I’ve been telling myself for over a year now that I should try this light out. I finally just ordered one and anxiously awaited the arrival. I actually got a great surprise because it showed up a day earlier than estimated – that is always a plus. When I opened the packing I found that the RC20 was very well packed in a re-useable box with foam padding for the light and all the components that came with it. Hats off to Fenix for this!

I immediately started playing with it. I was a little sad when I noticed the mode switch had an issue where it was sticking, which is very surprising for a Fenix light to have any flaws out of the package. However, with a little use that issue cleared up on its own. (Side note, my wife loved the light so much that we bought another and it did not have the same issue, so likely a fluke).

Moving on… The RC20 was very well constructed and the functions were very straight forward, not over complicated. The size and feel of the light along with the placement of the controls on the tail are perfect for the uses I have for it. I’m a big fan of the controls on the tail of a flashlight. Being a firefighter, outdoorsman, and fix-it-myself guy; I generally try to have an all around light that goes everywhere. There have been several lights that have been used as my go-to, but this one has blown them all away. By combining the 4 power settings and the optional diffuser, this thing is absolutely the most useful flashlight I have ever owned.

I would say one of the most impressive features of the RC20 is the shape of the beam. I have several 1000 lumen lights and the RC20 seems to have a beam pattern that makes it brighter with significantly less fall off of light at a distance while creating a very useful spot light throw.

When I’m running duty at the FD I can use it at a lower setting and not destroy my night vision but crank it up and see roof tops of 3-4 story buildings to check for hazards. That brings me to a very useful and ingenious feature on this light – it can be set so that the mode switch goes from lowest setting to highest setting bypassing the middle modes. This is where I generally keep it for use on scenes or outdoors.

I can’t say enough about what seems to be a simple light, but thanks to Fenix’s engineering this light has made my life easier in situations that require a good, well made, functional, and tough light. (Oh yea, and I dropped it from 5 feet onto concrete the day I got it – didn’t miss a beat!) My last little comment is that I’m a big fan of the charging cradle and so far it seems to fit the bill the way it should.

Thanks again Fenix for building such a great product that makes things that much easier!