Thrunite T2 Rechargeable Flashlight Review

The Thrunite T2 is a rechargeable Cree XHP70 flashlight that uses a 21700, has an e-switch, and USB-C charging, and more. Read on!

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Official Specs and Features

Here’s a link to the Thrunite T2 rechargeable flashlight product page.

Versions

There’s only one body, but it’s available with both CW and NW (seen here) temperature Cree XHP70 emitter.

Price

These list for the very reasonable price of $65.95.

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Short Review

It’s really a beast. The output is quite high and it’s very nice that the T2 is available in this neutral white output.  A cell is included (aka “complete package”).  USB-C charging at 2A is fantastic.  All in all, I think this is a great package light.

Long Review

The Big Table

Thrunite T2 rechargeable flashlight
Emitter:	Cree XHP70 (but is actually Cree XHP70.2) (Neutral White)
Price in USD at publication time:	$65.95
Cell:	1×21700
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	Lowest two modes (With or without cell)
Claimed Lumens (lm)	3757
Measured Lumens (at 30s)	2688 (71.5% of claim)^
Candela per Lumen	1.9
Claimed Throw (m)	158
Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s)	165lux @ 6.155m = 6251cd
Throw (Calculated) (m)	158.1 (100.1% of claim)^
Claimed CCT	–
Measured CCT Range (K)	4300-4700 Kelvin
Item provided for review by:	Thrunite
All my Thrunite 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’s Included

• Thrunite T2 rechargeable flashlight
• Thrunite 5000mAh 21700 (proprietary – but a regular 21700 works in light if it’s long enough)
• Nylon pouch
• Spare o-rings (2)
• Spare charge port cover (2)
• Lanyard
• Charge cable (USB to USB-C)
• Manual

Package and Manual

Build Quality and Disassembly

Thrunite’s build quality is great.  Also this light is a bit of a chunk in hand – remember it’s a 21700 light (not 18650!).  So the step up from the T1 (which was 18350) to the T2 completely skips the 18650 size.  (Note that the 18650 size is essentially captured in the Wowtac A6 light, though).

The size and shape (and of course the overall build quality) of this light somehow appeals to me.  It lacks the “flashlightyness” of a larger head, but it still fits that niche for me.

The head has minimal depth cooling fins.

The tail has a nice big spring.  The head has only a brass button contact.

The threads on the head end are square-cut, very smooth, and not too long.  It is difficult to remove the head without clicking the switch, but that’s just something you’ll have to deal with.

Size and Comps

Officially: 112mm x 30.5mm x 26mm
Weight: 87g (excluding 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+.  Mine’s a custom “baked” edition Nichia 219b triple.  A very nice 18650 light.

Also above on the left is a new feature light!! Laulima Metal Craft sent this Todai in tumbled aluminum for some size comparison photos like the ones above. Laulima has a  bunch of incredible items. I’ve tested one (the Laulima Metal Craft Hoku) (the official site for Hoku is here) that was a Friend Fund Friday review. I was impressed enough by that Hoku that I bought a Laulima Metal Craft Diamond Slim (also in tumbled aluminum) (review is upcoming!) These lights by Laulima have impeccable build quality and not only that, they’re quite configurable. There are some (great, actually) default configurations, but Joshua Dawson (of Laulima Metal Craft) is open to ideas and emitter options and the like. I haven’t reviewed this Todai, but I have to say, it feels absolutely fantastic and I love it thus far. (Notably, I love how warm and eggy those emitters look through the TIR.)

Retention and Carry

Included (and installed) is a two-way deep carry friction fit pocket clip.  The clip is not reversible and can only go on the tail, but again, it’s a two-way clip.  Bezel down the light is flush with the pocket.  Bezel up, there’s around 1.5″ out of the pocket.  (To wit, there’s no good reason to bother with a two-way clip here, since so much will stick out of the pocket in a bezel-up carry.)

