The multi-mode dimmer switch is the best thing ever. The single-mode models' dimmer switch is trash. Batteries for the Laser Rangers (not Pro): small option: The protected 18350 is too long, use protected 18340 (34 millimeters, not 35 millimeters). The reason to get the Sanwu Laser Rangers series is for the dimmer switch. It's useful mainly for safety, but also for long battery life and to avoid overheating. I bought the Sanwu Laser Rangers: 6W Royal Blue, host number 2, multi-mode. I'm super happy with it. It can burn up close better than my 7.5W Sanwu Striker, and a better beam profile at long distance. The dimmer switch on the multi-mode laser is super accurate- able to go from true 0% power to 100% in an extremely linear and reliable fashion. It doesn't reach 100% until you twist it all the way until it the switch mechanically can't twist anymore. HOWEVER, I then bought the 7W bright blue, host number 5, SINGLE MODE. The dimmer switch never gets to 0%, and reaches 100% not smoothly at all, with just a small twist of the switch. This is not a one-off either, the dimming functionality just doesn't work well on the single-mode version. BTW the multi-mode versions are physically more than a centimeter longer, and more expensive. Now I know why, the dimming is just much better.

Thanks for the fast response Francis, i thought there might have been a mix up, i was wondering what the adapters where for haha. Thats very kind of you, i can put them to use on all the other lasers from you i have in the collection. The laser ranger is very impressive indeed, i like the rotating mode controle a lot, it give me the ability to use persistence of vision to makes some amazing effects. I look forward to see it with the x5 beam expander, that should really make a big difference to the beam divergence distance. I will collect all in the series eventually, the ranger now is my favorite design out of all of them. Ive already sent 2 customers your way today who have seen it. Thanks for sorting things out fast.

Amazing service, very fast shipping(Express). The Ranger is well constructed, has a solid feel to it. The purchase was for the multimode version with S.0.S. functionslity 405nm(violet) 1.6w. Like all their other products, the Ranger has a well machined host. as well as intricatelv fashoned electronics with no other competitor that comes even close. Simply. This is one of Sanwu's best product. 1 highly recommended.

These are my first Laser Rangers, and I am extremely impressed with them. The way the magnetic dimmer switch fades the beam in and out is just sweet. I like how you can use 18350 or a 18650 with the extension tube, and the adjustable focus is great. Once again Sanwu has come out with a masterpiece of engineering. Francis had promptly replied to my questions and I'm very pleased with my purchases. I'm ordering the 3 watt 445nm in the Ranger Host. When ordering your item get the G7 lens with the 7mm holder, this will get it close as possible 88 % to the max output, so if you order 3watt, you should get 2.9,maybe. It's worth the extra $15 for the lens.. Well done again Sanwu 5 stars.

My laser arrived Laser it self was very nice but something wrong with my unit it dead after 10sec on first use. Still wating for them to reply my email to slove problem as they wont reply me email for almost a week. Maybe because CNY?

