Nextorch TA22 20th Anniversary Penlight Review
The Nextorch TA22 20th anniversary penlight runs on a single 10880 (included) and has a tail e-switch with a rotary mode selector. Read on!
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a referral link to the Nextorch TA22 20th anniversary penlight product page.
Versions
I see just one version of the Nextorch TA22 20th anniversary penlight, but there’s a non-anniversary TA22, too. I would imagine they all have the same emitter and specifications.
Price
The Nextorch TA22 20th anniversary penlight sells for $79.95 and is available now.
What’s Included
- Nextorch TA22 20th anniversary penlight
- Nextorch 650mAh 10880 battery
- Charging cable
- Lanyard
- 20th anniversary coin
- Manual and papers
Package and Manual
Build Quality and Disassembly
The Nextorch TA22 20th anniversary penlight is similar to other Nextorch penlights, such as the K30, K33-UV, and Dr. K32. This light is more tactical, in some regards, at least because of the rotary selector and mode options that it provides.
The build quality among them all is great. I like this light better because of the more “Nextorch” style pocket clip and the grid knurling. But they’re all well-built.
Only the head comes off the Nextorch TA22 20th anniversary penlight. The threads are unanodized, and the positive contact is just a button.
This is the 20th anniversary edition, and the light bears markings to indicate that.
Nextorch also includes this commemorative coin. I like it, as I like coins.
Size and Comps
DIMENSIONS: 149mm x 16mm x 14.4mm
WEIGHT: 41g (without battery)
If the flashlight can headstand, I’ll show it here. If it can tailstand, I’ll also show that here!
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 in the photo above, my Standard Reference Material (SRM) flashlight is the Hanko Machine Works Trident, an 18350 light. While I have not reviewed or tested the Gunner Grip version seen here, I have tested a Hanko Machine Works Trident Total Tesseract in brass. I love the Trident, and it’s a striking contrast to the inexpensive Convoy S2+, another great SRM.
Retention and Carry
The Nextorch TA22 20th anniversary penlight uses the Nextorch-style pocket clip. I really love these. We see this style more commonly on the other type of Nextorch lights. The TA21 is a good example of that.
This is really just a standard friction-fit clip; I just happen to like it!
A lanyard is also included. It can attach only through the pocket clip.
Power and Runtime
The Nextorch TA22 20th anniversary penlight is powered by a single 10880 cell, which is included. That’s a bit of a weird size, but since it’s included, we can give it a pass. I am not sure if Nextorch has these cells available for purchase separately.
The cell goes into the light in the usual orientation – positive end (button) toward the head.
This is a 4.2V cell, too – so while it’s probably two 10440 cells end to end, they are not connected in series. Because of that, you should not just drop two 10440 cells in the light (individually), because that’s over 8V, and will almost certainly kill the light.
The temperature lines in these charts are included as general context, not precise measurements. The values represent the range (min to max) during testing, but should not be taken as exact readings. Temperature sensors are attached however feasible and not always on the bezel or hottest spot (assuming that can even be clearly defined). Even with ideal placement, too many variables affect temperature to definitively state a specific max value.
The manual does not seem to mention that the Nextorch TA22 20th anniversary penlight will run on two AAA cells.
Charging
The Nextorch TA22 20th anniversary penlight itself does not have built-in charging, but the included 10880 battery does. There’s a USB-C charging port on the positive end.
Nextorch includes a USB to USB-C charging cable.
Charging via A to C or C to C is fine. Both require around 1.5 hours and charge to around 4.2V.
When charging is complete, a red LED on the positive end of the cell turns blue.
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens | Tailcap Amps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | 850 | 1h | 971 (0s) 872 (30s) |
3.84 |
| Medium | 150 | 2h | 156 (0s) 154 (30s) |
? |
| Low | 15 | 15h | 15 | ? |
Pulse Width Modulation
Each of the three steady modes does have PWM. The lowest mode (left-most) has PWM so slow that I included a second graph so you can see a peak-to-peak scan.
Click here to 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
There are two ways to interact with the Nextorch TA22 20th anniversary penlight. First is this rotary control, which allows you to select Lock, Duty, or Tac (in that order.)
After you’ve made that selection, this tail e-switch controls the on/off for the light.
It’s a two-stage switch, and the stages are a bit hard to distinguish. Or maybe a better way to say it is that it takes practice to hit the first stage without also hitting the second stage (fully depressed.)
Here’s a user interface table!
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off – Rotary in Lock | Any | No change (off). Switch indicates battery level.^ |
| On | Rotate to Lock | Off |
| Off – Rotary in Duty | Half press | “Preview” – Momentary on and repeated half presses advance mode. |
| Off – Rotary in Duty | Full press | On. Seems to be reliably low, but it also depends on the step above – if you’ve previewed to any other mode, it’ll turn on in that mode. (It is not complicated.) |
| On – Rotary in Duty | Half press | Mode advance (LMH) |
| On – Rotary in Duty | Full press | Off |
| Off – Rotary in Tac | Half press | Momentary High |
| Off – Rotary in Tac | Full press | Momentary Strobe |
^ The switch indicates battery level as follows:
Blue: 75-100%
Blue flashing: 50-75%
Red: 25-50%
Red flashing: 0-25%
LED and Beam
Nextorch doesn’t state what emitter is used in the Nextorch TA22 20th anniversary penlight. The emitter does have a small reflector. There are three glass-breaking balls on the bezel, too.
LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)
This emitter is cool white and low CRI. High output, though!
CCT (Correlated Color Temperature) refers to the measurement of the color appearance of light, expressed in Kelvins (K), which indicates whether the light is warm (yellowish) or cool (bluish). A lower CCT (below 3000K) is considered warm light, while a higher CCT (above 5000K) gives cooler, bluish light.
CRI (Color Rendering Index) is a measure of how accurately a light source renders colors in comparison to natural sunlight. Scored on a scale from 0 to 100, higher CRI values indicate that colors appear more true to life and vibrant, similar to how they would look under the sun.
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. These photos are taken around 18 inches from the door.
I compare everything to the KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b BLF-348 because it’s inexpensive and has the best tint!
Summary and Conclusion
First, congratulations to Nextorch on 20 years in the business! I know they’ve made some great lights over the years! I find a 10880 tactical light to be surprising because I can’t imagine a scenario where I’d use a light this size and shape in a tactical scenario. The rotary control is great, though, and I’m pleased that the Duty mode suffices as an EDC mode. Ultimately, this is a good light to support 20 years in the business! And and ok light if you just want a penlight. (But in that case, you’d probably go for the non-Anniversary option, which is around $20 cheaper.)
The Big Table
| Nextorch TA22 20th anniversary penlight | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Unstated white |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $79.95 |
| Cell: | 1×10880 |
| Runtime Graphs | |
| LVP? | Protection on cell |
| Switch Type: | E-Switch |
| Quiescent Current (mA): | ? |
| On-Board Charging? | Yes |
| Charge Port Type: | USB-C (on cell) |
| Charge Graph | |
| Power off Charge Port | – |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 850 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 872 (102.6% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen | |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 95 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 158lux @ 4.725m = 3527cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 118.8 (125.1% of claim)^ |
| Claimed CCT | – |
| Measured CCT Range (K) | 5900-6400 Kelvin |
| Item provided for review by: | Nextorch |
| All my Nextorch 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
- 20th anniversary edition color!
- Duty mode works as an EDC mode
- Indicating switch
- Good two-way switch once you get used to the feel
- Pocket clip
What I don’t like
- Cool white, low CRI
- Doesn’t seem to work with 2xAAA (at least not stated in the manual)
Notes
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