ICON Rogue 1xAA Review: RUNTIMES, ANALYSIS, BEAMSHOTS and more!

[Size15's]

:welcome:
The ICON Rogue 1AA can happily accept rechargeable AA batteries.

 

[Kif]

Wow, it will be great if I can use 3.6v rechargeable battery on it.
I guess the LED has quite big voltage range.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Wow, it will be great if I can use 3.6v rechargeable battery on it.
I guess the LED has quite big voltage range.

Size15's meant NiCd or NiMh rechargeable AA's, not Lithium Ion.

Bill

 

[Size15's]

Size15's meant NiCd or NiMh rechargeable AA's, not Lithium Ion.

Bill

I'm working on confirming this. It may take a while to get the answer.

Consumer-grade rechargeable AA batteries consumers can buy in retailer stores are fine.

Exotic 'AA-sized' Li-Ion rechargeables that have far higher voltage are a different matter.

To be safe I suggest not using Li-Ion rechargeables.

 

[Tempest UK]

I'm working on confirming this. It may take a while to get the answer.

I hear it has been confirmed that Li-ion batteries are safe for use in ICON lights 🙂

Good news!

Regards,
Tempest

 

[Size15's]

Yep - feed them anything that fits - that includes using "14500 AA sized 3.6V Li-Ion Rechargeable Battery"
(obviously exotic [non-consumer] batteries should be treated with sensible respect)

 

[Monocrom]

SWEET!
Now I can feed mine the good stuff.

 

[Bimmerboy]

COOL!!

Now I'm kicking myself for not snagging the single cell along with my Rogue 2 while they were on sale. Knowing it can take a 14500 though... if they never go on sale again, I'm gonna' have to get one anyway. I love these lights!

Thanks Size15's, and Tempest. :thumbsup:

 

[Dr. Mario]

Good point. I got ICON Rogue 2 too.

I knew computer programming well enough and also is pretty savvy with electronics (especially the SMPS) so I knew what's going on here.

Paul Kim may have pretty much gambled on the software programming based on how hungry the LEDs are (surprisingly enough, as Cree XLAMP LED would still enjoy eating around 1 Amp. without popping the top cover off or exploding altogether...) and the longevity of the batteries under load (such as SMPS being used - entirely dictated by the software itself and the current resistor reading. Hey, the resistor even acts real funny when it's warm and toasty by the LED's own heat!)

Also, the 140Hz PWM you guys have been complaining about, is the reason why Paul want a good compromise between brightness of the LED itself and the life of batteries being under load - he must have a good reason to chop the PWM pulse of the MOSFET up before feeding to the LED, to making it easy on the batteries (in low mode, of course. High mode, you say? The microcontroller simply go for brute force PWM loop which keeps LED bright until those batteries are finished. when it's finished, the cell voltage are below 1.0 Volt, hence the reason it's pretty good at disposing of those disposable AA batteries. Beware, it can finish them off in over 3 hours. there may be still lights even when it's dying, because of the softwares on that chip - I also noticed that the microcontroller chip inside it is no ordinary CPU. it's powered by its own on-die DC-DC charge, thus keeping it alive even below 1 Volt.)

 

[hiredgun]

Engineering, function and design aside, I will give ICON a 5 star rating for one thing--the green color! As I have said before in other threads, there is a noticeable absence of green, particularly lime green in the flashlight universe. Blacks and Grays abound and anytime we get a color choice, we are usually limited to Red and Blue. Always happy to see Purple though. Don't care much for yellow/gold. More lime GREEN please.

 

[was.lost.but.now.found]

I don't get it. Aside from color, what does the light excel in? That is to say, most darlings of CPF fit some kind of niche, the smallest, the brighest, the handiest, the most modes, the cheapest, the best knurling, the best threads, etc, etc. So if someone were to purchase the gray ICON, what would they get that ICON does like no other (aside from peeling carrots)? Looking for responses from fans of the light.

 

[carrot]

I don't know about you guys, but I ended up picking one (in my case, a Rogue 2) up anyway [in spite of / because of] the interesting regulation pattern.

