Wattnot
Enlightened
The new EagleTac XMLs are here and as usual with Eagletac . . .WOW! Mike of PTS-flashlights.com and EagleTac-usa.com sent me this new release with the XML emitter, rated at 720 lumens. Just like the last one, it's also named T20C2 Mark II. I'm not sure why they didn't just call it the Mark III but we'll talk about that later. I was very impressed with the XPG version I reviewed last year but this one takes it up another step. When will it end! It's compact, tough and bright with an even larger hotspot than the XPG. Come with me and we'll take a look at this new lumen monster built by EagleTac.
Manufacturer's features and specifications(from the EagleTac USA store site):
Model
T20C2 XM-L
Max Output Power
LED Lumen output: 720 (XM-L)
ANSI FL-1 Lumen output: 580 (XM-L)
Continuous Runtime
Low-General-High/Turbo: 100+/10/1.2 hours
Operation/Functions
3 levels output accessed by twisting head/bezel
3 hidden modes (strobe, beacon, SOS), to access double twist from medium
Lamp Type
CREE XM-L LED, Featuring C2100 Light Engine w/ Turbo Boost
Reflector
LOP
Working Voltage Range
2.7V to 9V
Battery type
2 - CR123A lithium batteries or 1 - 18650 Li-ion (button-top cells only)
Do Not Use RCR123 Batteries
Housing Material
Aerospace Grade Aluminum
Body diameter
1.0 inch (2.54cm)
Bezel diameter
1.3 inch (3.3cm)
Length
5.5 inch (14cm)
Weight
4.25 ounces (120grams)
Finish
Type III HA finish
Water Proof
Yes to IPX 8 standards
Anti Roll
Yes
Beam Characteristics
Large hot spot with good balance of flood and throw
Here is a quick link to last year's "triple review" of three EagleTac releases, including the older T20C2 with the XPG emitter. I'll refer to that review below so I included this link for your convenience.
Left - last year's XPG | Center - this reviewed XML model | right - SF E2DL
Initial Impressions:
It's been a MANY months since I've broken the seal on any new flashlight. I thought things had changed last year but they managed to wow me yet again. Just like the last light of the same name (yes, that bugs me) there are some "toys" included (I'll talk more about those later in the review). The light has a great, balanced feel and sports the same "semi-gloss" black finish with nicely done white lettering. It came with the easily removable clip already installed. The T20C2 Mk2 XML seems like a quality piece; Nice lines, sturdy yet lightweight and good looking too. My initial impression of the output was WOW . . . your hotspot . . . it's so . . . so . . . BIG!
UI:
The user interface on these lights can be simple, or complicated. If you hand it to a flashlight "noob," they will push the button and get light. After that, it can get a little weird but nothing a one of us can't handle after a few minutes of joyful playing. The light has a forward clicky. All other modes are accessed by twisting. Make sure you're twisting the knurled ring below the head and not unscrewing the head. None of the functions of this light are programmable. Eagletac even got rid of the quick access strobe function that was selectable on the older model (by 15 presses and a few clicks of your ruby heals). The only way to access strobe on this new model is by turning it on and cycling through the modes. You cannot completely disable the strobe/beacon/SOS functions. The strobe is even more out of the way now but if you're a strobe hater, read the rest of this paragraph carefully to decide if this light is for you. I feel strobe haters will be okay, but read for yourself and decide.
