Micro Keychain Light

[Vemice]

Once on in any mode it just takes a quick press to change modes.

I am not suggesting anyone not get one but just know that they can turn on even of locked in your pocket.

The TUP on the other hand can not as I can not get one in my pocket in the first place!

Got it. I think I was misunderstanding you. I meant that if in the 30 sec turnoff mode, it would just turn off.
Anyway, I now have the Acebeam UC 15 which has a full lockout and is "almost" a pocket light. Definitely not a key chain light. Lots of fun though with the red and uv lights and lights up the whole backyard with 2-10440s. Carry it on a dangler in front pocket and works quite well.
On the Nitecore subject, my TUBE has full lockout. The earlier ones did not. Quality seems to be better on the newer ones. That is a real keychain light

 

[xevious]

I abandoned the Nitecore TIP CRI after 2 faulty units in a row. I wasn't willing to risk another lemon. And the "compromise" that they made on the 2017 model to overcome the parasitic drain in lockout problem was disgraceful (abandoning it altogether, no lockout, and then a clip that covers over the buttons to prevent accidental presses).

The Tube looks nice in a limited kind of way. For a light that size, it's supposed to be simple and for momentary illumination. But I satisfied that need with an Olight i1R EOS, which has a simple twisty 5/130 lumens mode set.

I still like a small EDC that has a little complication to it. A multi-mode of at least 3 brightness levels, and some kind of strobe. The strobe is VERY useful in some circumstances. There are times when in a crowd and I'm trying to locate friend(s) I've lost, they know I've got a strobe light and I'll use that -- they'll spot me instantly. It has also come in handy when walking very quickly through a crowded sidewalk in NYC. People tend to move aside and aren't really bothered because it's just a couple seconds, then I'm gone. I use it only once in a while.

So I went with the RovyVon Aurora A8. This is an excellent little light. It's almost the size of my pinky finger (same thickness, just 1cm shorter). Packed with features. The UI takes a little getting used to (double-click to turn on, so no lockout needed; long press to turn off). But once you get it, it's very easy. It has 3 different colored strobe modes. Plus, with the translulcent polycarbonate shell, the strobe can be faced upward and the light becomes very easy to spot without being dazzled by an LED facing you. The main emitter is Nichia and looks well balanced, just a touch cooler than the 219B Nichia in my Astrolux S43. It's pricier than the Nitecore TIP CRI, but not by a lot (I got my A8 at 10% off, so it was just $7 more). So far so good. I'm really glad I got it, much more satisfying than the Nitecore TIP CRI. Had I not suffered those 2 failures, I'd have never bothered to explore around and find the RovyVon Aurora.

 

[Monocrom]

Glad to see you found a light that works well for you. Ironically, my Nitecore Tube has been surprisingly reliable. And my favorite online shop for SureFire lights now gives away Tubes with SureFire light purchases. So two more headed my way. On top of the Lemon, and translucent green ones I already bought. I'm still hesitant to recommend it though.

But I agree with you regarding Strobe, and it's usefulness. My main EDC light is now a Limited Edition Fenix PD35 Tac. model with Cerakote battleworn Tungsten (grey) finish. 1000 lumens instant access on Turbo from the tailcap. Double press the tailcap for strobe. And it varies the modulation after a few seconds on strobe. Going from fast, to slower, then back to fast again, etc.

If I see someone using strobe on the streets of NYC, I'll know it's you. No worries, I won't do something creepy like walking up and saying "Hello."

 

[deckofficer]

The most interesting micro light to catch my attention is Neebo Mycro.

It has two buttons.
5 LIGHT MODES + TURBO MODE
• HIGH (150 lumens) - 1 hour / 51 meters
• MEDIUM (50 lumens) - 2 hours / 31 meters
• LOW (15 lumens) - 5 hours / 18 meters
• GREEN - 40 hours / 1 meter
• RED - 40 hours / 1 meter•
TURBO (400 lumens) - 30 second intervals /

It is my new favorite light. Either my eyes are too old or they stepped up the frequency of their PWM because I don't see any flicker. The 60 minute run time at 150 lumens is amazing for such a small light, plus it keeps going for another 30 minutes at slightly less lumens.

