ThruNite TiKey Review

I received this sample ThruNite TiKey from Battery Junction.

I was very interested in this light because it's made from polished Titanium alloy (TC4) and it's reasonable cost $39.99.





The ThruNite TiKey came shipped like this.





Has a warranty card.



Came with an split ring and o-ring.



Also a Snap Gate Ring. It's very useful when you hang the TiKey on your belt loop. Easy to install and remove from your belt loop.







The TiKey uses a Nichia white GS LED with a life of 100,000 hours (NSPW500GS-K1).

Single stage, twist the head clockwise on and counter clockwise off.



This is a rear view of the TiKey Nichia module.



The ThruNite TiKey uses 3 AG13 or LR44GD batteries which are included.



This is a view of the battery tube with batteries installed.



Batteries removed.



The battery tube and spring is removable.

I found it's easier to install the batteries if the insert for the battery tube is removed. Just lay the insert on it's end and install the batteries. Then insert into the battery tube -side facing the contact of the head.



Rear shot of the TiKey.





The TiKey is getting a manufacture rated run time of 3+ hours.

Maximum output of 10 lumens.


ThruNite TiKey @ 96"



ThruNite TiKey @ 36"




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Pros

Made of polished Titanium alloy (TC4)

Reasonable cost for a Titanium Alloy light

Split ring and Snap Gate Ring included

Fit and finish is excellent

Twisting action is smooth


Cons

Uses 3 AG13 or LR44GD batteries

No lens

Off centered beam


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I like the ThruNite TiKey as a key chain light. The TiKey comes with a Snap Gate Ring which is very easy to use when installing on a belt loop and removing from your belt loop. Hanging your TiKey on your belt loop will keep your light from getting scratched up in your pocket.

Remember it's using a Nichia white GS LED which is not over powering as these other lights out there. It's good for what it's made for a "key chain light". The TiKey can be used for manuvering around at night if you do not want an overpowering light that can wake somebody. Perfect light level for reading if needed.

Plus it's cost won't "kill the pocketbook".

Thanks for the very nice review.
I dont like this light. Body from Titan, but engineering from yesterday.
Sorry, the bluish teint is not up to Date.
When this lite has no Titan body it will look like under 1$.

I strongly agree that titanium offers no advantage in this application, because it certainly isn't critical to protect what is basically a fifty cent fauxton in a tux.
That dim, oval blue beam doesn't impress at all, but could be tolerated at a much, much, much lower cost.

I have to say that the "ThruNite" name for this thing is a joke, with only 3+ hours rated runtime. Maybe "ThruMovie" would be more appropriate.

And does anybody like button cells? :sick2:

Ernsanada, I hope you know I'm not knocking you- it's interesting to read what everyone has to say, and I appreciate your review and all the work that went into it.

It is too bad this light is only a pretty body....

But for someone wanting a chunk of titanium on a budget, it is a good entry level titanium light.

I'll keep my Ti LUMMI WEE around my neck for now....

I'll bet this is not the last we see from thrunite and they will probably put some more impressive guts inside their next offering

Thanks for the review, Ern.
You missed the garden shot.

I wonder if the LE can be easily removed and mod with, say, a R2. Then again, there might not be enough power to drive it? :thinking:

Yucca Patrol said:

I'll bet this is not the last we see from thrunite and they will probably put some more impressive guts inside their next offering

Click to expand...

Yes of course, there are more brands who see, that there are people enought who sells everything for every price.
This Flashlight is same technical as an Streamlight KeyMate (5 or more years old) but for better price, sorry this light is Titancrap.

Nice review!

Thanks champ :thumbsup:

Size comparisions

Left to Right, ThruNite Tikey, Maratac AAA, Fenix E01. Fenix LOD Q2

Pretty. Put in a single CR2 and produce 50 lumens and I'm in

bob4apple said:

I strongly agree that titanium offers no advantage in this application, because it certainly isn't critical to protect what is basically a fifty cent fauxton in a tux.
That dim, oval blue beam doesn't impress at all, but could be tolerated at a much, much, much lower cost.

I have to say that the "ThruNite" name for this thing is a joke, with only 3+ hours rated runtime. Maybe "ThruMovie" would be more appropriate.

And does anybody like button cells? :sick2:

Ernsanada, I hope you know I'm not knocking you- it's interesting to read what everyone has to say, and I appreciate your review and all the work that went into it.

