Will anyone ever make a decent 1xAAA?

I dont know about you guys but, I have been looking for a new 1xAAA EDC light. The problem is companies cant seem to make one worth buying imo. Even Eagletac, who makes some of the nicer LED flashlights in the mid price range imo, blew it with their new model imo(D25AAA). I really had high hopes for it too so, I am bummed. I just cant understand why someone cant get it right?

Here is my ideal EDC 1xAAA:

Regulated with low battery warning(blinking main LED or an indicator)
Tail clicky, combo twist clicky, or 2 button(must have a tail clicky, preferably forward clicky and tail standing would be nice)
Neutral white emitter(Nichia 219 High CRI NW or XM-L2 NW preferably somewhere between 4300-5000K)
Sub 1 Lumen moonlight mode(0.1-0.9 lumen)
Good mode spacing with at least 4 if not 5 levels(moonlight-low-med-high-turbo)
At least a strobe and slow beacon(as well as an SOS if not a forward clicky)
Bezel down pocket clip(or reversible)
No fricking magnets(I mean what a stupid idea imo. Lets put a magnet on a EDC pocket light so it wrecks all your chip cards exc:shakehead:fail
Glass or Sapphire lens with a textured reflector(no acrylic/polycarbonate/plastic garbage and no TIR either)
Stainless steel bezel for lens protection
IPX8 minimum water proofing
Minimum 100 lumen turbo mode preferably

Anyone else want one with these features? Did I miss anything? Any lights that have these features that I am not aware of?


Manufactures take note of this thread please:thumbsup:

Fenix just came out with a new light LD02 CREE XP-E2, not sure the tint but the advertising photos have a warm look?? As other lights, it only ticks off a few suggestions on your healthy wish list. IPX8 too!

Having said that, I ordered one @ $30 USD to check out. I like the 3 modes. 8 lumen low and 100 high. Most important to me for my intended use, is the tail cap clicky and clip. This should work well for my particular application. We shall see. I am replacing a Streamlight single AAA micro with it.

Tachead said:

Tail clicky, combo twist clicky, or 2 button(must have a tail clicky, preferably forward clicky and tail standing would be nice)
Neutral white emitter(Nichia 219 High CRI NW or XM-L2 NW preferably somewhere between 4300-5000K)


No fricking magnets(I mean what a stupid idea imo. Lets put a magnet on a EDC pocket light so it wrecks all your chip cards

Click to expand...

I'm going to knock your suggestion of a clicky tailcap. Why do we love the AAA-eating EDC lights? They're so tiny! There aren't many lights with the exact same light made WITH and WITHOUT a tailcap clicky, but let's pick a recent one: The Eagletac D25A, Clicky and Non.

Non-Clicky length: 80mm
Clicky length: 87mm (16% of a AAA battery longer!)

Take the Maratac AAA, a delightfully-pocketable EDC light. It's 70mm long. Adding a tailcap clicky - Mechanical, mind you! would add 10% to its length, and 0 to runtime, throw, or output. The tailclicky would add some mode control, which is why some EDC lights go this route... But it's a tough tradeoff to make. If you're already willing to add 7mm in length, why not add another 6? That lets you go from a 10mm x 44mm cell to a 14mm x 50mm cell - Double runtime, slightly higher throw, and only a bit bigger.

...And then, why not use an 18500 Lithium? And then... Well, there are a lot of solutions along the size x power x runtime space. Picking "Tiny size!" is a sure way to find pockets with a tiny-sized spot to fill. A compromise is better to use, but tougher to make.

I'll stick with my $20 Olight i3s, which I don't even carry much these days. Three outputs including moonlight and a decent high at 80LM, runs on 10440s, has a decent enough pocket clip and strobe function and comes in cool designer colors.

I guess that I just don't get all hot and bothered over lights and certainly not AAA, or even AA lights, to stress out over this, or that.

Much like my gun collection, they all have their pros, their cons and their little quirks--no two being the same, but I enjoy them all.

Chris

Str8stroke said:

Fenix just came out with a new light LD02 CREE XP-E2, not sure the tint but the advertising photos have a warm look?? As other lights, it only ticks off a few suggestions on your healthy wish list. IPX8 too!

Having said that, I ordered one @ $30 USD to check out. I like the 3 modes. 8 lumen low and 100 high. Most important to me for my intended use, is the tail cap clicky and clip. This should work well for my particular application. We shall see. I am replacing a Streamlight single AAA micro with it.

Click to expand...

Yeah I have seen the LD02 and really like the looks of it but, it has a number of things that dont make it a great EDC light for me.

1. No moonlight mode for up close work at night(8 lumen works but, is definitely not ideal and is really quite bright if you are in the dark with adapted eyes)

2. Doesnt start in low mode(again kills your night vision when starting from a dark environment)

3. Plastic lens/collimator(easily scratched and I just prefer glass/reflector setups)

4, No special functions(I prefer some extras like strobe, beacon, sos exc. for emergency hiking situations exc.)

