Thrunite T1 Flashlight Review
The Thrunite T1 is a tiny flashlight that runs on a single 18350. The small light has an indicating e-switch and uses a Cree XHP50 emitter.
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a link to the Thrunite T1 Flashlight product page.
Versions
Just one body is available, but that body can be had in CW or NW versions. What I have is the cool white.
Short Review
I like this little light a lot. I’m super happy that it takes 18350 cells (and even comes with one)! I think it could be made shorter because the included (protected) cell is quite long. But overall, I’m very happy with this light, and I’m taking into consideration the price. At the price, it’s a great light.
Long Review
The Big Table
| Thrunite T1 | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Cree XHP50 (CW) |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $ Thrunite link |
| Cell: | 1×18350 |
| Turbo Runtime | High Runtime |
| LVP? | Yes |
| Switch Type: | E-Switch |
| Quiescent Current (A): | 0.00003 |
| On-Board Charging? | Yes |
| Chargetime | |
| Power off Charge Port with no Cell? | No (High frequency, low output Strobe) |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 1500 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 1533 (102.2% of claim)^ |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 102 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 305lux @ 3.53m = 3801cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 123.3 (120.9% of claim)^ |
| All my Thrunite reviews! | |
^ Measurement disclaimer:Â Testing flashlights is my hobby. I use hobbyist-level equipment for testing, including some I made myself. Try not to get buried in the details of manufacturer specifications versus measurements recorded here; A certain amount of difference (say, 10 or 15%) is perfectly reasonable.
What’s Included
- Thrunite T1 Flashlight
- Thrunite 1100mAh 18350 (protected, button top) (not pictured here)
- Charge cable (USB to micro-USB)
- Spare o-rings (2)
- Pocket clip
- Lanyard
- Spare charge port cover
- Manual and papers
Package and Manual
Standard Thrunite package. The end of the box includes CW/NW checkboxes.
The manual is brief and in 4 languages (only English shown here).
Build Quality and Disassembly
This tiny light has a quality bit of heft to it. The anodizing is great. I can’t measure the thickness of it but it feels as high quality as almost any light like this. The alternate take on knurling is a nice feature and doesn’t sacrifice grip.
The outside of the tailcap is not exciting. The inside of the tailcap/cell tube has a big coated spring, and a magnet, too.
The head, on the other hand, has a brass button. The button isn’t shrouded, nor is it springy, but the light does work just fine with any 18350 (including those that are actually sized according to their name – 35mm long cells).
There’s a lot going on with this mcpcb! Sort of neat to see all this stuff exposed.
The threads are anodized and square-cut, and the body tube has a 2mm unanodized, unthreaded section. As far as I can tell, electrical contact is made only on the rim and not on the sides, so I’m not sure what the point of this section is. It’s not an inner sleeve, either.
Size and Comps
Weight:Â 71.5g with battery
Dimensions: 69.5mm26.5mm22mm. I confirm these measurements.
No doubt there could be shorter 18350 lights, but this is quite short indeed. And I think could go even shorter, but that’d require a non-Thrunite cell and no protection.
Retention and Carry
First, let’s mention the magnet in the tailcap again. The magnet is quite strong and holds the light easily. I think it’d be possible to pull the spring and take the magnet out, but I did not try.
Next is the pocket clip. It’s a friction fit clip and lives only on the tail end of the light. It’s a double direction clip, though the mouth doesn’t allow too great access for bezel up carry. In fact, the shoulder doesn’t offer great ease of access either – I had to fiddle with the clip (ie two-handed operation) every time I put the light on my pocket. Not a huge deal, but just another reason I don’t care for these types of clips.
There’s also a lanyard, which should be connected through the hole in the tailcap.
Power and Runtime
Thrunite includes the cell intended for powering the T1. It’s an 18350 cell, with Thrunite added protection, and a button top. Those two things make it quite long to be sure, but of course it fits in this light easily. I measure the cell at 39.7mm long.
As you can see, the Thrunite 18350 is much longer than an unprotected flat top 18350.
The Thrunite cell protrudes around 3mm out of the light, while the unprotected 18350 is around 1mm below the lip.
Both of those cells work just fine in this light.
Two runtimes follow. Turbo holds out for a couple of minutes around 1500 lumens (as claimed) with reasonable strength, then steps down heavily to around 700 lumens (“High”) (as claimed, but the claim is actually “408 lumens” on stepdown). Once the cell voltage drops off, so does the light, and then shuts off with the cell around 2.8V. The indicating switch starts warning at around 3.2V with a blue indication, then turns red at 2.9V. (It’ll also flash red, but that’s at ~2.8V, and fairly dim.)
High looks just like Turbo, but without the Turbo. Note that “High” is the highest mode in ramping.  Turbo is a double click from anything, so not within the ramp.
Charging
The light also sports on-board charging, via a micro-USB port in the head, opposite the switch. The port has a big rubber press-in cover and seems well protected.
A cable is included.
