I found a "Nebo" single AA which is good for utility use, and paid $11.50 for one, and $10 from a different vendor. This is on-off only, maybe 20 lumens, and good for general utility only. Only problem is the castled (tactical-look) bezel, which can eat a hole in your jeans pocket. I put a water-bottle clear protector cap over it, which avoids this and doesn't destroy the beam, and can go on the tail if needs to be packed where it could click on accidentally (which cost me 2 new CR123s on my old car emergency light...)
My vote goes for one of the $10 single AA cheapies, much better in the pocket....
I just picked a few of these up at a local hardware place. Same price -$9.99. I carry a Ray-O-Vac 3w AA as my primary at work, so I bought 3, 1 for EDC, 1 as a back up for work (finally found a use for that little pocket on my duty pants :thinking:) and one in pink for the daughter.
The only mod I've done so far is to reverse the pocket clip for the EDC one. From the factory it's designed to sit bezel-up, and I wanted to be able to grab it from a ready position so a few seconds with a utility knife blade and presto - it sits bezel down, button up and ready to grab icepick style.
As far as durability the wife washed the one I had for work - found it still in the pants in the dryer :ohgeez:- too hot to touch, but fired up. Tossed it in the sink under cold water, then opened it up and looked. Battery was intact, a small drop of H2O on the battery near each end of the body (no grease on the threads) but shook everything out, put the battery back in turned it on. Noticed a little condensation on the center of the lens so I placed it bezel up and left it on overnight by the PC.
Was donning my uniform the next morning, went into the computer room and the light was still on... by now it was performing the LED equivalent of a dying man's Hail Mary, but it was still lit, with no moisture evident.
Opened it up, tossed a new battery in and droppped it in my pocket. GTG.
I've caught some flak for not having a more HSLD selection of lights, but working in the 'hood (with commensurate pay) while I'd love to run SureFires I couldn't afford to replace them if/when they get dropped in a ditch or fall out on a scene, and the Department darn sure won't pay for them.
1st post - howdy y'all. :D