Favourite/most beloved 1xAA lights?

AVService

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 30, 2011
Messages
2,163
Got to be the Mini Mag,the one that got me here!

SC52 since the day they were released.
 

Cobraman502

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 10, 2015
Messages
367
Yep SC52w is by far the best and most cost effective. Can use AA @ 280 lumens max or drop in a 14500 and get 500 lumens max. The UI is the best in the market IMO. Can access any mode without guess or running through linear modes. The low and moon light levels are phenomenal running a max duration of 3 months. The switch is really nice with an overall high quality light. You won't find anything like it at this price level.
 

night.hoodie

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 6, 2014
Messages
717
Location
Lost City of Atlanta
Yep SC52w is by far the best and most cost effective. Can use AA @ 280 lumens max or drop in a 14500 and get 500 lumens max.

OK, but 14500 is not an AA cell, and I personally don't understand the widely popular affection for an irrelevant and discontinued Zebralight model... because the SC5 is brighter on AA than the SC52 on 14500. And let's be honest, you WILL own an SC5 Mk II when it becomes available and your backorder is finally fulfilled.
 

Cobraman502

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 10, 2015
Messages
367
I chose the SC52 because it was smaller and has an option for 2 different cell types. Yes the SC5 is brighter but is also larger which I didn't want. I have the SC600w MK III HI which is only 4.6mm larger in the head and about 15 mm longer and much brighter. I could have purchased the SC63 but I wanted an AA. I just found the size and brightness of the SC52w to be exactly what I wanted for EDC.
 
Last edited:

markr6

Flashaholic
Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
9,258
Another vote for the SC52w. I tried the SC5w OP but that slight increase in weight and size was just too much for what could have been a simple AA. The L10 twisty is a good example of how small you can get; that's my runner up.
 

Cunha

Newly Enlightened
Joined
May 31, 2011
Messages
126
The only light I wouldn't want to live without is my h502.
 

Cobraman502

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 10, 2015
Messages
367
I have found the SC52w fits perfect in the watch pocket (right side little pocket) of my jeans.
 

bykfixer

Flashaholic
Joined
Aug 9, 2015
Messages
20,368
Location
Dust in the Wind
Pelican 2350 here. Gen 2 version. Definitely my favorite 1aa.

That and my 1953 HIPCO jewel thief number.

Edit: Gotta add the Icon Rogue 1 that triples as a potato peeler or nun-chuc... or a nun-chuc with potato peelings all over it.
I also like the built in traffic wand feature of the Icon Modus 1. And last but certainly not least, the Coast HP1
 
Last edited:

EseriesModder

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Mar 6, 2017
Messages
29
My zebralight h52w is in my pocket everyday, and if I'm working the headband strap is either in my bag, jacket, or the back pocket of my jeans. I've worked in too many dimly lit environments over the years to go anywhere without it. I hardly ever change the batteries in it, and it's never gotten dim. I even had a battery explode in there during an emergency, and totally forgot about it (sacrilege, I know, but in a real emergency you don't stop to clean out your flashlight, you're just thankful that it's still working). I used it for about a month after that with the burst cell in there, and it was nice and bright the whole time. Nothing about the performance made me think anything was wrong. And thats not because I neglected the light, I was using it for sometimes hours at a time, nearly everyday. When I finally went to swap the leaking cell out the acid had dried, and the light was still doing fine on medium. It cleaned up fine, and it's still working like new. With a light this efficient I don't understand why anyone would strap a 18650 to their forehead.
 

markr6

Flashaholic
Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
9,258
With a light this efficient I don't understand why anyone would strap a 18650 to their forehead.

Runtime and output. I love my H52w as well, but you can't have both. With the H600w you can have both for just a little extra size and weight. That's important to me when backpacking and I need a fairly high output AND runtime. No swapping batteries either which is great.
 

EseriesModder

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Mar 6, 2017
Messages
29
I know, I know, but to be honest its still pretty bright on high, and I have other flashlights if I want super bright. This one runs on a AA! There are two of those in every remote control in every house, ever. That's sort of what this thread is about, isn't it?
 

markr6

Flashaholic
Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
9,258
I know, I know, but to be honest its still pretty bright on high, and I have other flashlights if I want super bright. This one runs on a AA! There are two of those in every remote control in every house, ever. That's sort of what this thread is about, isn't it?

Yes, they're great lights. But if you ask "why", you'll get a response, eventually :)
 

EseriesModder

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Mar 6, 2017
Messages
29
Haha, well, it's a good response. I could see it having a legitimate edge for backpacking and hiking long trails at night. I'm more of the caving and climbing sort, so I'd rather carry more weight in my pack and less on my face, but I can see where the added run time would be a bonus there, too, for multi-pitch climbs.

I usually find myself double clicking to go straight to medium, though. Either because I'm around people, and it's more civil, or because there's a wall or workbench three feet away from me, and blindingly bright won't be helpful. That probably explains my crazy runtimes.
 
Last edited:

night.hoodie

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 6, 2014
Messages
717
Location
Lost City of Atlanta
I chose the SC52 because it was smaller...
tMqUwqp.jpg

(Image stolen from Vinh!)

And it still is! Difficult to make out in the photo, but if you look above where the SC5 is, middle left, and squint, you can just barely make out the SC52 at top left. The behemoth SC5 weighs 18g heavier than the nearly microscopic SC52. Coincidentally, 18g is how much one mole of water weighs, which takes up a volume of 18mL, and is also about the weight of the aluminum pet tag that might be on the collar of a cat. Though that is all true, I'm just messing with you... 18g is considerable, actually... 18g of 24K gold today costs $713.96, and if you were shorted 18g of medical cannabis, you would be tremendously bummed.

... and has an option for 2 different cell types.
Fair point, the SC5 only accepts an AA.

Yes the SC5 is brighter but is also larger which I didn't want....
Ah, so you won't be using a 14500, then. :thinking:

Well, it's a great world to be living in with so many options... I mean, that is... if Zebralight still manufactured and sold the SC52w.
 
Last edited:

markr6

Flashaholic
Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
9,258
Well, it's a great world to be living in with so many options... I mean, that is... if Zebralight still manufactured and sold the SC52w.

I believe they do. It's in stock right now and on their spreadsheet as an active item (The L2 new version). The old SC52/w has been discontinued.

I know on paper and in a photo they don't look much different, but once you start using both and rotating them, the difference is huge. I mean, once you start downsizing the 1xAA format you can only go so far. Each little step makes a big difference.

p.s. I don't think anyone mentioned the L11C? I like that one too. There has been some complaints about durability, so maybe that's why.
 
Last edited:
Top