Thorfire TK05 Review

Light provided by Thorfire for review

amazon link (affiliate) - Amazon.com

Ok! so it has been a long time since I’ve done a review! so lets knock the rust off with a look at the Thorfire TK05

Manufacturer’s Specs:
CREE XPG3 Led: with life span of 20+ years
Size: 3.5inch(Length)*0.75 inch(Body diameter)
Weight: 1.48 oz (excluding battery)
Color Temperature: 5350-5700K
Single Side Switch for on/off and output selection
High efficiency lens

TK05 flashlight utilizes the CREE XPG3 LED and delivers a max 600 Lumen output when powered by a 14500 battery. Color temperature is neutral white: 5350-5700K.
Compatible with a single, common, AA battery, or one 14500 rechargeable battery (Not Included).
The TK05 is small and Lightweight, length 3.5 inch, weight 1.48 oz (excluding battery). With a removable clip, it is suitable for everyday carry.
Made from Aircraft-Grade Aluminum, Waterproof and Skid-Proof Design, A perfect item for outdoor sports
ThorFire backs it’s products with an 18 month warranty. If you encounter any question or issue contact us and we will be happy to serve you. The ThorFire goal is 100% customer satisfaction.

My Youtube Review:

The Fashion Show:

TK05 - What is it?

The TK05 is a relatively new offering from Thorfire. It is a multi-chemistry AA flashlight that can support Alkaline, lithium, and recharge NIMH batteries. This configuration is very popular as it offers a wide variety of battery options to suit the users needs. The light utilizes a side switch to turn the light on and off as well as change the modes. It is a 3 mode flashlight with a hidden strobe mode. The TK05 uses the XP-G3 LED

User Interface:

A simple click of the side switch turns the light on. From there clicking will cycle between the 3 main modes. Double click will bring you to the hidden strobe mode. A long press of the switch turns the light off. The light can be locked out from accidental power ups by turning the tailswitch sligthly.

Output/Performance:

The TK05 will output differently depending on the battery used. With a 14500 you can expect 13/100/600 lumens. With a NIMH rechargeable you can expect around 13/100/275 lumens.

I did several runtime tests that you can see in my youtube review. What I found was this on high mode the NIMH ran for about 45 minutes with a very regulated and even output. With a 14500 battery the light stepped down after 3 minutes to an output of about 100 lumens. At this point the light slowly dimished over the next 3 hours. Upon completion the 14500 was at 2.75v. I ended the test because I didn’t want to over discharge the battery. The light does not appear to have any low voltage protection.

Beam Shots:

The TK05 puts out a cool white beam with a very organized hot spot. The focus is not perfect, but pretty good for this price point.

Lets take a closer look:












Construction:

The TK05 is a simple 3 piece tube construction flashlight that consists of a tailcap, battery tube, and head. The threads are smooth and arrived adequately lubed and anodized. The light is o-ring sealed at the junctions. There is a lanyard hole on the tail cap that is large enough to fit paracord lanyards. The pocket clip is removeable and quite sturdy. No problems with carrying it in the pocket. The side switch is metal and stands proud of the battery tube. Mine was very sensitive and turned on in my pocket frequently, requiring me to keep the light in mechanical lockout whenever I carried it. The head has a glass lens, and an orange peel reflector as well as the XP-G3 led.

Overall the light is built well, and doesn’t have any fit or finish issues. My only major complaint is the side switch. I hate having to lockout a light that I carry daily.

Value:

We often don’t address this as reviewers. And it’s time for that to stop. The TK05 is priced at around $20-25.00USD at this time. It is priced significantly lower than the high end multi-chemistry AA lights such as Olight or Klarus, and is priced slightly higher than other lights such as the Utorch UT01. The TK05 falls right in the middle of the pack when it comes to price, but also puts out an impressive amount of lumens. The huge benefit to the TK05 is that you can buy at at Amazon.com and have it at your door in 2 days. Considering the build quality and features I would say this light is adequately priced.

Final Thoughts:

Multi-Chemistry AA lights are a popular amongst the EDC crowd. 14500 cells allow you to access the 600 lumen mode with this light, and also provide a greater operating temperature than Alkaline batteries, which makes this a relatively good light to have stashed away in your glove box. But if you don’t want to mess with Lithium cells this light performs well with NIMH Rechargeables. When I look at the light there are 2 annoyances that stand out to me. The first being the sensitivity of the side switch. I hate having to mechanically lockout a flashlight that I am keeping in my pocket. I would rather just click and go. The second is the lack of any quick access to turbo or strobe. The flashlight has mode memory, which is great, but if you are going to have a side switch you might as well go all the way and have an E-switch with a nice UI that allows you more access from the off position. But on the other hand, for the beginner this lack of features could be quite appealing. Many times in the world of flashlights, simple is often better.

This light is plenty tough enough to survive the rigors of EDC and other hard use. It is built well and I don’t see any shortcomings with the construction. The test for me when reviewing a flashlight is to answer this simple question. If I lost this light, would I puchase another? In this case the answer is no. And that answer is not because of any issues with the light itself, but my own personal carry style dictates carrying a light with instant access to strobe. I find myself favoring lights that have a dual switch design for everyday carry.

Another question I always ask myself is whether or not I would recommend the light to a friend. In this case I absolutely would. I would be very confident recommending this light to people who are budget minded or just getting into lithium cells. The light is simple enough that anyone can learn to use it in a matter of a few seconds, and wont be frustrated with a complicated UI that some of the competition has. When I consider lights to recommend to people I look at the availability of the light, availability of batteries, safety, and performance. In this case the light is available on amazon, can use a huge variety of batteries, and is not in any danger of starting fires or scalding someone if left on turbo/high mode, and for the average non-flashlight geek this is going to be amazingly bright to them. Considering most of the population still thinks that a 40 lumen maglite is very bright, the TK05 would blow the socks off most people. This light meets all the criteria for a light I would recommend to others.

So in the end I think the TK05 is a nice mid-grade AA flashlight. It is simple, easy to use, and safe for beginners. You may get frustrated with the side switch, and it may activate frequently if you keep it in your pants pocket. It’s alot of lumens in a tiny package, and carries very well in a pocket.

Thanks for the review!

I personally prefer tailcap switches over side switches, especially when it comes to an EDC light. I hate parasitic drain, electric lock-outs and accidentally turning on flashlights in my pocket.

I`m probably a little old-school maybe? 3- or 4 modes, tailcap switch...done.

Yes, I find that a light with only a side switch is not ideal for EDC. Something like the TK18 with an on/off tailcap switch is much better. Perhaps they sacrificed that to minimize the size of the TK05.

I’m really enjoying the klarus xt1c and the on the road u16 for edc now. I was all about the AA but am warming up to 16340.

But it’s also winter so I’m coat pocket carrying an 18650.

Carrying the Thorfire tk18 now. Really like the ramping ui.