The Best Small Fenix Flashlights

You’re right for looking into Fenix products; the company is well-reviewed with a reputation for high-quality flashlights.

For the best deal, however, you need more than just a good brand. You need features that suit your unique needs. To help you navigate through the many products the company has placed on the market, we’ve reviewed the Best Small Fenix Flashlights.

Picking the best small Fenix unit was no easy task due to the exceptional quality Fenix lights have across the board. That said, after much research, the emerged as our favorite.

The Best Small Fenix Flashlights:

Best Fenix Flashlights: Buyer’s Guide

What do you intend to use your flashlight for? The answer to this question should direct your purchase.

Every product Fenix Lighting puts on the market aims for a specific niche. We’ve picked out specific products for certain situations, but you should still focus on certain features and the pain points they address—if you’re to get value for your money.

These are the main properties to consider:

  • Beam brightness.
  • Emergency properties.
  • Task-specific features.

Beam Brightness

The light intensity of your flashlight is important for two reasons:

  • Some activities require more light than others.
  • High-quality light goes through your unit’s power reserves very quickly.

If you use a very bright flashlight to illuminate close objects, the beam may damage your retina. With this in mind, only go for the more bright units if you want to light up distant objects.

If you don’t need too much light, avoid the super-bright over 500-lumen options. They cost more than the less bright options and require more power.

When shopping, look out for these two metrics, which both measure a flashlight’s beam intensity:

  • Lumen: A measure of the amount of light energy produced by a source. The higher the lumens, the brighter the light. If you want to use the torch for close objects, go for low lumens.
  • Candela: Similar to lumen, but measures the amount of light energy focused in a given area. When you want a beam that will illuminate a large area, go for a high-candela light.

Emergency Features

The most common emergency features in Fenix flashlights are strobe light and SOS signals. These features are essential if you plan to use the unit outdoors. For indoor use, this is a feature you can do without.

Some people, however, prefer to have super-bright beams in their indoor flashlights because they can be used defensively—to blind intruders as you escape. If that option interests you, go for units that have the capacity for 900+ lumens.

Red light is another emergency feature that can prove useful in both indoor and outdoor settings. In the outdoors, it allows you to see quickly in the dark without waiting to adjust to the darkness. In fact, red light is therapeutic for the eyes, and it doesn’t interfere with dark adaptation.

Another advantage is that red LEDs attract fewer insects than their white equivalents. In an indoor setting, if you’ll be using the torch for work that doesn’t need too much light, red light is a good option.

Task-Specific Features

Here are some situations that may alter which product you go for:

  • Workspace: If you want the torch to light up your workspace, a headlamp is probably the best option. It frees your hands for the task.
  • Metallic structures: A magnetic tail switch is advisable if you’ll be working with metallic structures since it ensures that you have lots of mounting options.
  • Stains and currency: Some Fenix lights produce UV rays. This feature is helpful if you want to detect oily stains or fake currency.
  • IPX rating: If you’ll be working in very dusty areas, go for a score of IP4X and above. For areas with heavy rains or large water bodies, go for a rating of IPX4 and above. 

The Best Small Fenix Flashlights: Our Top 6 Picks

Fenix Lighting has been at the top of its game for a couple of decades, producing some of the best flashlights ever, such as the below six options.

Best Fenix Tactical Flashlight

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The UC35 V2.0 produces a 1,000-lumen beam that has a reach of about 873ft. That’s more than sufficient to light up the tent and camp area or signal for help.

It also features six light modes to ensure you’re covered when you want to use the light for less-demanding tasks, such as reading.

The six modes are:

  • Turbo: 1,000 lumens for 2.25 hours.
  • High: 350 lumens for over four hours.
  • Medium: 150 lumens for about 11 hours.
  • Low: 50 lumens for over 28 hours.
  • Moonlight: 1-lumen beam for 800 hours.
  • Strobe: 100-lumen distress signal.

A knurled aluminum body keeps the unit from slipping out of your hands, even if you’re wearing gloves.

The torch also features anti-roll properties that keep it from rolling downhill, which is perfect for camping on a slope or if it’s dropped. It also has a toughened lens to add to the durability and an anti-reflective lens coating to keep the beam focused.

You can operate this torch with one hand, which is important for quick access. It also features a tail switch for instant activation and a side switch to select the modes.

Note that it only weighs just over 3 ounces and is rechargeable via USB.

Pros

  • 1000-lumen capacity.
  • Strobe setting.
  • Six beam modes.
  • Durable aluminum body.
  • Anti-slip and anti-roll features.
  • Beam reach of about 873ft.

Cons

  • The charging port gets finicky with time.

Best Fenix Right-Angle Flashlight

Fenix LD15R

This flashlight is designed to keep your hands free for everyday tasks, which is thanks to the magnetic tail cap that attaches to metal bases—helpful if your workspace is full of magnetic surfaces. In that position, you can turn the light through 360 degrees to light up the entirety of the work area.

If you need to work from under equipment or cars, use the double-sided clip, which is ideal for attachment to a shirt pocket to illuminate the task at hand.

The Fenix LD15R is versatile with two output options:

  • White light: Turbo/high/medium/low.
  • Red light: Red/signal/SOS.

