Users of Fenix TK21 U2 XM-L - is the light built for toughness?

In the market for a tough flashlight after something happened last weekend. Was looking at the Elzetta and it's really good. This would be the best marketing material. It costs about us$170 shipped here for the crenelated bezel version (need that to protect the front lens) - and i need to get two of them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2Q55phaLzU


Also looking at the TK21, is it well built like the T1? (crush test is amazing). I think the sole weak point would be the tailcap. That's somewhat protected by the hex nut or whatever you call that, but a direct hit at that end straight down could deform it and make it operable.

I don't need a weapon light, but something that needs to survive say 15-20m falls.
I could get nearly 3 x TK21 for that price, anyway i need 2 of them at least at any one time.

I couldn't get a good price for the Olight M21-X, so that's out.

Lousier HA is not an issue.

i use my tk21u2 as my edc for 8 hours a day and havent had a problem with it yet other than the fact it doesnt stay on turbo with certain 18650's due to the voltage but 2 cr123's is np

basballny2 said:

i use my tk21u2 as my edc for 8 hours a day and havent had a problem with it yet other than the fact it doesnt stay on turbo with certain 18650's due to the voltage but 2 cr123's is np

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Yes, read about it too in a thread. What's your cell + age? You know the issue is also that Li-ion cells drop some performance after 1 year plus, even AW (tested at BLF) so if the sag is too much even the regulation does nothing with this "feature" as it doesn't want to tax the cell.....too "safe". Apparently it is also due to the initial batch IC maybe the programming was too aggressive, well i don't know. My TK70 also is sensitive to the cells but absolutely no issues with new Tenergy LSD Cenutra (which is supposed to be less current capable to the blue ones). Thing is - most lights are supposed to regulate till shut-off, in any of the selected modes.

Bro, would you care to describe the solidness of the tailcap too? Thanks.

IMHO a tough flashlight is usually a light with an SS Bezel. I've dropped my lumintops hard on the floor lots of times, but thanks to the SS up front, the light has no dings around the rims and the glass is protected quite well unlike my Quark with unfortunately has no SS in front. (sigh) I had to resort to putting black electric tape up front to protect it from drops but still, you can see the deformities on the rim. Somehow all our lights, big or small have a tendency to drop on their head all the time.

roadkill1109 said:

IMHO a tough flashlight is usually a light with an SS Bezel.

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Yep that is one school of thought. For me i have no worries about the appearance of the light or HA. Hence Fenix is ok (HA not exactly that good). The Fenix T1 has a 4.5mm thick head and SS bezel. Not sure if the electronics are potted or built for shocks).

i think wepon-mountable lights are designed for extreme shocks. the video of nutnfancy in youtube usually covers possible weapon-mountable lights and he has some videos wherein he shock-tests these lights mounted on his shotgun and rifles. Pretty cool. He hasnt done a flashlight review in a while though. Mashall's the most consistent of all. Darn, a lot of the lights he features ive already purchased! hahah

roadkill1109 said:

i think wepon-mountable lights are designed for extreme shocks. the video of nutnfancy in youtube usually covers possible weapon-mountable lights and he has some videos wherein he shock-tests these lights mounted on his shotgun and rifles. Pretty cool. He hasnt done a flashlight review in a while though. Mashall's the most consistent of all. Darn, a lot of the lights he features ive already purchased! hahah

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Yep...here's a Fenix. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWenBsNRC_I

Roadkill bro, i can't seem to be able to find any of Marshall's vids, mind putting a link here? Thanks!

2100 said:

Roadkill bro, i can't seem to be able to find any of Marshall's vids, mind putting a link here? Thanks!

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Marshall from Going Gear dot Com! his YT user id is goingprepared.

2100 said:

Yep...here's a Fenix. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWenBsNRC_I

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Cool! And there's an interview nutnfancy did with Dave of 4Sevens on the pros and cons of double spring support for battery and that it could damage the internals of the light more since the battery rocks to and fro inside the light, this was why, he said, that the 4Sevens lights have only one spring at the bottom to so that the batteries are snuggly pushed to the back of the light's PCB and the whole light rocks as a single body and not like there's a piston inside damaging the internals.... good point! nice explanation! Kudos to Dave for that!