Inforce Wild1 Weapon Light Review

A hands-on look at the newly released Inforce Wild1 weapon-mounted pistol light.

Inforce is a newer name in the weapon-mounted light world, and a few hiccups with some of their earliest models initially gave the company a subpar reputation online. Even the most established and reputable companies have released lemons in the past, however, and Inforce’s attempts at improving their products will never be illuminated if nobody tests them out. Today we’re assessing Inforce’s newest weapon-mounted light designed for use with handguns, they call it the Wild1.

Specs And Features

The only other pistol WML I have on hand to compare the Wild1 against is a Streamlight TLR-1 HL, but that works out fine because that seems to be one of the models the Wild1 was designed to compete against. The two lights have much in common, but we’ll go over their different specs and features.

Starting with the three most prominent stats that are advertised on the Inforce’s box, the Wild1 is a 500-lumen light with two hours of runtime and a weight of 2.9 ounces. This compares to the TLR-1’s 1,000-lumen output, 1.5-hour runtime and weight of 4.32 ounces. Both models use CR123A batteries but the TLR-1 requires two while the Wild1 only needs one.

Speaking of batteries, here’s another difference between the two lights. The Streamlight’s battery compartment opens from the rear, requiring the light to be removed to swap the batteries. The Wild1 opens from the front, however, and its battery can be replaced with the light still mounted to a gun.

Another difference in features between these two models is the Inforce’s lack of a strobe function. The TLR-1 is capable of momentary, constant and strobe light modes depending on how it’s activated, but the Wild1 only has momentary and constant modes.

The final difference worth mentioning is their respective prices, as the TLR-1 has an MSRP of $234 while the Wild1’s is $139.99. Because the TLR is an older model, however, the actual street price for one at the time of writing is only about $130. With such similar prices, it makes comparing these two lights quite simple. If you’re torn between which of these two models to get, you really only need to consider their features since one costs only $10 more than the other.

Initial Impressions

Let me preface this by saying I didn’t have the opportunity to torture the Wild1 with thousands of rounds of fire, running and gunning with it or throwing it around in the dirt. I wish we had the time or money to conduct a review that in-depth, but because we don’t, a couple of basic trips to the range will have to suffice. The Wild1 does feature an aluminum housing, however, so unlike Inforce’s older polymer-bodied lights, this one should be able to withstand more abuse. Inforce’s testing of the Wild1 has led them to claim that the light is “impervious to dust, sand and dirt” and is waterproof up to 66 feet.

Upon receiving the Wild1, I had it out of the box and mounted on my gun within a few minutes. It was a very simple process but one that wasn’t very different from most other pistol lights. It also includes rail inserts for ensuring compatibility with both universal and MIL-STD-1913 rails. The first thing I noticed after installing it was that I greatly preferred the activation switch of the Wild1 to the TLR. It felt incredibly natural and easy to index with its large, ambidextrous buttons that press inward towards the trigger guard rather than downward like on the TLR-1.

The second thing I noticed however was less impressive, though it was expected knowing the advertised specs of each weapon light. With half as much lumen output from the Wild1, it is noticeably less bright. Inforce claims to have achieved an optimal balance of throw and spill with the Wild1, but even if that’s true there’s only so much you can do with 500 lumens. That being said, the Wild1 is still plenty bright. I had someone point it at me from across a room and it was certainly disorienting and blinding, but obviously not to the same extent as the TLR-1.

Final Thoughts

The Inforce Wild1 is a good weapon light with plenty going for it, but depending on what features you value the most the TLR-1 HL may still serve you better. Since the two models cost virtually the same, you can weigh the qualities of each to determine which will work best for you. In terms of brightness, spill, throw and all things related to illumination, the TLR wins, but comparing a 1,000-lumen light to a 500-lumen one isn’t really fair. The Wild1 seems perfectly adequate to me for identifying targets indoors or outside at typical handgun engagement distances. While bright enough to disorient a target as well, it is not as jarring as being hit by a 1,000-lumen light. If disorientation is a primary goal of yours, the greater output and strobe feature of the TLR will make it the superior option. As far as just illuminating what’s in front of you goes, however, the Wild1 is perfectly fine and can do it for about a half-hour longer than the TLR can as well. The Wild1 takes longer to get hot too.

When it comes to activating the light, however, I think there’s no question that the Wild1 takes the cake. The large, flat buttons on the side of the trigger guard sit exactly where one’s finger should rest when exercising proper trigger discipline, and the lateral direction they’re pressed in is far more natural than on the TLR. The activation button was probably my favorite feature of this light.

The final thing worth considering for those in the market for a pistol light is how and where they plan on using it. Is it for a nightstand gun or concealed carry? Because the Wild1 is not only significantly lighter than the TLR, but quite a bit shorter as well. For those looking for a light for their CCW pistol, Inforce’s Wild1 will be less cumbersome to carry and will sit flush with the muzzle of more handgun models.

Both of these models of weapon light seem like great options to me, and despite the much shorter track record of Inforce, I feel like their products are worth giving a chance. The Wild1 is reasonably priced and seems to be well made too. While it’s probably not the best choice for someone like a police officer who is more likely to need to use their light at distance or to disorient someone, for most individuals it seems like a perfectly adequate weapon accessory that’s worth considering.

For more info, please visit inforce-mil.com.

---

Shedding Light On Torches:

• What You Need To Know To Buy The Best Flashlight
• The EDC Light: 7 Lingering Myths Debunked
• AR Basics: The Indispensable Gun Light
• Video: Flashlights And Weapon Lights Techniques

---