These lights have a tailcap mounted forward clicky with a momentary activation on a half press. As I mentioned above, you cannot access strobe from the tailcap. First, there are two states you can initially turn the light on in . . . high with the head twisted tight, or medium with it loose (it's about an 1/8 of a turn and it's not "loose" but for simplicity's sake I will call it "tight" and "loose"). Second, after it's on, twisting changes the modes. Here we go: So it's on and you twist it loose, or you twist it loose first, then turn it on . . . either way it goes into medium. This is the only time you can get the light on medium intensity (once you start a "twisting session," you cannot get back to medium no matter what unless you shut the light off for more than 2 seconds). You twist tight and loose and now it's in low. From low, if you twist tight/loose again, you get the strobe. Twist tight/loose again and you get the beacon. This isn't the like beacon you've ignored in the past, this beacon is a constant flash, more like a very slow strobe. Finally, twist tight/loose again and you get SOS. Continue to twist and you start the cycle over again: low-strobe-beacon-SOS. ALL of these modes I just described are with the head loose. When you tighten the head you always go straight to HIGH output. In my opinion this is an improvement over the older, XPG model which if you twisted it too quickly from loose to tight, it would stay in whatever mode you just switched to even with it tight, as if it were still loose. Momentary tailcap presses with the head tight simply turn HIGH on and off. Just like the XPG model, momentary tailcap presses with the head loose gets you momentary medium. Now you can do your own momentary signaling in high or medium (where before with the XPG model, 15 presses changed things and strobe got in the way - no more). No matter what you do with the tailcap, you are working with HIGH or OFF only, or if it's twisted loose, you get medium and off only. To never see strobe you'll have to NOT twist again when it's on low. So if it's on low, you can only avoid strobe by not twisting or shutting it off for 2 seconds. Like I said at the beginning of this section, it can get pretty complicated when you start twisting but it is a little more logical on the new model verses the old.
White Wall Hunting:
Below are full and underexposed wall shots. The obvious choice for a light to compare to the T20C2 is the old, XPG T20C2. As you can see, the hotspot is larger and the color is warmer, but there appears to be a slight difference in the outer edge of the hotspot with the large center seeming a tad dimmer. This is not very noticeable in real world shots which you'll see below. It is noticeable in the staged beamshots though. The color temp is listed on the box as 6000K and is slightly warmer than the older XPG model, but not as warm as my Surefire L1. The new XML is always on the left in ALL of my shots, indoors and out.
New XML
New XML slightly underexposed
Left - new T20C2 | right - old T20C2 - waaaay underexposed!
Logistics:
The T20C2 XML has a high polished and deep reflector with a smooth finish (the older T20C2 has a light orange peel). The beam is a nice off white. The hotspot smoothly and SLOWLY transitions to corona and spill making the already large hotspot look even larger. Unlike the older one there is a slight ringy-ness, probably due to the smooth reflector. White wall hunters should be pleased. The emitter is well centered and definitely larger than the older model. There isn't much conventional knurling along the body but it's definitely busy and diverse with a mix of checkering, cuts, grooves, and other grip surfaces that perform as intended. Button top cells are required. My flat top Wolf Eyes brand 18650 and 17670 did not make contact without help. There is no discernible pwm detected on any intensity. A 15 minute test on high with the T20C2 laying on the counter made the light toasty warm but not too hot to hold. A few more degrees and it would be too hot. Comparitivley the same 15 minute test on the XPG yielded almost NO heat on that model. The threads were well lubed fairly smooth. There are 3 O-rings, one at each thread point. The whole head comes off, or you can unscrew the head in the center to get to the reflector/emitter module. The module was well beyond hand tight and I saw no reason to remove it as it's only removable for the purpose of replacement in the unlikely event of LED failure. There was minor battery rattle. Just like with last year's model, they included a spacing sleeve for use with CR123s. The protruding tailcap switch prevents tailstanding but they do include a tail stand ring in the goodies bag. Speaking of the goodies bag . . . The clip is of the same clip design as on earlier EagleTacs. It's not a full "ring" around the body but an open "C." You can pull it straight off. It takes a little force but it will pull right off. If you wear this on the outside of a belt, it is feasible that it could unintentionally pop off on you, causing you to lose the light. I would treat this more as a pocket clip for that reason, or just be aware this could happen if you sit with it. I prefer wearing them outside, clipped to my belt and this did NOT happen to me, but I can envision it happening if you wear it too far behind you and sit in a car or a mushy couch. Don't like the clip? No problem. You also get a nylon holster (complete with a small D-ring) AND a lanyard. There's a glow-in-the-dark clicky cover and two replacement O-rings and the tail-stand ring. And that's not all! There's also what they call a tactical ring (rubber) and a DIFFUSER! To use the diffuser you have to unscrew the stainless bezel and screw in the diffuser. It works well except it's a little slower into action than a slip on one (like the Surefire F04). It would have been nice to see a place made for the diffuser on the holster. I said "Maybe next time" on the XPG review but I guess Eagletac ignored me. Humpfff!
