The TN is a new series being released by manufacturer ThruNite which takes on a more conservative form factor than its earlier Catapult series. The TN12 head might seem immediately familiar to some, as it looks pretty similar to some of the previous generation SureFire lights. It has a shallow 5-point crenellation on its bezel. An ultra clear AR-coated glass lens sits behind the bezel. The reflector has a very finely textured finish. It looks very well made, clean and well-polished with no noticeable flaws. The LED sits perfectly centered at the bottom of the reflector cup.

The battery tube is mostly cylindrical aside from the two flat surfaces machines on. It's generously covered in aggressive knurling. A stainless steel pocket clip is included in the retail package. It is removable but not reversible. The clip has a very strong hold and tension so it will hold securely without any worries. Threads are cleanly machined and very smooth. The tail cap's design is consistent with the tube and is mostly covered all the way around with the same aggressively textured knurling. There're a couple of raised lip sections which allow the light to tail stand and also have lanyard holes machined through. By default the TN12 comes pre-installed with a forward push button switch. The switch mechanism is slightly on the stiff side and has average travel. It gives a positive tactile feel and clear audible click.

If you're unfamiliar with any of the terms used in this review, click here for explanations on common flashlight related vocabulary.

The TN12 provides 5 output modes which cycle in the following order:

Firefly > Low > Medium > High > Strobe

Output selection is done by a sequence of loosening/tightening of the head. The last used output mode is memorized even after the light is switched off. The TN12 has a unique take on the variance of intensity among its modes. It provides an extremely bright High mode and dim Firefly mode (low enough that you are able to look directly into the head and make out the LED die pattern). While the Low and Medium modes are more conservatively spaced. This will probably satisfy a varied user base. Unfortunately, there is a drawback to the extremely bright High mode though as can be seen from the runtime graphs below. [Edited 10 October, 2011: The lowered brightness on High is due to the thermal management system as commented by ThruNite.] Thankfully its other modes perform reasonably well in term of both runtime and regulation. More importantly, the TN12 doesn't exhibit any signs of PWM even at it's lowest output level. The beam profile produced by the TN12 seems more tuned for indoor or close range outdoor use as it has a very soft, tapering hotspot. At the same time though, it has a narrower than average spill beam radius which means not much stray light overflows into your periphery vision. Overall beam profile is clean and free of any artifacts. Beam tint is just slightly on the warm side of pure white.

The Good - Clean and well machined construction. knurling is aggressive but not abrasive. Range of output levels allow for varied use for almost any situation.

The Bad - Regulation on High output mode could be better.

The Relative - Clean beam profile with a very slightly warm tint. Includes both forward and reverse push button switches. Is able to tail stand.