Recommendations for Good Quality Good Value Single AAA Keychain Flashlights?

[jon_slider]

*tint is terrible

I agree that Cool White lights tend to have a lot of Green in the Tint. Ive started using some Lee Filters, such as their 1/8 minus green. I like how it makes the beam less yellow/green. I like pink tinted Nichias

 

[wolfgaze]

the Maratac and Lumintop AAA lights - the ones with the Nichia emitters...

 

[this_is_nascar]

I agree that Cool White lights tend to have a lot of Green in the Tint. Ive started using some Lee Filters, such as their 1/8 minus green. I like how it makes the beam less yellow/green. I like pink tinted Nichias

Lee filters?

 

[Capolini]

I have no hesitation in recommending the Ultratac K18.

I have two brass versions and find them to be very good. The Aluminium versions are very reasonable by most people's standards. They also have the advantage of taking different AAA-sized cell chemistry. ie. Alkaline, Ni-Mh, 10440 li-ions.

+1

I have Two of them. The aluminum version and the SS version. Love the fact that I can use IMR[10440] in them. Which is what I use.

 

[Nichia!]

3 options

1. If you like cool white the best light on the planet right now is jetbeam AAA 15$.

2. If you like nichia (beautiful tint) maratac aaa copper or Tool Ti 50$.

3. If you want best quality available now go with Eiger SS and you can choose the type of led you want around 90$.

 

[eh4]

Thrunite Ti3 is about as small as you'll find, also quite inexpensive.
You can get a neutral/warm version.
(warm is better for visual perception at lower light levels, especially for seeing detail with center of focus... avoid cool lights if you're interested in firefly modes)

The low is quite low, some would call it a "firefly" mode, it's enough to find the toilet in the middle of the night, and it pretty much won't wake anyone up unless you put it up against their eyeball.
It's quite useful, but only after your eyes are adjusted to darkness. (runtime 4+ days)

Level 2 is a good, general purpose light out to 20+ feet or so. (runtime 5++ hours)

Level 3 is good for another 2x to 4x the distance, 40-80 feet depending upon your eyes. (runtime 1/2 hours+/-)

The strobe function is nearly useless, but very easily avoided, you have to work at within a limited time to get to strobe.

Great light for the price, I wish they made a deluxe version of the same light, would pay more.

I got one for each of my 5 nieces and nephews, spent less than 75$ on the lights.
(bonus, if you get a bunch as gifts you can cherry pick one for the the best tint and firefly brightness to keep for yourself)

There are better lights,
but for the cost, utility, size&weight, availability of a warm leaning neutral, and firefly efficiency, this light can't be beat.

Nichia L3 L08 is another quality option, a bit heavier and a bit more expensive.

I think that the Ti3 is a better value, but the Nichia 4 mode L3 L8 is a better light, it is heavier and more expensive, but along with having 4 levels rather than 3 levels plus a near useless strobe (Ti3),
The L8 has a significant design advantage, which is that if both of the lights are hung face down, the L8 is physically water resistant regardless of the state of the o ring, while the Ti3 will channel water into the light body if the o ring fails... the L8 has an overhang design with the head containing the male screw threads, and the body overhanging, naturally shedding water with female threads.
The Ti3 unfortunately has a head which overlaps the battery holder body, which means that if the light is hanging head down, the only thing preventing the light from receiving any water or sweat running down the light is the o ring.
This design flaw of the Ti3 can be corrected with some heat shrink tube and a nylon thread lashing, to make fluids run off without counting on the o ring,
but a better head- body design would make that unnecessary.