Current draw:
The current draw figures with an 18650 were 1.25A on high, 250ma on medium and 40ma on low. Last year's model was 1.2 with ½ of the rated output so you can see how far we've come with LED efficiency!
In the hands of "babes:"
This is the part of the review where I take the light over to my neighbor Joe and get his "I don't care about flashlights the way you care about flashlights" opinion. The problem is I now have to find a new victim because over the years he's been moving up in the world with LED drop-ins for his Mag lights and of course he gets fancy lights from me as gifts! I need to find a new "babe." I'll edit this when I get that part done. I didn't want to hold up the review for this part but if you refer to my review of the older model, this one can only be better with the simpler UI.
Beamshots:
Now we'll move on to what you've all been reading for . . . the BEAMSHOTS!
Again, all pics with two lights have the NEW light being reviewed on the left side.
New XML at 50 feet
Old XPG at 50 feet
50 feet
New XML at 100 feet
Old XPG at 100 feet
Both at 100 feet
Now you can see how much these are flooding out at 100 feet so any farther with beamshots like this was pointless so I moved up to 25 feet for the next few below:
New XML at 25 feet
Old XPG at 25 feet
Both at 25 feet
Both at 25 feet severly underexposed
Now for some "real world shots." The distance to the first fence is around 350 feet and to the road between 500 and 600 feet. The trees are about 125 to 150 feet away.
New XML
Old XPG
New XML
Old XPG
Conclusions:
EagleTac has another winner here but I really wish they would have given it a different name. What . . . Mark III wasn't available? Are you saving room for Mark 99 (sorry, I'm out of practice on Roman Numerals . . . that would have been funnier!). I like the T20C2 best because of it's feel in the hand and performance on 18650s while still being able to take 2 CR123s in a pinch. As for output, Eagletac didn't achieve the lumens by increasing the intensity. In fact, the beamshots prove they went for hotspot size while maintaining the same hotspot brightness. To my eyes the hotspot is a tad brighter with the older model but they're very close and in real world use, that humongous hotspot comes in quite handy. However, it could be the different color temp fooling me . . . they're very, very close in intensity. That's why I included a couple of what I called "real world" shots.
Hope you enjoyed this review. If you noticed a few less pictures than you're used to in my reviews it's because of the extreme similarity in the new vs. old T20C2. If ET can be lazy with the naming conventions, I can get lazy with the pics!! HA! But the old review is right here if you want to take another look.
Manufacturer's features and specifications(from the EagleTac USA store site):
Model
T20C2 XM-L
Max Output Power
LED Lumen output: 720 (XM-L)
ANSI FL-1 Lumen output: 580 (XM-L)
Continuous Runtime
Low-General-High/Turbo: 100+/10/1.2 hours
Operation/Functions
3 levels output accessed by twisting head/bezel
3 hidden modes (strobe, beacon, SOS), to access double twist from medium
Lamp Type
CREE XM-L LED, Featuring C2100 Light Engine w/ Turbo Boost
Reflector
LOP
Working Voltage Range
2.7V to 9V
Battery type
2 - CR123A lithium batteries or 1 - 18650 Li-ion (button-top cells only)
Do Not Use RCR123 Batteries
Housing Material
Aerospace Grade Aluminum
Body diameter
1.0 inch (2.54cm)
Bezel diameter
1.3 inch (3.3cm)
Length
5.5 inch (14cm)
Weight
4.25 ounces (120grams)
Finish
Type III HA finish
Water Proof
Yes to IPX 8 standards
Anti Roll
Yes
Beam Characteristics
Large hot spot with good balance of flood and throw
Here is a quick link to last year's "triple review" of three EagleTac releases, including the older T20C2 with the XPG emitter. I'll refer to that review below so I included this link for your convenience.
Left - last year's XPG | Center - this reviewed XML model | right - SF E2DL
Initial Impressions:
It's been a MANY months since I've broken the seal on any new flashlight. I thought things had changed last year but they managed to wow me yet again. Just like the last light of the same name (yes, that bugs me) there are some "toys" included (I'll talk more about those later in the review). The light has a great, balanced feel and sports the same "semi-gloss" black finish with nicely done white lettering. It came with the easily removable clip already installed. The T20C2 Mk2 XML seems like a quality piece; Nice lines, sturdy yet lightweight and good looking too. My initial impression of the output was WOW . . . your hotspot . . . it's so . . . so . . . BIG!
