OVEREADY SureFire Mini TurboHead

Review: OVEREADY Mini TurboHead

FacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmailFacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

The OVEREADY Mini TurboHead is a no-holds-barred, high output upgrade for the SureFire 6P, C2, Z2 and other compatible flashlights.  Based upon the SureFire Z32 bezel, which was designed for use with incandescent lamp modules, the Mini TurboHead is totally reworked on the inside to accommodate a high performance Cree XM-L2 LED in Cool White or Neutral tint.  These modifications allow the Mini TurboHead to produce over 1000 lumens of output while still retaining the stock appearance of the original SureFire bezel.

The Mini TurboHead is available with either of SureFire’s stock hard-anodized finishes, natural (gray) or matte black.  A selection of custom stainless steel bezel rings is also available to replace the original plastic ring used by SureFire.  The Mini TurboHead may be purchased separately or as part of a complete flashlight with pricing beginning around $200 for the head alone.

A sample of the Mini TurboHead, with black finish and crenelated bezel was provided by OVEREADY for the duration of this review.  Since the Mini TurboHead can be used with a variety of different hosts, the review will focus mainly on the head itself. 

OVEREADY Mini TurboHead – Overview

SureFire has always done a good job with their machining and hard-anodizing but I feel some of their higher end products are a notch above others.  It’s not something I can really quantify but I know it when I see it, or at least I think I do.  The Z32 bezel is in that high-end category with flawless machining and a perfect matte black (almost satin) finish.  The stainless steel crenelated bezel has a similar appearance and matches well.

OVEREADY Mini TurboHead

A glimpse from the front gives an indication of what’s in store behind the ultra-clear glass lens.  The Cree XM-L2 emitter is centered in a 27 mm textured reflector which takes full advantage of the available room in the bezel.  The Mini TurboHead conversion is a permanent modification to the bezel and is not simply a “drop-in” like is commonly used with SureFire hosts.

OVEREADY Mini TurboHead

A beefy 6061 T6 aluminum heatsink also makes good use of the extra space in the bezel and is machined to fit perfectly in the pocket of any SureFire 6P, C2, Z2 or comparable host.  A solid brass contact ring, heavy duty spring, and Teflon insulated Mil-spec wire help ensure a consistent and low resistance electrical path.  All materials and components are shock and vibration resistant making the Mini TurboHead suitable for weapon mounted applications.

OVEREADY SureFire Mini TurboHead

Measuring 1.47″ in diameter, the Mini TurboHead is considerably larger than the standard 1.25″ Z44 bezel used on the SureFire 6P, C2, and Z2.  The extra diameter allows the use of a much wider reflector for improved throw.

OVEREADY Mini TurboHead

The Mini TurboHead is also longer than the Z44 providing additional room for a longer reflector while still leaving room for a larger heatsink.

OVEREADY SureFire Mini TurboHead

The factory black SureFire finish matches well with the OVEREADY custom hard-anodized finishes (Click for larger images):

OVEREADY Mini TurboHead – Performance

The large textured reflector produces a beam with a very tight center hotspot capable of reaching well beyond 150 yards.  The hotspot has a creamy white tint with hardly any sign of the green or yellow commonly found with the XM-L2 emitter.  The uniform and even spill beam has a somewhat neutral tint with a noticeably cooler ring at the very edge of the beam.

OVEREADY SureFire Mini TurboHead

The following slides compare beamshots from the Mini TurboHead and a variety of other lights to provide a perspective of its output, beam profile, and tint.  The beamshots can be compared across their full width using the slider and additional images can be accessed by using the navigation buttons in the bottom-right corner of each image.

The following lights were used in the comparison:

  1. SureFire P2X Fury (Review)
  2. Elzetta Bravo with AVS (Review)
  3. SureFire R1 Lawman (Review)
  4. SureFire UB3T Invictus
  5. Klarus XT11 Upgrade (Review)
  6. Elzetta Charlie AVS (Review)
  7. Malkoff Hound Dog Neutral XM-L2
  8. Malkoff Hound Dog Cool White XM-L2 (Review)
  9. SureFire P3X Fury (Review)
  10. Streamlight ProTac HL 3 (Review)
  11. SureFire M6LT (1200 lumen version)
  12. SureFire C2 with TorchLAB Triple (Review)
  13. Malkoff Wildcat V4 (Review)
  14. Malkoff Wildcat V5 (Review)

