1x AAA or AA Low Power with Clicky

Wanting to get the kids (3 and 6) each a flashlight so that mine quit disappearing.

I was about to pull the trigger on the Fenix E01's, until I learned they were just twisty's.

Basic requirements:
AAA or AA (single cell)
50lm or less
Reliable and Durable
Prefer Single Mode
<$30

I think the E01 would be perfect if it had a clicky, however I fear that teaching the 3YO how to turn it on and off will just get him removing the battery all the time.

I am somewhat surprised that someone hasn't made a custom clicky for this light, considering how popular it seems to be...

The only other one I've seen so far is the Streamlight Protac 1AA, which seems to get good reviews, although I have heard of some clicky failures with their lights...

Anyone have any suggestions?

The Inova XS first came to mind but it utilizes the twisty for constant on, push for momentary on type UI. How about the Lumintop Tool?

Energizer 1 watt AA Cree might be a good choice, or a Coast G10 AAA. Both are under $20 and built well.

For a 3 year old, I wouldn't recommend anything more than one of those cheapo 9 LED walmart lights... they come with a clicky switch and aren't bright enough to ruin his eyes.

Streamlight Microstream runs on one AAA and features a clicky tailcap switch, 20 lumens and lifetime warranty. Currently sells for under $17 on Amazon.

sassaquin said:

Streamlight Microstream runs on one AAA and features a clicky tailcap switch, 20 lumens and lifetime warranty. Currently sells for under $17 on Amazon.

Click to expand...

Another vote for the Microstream! I gave the Microstream to my son for his birthday and he Loves it! Forward clicky, small, well built and nice beam pattern.

Streamlight has a good warranty, and I like there 1aaa light almost as much as I like the Pelican 1910 (pelican has an incredible warranty)

good throw, one mode, 1aaa battery, under 50 lumens. I think it's perfect for you

Lumintop Tool looks really interesting. However, it occurred to me that the 3YO does typically point the business end of the flashlight at his face, so maybe the lumin requirement should have been lowered.

This leads me back to the Microstream C4, as it only produces 20. I think for the price, I'm not going to get much better. I'd like a Fenix, but they all just get more expensive when you add a clicky, plus the lumin count gets into the triple digits. So maybe when he gets older I will have to revisit this quest...

Thank you all for your help!

Got the 3YO the Microstream and the 6YO the E01. Fail on the Microstream. Button is too hard for him to press, so he can't get it to stay on. I guess in a way, this might be good, because he can't ever leave it on, but I think he is frustrated. About 10 min after I gave them out, he already latched onto her purple E01!

Still, really surprised how bright they both are, the MS is still so bright you don't want to look at the beam. Both lights seem well constructed, especially for the price.

Yet another vote for the Microstream, or possibly the Pelican 1910.

A gerber light might be an option too

+ 1 on the Microstream. I carry it with me everywhere. I've tested it with a eneloop and it will run about 3.5 hours.
Great light.

I think Fenix E11 might be good for such use too.

Am I the only one with kids who, at 3 years old, the moment you turn your back, would point a flashlight at their eyes until all they can see is spots? And also don't think it's such a bright idea (pun completely intended) to give a kid a flashlight that they could potentially damage their vision with?

If the clicky is the key, and you need an easier to press one, with less output, go to Target, Home Depot or Kmart and pick up the $8 Energizer penlight. It is a 2xAAA, rather than a single cell, but it may be a better kid light. The 5 mm Nichia is not quite so bright or focused as the Streamlight, and it will run for eons on a pair of alkalines.

For inspecting durability vehicles, I find it much more useful than the 2xAAA Streamlights that some of our techs carry. They are too bright and focused, and I am blinded at close range by the reflection of the hot spot. Even I noticed that they have a VERY stiff clicky, I wondered right away about that for a 3 yo. I am a snob, and modded a warmer tint Nichia into mine, which is easy to do, and I think it helps a bit when trying to spot hairline cracks in metal.

In a dark room, where you really need a light, it makes mucho-plenty light to illuminate an entire side of the room.

I think I have had it for at least five years, and it is still very bright on the Energizer alkalines that came with it. It is the only light that I leave alkaline batteries in, BTW, all of the more expensive ones get NiMH's or some form of lithium battery. I know I will likely trash it by the alkalines leaking one day, with the long-term sporadic usage. Maybe I'll treat it to a set of Eneloops tonight, I am reminding myself how much I like the little guy, even if it was cheap to buy.

Looks like you figured it out, but I'll add my 2 cents.

The only lights it doesn't hurt to stare at are sub-lumen moonlight/firefly modes. But unless it's dark and your eyes are adapted, that's not enough to see by.

I got my daughters M*g Solitares at 4yo. (~ 3 lumen incan.) Neither thought they were bright enough, and kept taking my Maratac AAA, or whatever else I had nearby.

I was going to say Microstream - I don't recall my switch being that difficult to operate, but I haven't handed it to either of the girls yet. (They're 7 and 8 now.)

If you want easy, clicky, and not too bright, get a 47's AA Tactical. You can set the modes to moonlight and low. You can even choose which will be full-tight, and which is head-loosened. Low's actually quite useful, and though I don't like looking at the LED with it on, I don't think it's going to cause any permanent damage. Drop in an eneloop, so it's no great loss when it gets left on. Too bad they don't come in purple.

Kids love lights!

The Pelican is almost identical to the Microstream and has a much softer switch. It's also higher output, but obviously with less runtime.

moshow9 said:

The Inova XS first came to mind but it utilizes the twisty for constant on, push for momentary on type UI. How about the Lumintop Tool?

Click to expand...

+1 for innova XS. But it got pre-flash on low mode, i find that not annoying but i don't know for you. You can see the beam shot here

Love all the suggestions. I was wanting a low lumen light, due to the eye issue, so that's why I wanted under 20 lumens, but dang, even at 27, I think, that Microstream is bright. I think he learned not to point it at his eyes after doing it once or twice. But still, he can't activate the switch past momentary, even after be showing him how to do it. He knows how to operate other clickies of mine, so it's just the fact that it's too stiff.

I will probably end up getting another Fenix E01, or perhaps the Energizer one.

The Eneloop's I put in both of the lights seem to be working well. It will be nice to not be throwing batteries away all the time... Just got to make sure no one throws away my Eneloops...

Geogecko said:

Just got to make sure no one throws away my Eneloops...

Click to expand...

Err, yeah, I have gotten a handful of good AA and AAA Eneloops from the recycle bucket at work! Also a full set of 4 Rayovac AA Hybrids.