I knew I had to review the Fenix TK26R when I first laid my eyes on it. I was so excited to see that it had an instant strobe, a high output, as well as multiple LEDs. Based on just scanning through the features, I could already tell that this flashlight could be used for a myriad of situations. So today we’re going to talk about the features of the Fenix TK26R flashlight as well as go over my opinions regarding it.
Summary of Contents
First Impressions of the Fenix TK26R LED Flashlight
I love the look of the TK26R. It has the classic tactical style design and the grooved texture along the body provides an anti-slip grip. It’s fairly compact and lightweight at less than 6 inches in length. I wouldn’t consider it an everyday carry light, but it’s definitely a great light to use on the job or wherever you happen to be going that may require a powerful light. It does have a removable pocket clip so taking it with you will be easy enough.
It is quite powerful delivering 1500 lumens with a maximum beam distance of 350 meters. The hotspot on it is very defined but it still has a good spill. So you’ll still be able to see all around you while still having an extremely focused hotspot in the center. I really do like this beam pattern as it gives you a good balance of hotspot and spill with most of the intensity happening in that hotspot.
Another really cool feature of this flashlight is that it has 3 LEDs: a white LED, a red LED, and a green LED. The white LED is a Luminus SST40 and the red and green LEDs are Cree XP-E2s. It’s extremely easy to switch between the colors and we’ll talk about that a little bit later. Having different colored LEDs makes the flashlight more versatile. For those who usually purchase filters for their LED flashlights, you won’t need to worry about it with the Fenix TK26R. This makes it great for anyone who happens to be working at night and especially for hunters or outdoor enthusiasts.
Operating the Fenix TK26R Tactical Flashlight
The Fenix TK26R flashlight has a tactical operation and a triple switch design. You’ll have the dual tail switches which will be operating the white LED and the side switch which is going to access the red and the green LEDs. I have to say, for a triple switch design this is the simplest one I’ve come across. I think it’s a great idea to have the red and green LEDs be controlled by the side switch while the white LED is controlled by the tail switches.
Let’s talk about the tail switches first. You have a momentary on, an instant strobe, and access to the multiple brightness levels. This user interface is perfect for any tactical user whether in law enforcement or security. You can press and hold the secondary tail switch for strobe whether the flashlight is on or off which is extremely important in my opinion. It’s also important to have that momentary on in any tactical flashlight so it’s really nice to see it in the TK26R.
There’s really not much to say about the side switch. It gives you access to the red and the green LEDs which both have a single output. It’s extremely easy to learn this user interface and there’s not much to it despite the fact that it does have three switches which I know can be intimidating. Either way, it becomes second nature pretty quickly and I really like the operation on the tail switches.
Multiple Outputs on the Fenix TK26R LED Flashlight
Just like any good tactical flashlight, the Fenix TK26R does feature multiple brightness levels and a strobe mode. So let’s take a look at the white LED outputs first. You have turbo at 1500 lumens, high at 350 lumens, medium at 150 lumens, and low at 10 lumens. The maximum run time on the low is 100 hours which is definitely pretty nice. I will say that it would be nice to see a lower moonlight mode which would turn it into an optimal outdoor flashlight as well. However, I don’t think it’s always necessary for tactical flashlight to have a moonlight mode.
As I mentioned before, the red and green LED both have a single output. The red output is 150 lumens and will last you 4 hours and 20 minutes. The green LED has an output of 200 lumens and will last you 5 hours and 10 minutes. Red and green LEDs or even filters are extremely handy as they preserve night vision while allowing you to see in the dark. For hunters, the colored filters and LEDs will often not disturb prey which makes hunting a little bit easier. All in all, the red and green LEDs add more versatility to this tactical flashlight.
USB-C Rechargeable Flashlight
Another rechargeable flashlight using a USB-C charging feature! I’m excited to see more of these. The Fenix TK26R is an 18650 flashlight, but you’re able to use two CR123s if you’d. With USB-C charging, you get a fast charge which means less time for your flashlight on the charger. Flashlights can often take several hours charging using micro USB which can sometimes put you in a pickle if you don’t have any backup batteries. With USB-C charging, you can expect an extremely fast charge.
I do want to take a minute and talk about the battery level indicator which is located on the side switch. When you first turn the flashlight on the indicator is going to glow for about 3 seconds. If you see the little LED glow green it means that the battery has about 85 to 100% of its charge. If the LED is flashing green it has 50 to 85% of its charge. If you see a constant red LED that means it has 25 to 50% of its charge and a flashing red LED means that has less than 25% of its charge and it’s about time that you go ahead and charge that battery up.
The trick was any lithium-ion battery is to make sure you don’t drain it completely. If you do, you can put it into deep discharge and won’t be able to charge the battery back up using USB charging. You may be able to revive it using a battery charger that can specifically revive batteries in deep discharge. It’s a headache and not worth it so if you see that red flashing indicator, go ahead and just charge your battery as soon as you can.
Durable and Long-Lasting LED Flashlight
So many users flock to Fenix due to how durable their LED flashlights are. I’ve known people who’ve had a Fenix flashlight for years and years without having any issues with it. I personally have not had any issues with any of my Fenix flashlights either. They are extremely durable and worth the money. When it comes to sturdy tactical flashlights, you can’t go wrong with Fenix.
So let’s talk about what makes the flashlight durable. With the TK26R, Fenix boasts that it has high performance components and advanced circuit design that allow the TK26R to operate in extreme temperatures. If you are planning on using the TK26R flashlight in extremely cold weather, I would recommend using CR123 batteries rather than the 18650 battery since CR123 batteries are more cold resistant.
The body is crafted from an aluminum alloy with a hard anodized finish which gives it that sleek look. This tactical flashlight is IP68 rated which means that it’s waterproof. You could submerge the TK26R in 2 meters of water for 30 minutes and you still have a flashlight that works just fine. It’s also impact-resistant up to one meter which means that even the clumsiest person could happily own a TK26R flashlight. Its durability is bar none which is exactly what you can expect with Fenix flashlights.
Final Thoughts
Pros: I really think the white, red, and green LEDs as it makes the flashlight a lot more versatile. The user interface on this flashlight is also great. It’s simple to learn and it’s definitely one of my favorite user interfaces. I also really appreciate that it is USB-C rechargeable so you can expect a faster charge.
Cons: One con for me would be that I’d like to see a moonlight mode on this flashlight. Having the red and green LEDs is excellent for hunting and outdoor activities so that moonlight mode would add to its use as an outdoor tool. For some outdoor folk, not having the moonlight mode is a deal-breaker on an otherwise amazing LED flashlight.
Conclusion: This is one incredible tactical flashlight. I could see so many users loving this torch from police officers to security personnel to campers to hunters. This light is truly able to be used in many different environments and situations. On top of that, with the red and green LED, you don’t need to worry about purchasing any filters to go along with it. So if you’re looking for a tactical flashlight that features multi colored LEDs, check out the Fenix TK26R.