So what are people looking for in a keychain flashlight?

I spent over a year researching step-up switchers to come up with some interesting mods. Now that I have released my 3-stage modified Fenix L0P, I'm really suprized that it hasn't generated more interest. Oh sure, I've sold some, but it seems the Japanese get more of a kick out of it that CPF members. So what am I missing here. Don't worry about offending me, I just want the truth.

Tiny size, high output when needed. IMO my ORB Raw NS fits the bill perfectly. Just barely larger than a CR123 but packs a mean punch when needed or can go low output long runtime for extended use. The price was not too far from the moded Fenix and its rechargable.

Well b/c I hate having bulky key chain stuff, I just keep a little Photon LED on there...my personal keys (blue), and my duty keys for work (red). If I were to buy a light for my personal key chain it would have to be like V8 stated..about the size of a CR123 and with a good amount of light....and if you really want to WOW me...make it Titanium...it will be light enough not to annoy me then. Also the key chain ring could work this way...you could either make it large enough so that I can just put all of my keys directly on that, or small enough (no hanging chain) so it hooks directly to my large key loop. Stays more compact that way.

My personal "ideal" for a keychain flashlight is:

1) Knurled HAIII body (not aggressive - Arc v.4 is good example).

2) Variable output (high/low sufficient)

3) Smooth whitish beam

4) SMALL form factor (CR2 or AAA being best)

5) Tailstand capability (offset keyring preferable)

6) Decent warranty (minimum 1 year)

7) Tritium slot option

ArcAAA:
- small
- always on my keychain
- reliable operation
- enough light for my needs
- common batts (you can feed it carbon-zinc if you like)

Perhaps not everyone has warmed to the L0P in general due to questionable HA and larger than minimum size.

I can't speak for everone, but I'd love to get one of your 3 stage L0P's but right now I can't justify the $90 as I have some major expenses coming up.

Feel free to PM me with the lowest you could go on a 2 stage version .

Small size above just about everything. Red output is useful under circumstances. So I have two lights on my keys right now, a Photon II (white led) and a knock-off (red led). I add an Arc AAA or Peak Matterhorn if I go on a trip or something. Mostly though, the coin lights have plenty of output and runtime for keychain purposes. They're just not as durable as metal lights, and replacing the batteries is less convenient.

Greetings,

For a new keychain light, I've been looking at the JiL DD-Intelli. The only issue I can see with the Intelli (other than the price and the lack of a factory option for one of those rare U-bins or much awaited K2's) is that it doesn't provide a boost to a primary CR2 battery so you can't get high brightness out of a primary cell, which has more capacity than an RCR2 (for better runtime). The JiL 1.3W has a boost circuit but doesn't have the variable brightness or all the modes of the Intelli and I don't think it is ok to use RCR2's in the 1.3W. It would be nice to see a combination of the abilities of the DD-Intelli and the 1.3W: boost primary CR2's and also allow use of RCR2's plus all the modes of goldserve's FLuPIC. Combining the boost of the 1.3W with the voltage limit of the FLuPIC would also allow a lot more flexibility with the CAB (1AA) and BUS (2AA) battery extension tubes, such as using 2xNiMH in the BUS or perhaps 1 alkaline in the CAB. I think a few lucky people have the 1.3W modded with goldserve's FLuPIC for the 1.3W but I don't think he's making those particular boards any more and I'm not sure if you could use a RCR2 in one of these (hopefully goldserve or someone who knows more about this mod could clarify).

Hope this helps.

I would personally like to see an Arc AAA with a simple two level setup and a price no greater than $50. Even though I would only carry it in my pocket larger and heavier lights bother me. For a keychain, nothing larger than a Photon.

Geoff

MillerMods,
....I have spent a good bit of money on flashlights the last few months. Four of the many lights I have bought have been stock Fenixes from 4Sevens. David is great to deal with and I have several times perused his website and your modded Fenix lights for sale there.
....I think the stock L0P is a nice light though not quite bright enough and with not enough run time to be as impressive an overall package as the L1P. I know we can only expect so much from a single AAA battery and I should try to be a bigger fan of my L0P. The L0P is too big for my keychain though I read here on the forums that some people are carrying it on their keychain. I do sometimes carry the L0P in my pocket and find it to be a a really sweet pocket size. Your modded L0P seems just about ideal to me though I would probably only use the two higher settings. The only time I use either of the lowest two settings on my HDS EDC B60 is when showing the light to people. I have several two stage lights and do not find myself wishing for more levels on any of them. It seems to me that the technology is moving forward so rapidly that sometime in the next 6 months someone will be selling a hopefully even slightly smaller (than the L0P) AAA light with two stages that has a high setting producing as much light as a stock L1P and a low setting somewhere around one third as intense. I am hoping they will be able to sell the light for less than $50 and if so it should sell real well. To me the price is an issue on your modded L0P. If it was only two stage and QUITE a bit less I would be inclined to buy it. It seems to me that the relatively high price of a stock L0P has you in a situation where it will be hard for you or David to sell a MillerModded L0P for a sweet enough price to sell very many of them. IMO the stock Fenix L1P is a superb light and a bargain while the stock L0P is a less than superb light for more money than the L1P. That higher starting price plus the costs of your time and expertise and parts just add up to more than many of us want to spend on a AAA light.
....On the other hand I have seriously considered the purchase of a MillerModded L1P.
jc

If it's going on my keychain, it needs to be tiny. I keep a Photon Freedom Max on there now. The user interface on the Photon is PERFECT. I don't see it being replaced soon.

