Here at TSRs, we’re total and complete flashlight junkies. There’s hardly been a light that’s come across our bow that we weren’t excited about taking for a test drive. Some lights are great for everyday carry. Some are good for occupational settings. Others might be better suited for outdoor activities. Then there are those lights that straddle worlds, where they’re great for a multitude of purposes, but fill the niche of being ultra bright behemoths. The Nextorch TA30C Max is one such lamp that will impress.
The TA30C versus the TA30C Max
We’ve previously reviewed the Nextorch TA30C flashlight. The TA30C is a mighty tactical strobe light, with push button activation, as well as having a magnetic rotary switch. The TA30C is an 18650 series flashlight. That is, the battery that you’d use in the lamp is a rechargeable 18650 variety. The light’s max brightness is 1600 lumen.
The TA30C Max, on the other hand, is the big brother of the TA30C. They took a great design and supersized it. Instead of being powered by an 18650 battery, the TA30C Max is fueled by a 21700 rechargeable battery. The increased battery size almost doubled the maximum output of the TA30C. The Max version is larger in size to accommodate for the extra punch that it provides. Otherwise, it has many of the same great features of the TA30C.
21700 rechargeable battery
As noted, the TA30C Max is powered by a 21700 series rechargeable battery. The great thing that Nextorch does with its flashlight technology is build the charging hardware into the battery itself. The TA30C Max does not need some sort of weird proprietary charger, nor is the unit charged from a port accessible from the outer body of the lamp.
The 21700 battery included – much like the 18650’s with the TA30C – can be charged via a standard USB C charging cable. When your lamp is running low, just pop out the battery and charge it with any conventional USB C charger you have on hand. With the new standards of electronics, most everything produced today is outfitted with USB C ports, so accessibility should not be an issue.
Because the lamp is charged via the battery, the light does not have any of the vulnerabilities that other lights might have. No external ports means no ingress of water, dirt, or debris. Since the lamp is able to remain better sealed, it’s “IPX-8 rated as waterproof up to 2 meters.”
The tail switch
One of the best features of the TA30C Max is the tail switch and how it operates.
The TA30C and TA30C Max stand out because the metal tail switch has two positions. A half press and a full press. Upon deployment, a half press of the switch will bring the light to full brightness of 3000 lumen. If the switch is depressed fully, it goes into strobe mode, casting a 3000 lumen rapidly blinking beam. This feature is awesome as a self-defense mechanism.
The tail switch is made of metal. This is a departure to many of the rubber covered plastic switches that other lamps employ. There’s also no “clicking.” I’m hopeful that this design element will lead to a more robust switch, as tail switches that click on and off are usually the weak point on most flashlights.
At the end of the tail switch is a power indicator. The LED will illuminate solid blue for full battery, blinking blue for one quarter depleted, red for halfway depleted to quarter remaining, and blinking red for when a charge is necessary.
Rotary power switch and brightness settings
It’s great to be able to quickly deploy the TA30C Max and blast it out at max brightness, but what if you want a lower setting? What if you want it steady on, versus having to hold the tail switch in? To accommodate that, Nextorch equipped the lights with a magnetic rotary power switch. In order to cycle through the different settings, all a user needs to do is rotate the switch that’s on the tail end of the lamp. Each position is a different setting.
It took me some time to get used to manipulating the rotary switch. However, once I got the hang of it, I found it to be complementary to the function of the light.
“The TA30C Max offers three constant light modes plus a constant strobe function in an ergonomic design with a user-friendly interface,” the Nextorch website boasts about the lamp. “The constant-on modes are controlled by a rotating magnetic dial that allows the user to rotate between low, medium, high, and constant strobe.”
The settings on the TA30C Max are as follows:
- Momentary On, half press: 3000 lumen
- “Tactical” Strobe, full press: 3000 lumen
- Low: 70 lumen
- Medium: 520 lumen
- High: 3000 lumen
- Strobe: 3000 lumen
Depending on the settings that are being used, the TA30C Max will last between 2 and ¾ hours and 35 hours. On medium, the battery is noted to last for five hours of use.
Construction
TA30C Max flashlights are robustly built. Manufactured from aluminum alloy, the bodies of the lamps are lightweight and corrosion resistant. The exterior finish is a matte, fairly durable enamel. The light will take some abuse without scratching the coating.