 

[xevious]

Glad to see you found a light that works well for you. Ironically, my Nitecore Tube has been surprisingly reliable. And my favorite online shop for SureFire lights now gives away Tubes with SureFire light purchases. So two more headed my way. On top of the Lemon, and translucent green ones I already bought. I'm still hesitant to recommend it though.

But I agree with you regarding Strobe, and it's usefulness. My main EDC light is now a Limited Edition Fenix PD35 Tac. model with Cerakote battleworn Tungsten (grey) finish. 1000 lumens instant access on Turbo from the tailcap. Double press the tailcap for strobe. And it varies the modulation after a few seconds on strobe. Going from fast, to slower, then back to fast again, etc.

If I see someone using strobe on the streets of NYC, I'll know it's you. No worries, I won't do something creepy like walking up and saying "Hello."

Thanks. Yes, seems like the Nitecore Tube is a good deal for the price. Some places have it almost down to $8 shipped.

I had seen the PD35 before but didn't pay it much attention. I now see they've got a range of different Cerakote treatments -- the worn look is very cool. How do you like the tint of the emitter?''

All you have to do is call out "CPF!" and I won't be creeped out.

 

[Monocrom]

Thanks. Yes, seems like the Nitecore Tube is a good deal for the price. Some places have it almost down to $8 shipped.

I had seen the PD35 before but didn't pay it much attention. I now see they've got a range of different Cerakote treatments -- the worn look is very cool. How do you like the tint of the emitter?''

All you have to do is call out "CPF!" and I won't be creeped out.

The tint is perfect! But I'll be honest, I greatly prefer Cool White. If you do too, then the tint is perfect. No hint of blue, or green, or purple. No colors of the rainbow!

And I found out something else.... while it shares it's basic outer shape and design with a ton of other lights from other Chinese brands out there, the Fenix is better. It really is! The side switch is set low into the body. So no chance you'll ever accidentally hit it, unlike the ThruNite TN12 2016 model which has that button sticking up quite a bit. And you can't tailstand the Fenix PD35 Tac., which is a good thing! Those other models have the tailcap switch sitting too low, so that the two "ears" on either side of the boot get in the way when you need to access it for Turbo mode.

And I'll be sure to shout "CPF!" No worries, you'll definitely hear me. My friends say I can shout loud enough to wake the Dead! :twothumbs

 

[MKLight]

muyshondt maus looks pretty nice, does anyone have experience with it?

I do. It's build quality is excellent. It's twist on, twist off, twist on to change levels is a bit of a letdown. The Nichia 219 is great, but not really a white wall hunter. It's a nice inside light that can go outside, but there are better options out there. With that said, the battery life is great and nice to carry. I prefer my Matchbox Industries HF-R, but it's no longer available. It's a nice light and size...it depends on what you like/need.

 

[theotherphil]

I'm pretty impressed with the RovyVon Aurora.

https://www.rovyvon.com/collections/keychain-flashlight

 

[Paul6ppca]

I like the RovyVon except for the turn on delay.

 

[xevious]

The tint is perfect! But I'll be honest, I greatly prefer Cool White. If you do too, then the tint is perfect. No hint of blue, or green, or purple. No colors of the rainbow!

And I found out something else.... while it shares it's basic outer shape and design with a ton of other lights from other Chinese brands out there, the Fenix is better. It really is! The side switch is set low into the body. So no chance you'll ever accidentally hit it, unlike the ThruNite TN12 2016 model which has that button sticking up quite a bit. And you can't tailstand the Fenix PD35 Tac., which is a good thing! Those other models have the tailcap switch sitting too low, so that the two "ears" on either side of the boot get in the way when you need to access it for Turbo mode.