Of note is that the primary white light is a bright 500-lumen beam with a throw of about 280ft.

This torch weighs in at just under 2 ounces, so is well-suited to be on you at all times. Also, its IP68 rating means it’s both waterproof and dustproof.

Pros

  • Magnetic tail cap.
  • Dual-sided pocket clip.
  • 500-lumen beam.
  • About 280ft throw.
  • Red light capability.
  • Weighs in at under 2 ounces.
  • IP68 rating.

Cons

  • The beam has a decent throw but covers a small area when aimed at a close spot.

Best Fenix Penlight

Fenix LD02 V2.0

This unit has an IP68 rating meaning it’s dustproof, and you can submerge it under 6ft of water without damaging the light. Also, V2.0 improves on the previous design by adding a UV output function—perfect for detecting greasy stains and identifying fake currency.

This penlight has three levels of light output:

  • High: 70 lumens for 45 minutes
  • Medium: 25 lumens for about three hours.
  • Low: 1 lumen for 45 hours.

Pros

  • IP68 rating.
  • UV output.
  • Beam reach of about 170ft.
  • Durable aluminum build.
  • Firm pocket clip.

Cons

  •  Beam could be brighter.

Best Fenix Headlamp

Fenix HL23

This Fenix headlamp is made of high-quality aluminum and plastic with an IP68 rating, which means it’s both dust and waterproof.

A stand-out feature is the 60-degree tilt mechanism and a single-button control for all beam settings. With these two features, you can set up the torch to illuminate a wide area using only one of your hands. 

With this light, you get three modes of output:

  • High: 150 lumens for an hour.
  • Mid: 50 lumens for 4 ½ hours.
  • Low: 3 lumens 110 hours.

The maximum capacity is for a 150-lumen beam that has a throw of over 180ft, which is backed up by being digitally programmed. This keeps the brightness consistent with the settings, so you always know what to expect from each mode.

A single AA battery powers the HL23, but it offers no recharge features. To use rechargeable AAs, you’d have to charge them externally—entails carrying an external charging unit with you. 

If you’re big on recharge-ability and don’t specifically need a headlamp, consider the Fenix LD02 V2.0

Pros

  • Powered by a single AA battery.
  • 60-degree tilt mechanism.
  • Durable aluminum alloy body.
  • IP68 rating.
  • 150-lumen, 180ft reach capacity.

Cons

  • Not rechargeable.

Best ‘AA’ Fenix Flashlight

Fenix E12

The E12 has the capacity for a 130-lumen beam despite its single-AA power source, which is decent power for a small flashlight.

For the most part, this torch is made of aircraft-grade aluminum that’s both light and hardy, with a knurled body to enhance your grip.

Note that it has an IPX8 waterproof rating, which means that it can handle the heaviest of downpours.

This light has three modes:

  • High: 130-lumen beam for 1.5 hours.
  • Medium: 50-lumen beam that’s good for 6.5 hours.
  • Low: 8-lumen light that’s good for 40 hours.

It’s not the lightest model we’ve featured, but it’s still manageable at 3.2 ounces and feels comfortable in the palm. The only downside is that it has no security features: no strobe or SOS modes. If you’re all about that extra security, you should consider the Fenix LD15R.

Pros

  • Single AA battery power.
  • 130-lumen beam capacity.
  • IPX8 rating.
  • Light and comfortable.
  • Durable aluminum body.

Cons

  • No emergency features.

Best ‘AAA’ Fenix Flashlight

Fenix E05

This torch weighs less than an ounce but is powerful enough to cast an 85-lumen beam over a distance of 148ft. The beam is broad and can be used to light up your tent—impressive given a single AAA battery powers it.

Its 2.1-inch long body is made of aircraft-grade aluminum alloy, making it hardy despite its weight. It’s also knurled to enhance your grip and should be easy to handle even with gloved hands.

This flashlight has three brightness modes:

  • High: 85-lumen beam for an hour.
  • Medium: 25-lumen beam for four hours.
  • Low: 8-lumen beam for 14.5 hours.

The E05 has no buttons or switches, and all operation is done by twisting the head. This makes it a little hard to operate with a single hand. If you can live with that, it offers excellent value for its price. However, if you’re keen on getting a flashlight that you can operate with a single hand, the Fenix HL23 may be better for you.

Pros

  • 85-lumen beam capacity.
  • 148ft beam reach.
  • Knurled surface.
  • IPX8 rating.
  • Very light—under an ounce.
  • Single AAA battery power.

Cons

  • Non-rechargeable
  • Doesn’t support single-handed operation.

What We Liked

For the best Fenix flashlight, we recommend the . It can produce a 1000-lumen beam that’s excellent for both lighting up your path and signaling for help. If you want a little less intensity, there are five other modes to choose from. Also, the UC35 V2.0 is easily operated by one-hand thanks to its full-control tail switch.

The Fenix LD15R comes in at a close second thanks to its magnetic tail cap that mounts onto any metallic surface—freeing your hands for the task at hand. Also, the right-angle positioning of the light allows you to use the light both vertically and horizontally.