Wurkkos TD03 Tactical Flashlight Review
The Wurkkos TD03 tactical flashlight runs one 18650 cell and offers four modes, a tail rotary switch, and USB-C charging. Quite a thrower, too! Read on for testing.
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a link to the Wurkkos TD03 tactical flashlight product page.
Versions
There’s just one version of the Wurkkos TD03 tactical flashlight but it’s available with or without the 18650.
Price
MSRP is somewhere north of $40, but the street price for this TD03 looks to be around $30. The 18650 adds about $3, so that’s worth adding.
What’s Included
- Wurkkos TD03 tactical flashlight
- Wurkkos 3000mAh 18650
- Charging cable
- Lanyard
- Spare o-rings
- Manual etc
Package and Manual
Build Quality and Disassembly
Wurkkos TD03 tactical flashlight build quality is quite good. I can honestly say that when accepting this light I had the idea that it might just be “common” but it’s a very interesting light! Namely in the rotary tail switch. That’ll be most interesting to tactical users, but I’d add that this is a pretty dedicated tactical light.
Both the head and tail have springs, as a tactical light should.
Threads on the head end (which is the only end that comes off) are anodized, well-lubed, and smooth.
Size and Comps
Dimension:126.6mm(length)x 28mm(head diameter)
Weight: 78±1 gram (without battery)
If the flashlight will headstand, I’ll show it here (usually the third photo). If the flashlight will tailstand, I’ll also show that (usually in the fourth photo).
Here’s the test light with the venerable Convoy S2+. The version below is a custom laser-engraved Convoy S2+ host by GadgetConnections.com. I did a full post on an engraved orange host right here! Or go straight to GadgetConnections.com to buy your Convoy S2+ now!
Also above is the light beside a TorchLAB BOSS 35, an 18350 light. I reviewed the aluminum version of that light in both 35 and 70 formats. I also reviewed that specific edition, the “Oveready BOSS FT Collector Vintage Brass” 35. I love it!
Retention and Carry
A pocket clip is included with the Wurkkos TD03 tactical flashlight. It attaches only on the tail end and is not a two-way clip.
It’s fine for belt usage, and the TD03 is slim enough that it can be carried in a pocket, too.
A lanyard is included as well, and it attaches through a hole in the pocket clip.
Power and Runtime
Wurkkos includes (well, “includes” if you add it to the package) a 3000mAh 18650. It’s a button top.
The cell goes into the light with the positive end toward the head.
Here are three runtimes – the three highest modes. No real surprises here.
Low voltage protection is observed. There’s also a red charging indicator which functions during operation, too.
Charging
The Wurkkos TD03 tactical flashlight offers USB-C charging. The charge port is in the head and has a press-in cover.
A USB to USB-C cable is included.
Charging looks pretty good but the charge cycle doesn’t seem to shut off as quickly as I want. The charging indicator turns green long before the charging stops.
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo | 1800 | 2h | 1170 (0s) 935 (30s) |
| High | 1000 | 3h | 558 |
| Medium | 350 | 7h | 173 |
| Low | 50 | 34h | 15 |
Pulse Width Modulation
Every mode uses PWM. It’s very fast, though, so nothing to worry about.
Here you can see a “baseline” – a chart with almost no light hitting the sensor. Then there’s the Ultrafire WF-602C flashlight, which has some of the worst PWM I’ve seen. It’s so bad that I used a post about it to explain PWM! Here are multiple timescales (10ms, 5ms, 2ms, 1ms, 0.5ms, 0.2ms) to make comparing this “worst” PWM light to the test light easier. That post also explains why I didn’t test the WF-602C at the usual 50us scale.
User Interface and Operation
First and most important to mention for operating the Wurkkos TD03 tactical flashlight is this tailcap. This cap rotates to three positions. Off, On, and Tactical.
The second means of operating the Wurkkos TD03 tactical flashlight is this tail switch. The switch can work even when the TD03 is in the off position!
The e-switch pad is quite large, probably metal, and has great action.
Here’s a user interface table!
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Rotary Off | Click | No action |
| Rotary Off | Hold | Strobe |
| Rotary off | Rotate switch to Group 1 | On |
| Rotary in “Group 1” (Wurkkos calls this the “Stepped” mode) | Click | Mode advance (LMHT) |
| Rotary Group 1 or Group 2 | Rotate switch to Off | Off |
| Rotary Group 1 | Rotate Switch to Group 2 | Turbo |
| Rotary Group 2 (Wurkkos calls this the “Tactical” mode) | Click | Iterate between Turbo and Medium |
| Any (any) | Hold | Momentary Strobe |
LED and Beam
Wurkkos chose a Luminus SFT-40 at 5000K for the TD03. It’s a nice choice. High power, good throw – great for a tactical light.
That domeless emitter is coupled with a smooth reflector.
A probably-stainless bezel rounds out the front of this light. The bezel is a bit toothy, but not aggressive. It’s also removable!
LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)
CCT comes in at around 4800-5700K. CRI is low, at under 70.
Beamshots
These beamshots always have the following settings: f8, ISO100, 0.3s shutter, and manual 5000K exposure. These photos are taken at floor level, and the beam hits the ceiling around 9 feet away.
Tint vs BLF-348 (KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b version) (affiliate link)
I keep the test flashlight on the left and the BLF-348 reference flashlight on the right.
I compare everything to the KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b BLF-348 because it’s inexpensive and has the best tint!
Summary and Conclusion
Again, I love the Wurkkos TD03 tactical flashlight! It’s a sort of surprising winner for me – I know Wurkkos makes nice lights but I really like the tail rotary action! I don’t need a tactical light too often, but this one is compelling even as an EDC option, too! Finally, I really appreciate that it’s 5000K (ish) and even more that the bezel is not glued in!
The Big Table
| Wurkkos TD03 tactical flashlight | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Luminus SFT-40 (5000K) |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $30.99 |
| Cell: | 1×18650 |
| Runtime Graphs | |
| LVP? | Yes |
| Switch Type: | E-Switch |
| Quiescent Current (mA): | ? |
| On-Board Charging? | Yes |
| Charge Port Type: | USB-C |
| Charge Graph | |
| Power off Charge Port | No |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 1800 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 935 (51.9% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen | 27.11 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 353 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 843lux @ 5.057m = 21558cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 293.7 (83.2% of claim)^ |
| Claimed CCT | 5000 |
| Measured CCT Range (K) | 4800-5600 Kelvin |
| Item provided for review by: | Wurkkos |
| All my Wurkkos reviews! | |
^ Measurement disclaimer: 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 I like
- Great build quality
- Low cost
- Interesting tailcap rotary selector
- USB-C charging
What I don’t like
- Just four modes
Notes
- This content originally appeared at zeroair.org. Please visit there for the best experience!
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