The best, smallest single CR123 light.

greendestiny

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This has probably been asked many times before but what is regarded as the best, smallest, single CR123 light available when there's no budget involved? The Titan maybe? Or something even smaller? (still have alot to learn). :candle:

GD
 

greendestiny

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it's very very difficult to say which is the best.
Smallest is the Nitecore EZ123 i think, might be wrong though.


I like the size of the EZ123 but I'd prefer a clicky and one which takes RCRs. I'm thinking of the Liteflux LF3XT... The ideal result would be a light the size of the EZ123 but with the functionality of the LF3XT.

Any other suggestions or should I hold and wait to see what comes out onto the market in the near future?
 

Petersen

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My Main front pocket carry is the NovaTac 120T (P)

I'm also fighting an internal "war" over a T1A....
- trying to find reasons to replace the NT, but can't seem to find any.

Been through SF L1 - Fenix P2D - Nitecore D10 and finally ended up with the NT, which I have been carrying since January

Only minor "complaint" would be a "SF E1B style" pocket clip, as I don't like the included one..
- been through : mount at tailcap -> mount between head and Battery case -> back to Tail -> removed

I then use a SF lanyard with the small clip removed and only one of the black locks.. seems to work for me..
 

Flying Turtle

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Based on the number of features the LF3XT may be the best for your money. It's not the smallest. I wish it had the auto-shutoff like its little brother. I'll bet a new improved R2 version is in the works.

Geoff
 

Gatsby

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CR123 lights certainly run the gamut in terms of size and features. Thus far I've yet to see my "ideal" single CR123 based light.

The HDS/Novatac lights come as close as anything save for their relatively large size given the cell size (and the Ra lights are even larger...).

Many would likely say the McGizmo's lights are the best but they, like the Novatacs, aren't Surefire L1 size but still are relatively large although bullet proof (and not that feature laden but of course what they do have is based upon a very proven design).

The EX10 is a neat light - definitely smaller than the HDS/Novatac lights - with useful features. But the piston drive is finicky when it comes to lubrication and maintenance, and the UI while cool, drives me batty with the lack of memory of the user level.

The LF3XT is another excellent light - almost as flexible and in some ways more flexible than the Novatac, with the compact user interface being similar to the EX10 except it remember the last mode. It's knock, such as they are, to me are twofold. While smaller, primarily in diameter, than the Novatac the LF3XT is only slightly smaller and definitely bigger than the EX10. And the original tailcap is somewhat sharp and less than finger friendly.

The EZ123 is small, quite small actually, almost the same size as my Peak McKinley key ring body which I thought was about as small (pocket body excepted) as you'd likely find in a single CR123 based light. It has a lot going for it in terms of RCR123 support and overall solid build quality. For a two stage light the levels are reasonably well selected - low is a solid utility level around the 20ish lumens out the front (compared to my Novatac) which is sufficient for most uses, and high is screamingly bright (although it really is more of a burst mode - you wouldn't want to use it for long given the high level and small mass). The cons, such as they are, are that the foam ring is not well designed - I cut the one on mine in half and it works MUCH better. The OEM ring is just too thick and made from too dense a material to condense properly in order to get to high. Some say that the amount of rotation needed to get to high is too much although it is about the same as a CR2 Ion and the Lunasol 27 no one complains about those lights (I imagine the Aeon and Nautilus are similar as well). At the price point, assuming you tinker with the foam ring, it is a very solid contender for pocket carry. I prefer a three level (or more) light overall - but the EZ123 is pretty nice and is competeing, somewhat, with the LF3XT and Novatac for daily EDC purposes.

There are, of course, a ton of other choices, some of which aren't as compelling to me but might be for others. Peak has some excellent and small single stage CR123 based lights, the Atlantic, Caribbean, Glacier Bay and Meditteranean are well built and rock solid, and generally small, if not feature laden. I expect that the Nautilus would be a strong contender but the titanium model is too expensive for me and the aluminum models are no longer made and difficult to find - and for the price while they are almost certainly more precisely made than the EZ123 (if my experience with the CR2 Ion is any indication) I'm not sure worth the price difference. The Nautilus may be as small or smaller than the EZ123. The Bitz has some followers and looks pretty small - I'm just not a fan of the twisty on/off interface. And lastly, the Arc6 is smaller than the McGizmo lights and the Novatac, but shares the piston drive/kilroy mechanism and it's reliability, and is programmable.

Pick your poison, so to speak!
 

Short and Round

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You all know that it will be the Surefire LX1!!! :naughty: If, and when it comes out. That is just my opinion though!! :whistle:
 

greendestiny

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Thanks everyone for all your suggestions. I will be researching! :candle:

Can the EX10 or EZ123 damage a protected RCR123 battery by over-draining it as both of the lights don't have the "battery protection" feature like the Novatac? Or can the battery be trusted enough to switch itself off?

Do the batteries need checking to not let them dip below or are the batteries reliable enough? Sorry I'm a complete beginner to all this stuff.
 

jabe1

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A protected RCR123 is just that...protected. It contains a pcb which shuts off current at high and low points.
I also recommend to everyone using rechargeable lithiums that a small investment in a DMM (digital muti-meter) is necessary.
 

hyperloop

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Let me just chip in here with a vote for the EX10 for it's size and pocketability. I have owned a number of 1xCR123 lights, gotten rid of most of them and have a Jet II Pro IBS, Nitecore EX10 and a Romisen RC N3.

The Nitecore is the smallest but the Jetbeam has the best UI (imho) and the Romisen is a good single mode beater light with a runtime of 47 minutes or so.

But one thing about the EX10 is that my Trustfire RCR123s will not fit, they're too long.
 

sygyzy

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Jan 29, 2003
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I vote for the EX10 too however with a few caveats. The PD system is great when it works but it fails (for me) too often. I don't even use the lights and 20% of the time when I take them out, they don't turn on or get stuck in an on or off position. Also, they seem to be vampires, draining batteries even if never used. This is true for both the EX10 and D10 so I think they must exist in Nitecore's entire PD line.
 
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