Recommend me something to beat my Arc-AAA

[rsnblmn]

Hello. First time poster, long time casual lurker when web searches would land me here, but just never got around to registering...

My trusty Arc-AAA light has served me well for many years and has a permanent home in the change pocket of my jeans for quick access whenever I need it to find a keyhole in the dark or retrieve something that rolled under the furniture, etc. I carry something with more throw and power on nightime walks or other situations where I need it, but honestly, the little AAA gets the most use and is the one I always have with me no matter what.

Anyway, even though the Arc-AAA is realistically just about perfect for my needs, we all know how this hobby tends to suck you down the rabbit hole pretty quickly, so I can't help but wonder if there's another similar AAA light out there with some updated features that might just be able to best this little guy for my needs.

So without further adieu, here are my top criteria for a AAA light if anybody can recommend one that has it all:

1. As small as possible, preferably not much larger than the AAA battery that powers it, like the Arc-AAA.
2. Preferably a natural white LED / high-CRI tint. I like the Nichia 219, but anything comparable is probably OK if it meets my other criteria.
3. Not super picky about materials or finish, but I do care about durability / build quality. For example, if it's aluminum, I want clean machining with good grip knurling, etc. There is nothing more annoying than a light that you're supposed to twist on/off, but is so slippery you can't really grip it. I am willing to pay more for a light that feels worth it. (I actually really like the feel of that "Nitrolon" stuff that Surefire uses, but I don't think I've seen any tiny AAA lights made of it.)
4. At least two modes, most importantly a very low "Firefly" or "Moonlight" type of mode, and then a "High" or "Regular" mode. This is probably the most critical thing the Arc-AAA lacks for me as it only has one mode with (rather good) circuitry that tries to "normalize" the output for maximum brightness over the life of the runtime. While this is great for 80% of my use, the one situation where it's not great is when I specifically need a very dim light for navigating the house at night without disturbing anybody who's just dozing off. In a "Firefly" mode, I want just enough light to not stub my toe or step on the cat, but if I'm aiming the light down at my feet, the spill should be barely noticeable to my wife up in the bed at that angle. More than two modes isn't necessarily a good thing. Simple is better. I am more concerned about the availability of the "Firefly/Moonlight" mode than the max output on high mode.
5. In relation to #4, I am also not super picky about the UI, but I would prefer to be able to go directly into the mode I want rather than have to toggle through them. (Accidentally switching to high mode when you're trying not to disturb people sort of defeats the purpose of the "Firefly" mode.) That is why I am not a huge fan of the "turn it off and on to change modes" UI, though that might be asking a lot as that seems to be the only option I've seen for multi-modes on lights this small. Hopefully I am wrong.
6. Should work well with Eneloop NiMH rechargeables or regular alkaline.
7. Not picky about where it's made as long as the quality is high. (Since I live in the USA though, I do try to buy USA-made items when possible.)
8. Budget: Would prefer to stay under $75 for this type of a light, but would consider exceptions for something that fit all my criteria perfectly.
9. I am neither opposed to or in favor of a keyring attachment / pocket clip / etc on the light's body. I never actually carry the light on my keychain as I like it in my change pocket for quick access, so a light without any attachment / mounting options would actually be just fine.

I guess that about sums it up...sorry for the wall-o-text first post, but I really haven't been able to find anything I like better than my Arc-AAA so far, so I'm really curious if someone else has a favorite that can best it.

Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[rsnblmn]

Decided to give the ThruNite Ti3 NW a shot since it's so reasonably priced and seems to meet all of my criteria, particularly the "Firefly" mode being the first default.

It also sounds like the L3 L08 4 mode is pretty similar as well, though the ThruNite seems capable of getting a bit brighter on the high setting.

 

[LeafSamurai]

I would recommend the Thrunite Ti5 NW. Relatively new with firefly mode of 0.03 lumens, low of 10 lumens, and high of 100 lumens. There's also the limited new titanium NW version with XP-LV6 emitter, with the difference of high 130 lumens. However, it is not released yet so you might want to get the non-titanium version first.

 

[rsnblmn]

Thanks for the tip. I changed my order to the Ti5 NW since I do like the clicky interface on my larger lights but have never tried one on a light this small. Should be easier for one-handed use as I sometimes have trouble operating small twisty lights one-handed, which is my main complaint with them. Often I'm carrying something in my other hand, so it's kind of annoying if I have to put it down to turn on the light.

 

[archimedes]

Not sure if the QTC will be controllable enough for you at firefly levels, but Peak Eiger might be worth a look ....

 

[rsnblmn]

Thanks, I should have mentioned I do actually have a Peak Eiger Ultra, but was a little disappointed with it for two reasons:

1. The head is not "grippy" enough since it doesn't have any knurling, so the QTC is indeed hard for me to control easily with one hand.
2. The build quality (at least on my specimen) was a little off. The battery rattles inside the tube and I ordered the flat tail cap since I carry in pocket, but there is a bit of a machining imperfection so that the cap is not perfectly flat.

The beam quality is very good on the Eiger Ultra, though, and is nice and floody for its size, making it surprisingly good for night walks. I just wish the machining was better.

 

[archimedes]

Thanks, I should have mentioned I do actually have a Peak Eiger Ultra, but was a little disappointed with it for two reasons:

1. The head is not "grippy" enough since it doesn't have any knurling, so the QTC is indeed hard for me to control easily with one hand....

You could try the momentary switch option, perhaps.

....
2. The build quality (at least on my specimen) was a little off. The battery rattles inside the tube and I ordered the flat tail cap since I carry in pocket, but there is a bit of a machining imperfection so that the cap is not perfectly flat....

The Eiger Ultra is designed for multiple battery chemistries (AAA/10440, etc) and there can be a fair bit of variation among "10mm" diameter cells, so thinner cells may have a bit of rattle, to still be able to accommodate thicker cells.

Not sure about the flatness of the cap, though .... If it's bothersome, and not easily fixed, you might want to contact Peak ?

 

[jabe1]

My first thought also was a Peak Eiger. I'm sorry to hear you have some problems.
Usually, Robyn at Peak can sort out any issues you have pretty quickly.

Second choice for you would be a thrunite ti5 neutral. Hard to go wrong for the price.

 

[rsnblmn]

Thanks, all. I have a Ti5 on the way from Amazon and have reached out to Peak support about my issues, so it looks like I'll have a AAA shootout on my hands soon. If both lights turn out to be great, I guess that's a nice problem to have.