Convoy M2 (CULPM1) Hands-on Review
This is my review of the Convoy M2 with the CULPM1 emitter. What do you think of this light? In my opinion, this is HANDS DOWN, the best value pocket thrower out there on the market. If you know of anything that comes close to it for the price, let me know below, because I can’t find it! It has an outstanding 656m throw/range in a small body, which is why it fits a very specific niche for me. Every other thrower with this kind of range either has a larger head or has LEP technology which I think is impractical for an EDC.
The M2 can also be purchased with another emitter, the CSLNM1 – which throws further. The CULPM1 version produces more light, which is why I opted for this version. For some reason, I don’t see too many reviews of this light out there.
If you’re in the market for a well-constructed and impressive pocket thrower, make sure you watch this video!
Get the Convoy M2 here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001896829464.html
BEAM SHOTS: 08:48
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This flashlight sample was sent to me by Convoy. I was not paid to do this review. All opinions are my own.
Convoy M2 Video Transcript/Notes:
General thoughts after a week of usage/size comparison/practicality:
• I’ve found my new favorite EDC. Impressive pocket thrower with strong spill.
• Fits easily in a pocket, I like the included clip.
• Comparison with other pocket throwers.
LED, lens, bezel, and reflector
• Perfectly centered LED. CULPM1 – 4040 (4mm2) footprint, better heat transfer. I went for the PM1 over the SFT40 as it throws further. Highest bin PM1s capable of producing 2000+ lumens @8A. Unsure what bin this one is. The NM1 can throw even more but with -300 lumens.
• Tactical style bezel, cutouts, SS.
• 25mm SMO reflector.
UI – modes
• 12 selections + memory
Performance – total output, beam profile, longevity, practicality
• No ring pattern. Previous reviewers have noted this. New gasket?
• Measured 656m throw with Opple Light Master Pro. It should be producing well over 1000 lumens with the 5A driver.
• Ramps down to 45% at 2mins 45.
• CCT: 5300K, CRI: 60 (both on 100% reading)
| M2 | ||||||
| Mode | Candela @5m | Throw (metres) | Mode | CCT (K) | CRI (Ra) | |
| 100% | 107700 | 656.3535633 | High | 5327 | 60.1 |
Considerations
• Finish is slippery.
• No onboard charging – need an external 18650 charger
• A tactical switch would make this perfect.
Verdict
• At the end of the day, this flashlight gets a 5-star rating from me. For $20-30, no other pocket thrower out there comes close in terms of value, performance, and quality. It’s my new favorite pocket thrower. Link to the M2 on the AliExpress Convoy shop above. A few places sell Convoy lights, but I’ve found they’re cheapest direct from Simon. I don’t get any commission from these links either – just want to make sure you get the best price possible.
5 thoughts on “Convoy M2 (CULPM1) Hands-on Review: The Ultimate Pocket Thrower on a Budget!”
Hi Darren,
I’m a flashodombo from the Netherlands and would like to know whether you still have the same opinion about the Convoy M2 with CULPM1 emitter today: “In my opinion, this is HANDS DOWN, the best value pocket thrower out there on the market.”. I saw some other reviews from you on the Convoy S6 and S8, which were also very positive (S8 even better than S6). The M2 has a somewhat bigger head (better cooling especially on turbo)and is still very pocketable, almost like S6/S8 I think.
Looking forward to your reply and many thnx. in advance,
Theo
PS Should you know of another pocket thrower that deserves the title “best value pocket thrower out there on the market” since the above review, please let me know.
Hi Theo, nice meeting you! Value wise, it’s hard to beat Convoy. More expensive brands like Fenix produce some good thrower lights as well like the PD35R but will cost several times. The M2 is an excellent choice as it has the best throw compared to S6/S8, but it’s going to be more difficult to pocket. If you don’t mind carrying a larger light around, get the M2. Also, check out the M21B – that’s one is every better but again getting larger. I hope that helps. Otherwise let me know.
Hello Darren
I enjoyed your review and learned a lot. But I have some doubts whether its beam intensity can reach 100kcd. Because I recently wanted to find a alternative for the Surefire edc2-dft, which means a thrower with 30mm head 100kcd. Finally I saw the Convoy M2, because it happens to be the only 30mm caliber flashlight in the store, and it provides the pm1 option.
But according to inference, edc2-dft uses cslnm1 with a 30mm deep reflector, and 700lm is close to the standard maximum output. pm1 is to some extent two nm1. In theory, it is difficult to produce a stronger throw, and the maximum current of 5A is also a bit different from the 6A standard. With a 30mm and relatively shallow reflector, I doubt that m2 culpm1 5A can also have 10kcd. I’m not sure about the reflector size of edc2-dft, but pictures from other users show that it has an unusually small spill area.
But no matter what, I think this is still the best budget 30mm thrower currently available on the market. I still requested a customized m2 culpm1 and it is an 8A overdrive driver. When it arrives, I will try to share the data with the phone sensor. It’s not accurate, but is an another reference.
Hi Darren
My customized convoy m2 culpm1 8A arrived. I used a phone sensor to test it at 5 meters. The light intensity is about 90-100kcd. Considering that the aspect ratio of his reflector is not high, this is not surprising.
I don’t think the phone sensor data is accurate enough and I’m not responsible for it. It’s for reference only. Anyway, this value is far higher than my fenix pd32 v2, which has a 25.4 mm head and cslpm1 and standard maximum power.