Innova Microlight for Flashaholics and Non.

They are 7$ so these little lights are clearly out of the running as bulk buy fauxtons, but they are also quite a bit cheaper than Photons and in some ways better.

I bought a handful of them as gifts and I've been testing one for the last three weeks.

10hours on high, 22hours on low -according to the box.
The UI is good, basic but very user friendly.
Switching from demo mode (high, momentary only) to it's primary UI would happen automatically if a person used the light for any length of time without ever reading the directions.
I think that this is a good thing.
In demo mode the light will deliver max when the light is squeezed and turn off as soon as pressure is released.
Standard mode is activated by simply squeezing the light on for over 15 seconds.
Once in standard mode the light will come on in high (6 lumens) and stay on... But it will auto off in 4 minutes with a flash warning first.
Two squeezes from off turns the light on in low (1 lumen) - there is no auto off function in low.
Three squeezes from off turns the light on in a flash mode of about 4 flashes per second that appear to my eye to be the low power setting and a 25-50% duty cycle, so I'd expect the flash to last twice as long as low or better as a guess. This should be good for clipping one to a person or object and finding it again a day or two later.

Switching back to momentary/high only demo mode is accomplished by squeezing three times from off (flash mode) and Immediately holding the button down for more than 5 seconds... It is easy as can be once you know how, basically " from off: 4 clicks and hold".

I was not initially impressed with the clip and my first thought was to replace it with something sturdier, maybe paracord sheathing, but I've kept it clipped to the neck of my shirt or transferred out to various things for the last three weeks and the clip works very well, convenient and secure.
The light itself is a flat, rounded diamond shape and there is nothing to catch or stress the clip, which does a good job of staying clipped on and a good job of coming off easily with one hand when desired.
I've come to the conclusion that the clip design is a real strong point of this light.

Weight with clip and batteries (two 2016 coin cells) is .37 oz.
I'm going to start carrying a few of these daily as semi disposable lights for back up, lending, giving, or marking a location, etc.

Just be aware that they can be accidentally turned on while in your pocket. That is why mine gets very little use. I've burnt through several 2016 batteries due to that. Others have reported that their Microlights self-activate as well. Search CPF for other threads on this Microlight issue. Other than that, it is a good pocket light, as you've described.

Yeah, most of the micro lights can be afflicted like that... key rings are tough places to live.
The accidental activation problem is actually one of the big selling points for me with this light and why I'm promoting it, other than cost and novice friendly UI.

Between the shirt friendly flat clip, the auto off from high (1 accidental click) in four min, and the ease of switching it back over to demo/momentary mode the accidental activation problem is no longer an issue in my experience with this light. -the good clip with shirt carry solved it but the auto off feature is a comfort.

I like my Photon freedom but I check it periodically and have to turn it off, there is no substitute for the Photon Freedom's many light levels though.

eh4 said:

Yeah, most of the micro lights can be afflicted like that... key rings are tough places to live.
The accidental activation problem is actually one of the big selling points for me with this light and why I'm promoting it, other than cost and novice friendly UI.

Between the shirt friendly flat clip, the auto off from high (1 accidental click) in four min, and the ease of switching it back over to demo/momentary mode the accidental activation problem is no longer an issue in my experience with this light. -the good clip with shirt carry solved it but the auto off feature is a comfort.

I like my Photon freedom but I check it periodically and have to turn it off, there is no substitute for the Photon Freedom's many light levels though.

Click to expand...

I still use my Microlight, but check it frequently just to be sure it hasn't switched on while it's being pocket-carried. Been meaning to try a Photon Freedom, just haven't gotten to ordering one yet.

But unless you somehow manage to double or triple click the Innova on accident, the light will turn itself back off in 4 min...
The odds of turning it onto high (auto off in 4 min) are much, much higher than managing to accidentally turning the microlight onto low or flash, both of which will drain the battery considerably slower than high would anyways...
But then the high has a 4 min auto off.
I think that it's a very well thought out UI for this kind of light.

Does the photon freedom have an auto off if accidentally activated? I haven't noticed that mine has one.

I don't believe so. I've killed a couple sets of 2016s in my NVG Photon Freedom with accidental activations, auto off would have prevented that. I don't blame the Photon, a key ring is a very bad place for a light with a side pressure, constant on switch. Photon would be great clipped to a jacket zipper or anywhere handy that wasn't subject to being crushed and subsequently unobserved.