Bucking the trend - carrying an incan EDC

LED is almost perfect for EDC use, bright, long runtimes, up to 600 Lumens from 1 AAA cell....the list goes on, yet it isn't incandescent. For the likes of me who was bought up in the 'bulb era' there is something satisfying about bulbs, maybe its the super-high CRI, maybe the clean white xenon crispness or maybe just because .

I have been trying a few incan EDC's recently. SureFire E1e, E2e and A2 were all good, but I couldn't help feeling that if I dropped one or lost one it would just spoil the experience. I was then carrying the Mag 2AA with Freeplay 2020 2.4 Watt Xenon bulb running from 2 Eneloop Pro's (a nice setup but the length of the light meant it slipped from my pocket more than once on siting down). So that left my Solitaire running the washer mod with 2AA Xenon bulb and Etinesan LiFePO4 battery. It really has stepped up to the challenge with enough punch to light the darkest path, small enough for a shirt pocket, lanyard loop and for emergencies the spare battery rides along in my bag. It gives up nothing to LED, apart from runtime (spare battery helps with that if ever extended running is required).

So I have met the 'incan EDC' challenge I set myself, and it was the most humble of lights that took the crown. So how about you - do you carry a bulb light too? Do tell about it - gives me something to research - and maybe ride along with my 'Solitaire +'.

A (never used) Streamlight Microstream pocket clip works marvelous on the Solitaire. (Around $1.50 at bright guy)
If it was ever on the Streamlight it's likely going to be stretched enough to move around more than I was comfy with. Still works but moves around too easy for my taste.


I tried the mini mag bulb, but ended up sticking with stock...

To me the Solitaire LED is too bright. I find the incan is ideal for firefly type uses.

Recently I found some mini mag incans with the 'filter package' which was a rubberized anti-roll device, a pocket clip, 2 red and 1 blue filter and a wrist lanyard for $8 (iirc) at the big A.



The 2aa mini mag pocket clip is awesome!!!

If you end up finding new Microstream clips on your side of the pond minimoog, check out Streamlight wrist lanyards if possible. A nice comfy yarn with an adjustment slider to snug/unsnug it if you prefer and a real narrow split ring to fasten it to the light.


^^ silver one has the Streamlight lanyard, the anti-roll device and the pocket clip.
The camo one has the Mag lanyard.

Thanks for the heads up - I'll keep an eye out for those. Anything that makes carrying easier is well worth searching for.

I'm quite fond of carrying a SL Scorpion with a TL-3 bulb and 2xRCR123's myself.

Watch for lens melting though.

Mini, thanks to Lumens Factory I EDC hot wires all the time. My all time fav is SF Aviator with red leds and a LF HO bulb.

I have been known to pocket an E2e or my E2d on occasion for edc carry. Lumensfactory HO-E1R with a 16650 or 17670, or the stock MN-02. Plenty bright, great runtime.

scout24 said:

I have been known to pocket an E2e or my E2d on occasion for edc carry. Lumensfactory HO-E1R with a 16650 or 17670, or the stock MN-02. Plenty bright, great runtime.

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Haha, I almost typed the same thing. But I lean towards my A2s.

I sold off my A2's a while ago, I loved Calipsoi's LED rings though... I figured if I was going to have an Incan or ten, I wanted to be able to use different bulbs for different outputs. The four flats A2's are works of art, though. They try to pull me back in occasionally...

Everyday EDC: Minimag 2xAA, glass lens, pocket clip, Magnum Star II 2 cell bulb (2.4v .82A), 2x AA Nimh

Minimoog said:

LED is almost perfect for EDC use, bright, long runtimes, up to 600 Lumens from 1 AAA cell....the list goes on, yet it isn't incandescent. For the likes of me who was bought up in the 'bulb era' there is something satisfying about bulbs, maybe its the super-high CRI, maybe the clean white xenon crispness or maybe just because .