I picked up a 5W 445nm and a 4W 470nm, both in Laser Ranger hosts, and I have to say I'm tremendously impressed with them. Output: The 445nm with G7 lens tests at 3.8W on my cheap, possibly unreliable but generally accurate-ish LPM. The 470nm tests at around 3.5W. For this review I will refer to these laser's outputs as 4W, which, if you slept through Algebra, means approximately 4 Watts of pure burn-y satisfaction. Sanwu says they can't push the wattage too high in these tiny hosts due to the limited room for the heat sink, so if you really need as high an output as possible you are better off buying a Striker host instead. For my purposes, I feel it's worth it to sacrifice 1W to have the dimmer and small host. As far as the 5W 445nm diode, I might should have gotten the 3W 445nm instead, as it has better beam specs. I'll probably replace the 445nm with a 3W at some point, in a Ranger host. Podo says the 3W 445nm Ranger can hit around 2.8W - 3.2W with a G7 lens, althpugh I don't know if that is before or after the 10% reduction from the lens. The 470nm is not the color I was looking for as there is very little if any visible difference between it and my 462nm/465nm, it's just straight-up blue, not light blue, so it's very nice but I probably won't be reordering it. Operation & Dimmer: I always choose single-mode operation, as from what I've read it's less likely to bug out and require maintenance than multi, plus I don't like fiddling with half-press buttons. I was surprised to find that the Rangers have a true dimmer switch, not just low/med/high settings. When turned on at the lowest power there is a brief bright flash, then a 1mw dot. Once given about 1/10th of a turn the output jumps to about 1/10th of maximum, then slides up evenly to full power as you continue twisting. There is a nice amount of resistance as you twist. If you are wondering if you can keep it under 500mw, the answer is "somewhat". If you turn the 4W Rangers on at the lowest setting you get an output of around 350mw. If you keep it there, no problem, but if you turn it past that point it can very quickly hit 1W , so it can be very easy to turn it up further than intended. This means you must treat this pointer with respect even while operating it on low power as it can ramp up dangerously if you are careless with the dimmer. There is no built-in way to lock the dimmer to a particular setting or output, but you could probably improvise something that would work. The Host: There are 9 different styles of the host to choose from, and they are generally the same other than cosmetics. As far as I can tell from the pics on the Sanwu website, all the Ranger hosts have only one tritium slot on the dimmer switch. The lack of contours for thumb control here seem like a bit of a glaring omission. Even just putting more tritium slots on the dimmer switch would offer enough leverage that the switch could be manipulated with just a thumb, allowing easier one-handed control of the output. You can still find ways to do it with one hand by using two or more fingers, but it takes a little more effort and reduces stability. Tritium: I did not order any tritium with these. I've had tritium on gun sights so I'm familiar with it, and it is nice at night, but unfortunately the violet/purple tritium is too violet to match the 445nm well, the light blue tritium is too light blue to match the 445nm well, and the dark blue tritium is not very bright, so it's difficult for most people to see even at night. If I were buying this as a gift for someone else, or if I wanted to wow people with it, I would probably get at least a few vials of tritium. Tailcap: The Ranger tailcap is recessed further inward than the Guardian/Challenger II tailcap. In addition, the Ranger tailcap is slightly larger in diameter and thus surprisingly (and disappointingly) not interchangeable. The Ranger tailcap also does not have cutaways for easy thumb access like the Guardian/Challenger II tailcap has. This makes the Ranger power button slightly more difficult to press, but also makes the laser safer to carry with live batteries inside of it (although that's still not a good idea unless you want everything you're wearing to be on fire). I prefer having the thumb cutaways for ease of access, but I will concede that not having them is an acceptable safety measure on a powerful pointer like this. Battery Extension: A small spring-connector and host extension are included for using 18650 batteries: Just drop the spring-connector piece into the head-end of the battery compartment with the spring pointing away from the head, then screw the host extension on. Drop the battery in with positive facing the head, close it up and you're good to go. All types and brands of 18650s that I tried fit the host well, but the higher-powered Rangers perform best with super-high-amp, super-high-drain, unprotected flat-tops. The protected button-top batteries that I tried (Sanyo NCR18650GA 10A) worked at low outputs but died instantly/failed to power on when set to max. The power output did not vary noticeably from changing batteries: high-drain 18650s and 18630s gave near-identical output readings. Being able to use 5000mah 18650s is great, as high-wattage at full power chews through even the highest-mah 18630s in minutes. The smaller batteries work well if you stick mostly to lower outputs, though. In Conclusion: Overall, between this and the Pocket, Guardian, and Challenger II hosts, the Ranger is the best Sanwu host I own by far . I very much enjoy watching the beam fade into and out of view as I twist the dimmer. Although it is larger than a Guardian when in 18350 configuration, and larger than a Challenger II when in 18650 config, it is still small enough to be pocketable, while the ability to dim the beam makes it versatile and useful in many more situations. I really see no reason at all to buy a Pocket, Challenger I or II instead of this other than price, and while I personally find the Guardian host's size-to-capability ratio to be tremendous, for anything over 800mw - 1W you're probably much better off getting a Ranger, unless you only care about maximum output, in which case you're definitely better off buying a Striker, assuming you can afford it. The only other reasons than price that I can think of to get a different host would be wanting something with bigger batteries, and/or if you'll only be operating your pointer on max power. Yes, you could just get a host with multi-mode operation instead, but the dimmer switch is so very satisfying to control that it completely blows Sanwu's multi-mode half-clicky-button away: Pointing up at a cloud-covered sky with no aircraft in sight, twisting the knob until the ghost-like beam suddenly sweeps into view, then solidifies to max output, then slowly fades back into empty air as you wind it back down, is just an incredible effect: You can sit back leisurely creating and disappearing beams until you get bored or run out of batteries. Very different experience from full power-only pointers, and worth it if you're into that sort of thing. Final Verdict: Diodes: 4 out of 5. Minus 1 due to beam divergence, but that's expected with these higher-output diodes, so this is an inherent limitation of these particular diodes, not something Sanwu is at fault for. Host: 5 out of 5. No serious issues, and except for the lack of countours on the dimmer switch and the lack of something like a snap-on clip to keep it from rolling, no suggestions for improvement.

Very powerful laser and its size is smaller than i expected! Vey nice housing design. The only issue i had when i opened the package it was some grease leaked from the dimmer switch but everything works fine. Very good work!

I have just received my Laser Rangers and I must congratulate you: it is magnificent and the quality of workmanship is remarkable! A quality that I personally find superior to Jet Lasers. Sincerely, bravo and thank you. My order was received in good condition and apparently it has not been opened (except the plastic packaging containing the laser was torn to open it, but visibly this was done before shipment because it was inside an intact package). However the Giant Laser line lens is missing... I did receive the honeycomb adapter, but I didn't receive any lens... I have of course meticulously looked at all the packaging, but I can't find a lens.

Pretty good laser: powerful and solidly built. However, the half-click functionality is weak and clunky. It would be far better if there was just a separate button. Unfortunately, the service is pretty bad. For example, I ordered my laser more than 2 1/2 months ago, and I'm still waiting to get the extension tube. In fact, the laser came without any batteries at all, although both the extension tube and the batteries were supposed to be included as part of my original order. And they don t regularly respond to emails. : (

The ordered goods arrived safely yesterday. I was amazed by the laser light that was much more compact and horrible than I had imagined. It is also wonderful that the high power specification of 445nm 5W can be started with only one 18350 battery.

Hello Francis, I just wanna say thank you so much for the laser, its everything I expected and more!! You truly are a craftsman. I take my laser everywhere I go hahah and people can't believe how strong it is. I'm already looking to purchase another one from you!! Thank you for your excellent customer service and I look forward to more business with you in the future.

I received my laser and it is beautiful!! Thank you so much for having the patience with me and all my questions. Still waiting for the batteries, thought the batteries would be coming with the laser...

I received my laser and I am fairly satisfied with it. The power output ring is a little bit sensitive, especially between the lowest and medium outputs. However, I did not receive the extension tube that would allow me to use the laser with an 18650 rechargeable battery. On your website it says that the battery extension tube is included, but unfortunately it was not part of the package I received.