UI:
The user interface on these lights can be simple, or complicated. If you hand it to a flashlight "noob," they will push the button and get light. After that, it can get a little weird but nothing a one of us can't handle after a few minutes of joyful playing. The light has a forward clicky. All other modes are accessed by twisting. Make sure you're twisting the knurled ring below the head and not unscrewing the head. None of the functions of this light are programmable. Eagletac even got rid of the quick access strobe function that was selectable on the older model (by 15 presses and a few clicks of your ruby heals). The only way to access strobe on this new model is by turning it on and cycling through the modes. You cannot completely disable the strobe/beacon/SOS functions. The strobe is even more out of the way now but if you're a strobe hater, read the rest of this paragraph carefully to decide if this light is for you. I feel strobe haters will be okay, but read for yourself and decide.
These lights have a tailcap mounted forward clicky with a momentary activation on a half press. As I mentioned above, you cannot access strobe from the tailcap. First, there are two states you can initially turn the light on in . . . high with the head twisted tight, or medium with it loose (it's about an 1/8 of a turn and it's not "loose" but for simplicity's sake I will call it "tight" and "loose"). Second, after it's on, twisting changes the modes. Here we go: So it's on and you twist it loose, or you twist it loose first, then turn it on . . . either way it goes into medium. This is the only time you can get the light on medium intensity (once you start a "twisting session," you cannot get back to medium no matter what unless you shut the light off for more than 2 seconds). You twist tight and loose and now it's in low. From low, if you twist tight/loose again, you get the strobe. Twist tight/loose again and you get the beacon. This isn't the like beacon you've ignored in the past, this beacon is a constant flash, more like a very slow strobe. Finally, twist tight/loose again and you get SOS. Continue to twist and you start the cycle over again: low-strobe-beacon-SOS. ALL of these modes I just described are with the head loose. When you tighten the head you always go straight to HIGH output. In my opinion this is an improvement over the older, XPG model which if you twisted it too quickly from loose to tight, it would stay in whatever mode you just switched to even with it tight, as if it were still loose. Momentary tailcap presses with the head tight simply turn HIGH on and off. Just like the XPG model, momentary tailcap presses with the head loose gets you momentary medium. Now you can do your own momentary signaling in high or medium (where before with the XPG model, 15 presses changed things and strobe got in the way - no more). No matter what you do with the tailcap, you are working with HIGH or OFF only, or if it's twisted loose, you get medium and off only. To never see strobe you'll have to NOT twist again when it's on low. So if it's on low, you can only avoid strobe by not twisting or shutting it off for 2 seconds. Like I said at the beginning of this section, it can get pretty complicated when you start twisting but it is a little more logical on the new model verses the old.
White Wall Hunting:
Below are full and underexposed wall shots. The obvious choice for a light to compare to the T20C2 is the old, XPG T20C2. As you can see, the hotspot is larger and the color is warmer, but there appears to be a slight difference in the outer edge of the hotspot with the large center seeming a tad dimmer. This is not very noticeable in real world shots which you'll see below. It is noticeable in the staged beamshots though. The color temp is listed on the box as 6000K and is slightly warmer than the older XPG model, but not as warm as my Surefire L1. The new XML is always on the left in ALL of my shots, indoors and out.
New XML
New XML slightly underexposed
Left - new T20C2 | right - old T20C2 - waaaay underexposed!
