Howdy Tom,
I've recently spent quite a bit of time researching both 1xAAA AND 1xAA lights.
First, it's important to define the role that each light will play in your EDC collection. This will help dictate the direction you might take in your search.
For the 1xAAA, if you are simply looking for a backup EDC, something reliable to always be with you on your keyring, but it might not get used a lot..... then I haven't seen anything better for that than the Fenix E05. Simple, floody, reliable, excellent balance between brightness and runtime, and relatively inexpensive.
Yes, for about the same price you could get something like the ITP A3 EOS, but I'm just not convinced that the ITP A3 will be as reliable in the long run as the Fenix E05, and above all, I feel a light should be reliable. I know there are folks who have had good luck with their ITP A3s, but I've read quite a few reports of issues as well, while the Fenix E05 consistently gets high marks.... and has for years.
Now, if you think your 1xAAA light might see more action, and you want a quality 3 level 1xAAA...... I
highly recommend the Preon Revo SS. The machining and craftsmanship are superb, and the 3 current controlled levels are well spaced and fully regulated, even on alkaline cells (something most other 1xAAA lights can't say). It also comes with a 10 year warranty!
As far as 1xAA lights are concerned, that's a whole 'nother ball of wax and really depends on what criteria are most important to
YOU. I've been looking for a small, slender, reliable, 1xAA, with a clicky switch and a flexible UI, for quite some time. The one I'm considering at the moment is this:
http://kaidomain.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductId=10717
It's a discontinued Jetbeam model, but seems to meet most, if not all, of my criteria. It also appears that Kaidomain may have a few left in stock. But that is based on
MY priorities.
I think what you need to do is prioritize your most important features (size, UI, lowest and highest output requirements, switch type, etc), then start making a list of all the lights you look at, listing each lights feature set, both pros and cons, and pretty soon it will become apparent which light is the one that fits
YOUR needs.
It usually takes me several months to find a light, but to be honest, that's half the fun
. So again, relax, don't be in a hurry, let all these facts and numbers roll around in your head for a week or two, and it will all begin to fall into place.
