Sig Sauer makes great guns; their optics are becoming more and more impressive, but their lights haven’t exactly been impressive. Sig’s motto is to be a ‘Total Systems provider,” or a one-stop shop for your guns, optics, suppressors, and lights. Sadly, the Foxtrot lights haven’t been all that impressive. The original Foxtrot365 did throw 300 lumens from a very small light, but the range sucked. The Foxtrot1 and 2 were a bit better, but the Foxtrot365XR is the first model to really do it for me.
The Foxtrot365XR is the latest light for the P365 series of weapon lights, and as far as I can tell, it’s the most powerful Sig Sauer P365 light on the market. Before the Foxtrot365XR hit the market, the Streamlight TLR7 SUB ruled with its 500 lumens and 5,000 candela. Designed for subcompact pistols, the new Foxtrot365XR throws out 550 lumens backed by a super brilliant 17,000 candela.
Why Output Matters
The modern conversation around weapon lights now revolves around candela rather than lumens. Lumens are a measure of the total light emitted. Lumens are important, but candela is how far that light is pushed outwards. A higher candela rating grants you an overall longer range with your light. It also allows the light to defeat photonic barriers created by other light sources.
Higher candela ratings make it easier to penetrate darker areas, reduce shadows, and more. They also make bouncing light off of walls, ceilings, floors, etc., easier and give you a brighter overall reflection.
The lumens and candela aren’t opposing forces by any means, but you need candela to make those lumens matter. The Foxtrot365XR isn’t the most powerful light ever created. Surefire’s Turbo series, modlite, and Cloud Defensive all have more powerful lights. However, this light is exceptionally powerful for such a small light.
In grunt speak, more candela is better than less candela.
Breaking Down the Foxtrot365XR
Sig Sauer didn’t make this as easy as twisting a screw and clamping it onto the light. I’m assuming they wanted to keep things slim and trim. The light has a clamshell-like design, and you need to remove two micro-sized bolts to open the clamshell just enough to slip over the P365’s proprietary rail system. Then, tighten the bolts, and boom, it’s installed.
While not super simple or quick to remove and attach, it’s not exactly rocket surgery. The proprietary clamp system does provide great retention to the gun, and who doesn’t want that? It’s also likely a must-have to align the activation switch with the grip. That’s right, the switch is attached to your grip. It provides a button that’s activated by the middle finger of your firing hand.
The Foxtrot365XR has both a monetary and constant-on mode. It’s also programmable to various other modes, including the default Threshold mode. Threshold offers you the ability to use both constant and momentary. A brief, instant push and release activate constant mode. A hold longer than .25 seconds activates the momentary mode and will automatically shut off when released.
Threshold mode provides the most balance for me, but I can see the value in using the other programmable modes.
The Foxtrot365XR comes with two rechargeable RCR15270 batteries and a charger. Of course, a non-rechargeable CR2 battery works as well if you don’t have immediate access to the charger. CR2s can be expensive, but they offer that dual fuel capability when you’re in a pinch. You get an hour of power from either battery option.
In the Dark
With a battery charged and the light installed, I hit the dark wonders of my property. It was a cold and rainy night, and I mean that literally. Winter rain is not pleasant, but it does provide a good testing medium for the Foxtrot365XR. The light was capable of cutting through the darkness and the rain to find targets near and far.
The range is really impressive outdoors. I was able to very easily identify everything from vehicles to steel targets at ranges of 25 to 50 yards. Even at 100 yards, I could recognize a debris pile from Hurricane Idalia, a transformer on a power pole, and my mailbox. That’s a good distance for a subcompact handgun. As I shined around the back 10 acres, it occurred to me that this range worked well with my handgun in general.
I run an EPS Carry on top, and one of the reasons I love a red dot is the extra range it offers. The red dot mixed with the Foxtrot365XR allows me to dominate range in the dark almost as well as I can during the day.
The beam itself is a focused hot spot and a distinct corona of light around it. The spill isn’t extreme, but enough to give you good close-range situational awareness. If you want a light purely focused on close-range use, then this isn’t it. It’s enough light to matter, and to me, it’s tough to pick other choices just because of the power.
Light vs Light
The power of the Foxtrot365XR is capable of defeating the most common photonic barriers. It did very well cutting through a light rain. When it had to face off against various other light sources, it did very well. It was able to shine through the lights from the porch to the other side, brightening up a previously dark area. This gives me plenty of confidence it can beat street lights, the lights in parking garages, and beyond.
The Foxtrot365XR kicks the tar out of my car’s headlights and allows me to see the driver’s seat. If someone directed a light at me, it would likely do well cutting through it and allow me to see what or who the light is coming from.
This ability to defeat these various photonic barriers is where all that candela really shines. Pun intended. (Only cowards don’t intend their puns.)
Downsides of the Light
I do have some concerns regarding durability. Sig Sauer went with an all-polymer design. Polymer is fine, but for lights, there is a reason why metal is preferred. I don’t have much confidence the light could take serious abuse. The waterproof rating is only an IPX4, meaning it can be splashed but not submerged. This also likely helps keep the light super lightweight, which is important in a small gun. So, there’s some give and take, I suppose.
Final Thoughts
The Foxtror365XR is certainly aimed at the concealed carry community rather than the duty guys. I would keep it in that role and for home defense. In those two roles, the light will excel. For arresting bad guys and fighting wars, well, there are more durable options. For the price, the power is tough to beat, and if you want to outfit your Sig P365 pistol with a light, then this is the most powerful option currently available.
