iTP A2, seems like a nice small EDC.

[shark_za]

Also got the A1, A2 and A3.

A2 is becoming the firm favourite these days.
While the A3 is with me most of the time the A2 is the one hanging on a lanyard next to my bed at night.
Its becoming my camping/pee trip/general use light of choice these days.

The A1 is fat, short and fat. Not condusive to comfortable carry on a lanyard or in the pocket.
The A3 rules at this with the A2 a close 2nd.
The A2 feels right in the hand and sits well. Its also easier to operate with one hand than the chunky A1 and super slim A3.

For EDC I prefer the M-L-H but for late nights the L-M-H is better.

A2 is a winner for sure.
I hear the Maratac version is also sweet.

Although its not a problem once you notice the PWM in the A3 you will love the A2 even more.

 

[march.brown]

How do the run times of the A2 compare (AA against 14500) and what are the low, medium and high lumens readings on both types of cells ?

I am just wondering whether it is worth getting a couple of 14500s to use in the A2 (and my Trustfire F20) ... With AAs in the A2, I would be able to use all three light levels, but with the 14500 , I would be limited to two levels plus an occasional quick burst of high ... Is it going to seriously compromise the runtime by using the 14500s ?
.

.
Anyone have the answer to these questions please ?
I'm still not certain whether to get a couple of 14500s or not ...
.

 

[mfm]

.
Anyone have the answer to these questions please ?
I'm still not certain whether to get a couple of 14500s or not ...
.

Noone is going to do a runtime test on high because it will fry the emitter, lumens ratings are approximately like the A1 on RCR123.

 

[march.brown]

Noone is going to do a runtime test on high because it will fry the emitter, lumens ratings are approximately like the A1 on RCR123.

I guessed the high would be a problem (thermally) ... I will have a look at the A1 for the other lumens/runtimes ... I might just keep to the AA power as the makers intended ... Will have to consider the pros and cons now.
.

 

[LeifUK]

Sounds like you are a lumens junkie. :naughty: Anyway, I ordered one of these lights. They look nice, and not expensive, from ebay anyway. Pity the Maratec is not readily available in the UK as it tailstands.

 

[march.brown]

Sounds like you are a lumens junkie. :naughty: Anyway, I ordered one of these lights. They look nice, and not expensive, from ebay anyway. Pity the Maratec is not readily available in the UK as it tailstands.

.
I like the idea of the low lumen level for "Age related" nocturnal toilet visits ... Snag with the 14500 is that the low isn't as low as the AA low ... That would probably wake the dog who then would want to go into the garden for similar reasons ... I also don't like the idea of not being able to use the 14500 high for more than a minute or so ... So, I will probably stick to the AAs.
.

 

[LeifUK]

.
I like the idea of the low lumen level for "Age related" nocturnal toilet visits ... Snag with the 14500 is that the low isn't as low as the AA low ... That would probably wake the dog who then would want to go into the garden for similar reasons ... I also don't like the idea of not being able to use the 14500 high for more than a minute or so ... So, I will probably stick to the AAs.
.

I like to think of myself as not old, but I know what you mean about 'age related' nocturnal trips. The Quark AA is perhaps the best. A real low. Very bright on turbo, and easy to switch from low to turbo. But pricier.

 

[march.brown]

I like to think of myself as not old, but I know what you mean about 'age related' nocturnal trips. The Quark AA is perhaps the best. A real low. Very bright on turbo, and easy to switch from low to turbo. But pricier.

.
I also like to think of myself as "not old", but a glance in the mirror soon tends to negate my initial impressions ... 72 today on the First of March and had birthday wishes from CPF via Email ... Nice thought ... Just having a glass or two of "alcoholic amber medicine" to celebrate ... My income (or lack of) cannot support my Wifes hobby as well as mine ... She thinks that shoes and handbags are more important than fountain pens and torches ... I just sneak the odd one or two in, but she insists on asking what the Postman is bringing ... There is a limit to the number of new stories that I can come up with ... Perhaps we need a sticky with acceptable excuses ... I can't get the items sent to the childrens addresses, as Paypal are a bit funny about that sort of thing, so I try to limit myself to items that will pass through the letterbox ... The iTP A2 should be OK.