Both charge tests proceeded at around 0.57A, and also confirm that the cell is indeed around 1100mAh (remember, this test is recorded from the USB source at 5V, not 4.2V like the cell). Charging takes just over 2 hours. During charge, the indicating switch is red. After the cell is charged, the switch is blue.
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens | Tailcap Amps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo | 1500/408 | 3m/80m | 1533 | 2.94 |
| Infinity High | 685 | 80m | 711 | 1.02 |
| Infinity Low | 15 | 36h | – | 0.02 |
| Firefly | 1 | 14d | – | ~ |
Pulse Width Modulation
No PWM is noted. Modes tested (though “infinite”) are the same as in the table above, Firefly leftmost.
For reference, here’s a baseline shot, with all the room lights off and almost nothing hitting the sensor. Also, here’s the light with the worst PWM I could find. I’m adding multiple timescales, so it’ll be easier to compare to the test light. Unfortunately, the PWM on this light is so bad that it doesn’t even work with my normal scale, which is 50 microseconds (50us). 10ms. 5ms. 2ms. 1ms. 0.5ms. 0.2ms.  In a display faster than 0.2ms or so, the on/off cycle is more than one screen, so it’d just (very incorrectly) look like a flat line. I wrote more about this Ultrafire WF-602C flashlight and explained a little about PWM too.
User Interface and Operation
There’s a single switch on the T1. It’s an indicating e-switch on the head. The button has a black look but really seems to be an opaque gray – of course, since it’s also an indicating switch. The feel of the switch and charge port are different but similar enough that it’s a bit difficult to differentiate them without looking.
Here’s a UI table!
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Click | On (Mode Memory except Firefly, Turbo, Strobe) |
| Off | Hold 1s | Firefly |
| Firefly | Hold 3s | Lockout |
| Lockout | Click | No Output (switch indicates red) |
| Lockout | Hold 3s | Firefly |
| On | Click | Off |
| On (Except Firefly) | Hold | Ramp up to “Infinity High” (not Turbo) then back down to “Infinity Low” (not Firefly) |
| Any | Double Click | Turbo |
| Any | Triple Click | Strobe |
LED and Beam
The emitter of choice in the T1 is a Cree XHP50. There’s a reflector, albeit a shallow one with orange peel, so the beam profile is unsurprisingly floody. There’s quite a spot though, so it does make a useful beam.
These beamshots are always with the following settings:Â f8, ISO100, 0.3s shutter, and manual 5000K exposure.
That’s Firefly, then Infinity Low and some intermediates, then Infinity High and Turbo.
Tint vs BLF-348 (KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b version) (affiliate link)
I compare everything to the Killzone 219b BLF-348 because it’s inexpensive and has the best tint!
Random Comparisons and Competitive Options….
Here’s a link to a relevantly filtered page on parametrek.com. I use that site a lot!
The comparison shows that there’s not much else in this size format with these features – the next closest is probably the Astrolux S41/S42/S43 series of lights, but those are mechanical switch lights.
Conclusion
What I like
- Complete package
- NW and CW availability
- Size
- Finally a good E-Switch 18350 light
- Included cell has good capacity
What I don’t like
- I think it could be even shorter!
- Included cell is quite long
- I don’t like these double direction clips
Notes
- This light was provided by Thrunite for review. I was not paid to write this review. Buy this one at Amazon (referral link) or Thrunite directly, with coupon “20%” for 20% off!!
- This content originally appeared at zeroair.org.  Please visit there for the best experience!
- For flashlight-related patches, stickers, and gear, head over to PhotonPhreaks.com!
- Use my amazon.com referral link if you’re willing to help support making more reviews like this one!
- Please support me on Patreon! I deeply appreciate your support!
Excellent review! Thanks.
Seems a good flashlight. Of course 1500Lm is a lot and it steps down really fast. But thats no problem, all lights step down on turbo.
I love the size too, no problem carrying it around.
Carel
Yep, the size is great!
One criticism: the button is next to impossible to find in the dark, using feel alone. A slight design flaw. But overall I love this light and it is worth every penny.
True, true. Would be nice if there was an locator beacon.
Thanks for another good review. Something about the light just looks a bit cheap and uninspired to me, and I agree, what’s the point of 18350 unless it’s as short as possible? Also, for me, any light where the button will be difficult to use in the dark (duh) with gloves, is a deal breaker. Too many lights these days have this problem. That said, I do like the emitter choice, the beam profile, and the built-in charging.
Wow, 700lumens for approx 40mins is good.
Yeah, it’s a solid little light!
A minus-green filer will make this one a very palpable EDC,. For me at least.
Pingback: Thrunite T1 Military Tan Flashlight Review – ZeroAir Reviews
I have this light and I love it. I use the clip as a tactile reference to find the switch in the dark.
I love my T1, it was my preferred EDC until the Pokelit AA. The only thing I don’t like with the T1 is the tint and cri. The green shift is bad on mine, cri rates 63-65. Ugh. But otherwise it is fantastic, a better emitter would have it over the top!