COMPARISON: Wurkkos TS10 v. FWAA

LED Flashlights – General Info 1 x AA / 1 x 14500 Flashlights
1

Just received my Wurkkos TS10 cool white, black anodizing with ice blue aux leds.

Here are my preliminary impressions of the TS10, with comments comparing to the FWAA:

  • Build quality - excellent. No issues, but I just got the light so haven’t had time to really test. The light feels solid and well built.
  • Hand feel (how comfortable and secure the light feels in the hand) - poor. The TS10 is even more slippery than an FWAA. No knurling, but the light has a few ridges which help a little. It feels enormously less secure in the hand than lights with more knurling like the Sofirn SP10 or Eagtac D25A. It’s good enough but there is always a bit of feeling that it could squirt out of the hand. It’s ok, but I’d probably have liked the body design a bit more if there was some knurling or more aggressive ridges on the head and tail. Also, the gentle fluting of the body tube to the tailcap does not produce as secure a hold for a cigar grip compared to the FWAA.
  • Body shape - the FWAA follows the same body shape as the FW3A: A small tail with sharp indent to the body, then a gradual flute out to a longer head. This makes it easy to tell the head from the tail by feel. In contrast, the head and tail of the TS10 are closer in size and the concave body tube doesn’t tell you by feel which end of the light you’re holding. I suspect it will be much easier to grab the light in a pocket and accidentally push on the head rather than the button compared to the FWAA. The FWAA’s body shape is more intuitive and superior in this respect.
  • Size - phenomenal. The TS10 thing is tiny! Compared to the FWAA, the TS10 is approximately 1mm wider and 3mm shorter (72mm long compared to 75mm). The TS10 is smaller than the FWAA and one of the smallest 14500 sized lights around.
  • Beam - phenomenal. Either owing to the choice of emitters or optic, the beam is significantly more focused than an FWAA. This is still a floody light, but the beam shape feels more like that on an FW3A than an FWAA. The optic appears to be different than an FWAA even though the diameter of the optic looks about the same. In terms of tint and CRI this is also probably the best “cool white” light I’ve ever seen. Previous reports of 5500K and 99 CRI sound about right.
  • Output - excellent. Despite its overall lower lumens than an FWAA, the more focused beam keeps the TS10’s hotspot looking quite bright. That said, in a rough ceiling bounce test I do think my FWAAs with 4000K 95-CRI SST20s are noticeably brighter. Figure maybe 1400 lumens out-the-front for the FWAA compared to 1000 lumens for the TS10.
  • Features - excellent. Anduril 2 with aux leds in a ridiculously tiny package. What’s not to like.
  • Switch - very good. The switch is noticeably crisper and requires more pressure to activate than an FWAA’s switch. It’s even better than an FWAA’s switch with o-ring mod. It really feels like Wurrkos put some effort into getting the switch just right before releasing this light. This is still a light with a tailcap electronic switch…. accidental pocket activation is still possible unless lockout is used. However, the switch stiff enough and the light is small enough that I would feel comfortable pocket-carrying it without lockout. Personally, I think the TS10’s switch is noticeably better than the FWAA’s.
  • Clip - average to below average. I’m not a fan of 2-way clips. Especially like this one where there isn’t enough of a lip to slip the light over a pants pocket without using your other other hand to lift up the edge of the clip. Slip-on clips are also inherently less secure than ring-clips like on the FWAA. Also, there isn’t an option to buy an aftermarket deep-carry clip like with the FWAA. That said, if there ever was a light to stick on a ball cap as an impromptu headlight this is it. The tension in the clip itself is quite good. While being a 2-way clip, this one doesn’t stick out obnoxiously far. I expect the risk of the extra bend getting caught on stuff in a pocket is fairly low.
  • Price - excellent. This light is cheaper than an FWAA while having a better set of features.

Other notes:

  • It tailstands perfectly
  • It accepts both flat-top and button-top 14500s. (I tested mine with flat top and button top Vapcell H10s)
  • I did not test for parasitic drain.
  • Ice Blue aux leds were too bright for me in high mode, but are fine in low mode. Brightness of the two modes seemed similar to the aux brightness settings of the Emisar D4v2.
  • When choosing aux led color, it may be worth considering parasitic drain. For example green aux leds will probably be the brightest followed by ice blue. Red will probably be the dimmest. If you choose red and then find yourself running the aux leds at high power the battery will likely drain faster than if you pick green and run at low power.