I have been trying a few incan EDC's recently. SureFire E1e, E2e and A2 were all good, but I couldn't help feeling that if I dropped one or lost one it would just spoil the experience. I was then carrying the Mag 2AA with Freeplay 2020 2.4 Watt Xenon bulb running from 2 Eneloop Pro's (a nice setup but the length of the light meant it slipped from my pocket more than once on siting down). So that left my Solitaire running the washer mod with 2AA Xenon bulb and Etinesan LiFePO4 battery. It really has stepped up to the challenge with enough punch to light the darkest path, small enough for a shirt pocket, lanyard loop and for emergencies the spare battery rides along in my bag. It gives up nothing to LED, apart from runtime (spare battery helps with that if ever extended running is required).

So I have met the 'incan EDC' challenge I set myself, and it was the most humble of lights that took the crown. So how about you - do you carry a bulb light too? Do tell about it - gives me something to research - and maybe ride along with my 'Solitaire +'.

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With LED technology improving everyday I think any benefits that incandescent has will soon not exist. You can already get 95+ CRI 2700-5000K LEDs so we might already be at that point. I would imagine Incans will stop being made in the next decade or so. They are already starting to ban some high output household incans. So, enjoy and stock up on them well you can.

One of the problems LEDs (Cree and Luxeon in particular, Nichia less so) have in my experience is consistency of tint across the beam. That's one advantage of incandescent.

Ima really buck the system and start carrying my brand new Pelican M6 xenon instead of the LED Streamlight TL 2 I've been carrying in a jacket pocket.

I love that light. WOW!
Batteries expire in 2024 so I figure it was made in 014.
But the finish was thick and grippy like a 6P but flat black like a Streamlight TL 2 (shockproof) and imo the beam whipped the pants off both.

It feels perfect in my hand and the clicky was ideal for my preference.
Wish I'd bought one long ago, 'cause now they run in the $60+ range.

I just ordered a second one to stay nip.

I'm using me E2e quite a lot these days.

Ha, before I read this thread I decided to edc one of my good old favorite lights, the surefire e2d. I like it cause it's so compact, and believe 60 lumens is great. The newer ones, especially the e2d ultra is just way to big. I really wish Surefire would continue making these.

JPA261 said:

I really wish Surefire would continue making these.

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I see this written quite a bit...

StudFreeman said:

One of the problems LEDs (Cree and Luxeon in particular, Nichia less so) have in my experience is consistency of tint across the beam. That's one advantage of incandescent.

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This is no longer an issue with the newer emitters(XM-L2 Easywhite, XHP-35, XHP-50, XHP-70, MT-G2, exc.). This was mainly a problem with the XM-L2 and is called tint shift.

I came into this subforum wondering why in the world anyone would still want an incandescent these days..

I still don't get the comment of inc having better CRI..?? Most are ugly and yellow-ish, more towards tungsten color - even the xenons and halogens IIRC, albeit a bit better. The newer (actually - ALL the ones I bought in a barrage of AA&AAA size LEDs in ~2009 from DX) have light that is closer to 'daylight'. Of course I think it's debatable whether 'daylight' is considered as being either 5000k or 6500k (coming from a photography background)... But most LEDs are closer to that, not counting the bluish ones (likely higher than 6500k). I would think that also means a higher CRI too, wouldn't it?.

You are confusing cct with cri.

And daylight is actually between the 4500k to 5300k range.

Hoggy said:

I came into this subforum wondering why in the world anyone would still want an incandescent these days..

I still don't get the comment of inc having better CRI..?? Most are ugly and yellow-ish, more towards tungsten color - even the xenons and halogens IIRC, albeit a bit better. The newer (actually - ALL the ones I bought in a barrage of AA&AAA size LEDs in ~2009 from DX) have light that is closer to 'daylight'. Of course I think it's debatable whether 'daylight' is considered as being either 5000k or 6500k (coming from a photography background)... But most LEDs are closer to that, not counting the bluish ones (likely higher than 6500k). I would think that also means a higher CRI too, wouldn't it?.

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Yes, strange isn't it? But tungsten halogen bulbs are rated at 100 CRI - and when you aim at a painting with a full gamut of colours and then aim an LED light at the same painting, some of the colours 'fade' in comparison with the bulb showing less CRI rating. I think it is because LED's have spikes of different colours on their output with dips between. Its these dips that reduce the CRI. Bulbs have no dips, despite the warmer tint.