Thanks for the suggestion though:thumbsup:, maybe next years model. I really like this light and I think it would be close to to perfect with a few minor changes.

Then consider the Thrunite Ti. (Christmas version in Titanium or Aluminium version called Thrunite Ti3)

Meets many more of your criteria.

, that was supposed to be a reply.

AnAppleSnail said:

I'm going to knock your suggestion of a clicky tailcap. Why do we love the AAA-eating EDC lights? They're so tiny! There aren't many lights with the exact same light made WITH and WITHOUT a tailcap clicky, but let's pick a recent one: The Eagletac D25A, Clicky and Non.

Non-Clicky length: 80mm
Clicky length: 87mm (16% of a AAA battery longer!)

Take the Maratac AAA, a delightfully-pocketable EDC light. It's 70mm long. Adding a tailcap clicky - Mechanical, mind you! would add 10% to its length, and 0 to runtime, throw, or output. The tailclicky would add some mode control, which is why some EDC lights go this route... But it's a tough tradeoff to make. If you're already willing to add 7mm in length, why not add another 6? That lets you go from a 10mm x 44mm cell to a 14mm x 50mm cell - Double runtime, slightly higher throw, and only a bit bigger.

...And then, why not use an 18500 Lithium? And then... Well, there are a lot of solutions along the size x power x runtime space. Picking "Tiny size!" is a sure way to find pockets with a tiny-sized spot to fill. A compromise is better to use, but tougher to make.

Click to expand...

For me, if I light is too small and is tail clicky operated, I dont like it to be too short or I find the butt of my hand gets in the way and shades the beam at times. My current 1xAAA(Inova XS) is 73mm and I find it too short. Really, I prefer 1xAA or 1xCR123 lights for EDC but, sometimes a skinny 1xAAA is just the ticket as it will almost fit anywhere and you can barely feel it even in your jeans watch pocket.

ChrisGarrett said:

I'll stick with my $20 Olight i3s, which I don't even carry much these days. Three outputs including moonlight and a decent high at 80LM, runs on 10440s, has a decent enough pocket clip and strobe function and comes in cool designer colors.

I guess that I just don't get all hot and bothered over lights and certainly not AAA, or even AA lights, to stress out over this, or that.

Much like my gun collection, they all have their pros, their cons and their little quirks--no two being the same, but I enjoy them all.

Chris

Click to expand...

Yeah thats another light that is close but, I dont like twisty only lights. Nice light though, thanks for the suggestion.

Me neither, just would be nice to have an upgrade 1xAAA to my old Inova.

Another hobby of mine as well but, no EDC here in Canada for those and thats a different forum lol.

easilyled said:

Then consider the Thrunite Ti. (Christmas version in Titanium or Aluminium version called Thrunite Ti3)

Meets many more of your criteria.

Click to expand...

I'll check it out. I dont have much knowledge/experience with them. Thanks:thumbsup:

Tachead said:

I dont know about you guys but, I have been looking for a new 1xAAA EDC light. The problem is companies cant seem to make one worth buying imo. Even Eagletac, who makes some of the nicer LED flashlights in the mid price range imo, blew it with their new model imo(D25AAA). I really had high hopes for it too so, I am bummed. I just cant understand why someone cant get it right?

Here is my ideal EDC 1xAAA:

Regulated with low battery warning(blinking main LED or an indicator)
Tail clicky, combo twist clicky, or 2 button(must have a tail clicky, preferably forward clicky and tail standing would be nice)
Neutral white emitter(Nichia 219 High CRI NW or XM-L2 NW preferably somewhere between 4300-5000K)
Sub 1 Lumen moonlight mode(0.1-0.9 lumen)
Good mode spacing with at least 4 if not 5 levels(moonlight-low-med-high-turbo)
At least a strobe and slow beacon(as well as an SOS if not a forward clicky)
Bezel down pocket clip(or reversible)
No fricking magnets(I mean what a stupid idea imo. Lets put a magnet on a EDC pocket light so it wrecks all your chip cards exc:shakehead:fail
Glass or Sapphire lens with a textured reflector(no acrylic/polycarbonate/plastic garbage and no TIR either)
Stainless steel bezel for lens protection
IPX8 minimum water proofing
Minimum 100 lumen turbo mode preferably

Anyone else want one with these features? Did I miss anything? Any lights that have these features that I am not aware of?


Manufactures take note of this thread please:thumbsup:

Click to expand...

To be honest I think there is no demand for such a light.Single AAA is all about low power operations because of the capacity. TV remote and simple things work well on AAA but even if a light did exist for you runtime would be short and that would cause the users to whine as cpf members like a decent runtime.