Because of the clip setup, the light could reasonably be used on the bill of a cap (“hatlight”) but overall the light is probably too heavy to do this very well.  But it would work.

Also included is a standard lanyard, which attaches through a hole in the tailcap.

Thrunite provides a nice nylon pouch.  The T2 will fit in either orientation, and there are no holes in the top or bottom for use while in the pouch.

Power and Runtime

The Thrunite T2 rechargeable flashlight is powered by a single lithium-ion cell.  One is provided, seen below.  It’s a 5000mAh 21700, with a proprietary connection on the positive end.  This connection has both positive and negative terminals.  See below but read now: there’s actually no reason for these proprietary connections!

If you wish to use your own 21700 cell, you may do so (it’ll work!) and charging will also work!  You might have to lengthen your standard (flat top) 21700 in some way, though (I tested with two thin magnets, around 2-3mm total).

Below see the plastic shroud around the positive terminal.

The cell fits with the positive end toward the head (which is the normal configuration).

Runtimes can be seen below.  Turbo was claimed at 2 minutes for the high output with a stepdown to around 725 lumens.  I see the stepdown at around 1 minute, but the stepdown is to much higher than 725 – around 1550 lumens.  And the 1550 lumens last very stably for around 1.5 hours.  This is extremely respectable output! Don’t let the long timescale of that green line skew you on those first two (shorter) outputs. They’re still respectable.

Medium is remarkably stable – greater than 300 lumens for over 7 hours.  7.5 hours is the claim, and this is very very close. This is a good performance.

The light does exhibit low voltage protection, around. 2.8-2.9V.  Even before that, the indicating switch will turn red, then blink red to alert the user.

Charging

Also built into the T2 is USB-C charging.  The port is in the head (opposite the switch) and has a press-in rubber cover (there is a spare).  This is a high-quality port – something I don’t say all that often because it’s not always so evident.  The port lines up perfectly with the opening.

There’s also a cable included for charging – USB to USB-C.

Charging proceeds at around 2A (just over, really) and it’s so absolutely consistent that below is actually two charge graphs but just looks like one!  They match perfectly.  Charging is very good.

Charging USB-C to USB-C does work just fine, but it charges only at 5V (not power delivery of 9V or 12V or whatever.)

Modes and Currents

Mode	Mode Claimed Output (lm)	Claimed Runtime	Measured Lumens	Tailcap Amps
Turbo	3757/725	2m/216m	2688	8.42
High	1712/732	3m/223m	1604	3.02
Medium	366	7.5h	358	0.53
Low	30	77h	29.3	0.04
Firefly	0.3	69d	0.3	{low}

Pulse Width Modulation

There’s no PWM on any mode.

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

The Thrunite T2 rechargeable flashlight has a single switch.  It’s an indicating e-switch on the head, and just slightly proud.  The cover is hard (but probably plastic, not metal) – still a great switch.  It’s easy to differentiate between the switch and the charge port cover.

Indication is seen in blue below, but the switch can also indicate red, and “purple” (red and blue switching very fast.)

Here’s a user interface table!

State	Action	Result
Off	Click	On (Mode Memory except for 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	Mode advance (LMH only)
Any	Double Click	Turbo
Any	Triple Click	Strobe

This is the same user interface as other Thrunites.  The T1, for example.

LED and Beam

The emitter in the T2 is a Cree XHP70.2.  Seems like all the documentation says it’s XHP70, but clearly it’s 70.2 (see photo below).  The reflector is a very shallow, lightly orange peel reflector.  You’d expect it to be largely flood, and it is, but there’s still a hotspot.

LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)

Thrunite claims that this T2 version is neutral white. I see a range from around 4300K to around 4500K, which does put this version squarely into the NW category (yay!). CRI is low, at around 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!

Conclusion

What I like

• Complete package light
• Indicating e-switch
• user interface consistency with other Thrunites
• Excellently stable output
• High build quality standard
• NW offered as well as CW

What I don’t like

• Can’t see any good reason to include a proprietary cell

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Notes

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