And I'll be sure to shout "CPF!" No worries, you'll definitely hear me. My friends say I can shout loud enough to wake the Dead! :twothumbs

I do tend to prefer warmer tints for close range lights, but for some throwers I do like a more neutral beam. A little on the cool side is OK, if all the other boxes are checked. Good to know about the side switch being recessed, as I much prefer that versus a very raised switch (I very seldom have a problem using flashlights with gloves). Tail-standing is a very nice feature, but not a requirement at this point (most of my existing lights will tail stand, as many have side switches or are twisties).
That would be pretty funny to suddenly hear "CPF!" shouted out loud while roving about the NYC streets. I'd definitely stop and try to see who said it.

 

[Monocrom]

I do tend to prefer warmer tints for close range lights, but for some throwers I do like a more neutral beam. A little on the cool side is OK, if all the other boxes are checked. Good to know about the side switch being recessed, as I much prefer that versus a very raised switch (I very seldom have a problem using flashlights with gloves). Tail-standing is a very nice feature, but not a requirement at this point (most of my existing lights will tail stand, as many have side switches or are twisties).
That would be pretty funny to suddenly hear "CPF!" shouted out loud while roving about the NYC streets. I'd definitely stop and try to see who said it.

Well, if you see the exact spitting image of the psycho from the film "Full Metal Jacket" looking your way.... That's me. No lie, no joke. At least whenever I shave my head. (Which I did recently.)

BTW, the above about the recessed side switch on the PD35 only applies to the Tac. variation. Fenix sells the PD35 V2.0 right along with the PD35 Tac. model. While the V2.0 has a nicer looking side-switch, with an 18650 battery level indicator (and a variation of output levels and runtimes on the non-Turbo settings), that metal side switch definitely isn't recessed! It sticks out of the body just a bit that when you're gripping the light with your thumb on that tailcap, you can accidentally switch modes when the meaty part of your hand contacts that little side switch.

You can try rotating the clip until your grip avoids hitting it, but then sometimes the "ears" on the tailcap get in the way of a good press. Considering that both variations have Outdoor Setting (though the V2.0 lacks the tactical setting), Not much of difference other than personal preference as both work with an 18650 or 2xCR123s.

I'd say get the V2.0 if you're almost exclusively going to use 18650s, and have ZERO intentions of using it as a tactical light. With likely numerous uses on the various output settings. Get the Tac. version if you'll mostly be using CR123 primaries and actually need a tactical light. (Though I've got my PD35 Tac. set to the Outdoor Setting as all I want when I hit that tailcap is Turbo. Don't need strobe, don't need low.) Just got to make sure that no matter what, I always switch the light off on Turbo mode to get Turbo as the default when hitting that tailcap. That's easy enough. Yup, I EDC my Tac. model, without the Tactical Setting, in order to get a true tactical light. Oh the irony....

 

[xevious]

Well, if you see the exact spitting image of the psycho from the film "Full Metal Jacket" looking your way.... That's me. No lie, no joke. At least whenever I shave my head. (Which I did recently.)

BTW, the above about the recessed side switch on the PD35 only applies to the Tac. variation. Fenix sells the PD35 V2.0 right along with the PD35 Tac. model. While the V2.0 has a nicer looking side-switch, with an 18650 battery level indicator (and a variation of output levels and runtimes on the non-Turbo settings), that metal side switch definitely isn't recessed! It sticks out of the body just a bit that when you're gripping the light with your thumb on that tailcap, you can accidentally switch modes when the meaty part of your hand contacts that little side switch.

You can try rotating the clip until your grip avoids hitting it, but then sometimes the "ears" on the tailcap get in the way of a good press. Considering that both variations have Outdoor Setting (though the V2.0 lacks the tactical setting), Not much of difference other than personal preference as both work with an 18650 or 2xCR123s.

