My 'ideal' light - does it exist?

I have a selection of small lightweight single AA flashlights which I use in rotation, mainly carried with me when hiking in case I am delayed and have to finish a walk in darkness. All my lights are great but none of them exactly meet my requirements.
Firstly I need the flashlight to be small and light - I rarely carry a rucksack as I walk fast and light, so it needs to be suitable for pocket carry. A lanyard is essential but I can take or leave a clip.
Secondly, I have established that I really only need 2 modes, about 25-30 lumens for 90% of the time, plus a good high (over 100 lumens) for the odd occasion when I need to investigate a cave, mineworking, etc. Or just to quickly check a noise in the bushes after dark. A low mode is not real use to me.
At the moment I use either a Nitecore EZAA R5 - fine most of the time, but going from medium brightness to full via the ramping mode is a bit time consuming. Also I have used a Fenix LD15 less successfully - no medium mode. The flashlight I take out most times is an Olight i2, but again it's not perfect - I have no use for the low (which is the default mode), but the high is just not quite bright enough.
I'm hoping to get a Jetbeam BK-135a soon (if I can find a decent supplier) - hopefully with this I can programme the modes to suit what I need.
Are there any others i should consider? I know I will get a lot of suggestions for Zebralight, but just how prone are these to turning on accidentally when used for pocket carry?
Thanks.

JETBeam Element E3S in Stainless? 1 x AA, 155 lumens for 1 hour, 23 lumens for 15 hours, drilled tailcap looks like it could take a lanyard.

The new Fenix E11 is a AA forward clicky that has two modes (105lm, 32lm) changed by twisting the head.

I have a couple ideas off the top of my head.

1) Fenix E21. Two modes. low is 48 lumens and high is 150 lumens.

2) Quark X AA2 tactical. You program your low and high mode. You can program a 24 lumen low (24 hour run time) and 115 lumen high (2.5 hours). The other 3 brightness levels along with strobe, SOS, and beacon are essentially not accessable unless you reprogram the modes. This light has a really nice beam. Oh, and the high mode does go as high as near 500 lumens so you could program that as your high mode. All you do is turn the bezel a 1/4 turn to switch between you 2 modes(you program which mode is in which position). It is a 2 mode light that has 8 modes. You get to pick which 2 modes are used and you never have to do anything again other than turn it on.

I was going to suggest a jetbeam BA20 for a simple 2 mode light but the low is 12 lumens.

Otherwise I light I'd recommend in a heartbeat is the Klarus ST10. It's single AA and acts as a 3 mode (with memory so leave it on low and it comes back on low) light. It has a switch on the end to turn on and a thumb switch to switch between the 3 brightness levels. It's 140, 60, 12 lumens.

It also has a few other modes which only appear if you loosen the head so you never have to cycle through these during normal use. The modes are sos, beacon and a real low output.

It also punches way above the quoted 140 lumens, most of my other AA lights are 270+ lumens and the klarus doesn't dissapoint.

I bought mine 2nd hand and wasn't really looking for one but it's without doubt the light I use most. You'd love it.

selfbuilt's review

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-R5)-Review-RUNTIMES-BEAMSHOTS-PICS-and-more!

I have the Klarus ST20, and if the interface works for you, AutoTech's suggestion of the ST10 is spot-on. Klarus makes some nice lights.

Peak El Capitan QTC. Simple twisty - the more you twist, the more light you get. With a 14500 you get as little or as much light as you want.

Thanks all - some good suggestions so far!

I had forgotten about the Jetbeam E3S, not sure about the grip with wet cold hands though. I was keen on the Fenix E11 but a few so-so reviews on CPF have put me off - it's a nice inexpensive light though, so I may give it a try. The Jetbeam BA10 is going on my shortlist but the 12 lumens could be an issue. The BA20 would be perfect as far as output modes - 30 lumens and 270 lumens, but 2x AA models are just a bit too long for pocket carry in my hiking trousers - I usually carry my lights in the thigh pocket which has a flap for security - anything too long gets in the way of knee mobility when climbing.

The Klarus lights look interesting - I haven't read up much on those yet so I will research them a bit futher. Thanks again.

for some reason, I read 2AA. Ha. Anyway. My answer is nearly the same. Look at the 1A version (Quark 1A tactical). Program the 110 lumen as the high and the 22 lumen as the low. get the deep pocket carry clip and it will fit it your pocket perfectly. This light has the exact UI you want.

