My wife broke her lights - needs replacements

[TheMechanic]

My wife has been happily carrying around a Lumapower LM33 and LM301 for a while now. Unfortunately, within a few weeks of each other she dropped them on a concrete floor and neither function. So, we need a replacement!

We're looking for a 1xAA light in a cylindrical form factor. MUST be able to shrug off repeated drops on concrete, be fairly bright, and for bonus points should have a forward clicky (not an absolute requirement, just nice.) Doesn't need strobe, SOS, or fuzzy dice

(From a design standpoint, I note that both of these lights have their positive contact on the circuit board, similar to most other lights. I'm thinking this may be a reason for the failures; does anyone have spring-loaded or isolated positive contacts to prevent damage to the circuitry?)

 

[Toaster]

The following fit all your criteria:

Eagletac P10A
Fenix L1T V2.0 Q2
Nitecore Defender Infinity

The P10A and NDI are a step above the L1T in terms of brightness as they use the more efficient Q5 emitter. NDI is the most versatile as it has an infinitely adjustable low setting versus a fixed low on the other two lights. However the P10A is the only one with a clip. All are built extremely well, though I would have to give a nod to the NDI in terms of ruggedness as there have been reports of Eagletac lights breaking their lenses upon drop impacts.

 

[Mjolnir]

Eagletac claims that the lens breaking issues have been fixed, or were only isolated incidents. I personally don't think it is an issue, as I dropped my eagletac T10L onto a tile floor from about 3 and a half feet in the air, and it did almost no noticeable damage. The stainless steel bezel does go right up against the lens, but there is an o-ring behind the lens that eagletac claims will absorb the shock.

I have dropped my Eagletac multiple times without breaking the lens, and it has quite a bit more weight behind it than the P10a. If the lens is in correctly, it SHOULD withstand a fall. I think the lenses that broke might not have been in correctly, which could have caused the problems.

The eagletac also has a a low mode that is accessed by lossening the head, so it still can do momentary on.

The eagletacs have spacers where the positive side of the battery goes to prevent them from damageing the light by putting the battery in backwards. I'm not sure if this is what you are asking about though...

 

[Cydonia]

I'm sorry to hear that both these lights failed. And from such a simple drop too.
Reports like this are food for thought indeed. It's a shame you have restricted your choices to only AA size lights though... because it seems that most of the top build quality lights are CR123A. Outside of a modified minimag and the (dim) Inova X1 I just couldn't find a single mode tough AA light. In the end this observation made me go back and reassess my views on CR123

 

[StandardBattery]

Have you checked the batteries were not internally damaged? check the switch. Those lights should handle quite a few drops.

You might look at the LiteFlux LF5-XT, there is a YouTube video where they do some pretty major drop tests on the latest revision. Really nice light. You'll have to program it once to get rid of the SOS and Strobe modes, but then you'll have a very nice light.

One of the other 1 AA lights I like is the Photon Proton Pro... it has a side clicky switch which may allow her to hold it differently and not drop it. It seem pretty tough, but I don't know it it has been put through the ringer.

There have been a few threads on 1AA lights lately so check them out.

Are you sure you need 1AA, and 1AAA is not good?

A new Fenix LD01 might be a good AAA choice no more SOS or Strobe and light weight, maybe less likely to drop. Many had been dropped and kicked and survived quite the abuse (earlier L0D model actually). Maybe also put a lanyard on it than she can cinch around he wrist when required.

As a bonus, you can sacrifice a Microstream for a forward clicky with a little work.
​

 

[Toaster]

Eagletac claims that the lens breaking issues have been fixed, or were only isolated incidents. I personally don't think it is an issue, as I dropped my eagletac T10L onto a tile floor from about 3 and a half feet in the air, and it did almost no noticeable damage. The stainless steel bezel does go right up against the lens, but there is an o-ring behind the lens that eagletac claims will absorb the shock.

I have dropped my Eagletac multiple times without breaking the lens, and it has quite a bit more weight behind it than the P10a. If the lens is in correctly, it SHOULD withstand a fall. I think the lenses that broke might not have been in correctly, which could have caused the problems.

The eagletac also has a a low mode that is accessed by lossening the head, so it still can do momentary on.

The eagletacs have spacers where the positive side of the battery goes to prevent them from damageing the light by putting the battery in backwards. I'm not sure if this is what you are asking about though...

AFAIK the only reported problems so far have been with the P10A and P10A2 lights which share the same head design. Good to see your T10L survived the impact without any major damage :thumbsup: Yes Eagletac reported there wasn't a problem. But then just one week ago someone reported the lens breaking on their P10A so I'm not 100% convinced yet the problem is fully resolved.

 

[TheMechanic]

Thanks for the replies so far. Just to cover the bases:

1) Yes, AA is a requirement. Non-negotiable.
2) Yes, I checked the batteries and the switches. Lights are DOA, without a doubt.

 

[csshih]

oh hey, do you happen to still need that dead LM301? I need a switch retaining ring for it..

 

[LEDninja]

The Arc AAA(-P) has a foam donut between the head and the battery.
If you absolutely want an AA go to the Peak subforum and ask if any AA Peaks also have that feature.

 

[f22shift]

If the lens is in correctly, it SHOULD withstand a fall. I think the lenses that broke might not have been in correctly, which could have caused the problems.

...

i don't think that was the issue. i can't speak for others but mine broke and was seated correctly. it is head heavy and the o-ring in the head is thin so i wonder if that exacerbated the issue.

anyway,

jetbeam has it's new element flashlight. i can't recall if it's a fwd clickie though.
although that might be too slippery.

 

[greenLED]

Lights are DOA, without a doubt.

I'm confused. You say they had been used for a few weeks, and now state they were Dead On Arrival. If the latter is true, why not return them for a replacement?

 

[waddup]

buy her 5 x $12 light rc-g2.

its a great light, and she can keep dropping them till she learns not to.


http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=215569

 

[TheMechanic]

I'm confused. You say they had been used for a few weeks, and now state they were Dead On Arrival. If the latter is true, why not return them for a replacement?

A) I didn't say they'd been "used for a few weeks" - I said they'd been dropped within a few weeks of each other. The lights were both over a year old, with the 301 being the older of the two (not that it makes any difference in the outcome.)

B) Perhaps I should have said "DRT", but there are probably more than a few who don't know that particular acronym. "DOA" means "Dean On Arrival", as in "when she finally got home and showed the light(s) to me, it(they) was(were) definitely kaput."

 

[TheMechanic]

buy her 5 x $12 light rc-g2.

its a great light, and she can keep dropping them till she learns not to.

Actually, I just found that there's a G5 version of that light. It might be an alternative, at least as her "backup" light.

(The 301 became her backup when the 33 arrived. Her big complaint was that the backup was in her bag, which wasn't accessible immediately, when her primary light failed. So she says "I want a tough light that won't leave me stranded if I fumble a bit!" Though I think the RC-G2 is a good choice, she'll probably want something "better.")

I've done a search for beamshots, but haven't waded through the results yet.