Your favorite single AAA flashlight? I could use some help picking one.

Hello, this is my first post here. So I just wanted the best bang for your buck single AAA flashlight you could buy, and I am new to all of this, so I have literally been trying to compare for hours and still don't know what one to get. I already have a list of lights I am considering, but if you can think of another comparable one the ones on the list, feel free to let me know and I'll add it. Was going to make an order today, but now it is 11:00 and I couldn't make my mind up. Whatever I get, I plan on getting a second one for my fiancee as well. I want something with a good combination between throw distance and flooding, with a little more focus leaning towards throw distance, and not too much discoloration, neutral white would be preferable but cool white could also do. I have been lurking various forums, and I have learned a lot, but a lot of it still goes over my head, some of you seem to be walking encyclopedias about the current lights on the market so that is why I am posting here.
Here is the list of lights I am considering.

Tank 007 E09 - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AYCTC3A/?tag=cpf0b6-20
Thrunite ti3 - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LUO028U/?tag=cpf0b6-20
Thrunite ti5 - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014SGM1DA/?tag=cpf0b6-20
Aimkon iTP A3 EOS - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003BM5GQ2/?tag=cpf0b6-20
Olight i3E EOS - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017R560YU/?tag=cpf0b6-20
Fenix E05 - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LSQKZ28/?tag=cpf0b6-20

As a side note and not trying to de-rail my own thread, we have poultry and we realized we needed a spotlight when a hen recently went missing, we already have rechargeable aa's so we'll be grabbing a thrunite TN4A thanks to this forum. Thanks.

I like the Peak Eiger

Welcome, Ethan!

The Lumintop Tool has some nice flavors and options available, including a copper body and the 219 LED for higher CRI and nice tint. It's got a rear clicky, which is my prefered switch.
4Sevens Preon 2 is a nice light, with 2xAAA so it's a bit brighter.

Let us know what you decide!

Thanks for the quick replies and suggestions.

archimedes said:

I like the Peak Eiger

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I'm sure it is very nice, but it is just too expensive.

GPS Rider said:

Welcome, Ethan!

The Lumintop Tool has some nice flavors and options available, including a copper body and the 219 LED for higher CRI and nice tint. It's got a rear clicky, which is my prefered switch.
4Sevens Preon 2 is a nice light, with 2xAAA so it's a bit brighter.

Let us know what you decide!

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I like that Lumintop Tool, copper one is beautiful, but too expensive. I'll add the regular one to my list though. The Preon 2 is too long, wouldn't be comfortable to keep in my pocket all day.

I know this is not the "this is the best one" answer you were hoping for, but I think you would be happy with most of the ones on your list (as well as the ones suggested above). It may just come down to your preferences:

Do you want a single mode or multiple modes?
Do you want a clicky switch or a twisty switch?
Do you want a pocket clip?
Is having the very smallest size important?
Do you think you will expand into the world of more energy-dense Lithium Ion batteries, so that you would want to choose a light that would accept those in addition to alkaline or rechargeable AAAs?
Do you want one that comes in pretty colors or do you prefer black?
Is there one that just looks appealing to you?

And you may have already learned from your lurking that the correct choice is that you don't need to limit yourself to just one!

I'll be interested to hear your choice and how you like it once you get it.

Based on what I've read, maybe you could also check out DQG. Stainless steel is a tough finish, as is titanium. User interface is really important for most of us, perhaps you as well. Maybe you should get two different lights for you and your significant other, so as to gain more experience. These little lights are not very expensive to do a little experimentation. Getting into 10440 Li-ion batteries will give you a jolt in power and free you from alkaline sag and drip.

For a strong clip on a seemingly sturdy brass, 'golden' flashlight, I use a Trustfire Z-10. The weight is not an issue with me, and it slows heating up for a little while. I also use MatchBoxInstruments HF zoomhead Nichia but that is too expensive for you.

Have you looked at the NiteCore Tube? Maybe $8-$9 and easily recharged. Alkalines have such mediocre performance after some use and always run the risk of leaking.

Check out the Astrolux A01 as well. Awesome light especially for the price($10-15). Nichia 219B 4000K 91 CRI with 4 modes including moonlight and strobe.

I love love love the beam profile of my ThruniteTi(NW). The color rendition of the L3 Illumination L08 with that Nichia 219B makes me grab it more often though. The threads on the Ti are also a little gritty, but maybe I'm just being overly picky.

