Fenix T1 Tactical

Not bad for their first tactical entry. The light is a bit on the heavy side, but really no heavier or larger than a comparable-output Surefire of the same class. Both brand’s entries in this category are too big for pocket carry. The low output setting is pretty bright, but dim enough to be useful in tight quarters. Twisting over to the 225-lumen “turbo” mode is easy, but unfortunately cannot be done one-handed. The built-in clip is sturdy, and as promised the light will stand on end to act as a candle. This works on even a slightly tilted surface despite it’s forward-heavy balance. The “olive” color is definitely a natural olive, not the traditional camo green, and has a significant amount of “gold” in it. Still, it’s a pretty well subdued color and shouldn’t be a problem. Black is also available, on a limited trial-run. The light feels reasonably sturdy, but not nearly as much as a comparable Surefire unit. I’m not sure how much pressure it would take to crush the light, or how big of a fall it could take. The orange tail-cap bothers me a little as well – tactical lights are not to be seen until they are used and orange just doesn’t mesh well with this logic.

I don’t have a 225-lumen capable Surefire at my disposal, so I was unable to compare on even ground. I did run it side-by-side with my 100-lumen Lumamax L4 though, and while certainly brighter I’m not convinced of it’s “more than twice as bright” rating. The other drawback is the lack of available filters and other accessories for the front bezel. Still, when you consider the price is less than a third that of it’s Surefire counterpart, this is a very nice tactical light. Fenix also throws in 3 extra washers, a lanyard, an extra (orange) switch cover and a carry pouch that will work on a belt or clip on to other gear.

All said and done, this is an excellent light with good build quality and a fair price. The number one thing they should work on is getting us a design that supports different color filters. I give it 4.5/5 and recommend it to anyone in need of a good, bright tactical light but unsure of Surefire’s outrageous price tag.

I picked up this unit from Fenix-Store.com with the 4sevens LightBar I ordered, as I said excellent shipping turnaround.

In both output shots below, the Fenix T1 Tactical is on the left at 225 lumens, with a Surefire Lumamax L4 on the right at 100 lumens.