With 2013 LED technology- who has switched back to AAs for their flashlights?

So when I entered this game back in '04, CR123s were the only way to go if you wanted more than 60 lumens
Now that AA lights are producing over 100 lumens, anyone switch back?

Sure, they have less power than CR123s and Li Ions, but you don't have to keep a separate stash of batteries, and run virtually no risk of damaging expensive batteries
Eneloops are cheap, and I have a house full of things that use them

I keep a few AA lights around at all times, and I usually prefer the form factor over single 123's, but generally my edc lights are single rcr/123 lights because that's what Surefire makes and Surefire is what I carry.

For me, it's more like switching from 2xCR123 to single CR123s.

My Fenix LD20 R4 is still one of my most used light though.

Great thread idea! While AA's are generally fine for all the applications I encounter, I still find myself picking up a single 18650 format light most of the time. Just too good to pass up with the huge output and runtime in a fairly small package.

I wouldn't say I'm switching over, but I have started adding AA and AAA lights to my collection and carrying an AA light about half the time. I also finally bought AA and AAA eneloops!

Used to be that I bought and carried almost exclusively CR123, 2xCR123 or 18650 powered lights but the AA lights can pretty much do what I need a light to do during the day. When I think I might need more lumens I stick to the CR123 powered stuff.

For around town and nighthiking locally, I tend to use my 2AA Quark Pro (XP-G2) or my Solarforce L2 with U2 XM-L drop-in. These lights are bright and last a long time. However, on backpacking trips or long hikes not locally, I tend to go with 2 123A cell lights and a 3AAA headlight (PT EOS). The 1AAA, 1AA, and single 123A lights are usually used as edc's in town during the summer. This has been changing a bit overall. The last long hike I tried, I stuck with my 2AA Quark Pro and my Fenix HL30 2AA headlight. I have been getting away from using the 3AAA format for a headlight in exchange for 2AA. Since my brightest 2 123A light is about 250 lumens (Fenix PD30 R4) and about the same brightness as my Quark 2AA, I tend to use the Quark instead. If I want brighter, I go with 18650 lights. 123A lights are getting less use now because of the cost of the batteries and AA and 18650 are not only as bright or brighter, but rechargeable.

I'm in the process of converting to aa and (reluctantly) aaa nimh for pretty much everything. I gave away the c-mag, am cutting the d-mag down to 1-d to use 3xaa, and am converting my p60 lights to 2xaa with low voltage dropins. About the only thing that tempts me other than this is single 18650, but as I don't have any yet, I may not go there....

I agree that the current crop of AA lights are very much improved on those of only a few years ago. But if they have progressed, so have all the other lights in other classes.

I bought the Sunwayman V11R with AA extender and it's great, but I nag myself that it is better and smaller with a CR123A and that is how I carry it.

I seem to be stuck on CR123A lights ATM. At least for pocket carry.

i actually prefer the longer, slimmer form of a single AA light as opposed to a single CR123 light. and i dont need more than 100 lumens for my edc, but i cant find any single AA lights that i like. i just want a simple low/high tailcap operated light, without having to twist the bezel. something like a E1L, or L1.

but as far as standardizing on AA cells would be hard, since im already so committed to cr123 lights. using both provides more options, and thats always good.
i keep a supply of lithium AA, and lithium cr123 for everybody in the family to use. and there have been times when all the lithium AA cells are gone, used for xbox controllers and other things. but the cr123 cells are still there heheh.

GarageBoy said:

Now that AA lights are producing over 100 lumens, anyone switch back?

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I never went with a CR123 standard to start with. Started reading CPF in '06-'07, with no interest in flashlights, but rather to learn about the then new LSD Eneloop which started me on a AA-consolidation campaign for all my portable camping/travel/emergency electronics (cameras, walkie talkies, GPS, radios, headlamps, lanterns, etc). Bought my first "real" flashlight a few years after that - AA of course.

Sure, they have less power than CR123s and Li Ions...

Click to expand...

That's the beauty of the Quarks and the recent rash of broad voltage (0.9-4.2) AA lights coming to market - with 3V CRAA Lithium Primaries and 14500s available, you can have your cake and eat it too. Also, in a real pinch, I can use my CRAA or 14500 cells to power my other 2-4xAA (in-series) gadgets using a piece of tin foil for dummy cells.

I'm EDCing a AA ATM, I like the size and like to use Eneloops, it gives me just over a hundred lumens, more than enough for my day to day requirements.

