Looking at the current crop of 1xAA EDC options available as I'm considering a replacement for my current EDC. I've had a Fenix L2D for some time now (I forget just how long) and purchased the shorter 1xAA battery tube to turn it into a 1xAA light (so an L2D head on L1D tube = L1D?).
* Must be able to use 1xAA alkaline, NiMH (and Lithium primaries?)
* Must be reliable. Before the Fenix, I had a cheapy LED which failed after a couple of months. The Fenix is still working after all these years of daily carry and daily use.
* Must be a clicky (with easy 1-handed operation) and the switch must be reliable. The L1D has been in my front pocket with my keys and SwissChamp XLT for years. It has never turned on inadvertently in my pocket. Always comes on when I need it to as long as I keep it clean with occasional maintenance (I did have one occasion where it failed to come on, but this was quickly remedied by twisting the tailcap and head quickly to clean the contacts. Doing this periodically since then has ensured that it hasn't happened again). In addition, I'm not sure how quickly/intuitively side switches are to find (such as those are on the Zebralight line), but the Fenix was very intuitive. It's orientation in my pocket is always the same, but even when it wasn't, I would grab the light in my pocket with my thumb on one end and pinky on the other and immediately know which end the switch was.
* Must have at least a High mode for max output and a low mode for max duration (and preferably, the ability to turn the light on directly in a High or Low mode as the L1D does by tightening or loosening the head before turning it on).
* Must have at least IPX-7 (or better) water resistance (1m for 30 minutes).
Features that might be nice but aren't crucial:
- Would prefer the light to have some sort of easily accessible tactical strobe mode (the L1D's click on in Turbo + tap on button to strobe is fine).
- Ability to use 14500 or 18650 cells for even higher light output. Nice feature to have, but first and foremost, the light MUST be able to run on commonly available AA batteries.
- Multiple levels between Low and Max.
- Removable (or non-removable) pocket clip would be nice, but not crucial
- Momentary on would be nice but not crucial
That said, first and foremost, how are the new crop of 1xAA lights as far as maximum brightness on 1xAA vs the L1D (or L2D head on L1D body)? Are they significantly brighter, or only noticeable side by side on a white wall?
The ones I've been looking at thus far are:
Fenix LD12
Jetbeam RRT0 XML and PA10
EagleTac D25A
Zebralight SC51 and SC80
Quark Tactical R5
Nitecore D11 R5
LumaPower Trust M1, Connexion X2
Reports of the SC51's switch turning on fairly easily in pockets concerns me as to its applicability.
With the D25A how big is the difference between the XM-L U2 and XP-G S2? I've heard that the S2 has better throw vs the U2 being brighter but more floody. How do they fare for lighting up outdoor objects at night out to 150 feet?
Why does the Jetbeam site show a much longer runtime on high with 1xAA for the RRT0-XML (3h45m) vs the PA10 (1h30m)?
Max
* Must be able to use 1xAA alkaline, NiMH (and Lithium primaries?)
* Must be reliable. Before the Fenix, I had a cheapy LED which failed after a couple of months. The Fenix is still working after all these years of daily carry and daily use.
* Must be a clicky (with easy 1-handed operation) and the switch must be reliable. The L1D has been in my front pocket with my keys and SwissChamp XLT for years. It has never turned on inadvertently in my pocket. Always comes on when I need it to as long as I keep it clean with occasional maintenance (I did have one occasion where it failed to come on, but this was quickly remedied by twisting the tailcap and head quickly to clean the contacts. Doing this periodically since then has ensured that it hasn't happened again). In addition, I'm not sure how quickly/intuitively side switches are to find (such as those are on the Zebralight line), but the Fenix was very intuitive. It's orientation in my pocket is always the same, but even when it wasn't, I would grab the light in my pocket with my thumb on one end and pinky on the other and immediately know which end the switch was.
* Must have at least a High mode for max output and a low mode for max duration (and preferably, the ability to turn the light on directly in a High or Low mode as the L1D does by tightening or loosening the head before turning it on).
* Must have at least IPX-7 (or better) water resistance (1m for 30 minutes).
Features that might be nice but aren't crucial:
- Would prefer the light to have some sort of easily accessible tactical strobe mode (the L1D's click on in Turbo + tap on button to strobe is fine).
- Ability to use 14500 or 18650 cells for even higher light output. Nice feature to have, but first and foremost, the light MUST be able to run on commonly available AA batteries.
- Multiple levels between Low and Max.
- Removable (or non-removable) pocket clip would be nice, but not crucial
- Momentary on would be nice but not crucial
That said, first and foremost, how are the new crop of 1xAA lights as far as maximum brightness on 1xAA vs the L1D (or L2D head on L1D body)? Are they significantly brighter, or only noticeable side by side on a white wall?
The ones I've been looking at thus far are:
Fenix LD12
Jetbeam RRT0 XML and PA10
EagleTac D25A
Zebralight SC51 and SC80
Quark Tactical R5
Nitecore D11 R5
LumaPower Trust M1, Connexion X2
Reports of the SC51's switch turning on fairly easily in pockets concerns me as to its applicability.
With the D25A how big is the difference between the XM-L U2 and XP-G S2? I've heard that the S2 has better throw vs the U2 being brighter but more floody. How do they fare for lighting up outdoor objects at night out to 150 feet?
Why does the Jetbeam site show a much longer runtime on high with 1xAA for the RRT0-XML (3h45m) vs the PA10 (1h30m)?
Max