Best AA or AAA Flashlight ?

bump.

There are dozens of good AA/AAA flashlights available. For the most brightness you'd probably want to go with AA. Fenix, Quark, Olight, ITP, Romisen, Nitecore, etc, make great AA lights. For less money check out this http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.28546 or something similar. Handlebar mounts can be purchased separately from several places. Good luck, you have a lot to choose from.

Head on over to 4sevens.com and click on the Fenix flashlight link. You can pick out a fenix there, as well as a bike mount for it.

I have used both a Fenix E20 and a Quark AA^2 as helmet lights while cycling. I've used the hand strap accessory that came with my Quark and a bandana to securely lash the light to the top of my helmet. Both lights work very well for this. The Fenix is focusable and has a tactical switch so is a little better suited as a helmet light. These features let you change the beam between flood or throw, and turn th light on or off easily with gloves on.

ive quickly become a big fan of quark lights, there are lots of little things very well thought out and done with them.

i also feel the stated runtimes and output of the 4seven lights are more accurate than most other makers. these are bright little torches.

the quark AA2 puts out alot of very useful light for running 2xAA batteries. wide hotspot that has surprisingly good throw, and a very wide spill. dont know of 4sevens has bike mounts, but you can ask if their lights would work with a fenix mount.

a co-worker saw my quark 123x2 and wanted one, he asked "how much", i told him $60. hes the first ever person to say "that its worth it". and hes serious about buying one. i suggested the AA2 cause itll be better for him not to deal with the cr123a cells.

itp makes some good budget lights, just remember you get what you pay for. i say put in the extra one time $20 and be satisfied with your light.

On a bike forum, someone just recommended a Terralux 220 lumen flashlight running AAs. Is that comparable to the others mentioned ? Seems it can be had for about $30.

homebrew01 said:

On a bike forum, someone just recommended a Terralux 220 lumen flashlight running AAs. Is that comparable to the others mentioned ? Seems it can be had for about $30.

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My Quark AA2 on its max mode is advertised as putting 170 lumens out the front. I've read on here that's a conservative rating and some have measured the OTF output of the Quark AA2 as in being in the 190 lumens range. So, the light you're mentioning is definitely in the same ballpark. At that price though, I'd be suspicious of the build quality, and the rated lumens are probably measured at the emitter, not OTF.

The Nkoray K-106 is great value for a 5 mode (with memory) 230 lumen Cree Q5 ... Mine cost £11-76 including postage on Ebay ... It is 95mm by 25mm at the thickest ... Uses a single AA.

se4g4e said:

There are dozens of good AA/AAA flashlights available. For the most brightness you'd probably want to go with AA. Fenix, Quark, Olight, ITP, Romisen, Nitecore, etc, make great AA lights. For less money check out this http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.28546 or something similar. Handlebar mounts can be purchased separately from several places. Good luck, you have a lot to choose from.

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The K-106 is awesome I have one on the way.

For AA there are numerous options:

Akoray K-106 $14
Romisen RC-G2 $11
Tank007 E07 $14
iTP A2 EOS $25

For AAA I would recommend:
iTP A3 EOS $20

of course these are all budget suggestions.

Check the RC-N3 IIs at shiningbeam. You can choose warm white or cool white and some are two mode lights. Under $30 too so they are well within your price range. They also have a coupon "CPFuser" for 6% off.

DX is also a good place but shipping is slow.

Higher end lights (like Fenix, 4sevens, Jetbeam) are usually over $40, but are great choices if you are willing to stretch your budget.

:welcome:

I have a similar want/need as the OP, except that I'm a trail runner and not a cyclist. I also have the Magicshine as my main light, and want a small backup light. I have an old Jetbeam MKIIX which I've been using as a backup. It seems adequate, but shopping these forums I'm wondering if there's something better.

Michael

wacomme said:

I have a similar want/need as the OP, except that I'm a trail runner and not a cyclist. I also have the Magicshine as my main light, and want a small backup light. I have an old Jetbeam MKIIX which I've been using as a backup. It seems adequate, but shopping these forums I'm wondering if there's something better.

Michael

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Stick with the MkIIx, it is a great light, i still mourn the loss of mine. It's so incredibly small yet pumps out a great amount of light (especially on 14500 but you gotta watch the heat levels).

For the OP: I'd recommend shiningbeam over DX anytime, i have recently been having QC problems with lights ordered from DX and though they have been resolved, it takes months and months to do so. So far, no issues whatsoever with shiningbeam.

I'd recommend a 2xAA light for longer runtimes, take a look at the Romisen RC N3 II warm white which has 2 modes to balance outputs and runtime or if you just want a smaller back up light, check out the 1xAA light selections.

Shiningbeam would fall within your budget requirements.

Cheers, Happy New Year and :welcome:

hyperloop said:

Stick with the MkIIx, it is a great light, i still mourn the loss of mine. It's so incredibly small yet pumps out a great amount of light (especially on 14500 but you gotta watch the heat levels).


Cheers, Happy New Year and :welcome:

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Thank you. I've only used AA's in the MkIIx. I believe 14500's entail special battery chargers, extra care, etc.

quality option: jetbeam jet 1 pro 14500:1.3 amp, ni/mh:1.9 amp

cheap option: c3 stanlinnes steel sku 26122 14$ current draw:14500:1.6 amp, ni/mh:2 amp
edit: hotlink erased



the jetbeam are more thrower (big and smooth reflector) and the tint its maybe selected (mine have nice tint)

I love my Fenix LD20, but it sure isn't the most affordable 2AA light out there. You get what you pay for though...in my opinion.

moviles said:

quality option: jetbeam jet 1 pro 14500:1.3 amp, ni/mh:1.9 amp

cheap option: c3 stanlinnes steel sku 26122 14$ current draw:14500:1.6 amp, ni/mh:2 amp

the jetbeam are more thrower (big and smooth reflector) and the tint its maybe selected (mine have nice tint)

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Please name the thinner light. It looks very nice.

- Vikas

Vikas Sontakke said:

Please name the thinner light. It looks very nice.

- Vikas

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its the uf a6 sku 15644 ....but the head its not ss its copper


the SKU 24291 its full ss with xp-e and cheaper
you can see the xp-e:


the reflector its designed for xp-e too(xp-g will fit perfectly)


reviews:

http://www.jayki.com/5621
http://www.google.com/translate?u=h....php?f=5&t=39&langpair=es|en-CN&hl=en&ie=UTF8

.....I prefer the c3 ss

I have that Trustfire F23; that is some bargain (so is the C3 SS)! But F23 has very low frequency PWM. Anybody who does not look down on DX/KD lights, need to get these two for their collection.

I still think uf a6 sku 15644 looks better than the F23 but I have no first hand knowledge as I never sprang for one.

- Vikas

wacomme said:

Thank you. I've only used AA's in the MkIIx. I believe 14500's entail special battery chargers, extra care, etc.

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You can head to this thread and pick up a few 14500s and a charger as well.

The cells are okay, no great dangers using them, just remember to take them off the charger once the indicator lights turn green. I have fallen asleep and left them on over night with no ill effects, i think that as long as you dont leave the cells in the charger and charge them for days on end, things should be alright.

Trust me, there is a world of difference using the MkIIx with a 14500.