Beamshots – 30 Yards to Swing

Beamshots – 100 Yards to Building

Beamshots – 200 Yards to Target

It’s hard to see but there is a 24″ x 24″ archery target sitting in the center of the road at a distance of 200 yards.  The same comparison lights were used in this set of photos with the exception of the 1200 lumen SureFire M6LT and the TorchLAB Triple P60 drop-in

Runtime

The Mini TurboHead is direct driven, meaning there is no electronic driver used to regulate voltage or current to the LED, and is designed for use only with a single protected 18650 lithium-ion battery.  As a result, any host body used with the Mini TurboHead must be bored to accept 18 mm (nominal) batteries.  Also, the high current draw (up to 4.5+ amps) requires the use of a switch capable of sustaining that current such as the TorchLAB ZeroRez, ZeroRez Mounty, or ZeroRez Shorty brass inserts.

The Mini TurboHead will work with a McClicky switch but due to the high current, the switch will create a bottleneck, limiting the amount of power available to the LED.

OVEREADY SureFire MiniTurbo

Runtime testing was conducted using the Mini TurboHead installed on a bored SureFire 6P host equipped with a TorchLAB ZeroRez Mounty brass insert.  Individual tests were run with AW 2600 mAh and 3400 mAh rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

OVEREADY SureFire Mini TurboHead runtime

One of the characteristics of direct driven LEDs is a steadily declining output as the battery voltage decreases.  Although this makes for an ugly runtime graph, a close look reveals that the 3400mAh AW 18650 provided nearly an hour of runtime before output dropped to approximately 400-500 lumens.  The cumulative amount of output over time is impressive.

The heavily driven LED generates a lot of heat when operated continuously but the added mass of the Mini TurboHead deals with it well.  The base of the bezel does become hot, particularly with a fresh battery, but the body becomes only warm to the touch.

OVEREADY Mini TurboHead – Conclusions

When it comes down to it, a direct driven LED is about as simple and reliable as it gets with no electronics in the way that could fail or rob power.  While it may not be the best solution for someone who uses their light for hours at a time, it provides a very efficient way to produce an overwhelming amount of light.  The absence of electronics does not signify an absence of sophistication.

To the contrary, thoughtful design and selection of components is required to create a high-performance direct driven light engine that won’t destroy itself or harm the battery.  I have experienced no issues over the course of several hours of use and the Mini TurboHead seems extremely capable when used with the recommended types of batteries and switches.

OVEREADY SureFire 6P with Mini TurboHead

The beam is well focused with impressive power and good reach.  The spill beam is very even but somewhat narrower than other lights with shallower reflectors, resulting in more of a “cone of light” effect.  Although no specific lumen rating is given, the Mini TurboHead compares very well with other lights in the 1000+ lumen range.

Strengths

    • Blistering output from a single 18650 battery
    • Nice beam tint and excellent reach
    • Solid construction

Concerns

    • Direct driven lights offer only one mode of operation
    • Not suitable for use with most clicky style switches

The OVEREADY Mini TurboHead is made in the USA.  For more information about the Mini TurboHead or  any of the other items mentioned in this review, visit the OVEREADY website or use the links to specific items below.

FlashlightGuide is an Amazon affiliate site and stands to earn a small commission on purchases made after using any of the Amazon links on this site.  These commissions help support the site at no additional cost to the customer.  If you would like to support FlashlightGuide, be sure to check out what’s available at Amazon.com.

FacebooktwitterpinterestrssyoutubeinstagramFacebooktwitterpinterestrssyoutubeinstagram
Posted in Flashlight Accessories, Flashlight Reviews, OVEREADY and tagged , , , .

2 Comments

  1. I’ve been enjoying your site since its inception, reviews are definitely geared towards the equipment I’m interested in and have been instrumental in some of my acquisitions!
    The 100 yard shots are a welcome addition and the Oveready Mini Turbohead looks killer!
    I assume your review sample is of the “cool” flavour? Please correct me if I’m wrong. I have a neutral on order.
    Thanks for all your work!
    See ya @ CPF!!

    • Hi Don, thanks for visiting. This should be the 5000K Neutral. The tint on this sample was interesting as it is definitely warmer than every “Cool White” light I have but just a touch cooler than some of my other neutrals. I like the tint and it’s right in line with my neutral Triple from OVEREADY.

Share your thoughts!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.