General Purpose Tools

ThorFire PF01 Tactical LED Flashlight

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Compact and lightweight marker pen sized LED flashlight

[NOTE: The PF01 has been replaced by the PF01S. The manufacturer claims it is smaller and brighter. This review is for the PF01, which is no longer being made.]

As a person who is old, relatively speaking, I have witnessed the transformation of flashlight technology from clunky plastic barrels used largely for sucking the life out of expensive batteries in a few minutes, to items of precision-machined aluminum that could practically blind someone if used carelessly.

Shopping for a new flashlight was a favorite activity when I was younger and had more disposable income. A maglite modded with an LED bulb was my preference for quite awhile. A few years ago I picked up a pair of these Thorfire lights and they have been my favorite ever since.

I live out in the redwoods with no street lights and a bright flashlight is important at night, so I use it quite often. I originally purchased the Thorfire because I wanted a good LED flashlight that used a single AAA battery, perfect for pocket carry. It needed to be bright, durable and not too expensive. This flashlight has 3 brightness modes and is very bright on full power. It is light enough to hold in my mouth if I have to get elbow deep in my engine bay and the pocket clip is reversible, so I can mount it to the front of my baseball cap if needed. That feature has proven extremely useful, so much in fact that my headlamp broke I haven’t needed to replace it. This flashlight has a button on the back for one-handed operation as well. It also comes with a crenelated bezel, so you can tell your friends it’s “tactical.”

-- Seth Wilson 11/21/16

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