Shortest aaa keychain light?

[dougw]

I've used a Chap Stik cap for two years now on my ITP A3 SS which I carry always on my keychain. It protects the lens from keys and other junk in my pockets, allows enough light to be able to see a key hole and allows walking aroung the house at full dark without running into stuff. Also very simple to remove when more light is needed. Cost is right. Would like as simple a solution for a Fenix LD10.

 

[Pointoflight]

Thanks all for the input. The Eiger does look nice, but a bit too much.....I ordered the ITP A3 SS. Glad to know I can use the rechargeable 10440 (yes, in my book that's aaa as well). The chapstick top trick is pretty cool. Maybe I'll drill a small hole in the middle and see what kind of light that emits in additon to the diffused light. Maybe take a dremel and sand some of the plastic off the top and sides (make it thinner) to make it less opaque?

 

[selfbuilt]

Hard to get shorter than the Foursevens Preon P0, although it is only 25 lumens on Max (and full flood at that):

From left to right: Duracell AAA; 4Sevens Preon P0, Preon 1, ReVo; Titanium Innovations Illuminati; Klarus Mi X6; Lumintop Worm SS.

Note the AAA scale reference ... :whistle:

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Thanks all for the input. The Eiger does look nice, but a bit too much.....I ordered the ITP A3 SS. Glad to know I can use the rechargeable 10440 (yes, in my book that's aaa as well). The chapstick top trick is pretty cool. Maybe I'll drill a small hole in the middle and see what kind of light that emits in additon to the diffused light. Maybe take a dremel and sand some of the plastic off the top and sides (make it thinner) to make it less opaque?

For lights that have 3 modes and a 50+ lumen high that come on in medium mode there is no need to mod a chapstick cap, I have seen other brands of lip balm with other color caps some more clear that may suit you. If your light comes on low 5 lumens or less the cap still may be useful as it does help disperse some light to the sides. Sometimes I turn my light on dangling from the keychain to see the door lock and the chapstick cap diffuser does wonders vs having a beam bouncing off my feet blinding my night vision entirely such that I need the light now pointing at the lock to see it.

 

[Pointoflight]

The addiction continues. Ordered the tip a3 and since I got it it has been on my keychain. It is as good a light as the mor expensive luminary which I also have. Also ordered the aaa plight, the dqg in stainless, the itp a1, and the Spark sk7. They have not arrived.

 

[Gunner12]

The DQG might take a bit of time to arrive, mine took ~1.5 weeks and is probably one of the faster ones. I really like it for it;s small size and two modes. Also had an A3 before and now it's being used a my pool light (light I bring with me to the pool, small and water resistant enough to survive).

Enjoy your lights!

Some day, you might want to try turning all of them on at once and pointing them across the room, should make a very bright flood light :P

 

[Danielight]

The addiction continues. Ordered the tip a3 and since I got it it has been on my keychain. It is as good a light as the mor expensive luminary which I also have. Also ordered the aaa plight, the dqg in stainless, the itp a1, and the Spark sk7. They have not arrived.

Hello, Pointoflight. I also have an iTP A3 EOS in stainless steel (with SS keychain included), and it's a nice light. I ordered mine thru the Shining Beam website, but they no longer offer it. This light is very similar to my Olight i3 EOS. In fact, I believe that Olight bought out iTP.

Now, on a different note, pretty soon you'll be attending meetings where you will have to stand up and say, "Hi, my name is Pointoflight, and I'm a flashaholic." :D

 

[moozooh]

I'm currently using a Thrunite Ti. It's rated at 60 lumen max, and the XP-E inside has a beautiful creamy daylight tint; think very high neutral but without any hint of blue or green. It's not the shortest though, even though it's rather small for an AAA light.

 

[Ptery83]

I have recently purchased the DQG III R4, Maratac AAA, and Titanium Innovations CA-1 AL. The DQG lives on my keychain because it is significantly shorter than the other two lights (58mm)and bright enough for any task required of a keychain light at an advertised 60 lumens (not sure what it actually puts out) and a nice low level. I have dropped it many times and never had an issue. The Titanium Innovations is my overall favorite of the three with the three output levels and noticeably brighter high level at an advertised 115 lumens. It will serve more as a pocket clipped light however due to its extra size (~69mm) compared to the DQG. The maratac AAA has been a large disappointment so far. It comes in at ~70mm with equal output on high to the Ti Innov but has a hideous beam with dark spots throughout.The aluminum body also becomes very hot on high within a few minutes. This was not an issue for the other two lights.

 

[Racer]

The chapstick cap also fits the Thrunite Ti and Olight I3. It's just a hair too small for the Microstream. Also, if you use a Blistex cap, it has a really cool looking blue light.

 

[127.0.0.1]

DQG-III stainless is the best deal as far as short, but reasonable lumens and 2 modes.

has glow in the dark tail or magnet tail, your choice

has glow in the dark O-ring up front under lens

is greatly improved now, previous versions were a little cobby, they fixed all issues.


I have one and it rocks the house

 

[DaveTheDude]

DQG-III stainless is the best deal as far as short, but reasonable lumens and 2 modes.

has glow in the dark tail or magnet tail, your choice

has glow in the dark O-ring up front under lens

is greatly improved now, previous versions were a little cobby, they fixed all issues.