Click to expand...

We make a Ti keychain light with small size and hard material. That's enough. If we make it with AAA battery. I think the size is longer than we can bear. Actually. a keychain dont need to be bright. but it must be small. This is our originiary thought!

i quite like it Thrunite, once my pocketbook is not empty, i will pick one up for a necklace light

I got mine on friday and I like that cute little thing!

It's still not decided if it will ge hung onto the car key or replace my LD01ss on the keychain.

As for the power units, no, I don't like button cells. But, the ones chosen are pretty common, I have 2 laser pointer which use them and a HP calculator. What's more, they are cheap, have very low self discharge and I haven't seen any leaking yet. As you got 2 sets, if the runtime ThruNite claims is right, you have light for 6 hours. Well, for my usage of such a light, I should be OK for the next 10 to 15 years if nothing special happens. At that time my calculator and my laser pointer will need new cells too.

In my opinion, the cells are well chosen, other ones would have been either very uncommon or too large (CR2 e.g).

The only negative point I found is the weight of the light, as it's made out of titanium. An aluminium version could perhaps serve as necklace light, but the choice of the material was the right one if it'll be used as a keychain light. The price is more than correct, I paid it 29,95 €. The 10 Lumen output may seem weak nowadays, but you don't need 250 Lumen to find the keyhole...

As ThruNite has been designing and manufacturing lights for other brands and now produce the lights they always wanted to make, I wonder what we'll see next from them? I bet it'll be something bigger than the TiKey! :devil:

Nice review.

The main thing that turned me off to this light was the output and cost combination. Despite being Ti, it just isn't bright enough.

Monocrom said:

Nice review.

The main thing that turned me off to this light was the output and cost combination. Despite being Ti, it just isn't bright enough.

Click to expand...

I think this light to be usefull for somepeople who are looking for a small and hard keychain.not for a complex light. simple small and hard.

ThruNite said:

simple small and hard.

Click to expand...

Thats what she said.......uh wait..:thinking:.....oh man!!:sigh:


I like the design.:thumbsup:
Since seeing it in the marketplace, I have been interested in picking one up.
Thanks for the review and pictures!!:wave:

ThruNite said:

We make a Ti keychain light with small size and hard material. That's enough. If we make it with AAA battery. I think the size is longer than we can bear. Actually. a keychain dont need to be bright. but it must be small. This is our originiary thought!

Click to expand...

That line of thinking has put many small companies under before they could even get started.

Listen to what the customers actually want, not what you think they should want.

recDNA said:

Pretty. Put in a single CR2 and produce 50 lumens and I'm in

Click to expand...

+1

Excellent review!!!

This light isn't for everyone - that much is clear but I think some in this thread are being a bit harsh out of a lack of understanding. This is not 'yesterdays engineering' this is using the best, most state of the art 5mm LED on the market. I also thought that, "fifty cent fauxton in a tux," was off-base - LRI/Photonlight gets $12-20 for their plastic bodied keychain lights, an eGear PICO is $12 - under $40 is very fair for a limited production titanium bodied light. Perhaps the product isn't for YOU but that doesn't make it pointless cr@p.

There is a sizeable contingent of people on CPF who want low output lights for campground/keyhole etc type stuff - as Henk says abpve, "you don't need 250 Lumen to find the keyhole..." This light is not designed to replace your EDC - it's designed to be the ultimate keychain light that's within reach of the average buyer. Lummi makes a beautiful product but at £85- £150 ($140-$250)for a Ti Lummi light they're not within reach for a lot of people.

David at ThruNite and I had lengthy conversations about which battery to use and LR44's are an obvious choice - they have much more capacity than most other button cells and are very common and widely available - in a button cell there is simply no choice that's even close. We have also discussed CR2's and Cree LED's extensively and perhaps that could happen in a different project but remember a 50L R2 on a CR2 would be maybe a 30min runtime - that's a far cry from 3 hours and it makes it a different product for a different typeof user.

Nobody called it pointless cr@p, Matt.

People will buy it if they want one, even if someone calls it a six dollar Nano Streamlight in a dress with less runtime.

I get the superiority of metal over plastic, but fail to comprehend why titanium alloy is better than aircraft aluminum in a keychain light.