Review: ASP Guardian Flashlights

I tested two lights from ASP. Not only did they turn out to be superior for EDC, they have several design features that separate them from similar devices. One of these is their power features, another is their form factor.

The two models of the ASP Guardian Lights are the Guardian CR, which uses a 16340 Lithium-ion cell, and the Guardian AA, which uses a 14500 Lithium-ion cell. The Guardian CR also will take CR123 cells, while the Guardian AA will take AA cells.

Both Guardian lights are pocket sized, made of 6061 T6 aluminum, o-ring sealed, use a high output Cree XPG LED, and use a mirror polished parabola to drive the beam. The lights recharge using an onboard USB charge port. ASP has included a tiny USB plug that attaches to the keychain, which they call the Micro Flex connector. This is a tail switch light, with a double tap switching capability.  

Here are three reasons why ASP Guardian Lights are rated superior for duty:

1.      They both use two fuel sources.

2.       The light output is outstanding for their size.

3.       They have a superior form factor.

I recommend them as back up lights for duty, off duty, and even limited on duty use without any reservation. There strongest suit is none of these, however. I found the Guardian AA light to be the best EDC light I have used amongst the ones I have tested. The design quality is so superior that I recommend this as a blanket agency purchase, and a recommended individual purchase.

Before I get into the review, I want to talk a little bit about the review process itself. When I look at a product for review, I get a preliminary idea of how it will perform. If a product doesn’t make it through the initial tests, it goes back to the company that sent it. Consequently, I don’t review the product.

I hear from my readers sometimes. Comments range from, “This guy must get paid for these reviews” to “This guy doesn’t say bad things about anyone.”

The truth is, I do get paid for my reviews. I don’t hardly say bad things about any product that I review.

You should consider the null hypothesis. Perhaps I don’t say anything “bad” about products because I have screened them ahead of time. Perhaps I am selective about what I review because I’m allowed to be selective. Perhaps the dozens of items shipped back to their respective companies in Ziploc bags (because now they are a pile of parts) and original packaging would be evidence of this prescreening process, but you never hear about them.

I don’t mention the names of the products that don’t make the grade. You know, “If you can’t say something nice…”

The ASP Guardian lights exceed the grade, and therefore the review appears here.

I ran my Guardian lights through the usual tests for drop, dust, and water resistance. There was no ingress of elements, and weather extremes did not affect their operation. The beam does not flicker when bounced 2 meters onto a hard surface. Both lights have a 50 minute runtime. Several discharges of the cell demonstrated that the runtime exceeded ASP’s claims, and they both can be quickly charged, even by plugging into my laptop. The charge port is accessed by unscrewing the light head, which exposes a USB. The cell can be charged without removing it from the light. The lights blink red while charging and give a solid green when finished.

By the way, if you try to charge a nonrechargable Cell in either light, it won’t work. They have protective circuits that prevent damage.

The high output LED throws a high-volume flood. Comparing it to a standard duty light, both lights can keep up with the larger ones on the duty belt easily. I would make a nighttime traffic stop or warehouse search without any reservation.

This was the original purpose of the design, by the way. When I contacted Michael Hess of ASP about what they prioritized when they designed the ASP Guardians, he told me, “The Guardian Light design arose out of our ‘two is one, one is none’ philosophy of tactical lighting―the absolutely critical need for officers to have one or more backup sources of illumination. The ideal backup flashlight is easily pocketable, yet doesn’t compromise quality or performance in the interest of portability. And its features and functionality―including the ‘user interface’―should be consistent with the primary duty light, so there is instant familiarity when switching from primary to backup. In other words, it should be every bit a scaled-down duty light.”

A beam comparison between my full sized duty light and the Guardian AA shows that this pocket sized light, barely larger than an AA cell itself, can cast a similar beam, with amazing volume. This is exactly what we need in a back up light. Really, the only difference is the run time and the smaller surface volume for cooling surface.

My Guardian lights don’t do too badly with staying cool. They have flat checkered bodies and parallel lines cut in the light head. The glass lens is secured by a screw down bezel. There is adequate texturing for cooling surface area, which is enhanced by the hardcoat anodized surface.

The tail switch does protrude from the base enough to make it easy to distinguish from the business end. ASP uses a Double Tap to switch from 15 lumens to over 400 lumens. The spring is strong enough to prevent accidental firing in the pocket.

The texturing and form factor is the reason why this is my chosen EDC light. The texturing is enough to hold the lights while the hands are wet, and the barrel size and length is perfect. Perfect for what? The Guardian AA is the size of a small kubaton. As a micro impact tool, it has the best feel in the hand.

My favorite is the Guardian  AA. It’s not because it fires 20 more lumens than the Guardian CR. The truth is, I can’t really tell the difference between the two. It is slightly longer, but not by much.

ASP

MSRP on the Guardian CR is $85

MSRP on the Guardian AA is $75