These guys are the tanks of the flashlight world. They're rough, tough and ready to deal out some damage if needed. They're tactical lights. A purpose built style that happens to be my favorite.
Anyone that knows me understands that my lights don't have a sheltered life, my lights go out in the field with me, they get beat up and abused. I have to rely on them. That's where the Fenix TK15UE has been my champion. But I thought about an upgrade, and the Orcatorch T20 landed on my doorstep for review, and here we are. Time to choose!
Enter the arena!
Categories:
UI-- 1 point
Build quality and finish-- 1 point
Lanyard, clip, and finger ring-- 1 point
Reflector, lens and bezel. --1 point
Headstand and tailstand.-- 1 point
Then on to beamshots.-- 2 points
Each category is one point, except beamshots, it's worth 2. points are given to best overall light.
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UI:
Both lights are nearly identical here. Tail switch with a side switch.
Both momentary tail switch tap for momentary on in the last remembered mode.
Both lights full press tail button to turn on.
Both lights tap side button for low, medium, high, turbo.
Both lights hold side button for strobe.
***Orcatorch has one more mode after strobe, it's the SOS mode
The Orca has a better feel to the switches, and most important, easier to find in the dark and wet!
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UI Summary: Nearly the same. Orctaorch has one more useful mode.
WINNER: ORCATORCH 1 POINT!
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Build quality:
This is tough!
It's very hard to find fault here.
Both lights, particularly the Orcatorch feel great in the hand.
The Fenix has much more prominent knurling, while the Orcatorch relies more on horizontal and some vertical lines cut into the body. I find the Fenix a bit slippery when wet in comparison to the Orcatorch.
The threads on the Fenix are a thing of legend (see pic below) The Orcatorch does has similar threads, just not nearly as robust as the Fenix.
Tolerances and gaps on both are impeccable.
The Orca's finish is a bit glossier than the Fenix, both are HA type III.
Both lights instill confidence, but the Orca's heft makes it feel a bit more solid.
Build quality summary:
I have to give credit to Orcatorch, not many can match Fenix on build quality, well done.
WINNER: DRAW BOTH 1 POINT!!
Test continued below, here's a few pics :)
Reflector, lens and bezel:
Orca claims "Toughened glass with two-side coating enhances the optical efficiency to the fullest and ensures the effective projection of each lumen beam" But Orca does not say what this is, I see no evidence of an AR coating.
Fenix claims: "Toughened ultra-clear glass with anti-reflective coating" I can see the AR coating.
Both reflectors to seem to be high quality, nothing else remarkable.
Bezels, Orca has a front AND rear strike bezel, Fenix has a front strike bezel.
Both are made well, and are made from stainless steel.
Reflector, lens and bezel summary:
I only wish that Orca made a claim of some kind on the coating. However, the bouble bezel more than made up for this, in fact, the Orca's front bezel is downright aggressive. It may be subjective, but I like aggressive. But I also prefer, as do many, an AR coating.
WINNER: DRAW BOTH 1 POINT!
Test continued after another cool pic...
Headstand and tail-stand
Both lights did a great headstand, and because of the bezel, emmited just enough light if need be.
However, tail-stand was a whole 'nuther story. The Fenix tail button was out just far enough to prevent this. The orca stood like a boss.
No summary needed
WINNER: ORCATORCH 1 POINT!
Lanyard, clip, and finger ring.
Both clips are well secured, well made, and quite durable. Proportionally speaking they're close to each other in size.
The tactical finger grip ring on both are well built, and essentially are the same, sans nuances in size/dimensions.
The lanyard on the Fenix is the exact same lanyard they've been using in like, forever. Tried and trued, it works. I have one on an old Fenix, going great after 8 years. Simple and basic.
The lanyard on the Orca is a really nice rope style, with a slide that helps tension it. One fatal flaw with the orca lanyard though, it's tiny! I have small hands and I can't get this lanyard over my hands.
Lanyard use is subjective to some, but look at my point of view, I often hang lights from trees for area/scene lighting, or from my arm, or something. In other words, for how I use a light the lanyard IS important to me. I'll have to replace this lanyard with a Amazon replacement.
WINNER: FENIX 1 POINT!
Next...Beamshots!!!
So, the beamies.
I was hoping for a shutout.
For the Orcatorch, in the end I feel it held off the Fenix. But that Fenix was right on it's heels, close, right?
But here's the thing, as I mentioned before, the Fenix had a smaller reflector. So to be fair I have to consider that.
However, Fenix claimed a beam distance of 325 meters, vs the Orcatorches claim of 281 meters. In addition to that - Fenix claimed 26400cd vs the Orcatorches 19800cd
I just didn't see it with the Fenix. I felt that the CREE XP-L HI V3 would be enough to outdistance the Orcatorch. It didn't.
Summary:
The Orcatorch is legit folks. It's a fantastic light, and backs up it's claims.
The Fenix, heavy hitter. Solid lights, but fell short.
WINNER: ORCATORCH 2 POINTS!
Overall!
Orcatorch 6 points
Fenix 3 points
Another excellent review. I much more prefer to read words and see pics VS some guy spending 10-15 minutes in a video opening up and going over what he thinks. I want to see facts and pics. Once again you did it wonderfully. Thanks !
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