The T1 is a very tough and solidly built light marketed as a serious tactical flashlight. It has a stainless steel bezel right up the front end which increases durability if you drop, or need to use it for breaking glass and other similar tasks. There are 4 small notches on the bezel which allows you to see if the light has been left on when placed head down. The stainless steel bezel is adhered to the head and can't be easily unscrewed. Beneath the bezel sits a toughened, AR coated glass lens similar to other Fenix products. A textured reflector is used in the T1 which provides a nice smooth beam free of artifacts. The emitter and reflector is just slightly out of line by a hair in my sample, doesn't noticeably affect the beam profile at all. The exterior of the head has 6 shallow scallops machined on it which serves well as an anti-roll feature. The head is actually made of 2 sections, there's a clip which sits between them. Some people have reportedly been able to unscrew the head and neck, thus being able to remove the clip. However, on my sample they seem to be firmly adhered together and couldn't be unscrewed. The clip works well and provides a firm hold, but I don't like the fact that it scratches against the battery tube when the head is turned to switch between levels. The hard anodizing on the head is pretty well done with consistent coloring, however there are subtle folds along the curved neck region which looks like the texture of leather. This is probably due to the thickness of the coating. Its purely cosmetic though, the surface still feels smooth. Looking inside the rear end of the head you'll see the PCB for the "+" battery contact which has their new reverse polarity protection feature. The threads on the head are smooth, clean and thicker than previous Fenix models.

The battery tube has a clean and simple look. There's a band of diamond textured knurling about 2cm wide, and a single flat surface machined on with the Fenix branding printed on it. As mentioned earlier, the clip scratches against the knurling when switching levels. This will likely cause the anodized coating to scratch off after some time. The T1 has great ergonomics, it feels really comfortable and secure in hand. It's best to hold the light with its clip facing your wrist, your fingers will sit nicely on the battery tube and against the curved neck region. The wall of the battery tube is very thick, I'm confident that it can handle rugged abuse. Its internal diameter is wide enough to accommodate protected 16340 cells easily. Threads on either ends of the battery tube are very well done, smooth and thick. Head and tail cap screw on very easily without any cross-threading or grinding, very nice. There are thick rubber o-rings which came generously lubricated. These serve are water seals, 2 at the front end and 1 at the rear end. The T1 is advertised as meeting IPX-8 waterproof standards, although maximum submersion depth wasn't specified by the manufacturer. Type 3 anodized coating on its exterior surface is smooth and consistent throughout.

The tail cap also has 6 shallow scallops machined on its exterior surface which serves as an anti-roll feature, and also provides grip when unscrewing the tail cap. At the rear end the tail cap has a deep 3-point scallop machined into it, one of the points has a hole for lanyard or key ring attachments. This design allows for easy switch activation while still allowing the light to tail stand on flat surfaces. The rubber switch cap is a bright orange color and has a checkered texture. The switch module housed in the tail cap is a forward push button, allowing for momentary activation which I personally think is a must-have for tactical flashlights. The switch has a noticeably longer travel than other Fenix products which use reverse push buttons. Clicking on the switch provides good tactile feedback and audible click. Switching mechanism is responsive so signaling with the T1 serves no problems.

The T1 is pretty straight forward feature-wise when compared to their recent series of products which may have up to 6 modes. This light has a simple and easy to use general/turbo modes suitable for most situations. Switching between output levels is done by twisting the head. Tighten for turbo, loosen for general.

The beam profile of the T1 produces a narrow spot with a fairly bright spill beam as well. Its also smooth and artifact free thanks to its textured reflector. There is however the dark ring around the hot spot which is common in most lights using the Cree XR-E emitter. Beam seems perfectly white on my sample, no yellow or violet tints were detected. Runtime is above average considering its output, and regulation is very well maintained as characteristic of most Fenix products. The regulating circuit is the T1 is slightly different from that in the P series for example as it doesn't start pulsing as the battery voltage runs down. The T1 simply gets dimmer. I prefer this since it still allows the light to be usable as the battery run down, instead of having it pulsing rapidly which is very distracting.

The Good - Solid build quality and cleanly machined. Nicely designed anti-roll surfaces which work well. Comfortable ergonomics. Tactile and responsive switch.

The Bad - Placement of the clip causes it to scratch against the battery tube when switching between levels.

The Relative - Perfectly white beam tint. Uses a forward push button which allows for momentary activation. Clip designed for head-up carry and is not detachable.

Head (front view).

Head (side view).

Head (rear view).

Battery tube (front view).

Battery tube (side view).

Battery tube (rear view).

Tail cap (front view).

Tail cap (side view).

Tail cap (rear view).