Fenix TK35 any good for running/jogging?

Hi there, this is my first post on this forum, so please forgive me in case I am breaking any rules in my post.

As fall is approaching, my sister is looking for a flashlight to feel a little safer when running on the river bank in the evening. Yesterday, she saw my Magicshine MJ808e bike light and immediately said "that's what I want". However I am not sure if that would be a good solution because, as a bike light, the MJ808e has a separate battery pack which would be difficult to store when running and the light may not be able to sustain full power when hand hold due to lack of cooling.

The obvious solution would probably be a head light, however she does not like to carry any weight on her head. She is currently using a (way to dim of course) incandescent head light but prefers to hand hold it instead of wearing it.

So my question is, would the Fenix TK35 make a good running light? From the reviews it seems so, as it has a rather floody beam pattern which would make it ideal for running. Do you agree?

Many thanks in advance,
LeJupp

Hello there!!!

I am no expert in flashlights, but have been a fan ever since.
I have a Fenix TK35. The only downside for running I would say that it weighs a bit too much and its big for

I just got the Klarus XT10 the other day. Its a much smaller and lighter weight (about 3 times less) and feels much better to carry on the hands as its smaller. So for a women's hand its should fit perfectly.
The XT10 is also floody, so would be great for running. It also has the strobe function in case of an emergency.
Both have 2 tail switches one for ON and the othe one for MODE.

Fenix TK35 costs you $100.00
Klarus XT10 costs you $78.00

Hope that helps

I also think the TK35 would be too heavy for running / jogging. It is an excellent light.

Klarus XT10 gets my vote also. Unless your sister likes to run fast and light, in which case maybe a Zebralight? If she changes her mind about a headtorch the Zebras can work well as a headlight too.

Thanks everybody for your quick and helpful responses. Seems the Klarus is a real alternative to the Fenix, I'll suggest both lights with their respective pros and cons (power vs. weight) to her so she can decide for herself.

Love my TK35. But yeah, too heavy for sustained running or jogging.

Take a look at Zebralight. I have the 501W which runs on a single AA. Typically, I use it as a headlamp when running, but it also has a clip. If she is a distance runner, she probably uses a fuel belt. My 501W with clip fits nicely on my fuel belt.

I would recommend a headlight for running. You could attach reflective material to the back of the headband for safety.

jeffek said:

I would recommend a headlight for running. You could attach reflective material to the back of the headband for safety.

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+1 I have the TK35, and i do running, never together :+)
The TK35 is a perfect light, but to heavy for running.

I own a TK35, but use one of my Solarforce P60 hosts with an Ultrafire XML 3 mode drop-in for hiking at night. I actually carry two just in case one fails..

I run regularly in the evenings (Hash House Harriers) and for a good part of the year need lights for running off-road. At the moment the best set up is a headlight (Fenix HP10) supplemented by a hand torch (Zebralight sc600). However I would not like to have to hand hold a bigger torch for any distance and when not needed the Zebralight can easy slip into the little zippered pocket in most running shorts.

The Fenix headlamp would not suit your sisters needs as a four AA pack would definitely be noticeable though you do get used to it. Many runners use a separate headlamp and battery pack though especially the night orienteers and at least one person I know uses a 900 lumen bike light as a headlamp and carry the battery pack in a small rucksack which is actually too much light for running but he likes his gadgets. The Zebralight is pretty much ideal for running though and if a headlamp was not being considered then it'd be a good choice.

Andy

So from what you said it is ok for your sister to have a light with CR123 Batteries? Keep in mind jogging and CR123 sounds expensive. I stay away from rechargeable Li/ion cells but i would recommend rechargeables, i use AA Eneloops all the time cause they are save. i would recommend a more lightweight and thin flashlight like the Thrunite Neutron 2A or other flashlights with 2xAA Batteries because they are save and cheap with eneloops but still bright enough. For Example the Thrunite 2A delivers 260 Ansi Lumen, has a floody beam which is nice for jogging because you dont need to see objects far away in my mind. Or if she wants a really bright like comparable with the TK35 but a lot smaller then wait for the ZL Q50 but i think lights with 2xAA are enough and especially nice for jogging because you dont want heavy and bulky stuff with you.

Thanks again for all your input. Meanwhile, my sister did a run with the bike light. It appears that the output of the MJ808e at low power (approx. 300-400 lumens) is plenty for her needs and the weight of the lamp and the battery are OK but she does not like the wiring.

Given that the battery pack of the MJ808e weighs as much as an XT10 with an 18650, the XT10 appears to be the perfect choice. The only remaining question is general LiIon safety. Would you consider an XT10 with a good protected cell like the AW 18650/2600mAh a safe system? And if so, what charger? Does it have to be the Pila IBC or would a WP2 or WF-139 be OK as well, given that the latter cost half as much as the Pila?

The Neutron 2A appears to be a good light as well but the advertised 255 lumens are already quite a bit less than the low power setting of the bike light and those 255 lumens are only available in turbo mode which I guess can only be used for a few minutes.

My wf-139 was very poor quality, but I think I may have had an early model, my wp2 is excellent and it'seasy to get 18650's batteries out of it as it is longer to take a battery type no one uses,a good quality aw cell with built in safety features and your onto a winner

It sounds a bit excessively cautious to some ppl but i would not give a Li/ion powerd Flashlight to my sister, ok i dont have a sister but anyway. I think 255 Ansi Lumen is pretty much, i had a ZL H31 for EDC and it produced only 220 Lumens but it was totally enough output. The Thrunite Neutron 2A was only an example, there are other lights as well, for example the new 4 Sevens Quark AA2-X with the XM-L has 280 Lumen for about 40 Minutes, its not a big deal to install new Eneloops each day i would think if you charge them over night. Another interesting light would be the EagleTac D25A2, it produce 209 Lumen for 1,5 Hours! During the first 5 Minutes even 325 Lumen. This would be a bright 2xAA light with great runtime and its cheaper then most comparable products, the ZL H51 produce also over 200 Lumen with 1xAA, its smaller but cause its only 1xAA it has less runtime. If more weight and more bulkiness is ok then definately the new ZL Q50, i mean if she thinks your bike light was ok then the Q50 will probably be ok too.

I thought I should let you know what I eventually did. I got my sister a Klarus XT10 with two protected AW 18650s (2600mAh version) and the Pila IBC as a birthday gift. I told her to put the batteries and charger in the kitchen sink (made of steel) when charging and to drop the light immediately should it ever get overly hot.

After reading up on LiIon saftety here on the board, it seems that accidends tend to happen when using batteries at different charge levels or different age in multi battery lights or when using inappropriate chargers. With the Pila and the fact that the XT10 takes only one 18650, we should be on the safe side here.

Thanks again for your support!

P.S.: And by the way, the output of the light is just astonishing. I'ts simply incredible how much more light you get from that tiny thing when compared to a heavy old flashlight like a triple D Maglite.

I wouldn't be too nervous about the batteries. Just keep an eye on them every now and then while charging to see how hot they get and the protection should take care of any possible problems while using the light. As you said, almost every Lithium battery explosion is related to mixed batteries (even alkalines should not be mix-matched), over-discharge or a very rapid discharge.

Thanks for letting us know.