Nebo Edge 2K pocket light review: A diminutive double-barreled beam gun for fighting the night (and keeping attackers at bay)

Nebo Edge2K Pocket Light review

Nebo promote this smartly presented and sturdily constructed lightweight flashlight as an elite Everyday Carry tool, but while it will likely be popular with people who are into EDC, I think it has many useful applications on the trails and in the campsite, too.

The Edge 2K is deliberately designed to have a svelte profile in order to slide into the pockets of garments ranging from hiking pants and walking shorts through to fleece jackets and waterproof coats. (Of course it also fits easily into the compartments of a hiking pack or daypack).

Having tested several Nebo products in the past, including head torches such as the impressive Mycro headlamp, I knew the brand was very capable of producing little products that perform big, and I was looking forward to trialing the Edge 2K in the campsite, on the trails and in the street (not least to see what this ‘Defensive Strobe’ setting is all about).

Design and features

Just 1in (2.5cm) thick at its chunkiest point, the Edge 2K’s primary USP is its skinny look, but this torch isn’t just slim, it also has a Tac-Grip texture finish that makes it feel great in the hand. Instead of having an operating button that you have to continually press in order to toggle through the settings, the Edge 2K features an unusual dial on the top of the torch, which you turn to select the best beam option (Low, Medium or High).

To turn the light on, you simply need to make sure the dial isn’t in the locked position, and then press the large button at the bottom of the torch. To unleash the Turbo beam, hold this button in for a couple of seconds. A double press of this button activates the Defensive Strobe setting, which fires a fast pulse of very bright light towards anyone you point it at – the theory being that it will momentarily blind and confuse an assailant, giving you time to escape.

On the rear of the torch is a large clip, which helps keep the Edge 2K secure when it’s being carried in a pocket. Oddly, in my opinion, the clip is positioned so the opening is facing towards the light; had it been reversed, the unit could have been attached to the peak of a hiking hat such as a cap, to enable handsfree operation.

In the field (on the trails and streets)

I’ve been testing the Nebo Edge 2K while walking, hiking, backpacking and car camping over the last few weeks, and overall I’ve been impressed with the performance of this pocket torch. The design is decent too, other than the fact that it can’t be used handsfree, because of the way the clip is orientated. (This really feels like a missed opportunity to make the it more versatile, and resulted in me resorting to me placing the torch in my mouth when I was attempting to do tasks that required both hands…which is not ideal). I also think that, for the price point, Nebo could have thrown in a lanyard, for dangling the torch when you want to use it like a camping lantern.

Nevertheless, this is a proper pocket rocket if all you want is a thin flashlight with a massive throw. If the Edge 2K was a catwalk model it would stir controversy about the promotion of unhealthy body image because it really is extremely skinny (for a double-barreled torch that’s capable of shooting a 2000-lumen beam almost 490ft (150m)).

Living up to its name, it fits in pretty much any pocket or pouch, whether you want to carry it on your person, transport it in a pack or place it in a storage area of a tent.

The Nebo Edge 2K is ridiculously easy to operate. I really like the use of a dial in place of a button to switch between beams (although I will say, as a leftie, that this system has been designed with weirdo right-handed users in mind…like always).

The three main white light options are perfectly sufficient for most scenarios, but I would have liked to have at least one color option, for use when you need to do or find something but don’t want to shatter your night vision, or wake up your tent or dorm buddies.

The Turbo beam truly does cleave the night in two. In my experience, it’s extremely rare that you need a light anywhere near this bright, but it’s nice to know that it’s in the arsenal if required. It’s worth noting that the torch will only remain on this setting for 30 seconds at a time before reverting back to whatever sensible setting you were previously using, and you can only use it once every 3 minutes, to stop the unit overheating.

I was intrigued by the ‘Defensive Strobe’ feature, which I thankfully didn’t need to put to the test in a real-life scenario. I can confirm, though, that friends and family do not like having it blasted in their face one bit, and will swear at you with conviction and feeling if you don’t desist. One thing I found odd about this setting, though, is that you can’t activate it when the lock is on (you’re unlikely to accidently doubleclick the on button in your pocket, but if you actually ever need to employ this defensive feature because of an imminent attack, having to release the lock first would not be ideal.

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