Norm

I gave up on CR123 years ago, beginning with the old Fenix L2D/L1D R100. It's either AA/14500 or 18650's for me.


Max

AA lights go well with the AA weather radio

Never got into CR123A/RCR123A.

I have stayed with AAs most of the time.

When the SSC-P7 came out I was stuck with 18650s for a while. I may junk them as my current big lights are Mag 3C SSC-P7 and Defiant 3C XML 550 lumen. (Both my ipod boom boxes use C cells.)

My keychain lights are AAA. I have a 2AAA warm Preon in my bag's penlight holder.

I have a 'custom Quark AAX'.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?322177-Custom-Quark-AAX
Really should be called 'custom Quark 14500-X'. It still works with an AA or 2AA if I find the original 2AA tube.

My EDC is a neutral Quark MiNi AA. Lots of other AA to 4AA lights around.

So I'm mostly using AAA, AA, C.

EDIT
IIRC the big trick back in 2004 was replacing the 3V CR123A in a Nuwei Q3 with a 3.6V RCR123A doubling the lumens.

I was on the 2AA bug for edc for awhile. Very happy with the output and runtime of my Streamlight Pro Tac 2AA and Pelican 2360. For regular use, the eneloops are fantastic. For emergencies, I have about 150 alkalines. Like most cpf's, I just want more and more power for edc. Recently bought a Klarus XT2C with an Eagletac 3100 mah 18650 and get overwhelming light, runtime, and a size more pocketable than my nicely edc sized streamlight. Can't wait to see what 2AA's can put out in 5 years.

I'm with the above poster who is moving from 2 x CR123 to 1 x CR123. I got heavily invested in CR123s back when they were the only game in town, along with surefire. And I find that they work just fine for me. With the advances in technology, the 1x lights are putting out plenty of light and I don't have as much need for the 2x lights. I also have rechargeables like RCR123s, 14500s, and 18650s, but the CR lights are my favorites. I'll eventually get the the surefire rechargeable kit to use in my SF lights but I have a large stock of primaries.

I'm not much of a fan of the 18650 form factor, but I do appreciate the 1x CR or 14500/AA lights.

I am a fan of AA's Flashlights and headlamps. Lithium energizers started the trend, the eneloop's were another big leap, but the 14500 sealed the deal. I live in a rural area and I have to order 123's or drive 25 miles or more to find them. That leaves me just a little uneasy in terms of self-sufficient living in an emergency. I think the 18650 is still my favorite flashlight battery, but nothing else I have runs on them. Like the original post said " I have a house full of other things that use AA's, So there is always a pack or two of energizer lithium cells in the kitchen drawer, to back up the rechargeable batteries and I like that. I also have to travel across a couple of Midwest states a few time a year for work, and I can find AA's Duracell's in every gas station if I need replacement cells. AA Lithium cells are the only non-rechargeable batteries I buy, I have not purchased a 123 primary battery in several years. And from what I see ahead for the LED flashlight evolution it may stay that way.

Never stopped using them. We have lights in four formats. AA, D, cr123 and 18650. AA for keys, pocket lights etc, D cell for big long run time lights, cr123 for our glovebox and emergency lights and 18650 for when bigger power is needed.

I "entered the game" at the age of around 8, many decades ago and hence have owned flashlights of every conceivable battery format including button cells, AAAs, AA, C, D, CR123s, CR2, 18650s, 6 volt lantern cells and others. One way or another, I have lights of all of these formats still in active service, including for example a couple of C and D LED converted Maglites. My primary "go to" workaday lights in recent years have been RC123, AA, 18650 and CR2 (keychain). Having said all this, if there was one single battery type I had to chose it would be AA, regardless of 2013 technology. I have always liked the format and have never been without several AA lights in my collection because these lights have always offered a good size to weight performance, even years ago (going back to say the AA Mini MagLite) and AA batteries are the most universally available battery type in the world. You can always find AAs in just about any store in any country. In a "true" emergency you could find working AAs in practically every household if you really needed them even if you had to scavenge them from a TV remote in a badly damaged home. For this reason alone, I have always made it a point to have AA lights in my collection. I get the OP's point about the vast improvements in AA performance but for me the enhanced performance has not been a question of "switching" to AAs, it's really been more a question of the ability to go with a one cell light like the Zebralight SC51/52 when previously I might have opted for something along the lines of a Quark 2AA of some emitter variety.

EDC: 14500/AA

"real" light "needs": 18650


only my A2 runs with 2*CR123a