As I am pretty adamant about my distaste for AA lights, I did not expect to really take to this one but it is more than bright enough for many uses and surprisingly enough I keep slipping this one into my back pocket around the house. The high/low are well-spaced, while I'd appreciate a lower low and a bit less of the PWM effect, I find it quite usable and certainly a suitable level. I like the brain-dead simple UI of this light, I like the feel of the clicky, and most of all I like to use this light. Regulation be damned, the rest of the light is so appealing I couldn't care less! I also think the regulation is perfectly suited for the kind of batteries the light is mostly expected to be fed (alkaline) and really does extend the battery life to make it seem to last forever.

I don't know about the rest of you who have snagged one, but I so often reach for this light and find it very satisfying to use.

If I get a Rogue 1, I fully expect it to have a permanent place in my EDC bag...

 

[RAGE CAGE]

If I get a Rogue 1, I fully expect it to have a permanent place in my EDC bag...

I got the Rogue 2, didn't like the tint and exchanged it for the 1- It has ridden in my laptop bag for months now- almost want the elevator to break so i could try it out and hear someone say "wish someone had a flashlight"

 

[Tempest UK]

...most darlings of CPF...

I wouldn't say that ICON is a darling of CPF, nor is it trying to be.

So if someone were to purchase the gray ICON, what would they get that ICON does like no other (aside from peeling carrots)? Looking for responses from fans of the light.

Outside of CPF, what makes anyone get any flashlight?

Presumably, this person buying the gray Rogue (ICON is the brand, not the model of flashlight) did so because they wanted that colour in preference to the others. Presumably, again, because they like it better.

ICON is about aesthetics as much as it is about functionality. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and your eyes might not like the Rogue, which is fair enough, but the point is that in placing an emphasis on styling and appearance an element of subjectivity has been introduced.

Regards,
Tempest

 

[Bimmerboy]

I don't get it. Aside from color, what does the light excel in? That is to say, most darlings of CPF fit some kind of niche, the smallest, the brighest, the handiest, the most modes, the cheapest, the best knurling, the best threads, etc, etc.

Quoting myself from post #18 in this thread.

"The more I think of it, this light is near genius in it's overall design/price point/performance."

Check out the rest of that thread for further details. But to summarize my thoughts here... At this price point, I believe the Rogue line has no equal to it's combination of quality, ergonomics, output, battery conservation, and thermal design. I can only imagine the number of design considerations, and the "balancing act" that went into these lights.

So if someone were to purchase the gray ICON, what would they get that ICON does like no other (aside from peeling carrots)?

LOL... immediately followed by a post from...

I don't know about you guys, but I ended up picking one (in my case, a Rogue 2) up anyway

His rosette must've been vibrating. 😉

Be careful with that thing, man! :eeksign:

 

[carrot]

I'll be careful!

 

[Bullzeyebill]

I gave my line green Rogue 1AA to my son to take back to Montana with him. Now I miss it. Saw some lime green ones today at Fry's, $34.99. Not in budget today, but I know where they are. They also had the Modus.

Bill

 

[Monocrom]

Have had my grey Rogue AA model for a while now.

Other than the looks, it has failed to grow on me. Mainly bought it because it is one of P.K.'s creations. If not for that, I would have passed on it. I can see it being useful for an elderly non-flashaholic. Simple U.I., large tailcap button that's not too stiff, runs on a common AA cell, and has a wide body that should be easier for someone with arthritic hands to hold onto.

In terms of quality and looks, it's tough to beat. I have a 6P clone from Cabela's with a reverse-clickie, a pocket clip, and the same user interface. Hate to say it, but that one is more pragmatic than my Rogue.

 

[kwalker]

I inserted a 3.7v 14500 and it didn't light up. (Trustfire 900mah protected) Fortunately, the standard aa battery works still so I'm glad no damage was done. Is anyone else having success with the higher voltage battery?

Thanks,
- Kevin

 

[Size15's]

I inserted a 3.7v 14500 and it didn't light up. (Trustfire 900mah protected) Fortunately, the standard aa battery works still so I'm glad no damage was done. Is anyone else having success with the higher voltage battery?

Thanks,
- Kevin

Does it work if you use wires to ensure contact is being made?