When it comes to recent EDC lights, it’s no longer all about the numbers on the box. Usability, innovation, and convenience are just as important as the specs. But it’s a thin line between a clever light and a gimmicky one—you have to know the rules of a good light before you can bend them. That’s where companies like Rofis come in. Known for their versatile angled flashlights, they’re pushing the envelope once again with the new TC1. It’s their latest compact flashlight that redefines what it means to have light at your fingertips.
On first look, the TC1 looks like any other bullet-shaped keychain light with a twist interface. Smaller than a thumb and weighing only half an ounce even with its battery, the TC1 is the type of compact light you set and forget on your keychain. That is, until you take a closer look and see the features Rofis have packed into the light’s tiny package. Within the TC1’s anodized aluminum shell lies a 10180 rechargable battery, which, when paired with the XP-G3 LED, gives off a maximum output of 120 lumens across 3 levels. Charging is also convenient thanks to a micro USB port built into the TC1’s screw threads, which also gives the light IPX6-rated water and impact resistance.
But it’s the rear of the light where the magic happens. Rather than a twist or clicky interface, the TC1 comes with a brand new touch switch more akin to a smartphone fingerprint reader than the flashlight hardware we’ve been used to. Given its high sensitivity it means activating and switching levels much faster than having to twist the whole body or completely clicking a button. And rather than leaving it at that, it doubles as a battery indicator too, flashing red when fuel gets low.
With nods to the past while getting decked out for the future, the TC1 sets a fresh and interesting precedent to the lights we’ll be seeing from here on out. Pick one up at the Amazon link below for under twenty bucks.
