NITECORE Tiny Monster TM26 QuadRay 3500 Lumen Quad CREE XM-L LED Reviews

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List Price: $499.00
Sale Price: $319.95
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I have always wanted a good flashlight that can be brighter than a regular flashlight. I have taken it out into the woods and it really lights up your path very well (even on its lower settings). The quality construction, materials and design are amazing (especially for its size). It comes neatly packed inside a nice compact cardboard box that has flexible foam dividers inside to protect it from getting damaged. Along with the accessories the lanyard comes with a thin piece of string which you can use to pull the lanyard through the loop on the bottom of the flashlight. At first I thought that I was going to be stuck with a below average velcro belt loop (on the holster) for attaching to a belt. But I was pleased to find that it has a permanent belt loop underneath (the velcro belt loop) which is much stronger and safer since it would be less likely to end up falling off the belt.

The Tiny Monster is the name commonly used with this model series and is currently the smallest and brightest yet by Nitecore. It has five different brightness modes which are Lower (3 Lumens), Low (95 Lumens), Medium (540 Lumens), High (1,700 Lumens) and Turbo (3,500 Lumens). It also has a Strobe mode (Which is very disorienting), an SOS mode and a Beacon mode. All its operational functions are controlled by using a patented multifunctional single switch which allows for easy one-handed control. This is accomplished by using a camera style switch (half and full press function). One full press will turn it on to turbo. If you hold the power button down for more than a second it will turn off as soon as you let go (Momentary Mode Applies for both half and full press). If you press the power button half way you can toggle through the different brightness settings. If you press and hold the power button (half way down) for one second it will jump to turbo mode. Then another half press will cause it to jump back to the previous brightness setting you had before. To turn the flashlight off in any mode just press the power button down all the way. To get into Strobe, SOS or Beacon mode turn on the flashlight and then do 2 quick full presses then half presses to toggle. It has an OLED display on it which will tell you the core temperature of the flashlight, which mode you are on (and how many lumens), the battery status (and voltage) as well as how much runtime you have (for the brightness setting you are on). The flashlight can run on two different kinds of batteries four 18650s or eight CR123s. It takes approximately 7 hours to charge four 18650 batteries (Must be protected rechargeable lithium batteries) . In emergency situations it can run on less than four 18650s or eight CR123s. However, it is not recommended to use less batteries on turbo mode. Because the extreme drain on a few batteries can be too much for them to handle and could lead to them exploding. It has a thermal protection system built into the flashlight so that when it reaches a core temperature of 60 degrees celsius (It will reach this temperature after about 5 to 10 minutes on turbo) it will automatically drop down to the next lower output to lower the temperature. I have run mine up to 80 degrees (which is the hottest temperature recommendation) and it dispersed the heat very well. It is also completely waterproof up to 2 meters and impact resistant up to 1.5 meters. It uses Four CREE XM-L U2 LEDs which have a burn expectancy of up to 50,000 hours. Its integrated "Precision Digital Optics Technology" provides extreme reflector performance allowing the beam to go up to a distance of 415 meters. The reflectors are also protected by stainless steel bezel rings. The glass (in front of the LEDs) is a toughened dual-side-coated mineral glass, with ultra-clear anti-reflective technology, ensuring maximum optical efficiency and light transmittance. On a good set of four 18650 batteries the runtime on its brightest setting will last up to 1 hour and its least brightest is up to 1,000 hours. The flashlight comes with a holster, AC charger, lanyard, (spare) O-Ring, (spare) waterproof plug (for the charging port) and a manual. The flashlight is constructed of a HAIII military grade hard anodized aerospace-grade aluminum alloy and is currently the smallest 3,500 lumen flashlight in the world. I also made a video of it in action and put it on youtube. Its called "Nitecore TM26 3,500 Lumen Flashlight Demonstration" check it out and let me know what you think!

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If you are after a flashlight with a tactical mode this is a very good value; otherwise its pretty expensive.

The Good:

A bunch of brightnesses and modes.

3 lumen mode useful if you don't want to call attention to your movements or mess up your night vision.

3500 lumen is a good Tactical light for temporary incapacitating people.

Easy to get into Tactical mode.

Excellent quality construction

Waterproof to 2M (6.5').

Easy recharge port.

1/4 20 standard tripod or hot shoe adapter receiver for camera attachment.

Blinking blue LED around the control makes it easy to find in the dark.

Well built nylon holster.

Informative LCD display.

Can use rechargeable batteries.

The Bad:

A bunch of brightnesses and modes; control is a single button that you either push half way or all the way makes it difficult to remember how to get into infrequently used modes and to select the intensity.

Weird form factor; the square head is 2.24', the flash is 5.6" long, the body that contains the batteries is ~2" in diameter, in other words short and stout.

Heavy ~20.5 oz with CR123 batteries.

Only the Nitecore 18650 batteries are rechageable and recommended at $75 for 4.

The Ugly:

The 3500 lumen Tactical light is an incapacitating weapon and using it on someone is assault in many jurisdictions, and justifies the use of deadly force against you.

The holster takes some getting used to for quick draw.

There a bunch of modes; strobe, beacon etc. that are hard to get into and out of and IME aren't real useful.

7 Hours to recharge using the flashlight is a real long time.

If you are on call emergency personnel you will need a second set of rechargeable batteries and a charger ~$160.

If you inadvertently point it at a window/mirror, your self or someone else in either the 1750 or 3500 lumen modes you will be temporarily blinded.

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I almost kicked myself when I bought this light because of its high cost. Since I bought it and have used it for a while, I have gotten over the shock of having bought something that is way, way more than I need. In a word, I love this flashlight and use it all the time, sometimes just for the sake of using it. The light levels are easy to cycle through once you get used to the "half press" method of doing so, and on the higher levels, this little light really does dissipate heat quite well. The light is heavy, but its compact size make it very easy and convenient to handle. The separate information window and offers more and better info than the usual light codes that one has to decipher and remember with other lights. All in all, this is a very powerful, convenient and well thought out light that I highly recommend to anyone who wants a powerful light. It is very expensive but it is something you will use, whether you need to or not.

Honest reviews on NITECORE Tiny Monster TM26 QuadRay 3500 Lumen Quad CREE XM-L LED

It's amazing. Like floodlight. In darkness it lights up the whole area. Its best of engineering and top notch quality.

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I bought three of these sets for two sons and myself. We have all been having a blast with them. This thing is the brightest light I have ever held in my hand and performs impeccably. One son put it through the paces by using it continuously until it discharged, monitoring temperature, time remaining, etc and it matched the company claims.