Advice on a new pocket light

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madcat816

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
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Hey folks, new to the board but have been a reader for a little while.

So I lost my cheap Akoray K-106 light from dealextreme which was i was pretty pleased with mainly b/c of the brightness it had.

I'm now trying to find a new light but I'd rather go with something more of a name brand and that has a good track record. My criteria is basically:

- durability
- mode memory
- multi-mode
- waterproof
- small in size
- strong pocket clip (was a major flaw w/ my last one)

I was looking at some Nitecore lights, primarily the EX10 SP, and the Nitecore Extreme R2. I like the size and functionality of the EX but feel I'll lose a lot of brightness being that its rated at 145 lumens. The Extreme seems nice rated at 220 but is a bit bulkier for everyday use in the pocket.

Anyone have any experience with these, or other lights that are similar? I'm open to suggestions, so please feel free!
 
I dont know much about Nightcore, but you get a free bump at least. ;-)

I have been happy with itp lights. They are the budget version of OLight and my thoughts are as follows:

I have an itp A1 on my keychain. Twisty, 1xRCR123, 200+ lumens, 3 modes. No memory obviously, but having light always available is very nice. I dont need a light for my job, so I wouldnt carry a pocketlight. The keychain light is very do-able though and it is bright enough for just about anything (except sustained high-mode situations, where I take my bigger light).

itp has a 40 dollar S-series you might look at. Go to goinggear and check out their SA, SA2, SC, SC2 which are 1xAA, 2xaa, 1 and 2xCR123 lights with 200 lumen outputs, programmable infinite bright adjustment and a pretty nice UI in general.
 
iTP A3 - uses one AAA battery, can be had with 3 modes, nice variety of colors, very small, and 80 lumens max - all for ~$20.........

I've been giving these away as gifts and people are very happy with them.

-
 
When I leave the house, it's invariably with a Fenix E01 on my keychain and a Nitecore D10 clipped to the inside of my pocket. Neither were particularly expensive and both are reliable and durable. The Energizer L91 battery in my E01 is over a year old and still going strong despite weekly use. I'll pop a fresh Eneloop in my D10 every week or so and it's never died on me when I need it.

145 lumens doesn't sound like much on paper, but I'd bet I use it at that strength 65% of the time or less. When you're in a dark place (why else would you need a flashlight?), there is sometimes such a thing as too much light. Trying to read a serial number off a sticker on the back of a server isn't easy when all you can see is a brilliant square. A pocket flashlight is generally just that: meant for close-ish illumination. If you're going to be walking the dog or something, grab a TK20 to cover the mid-to-long range.

TL;DR: Nitecore D10 is perfect for a pocket clipper, and Fenix E01 rocks on keychains
 
I think the Liteflux LF2XT meets all your criteria.

Some people might be overwhelmed by the complexity of the UI, but I just love all the functionality it offers.

The only other fancy LED flashlight I've had is an Arc AAA, so I can't offer much in the way of comparisons; but the build quality, utility and performance of the LF2XT would be difficult to beat in my opinion.

It takes AAAs, but I only use lithium 10440 cells because they allow greater brightness when you need it, and it seems the capacity is a little higher than a NiMH AAA.
 
The NiteCore D10 is an excellent pocket light, and runs on AA, which is a great power source for the "average" user. Unless you have a steady supply of CR123 cells already, I don't think the EX10 will gain you enough runtime to justify the cost over the D10.

The D10 is also on the small side for high output lights in it's price range, making it ideal for daily carry, but it's not so small as to be uncomfortable to wield, and it has a very grippy checkered texture. The pocket clip is very deep, with plenty of holding tension, and securely fastened. It won't rotate, slip, or come out of your pocket accidentally.

Regarding 145 lumens vs 200+ lumens, I doubt it will make or break the usefulness of the light.

Here's some timelapse videos I made of the NiteCore D10 against some 200+ lumen lights in a 20 foot hallway, and as you can see, at medium to close range, the D10 is hardly noticeably dimmer. Obviously the run times are short, but for an EDC light, it's never an issue for me as there's always a rechargeable NiMH close by.

