Looking for a good key chain light (alternatives to P1D?)

automagic

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Dec 1, 2006
Messages
7
At the time of this posting there are at least 8 threads in the LED sub forum on the P1D CE, and they seem to get mentioned in every other LED thread I go into - but I still haven't bought one because they lack a single feature that I consider to be important in an EDC.

Momentary on.

No maglight or surefire requires the use of two hands, so why, with all the features it boasts, does the P1D feel superior enough to ask its user for that extra limb? Does it make up for its lack of tacticool-one-handed-activation with its fancy brightness settings and scratch resistant natural finish? Can you turn your light on with one hand? Is this an issue for current P1D owners, or am I simply unenlightenned and mistaken in my beliefs of what features a flashlight should have?

I would still like a nice carry light, and if you could recommend me an LED with simlar size, brightness and a CLICKIE, then I will be grateful. If you cannot, then I guess I will have to be happy with a P1D CE as the best option currently on the market.

Thanks in advance, and happy new years.
 
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yaesumofo

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 21, 2003
Messages
3,701
Location
Eastern Pacific, LAX DM03 sw actual
If you can deal with a slightly purple beam the ARC AAA is it.
Here is a picture of a fully functioning ARC AAA after over 2 years in service.
arcAAA1over2years.jpg

Not bad really
arcAAA2over2years.jpg

he point is it still works the price is OK and they are made here and some people mod them into amazingly bright flashlights.
I know it isn't exactly what you are looking for but these lights do work very well over the long haul. A proven fact. This can not be said about any fenix. I am not saying the fenix lights are bad I am just saying that the finish on the arc is amazing. The arc is not that expensive. It also doesn't have the greatest beam either with a slightly purplish Nichia emitter. Not my first choice.
Good Luck Have fun.
Yaesumofo


QUOTE=automagic]At the time of this posting there are at least 8 threads in the LED sub forum on the P1D CE, and they seem to get mentioned in every other LED thread I go into - but I still haven't bought one because they lack a single feature that I consider to be important in an EDC.

Momentary on.

No maglight or surefire requires the use of two hands, so why, with all the features it boasts, does the P1D feel superior enough to ask its user for that extra limb? Does it make up for its lack of tactical-one-handed-activation with its fancy brightness settings and scratch resistant natural finish? Can you turn your light on with one hand? Is this an issue for current P1D owners, or am I simply unenlightened and mistaken in my beliefs of what features a flashlight should have?

I would still like a nice carry light, and if you could recommend me an LED with similar size, brightness and a CLICKIE, then I will be grateful. If you cannot, then I guess I will have to be happy with a P1D CE as the best option currently on the market.

Thanks in advance, and happy new years.[/QUOTE]
 
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Morelite

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 29, 2005
Messages
2,253
Location
Central PA
I spent several hours one day trying to make a new body for the P1D that I could screw in a Fenix clickie from a L1P. The body was only about half an inch longer and would have worked great accept I was not able to duplicate the metric threads correctly. The threading Fenix used is .75mm and the closest choices I have with my lathe is .70mm or .80mm, it worked for the first 2 or 3 threads then it got really tight. Maybe someday I'll just make a new head that has the same threads as the body.

Oh, almost forgot, the Fenix clickie is a reverse clickie and would not give you the true momemtary feature you where looking for, but it does work well with the UI for the light levels. I suppose the same could be done with a standard clickie like Don's McClickie but that would add even more length to the body since all the stardard click switches are longer.
 

automagic

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Dec 1, 2006
Messages
7
Re-reading my post, I didnt mean to come off sounding so opposed to the P1D's lacking a click activation. I just wanted to have my pie and eat it too. Also - I didn't mean to confuse clickie and momentary on - a plain clicky would work for what I had in mind. But.. looking at the lights offered in the posts I was hoping for a few more lumens. So, my conclusion is:

If you want small and (really) bright and a click button without doing machine work:

There are currently no good options.

But if you want small and bright, you can get a P1D.

Thanks guys, I just wanted to check before I actually placed the order... It will be my first Fenix light too, I'm excited! Hmm maybe some one will make an aftermarket click tail cap for it.. looks like ^^ you got pretty close...
 

brightnorm

Flashaholic
Joined
Oct 13, 2001
Messages
7,160
automagic said:
...No maglight or surefire requires the use of two hands, so why, with all the features it boasts, does the P1D feel superior enough to ask its user for that extra limb? Does it make up for its lack of tacticool-one-handed-activation with its fancy brightness settings and scratch resistant natural finish? Can you turn your light on with one hand? Is this an issue for current P1D owners, or am I simply unenlightenned and mistaken in my beliefs of what features a flashlight should have....

Based on my experience with two P1D-CE's the light is very comfortably activated with one hand IF you make two very minor mods.

1) The knurling on both my P1D-CE's is too smooth for a reliable grip so I wrapped a 1/4" wide strip of adhesive-backed black skateboard tape around the bezel (over the knurling), then smoothed the tape's coarseness with a file until it was grippy to the hand but not "catchy" to the pocket.

2) Even with this improvement the head is still stiff-turning (even when well-lubed) because of a too thick o-ring (or a too shallow o-ring groove). Lacking an appropriate o-ring I carefully trimmed a few thin strips from the outer side of the o-ring using a very sharp scissors. This must be done carefully so as not to cut all the way through the ring. Lastly, Relube the o-ring.

These simple adjustments have made my P1D-CE's a joy to use. The lights are now buttery-smooth and reliable in one-handed operation. I'm a little surprised that Fenix engineers haven't yet addressed these ergonomic issues, though perhaps my two lights are atypical.

Brightnorm
 

carbine15

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Joined
Nov 20, 2005
Messages
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Location
Slaughter, WA
65535 said:
SF e1l outdoorsman LED clicky 1 cr123 only $100 4 hours with 25 lumens underrating good light.

I was lucky enough to get one for christmas. Surefire did a fantastic job with the optics on this light and it has replaced my streamlight scorpion as my edc in my jacket pocket. It's that good.
My only complaints about the e1L are:
too expensive (if its not a gift)
too big for its battery (size inefficient compared to fenix line)
no tailstand
The surefire is not relevant to this thread though because it's not a keychain light. Never could really be one. My keychain light is a Phauxton. I carry two so I can give one away every now and again to those less enlightened as I. I can use my Phauxton with one hand.
 
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