One to Watch: ThruNite T10T
Tony Sculimbrene 05.18.14
A few years ago, before emitters basically rendered the difference between AA/AAAs and lithiums irrelevant, there was a small batch of custom lights that filtered through CPF called the DST. It was a 1xAA light with a screw-on clip and a metal tail cap. It looked quite good. There was also another 1xAA light around that time called the Volere from Steve Ku, one of the five or so finest custom makers in the world. Both lights captured my attention, but I was still too firmly in the lithium only camp. Since then, I have moved away from my flashlight battery orthodoxy, which, like all forms of orthodoxy, is impractical. I have learned to embrace the utility, low cost, and wide availability of the AA.
There’s been buzz surrounding the ThruNiteT10 series. There was the aluminum model and a stainless steel model. ThruNite has just started producing a titanium version of the light, the T10T. It’s a gorgeous piece of machining that happens to pump out a very competent 169 lumens.
The light has a lot of things going for it.
First and most importantly, it’s pretty darn affordable, especially for a titanium torch. The street price is $59.95. That’s quite competitive and about half the price of the custom lights mentioned above. Both the DST and the Volere go for much more now on the secondary market, but when they were released, they both came in around $120-$130.
Second, it runs a very good EDC emitter, the XPG2. The emitter is very good at sipping power, doesn’t usually come in offensive tints, and has a smaller diameter than the more popular XML and XML2 emitter. The smaller emitter diameter allows the XPG2 to be housed in smaller lights with deeper reflectors, which, in turn, makes for a tighter beam pattern and, in some circumstances, better throw.
Third, the body tube of the light is also well done. The grooves on the head allow for some grip when twisting the light on and off to switch modes. The tail cap is also nice, allowing for tailstanding. Finally, I always prefer screw-on clips–no popping off at the wrong time.
But all of this is really just the warm up to the cool part of the T10 series–it has two totally different and totally independent UIs. You can screw the head all the way down and use the light like a clicky, or you can loosen the head up and use it like a twisty. The choice is entirely up to the user, and as is always the case, options are a good thing.
The T10T comes with a diffuser tip that allows the light to be used in lantern mode while tailstanding. It also has, as almost all ThruNite lights do, a moonlight low, which, in this case, is an impressive .2 lumens running for 147 hours. The max, 169 lumens, lasts for 1.5 hours, respectable in both instances.
Overall, the T10 series is a very competent entry in the crowded, single cell EDC light marketplace, but its price, design, and dual UIs make it worth a look. The good outputs and runtimes seal the deal. On paper, this looks like a real winner.