Something no bigger than the ARC AAA-P, with twice the light and a minimum of 3 hours runtime to 50% on a quality Alkaline cell. That's all.

Ease of use and right now on my keychain is the Photon Freedom with the lock switch. Lost my ASP with the Bronze Eagle's Head button/lapel on it! That one is a great little LED light since I accidentally washed it in the washing machine and then thrown into the dryer. Come to think of it, it happened twice. . .

Now I'm thinking about that Arc AAA +P+ (SAAMI Spec) and or the JIL!

I think most high-end/custom lights have these in common:

1. Very bright (60 lumens or more in burst mode).
2. Powered by Li-Ion.
3. Multi-stage.
4. Expensive ($100 or more).

At $80, a modded L0P is approaching this price range. I think most buyers in this category want super brightness, long runtime, and tiny size. This basically means Luxeon III, multi-stage, and tiny Li-Ion cells.

vortechs said:

For a new keychain light, I've been looking at the JiL DD-Intelli. The only issue I can see with the Intelli (other than the price and the lack of a factory option for one of those rare U-bins or much awaited K2's) is that it doesn't provide a boost to a primary CR2 battery so you can't get high brightness out of a primary cell, which has more capacity than an RCR2 (for better runtime).

Click to expand...

I use only RCR2s on my JIL Intelli. Runtime is not a problem. Simply use a low-brightness mode.

Simplicity and a small form factor. My keychain lights are all small and easy to use. Considered the Jil Intelli but it seemed like too much of a hassle, and bulkier than I want on my keys. An L0P would be simple but far too big.

Cost.
Many of us do not have a lot of discretioary spending money. My treat to myself this past Christmas is a pair of Nuwai TM-310Hs (J2LED special) at CAD$31 ~USD$26 shipped. The Millermods at USD$90 + shipping + customs duties +customs brokerage charges would have been too rich. It is a lot easier to spend $15 every other month than to hold back and save for a year for a $100+ item.

Runtime.
2 hours minimum for me. In a citywide blackout I need up to an hour to wait for the bus and another half hour after the bus drops me off. Plus some spare capacity to allow for the batteries not being fresh.

Simplicity of operation.
I found out that I do not like to go click...click...click <off-red-lo-hi-off> <off-1led-3led-5led-blink-off>. The rotary swiching of the millermod is probably better but...
I find I always go to the brightest setting anyways. Maybe if I have a HDS85 the glare from 85 lumens may cause me to dial it down, but at 25 lumens or less a simple on-off switch is fine for me.

WOW factor, lack of.
An L0P even souped up does not have the distinctive appearance or performance of an Orb Raw. It looks like a kiddie version of some taqtical lights just as the keymate looks like a kiddie Streamlight.

As small as possible, yet with features. Low mode with very long runtime, low enough that it doesn't kill your night vision, but still bright enough to see by, a bright high mode, and maybe something inbetween. With flat regulation in all levels.

I know, I don't ask much, do I? I haven't received mine yet, but I'm honestly expecting the Jil Intelli to be just about perfect. The only possible thing more perfect would be the same features but with a Li-ion AAA sized battery. I don't think the L0P is too big, since I prefer narrow and long over short and fat; mostly the problem with the L0P, even your 3 level modded one, is that it'll always be limited by the battery. I wish they made 3V lithium AA and AAA batteries like they do with CR2 and CR123s, because we could make some really impressive lights with those, but I guess there's not enough call for them yet in wider applications.

IMHO the smaller the better if it's going on a keyring, plus its got to be resilient enough to bang around with keys all day every day, and easy to use. I like the photons for that sort of duty.
That said though something like a modded L0P would make for a good EDC pocket light (I currently alternate a Jil/photon II combination with an amilite/photon II combination) but at $90 US ($120 Australian for me) it's just getting too expensive for me for that type of light/output. that said i don't doubt for a minute that $90 is a reasonable price considering the cost of the torch, mods, and your R and D time/costs. If your L1P mod was 3 (or even 2 stage) i'd buy it in a second.

Why don't I have a 3 stage L0P?

1. size - it's too big for my keychain - the ARC AAA-P lives there, and photon clones on my other keychains. It would fit okay in a pocket of course, but a larger light works just as well in a pocket or on my belt

2. twisty switch - I EDC an L1P, and I find the tailcap clickie MUCH more user friendly

3. brightness and runtime - the L1P on my belt and the L2P or VB-16 or G2 or 9P in my jacket pocket are much brighter and/or longer running

The L0P for me just doesn't have a useful niche. I have one and I rarely use it. It sits on an "small tool" keychain with a SAK and a lighter that are basically backups.