need a 1xAA light

I am a bit of a newbie here, and I am wanting to get a 1xAA light. Before I do, I was hoping to get some opinions and suggestions.

What do you guys like? dislike? why?

pros, cons, etc...

Thanks!

May I suggest the Peak products? They have a forum here. You'll find lots of info, some sales, and friendly people all 'round.

I still love my old NiteCore Defender Infinity (Buyer#84 from original sale!! :nana.

I'd recommend the NiteCore D10 because of the nifty Smart Piston Drive System.

:welcomeo you have an idea of the features that you would like the light to be capable of, and or a price range?

Badger_Girl said:

What do you guys like? dislike? why?

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I think you should answer that question also. Do you need modes? Just a few (L1T) or something which has a lot of features to play with (IBS, LD10, D10, Proton Pro)? Switch type (twisty, fwd/reverse clicky, other)? Flood or throw or both?

You get the idea.

Marduke said:

I think you should answer that question also. Do you need modes? Just a few (L1T) or something which has a lot of features to play with (IBS, LD10, D10, Proton Pro)? Switch type (twisty, fwd/reverse clicky, other)? Flood or throw or both?

You get the idea.

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I don't need modes...but I guess 2 or 3 would be fine. Definitely no strobe or SOS...nothing more complex than low-med-high. But single mode is fine also. Fwd click switch, but twisty is ok also. I like a nice flood/throw balance...moderate spill. Not sure what other features/specs are even available. LED...

Price doesn't matter to me...unless it's ridiculous...250 or less

Edit: But honestly, I am so new at this that I don't really know what I like...that's why I like to hear what others prefer and why...

Nitecore D10. A great all around light, and easy to use.

+1

ruger357 said:

Nitecore D10. A great all around light, and easy to use.

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I like the Ultrafire C3 for a low cost and bright light. Good weight, feels substantial in your hand, and stainless makes it tough, also you can take a metal polish to it and really make it shine. Even the switch feels like a quality switch when you click it.

http://www.dealextreme.com/products.dx/category.942
It only has a P4 but you can get it with a Q5 led but have to deal with the dreaded Chinese 5 mode program.

Try a Inova x1. Under $20 and is availible locally.Bright enough for most task,and built like a tank.

I prefer the JetBeam Jet I Pro over the NiteCore: While the NiteCore's interface allows you to move up and down a brightness ramp to select your brightness level, it has only one memory mode allowing you to return to some specific brightness level you were at before. By contrast, all three modes on the Jet are user-settable. The Jet is also brighter and outthrows the NDI by a fair margin. And to top it off, the Jet is $10-20 cheaper as well, see it here: http://www.bugoutgearusa.com/jetipro.html

+2 for the nitcore D10. I don't have it but I have the EX10 and it is awesome!!! perfect for edc, camping, anything!(except maybe spotting or something) although I do wish the EX10 waas longer due to my big hands... but that's exactly what the D10 gives you!!!

good luck in your search!!! hope you find one that suits you nicely!

StarHalo said:

I prefer the JetBeam Jet I Pro over the NiteCore: While the NiteCore's interface allows you to move up and down a brightness ramp to select your brightness level, it has only one memory mode allowing you to return to some specific brightness level you were at before. By contrast, all three modes on the Jet are user-settable. The Jet is also brighter and outthrows the NDI by a fair margin. And to top it off, the Jet is $10-20 cheaper as well, see it here: http://www.bugoutgearusa.com/jetipro.html

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You beat me to the punch on the JetBeam!!!

I can't speak from personal experience but I have been eying their lights for sometime now and they have received some pretty good reviews. I like the looks, styling, and features of the JetBeam Pro I IBS, and there is a Version 2 of the same light but I am not sure all of the differences between the two models.

I agree that Peak lights are very nice and they come in stainless steel, aluminum, and possibly brass depending on their remaining stock. In my opinion, their lights are reminiscent of Art Deco styling but they are only available in single function twisties. Should you go that route, I would suggest the Kino Bay, a nice balance of spot and flood or the Kilimanjaro which is a spot like flood. Personally, I like their CR123a lights much better for increased output and throw.

Is there a reason that you are tied to an AA battery?
How do you plan on carrying the light, key chain, pocket, purse, holster, lanyard, ect, ect?

Badger Girl:

AAA/AA's are a good starting point for newbies. WYSIWYG. Simple. Relatively cheap. Relatively available. Not a lot of issues about battery maintenance (not as critical as Li-ions).

* * * * *

The key question isn't "what's a good flashlight?", the key question is "what are your needs?"
- Size (physical dimensions and weight)?
- Cost?
- Aesthetics (shape, color, finish, balance, intangibles)?
- Intended use (indoor, outdoor, tactical, general, task, distances)?
- User Interface (customizable, modes, switches)?
- Brightness?
- Desired beam characteristics (tint, spot, spill, focus, rings/artifacts)?
- Product quality (durability, build quality, reputation)?

