Flashlights have changed.
When I was a kid, if you wanted a strong flashlight, you had to carry around a big steel monstrosity with a huge Eveready or Rayovac latern battery. For all their size, they really didn’t put out all that much light.
As batteries got better, you could get a light powered by 3 or 4 D-cell batteries. The light was a little better and the batteries were certainly easier to find, but they weren’t light by any measure.
MAGLITE® flashlights came around in the eighties. They combined a lightweight aluminum body that was weather-sealed with some actual thought to bulb configuration and beam shape. They were the light that everyone had to have.
Fast forward 40 years and things have REALLY changed.
One of the strongest examples in the new breed of flashlights is the Fenix TK22 v2.0 light. Not only is the Fenix TK22 about a quarter the size of the 4 D-cell size MAGLITE (and only weighing in at 5.3 ounces), the TK22 pumps out 1600 lumens with a beam throw of a quarter mile! Plus, it’s water resistant to 2 meters.
The Fenix TK22 also uses LED bulb technology. LED bulbs are pretty common nowadays and can even be found in very cheap lights you might find at the gas station, but the important factor for LED bulbs is their durability. Compared to an incandescent bulb that could easily break if you drop the light, LEDs will keep on shining.
The TK22 is marketed as a tactical light and as such, rail mounts to put it on a weapon are available, as are bike mounts. It’s safe to say that the Fenix TK22 would make a great light for shorter nighttime mountain bike rides.
I haven’t used it on rides myself, but I always have it close by for power outages, checking out critters in the back yard at night, finding addresses on houses and more.
The TK22 is part of a full line of lights and accessories from Fenix. Their brightest model pumps out an incredible 12000 lumens and will throw out a beam for half a mile.
Ron is the chief cook and bottlewasher at Bike World News, doing everything from website design to bike reviews.
Websites:
Bike World News
Ron’s Bike Garage
Current Bike Quiver:
Bird Bikes Zero 29 29″ hardtail mountain bike
Commencal Absolut 26″ Dirt Jump/Pump Track bike
Commencal Tempo 29″ full suspension mountain bike
Felt ZA 700c race bike
Kona Kilauea vintage 26″ mountain bike
Niner RLT9 700c road/gravel bike
Specialized Stumpjumper vintage 26″ mountain bike
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