	20
M1	200	36
H1	600	64
T2	1129	89
T1	2157	121

Output, runtime, and efficiency

I suspect my output readings are a little high for lights with 519A LEDs. I don't have a good way to verify this, so I'm reporting the numbers as I recorded them.

Mode	Estimated lumens	Time to 80%	Time to 50%	Time to 10%	Efficiency (lm/W)	Current (mA)
L2	1				-	6
L1	3				-	36
M2	56	9.6 hours	9.6 hours	9.8 hours	131	105
M1	200	3.2 hours	3.2 hours	4.1 hours	155	306
H1	600	59 minutes	59 minutes	87 minutes	147	976
T2	1129	4.4 minutes	51 minutes	61 minutes	143	2120
T1	2157	1.1 minutes	1.3 minutes	54 minutes	136	None

Note that lumens are likely to be very imprecise for monochromatic colors, and have no meaning for UV. Fluorescence on surfaces does, however create visible light, allowing me to graph UV output over time.

Mode	Estimated lumens	Time to 80%	Time to 50%	Time to 10%	Efficiency (lm/W)	Current (mA)
B2	0				-	100
B1	431	66 minutes	68 minutes	83 minutes	-	853
R2	0				-	79
R1	395	88 minutes	88 minutes	88 minutes	-	672
UV2	0				-	99
UV1	125	76 minutes	115 minutes	3.6 hours	-	852
G2	0				-	92
G1	262	72 minutes	72 minutes	74 minutes	-	826

Light quality

Readings are taken from the center spot diffused with DC Fix diffusion film using an X-rite i1Pro spectrophotometer. 100 is the maximum for all CRI metrics; typical flashlight LEDs have CRI around 70 and negative R9.

Mode	Color Temperature	Tint Duv	CRI	CRI R9 (deep red)	CRI R12 (deep blue)
L2	4735K	0.0001 (neutral)	97	98.7	75.8
L1	4607K	0.0001 (neutral)	97.1	97.9	76.3
M2	4589K	0.0003 (neutral)	96.9	98.6	76.6
M1	4567K	0.0003 (neutral)	96.5	99.8	77
H1	4604K	0.0002 (neutral)	95.9	97.3	77.6
T2	4737K	-0.0001 (neutral)	94.8	94.8	77.8
T1	4737K	-0.0021 (slightly rosy)	94.9	93	79

Beamshots

I compare all lights to the Zebralight SC64c LE in outdoor beamshots. It is non a direct competitor to the MiX-7.

Max vs SC64c LE

Sustainable vs SC64c LE

Colors

Tint versus BLF 348 and SC64c LE

The 365nm UV reveals security features on currency.

It also shows where sunblock is applied.

Batteries and charging

The MiX-7 uses an 18350 battery, and any standard 18350 of reasonable quality can be used. It has onboard charging with a USB to magnetic pad cable, which is proprietary since there's no standard for magnetic charging. Charging with the included MC10 cable at 1A current takes about 100 minutes. The MC20 cable included with larger Skilhunt lights can also be used, but its 2A charge current is too much for an 18350 battery and may cause it to degrade quickly. Charging with that cable takes 45 minutes.

Short-circuiting the charging pad on the flashlight can cause a spark. Current cuts off in a small fraction of a second, but it is possible to ignite steel wool some of the time. This could be dangerous in some conditions.

An indicator light under the switch shows battery charge as follows:

• Steady blue: > 80%
• Blinking blue: 50-80%
• Steady red: 20-50%
• Blinking red: < 20%

Size and ergonomics

The MiX-7 is an odd shape, having a short body and a wide head. I've found no way to comfortably carry it in a pants pocket. It's fine in the hand, but I think a longer body tube would be better here.

A magnetic tailcap allows mounting the flashlight to surfaces, and can be replaced with the included rubber pad for those who don't want a strong magnet. There is a non-removable weak magnet under the charging pad.

Modification potential

It's easy to unscrew the bezel to access the optics and LEDs, however the MCPCB has seven LEDs mounted on it and six wires soldered to it. Replacing any LEDs would be a delicate affair.

As with other Skilhunt lights, permanent threadlocker is used on the head side of the battery tube, but it can be unscrewed with a pair of strap wrenches. The tube is the only thing securing the driver to the flashlight head, which saves a bit of length, but prevents Skilhunt from offering user-replaceable tubes.

Once the threadlocker is dealt with, an 18650 tube from another Skilhunt light will fit and function. I borrowed one from an H04 RC.