 

[jon_slider]

Lee filters?

yes on the left,
middle is a 3000k N219c, same as the one on the left, but without the filter.

you may know the 219c tend to be yellower than the 219b that can at times be on the pink side, which I prefer

the 1/8 minus green is essentially a pink filter. I quite enjoy it, and its just attached to the outside of the lens with a bit of double sided tape.. as an experiment, completely reversible, and for me, fun

Far right is the stock Fenix Blue Cockroach

Thrunite Ti3 is about as small as you'll find, also quite inexpensive.
You can get a neutral/warm version.

that is an outstanding post, on the merits of the Thrunite, and I agree with specs and applications you mention
for my needs the .04 lumen low is good to leave on the nightstand, and I agree neutral is better than cool at that level

otoh, I did not like carrying mine, it was more often the case that I wanted medium, not midnight toilet lighting, so I now prefer to etc twisty lights that start on Medium, like oLight i3s, and Maratac

I also think the oLight has really nice threads, and I like the 0.5 lumen low better than the 0.04 lumen low of the thrunite.. for my needs,
but the oLight does not come in neutral, nor high CRI.. Im having one modded to 3000k high CRI N219c, like the two maracas above, Im on a warm kick

which brings me to Nichia 4000k that comes in Maratac and Tool..
since Nichia is Neutral Plus Red Rendering, I rank it more hightly than the Thrunite Neutral, which is yellow and lower CRI

and then comes the clicky vs twisty option.. The Tool is a great clickie, starts on Medium, can be had with a Nichia, theres even a Titanium version..

The thrunite has one of the lowest lows of any light I own

a close second at 0.09 is the L08 you mention, which offers a 4 mode interface.. it is outstanding Imo..
slightly unusual in shape, oversized head, deeper than usual reflector, that I like even more because when tail standing I can't see the LED in my eye as easily

only thing with the L08 is it is part of a group of lights with a reputation for being unable to survive a small drop..

choices are good

 

[philco782]

I just received a Manker E02 with the Nichia 219c... This is probably the warmest LED I've ever seen. My other AAA lights are the Fenix E01, E05, and LD02, the last two of which are Cree emitters, and they sort of seem like a pretty neutral-to-daylight white, when put next to some other big-box-store lights like a LuxPro or Energizer which tend towards the bluer-side.

If anything I would say the Manker E02 with the 219c pretty closely seems to simulate the light from an old fashioned incandescent flashlight. Is that pretty typical?

 

[jon_slider]

congrats on your 4000k high CRI light
your other lights are 6000k and Low CRI

incandescent is 3000k. I use it over my dining table. If I shine my Manker on the ceiling, it looks cooler or more "white" than the incandescent.

and yes, your LED is "normal" for what Manker, Maratac, and Lumintop are using for their 4000k Nichia offerings

the 4000k light is more relaxing, and will be most useful after dark, when your brain has down regulated its whitebalance from sunlight to lower color temperatures... your 6000k lights are only white during the day, when your brain is set to that color temperature..

if you wake for a dark of night bathroom run, I think you will find the 4000k much easier on the eyes, than your cool white lights, especially at the lower lumen levels needed to get through a dark house after your brain has turned down the Color Temperature of its white balance during sleep..

 

[Dave D]

I've been carrying a Tank007 ES12 on my keyring for about three years now. Solid performer and reliable.

It's a 3 mode (10/60/120) stainless steel AAA light so it doesn't have the anodising worn away by my keys.

http://www.tank007.com/product/es12/

 

[LeanBurn]

I would recommend the Thrunite Ti3's robust stainless steel sibling the TiS. Mine has never failed and never had any issues. Still looks as good as the day I bought it.


I don't know of any lights that do not rely on an o-ring to retain its IPX8 rating.

 

[terjee]

The Maratac and Lumintop are often recommended, often both by the same person. Anyone familiar enough with both, to elaborate a bit on how they compare to each other? Reasons to pick one over the other, strengths and weaknesses, personal tastes and so on?
I'm ETCing a Lumintop, but I'm not familiar with the Maratac, so I can't really comment myself.

 

[eh4]

I would recommend the Thrunite Ti3's robust stainless steel sibling the TiS. Mine has never failed and never had any issues. Still looks as good as the day I bought it.


I don't know of any lights that do not rely on an o-ring to retain its IPX8 rating.

The Ti3 (and I imagine the TiS) has a head design that is like a cup, with the battery tube going into the cup.
If the light hangs down, especially if it hangs down around ones neck, then sweat and rain, etc. will run down into the cup if the o ring doesn't prevent it.
A light like the L3 L08, or L10 on the other hand is designed so that the battery tube is the cup, which the head screws into. - this design won't fill with water if it's hanging head down and the o ring fails.
It seems pretty uncommon, most lights have battery tubes screwing into the head.

