Searching for the perfect keylight

[nathaniel_firethorn]

Hi, all,

Could someone point me to the perfect keylight? One that has the following characteristics:

• Is small
• Has a strobe mode
• Has a steady-on mode
• Doesn't turn on accidentally and drain its batteries
• Lasts a while

Thanks,
- NF

 

[SuperTorch]

Well this one just jumped to the top of my list, I don't know if it has strobe or not, but I like the fact that its a fast clip on/off design. I don't think its out yet, but its small and rugged looking and will get a shot from me when it is released.

http://flashlightnews.org/story1171.shtml

 

[Gunner12]

How much are you willing to pay?
Batteries?
Output?
How small?

The L0D-CE Q4 might be a good choice. 8% off coupon at Fenix Store is "CPF8".

If you are willing to spend much more, then the Drake/Draco might be a good choice.

:welcome:

 

[cv3po]

Well this one just jumped to the top of my list, I don't know if it has strobe or not, but I like the fact that its a fast clip on/off design. I don't think its out yet, but its small and rugged looking and will get a shot from me when it is released.

http://flashlightnews.org/story1171.shtml

Trust me.........you don't want this one. It runs on small alkaline button cells (4 of them) which are even worse than lithium coin cells. You'll be wanting a Fenix LOD Q4, plain and simple. With a NiMH rechargeable, you get an hour on high (maybe 60 lumens) and over 6 hours on low (9-10 lumens). You also have the option of using 10440 Lion cells. I would not recommend using high mode with 10440's but the first, or primary, mode with 10440's is brighter than high with any other cell and STILL lasts for an hour. Thats a real 75 lumens, on the first setting so you can treat it like a single mode light, for a real hour of runtime to 50%. Even longer runtimes can be had with a lithium Energizer primary cell. They seem to be just about bulletproof as well, have never heard of a failure that was not due to excessive use of high with 10440's, and I've only heard of ONE of those. There are other AAA lights out there but they have really complicated UI's and are known to be quite finicky.................don't always do what they are supposed to do. The LOD does..........every time. Right now it IS the ultimate keychain light IMO

 

[matrixshaman]

You won't be disappointed with the Fenix L0D-CE in a Q4 bin Cree. It's tiny and light with a Lithium 10440 and a major 'WOW' light.

 

[betalight]

All of these lights have a strobe function:

Photon Freedom

Photon Rex

Fenix P1D Q5

 

[Thujone]

Liteflux LF2 covers all your needs in spades... It is fully programmable and you can pick between the cree for throw or the ssc for smooth floody bliss.

 

[todo]

If theres a better more usefull small light than the LODce I'd like to know about it. I've been using and abusing mine everyday for over a year, and it's never missed a beat,I have a new in box lod Q4 to replace it if it ever gives out (which doesn't seem likely). If I was reduced to one light, the lod is the one I'd keep.

The only thing I disagree with cv3 is regarding the 10440's. I've used nothing BUT 10440 lithium in the lod and use high quite often. It has'nt affected the light in any way, and on 10440's its rediculas how much light it puts out for its small size. That said medium is very adequate for most jobs and does conserve battery life. Low is good for closeup work and super long runtime.

Its funny I keep buying new lights all the time, and the only one I really use for usefullness is the lod, guess thats cause its allways on me.

 

[Kilovolt]

Liteflux LF2 covers all your needs in spades... It is fully programmable and you can pick between the cree for throw or the ssc for smooth floody bliss.

I'm very happy with my LF2 too and it made me forget my three Fenix L0D's. The thing I like better is that you don't need to see the strobe unless you want to (in my case I never want to...) while with the L0D you see it too often.

Have a look here:

http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=169290

 

[todo]

I'm very happy with my LF2 too and it made me forget my three Fenix L0D's. The thing I like better is that you don't need to see the strobe unless you want to (in my case I never want to...) while with the L0D you see it too often.

Have a look here:

http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=169290

I did not see a size comparison with the LOD is it as small? A pocket clip is also important to me as I normally carry the LOD it in a shirt pocket. I will check it out sounds interesting.

 

[MikeSalt]

I did not see a size comparison with the LOD is it as small? A pocket clip is also important to me as I normally carry the LOD it in a shirt pocket. I will check it out sounds interesting.

Take a Maglite Solitaire, a Fenix L0D-CE Q4 will be a little bit shorter, but a tiny bit thicker.

The Fenix L0D-CE Q4 is the one that you want. You will not be disappointed.

 

[turboBB]

+1 to the L0D Q4.