I have one and it rocks the house

Check out this review:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...surements-and-outdoor-beamshots&highlight=DQG

 

[Pointoflight]

bought the DQG-III. It is indeed an awesome little light, works with higher voltage batteries too, just can't keep it on high too long. It is the one on my keychain for the last few months. Bought an Olight (aaa single cell) and gave it away because the way it attaches to the splitring is simply stupid and awkward. Too bad, it's a nice light. My non flashlight friend that I gave it too loves the thing and uses it often.

 

[5CardBLAZE]

ok...the search narrows and I found this: The DQG Tiny. Rated at 60 lumens tops and shorter than the FenixE05! However, it's got a magnetic tip and I ....

I bought the DQG AA in StainlessSteel & Neural White. The flood was great, the two brightness settings were great, the tint was great, however it didn't even survive long enough for me to start with runtime tests.
---- Drop from 1.5metres, rubbish! First thing the electronics/heatsink assembly unthreaded the moment I commenced lubing up the threads with Nyogel (but no battery inside). I was twisting on the head and twisting off the head to 'share' a thin layer of grease evenly over the threads. When I took the head off the body completely, I immediately noticed the the whole brass and circuit board assembly was up where it shouldn't be. I had to wind in back down, and tighten it with two 1mm jewellers screw drivers.
It worked then up until I did a drop test from 1m. This DQG AA is crap quality --- it's dead ---- game over.
Oh, and by the way, it dints battery bottoms too ---- no lower end [ (-) contact ] spring in there!
I'm just saying, 'cause I assume the DQG tiny [ AAA ] may kill batteries bottoms, and may be crap build quality too.

 

[5CardBLAZE]

I've been fooling around with the Fenix E05. I consider it to be the benchmark for comparison ---- it's that good!
The Klarus Mi X6 on medium setting is slightly dimmer than the E05. The Titanium Innovations CA1 IlluminaTi on medium setting is only very very slightly dimmer than the E05.
The fault with the Klarus is it's much longer at 70mm+ and not a 'real' spring for battery bottom --- it has a brass spring-washer which WILL get bent back to too flat of a shape and loose electrical connection, IF ONE PERFORMS A DROP TEST --- LANYARD MOUNT DOWN, UPON RELEASE FROM HAND. But not if drop tested horizontally and not if drop tested Head [ reflector ] down.
The fault with the Titanium Innovations is the offensively annoying Pulse flicker and very slightly too narrow of a beam hot-spot for flood.
The PWM flicker is not possible to notice when shining on normal objects and bright reflective surfaces like white painted walls.
But have a 'shiny ' speck somewhere (such as like a chromed door handle) and Oh! Oh! Oh! I hate that! It reminds me of modern car red LED tail lights ---- I hate it. Any observable flicker is not present on high; it's gone.

I have on order the NiteCore T2s. I will be comparing it head-to-head with the Klarus; which seems to be it's main rival.
Does anybody know if the NiteCore comes in a Ti version or does it only come in the Al version which I'm getting in the mail?

For head-to-head comparison to my 'benchmark' Fenix E05, I'm now seriously looking to the Spark SK7.
Who likes the Spark ? Is its one brightness mode flicker free like the E05 ?
Is the Spark 0.4mm thinner than the E05 and is it 1mm shorter than the E05 ?

 

[flame2000]

I have the DQG II with the CREE XP-G R4 neutral white LED. Comes with 2 modes, 60lumen on high & ~2 lumen on low. It's one of the shortest AAA keychain light at ~57mm length. I chose this DQG II over Fenix E05 because it is stainless steel. Have been carrying it for a year in my pocket with my keys without any issue. The marks & scratches don't show up on stainless steel lights as easily as aluminum lights.

 

[higbvuyb]

I bought the DQG AA in StainlessSteel & Neural White. The flood was great, the two brightness settings were great, the tint was great, however it didn't even survive long enough for me to start with runtime tests.
---- Drop from 1.5metres, rubbish! First thing the electronics/heatsink assembly unthreaded the moment I commenced lubing up the threads with Nyogel (but no battery inside). I was twisting on the head and twisting off the head to 'share' a thin layer of grease evenly over the threads. When I took the head off the body completely, I immediately noticed the the whole brass and circuit board assembly was up where it shouldn't be. I had to wind in back down, and tighten it with two 1mm jewellers screw drivers.
It worked then up until I did a drop test from 1m. This DQG AA is crap quality --- it's dead ---- game over.
Oh, and by the way, it dints battery bottoms too ---- no lower end [ (-) contact ] spring in there!
I'm just saying, 'cause I assume the DQG tiny [ AAA ] may kill batteries bottoms, and may be crap build quality too.

I've probably dropped this DQG-II (AAA) about a hundred times and it's working perfectly. And the pill not being glued is a massive plus rather than a minus.

 

[postvak]

Who can tell me if there European manufactures of those short lights ? I am located in The Netherlands, and would otherwise have high import cost.

Thanks

 

[tam17]

Who can tell me if there European manufactures of those short lights ?

None that I know of. There are few European flashlight/headlamp manufacturers but they're aimed at limited specialist uses.

Most of the mentioned brands are Chinese (or at least made in China). Try to find a distributor in your country or simply buy online - DQG, Olight/ITP and Fenix aren't expensive custom-made flashlights, but mass-produced, affordable keychain lights for an "average citizen".

And, welcome to CPF :)

Cheers

 

[mcnair55]

Nextorch make a tiny little light.