Introduction
At SHOT Show 2025, Glock unveiled the GTLII.
It’s an upgrade over the original Glock Tactical lights, but the market has changed a lot since they came out in the early 2000s. Let’s see if the new light is any good.
Background
Here’s some info on the original GTL lights:
| Model |  GTL10 |  GTL21 |  GTL51 |
| Visible Output | 60 lumen xenon bulb | 60 lumen xenon bulb | 60 lumen xenon bulb |
| Visible Laser | None | Visible Laser | Visible Laser |
| IR Light | None | None | IR Light |
| IR Laser | None | None | IR Laser |
All of the above lights also had dimmable versions, just in case 60 lumens was too much.
The GTLII is an entirely new design, with a metal housing and design language which compliments Glock pistols nicely.
First Impressions
The GTLII appears well built.
Mounting is simple: the light slides over the Glock’s rail, and then a pin holds it in place. Glock includes a punch (pictured above) to aid in removal should you need to take the light off.
Batteries come out the front. The bezel rotates about a quarter of a turn, then pops off, so it’s not actually threaded. My understanding is this is a more recoil-resistant design, as traditional threads can work loose over time.
It has interchangeable switches, which allow it to go from a push-in style switch to a push-forward style switch, which I prefer (press-in, pictured below left, press-forward, pictured below right).
Unfortunately, the switches are stiff in the press-forward configuration, and don’t hinge at all, making it an unnatural motion to activate. They’re not nearly as ergonomic as, say, a TLR-7X.
It’s also got serrations which, per the Glock website, provide “better grip.” I’ve never had to grip my pistol light… have you?
Manufacturer Claims and Specs
Let’s take a look at the GTL II’s specs.
| Spec | Glock GTL II |
| Lumens | 600 |
| Candela | 11,100* |
| Range | 100 meters* |
| Runtime | ~70 minutes |
| Length | 62.6 mm (2.5 in) |
| Width | 27.1 mm (1.1 in) |
| Ingress Protection | 20m (2h)** |
*Glock’s candela claim is contradictory – since range and candela two different expressions of the same thing, 100 meters of range is equivalent to 2,500 candela, not 11,000. Remember this later.
**The GTL II claims it can be 20 meters underwater for two hours – I’m not sure if this is a typo, since most lights are rated for 1 or 2 meters max.
If the GTLII produces 11,000 candela and 600 lumens, it’s an affordable, OEM option that integrates very well with Glock’s design language. For those that are shy about adding aftermarket components to their carry guns (like me) – a COA Glock paired with a GTLII means I can be fully equipped without adding any aftermarket components to my gun.
Let’s see how it performs.
Into the Lab: Lumens, Candela, Color Temp and CRI
Lumens
The GTLII is rated for 600 lumens. I ran the same light twice to ensure reliable results. Here are my readings:
These results aren’t promising. Let’s get a closer look at the first ten minutes:
The stable output indicates to me that the GTL II is performing as intended, in a regulated manner – unfortunately it never even gets close to the 600-lumen claim. Notably, using one of my own Panasonic batteries, the ~275 lumen output was extended by about 20 minutes.
I would like to test more samples to ensure we didn’t get something out of spec – unfortunately, the GTL II is out of stock everywhere at the time of writing.
This sample of the GTL II is producing, as per the ANSI/Plato sampling standard, 284 lumens. Its runtime is 1:31:15.
Candela
The GTL II has two candela claims – 11,000 and 2,500. Let’s see where it lands:
| Candela (0s) | Candela (30s) | |
| First Run | 4063 | 2338 |
| Second Run | 3444 | 2266 |
If we’re going based off the 100 meter range claim, which is equivalent to 2,500 candela, then the GTL II almost meets its spec. If we’re going off the 11,000 candela claim, it falls short.
By the ANSI/Plato Sampling Standard, this GTL II produces 2338 candela.
Color Temp and CRI
Light quality is probably not the focus of the GTL II – but the data is interesting nonetheless. Let’s see how it performs.
The GTL II’s color temperature is 5173K, making it warmer than most options on the market, but the CRI is average at 69.3. Don’t expect to get an accurate portrayal of colors when using this light.
Conclusion
The GTL II disappointed me – I was hoping for a solid OEM option that performed about on par with the competition. What we got instead was something that barely competes with the LED lights of 10 years ago. I suspect this light is durable, and that it’ll get sold in a lot of gun stores.
Are you going to be purchasing a GTL II? Why or why not? Let me know in the comments, and look out for our video review on our YouTube channel, coming soon.
And of course, if you need a holster, Werkz has you covered. Coming soon are M6 IWB Holsters for the GTL II.
Here’s a quick pro/con table for those on the fence:
| Pro | Con |
| OEM Glock component Inexpensive Made in Austria Interchangeable Switches | Low Output Limited Holster Availibility |