It's like going into a shoe store and asking the clerk, "what's a good shoe?" He needs a little bit more information to go on, to find a product that will truly satisfy you in the long run.

* * * * *

One example:

If you're interested in a purse-carry, something small and ubiquitous, the Fenix L0D Q4 paired with Energizer e2 lithium AAA batteries would provide you with a year's worth of runtime used a couple of minutes every day. Perfect for general tasks such as finding your keys (11 lumens), with extra modes (30 lumens and 75 lumens) for those rare occasions when you need more light and don't have a big flashlight handy. BTW, 75 lumens is more than a regular 3D MagLite! I believe the red versions is still available. I gave this flashlight to my sister-in-law (a very picky person) and she loves it. Cost: Under $50.

On the other hand, again for a purse-carry, if you use the light more frequently and use it for eye-fatiguing tasks (reading or other detail work), then a smoother, floodier beam would be important. Or if you had the need for customizing the light output levels to suit your purpose. Then I'd suggest that you consider the LiteFlux LF2X-BA. This flashlight has a lovely beam for short range tasks. The downside of this flashlight are shorter runtimes, more complicated user interface and the bare aluminum version is subject to more wear and tear. Cost: $60.

Good luck!

.

1dash1 good post.
I think you should look for ...
Durability
ease of use
enough brightness
runtime
size
In what ever order you chose.
Some lights that come to mind
D10 AA
LOD-CE AAA
L1D AA
Stay away from the real cheep lights some are good but you might have to go through a few to find one.

Well I guess my first suggestion for a AA light would be that the light is only as good as the cell driving it. Invest in a couple quality NiMh AAs and charger. Alkaline cells just don't cut it for high powered LEDs. They'll work in a pinch but they're definitely not going to keep the light bright for a decent amount of time.

A suggestion for a simple 3 mode light would be a Lumapower ConneXion. A simple 2 mode would be an EagleTac P10A.

The Nightcore D10 gives a bit more selection and user interface to deal with. But as you can tell they come highly recommended.

A personal favorite light is the LRI Proton Pro. While definitely not the brightest light it has a great deal of functionality with a very good user interface and a red led for maintaining night vision. Great for getting up at night around the house. While it does have blinking modes they're hidden away so that you'll only encounter them if you want to. Definitely a light to keep in mind for the future if you plan on getting trapped in this addiction that many of us round here share.

The lights I like are the ones with the more complex interface. The Jetbeam Jet I IBS and the Liteflux 5XT. The Jetbeam is very simple once you set it to do what you want. It isn't too hard, but again it's a step up from the lights listed previously. Then there's the Liteflux. The mother of all light user interfaces. Not the best for those starting out ; but amazing what it offers once you get comfortable with it.

There are more than a few options out there so it is a bit dauting trying to figure out what's good and what you'll actually like. Starting off with a simple 2 or 3 mode sounds like a good idea to me.

I'll put in my vote for the Proton Pro. Variable power for red and main beams, side switch, and a great clip. Different than the rest.

Geoff

If we knew what you want in the light, it might be easier to narrow the selection.

The Jetbeam Jet-I Pro has good throw for 1 AA. The Fenix L1D-CE Q5(soon to be LD10) is well known so is their L1T V2.0 model(simpler to use and has forward clickie). The Nitecore lights are relatively simple and have adjustible output. The iTP lights are also good, along with Liteflux, Kingpower, Eagletac, and Olight.

Hi Badger_Girl,

I'm assuming that you're specifically posting about 1 x AA as it is meant to be an EDC/purse light.

I like my Ultrafire C3 single mode P4, it's bright enough for general purposes and with a 14500, its a LOT brighter than most stock lights. Get it with a 2 x AA extension tube for better runtimes but do NOT run it with 2 x 14500s it will fry the light.

Then I have an old Jetbeam Jet I Mk II, its a multi mode and again, bright enough on AAs but with the versatility of switching modes to suit your needs. However, the modes are fixed so i am seriously contemplating switching to one of the programable AA lights. Again, the Jetbeam blazes away when running off a 14500.

Here's one thing that i found out when just playing with these lights, remove the head from the Ultrafire C3, remove the tailcap from the jetbeam and the 2 bodies can be joined to create a 2 x AA multimode (though the colours don't match).

If you dont really need much light, a Fenix E01 running off AAAs is great too, light levels are enough when in the dark and runtimes are nice and long. Or the L0D with multi modes but a shorter runtime.

:welcome:

If we knew what you want in the light, it might be easier to narrow the selection.

Click to expand...

Thanks alot everyone for the help so far. You have given me several good suggestions to check out further. I guess I am not really asking anyone to make a selection for me...just wondering what you like and why you like it....and what you don't like and why you don't like it.

I have 2 really good chargers and a selection of about 50 good NiMH cells.

Thanks again.