Pricier is out, under £20 is in, hence my liking for more modestly priced torches such as Solarforces, iTPs and the others that I have been forced to secretly buy.

I really don't know why I need all these torches and expensive pens ... I only have a dozen or so of each, but the pens are several times the price of the torches ... Still, every man is entitled to a hobby (or two) ... I just didn't realise that as well as the torches, I needed two DMMs and an accurate 5V calibration source plus an infra-red thermometer and a couple of Li-Ion chargers, a few 18650 cells plus the usual odds and sods ... I only needed one torch to take the dog out ... He doesn't like going out in the dark anyway ... I drag him out just to justify the torches ... This has the additional advantage that the dragging helps to reduce the number of times that he has to have his nails cut ... Who would have guessed that a torch was a canine pedicure substitute.
.

 

[johnny3073]

Hey there march.brown, first off Happy Birthday you old coot!
With 72 candles on your B-Day cake, you can now claim to have more candle power than many flashlights. Haha...

As for your thoughts on the iTP A2, I think it's a great choice for a 1AA EDC that doesn't break the bank. I'm going to get one myself (along with the A2) because of many of the same reasons that you've stated.

*Solid construction
*Great price
*Attractive styling
*3 well spaced modes
*No disco modes that I'll never use

Heck, what's not to like?? I've read your concerns regarding the use of 14500 Li-Ion. Not many light manufactuers are going to to advertise "Small 1AA light that will run all night on 14500 for sale". The reason for that is because someone will drop one in just to see if they can get it hot enough to light cigars.

The heat is what will shorten the emitter life, and tiny lights just can't dissipate it as well as larger ones. Five minutes here and there of "hand cannon" is worth it. Think of it this way, just because you own a hgh performance sports car doesn't mean you have to drive it at top speed everywhere you go...but that power is there if you need/want it.

Do you have a light with the XP-E emitter? If not, you will love clean white beam. I like them better than either the XR-E (ringy) or the XP-G (tint lotto/nasty green).

I say go for it and have a little fun. That stainless steel version is pretty snappy.

 

[march.brown]

Hey there march.brown, first off Happy Birthday you old coot!
With 72 candles on your B-Day cake, you can now claim to have more candle power than many flashlights. Haha...

As for your thoughts on the iTP A2, I think it's a great choice for a 1AA EDC that doesn't break the bank. I'm going to get one myself (along with the A2) because of many of the same reasons that you've stated.

*Solid construction
*Great price
*Attractive styling
*3 well spaced modes
*No disco modes that I'll never use

Heck, what's not to like?? I've read your concerns regarding the use of 14500 Li-Ion. Not many light manufactuers are going to to advertise "Small 1AA light that will run all night on 14500 for sale". The reason for that is because someone will drop one in just to see if they can get it hot enough to light cigars.

The heat is what will shorten the emitter life, and tiny lights just can't dissipate it as well as larger ones. Five minutes here and there of "hand cannon" is worth it. Think of it this way, just because you own a hgh performance sports car doesn't mean you have to drive it at top speed everywhere you go...but that power is there if you need/want it.

Do you have a light with the XP-E emitter? If not, you will love clean white beam. I like them better than either the XR-E (ringy) or the XP-G (tint lotto/nasty green).

I say go for it and have a little fun. That stainless steel version is pretty snappy.

.
Many thanks for your birthday wishes ... Had a great meal out (with her indoors) and a couple of glasses of medicinal brandy.

I'm not sure exactly which emitters my torches have ... I have two Solarforce L2 and an L2i, plus a Romisen RC-U4, Saiko SA-8, Trustfire F20, ZhongSheng, plus a few oddments including the Mag 3AA LED that lives in the kitchen cupboard.

You may be wrong about the sports car though ... I gave up on them many years ago as the local Police are very hot in South Wales ... I gave up the three motorbikes five or six years ago and now get my adrenalin boost from using dangerous 18650 Li-Ion cells in five of my torches ... They don't exactly give me the same "rear-end-twitch" that the motorbikes gave me ... But, since I am getting less bouncy (on concrete and other road surfaces) than I used to be, the bikes had to go ... There is a limit to the adhesion of rubber to tarmac !

