WT16R

Ambassador John F.

Traditionally the WT16R is marketed towards a job site or work light. However, I had a different application in mind when I purchased this light. I am always on the lookout for the perfect emergency light. One that gets stored away, always charged, and ready when I need it to be ready. The WT16R have become my new favorite Vehicle light.

I have very important criteria for a vehicle light. The WT16R finally checks all those boxes. Some have come close, but have been lacking in a couple areas. Primarily I need it to be USB recharged. This light is one step better by being USB-C. This is so important because the light will sit in my glovebox or armrest, where I have a built in USB port. The WT16R is always at the ready, plugged in and there when I need it. I don’t want to have to pull a battery from a charger or usb cable, then install it into a flash light in the dark. This could be a time where seconds count, or it’s too dark to see to assemble. I could be pulling over to respond to someone who just got into an accident, or needing to flag someone down quickly. That’s the thing about emergencies, you never know what is going to happen or when, and being prepared and ready to deploy quickly is paramount.

The second, and very unique roll that this fills is the ability to have a quite impressive spot, and an equally impressive flood light all in the same small package. This is such an important point. Think about being on the side of the road and trying to change a flat tire in the dark. Most of us have done it, or will do it. A spot light will do nothing but frustrate you, in an already frustrating situation. The WT16R really shines here. The massive flood light panel on this does a great job of spreading that light, and doing it better than a reflector lens could ever do. It’s square body is another home run here. I can put it on the ground and I don’t have to worry about it rolling away if I kick it, or if it’s on a hill. Now add in the fact of the magnets and you can attach it to the body of the vehicle, or put it inside the wheel well if need be. I doubt you can find a better product for the road side application.

The spot is great too. It has an impressive range for the amount of lumens it has. We could spend days on the usefulness of a spot light in a vehicle emergency light. Looking down the engine bay or under the vehicle, searching down an embankment or a dark side road, or even trying to find that house that doesn’t seem to have their house address in a visible obvious place. A flood beam will do nothing to help you here.

In talking about the usefulness of the beams of the WT16R, it brings another option to the table. Sometimes you need a personal marker. Meaning, sometimes you want to make yourself visible to oncoming traffic or emergency services. This light has the ability to have a moderate speed Amber flash. If I am on the side of a road, the WT16R is perfect to clip onto my belt or pants to face traffic with that flood panel. The belt clip is designed just right for this application. I could also see using this for walking the dog at night and keeping visible, or even trying to be seen walking on the beach at night. And if you really need to make yourself known, clip it to your body and turn on that white flood light. Try that with a traditional flashlight.

Now the Elephant in the room. It’s only 300 lumens. This seems like a low number right? Realistically speaking, it’s in the sweet spot. For this application you don’t need 1000+ lumens. You need visibility, and runtimes. I have had the opportunity to prove this and vet this for myself. I do regular weekend off roading and with working a 8am to 4pm job, I don’t find myself on the trails until after dark. The WT16R has been just amazing for airing up and airing down my tires when I hit the mouth of the trail. I have even had the opportunity to need to change a tire in those conditions and this light worked flawlessly. There isn’t anything out there even remotely touching this.

Given how tight the spot is, I find this quite adequate for looking around or searching at 300 lumens. Again, in my mind this is an emergency light. If I am knowingly going out where I know I will need a light, I will make sure to have one of my many other Fenix options. However, ever drive out to a camping trip and forget your flashlight? Go to an event or out for the night and end up staying past dark? Well 300 lumens will do you just fine. Realistically speaking, most people walk around town or camp sites using the 30 – 50 lumen range. The WT16R does a fantastic job running 30 hours at the 30 lumen mark. Even so, 300 lumens will get you almost 4 hours which is not something to over look.

All in all, I find it hard to beat this light in this application. Powerhouse? No. Practical, absolutely. The best part? It’s only $65. This is one of those products you didn’t realize how badly you needed it, until you needed it.