Why on earth you do not like a magnet imo is crazy,I would love one on my edc Itp AAA.I was filling my wiper wash bottle up in the dark tonight with my torch stuck in my mouth will fit a nano magnet asap so i could stick it to the bonnet(hood).

+1 for magnets on an edc:nana:

fenix ld02 is reverse clicky. dont have moonlight mode. not high cri not even neutral tint. i got one for xmas. just put it on my work keychain to replace the itp a3 twisty that has been there for years. its nice but not perfect.

the dqg aaa clicky (with reverse clicky) is something like 65mm long so basically adding 5-7mm or so to that length to get foward clicky version would be cool.

applesnail.. you say that there is a foward clicky AA light that is 70mm+7mm+6mm =83mm long that otherwise fits the original requirements with high cri etc? cool, who makes it?

in AA format the eagletac d25clicky is interesting.. few mm longer than that 83mm though. and the thickness of the aa battery does make a difference in pocketability versus aaa. (and also.. isnt that eagletac reverse clicky light too?) oh well. likely need to buy it to see if it is as good to use as people say.

i do like the bigger battery capacity of AA for tasks that need it. but sometimes im fine with getting less runtime/output just to get a smaller and lighter size. i think fenix ld02 with eneloop AAA battery weighs about the same as one AA eneloop battery alone (felt very close when i tried them in my hand now, gram or few difference max.) so liking the AAA format it not just dimension/size thing, its weight issue too.

so i want pretty much the same as o.p. AAA. neutral/high cri, foward clicky, 3-4 modes, pocket clip that cannot be twisted/pulled off. (i would be happy with basically AAA version of 47s quark tactical. programmable 2 mode. or better yet. both sides of the loose/tight bezel would have 2 modes user could program. mine would be tight: moonlight-medium, loose: turbo-low. i would skip the strobes etc totally) but it seems no one likes to make a minisized "tactical" AAA. all options i keep finding with foward clicky are cheap, very long in length, and have white tints and/or old led tech and drivers and dont have the output modes i want..

so i also still havent found the one im looking for. -and im not the only one. (long thread here somewhere about clicky aaa search)

-------
who knows, maybe eagletac will make a clicky version of the d25aaa later on, and it will be with foward clicky (as an option atleast)

The worlds best AAA flashlight has already been created sir. It's called the Fenix E01.

WHAT? e01? where in that is a clicky switch? a forward clicky? a good high cri tint? multi mode? pocket clip? hight output?

the samples i have had have been horrible blue/purple white tinted things. but that said.. it was years ago that i bought them. maybe they have upgraded it nowdays and i have missed it. then my mistake.

Supply and demand. I think most of us who are not dedicated flashaholics find lights that suit. I like several; Fenix LD01, Tank 007, and Olight i3s. Any of those suit my needs. I usually carry the Tank as I can give it away on the spot. Many are too expensive, including the Fenix. I have had no failures from the Tank, and if that was all that would be available I would be happy. The Fenix has a much longer run time.

Jerry

Magnets don't affect chips!!!! FFS most smart phone cases have magnets on them. Not too mention the speaker on the phone.

mcnair55 said:

To be honest I think there is no demand for such a light.Single AAA is all about low power operations because of the capacity. TV remote and simple things work well on AAA but even if a light did exist for you runtime would be short and that would cause the users to whine as cpf members like a decent runtime.

Why on earth you do not like a magnet imo is crazy,I would love one on my edc Itp AAA.I was filling my wiper wash bottle up in the dark tonight with my torch stuck in my mouth will fit a nano magnet asap so i could stick it to the bonnet(hood).

+1 for magnets on an edc:nana:

Click to expand...

Most 100+ lumen 1xAAA lights get 45+ minutes on high and hours on medium. That is plenty for most emergency EDC needs when spares or the charger is never far. Just bring a larger light or throw a spare in a pocket if you know you will need it for an extended period of time.

I dont like magnets(especially strong ones) because they can effect credit/debt cards, GPS, compasses, and cause metal objects to be magnetized which can attract metal fillings exc. They have no pace on a light that will be carried in my pocket, maybe a work light but, not my pocket.

The E01 is still as you describe noncence. BUT, the perfection is in its utter simplicity. No talk about the features it has or doesn't have. Not unnecessary parts that can break. It's just an extremely durable and reliable little light that always works.

Chicken Drumstick said:

Magnets don't affect chips!!!! FFS most smart phone cases have magnets on them. Not too mention the speaker on the phone.

Click to expand...

Actually, magnets do effect debt, credit cards, exc. I have ruined more then one.

http://www.creditcards.com/credit-c...ion-ruin-credit-card-magnetic-stripe-1273.php

Dude, the rare earth magnets in some of these flashlights are far stronger and not shielded like the ones that are in your phone.

That's a mag strip not a chip as per your op. Yes mag strips can be affected, although it kept in a wallet it's unlikely. And if you carry them loose then keys and coins could equally scratch the mag strip.