Watch in HD fullscreen and pause if you want to see details.

D10 vs EagleTac P20A2 MKII vs Quark AA2 vs iTP A6 Polestar Obviously the 600 lumen Polestar is crazy brighter, but to really notice the differences between the 2xAA lights, you have to look at the spill areas along the floor, ceiling, and walls.

D10 vs iTP EOS A3 vs MagCharger vs EagleTac T20C2 1st Gen Warm Tint Even the little A3 at 80 lumens is hanging in there with the bigger boys.

D10 vs P20A2 MKII vs Maglite 3D and MiniMag This will give you an idea how the D10 compares to some common incandescents.

Hope this helps your decision. I have a D10 Tribute (with ramping UI), and wouldn't hesitate to get another one if I lost it. It's been hugely useful countless times for everything from peering into computer cases to spotting animals across meadows when camping.
 
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I think I'm leaning toward the Nitecore ex10/d10 only because for my use I'll need a fail-safe light that can withstand a beating. The iTp's look nice but I don't think I'll like the UI as much.

Those videos were excellent entoptics thanks much!
 
I'd recommend either the Quark AA or 123. The 123 will be brighter and shorter but a bit thicker than the AA model which isn't as bright but puts out a respectable 90 lumens with an alkaline battery, but since the light is rated for 4.2v you can slap a 14500 in there and get 180 OTF lumens (the AA. AA2, and 123 actually share the same head).

If you want the ultimate in pocketability then get a Quark MiNi.
 
Slight correction: the Quark AA and 123 are the same diameter, just different lengths. However, the Quark MiNi AA, 123, and CR2 are different diameters and lengths.
 
cimino said:
I think the Liteflux LF2XT meets all your criteria.

Some people might be overwhelmed by the complexity of the UI, but I just love all the functionality it offers.

The only other fancy LED flashlight I've had is an Arc AAA, so I can't offer much in the way of comparisons; but the build quality, utility and performance of the LF2XT would be difficult to beat in my opinion.

It takes AAAs, but I only use lithium 10440 cells because they allow greater brightness when you need it, and it seems the capacity is a little higher than a NiMH AAA.
Click to expand...
You can also get it with a xp-g r5
 
the.Mtn.Man said:
I'd recommend either the Quark AA or 123. The 123 will be brighter and shorter but a bit thicker than the AA model which isn't as bright but puts out a respectable 90 lumens with an alkaline battery, but since the light is rated for 4.2v you can slap a 14500 in there and get 180 OTF lumens (the AA. AA2, and 123 actually share the same head).

If you want the ultimate in pocketability then get a Quark MiNi.
Click to expand...

+1 on this suggestion. I have FOUR, All the different emitters and every battery combo except the 123-2. They get beat and banged up daily and even survived the underwater test without fail.
 
There are a lot of lights out there. Personally I'd go for a Quark or a Fenix light. They have a reputation for strength, durability and brightness, and won't bleed your wallet dry.

Mark
 
The Fenix LD10 R4 is a great little light, the R4 version is as bright as or brighter than most 2 x AA's but runtime suffers a bit so it depends if you need a compact light or not.
Fenix sell a great range of accessories for these lights as well which makes them even more versitile.

Cheers
Tod
 
Jetbeam Jet I Pro v3.0 might suit your needs. I like the Akoray K106 too, in fact, it sits in my work bag with 3 spare 14500s. I got mine from KD instead of DX as the DX one was the 5 mode non programmable which i didnt like. KD sent me the 3 mode programmable which i really like, the clip isnt the strongest but its adequate for normal use and it allows discreet pocket carry
 
Another vote for the Jetbeam 1 Pro V3. Unreal regulation and output from a 14500. Runtimes are solid as well. Worth a very long look. Kinda surprised only one person mentioned before myself, but then again there is a very strong (and not undeserved) infatuation with the Quark and Fenix lights. (If you do decide on the Jet, make sure you dont forget your discount code so you can get that bad boy for $56 shipped.:thumbsup:)
 
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