I first saw the Modlite Noxon Anark during SHOT Show earlier this year. While I had some reservations about the execution, I was happy to see another light of this style coming to market. While I’ve often carried extremely high output lights such as the Modlite OKW, Cloud Defensive MCH, and Surefire EDC1-DFT, I typically prefer handheld lights that can serve multiple roles. The Noxon Anark seemed like it could fit that bill quite well, so I was intrigued. After a few months of waiting, I picked one up to test for myself. Here is my review of the Modlite Noxon Anark flashlight.
Design of the Modlite Noxon Anark
The Modlite Noxon Anark is targeting a very particular market segment with its design. This rectangular light is fairly compact, measuring 4.33×1.38 inches in length and width, and weighing 3.9 ounces. It features some mild serrations along the side to aid in maintaining your grip, in addition to some slight belling at both the bezel and tail of the light.
One area of design which is often overlooked, but I really appreciate is the flat tail of the Anark. This means the light to be placed on end, allowing it to illuminate a room hands-free. The Anark is rated IPX7, but no water resistance testing was performed during this review. As part of the Noxon line, the Anark is manufactured in China.
Controls
Controls are very straightforward with the Modlite Noxon Anark. There are two buttons, along with a single charging port on the light. Along the side of the body you’ll find a single button for the “low” power mode. At the tail of the light is another single button, this one for the “high” power mode. Along the edge of the light is a rubber cover which seals the USB-C charging port. This rubber cover doesn’t seem to fully seal on my sample, with the edges always sticking up slightly.
A small LED can be found just below the “low” power button which indicates the light’s charge when plugged in. Finally, the underside of the light features a reversible, metal pocket clip.
Activation on the Anark
These buttons are fairly significantly recessed, and feature a minor amount of rounded fencing as well. This is done to help prevent unintentional discharges of the light. A quick press of these buttons activates constant-on mode, while holding the buttons activates momentary-on. I appreciate the dedicated high/low buttons on the Anark, along with the option for both constant and momentary activation. As a handheld light, these are features I expect, but don’t often receive from other products.
There is a minor delay when activating the light, roughly a half-second between press and the Anark turning on. Reading about the light online, it seems that most folks either don’t mind this delay, or say it doesn’t exist at all. For those whom have tried my personal Anark, the delay is usually met with “ugh” and some minor complaints. Aside from my personal light, the two samples I handled during SHOT Show exhibited similar delay.
Output
Output sits in a reasonable middle ground with the Modlite Noxon Anark. Our “high” mode gives a solid 18,000 candela and 1,000 lumens with 2.5 hours of run time. That may not sound like much compared to an OKW, but I find it to be an extremely workable amount of light, and very impressive in a light of this size and shape.
Our “low” mode gives us 1,000 candela and 80 lumens for 17 hours of runtime. I think this is equally impressive, especially considering the runtime. That said, I would prefer this mode to actually be less powerful. To me, low power is simply a task light; I’m looking for keys dropped in the dark, my wife is rifling through the diaper bag or her purse, and similar tasks. I don’t need much light for that, and 1,000 candela often proves to be too bright for what I need. Dropping this mode to half this power would likely be a great change, and improve the already impressive battery life.
Real World Use of the Modlite Noxon Anark
I carried the Modlite Noxon Anark daily for just under a month, worn in the front-left pocket of jeans and a few different cuts of shorts. It was used when taking out the trash, walking the dog, and a variety of other daily tasks in addition to regular carry.
One of the first things that I noticed was that the Anark was getting in the way of accessing my pocket. In addition to the light, I also carry a small multi-tool, chapstick, and occasionally my wallet in this same pocket. The Anark sticks out a fair bit, and the corners are a little bit sharp on the tail of the light. This caused some scraping on my knuckles and cuticles, which created a little discomfort and pain over time.
Additionally, the Anark is a little bit heavy. On more than one occasion I held the light in my mouth, needing both hands for a given task. Due to its somewhat high weight for the size, I wasn’t able to hold the light like this for long. That’s not a deal killer for me, but something to consider.
Hot Hot Hot
Throughout this time the Anark continually activated in my pocket, becoming stuck in low power, constant-on mode. I would notice this when my leg would get hot, causing me to check the light. This was aggravating, but something I was actively working on a solution to. The Anark isn’t the first light to ND in my pocket, and getting a little toasty isn’t the end of the world for me.
Jump to early July, and I’m out to lunch with my family at a local diner. I start noticing light shining on the ground, appearing to move with me. At first I thought it was a reflection from my wristwatch, but then I noticed it was coming from my pants. The Anark had burned a hole through my new shorts, and was shining out of my pocket. I hadn’t noticed the heat, as my wallet had gotten between the Anark and my leg. In addition to the hole in my pants, a portion of my pocket was melted together, and the lid of my chapstick was partially melted as well.
This was not only disappointing, but extremely frustrating as well. The Anark still functions exactly as before, with no damage apparent. For now it has been replaced with a Nightstick that I bought immediately after from a nearby store. Somewhat ironically, I read of a similar story on Pistol-Forum shortly after the Anark’s release and blew it off as user error. Turns out there was something to that forum post after all.
Lockout
To play Devil’s advocate for a moment, the Modlite Noxon Anark does feature a lockout function. Simply hold both the side and tail switches simultaneously for 3-seconds, at which point the LED should blink red. This stops the light from activating, advertised for use in bags or while stored. To return the light to normal function, repeat this process until the LED blinks green.
I’m sure someone will suggest lockout mode as a cure for my pocket-melting problems. Frankly, that’s bullshit. This light is marketed as an EDC light, and part of that includes being ready at a moment’s notice. I can’t fumble with two recessed switches for a minimum of three seconds when I may need white light right now. At the very least this mode should help keep the Anark from burning my luggage, but Modlite needs to take a serious look at this switching.
Closing Thoughts on the Modlite Noxon Anark Flashlight
The Anark is a swing and a miss for Modlite. I wish they would have done a little more testing of the light with people in the real world before bringing this to market. The switches need redesigned to remove or reduce the activation delay. The ND issue must be resolved if this light is to succeed. Ideally some contouring can also be done to help protect our hands when coming in and out of the same pocket the Anark is clipped to.
The Anark has a lot of potential. Output is excellent, the price is right, and the overall form factor is solid. Unfortunately the light has some issues that stop me from recommending it.
If you want to check out the Modlite Noxon Anark, you can get yours directly from Modlite. MSRP currently sits at $130, with both black and orange colors available.
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