Thanks Tre. Yes the Quark looks good - a bit confusing as my preferred dealer in the UK has both the tactical and non-tactical at the same price and I couldn't see what the difference between the 2 models was - looks like the regular has fixed modes and the tactical has the ability to programme any 2 of those modes as preferred settings?
I am a bit wary of 4Sevens after problems with Quark Minis and loose thread/mode skipping (that's why I got the Olight in the end - the Olight threads are almost as bad as the Mini, but it was far cheaper than the Mini so I can forgive it). I assume this won't be an issue with the regular Quarks as they have clicky operation.

davecroft said:

...mainly carried with me when hiking ...small and light ... I walk fast and light,...I can take or leave a clip.
... (over 100 lumens)

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I do serious walking too. I avoid the encumberance of a handheld light by using a headlamp.


See Rule #3 Do not Hot Link images - Norm


Coast H7 Focusing Headlamp with Dimmer (Lumens 140), $40 + tax from Lowe's

Fenix E11 - 1AA, 2 modes 105 and 32 lumens. You can attach a lanyard on it

You can try the upcoming Zebralight SC5, only 3 modes. 200 high, a medium of maybe<50, and a low of 2 lumens. Has a pocketclip.I know you dont need a low but this is better for you with regards to ZL's normal 6 mode AA lights.

This one might cover your needs. I have no personal experience with this light. I have one on order that will be here tomorrow but it seems to fill your requirements. http://www.shiningbeam.com/servlet/the-84/ITP-C7R-Cree-Q5/Detail

>1xAA
>small
>light
>25-30 lumen low
>100+ lumen high
>no moonlight mode
(considering bk135a)

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Some of these 1xAA's over 4" long & 1" in diameter are bigger than a small 2xcr123. The bk135a (& the pa01) are plenty small, but check all the cpf reports on that one first. If you consider 75g light, the e3s is nearly as small, & I haven't read about any problems with it other than grip when wet.

The two closest lights to an aluminum e3s (which would have nailed all your requirements if it existed): the ba10, though it's still a little fat for an AA, & its low is less than half your target; and the e11. If you purposely left out tailstanding as a requirement, I'd choose the e11 per your criteria, off centered beam & all. Small, light, the e3s' ui, & 100/30(for 8+ hrs) only, it pretty much checks every box. That or an Al peak qtc, if you don't mind testing an experimental ui- but maybe the qtc ramping isn't as skippy as it looks in videos, will end up lasting more than a few thousand compressions, & turn out to be the greatest thing ever. Hope so.

Another one to consider is the new d25a. Very small & light, & has your target medium mode, but you do have to pass through a 3l moonlight first (it's a twist to cycle through modes user interface which you also don't care for).

Looks like no one makes one exactly right, join the club. But tell jetbeam to make an Al e3s & I'll buy one too.

Thanks for the advice. After originally dismissing the Fenix E11, now that I have had the feedback on here I am beginning to think that it is the flashlight that could meet my needs after all. Hopefully the projecting tailcap button won't turn on in my pocket.

I can get it direct from China for around £17 (26 dollars) so it is definately worth a punt and I have convinced myself to order one this week - will take 2 weeks to arrive :-(.

I still intend to try the BK 135a and will definately add a Zebralight at some stage (perhaps when they have modified the switch on the SC51).

Nehmo_s said:

I do serious walking too. I avoid the encumberance of a handheld light by using a headlamp.


See Rule #3 Do not Hot Link images - Norm


Coast H7 Focusing Headlamp with Dimmer (Lumens 140), $40 + tax from Lowe's

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Thanks - I do have a headlamp but it gets used more for plumbing jobs under the sink or crawling about in the loft! I can't get on with headgear (even a hat) when walking.

Chidwack said:

This one might cover your needs. I have no personal experience with this light. I have one on order that will be here tomorrow but it seems to fill your requirements. http://www.shiningbeam.com/servlet/the-84/ITP-C7R-Cree-Q5/Detail

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Now you have given me yet another interesting light to check out! It's pretty heavy for EDC but the price is right

davecroft said:

After originally dismissing the Fenix E11, now that I have had the feedback on here I am beginning to think that it is the flashlight that could meet my needs after all. Hopefully the projecting tailcap button won't turn on in my pocket.

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I have a Fenix L1T, which is the predecessor to the E11. EDC'd it for months with no pocket activations, so if the E11 has the same switch you should be good.