Nearly Two Decades of Choice: A Reliable Light for Every Outdoor Mission

As an outdoor professional and SAR volunteer, Dmitry Yarushevsky knows exactly what a flashlight means in the outdoors. He bought his first Fenix back in 2008. For nearly two decades, Fenix has stayed by his side from everyday outdoor activities to SAR operations, becoming his long‑term answer for gear selection.

E03R V2.0: A Backup Light You Can Carry Everywhere

The E03R V2.0 is an excellent keychain light, EDC flashlight and my backup light source.

I always keep it on my person and bought one for my wife, who also likes it a lot. Its flat profile makes it extremely convenient, whether tucked in a jeans pocket or hung from car keys. Three brightness levels plus red light mode cover most daily‑use needs, such as retrieving items under a car or lighting your way home after dark.

The runtime gives me total peace of mind, so I never have to worry about it dying on me when I need it most.

PD25R: My Trusted Companion for Outdoor Adventures

The PD25R is my go‑to flashlight for outdoor activities and also serves as my backup light for SAR missions.

Even on casual day hikes, I make it a habit to carry at least one flashlight. Boasting ample brightness and light weight, the PD25R fits this use case perfectly. One evening, I was hiking with my child in the Diablo Range foothills near San Jose, California. We underestimated both the route length and my child’s stamina. By sunset, we still had not finished the trail.

Darkness fell, and coyotes began to howl. Fortunately, I had the PD25R with me, and it guided us safely back.

Park rangers spotted our light and saw that we were all right, so they did not launch a search for us. Otherwise, I would have felt embarrassed for causing them to come looking for us.

Since then, the PD25R has accompanied me on recreational hikes and SAR assignments alike.

Its runtime cannot sustain a full‑overnight search mission, so I carry two extra batteries. Higher‑output would also be helpful under certain circumstances.

Even so, it works incredibly well for tracking and tracing evidence. For example, the PD25R performs excellently when extra light is required to identify footprints. For EDC, camping or casual outdoor activities where heavy‑duty use is expected to last no more than 3‑4 hours, I consider the PD25R a very suitable option.

I especially like its reversible body clip, which can be fastened to a cap brim and used as a headlamp. Sometimes this is far more convenient than digging a headlamp out of your backpack.

TK20R V2.0: My Primary SAR Workhorse Flashlight

Its 3000‑lumen output is ideal for search‑and‑rescue tasks. Thanks to its runtime, size and weight, it fits perfectly inside a 24‑hour SAR backpack; with additional batteries, it can support 72‑hour missions.

It offers a good range of brightness modes to choose from for different scenarios. The tail‑cap switch and mode button work great for one‑hand operation, even while wearing gloves. Rechargeable capability paired with one spare battery further boosts my confidence for multi‑day continuous use.

Of course, there are flashlights on the market with higher brightness, yet they tend to be heavier, less practical and more costly. As a volunteer, price is one factor I take into account when picking gear. In my opinion, the TK20R V2.0 strikes a fine balance among brightness, runtime, weight, dimensions, features and price. I would be even more satisfied if adjustable color temperature were added, since warm‑toned light helps uncover certain clues in some SAR scenarios.

Apart from that, I am very happy with the TK20R V2.0.

What I Have Always Needed Is Reliable Gear

From my first TK9 in 2008 to today’s E03R V2.0, PD25R and TK20R V2.0, Fenix has been with me for nearly two decades.

These flashlights show up in all kinds of situations: sometimes as compact backup lights carried on my person, sometimes as the light that lights my way back on hikes, and sometimes as the core workhorse during search‑and‑rescue missions.

For me, choosing lighting gear is never only about brightness. Technology, functions, runtime, weight, size and price all need to strike a proper balance in real‑world use.

That is exactly why I started using Fenix back in 2008 and have kept choosing it ever since.