My preliminary impression: The TS10 is a fantastic little light. It is better than an FWAA, both overall and in most of its features. The only things the FWAA does better are:

  • Selection of stock clips (I might be a bit biased here since my FWAAs are all wearing deep-carry 2-way clips that have been modded to be one-way clips).
  • Selection of exotic materials (titanium, copper, etc.). Hopefully Wurrkos will consider making a Ti or Ti-Cu version of this light.
  • Selection of color temps. Currently the TS10 is only available in cool white and 4000K neutral white.
  • Modability - the FWAA’s star is sized for standard XP sized leds giving it more options for modding than the TS10. The TS10’s tailcap and bezel are threadlocked. That said, some nod was made to modability in the design of the TS10: It has flashing pads on the back of the star for easy reflashing. Also, they used blue threadlocker instead of red, so modders should be able to access the internals.
3 Thanks
2

I appreciate your breakdown. Very practical details and descriptions. I have one coming in 4000K, but you are the third person I’ve read comments from that mentions how good the tint on the 5800K version is. Not sure if I want to wait for other body colors to come out, or just bite the bullet and order one now….decisions, decisions…

3

Firelight2 glad you like the beam of the TS10, I also like the TS10 beam better than the too floody FWAA

fwiw, the TS10 uses less parts in the tail (no retaining ring, no spring, no hard plastic button in the middle of the rubber button)

than the FWAA

The TS10 also omits a lens over the optic.

I agree the TS10 switch is less easy to trigger, so I also like it better.

personally I prefer the form factor of the TS10, for me the FWAA is too much like a bowling pin, and cigar grip is not as secure. I flip the FWAA body to improve cigar retention.

I really like the Aux lights on the TS10 (mine are red), on lowest mode they are sufficient to find the light on my nightstand, and also to recognize which end is the head, by sight in the dark. I would not use the highest mode of the aux lights, as they will kill the battery in less than a week. Whereas the low mode lasts almost a year.

I also like the neutral tint (not green) of the 5500K TS10, however the Red Rendering is not as good as a Nichia. The CSP leds can be swapped for E21a if desired.

BallZac posted his E21a modded TS10 here

I agree the FWAA has a higher maximum, but to me that is irrelevant, since it is so brief, and thermal step down drops output instantly. The thermally sustainable output for both hosts is similar, about 300 lumens. And the TS10 beam is more focused, so the Lux is higher than on the FWAA.

fwiw, zumlin put a FWAA mcpcb into a TS10, but for me that is not helpful, because he had to use the FWAA optic… Unfortunately the TS10 optic does not fit the FWAA mcpcb

4

One thing I noticed about the build quality / pocket clip - the clip rubs the head when unscrewing to change the battery.

1 Thank
5

Having tried the TS10 a bit more, one thing that stands out is how slippery this light is.

It’s hard to get a really secure feeling grip because:

  • Compared to the FWAA there is no pronounced lip at the tail of the light preventing the light from falling out of the hand in cigar grip.
  • There’s no knurling on the head or tail for better handshake grip. The few flutes and ridges are noticeably inferior to knurling.
  • The light is so small and stubby there’s just not much light to grab on to.

This light is the slipperiest light I’ve gotten in years. I might name mine “Squirtle” for how it feels like it might squirt out of my hand.

I’m currently trying a couple stripes of Talon Grip tape on the center portion of the light for added grip, but even with that it still feels too slippery. I might add some more at the head and tail.

6

Maybe some sort of anti slip tape can work better? Like the ones used on the floor. It may be harsher for the hands and clothes, though.

7

I think you must be a really Knurly Guy… lol

different perspective

My TS10 experience is not squirty at all… the waistline makes for a very nice, balanced, secure, cigar grip.

Much more secure than a stock FWAA cigar grip, which tries to squirt out of my fingers due to the flare at the head end, making the waist of the FWAA uncentered and the balance head heavy.

I like the TS10 beam, switch pressure, and form factor, better than my FWAA. Plus the TS10 aux lights are a really nice locator feature, that the FWAA lacks.

1 Thank
8

Wrap a rubber band around it for grip?

9

Cigar grip is when the body tube of the light is held poking out between the index and middle fingers, with the thumb on the tailcap button.

With this kind of grip on an FWAA the flare at the head of an FWAA is irrelevant to grip since you’re only touching the back half of the light. Does it feel unbalanced holding a light this way? … a bit, especially for ones with copper heads. But FWAA is so small weight isn’t much of an issue.

This is also why there’s a sharp indent going from the tailcap to the body tube on the FWAA and FW3A. That indent is intended to catch on your fingers to prevent the light from sliding forward out of your hand when you press the button.

I notice you reverse your body tubes on your FWAAs Jon_Slider, so you do not get this sharp indent at the tail. Result is cigar grip on an FWAA may be a bit less secure for you than a stock unmodded FWAA.

In the TS10, the sharp indent from the tailcap to the body tube is not present. Instead there’s a gentle incline both directions. This is aesthetically pleasing, but the gentle incline is less likely to catch on the fingers when the button is depressed. Result is the light just feels less secure in cigar grip.

In a handshake grip the light is held in the palm of the hand facing forward like a side-switch light. Knurling makes the biggest difference for handshake grip, and the TS10 basically has none.

10

Thanks for the write up. The fwaa does look much better.

11

not my experience.

I find the opposite is true
with the flare at the tail, cigar grip does not squirt forward. I also find it more comfortable than the steep ridge at the tail, when the tube is not reversed.

Plus, the waist of the FWAA becomes centered when the body is reversed to put the flare towards the tail, so the light is more balanced.