I am looking forward to trying out the iTPA2 when it eventually arrives from Hong kong.
.

 

[toughCookie]

Wouldn't the SS (stainless steel) version produce more heat then the black version? :candle:

 

[march.brown]

Wouldn't the SS (stainless steel) version produce more heat then the black version? :candle:

Not really, it just won't get rid of (transfer) the heat as quick as the alloy one.

 

[LeifUK]

.
I only needed one torch to take the dog out ... He doesn't like going out in the dark anyway ... I drag him out just to justify the torches ... This has the additional advantage that the dragging helps to reduce the number of times that he has to have his nails cut ... Who would have guessed that a torch was a canine pedicure substitute.
.

I only really need a couple for running, but I have a few more than that. It is surprising how they can sometimes be of great use. In my pockets I carry a compass, a swiss army knife, a 10x illuminated magnifier, a tape measure and a torch. All items are of use, oddly enough.

 

[march.brown]

I only really need a couple for running, but I have a few more than that. It is surprising how they can sometimes be of great use. In my pockets I carry a compass, a swiss army knife, a 10x illuminated magnifier, a tape measure and a torch. All items are of use, oddly enough.

.
I hope my Wife doesn't read this, she will think that I have a twin ... I got told off for using my Trustfire F20 (EDC) to see something in a dark area of a shop ... She more or less pretended that she wasn't with me.

My folding magnifier isn't illuminated and I also have a small torch (button cells) on my house key bunch (left hand trouser pocket) and another on the car key bunch (right hand trouser pocket) ... I also carry a Cross Ion pen (LH breast pocket) as it is small ... As well as the normal compass, I have a button compass but it is in the bottom of one of my pockets amongst the fluff ... It is tiny and frequently gets lost as my very useful fishing waistcoat (daily wear) has too many pockets ... Tape measure was out of a Xmas cracker ... Mobile phone is always in one of the right hand pockets whilst doggy treats and poo bags (empty) are in a left hand pocket ... EDC F20 is in RH breast pocket ... Wallet is in inside zip pocket.

I can quite understand why some men use "man-bags" if they don't wear a fishing waistcoat ... I haven't yet resorted to the necklace method of carrying a torch, but for those into minimalist clothing I can see that it would be useful ... The other method of carrying would be too painful to contemplate.
.

 

[LeifUK]

I was prompted by you to buy this light, and mine arrived today. I was surprised at how small it is, and pleasantly pleased at the very high quality finish. It is on a par with my Fenix and Quark lights. A very nice light!

 

[ky70]

.
I hope my Wife doesn't read this, she will think that I have a twin ... I got told off for using my Trustfire F20 (EDC) to see something in a dark area of a shop ... She more or less pretended that she wasn't with me.

Make that a triplet. I was at a Semi-formal fund raiser for my daughter's school (I had my Lumapower Incendio V3 discretely clipped inside my pocket and I changed the GITD boot to a black boot...afterall this was a semi formal event) and while we were reading the details of some of the silent auction items, it was very dark and I couldn't see very well...so of course, I pull out the Incendio and then click it on low mode so we can see better. My wife looks at my like I've totally lost it. Later on the evening he Principal of the school was trying to read the winners of all the different auction items and was struggling with the lighting as she tried to see these names...I told the wife I was going to stand behind the principal and give her a little light but the for some reason the wife did not like the idea so I stayed in my seat.

 

[sb56637]

Hi there,

Can I ask where you guys are buying the ITP A2 EOS? I would prefer a Chinese seller, because I don't live in the USA and shipping is much cheaper from China.

Thanks!

 

[Black Rose]

Goinggear or Shiningbeam is where I get mine.

Both are US based sellers, but both offer very affordable shipping.

 

[mfm]

Can I ask where you guys are buying the ITP A2 EOS?

hkequipment.net for $22.49 shipped

 

[LeifUK]

FleaBay seller hkelvisfever. £17.