Logistics:
The T20C2 XML has a high polished and deep reflector with a smooth finish (the older T20C2 has a light orange peel). The beam is a nice off white. The hotspot smoothly and SLOWLY transitions to corona and spill making the already large hotspot look even larger. Unlike the older one there is a slight ringy-ness, probably due to the smooth reflector. White wall hunters should be pleased. The emitter is well centered and definitely larger than the older model. There isn't much conventional knurling along the body but it's definitely busy and diverse with a mix of checkering, cuts, grooves, and other grip surfaces that perform as intended. Button top cells are required. My flat top Wolf Eyes brand 18650 and 17670 did not make contact without help. There is no discernible pwm detected on any intensity. A 15 minute test on high with the T20C2 laying on the counter made the light toasty warm but not too hot to hold. A few more degrees and it would be too hot. Comparitivley the same 15 minute test on the XPG yielded almost NO heat on that model. The threads were well lubed fairly smooth. There are 3 O-rings, one at each thread point. The whole head comes off, or you can unscrew the head in the center to get to the reflector/emitter module. The module was well beyond hand tight and I saw no reason to remove it as it's only removable for the purpose of replacement in the unlikely event of LED failure. There was minor battery rattle. Just like with last year's model, they included a spacing sleeve for use with CR123s. The protruding tailcap switch prevents tailstanding but they do include a tail stand ring in the goodies bag. Speaking of the goodies bag . . . The clip is of the same clip design as on earlier EagleTacs. It's not a full "ring" around the body but an open "C." You can pull it straight off. It takes a little force but it will pull right off. If you wear this on the outside of a belt, it is feasible that it could unintentionally pop off on you, causing you to lose the light. I would treat this more as a pocket clip for that reason, or just be aware this could happen if you sit with it. I prefer wearing them outside, clipped to my belt and this did NOT happen to me, but I can envision it happening if you wear it too far behind you and sit in a car or a mushy couch. Don't like the clip? No problem. You also get a nylon holster (complete with a small D-ring) AND a lanyard. There's a glow-in-the-dark clicky cover and two replacement O-rings and the tail-stand ring. And that's not all! There's also what they call a tactical ring (rubber) and a DIFFUSER! To use the diffuser you have to unscrew the stainless bezel and screw in the diffuser. It works well except it's a little slower into action than a slip on one (like the Surefire F04). It would have been nice to see a place made for the diffuser on the holster. I said "Maybe next time" on the XPG review but I guess Eagletac ignored me. Humpfff!
Current draw:
The current draw figures with an 18650 were 1.25A on high, 250ma on medium and 40ma on low. Last year's model was 1.2 with ½ of the rated output so you can see how far we've come with LED efficiency!
In the hands of "babes:"
This is the part of the review where I take the light over to my neighbor Joe and get his "I don't care about flashlights the way you care about flashlights" opinion. The problem is I now have to find a new victim because over the years he's been moving up in the world with LED drop-ins for his Mag lights and of course he gets fancy lights from me as gifts! I need to find a new "babe." I'll edit this when I get that part done. I didn't want to hold up the review for this part but if you refer to my review of the older model, this one can only be better with the simpler UI.
Beamshots:
Now we'll move on to what you've all been reading for . . . the BEAMSHOTS!
Again, all pics with two lights have the NEW light being reviewed on the left side.
New XML at 50 feet
Old XPG at 50 feet
50 feet
New XML at 100 feet
Old XPG at 100 feet
Both at 100 feet
Now you can see how much these are flooding out at 100 feet so any farther with beamshots like this was pointless so I moved up to 25 feet for the next few below:
New XML at 25 feet
Old XPG at 25 feet
Both at 25 feet
Both at 25 feet severly underexposed
Now for some "real world shots." The distance to the first fence is around 350 feet and to the road between 500 and 600 feet. The trees are about 125 to 150 feet away.
New XML
Old XPG
New XML
Old XPG
Conclusions:
EagleTac has another winner here but I really wish they would have given it a different name. What . . . Mark III wasn't available? Are you saving room for Mark 99 (sorry, I'm out of practice on Roman Numerals . . . that would have been funnier!). I like the T20C2 best because of it's feel in the hand and performance on 18650s while still being able to take 2 CR123s in a pinch. As for output, Eagletac didn't achieve the lumens by increasing the intensity. In fact, the beamshots prove they went for hotspot size while maintaining the same hotspot brightness. To my eyes the hotspot is a tad brighter with the older model but they're very close and in real world use, that humongous hotspot comes in quite handy. However, it could be the different color temp fooling me . . . they're very, very close in intensity. That's why I included a couple of what I called "real world" shots.
Hope you enjoyed this review. If you noticed a few less pictures than you're used to in my reviews it's because of the extreme similarity in the new vs. old T20C2. If ET can be lazy with the naming conventions, I can get lazy with the pics!! HA! But the old review is right here if you want to take another look.
Last edited:
