The flashlight industry is a highly competitive space filled with products that trend towards who can shine the brightest using the smallest package. However, seasoned enthusiasts have learned by now that there’s more to flashlights than winning the lumen war. No one understands that more than Foursevens, who put more emphasis on practicality, usability, and outstanding engineering, rather than playing the numbers game for output. This focus on color quality and design on their third-generation Mini Lights separates them from the rest of the pack.
The Mini MKIII and the Mini Turbo MKIII are excellent representations of this philosophy, both incredibly versatile offerings that punch way above their weight. In addition to being stand-alone lights, the new Minis are also part of a larger ecosystem designed to work with Fourseven’s 360 headlamp, extending their everyday utility into the outdoors. Both the Mini MKIII and Mini Turbo MKIII feature improved pocket clips, increased rotational grip, and a magnetic tailcap, allowing you to attach the light to metallic surfaces. The tailcap can be switched out with a keychain attachment or a non-magnetic tailcap for added versatility.
Mini MKIII
Weighing a mere 1.6 oz (with battery) and measuring 2.2” with a max lumen output of 550, the Mini MKIII boasts the highest power-to-size ratio in the Foursevens lineup without sacrificing an eye-pleasing tint with excellent color rendering. Its Nichia 319A emitter produces 4000K at 90+ Color Rendering Index (CRI), offering an exceptionally accurate color representation of any object you’re illuminating.
It has four basic brightness levels and three special modes, operated with twisty activation and a configurable mode sequence if you prefer something other than the initial Medium-High-Burst the light comes with. Low (or Moonlight) comes with a 0.8-lumen output for 110 hours, Medium with 15 lumens for 10 hours, High at 150 lumens for 80 minutes, and a Max/Burst mode which produces 550 lumens for 60 mins, through 30-second bursts. At max output, the Mini MKIII produces a beam distance of 120 meters, which is still impressive considering it wasn’t designed as a thrower to begin with.
Two body choices are available: Midnight Blue, which uses hard-anodized 6061-T6 aluminum in Prometheus’s/Foursevens’s signature accent color, and 6/4 Titanium. Both bodies include an RCR123A high-discharge battery and feature IPX8 water resistance of up to 1 meter.
The Mini in its original all-black aluminum colorway.
Mini Turbo MKIII
The Turbo is the Mini’s big brother, and if you’re looking to throw out even more light over even longer distances, its max output of 700 lumens throwing up to 200 meters is what you should be looking at. The Mini Turbo MKIII boasts the highest distance-to-size ratio in the Foursevens lineup. Like its Mini MKIII sibling, it does so without sacrificing beam quality with excellent color rendering. It employs a Cree XPL-HI at 4000K with a CRI of 80+, which is slightly less accurate than its sibling in exchange for more substantial output where needed.
Using the same RCR123A HD battery platform paired with the larger head and reflector, the Turbo comes with higher numbers across the board. Low (Moonlight) comes with 1.5 lumens for 90 hours, Medium nets you 35 lumens for 9 hours, High with a substantial bump to 300 lumens for 60 minutes, and Max/Burst outputs 700 lumens for 50 minutes for 30 seconds before stepping down back to High.
The Mini Turbo MKIII also comes in two body options: Midnight Blue in the same hard-anodized 6061-T6 aluminum and Titanium Two-Tone, which is comprised of both 6/4 titanium and the aluminum Midnight Blue accent in the middle. The latter allows a smoother twisty operation due to less friction between the two materials, as opposed to the coarser feel of titanium on titanium from galling with use over time. Fun fact, it’s also an homage to the “Tuxedo” black/titanium Foursevens Preon from the company’s early days. Like the Mini, both bodies feature IPX8 water resistance of up to 1 meter, above and beyond the durability needed for the rigors of everyday carry.
It’s easy to pack the most power you can into a small body and call it a day. But when it comes to using a flashlight you can rely on to handle most everyday situations and offering the best in class of performance for its functions, you’ll need a light that’s more than just a sum of features and specs. Foursevens has painstakingly thought out every aspect of its Mini flashlights, from its body construction and color quality to its clip design, which shows that these lights are on equal footing for both form and function. Regardless of which you choose, they’re some of the best lights you can add to your EDC.
