Please recommend a simple, small, very bright light for a female.......

[GTRmiami]

...with zero interest in flashlights. My girlfriend currently has an iTp A3 on her keychain and a couple of the older Costco Lumen Master 150 lumen lights around the house. I want to get her something much brighter than either of those but that's also easy to carry in a purse and small enough and bright enough to be practical for walking a dog and walking down some very dark sidewalks that have pretty much zero ambient light.

It should run on regular alkalines, preferably a single AA. If it can run on 14500s that would be a plus for me if I ever use it myself but there's no way she will have the patience to deal with rechargeables so it's not critical. The interface should also be very simple. A basic low, medium, high with nothing too complicated to operate. Would prefer a clicky switch and not a twisty interface.

Budget should be under $100 and it should be easily available online.

So far from what I've seen, the Zebralight SC52 L2 that's supposed to be out soon looks like the best option. I know the ZL interface isn't exactly simple but it looks like once it's programmed, it's pretty much a low, medium, high operation so if I program it for her it should be fine.

Is there anything comparable to the Zebralight as far as size, brightness, and battery type or is this my best option?

I'm almost tempted to get her something like a Nitecore P12 but I really don't think she'd get along with the rechargeable battery thing.

 

[duckied]

Check out the d25a it runs one aa any type. The UI IMO is a lot simpler then the zebralight.

 

[ncvetteman]

What about the Zebralight SC600 MKII L2? It's a great light if it's small enough for you.

Sorry, I see you don't want to use rechargeables.

 

[Mr Floppy]

It should run on regular alkalines, preferably a single AA.

How well does it have to run on alkaline batteries? Expecting 30 minutes of flat regulated output on high for example?

 

[callmaster]

My wife uses one of my HDS lights and a girl friend of mine uses a Quark Ti. Both CR123 batteries though.

 

[GTRmiami]

What about the Zebralight SC600 MKII L2? It's a great light if it's small enough for you.

Sorry, I see you don't want to use rechargeables.

Actually I plan on getting one of those for myself but for her, yeah, has to run on regular batteries she can find at CVS or Piggly Wiggly.

 

[GTRmiami]

How well does it have to run on alkaline batteries? Expecting 30 minutes of flat regulated output on high for example?

Yeah, that would probably be fine. On paper the Zebralight says it'll run almost an hour on high using a regular alkaline, if that is to be believed.


Also, I did check out the D25a but I'd really prefer a clicky switch.

 

[hiuintahs]

My 3 favorite choices for you would be as already mentioned, the EagleTac D25A (XP-G2 as its better than the XM-L2 for this particular model......and I personally did not like the D25A clickys), the Fenix E12 with the new XP-E2 LED (very efficient at low and medium modes)..........or if willing to spend some $$ get the Sunwayman V11R with AA extender.

The problem I have with the single AA clicky lights is that they aren't that much smaller than say a Fenix PD32 with a 18650. So my attitude is if I'm going to have a single AA light it might as well be small and efficient. After all you aren't going to get a ton of light out of it. And the ones that do push the lumens for a single AA only get an hour of run time.

Just some thoughts .

 

[duckied]

The d25a come in two version clicky and twist. You probably check out the twist version.

The reason why I suggested the eagletac is because I just brought the SC600L2 and when my gf that has no interested in flashlight or learning about it, needed to use it. She click it and held it too long then it went to moon light then she kept clicking over and over. Lol I tried to explain it to her she just said she'll use a different one.

 

[tjswarbrick]

Can I third the EagleTac?
Mine's the CR123 Clicky version, and Ti, but it's my favorite "name brand" EDC-size light. (The only ones I put above it are HDS and McGizmo.)
They'll run on just about anything (Alkaline, Ni-Mh, Lithium Primary, Li-Ion rechargeables), and has (I think) very useful groups of modes. If all you need is bright - tighten the head, and use it as a single mode. But it offers plenty of flexibility for other situations.
My wife is about as non-flashlight person as they come, and she figured out the modes on my EagleTac while on a walk without me even telling her they exist.

 

[reppans]

If you want to stick to 1xAA alkalines, then I would also vote for the D25A Clicky..... Ti with N219 .

