EDC Light Nitecore MT10A vs MT1A

Hi all, I need some opinions. I want to replace my EDC Fenix LD12 with a new AA sized light that has a forward clicky, is relatively bright, and must be able to tailstand. I'm going to move the LD12 to my truck for permanent emergency work.

I have a few questions about both of these lights that I can't seem to find any definitive answers on.

1) When using a 14500 in the MT10A, can it be run on ultra low? I read in one thread that it wasn't recommended to use the light on low with a 14500 battery.
2) I'll probably use a Ni-MH AA cell for this light since it will be on my vest backing up my P20, or in my back pocket when I'm off. Is the 14500 support of the MT10A worth the extra $20?
3) How much bigger is the MT10A than the MT1A? The MT1A is about perfect for me in size.

Sorry if this is a rehash, but I can't find anything real descriptive about the MT10A in search, both in LED Flashlights, or reviews.

Thanks

I don't have the MT10a but do have th MT10c which is similar so maybe my experiences with it will be helpful. Tail standing is no problem just have to be careful since it has cut outs in the tail cap but once balanced it stands well. Forward clicky works well and has a nice feel to it. The only thing I can think of running the MT10a in ultra low that may cause problems would be if the light didn't automatically shut off and it drained the battery too much but I would think that highly unlikely. Not sure the reason for the warning?

My MT10c is about 3.5" long similar in size to my Zebralight SC62. If you want the extra brightness then the 14500mis worth it but if you plan to use mainly NIMH I might go with a Fenix or similar since they'll be far more efficient on NIMH. Hope this helps some!

That is helpful, thanks. Do you find the MT10C to be too short? It looks really short to me.

I find it a good size but I have smaller hands. I believe the MT10a is about .75 inches longer so it should be about perfect. It also puts out a legit 900+ lumens maybe even more, throw is excellent for a light this size 190m is pretty good.

Also it does use PWM on all modes except the lowest and highest. This isn't a problem for me as I can't notice it and it was difficult to verify but it is present just very fast. It does get quite hot on the PWM controlled modes but not too bad on the highest setting. It actually gets hotter if left on a medium-high/high setting for a long time versus the turbo mode.

1) Based on the spec chart for the MT10A, and ultra-low is rated at 100 hours with the 14500 battery. I never had an issue with the 14500 at ultra-low mode.

2) You can certainly use a AA battery with MT10A. However, it does make a big difference in terms of the brightness: 920 lumens maximum brightness with 14500 vs. 170 lumens with AA. I think it would be worthwhile to invest in a rechargeable 14500 battery but at the end of the day it really depends on your usage and preference.

3) The MT10A is 4.25 inches and the MT1A is 4.13 inches. When I hold them I can't really tell a difference.

I just got my MT10A and threw a 14500 in there. I really is very bright, blows away my older 1xAA lights like my Jetbeam Jet I or Nitecore D-10 or other ~200 lumen lights.
I like the UI too, good selection of modes and easy to get the right one, with 'instant on' using last setting.

The size is convenient for EDC and the versatility with usable batteries is very good to have.

I've got a MT10A using a Nitecore 14500.

Low mode works fine on a 14500, but the lowest setting is actually the red light, so it's fairly easy to figure out if it's completely off.

At roughly 4", it's a good size and extremely light. I just wish the light could fit the Nitecore tactical ring while having the clip intact, as the button is somewhat tough and quite no groove for retention, light is somewhat difficult to engage quickly. Kinda surprised this wasn't a consideration.

Throw is insane far for a tiny light.

For 2x the cost of an Alki, a 14500 is worth it with no worry of lack of batteries.

I bought 3 of the Nitecore 14500 batteries, only about twenty bucks shipped for all 3 and that gives me plenty of power to run my MT10A.
Mostly I use the lower modes, but I love having ~900 Lumens available when I need a lot of light, around the medium output setting there is good light with a decent run time available and the light doesn't heat up too much.

With a 14500 cell:
According to Nitecore the mid setting gives 180 Lumens for 1h45m, the low setting gives 70 Lumens for 5h.
The low setting provides a very usable amount of light and with a 5 hour runtime from this sized light that seems like really good performance to me.

If you need to use a NiMH cell you can get 48 Lumens from the mid setting and the light will run for 7h15m at that level, in an emergency getting a reasonable amount of light for 7 hours from one battery is surely very acceptable.

I'm really liking the size, the ability to run from one of the most common cell sizes and the UI with up & down buttons.