looking for an AA clicky

I need a bit of advice here. I'm looking for a compact, but bright (which probably excludes lights under the "tactical" category) for EDC.

Two main requirements for the light are:

1. click switch on the tail cap (due to my stubborn hatred for twist switches)
2. powered by a single AA battery

I very much like the design and size of NiteCore EZ AA, but sadly, it has a twist switch.

My budget for this light is up to $100, give or take.

Recommend a Flashlight Checklist:
(Don't worry about all the questions, just the ones you feel strongly about!)

Short Essay Question: What do you intend to use this light for?








0) What Region/Country/State will the light be purchased in?

____I will be mail-ordering or buying online, so this doesn't matter.
____I am in North America. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in South America. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in Europe. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in the Middle East. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in Africa. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in Asia, Japan or Micronesia. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in Australia. More precisely I am in _______________.


1) Price Range: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest!

____I only want to pay $1-10.
____I can spend $15-30.
____I could spend $40-60.
____I am willing to spend $80-$120.
____I have no limit!

2) Format:

____I want a flashlight.
____I want a headlamp.
____I want a lantern.
____I want a portable spotlight.

3) Length:

____I don't care.
____1-2 inches. (Keychain sized)
____2-4 inches. (Pocket carry)
____4-9 inches. (Holster carry)

4) Width:

____I don't care.
____I prefer a long narrow light.
____I prefer a short wide light.

5) What batteries do you want to use? Alkaline batteries are easier to find and less expensive but don't pack as much stored energy and are don't work well in cold temperatures. Lithium batteries have long shelf life (10+ years, great for stored emergency lights) and are not as affected by cold but must be kept dry and are more expensive. Rechargeable start expensive, but if used frequently pay off quickly.

____I want common Alkaline batteries. (AA, AAA, C, D)
____I want lithium batteries. (coin cells, CR123, AAA, AA...)
____I want a rechargeable system. (an investment, but best for everyday use)

6) How much light do you want? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is impossible).

____I want to read a map, or find a light switch, in a dark room. (5-10 lumens)
____I want to walk around a generally paved area. (15-20 lumens)
____I want to walk unpaved trails. (40 lumens)
____I want to do Caving or Search & Rescue operations. (60+ lumens)
____I want to light an entire campground or dazzle an intruder. (100+ lumens)

7) Throw vs Flood: Which do you prefer, lights that flood an area with a wide beam, or lights that "throw" with a tightly focused beam? Place an "X" on the line below.

Throw (distance)----------------------|----------------------Flood/close-up

8) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims (like some LED lights). but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries.

____20 min. (I want the brightest light for brief periods)
____60-240 min. (1-2 hours)
____240-360 min. (4-6 hours)
____360+ min. (More than 6 hours)

9) Durability: Generally the old phrase "you get what you pay for" is very accurate for flashlights.

____Not Important (A "night-stand" light.)
____Slightly Important (Walks around the neighborhood.)
____Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box.)
____Critical (Police, Fire, Search & Rescue, Self-defense, Survival.)

8) Switch Type:

____I don't care.
____I want a sliding switch. (Stays on until slid back.)
____I want a "clickie" switch. (Stays on until pressed again.)
____I want a momentary switch. (Only stays on while held down.)

9) Switch Location:

____I don't care.
____I want a push or sliding switch on the body near the head.
____I want a push switch on the back end of the body.
____I want a rotating head switch.
____I want a rotating end-cap switch.
____I want a remote control.

10) Operational Modes: Check all that apply.

____A simple on-off is fine for me.
____I want 2 light levels. (Brighter/short runtime and Dimmer/long runtime.)
____I want multiple light levels. (some lights have 5-16 light levels.)
____I want a strobe mode. (blinks to show location.)
____I want a tactical strobe. (Flashes rapidly to disorient an opponent.)

11) Is it important whether the body is metal or plastic/composite?

____I don't care.
____I want a metal-bodied light.
____I want a plastic/composite light.

12) Special Needs: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Circle any below or write in your own comment(s).

____Red (night vision preserving) filter
____Other filter colors (Amber, Green, Blue, _________)
____Waterproof – how deep: _____________
____Non-reflective/dark finish (stealthy/hard to find)
____Polished silver or brightly colored finish (for easy locating)
____Corrosion resistant or hard-anodized finish
____"Hybrid" light (bright incandescent combined with long running LEDs)
____Built-in second (or spare) lamp or filament
____Belt/Jacket clip
____Holster
____Wrist/Neck Lanyard
____Kobuton/self defense features
____Non-sparking Intrinsically Safe (IS) for use in explosive environments

Fenix LD10 comes to mind - probably the most compact 1xAA light out there with a clicky switch, at least that I know of. Do you care if it is forward vs. reverse clicky?

There is a nearly endless list of options without more info.

Just a small sample:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/224932

Saint_Dogbert said:

Do you care if it is forward vs. reverse clicky?

Click to expand...

Not really, as long as it's a clicky. Though I was really hoping to avoid Fenix. I've owned a P3D a few years ago and while I liked user interface, the quality of the light itself left much to desire. The batteries rattled, even small drops caused the light to switch off, and the body was hard to grip.

IMHO the Quark AA is the best built 1xAA light on the market now.

NiteCore Defender Infinity

(edit) Link - http://www.4sevens.com/product_info.php?cPath=93&products_id=712

Thought I'd throw out the idea of the Proton Pro. Side clickie and 1 AA. Unique little light, but it's not perfect. Give it a read before deciding.

Geoff

All good suggestions so far and one more - Lumapower Connexion. Take your pick.

Nitecore D10 or Quark AA would get my vote.

James...

This might help you sort through your options:

1xAA Round-up Review - Part IV - RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & more!

Thank you all for your feedback, and selfbuilt especially for his round-up reviews, now I know I want a 1xcr123a light at well

I've decided to gow with a NiteCore Defender Infinity. NiteCore seems to have decent reputation. Even though the light is marketed as a tactical light, it's small enough for my EDC needs and looks good all-around.

The only question I have about it is what's the difference between standard, Golden Dragon Plus and R2 editions of that light on 4sevens?

The emitter is different. The diference is well documented in selfbuilts review.

Marduke said:

The emitter is different. The diference is well documented in selfbuilts review.

Click to expand...

fishing out simple information such as basic difference between Q5, GDP and R2, from those threads is near impossible

The GDP will be dimmer, cooler tint, have shorter runtime, and smoother beam.

The R2 is just one bin higher than the Q5, which are both Cree XR-E led's.

I really like my Defender Infinity -

I do find the anodizing is quite thin and it does chip very easily - my light is less than two months old and it is already gaining much "character" -

Other than that, I love the features of this light -

sw

You sure you want to abandon Fenix the PD20 and LD10 are really nice lights.

And last question before I order.

Do NiteCore practice "silent" updates to their lights? I've heard that Fenix often update internal components of their lights without updating the model number. So if I get an NDI from my local european dealer which happens to come from an older batch, is there a chance that it's inferior to a light of the same model sold by, let's say, 4sevens?

It's possible. The current NDI uses most of the D10 internals, where the first generation does not.

47's actually has some on sale now.

Have to suggest an AKOray K-106 with lithium rechageables as a very inexpensive choice. Unbelievable quality and brightness for the money and 3-mode programmable to boot! If you've got ~ $35 to spare, get this (light, 14500 batteries and charger) in addition to whatever high dollar light you buy and compare. I think these guys and Romisen have changed expectations about fairly inexpensive lights.