If there was a light with the beam profile of the Ti but used a 219B I'd tell you to get 3 of them. Maybe I just don't know of one(I'm fairly new to this too) and one of the smarter people here knows of this ultimate aaa and can tell both of us.

Ultratac K18.

I have one in stainless steel. Feels lovely to use and bright.

You can run it off a 10440 battery too for insane light from something so small.

Worth checking out.

I'm surprised it's not been suggested yet but I couldn't live without my preon 1. I have both aluminum and ti. Both with clicks tail. Amazing little lights, also can run 10440 all day for super power..lol

My favorite AAA is the modded version of Lumitop TOOLvn, modded by vinhnguyen54. He offers it in aluminum & copper. Mine produces 600 lumens & over 4000 lux. It gets more compliments than my larger lights. Of course there is a price to pay for such performance. See his sub-forum for details.

EthanJM said:

The Preon 2 is too long, wouldn't be comfortable to keep in my pocket all day.

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I think they have a 1 AAA Preon. I like my Preon 2, it fits fine in my front shirt pocket for work. Any particular reason you are set on AAA and not looking at AA? A little more capacity with the AA. There is also a AAA love thread on here if you do a search. Perhaps that will yield a few more options.

following GPS Rider's comments above --

I also love the Lumintop Tool - although I too have the copper version with the Nichia LED (maybe too pricey although I see a recent price drop)- from what i hear the regular Tool is also a fine flashlight - and you can get it with a clicky tailcap and/or the twisty version. The standard Tool has a very reasonable price.

The ThruNite Ti3, comes in 3 flavors:
Ti3 - aluminum
TiS - stainless steel
Ti - titanium

I have the TiS and it is a very good quality light, all the modes are useful and well spaced, which I use all the time and EDC it.

There's a new kid on the block here besides you Ethan...welcome by the way.

They are called Factor Equipment.
They have a 1aaa light called the Mizpah130 which resembles my favorite pocket light...the 10 lumen Microstream yet it puts out a whopping 130 lumens along with a medium and low. It has a tail switch which remembers your last setting.



Check 'em out.

My biggest question to you is...how will you be carrying this light? On a keychain, I think you cannot beat the fenix e01. In a purse, it works as well. In a pocket, you really want to look at the clip design. I personally do not like clips that are held on by preasure...

bykfixer said:

There's a new kid on the block here besides you Ethan...welcome by the way.

They are called Factor Equipment.
They have a 1aaa light called the Mizpah130 which resembles my favorite pocket light...the 10 lumen Microstream yet it puts out a whopping 130 lumens along with a medium and low. It has a tail switch which remembers your last setting.



Check 'em out.

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Looks good. I particularly like the clip which can be clipped on a pocket in one direction and on the brim of a cap in the other direction. Thoughtful design!

For small flashlights, in particular, I am partial to those that have a high CRI (color rendering index). I also prefer neutral tint. These personal preferences cause me to favor lights like the Lumintop Tool Ti Nichia 219BT and the L3 Illumination L08 Nichia 219B.

There are a couple of good budget flashlights that now offer high-CRI Nichia. Check out the Astrolux A01 and the BLF-348. You can purchase them in group buys currently underway at BLF for less than $10 USD. Actually, the 48-lumen, single-mode BLF-348 is priced at $7 USD.

I EDC a Pelican 1910 in a shirt pocket and a ThruNite Ti3 on a belt loop with a D-ring.

What applications do you intend to use the light for, and how do you plan to carry it? The answers to those questions will limit your possible options. Depending on what your needs are for the light, and how you plan to carry it, your options will vary greatly. The Pelican has a great beam profile with a tight hot spot, but plenty of flood. It has a high and low mode, with momentary on, and the construction is very good. The cool white still has a pretty good tint, but can't compare to most Neutral White/Nichia 219 LED's if tint is a big consideration. Also, finding a rock solid pocket clip on an AAA light will be difficult. I've had better luck finding solid pocket clips on AA lights personally. If you don't need it clipped, that's not a problem.

I also own a 4Sevens Atom A0 Red LED, 4Sevens Atom A0 (CPF 15 year) with Nichia 219B (both have magnets on the back which is nice, but can be a problem in your pocket), Inova/Nite Ize XS, Klarus Mi02, Fenix E01, Streamlight MicroStream, ThorFire PF01, and a few others that I bought in search of a great light, but that I don't frequently use.

I'm really liking my Maratac copper AAA.