AAA Pen Lights

[Dynasty]

I've decided on the 1AA light and the 2AA light, but I am still searching for the pen light. What is best for the money overall? I want to buy once, and buy right.

I'm considering the Streamlight Microstream (approx. $20), the Shiningbeam HypeTac P1A (approx. $25), and the 4Stevens Preon 1 (approx. $35 plus $11 for clicky upgrade). Which is the best choice for overall quality and durability?

 

[Ezeriel]

I've decided on the 1AA light and the 2AA light, but I am still searching for the pen light. What is best for the money overall? I want to buy once, and buy right.

I'm considering the Streamlight Microstream (approx. $20), the Shiningbeam HypeTac P1A (approx. $25), and the 4Stevens Preon 1 (approx. $35 plus $11 for clicky upgrade). Which is the best choice for overall quality and durability?

I have a P1A Hypetac, I really like it. 3+ hour runtime at 30 lumens is nice. 90 lumens for those "I need a real light" moments is just too good.

(fair warning though, the pwm is really noticeable at the 15 lumen mark, making it only really usable at very close range.)

I find the quality to be top notch, and on par with Fenix.


It's a floody light, and I use it quite a bit when walking around at night, if I could find a 2AA light that was just as floody I'd buy it in a heartbeat, since my only real complaint with 1 AAA ligts is the runtimes.

 

[jabe1]

For the best quality/ durability, look at Peak Eiger 2xAAA.

 

[Kevinkw1]

For the best quality/ durability, look at Peak Eiger 2xAAA.

Whilst they are much more expensive, around $80, they can be highly customized with stainless steel bodies or alu, you can also choose your ui and also which led!

 

[nfetterly]

4 Sevens Preon - 1AAA and 2 AAA in one (90% sure AAA not AA). Get both bodies and one head. May have to pick up on marketplace though - that is where I got mine.

 

[shelm]

4Stevens Preon 1 (approx. $35 plus $11 for clicky upgrade). Which is the best choice for overall quality and durability?

4stevens peron p1 is best choice, the lowest street prices ive seen so far has
EnvironmentalLED . com (approx. $32.50 plus $9 for clicky upgrade)

and i am looking into buying from them too sent from my iphon using tapaltak 2

EDIT: the only problem i see with perons is their tint. the standard offering is very greenish (see cpf) which is why 4stevens offers (or offered) a large variety of better emitter choices: coolwhite, neutral, high cri, warmwhite, etc. sent from my iphon using tapaltak 2

 

[Yamabushi]

It may just have been bad luck but my Streamlight Stylus Pro C4 (which I think is the same head as the Microstream) is ugly green with lots of artifacts. My standard Preon (I have both bodies) is cool white with no visible artifacts.

 

[Rat6P]

Don't know if the OP has acquired a pen light yet.

I just received a Streamlight Protac 2AAA and a Terralux Lightstar 80 HCRI.
Haven't had much time to use them yet but for $30 and $20 respectively they are built quite well.
The Lightstar 80 has a beautiful warm/neutral beam and is a single mode forward clicky. Also has a rubber sleeve designed for hands free use (ie teeth)

The Protac has more throw. It also has a forward clicky but has 3 modes, High -Strobe - Low, which are easily cycled through and always comes back on in High first. I really like this type of UI - not having the memory is a real bonus and the forward clicky is much better than reverse clicky even for cycling modes, IMHO.

Not really sure on longevity yet as I have only had them for a day or so, but for the price and apparent build quality these lights will be users I wont cry over too much if destroyed or lost (from my wallets perspective anyway.)

 

[Iagent]

I'm very happy with the Streamlight Stylus, which uses 2 aaa. I also like the 1 AAA Protac. Now that summer is here and I need to have the smaller Protac to carry in my uniform for backup. I use Eneloop rechargeable batteries so that I am always ready.

 

[Poppy]

Dynasty,
I don't have any of the quality penlights that you are looking at, so I can't comment on any of them; however I do have, or at least HAD three penlights, and none of them were particularly ideal for shirt pocket carry. They were all too heavy (unless maybe I was wearing a particularly sturdy shirt, like a mechanic's shirt) also they were too long for shirt pocket carry. They'd be fine for inside jacket pocket carry, or pants pocket carry.

I'd like to suggest that you look at a stainless or Ti single cell AAA light. They are shorter, and lighter and will fit into more shirt pockets without pulling on them too much. Ti and Stainless will remain clean looking, and some are more classy looking than others.

Personally, I like the smooth elegant look of the cnqualitygoods CQG S1 CNQ002102 if you get one, be sure to get the $1.50 clip that must be purchased separately. Also, the switch has not been the most reliable, but customer service has been acceptable. I have found that I use this light more often than I thought that I would have. Unfortunately it seems that it is not currently available in NW.

There are other Stainless AAA lights available, but most, if not all have some kind of knurling. There are some AAA/10440 stainless or Ti lights available you might want to look at them.

Just a thought

Have a great day.

 

[Crazyeddiethefirst]

I'm very happy with the Streamlight Stylus, which uses 2 aaa. I also like the 1 AAA Protac. Now that summer is here and I need to have the smaller Protac to carry in my uniform for backup. I use Eneloop rechargeable batteries so that I am always ready.

I purchased a streetlight stylus and the battery cap/switch stripped the threads in less than 2 weeks(ie the cap popped off and in trying to screw it back on I realized the shallow threads were stripped. In a very rare fit I tossed my $20 investment in the trash so I cannot address how the warranty would have been handled...

 

[Crazyeddiethefirst]

I purchased a streamlight stylus and the battery cap/switch stripped the threads in less than 2 weeks(ie the cap popped off and in trying to screw it back on I realized the shallow threads were stripped. In a very rare fit I tossed my $20 investment in the trash so I cannot address how the warranty would have been handled...

 

[night.hoodie]

The Fenix LD05 is far and away my favorite, over-engineered yet proper penlight. No longer manufactured, but perhaps they're still available in 2012?

 

[Iagent]

I did see the potential for thread damage as well. I used a light lithium grease on the threads to let it engage a little easier. Using rechargeable batteries will make it important to be extra careful with the threads.

 

[Revvy]

If the light gets thread damage, you could write to yourself in 2012, before you got the light, to convince yourself not to buy it.

 

[StorminMatt]

EDIT: the only problem i see with perons is their tint. the standard offering is very greenish (see cpf) which is why 4stevens offers (or offered) a large variety of better emitter choices: coolwhite, neutral, high cri, warmwhite, etc. sent from my iphon using tapaltak 2

I don't think they offer a wide variety of tints anymore, as Foursevens seems to be stuck on the 'Cool White Only' track these days. HOWEVER, Illumination Supply still has some of the Nichia 219B lights in stock. Only in black, though. Use the 'illumination' discount for 15% off.