With the exception of the PWM flicker on low and med modes, I couldn't be happier with mine. I'm running it on a Sanyo 1,000 mAh and find the light to be insanely bright with very good spill, I can't imagine how the output level would be like on a 10440!

 

[RobertM]

I'm going to have to agree with all the above recommendations for the L0D Q4. I've only had mine about a week or two but I absolutley love it. You can see some pictures and beamshots in my recent review here: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=187710

Robert

 

[mikes1]

+ 1 for Liteflux LF2 or for more $$ see below

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=185395

 

[Thujone]

I will bet you that if you buy both you would return the L0Dce... I am guessing most that are recommending the L0D either have not used an LF2 or are scared off by the programming aspect (which you need only do once or not at all if you like how it is programmed out of the box).

 

[cv3po]

I, too, am interested in the LF2 but I remember reading SOMEWHERE on the forums that the programming is kinda glitchy. Some say that you only have to program it once and then forget about it but then others say that it doesn't always do what it's supposed to do when you turn it on. You might be expecting high and get low or vice-versa. I DO like the fact that you can program it much lower than the low of an LOD.............I think? But to me it seems a bit overkill. I've played with a couple of programmable lights and just don't like them. Something about them seems unreliable..............in the words of astronaut Wally Schirra when speaking about the prototype Apollo capsule, " it just doesn't ring right ". And for me the simple twisty UI of the LOD works everytime. I rarely use high so mine is almost a single mode light. But low and high are there if I need 'em. As far as strobe (which can be useful) and sos (which is a complete waste) I NEVER see them. They are at the end of the sequence, I don't know how they seem to jump out at others :shrug:. I would like to sample the LF2 just for it's lower low (and I carry a yellow photon for a low low) but for me that's all it has over the LOD and it's just not worth the complicated and buggy (?) UI. Just my 2c but I think that Fenix hit a grand slam with the LOD Q4

 

[Monocrom]

Hi, all,

Could someone point me to the perfect keylight? One that has the following characteristics:

• Is small
• Has a strobe mode
• Has a steady-on mode
• Doesn't turn on accidentally and drain its batteries
• Lasts a while

Thanks,
- NF

Fenix L0D meets all of those requirements. Despite owning a Rebel 80 version, I recommend going with the Cree.

 

[gunga]

I, too, am interested in the LF2 but I remember reading SOMEWHERE on the forums that the programming is kinda glitchy. Some say that you only have to program it once and then forget about it but then others say that it doesn't always do what it's supposed to do when you turn it on.

I've owned and had some glitch issues with the LF2/LF5. I had an LF3 too, but didn't keep it long enough to find out if it had prgramming issues.

The concept of the lights is great, tho programming is a bit of a pain. They are simple to use normally, but I didn't trust them after a while. If you read some of Selfbuilt's awesome reviews, you can see he's found the LF5 (same design in AA) to be somewhat finicky too.

I now edc an L0D CE.

PLease note that many others didn't have any problems at all. I just stopped trusting them after a few glitches here n there.

 

[bp044]

Hi, all,

Could someone point me to the perfect keylight? One that has the following characteristics:

• Is small
• Has a strobe mode
• Has a steady-on mode
• Doesn't turn on accidentally and drain its batteries
• Lasts a while

Thanks,
- NF

I have same requiements except I dont need strobe. I tried AAA lights but found them too large.Please offer suggestoins

 

[yaesumofo]

The photon lights are the only real key chain lights here,
I know I know the AAA fenix is darn small and I have one I also have the arc AAA. But IMHO they are too large to be true key-chain lights. the Photon lights fit his requirements perfectly. IMHO.

Perfect is subjective. On my key-chain I have an arc AAA. in it's own way it is perfect. I gets used rarely but when I turn it on it works 100%.
Personally I made a conscious decision to use a light which is larger but bullet proof.
I wouldn't go for the fenix because it has not been out long enough to prove it's ability to hold up over a long period of time on a key-chain. The glass window worries me too. It wouldn't be that difficult for the light to hit the deck in exactly the wrong way and have the lens break.

IMHO if you need to carry a light on your key chain forget all those MODES and stuff you will likely never need them. What you will need is a light that turns on when you need it.
Get an arc and forget about it. If you must have the strobe get a photon.
Like I said small is really a subjective term but the photon fits his bill and is really small unlike the fenix light or the arc.
My arc has been on my keychain for at least 2x as long as the fenix AAA has been on the market and it works as well today as it did the day I bought it. It doesn't look as perfect but what do you expect from a keychain light.
How do you define small in flashlight terms?
Yaesumofo