.

1 Thank
12

I think aesthetically, my titanium and ti-cu FWAA do look a lot prettier than my black aluminum TS10.

However, the TS10 has many features that just make it an overall better light:

  • better button
  • better beam pattern and better stock leds
  • aux leds
  • more compact
  • more recent firmware that includes features the FWAA lacks like protection against accidental pocket ramp-up.
13

what feature do you mean?

afaict, an UnLocked FWAA has a feature that if the button is held down (as if in a pocket with accidental activation), for about 8 seconds total, the light will ramp all the way up to ceiling (which is why I use a safe ceiling), and then automatically ramp all the way down to the floor, and a moment or two later, the light Locks itself.

I definitely consider my Fancy Metal FWAAs prettier than my Black Ano TS10.

afaik, Sofirn has never made fancy metal lights, I even recall them saying their equipment cannot handle Ti and Copper, so I have Zero hope of a Fancy Metal TS10. I would definitely buy it if they did offer Ti or Copper.

14

Yes, that’s the feature.

The FWAA lacks this feature as it wasn’t present on earlier versions of Anduril 2. I tested mine this morning and it ramped all the way up and stayed there.

The TS10’s more up-to-date firmware has the protective feature: it ramps all the way up, pauses for a couple seconds, then ramps down and locks.

EDIT: I just double-checked and stand corrected. Both the FWAA and TS10 have this feature.

15

A have an update which seemed to fit in this old but great thread.

I went through four FWAAs before I got one which seems to have been built with some quality control and so far seems dependable. The too easy to accidentally activate switch is the worst issue with this light.

On the other hand, the T10 I got a few days later seems better built and is much less prone to accidental activations.

Counting accidental activations, both lights have about the same use. And each light has its included 14500; 800 mAh for the FWAA and 900 mAh for the T10.

Using the built in feature of battery check I noticed the FWAA showed 3.4 volts. Whereas, even with the auxiliary LEDs of the T10 constantly on low, it’s battery reads 3.7 volts.

With batteries switched, each light worked correctly and respectively shows 3.5 volts and 3.7 volts.

16

I was never interested in a FWAA

  • a good LED choice right from the beginning
  • flash pins
  • PRICE

This are the points which make me buy a TS10.

There was an unusual number of good reviews saying this light is good. More than an AA size light normally get.
Nice tint, no green, high CRI
A bit of reach on Turbo

And flash pins are a feature I really want on a Andúril light. Every time I think there are no more functions possible @ToyKeeper adds one! e.g. The newest revision has a low battery warning for single color AUX LEDs which would be nice for the TS10.
It is easier to fix FW-bugs. You can have exactly the same User Interface on all Andúril lights. You can make your settings survive a factory reset.

Since I have normally bad luck with 14500 light and tend to don’t like them it shouldn’t be expensive.

So indoors and around the house this my most used light at the moment.

1 Thank
17

Have a recent TS10 and an older FW3A. No complaints about either of them. But according to the latest comments it seems Lumintop is cutting corners all the way to the bank. So I would put my eggs in the Wurkkos basket.

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18

Perhaps I should get a TS10 sometime. It seems nicer than the FWAA. Neither one is really what I want though. Would rather have a single-emitter 1xAA light like the SP10 Pro, but with a nice 219B sw45k inside, a tail e-switch, a nice one-way clip, and a thin body. Like, instead of an entire inner tube for the switch, it could probably just carry the signal through a ribbon in a narrow channel of the body tube.

19

Eagtac D25a has a nice clip, and is one of the thinnest tail clicky AA lights I have tried.

but it is not eSwitch, and you cannot buy it with sw45k, LED would need to be swapped.

As far as the TS10 and FWAA, I prefer the beam of the TS10, because it is half as floody,
https://i.imgur.com/MYMOW4E.jpg
and I prefer the switch of the TS10 because it has double the resistance of the stock FWAA switch. I also prefer the symmetry of the TS10 waistline, and the TS10 also has flashing pads…

otoh
The TS10 LEDs match the E21a footprint, not 219b compatible. The latest TS10 in Brass offers 3000K CCT, but the aluminium models so far, are only 4000K or 5500K.

The TS10 has no retaining ring for the tailswitch, and no lens over the Tir… The TS10 pocket clip is not fully captive, and it has a protrusion on the body side that snags when sliding over a pocket. It is a terrible choice for a pocket clip.

I use a Lumintop EDC05 pocket clip, that works much better:
https://i.imgur.com/XawcFXp.jpg

20

… yeah, we’ve talked about the D25A before. I have a couple, and even did a review here a while back. It’s a great size and shape, but I would have to replace almost everything inside the tube. And I’m not big on hardware modding.

I doubt I’ll buy a TS10, since I’m swimming in flashlights. But it does seem like a good option for a 14500 light.

For now, I’m pretty happy with my KR4 Ti sw45k. It’s a bit larger and heavier than I’d like, but is otherwise really close to ideal.