 

[Johnnyh]

The Maratac and Lumintop are often recommended, often both by the same person. Anyone familiar enough with both, to elaborate a bit on how they compare to each other? Reasons to pick one over the other, strengths and weaknesses, personal tastes and so on?
I'm ETCing a Lumintop, but I'm not familiar with the Maratac, so I can't really comment myself.

Which Lumintop AAA do you carry? I've pocketed a Lumintop copper tool w/Nichia with me everyday for about 8 months now and love that light. I'd hate to lose it! I
I also have a Lumintop worm which is a twisty UI and the Maratac copper. These are both twisty UI so are comparable in that respect. Between the Worm and the Maratac, I prefer the knurled surface of the Maratac over the smooth Worm. They are both 4000k Nichia and to my eye, beams are pretty much the same shape and tint.
I like the Tool mostly for the reverse clicky which I prefer over the twisty on both the Worm and the Maratac. The Maratac is a good 1/2" shorter than the Tool and if I carried a light on my keychain, the Maratac would be preferred because of it's smaller size vs. the Tool.

 

[phosphor22]

Which Lumintop AAA do you carry? I've pocketed a Lumintop copper tool w/Nichia with me everyday for about 8 months now and love that light. I'd hate to lose it! I
I also have a Lumintop worm which is a twisty UI and the Maratac copper. These are both twisty UI so are comparable in that respect. Between the Worm and the Maratac, I prefer the knurled surface of the Maratac over the smooth Worm. They are both 4000k Nichia and to my eye, beams are pretty much the same shape and tint.
I like the Tool mostly for the reverse clicky which I prefer over the twisty on both the Worm and the Maratac. The Maratac is a good 1/2" shorter than the Tool and if I carried a light on my keychain, the Maratac would be preferred because of it's smaller size vs. the Tool.

I second these points.
I prefer copper AAA lights and have the same -- the newest Maratac, the Worm, and the Reylight Tool, all with Nichia.
The Maratac and Worm appear to be current controlled as well, so for me that gives them another √ although I love clickies... therefore the Tool gets used as much. But for its very compact size and 'deep carry' clip, the Maratac is great.
Sometimes I take the head of the Maratac and place it on the Lumintop body with the clicky switch. Current controlled, clicky, copper. The three c's!
Love the Olight I3e copper too, but one mode and no warm Nichia choice make it less ideal, other than its incredibly small size. But for a simple blast of light its great. [This light with 4000K 219C Nichia and 2 or 3 good modes would be great.]

 

[hiuintahs]

So I have owned a Fenix E01, E05, iTP EOS, Olight i3, Klarus Mi02, Thrunite Ti3 & Jetbeam Jet-u..........and of these I think the best value to performance is the Jetbeam Jet-u. I'm not really into triple AAA lights like I have been the AA lights but after doing a run time test on the Jetbeam Jet-I MK (single AA version) and saw it perform as well (at least in the top 5) of a couple dozen lights I've owned over the years........then I assume the Jet-u will also be a good contender.........though I haven't done a run time test on it yet. My next choice would be the Fenix E05. But most of the time you can get a Jet-u for less money and that is where the value to performance comes in.

 

[eh4]

Hey the Jet-u looks like a nice light.
I've overlooked and bypassed lights like this because for a last line of illumination light like a tiny AAA, I always insist on a low/firefly first mode order, but this are useful levels and runtimes.

 

[Hondo]

Lee filters?

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?320811-Changing-LED-Tint-With-Filters&highlight=

 

[this_is_nascar]

Thanks.

 

[jon_slider]

Anyone familiar enough with both, to elaborate a bit on how they compare to each other?

the present models are the same except
the Tool is a clickie
the Tool has a shorter threaded section at the head
The Tool has a less efficient driver on high

read this thread about efficiency...
Efficiency-comparison-Lumintop-Copper-Tool-and-Copper-Worm