REVIEW – The holidays are just around the corner, and everyone can use the flashlight. I can’t tell you the number of flashlights I have stashed around the house. I have two in the garage, one in each vehicle, one in the basement so I can see into the deep freeze, a few in the camper, and one that I use twice a day to walk our dog in the dark (I call it the skunk spotter since it’s better to see them before they see us). The ThruNite T3 might be a great gift for that person on your list who has everything because almost everyone can use another flashlight. And this is a particularly nice one.
What is it?
The ThruNite T3 flashlight is a compact rechargeable LED flashlight with some nice accessories.
What’s in the box?
- ThruNite T3 rechargeable flashlight
- USB-C charging cord
- Nylon holster
- Lanyard
- Extra o-rings and extra charge port cover
- Belt / Hat / Pocket clip
- Manual
Hardware specs
- LED: single SST40
- Power:: 4000 mAh ThruNite battery
- Battery Type: Lithium
- Working voltage: 2.75V-4.2V
- Output & Runtime (Tested with ThruNite battery)
- Turbo(2250 lumens down to 621 lumens / 50 sec+170 mins)
- Strobe(610 lumens / 5.5 hrs)
- Infinity High(1077 lumens down to 605 lumens / 40 sec+180 mins)
- Infinity Low(37 lumens / 58 hrs)
- Firefly(0.44 lumens / 133 days)
- Max beam distance: 301 meters (max.)
- Waterproof to IPX-8 Standard (2 meters)
- Impact-resistant: 1.5 meters
- Dimensions: 115.5mm*27.5mm*26mm
- Weight: 152 g with battery and belt clip
Design and features
The ThruNite T3 rechargeable flashlight looks like a lot of the “tactical” flashlights available today. It’s made from a single piece of CNC-machined aluminum and hard-anodized black. Unlike some flashlights, it is a single diameter across its entire length. It has a USB-C charging port opposite the power button, which is lit by a small indicator LED. It features five modes High, Low (and it’s infinitely adjustable between), Turbo, Strobe, and Firefly. I’m not sure what the point of firefly is, since it’s incredibly dim.
The ThruNite T3 rechargeable flashlight has a lock-out to prevent the flashlight from accidentally being turned on. Included with the flashlight is a nice padded lanyard, a nylon holster with a belt slot, a clip that will work for a pocket, belt, or even the brim of a hat, some spare O-rings, and an extra charge port cover.
Performance
For a small flashlight, the ThruNite T3 rechargeable flashlight is exceptionally bright. On high, it rivals the headlights of my 2000 Jeep Wrangler (Jeeps were never known for their headlights, but still – it’s bright). The color temperature of the single LED is very natural – not overly white or blue like some LEDs. The fixed focus is consistent, without dim spots or dead zones, and has quite a long projection for a small lens. The power button is rubber-covered and feels solid.
Unfortunately, the charge port is immediately opposite the power button and is also covered with rubber. So when fishing the flashlight from your pocket, it’s hard to tell if your thumb is on the power button or the charge port. That’s really my only gripe, and it’s a small one.
As for battery life, the ThruNite T3 rechargeable flashlight is impressive, especially given that the light gets noticeably warm around the lens on high. I walked my dog twice a day for about 20 minutes in the dark with the flashlight for a week, and never had to recharge. Many skunks were spotted. It’s a very nice size, too. It fits easily in a pocket and feels very comfortable in your hand. The clip that is included is removable, but still very sturdy. Its unique design lets you clip it from either the front or back, enabling you to clip it to a belt, pocket, or even the brim of a hat, although that made the hat feel like it was going to fall off my head. In short, I really like this little flashlight. It’s bright, long-lasting, rugged, and capable of fitting just about anywhere.
See it in action
What I like
- Small, light, and very bright!
- Extra parts are nice
- Nylon holster and lanyard are quality pieces and not afterthought add-ons.
What I’d change
- The charge port location is a little unfortunate. A better location would be on the back end, out of the way.
Final Thoughts
Flashlights make great gifts, and this one is priced in a nice range allowing many gifting options. The ThruNite T3 rechargeable flashlight is a quality light that will last a long time and will make your family and friends think of you each time they light up their world with the TruNite T3 Rechargeable flashlight.
Price: $49 to $65, depending on where you purchase
Where to buy: ThruNite or Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by ThruNite
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Will it charge with any real USB-C cable (with USB-C on both ends) or will it only charge with the included USB-c to USB-A cable? I don’t know the rational for this but there are a lot of products out there that claim usb-c charging but will only charge with that included USB-C to USB-A cable.
Gregg I was able to charge it with a few different cables and chargers. So it doesn’t seem to be limited to that specific cable.
Gregg, I was also able to charge it with USB-C to USB-C in my truck. So I don’t think it’s limited to USB-A.