simplest, thinnest, best quality, brightest 1xAA

Priority in that order. Do not want brighter if I have to cycle through strobes, or higher levels to get to low.

Here is a good comparison review to help you:

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

nightcore Defender I.

click on, twist bezel for either 100% or 'lower'

doesnt get easier, well made and very bright.

Nitecore EZ AA warm tint replaced my raw Ns warm, my Fenix P1 D CE Q5 & Fenix E01.

One of the 3 Nitecore AA models

Marduke said:

One of the 3 Nitecore AA models

Click to expand...

+1

The Nitecore D10 remembers your last brightness level, which seems like something that would benefit you. Double click to get lowest, Double click and hold to get highest, or just flat out just hold the clicky to ramp up or down in brightness.

Both Nitecores D10 and EZ aa looks like great choice for you.
Go for EZaa for even more compact form or D10 with a little more customization option

I believe EZ AA is the smallest AA light in the world (so far) or so the manufacturer claimed. Simple twist for 2 stage hi and low. Nitecore's quality and Q5's output. It now allows 14500 for slightly more output.

For brightest, maybe you can mod it with a P7..... which will probably give you 1 minute of happiness before the heat takes your happiness away.

I would go for the Nitecore Defender Infinity. The switch was the only weak point and they've updated it, the new switches are a lot better. It's a bombproof light, I've used it as a biking light without a bike mount and it has hit concrete a couple times at a considerable speed. It still works flawless.

The Nitecore EZ-AA looks good to me too, but it hasn't been out long enough to test the long term durability of the light.

Nitecore D10 is out in my opinion, the UI is not simple, it's versatile and a lot of people like it, but it is not simple. There are also reliability issues, there are several reports of D10s which broke at the head.

the UI is not simple

Click to expand...

Have to disagree here: twist on, twist off is about as simple as it gets - or click on, click off if you prefer.

There are no strobes and you don't have to cycle through high to get to low so that's a perfect match to the OPs requirements. If you don't like it, fair enough, but that doesn't mean that the UI is 'not simple'. The reliability issues you mention are also in the distant past.

If this light is for every day pocket carry, I am going to have to recommend the EZAA. I've had mine in my pocket for a month now, and its very good. The low setting is good for most up close situations, and high is amazing for such a small light. Size wise, its just a tiny bit bigger than I would like, but comfortable enough.

Wow I can't believe it's unanimous- Nitecore it is!

So E.Z. AA is the smallest (.65"!) & has a warm version, that's perfect. But how do you know if you're getting the updated version with warm tint, & appaerntly updated efficiency, shorter twist to activated etc. (per selfbuilt's review)? I wasn't about to get picky with tint on this request, but I'd rather be sure to get the latest version anyway. Is there a particular model number designation for the newest E.Z. AA?

The D10 looks awesome, I love that little sleeve inside & continuous brightness adj., but I think I'll shave off the extra .10" with the E.Z. since I'm going with a pocket "free-floater" now. I'm done with stretching my pocket-cli[s out. I've now broken both my L1 & A2's clips from pressing them back into shape too many times, & am back to carrying my Fenix L1P. I know the E.Z. will be an upgrade over that at least. And even smaller!

The click on/twist for level sounds like a pretty good combination, never heard of that before. & you gotta love Type III, but looks like all the infinities have crenelated bezels? Not too agressive though. Either way, looks like a few awesome choices, so I have lots of reading ahead of me, will look into all three models in detail tonight.

Thanks all!

Since you are planning to pocket carry, the D10 or EZAA are best. The NDI's bezel is sharp, but you could grind it down.
You get the EZAA with warm tint by asking for it - 4sevens.com - use CPF8 for 8% discount.

EZaa, nitecore D10 is not whatg most would call "simple" by no means.

+1 ezAA

simple twist interface, no strobe/sos

thin for AA

Moonshadow said:

Have to disagree here: twist on, twist off is about as simple as it gets - or click on, click off if you prefer.

There are no strobes and you don't have to cycle through high to get to low so that's a perfect match to the OPs requirements. If you don't like it, fair enough, but that doesn't mean that the UI is 'not simple'. The reliability issues you mention are also in the distant past.

Click to expand...

My bad. When I hear a request for a simple UI I always think "high stress / emergency / tactical situation simple" (which the D10 is NOT suitable for). It's actually a quite simple user interface altough I don't like it.

And I don't trust the reliability of the D10/EX10 since I saw those pictures of the head broken off. The walls are just too thin. Maybe the new ones don't break so easily, but the metal is just not thick enough for me to consider it "bombproof".

But I guess I am reading a "request for bombproof dead simple last resort light" where there is none. Almost everybody likes the D10/EX10 as an EDC light. But I don't and I like pointing out why, sometimes a bit too vigorously I guess.

The wall failures were from the first batch, made over a year ago.
That tolerance issue is long resolved.

JBorneu said:

My bad. When I hear a request for a simple UI I always think "high stress / emergency / tactical situation simple" (which the D10 is NOT suitable for). It's actually a quite simple user interface altough I don't like it.

And I don't trust the reliability of the D10/EX10 since I saw those pictures of the head broken off. The walls are just too thin. Maybe the new ones don't break so easily, but the metal is just not thick enough for me to consider it "bombproof".

But I guess I am reading a "request for bombproof dead simple last resort light" where there is none. Almost everybody likes the D10/EX10 as an EDC light. But I don't and I like pointing out why, sometimes a bit too vigorously I guess.

Click to expand...

Every brand has had faulty products, once in a while.

Allow me to show why D10 can be tough too. (Don't mind the crappy music in the background)
Boiling Test
Runover Test
Underwater Test
Drop Test
Fishing Test haha

It's an AA and piston driven. Advantages include lesser parts than a normal switch, therefore less parts to wear down. It's quieter and takes up less space, enabling lights to be smaller. It's versatile, letting you use as twisty or clicky.

And review stated:
"This review is a result of more than 150 days of EDC carry. During this period, the flashlights were carried through 2 continents and 6 different locations. Some of the locations were environmental extremes. The flashlights went through temperatures as high as 50° Celsius in the dry desert environment to as low as 6° Celsius winter; with relative humidity of tropical environment in excess of 90% RH to as low as 10% RH in the desert. The flashlights were subjected to sand storms, rain & thunderstorms. NiteCore Smart PD D10 was one of the flashlight that faced all environmental extremes with relative ease. For those, who cant wait to go through full review, rest assured that the Smart PD Design has proven itself to be very reliable if used carefully. NiteCore Smart PD D10 falls in one of the best in its class category."

Then again, most of us could be wrong....

Hmmm....I have a feeling I need to repeat the above stuff in the near future again and again. :laughing:

Sounds like the EZAA is what you're looking for. Simple, small, and bright.

Geoff

I'm a bigger fan of the NDI. I had the D10, but it would come on in my BDU pocket when running (something I try very hard not to do). That was my one and only issue with the light. I think it comes down to personal preference. I can't speak for the EZ. I have had no issues with my NDI lights, though I don't pocket carry them except in a BDU grenade pocket.