Fenix CL05 Review

Subterrestrial

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Hey guys, here's a quick review of the Fenix CL05 Liplight. Fenix bills this as an "EDC emergency lamp" and while it's no replacement for your EDC flashlight, it's definitely a handy little light to have on your person, with numerous uses.

CL05_zpsx2kmbyxy.jpg


The CL05 comes with an alkaleak, spare o-ring and micro-carabiner with split ring.Available body colors are blue and purple. Manufacturers specs are as follows:

MOONLIGHT: 0.8 lumens, run time: 40 hours
HIGH
: 8 lumens, run time: 4 hours
RED: 2 lumens, run time: 11 hours
GREEN: 5 lumen, run time: 10 hours, 30 minutes
Impact resistance: 1m
Water/Weather Resistance: IPX8
Power
: 1*AAA
Dimensions: 2.9" x 0.7"
Weight: 0.5oz w/o battery

Here are some features and impressions:

-The UI is simple: tighten the tail cap to turn it on, loosen to turn it off. To cycle through it's mode, you turn it on, quickly turn it off and back on again until you reach your desired mode. The CL05 has seven modes: moonlight, high, red, flashing red, green, flashing green and SOS white. Fenix states that the light has no memory, but in playing with it I've noticed that on occasion you turn it off and back on and it jumps to the next mode, rather than starting over. This is after it's been on in one mode for some time. Perhaps I'm not loosening the end cap enough when turning it off, but I can't replicate this consistently. Also, on occasion I will turn it off and on and it will jump ahead two modes, but I may just be going too fast.

-The light temperature is cooler than other lights in the CL series, but not irritatingly so. Still, I would have preferred neutral white like the CL20, CL25R and CL30R.

-Walking around at night and trying this light in different scenarios, it's definitely the "EDC emergency lamp" that Fenix purports it to be. It provides enough omnidirectional light to at least be able see what you're doing in near total darkness. As stated previously, it's not a replacement for your flashlight but there is enough light out the front (or out the top, I should say) to light up the ground between pools of streetlight. I plan on using this primarily for nighttime bicycle commutes and found it to provide enough ambient light that I'm confident I can conduct emergency repairs on a dark street if necessary. I also tried clipping it to a belt loop while walking around at night in both red and green light mode and it makes a nice marker light so you're at least more visible to motorists (hopefully.... if they're even paying attention in the first place). Both color modes appeared brighter than I would have expected. Haven't had call to put the SOS mode to use yet, which I suppose is a good thing. :whistle:

-I'm not sure how durable the polycarbonate tube is that covers most of the light, but I suppose time will tell. If worse comes to worse, it looks like it can just be unscrewed and discarded if cracked or broken. Otherwise, it feels solid and durable over all.

Now let's have some beamshots!

CL05%20moonlight_zpsphqwwytn.jpg

Moonlight

CL05%20high_zps3cleinpi.jpg

High

CL05%20high%202_zpswkjcpell.jpg

With the tip pointed at an object on High

CL05%20red_zpspeimujj6.jpg

Clipped to a backpack on Red mode

CL05%20green_zpscn0fx7yp.jpg

As a marker light on a bicycle on Green mode

Pros:
-Light, durable aluminum construction
-Reverse polarity protection
-No standby current drain
-IPX8, no problem using it outside in the rain
-Runs on a simple AAA battery, even comes with a free one
-Surprising amount of light for it's output level
-3 different color modes (take that Glo-toob!)

Cons:
-As an EDC light, it's going to be dropped and I'm not sure about the PC tube
-Would have prefered a neutral tint
-Mode changing seems flakey on occasion
-Alternating red-green mode would have been a handy extra signaling mode

Final verdict: I like it. It's small and unencumbering and I am looking forward to EDCing it. This is definitely going to be my go-to light for night rides as an extra marker light and an emergency roadside repair lantern. Smallest lantern ever made? Probably....
 

martinaee

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 16, 2012
Messages
1,495
Location
Ohio
Can it switch itself out of a mode easily? Or is it pretty good in that regard? Is the red mode really visible? This would make a good visibility light for biking maybe. Or good for putting on a dog's collar at night.

Which part actually comes off to change the battery? Is it out the bottom or does that whole poly tube twist off where you can see the clear threads?
 
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Subterrestrial

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Joined
Jul 20, 2016
Messages
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Location
The Mountains (they were calling....)
The end cap screws on pretty firmly and the threads are pretty shallow, so I don't think there would be an issue with it getting bumped and switching off. The red mode seems fairly bright for 2 lumens. Of course, it's much more attention-grabbing when it's in flashing mode. I wanted to use the green mode as a marker light on my bike, but I just couldn't find the right place to mount it, so I've clipped it to the back of my backpack. I think it would work fine clipped onto fido's collar, at least as well as the bike light style LEDs I've seen people using on the collar or leash.

The whole end cap (the knurled aluminum end) screws off while you hold it from the PC end (I should have posted a picture of that). The clear threads are for removing the PC tube.
 
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