It has a very classy, elegant look and feel to it that a woman might appreciate, and the HCRI N219 beam, although not quite as bright/efficient as a CREE is just so pleasing to the eye, it's worth it. Also agree with hiuintahs that a smaller XPG/N219 emitter has a better flood/throw mix than an XML in these tiny AAs. The SC52 will be significantly brighter, but if used at that level, it'll kill an Alk in nothing flat, and the tints still seem to be a lottery. The two lights are in the same ballpark in terms of efficiency, despite the ~2X difference in lumen-hrs spec sheet claims.

 

[dss_777]

Whatever you decide, please come back and update us- what you got her and whether she uses it (them).

It'd be helpful for the future.

 

[brawler1588]

I would highly recommend the olight s15. I got it a few weeks ago and I cant believe how bright it is for being a single AA it has a magnet tail so it can stick to any metal surface for hands free use and most come with an extender tube to allow it to run on 2 AA for longer run time. It is insanely small and insanely bright I would highly recommend this light even if it wasn't for a female in a purse its my night stand light now. I paid $36 for mine with the extension tube. The picture below is it next to my Fenix PD35 and as most of you know the PD35 isn't very big.

 

[cland72]

I've been happy with my Klarus P1A. Also check out the FourSevens AA model.

 

[GTRmiami]

Would the Eagletac D25a which is rated at 121 lumens be any brighter than the Costco 150 lumen 3xaaa light she has? Not sure how accurately those Costco lights are rated. BTW, there is a new model of those at Costco which are now branded as Duracell and rated at 250 lumens. I'm wondering if that might be a way to go. I bought a pack for myself the other day to replace a couple of the older 150 lumen ones I had that ended up dying because the batteries leaked.

Although I guess I'd still prefer a smaller 1xAA light if it's feasible.

 

[duckied]

Yea she might like the smaller "cute" sizes of the aa.

 

[Mr Floppy]

Yeah, that would probably be fine. On paper the Zebralight says it'll run almost an hour on high using a regular alkaline, if that is to be believed.

I don't think they specified alkaline in their tests, usually Sanyo 2000 is what they say. Plus ANSI specs.

Most 1 AA Alkaline powered lights struggle to do more than 15 minutes of flat-ish regulation. Zebralight is one, as is the L3 Illumination L10 219. On the other hand, the Armytek A1 start higher but is rapidly declining. At 15 minutes, it'll reach the same output level as where the L3 starts to diminish.

Going the 2xAA route gives you better regulation from Alkalines. Armytek A2 would be high on my list, as is the Sunwayman D20A for that side-by-side style. Olight S15 is another where 2xAA will give good flat runtime.

 

[GTRmiami]

I don't think they specified alkaline in their tests, usually Sanyo 2000 is what they say. Plus ANSI specs.

Most 1 AA Alkaline powered lights struggle to do more than 15 minutes of flat-ish regulation. Zebralight is one, as is the L3 Illumination L10 219. On the other hand, the Armytek A1 start higher but is rapidly declining. At 15 minutes, it'll reach the same output level as where the L3 starts to diminish.

Going the 2xAA route gives you better regulation from Alkalines. Armytek A2 would be high on my list, as is the Sunwayman D20A for that side-by-side style. Olight S15 is another where 2xAA will give good flat runtime.

Hrmm...so, out of the lights mentioned, and any others anyone wants to add to the list, which one should theoretically be the brightest running off a single AA?

 

[Mr Floppy]

Hrmm...so, out of the lights mentioned, and any others anyone wants to add to the list, which one should theoretically be the brightest running off a single AA?

Armytek A1 (assuming we're still talking alkaline batteries here). The XML version will give you around 5 minutes flat regulated output. The XP-G version will start off higher but is not flat, much like the Zebralight. Of course that's the trouble when you look at a single point in the runtime.

 

[GTRmiami]

Armytek A1 (assuming we're still talking alkaline batteries here). The XML version will give you around 5 minutes flat regulated output. The XP-G version will start off higher but is not flat, much like the Zebralight. Of course that's the trouble when you look at a single point in the runtime.

Is there something like the Armytek A1 that has either an XML2 or XPG2? That should give it a bit more output. And yeah, I'm talking about a regular alkaline that can be easily found at CVS.