I am a bit of a fan of Firstlight USA’s lights when they first came out with the Tomahawk a few years ago. I have a Tomahawk MC and Tomahawk NV in my flashlight collection. I got their new Torq LE to see how it compares to the Tomahawk. The concept of the Torq is similar to the Tomahawk line but with a few changes. Somewhat like SureFire and their Nitrolon series of handheld lights, Firstlight USA made the Torq out of polymer. They also changed the power consumption and updated the light with a more efficient LED that runs on 2x AA batteries.

Due to the decrease in voltage the LED is not as bright. It is 155 Lumens, My old Tomahawks are around 200 lumens. Firstlight USA has improved the Tomahawks and they now have 425 lumens. There is a price gap though. The Torq retails from $90-$150 depending on the variant you get. The Tomahawks are double that price. The Torq comes in gray, as you see above, as well as coyote brown. There are three different version

The operation of the Torq and Tomahawk lights are similar. There are two accessory buttons and a main activation button that is all accessed by the thumb. Smashing down on the main button overrides any mode and produces full bright white light. The main activation button is momentary only so it is like a dead man’s switch, your thumb must keep pressing it. As soon as you let go it turns off or reverts to the previous light mode. The two smaller accessory buttons select the different modes. In the Torq LE model, the left button controls constant white light. The right buttons controls the color leds. There are some other modes like strobe and police beacon. If you press both buttons and hold them down, it will lock the buttons from accidental activation. Then by pressing both buttons again simultaneously the light is unlocked.

Due to the angle light design and finger loop, you hold the light like a pistol. You can then use it with a firearm.

This light is unique for EDC and weapon use. It has a few features that other traditional handheld lights do not. Such as the finger loop and angle head with button activation that can be used in conjunction with a firearm. The use of 2xAA with this amount of features and modes for under $100 is rather attractive for a handheld weapon light. Like any handheld weapon light, practice is important to use it effectively. There are strategies on how to properly use a light for defensive use with a handgun and I recommend you seek training if you are interested. For more information on the Firstlight USA Torq, you can find it on their website.