The bezel of the TA30C Max is stainless steel. Crowning the stainless steel bezel are three ceramic beads. The beads are alleged to be hard enough to be able to shatter glass.
Accessories
There are a couple of accessories for the TA30C Max. Nextorch has a duty belt holster that’s available, the “V51 Quick-Draw Flashlight Holster.” And, more useful and practical – in our opinion, the “NEXTORCH FR-2 Tactical Flashlight Finger Ring.”
The tactical finger ring is a great addition to this light. While it requires users to remove the conventional spring steel pocket clip to install it, the ring will double duty as a pocket clip too. The finger ring allows for quick and easy deployment from a pants pocket, and aids in retention of the light when being held. Further, the ring will allow for stronger purchase on the body of the light, which is important if being used as a self-defense tool.
The TA30C Max as a self-defense option
Flashlights of this caliber, in general, are great self-defense tools.
The 3000 lumen beam and strobe are more than sufficient to disorient someone that might pose a threat. The great thing about using a light as a distraction/stunning weapon is that it’s non-lethal and it can be used from a distance. This feature allows for users to be able to create significant distance between an attacker and themselves, thus potentially avoiding a confrontation.
Since the bezel is adorned with ceramic beads that are suited for breaking glass, the TA30C Max could be an effective striking tool. The lamp could be grasped, tail switch towards the thumb, to position the light to be used as an improvised weapon. Doing so could give some heft to defensive rabbit punches or to be used in a stabbing motion during an altercation.
Note, it’s important to know the laws of your jurisdiction prior to outfitting yourself with such a flashlight and using it defensively. We’re not encouraging people to use a TA30C Max as a weapon, but we are pointing out that one could be improvised as one in an emergency.
The TA30C Max in action
I used and carried the TA30C Max off and on for the better part of a year. This is a real serious light and it goes above and beyond the needs of most casual users. I could see this being a great option for those in the security, police, and military fields. Search and rescue personnel and first responders would also find this light super useful.
The 3000 lumen max brightness is enough to wash out what you might be looking for or at. It’s bright. That’s not a bad thing, but this is not the lamp I’m going to recommend an electrician use to light up dark junction boxes or circuit panels – although they could. On a low setting, the light is suited for such jobs, but overall could be considered an overkill.
I did carry the TA30C Max for a couple of months in an occupational setting and found it more than sufficient. The bulky body did not really create any issues for me. It will sit well in the pocket via pocket clip or optional tactical ring.
My favorite light for travel has been the little brother of the TA30C Max, the TA30C. I did take the Max version on several trips, including carrying on-person while flying commercially. The TA30C Max is a good option to have when conventionally disarmed. Having a quality light in an emergency is paramount. This is a good option to keep when traveling and have on hand for sneaking into other “sensitive” or sanitized locations such as theme parks, zoos, and museums.
Taking the TA30C Max into a pitch-black tunnel
The one place that the TA30C Max really shined, no pun intended, was during a hike we went on early summer 2024. My travel companions and I hiked an abandoned section of a highway and along the nine mile route were two abandoned tunnels. Both tunnels had no electric lighting and one of them was long enough to where you couldn’t see the light at the end of it. The TA30C Max was the perfect light to have on hand while navigating the dystopian and pitch black tunnels.
The quick and dirty
Pluses: Super bright. Robust design. Suitable for self-defense. Easy to use.
Minuses: A little pricey, but not outrageous in comparison to other lamps. Larger than the standard 18650, smaller, series of lights.
Overall the Nextorch TA30C Max is a fantastic flashlight option. Is this lamp for everyone? No. it won’t meet all the needs of everyone, as it’ll be an overkill for many. However, if you need a quality, super bright light that’s affordable for what it offers, this light might have what you need. I wholeheartedly would recommend people getting this light if they were in the market for one like this.
If you use the code THESQUAREREVIEWS at checkout, you’ll receive 10% off your order and we’ll get a commission! If you prefer, this product is also offered on Amazon.
For a closer look at the TA30C and TA30C Max, check out our booth-side interview from the 2024 Great American Outdoor Show HERE or in the embed below.