I'd say get the V2.0 if you're almost exclusively going to use 18650s, and have ZERO intentions of using it as a tactical light. With likely numerous uses on the various output settings. Get the Tac. version if you'll mostly be using CR123 primaries and actually need a tactical light. (Though I've got my PD35 Tac. set to the Outdoor Setting as all I want when I hit that tailcap is Turbo. Don't need strobe, don't need low.) Just got to make sure that no matter what, I always switch the light off on Turbo mode to get Turbo as the default when hitting that tailcap. That's easy enough. Yup, I EDC my Tac. model, without the Tactical Setting, in order to get a true tactical light. Oh the irony....

Thanks for the additional details on the PD35 Tac and Non-Tac. Good to know! :thumbsup:

 

[Snapper314]

I'm pretty impressed with the RovyVon Aurora.

https://www.rovyvon.com/collections/keychain-flashlight

The RovyVon Aurora is the BEST small keychain light I've found. I have the A2 Stainless Steal model and it's been great.

 

[the0dore3524]

I'm going to second the Rovyvon Aurora, particularly the A8. I did a video review on YouTube if you wanna check it out too.

Rovyvon A8 Keychain Flashlight: An In-Depth Review https://youtu.be/Mkf_eAQiiI8

 

[xevious]

I'm going to second the Rovyvon Aurora, particularly the A8. I did a video review on YouTube if you wanna check it out too.

Rovyvon A8 Keychain Flashlight: An In-Depth Review https://youtu.be/Mkf_eAQiiI8

It's a great light. It seems a little pricey for what you get on paper, but once you have it you understand. It would be nice if they got rid of the visible PWM completely (it's not bad, though). Also, a larger battery. Runtime is not as much as I'd like, however it charges very quickly! And that's a big bonus.

Nice video!

Speaking of keychain, sometimes an AAA is small enough to serve that task. I think the Jetbeam U is small enough to qualify.

 

[Derek Dean]

I'm going to second the Rovyvon Aurora, particularly the A8. I did a video review on YouTube if you wanna check it out too.

Rovyvon A8 Keychain Flashlight: An In-Depth Review https://youtu.be/Mkf_eAQiiI8

That really was a thoughtful and thorough review.

My main issue with these types of disposable lights is that because their battery is so small (with correspondingly short run times), their owners will tend to drain the battery completely before recharging, which is not so good for the batteries, and after doing this a few times the batteries will simply not hold a charge anymore, leaving you with a rather expensive and non-functional do-dad.

 

[xevious]

That really was a thoughtful and thorough review.

My main issue with these types of disposable lights is that because their battery is so small (with correspondingly short run times), their owners will tend to drain the battery completely before recharging, which is not so good for the batteries, and after doing this a few times the batteries will simply not hold a charge anymore, leaving you with a rather expensive and non-functional do-dad.

Is there some definitive statement from RovyVon that the Aurora series cannot be serviced?

 

[Derek Dean]

Is there some definitive statement from RovyVon that the Aurora series cannot be serviced?

No info on their website one way or the other, but typically the batteries on these types of lights are soldered in place, however, I just contacted RovyVon and will report back with a definitive answer.

 

[the0dore3524]

@xevious @Derek Dean Thanks for the kind words!

I also wonder if they're serviceable or not. I'd assume not, but until we get a definitive response from Rovyvon that's up in the air.

 

[xevious]

Thanks for the kind words!

I also wonder if they're serviceable or not. I'd assume not, but until we get a definitive response from Rovyvon that's up in the air.

You're welcome. I expect that they are serviceable, given the price point. It would require knowledge of how the front bezel is attached. There should be some way of detaching it so the PCB can be extracted. If they did employ some serious effort to make it a one-way deal that requires destroying the polycarbonate shell, then it begs the question of whether or not a replacement can be obtained at a reasonable cost, and that the "guts" of the light can be inserted with the bezel completely sealing it off.