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Bought this specifically for use on canoe/kayak expeditions, various camping trips, and general use around the house. The relatively compact size (for a light of this brightness) and, most important, IPX8 rating were the major determining factors leading to my ultimate decision of purchase. First the cons, then the pros. A few minor "cons" which I intend to relay to the manufacturer: 1. This has the very desirable ability to charge the batteries within the flashlight if the user desires; however, the rubber plug used to seal the charging port seems rather "flimsy", leaving one to question sealing ability after repeated use, or be concerned about the plug breaking off and getting lost. Nitecore includes a spare plug, but I have elected to minimize charging with the batteries installed because of this. Recently, some manufacturers have elected to use a sort of magnetic charging pad, thereby eliminating the need for a port and concern about additional avenue of water ingress. 2. Anything with the ability to produce 4000 lumens of light is going to put out some heat. I feel that Nitecore has done an excellent job engineering the electronics for thermal protection. In "Turbo" mode (4000 lumens), the light automatically reduces output once the unit reaches 60 degrees Celsius. With that said, even at 1900 lumens for an extended period, the electronics are completely safe, but the body is still too hot for the user to comfortably handle. At 1900 lumens, the temperature of the unit exceeds 50C ( 120F). Any household water heater will come with the warning that temperatures in excess of 125F (52C) can cause scalding/3rd degree burns. Undoubtedly, the heat migrating from the head to the body is the compromise that must be made to keep the overall design compact, but I feel that a slight increase in head size would be the better tradeoff. Doing so would allow for more cooling fin area, allowing for more effective heat dissipation. I would hazard a guess that the majority of users employing this type of light enjoy the compact length, and anything else with this level of brightness usually already has a huge head. Nitecore could slightly increase the head size to better address the heat migration problem. This would still maintain the compact length, and the head could still be smaller than the majority of anything else on the market capable of producing this amount of lumens. Now, the "pros" of this light which allow me to give it a 5 star rating (despite the cons): 1. The beam produced represents an excellent balance between width and distance. If I want a floodlight or a long distance searchlight, I purchase it knowing it excels in one area while doing poorly in another. The beam produced by the TM26 is the best compromise I have encountered yet from a factory light. Then again, I'm not a "torch enthusiast", so my research is limited to only what I have borrowed or owned. 2. The ability to mount this light to my camera tripod is a HUGE benefit for my circumstances. Quite often, we are on unfamiliar (to us) rivers, and many is the time that the sun is down before finding a suitable overnight camping spot. Setting up camp in unfamiliar terrain in the dark is never fun. I simply mount the light to the tripod to light the area while pitching tents, etc. Many would argue, "That's what headlamps are for!" True, but a headlamp only lights the area to which the user's face is directed; with the TM26 mounted on the tripod, I can keep that area lit up until the work is done. Additionally, I have modified a tripod mount to place the light on the bow of a canoe for nighttime navigation down a lazy river (very handy for those trips where we're running behind schedule and trying to make up for lost time). 3. The multiple brightness settings allow extended battery life by using only the amount of brightness needed. I don't run my automobile at wide-open-throttle unless I need it, and the concept with a flashlight is the same. 4. The various modes (SOS, strobe, beacon) can be handy. The one most important to me is the beacon; I have used it several times to find my way back to the tent after a middle-of-the-night "bathroom excursion". Also comes in handy keeping a boat identifiable at night. 5. IPX8 rating. This has been dropped in a shallow ditch while walking the dog at night. I had it on a low setting (230 lumens). Light continued to work fine. Additionally, the canoe tipped over in some rapids on one trip (novice operator in the front). Water was only 3 ft, but light suffered no ill effect. By no means is this light made to survive a drop into a deep lake or to be used as a diving light, but it will survive those instances when "stuff happens". Keep in mind my concern about repeated use of the charging port plug. Overall, I consider the TM26 an excellent value, and would recommend it to anyone needing best bang-for-the-buck in a bright yet compact general purpose light.Read full review
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Amazing light, small but rather heavy. But the light output is insane.. like having the power of a car Xenon highbeam at the controll of your hands.. BUY IT and be amazed.
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So compact and really powerful. Battery can last an insane amount of time on the lowest setting. Very durable and good quality product. Happy with my purchase.
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another great flashlight from nitecore
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the "games" that you can do with this toy in the basement photographs are incredible. FANTASTIC
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