[Review] Nitecore MT22A ... side by side AA = truly pocket-sized

Hi All, Nitecore sent me the MT22A light to test and thought I'd share my thoughts.


Are you fond of your 2xAA light but wish it was just a little more compact? Did you get carried away buying 18650 style lights and forgot to get a AA type light for your home emergency stash? Are you looking for a mostly kid-friendly light for your next event? If so say hello to the Nitecore MT22A featuring it's brand new 2XAA side-by-side configuration!










SPECS

Here is the specs from Nitecore's website.

Other Features:

• Polycarbonate body
• 3 available colors (florescent yellow, black, tan)
• Diecast heat sink
• CREE XP-G2 S3 LED
• Takes 2XAA
• Reverse clicky switch (from off, switch has to click to turn on)
• Strong and clear mineral glass with AR coating
• IPX8 water proofness
• Impact resistant to 1.5 meters
• Tail stand capable

Dimensions:

• Length: 80.9mm (3.19″)
• Width: 40.7mm (1.6″)
• Height: 21mm (0.83″)
• Weight: 49g (1.73oz) (without batteries)

LOOK AND FEEL

Plastic? Rectangle? Reverse clicky switch? The look and feel is a bit of a departure from Nitecore's MO for handheld lights but I was surprised how handy this light has been. Overall, the star qualities is the small form factor and it's built in clip. Many lights have a clip but not many can hang on a belt and be out of the way like this one. I was also surprised how easy it is to take the batteries out. To change the batteries you push and hold the silver button and top LED side lid can be pulled off. If you hand the light to someone, you might want to show them the real button to turn on the light as they're likely to go right for the silver one. The actual grip of the light is much more secure than I thought it would be and the clip does not feel in the way while holding. I would have like the switch and the LED to have lined up as you'd typically have the button at the top so your thumb can reach it but then it puts the LED down where part of your palm may block the light.
















BEAM PROFILE

The light uses a short smooth reflector which produces both a spot and spill beam pattern. The total spill angle is about total 60 degree angle with a well defined spot with 20 degree total angle. There are some beam artifacts which area more noticeable up close or if rotating the light but aren't really visible outdoors. The beam color is a tad bit yellow on the inside and cooler on the outside.










USER INTERFACE

The UI is very straight forward. Again, this is a reverse clicky light where you have to push the button till it clicks to turn on the light. Click the light on, and then do a half tap on the switch to cycle through all 4 modes (High->Mid->Low->Strobe); you can also double click the light to cycle through the modes. To turn off the light simply click the light off.
So here are some caveats, there is no mode memory and will always start in high, and you always have to cycle through strobe.



BATTERY

As you already know, the light runs on 2XAA type batteries, but remember that to get the best performance, use high quality rechargeable NI-MH type batteries. Below is a full list of compatible and non-compatible batteries for the MT22A.



WARRANTY

The warranty is for 5 years which includes free repair. After the warranty a limited lifetime warranty kicks in which covers labor costs but not parts cost. Make sure you only buy from an authorized dealer (you can contact Nitecore's customer service to find one) or you will possibly waive your rights to the warranty. Also, take care to store your light properly, as the warranty does not cover damages caused by batter leakage. Check their website for their full terms of service.



HIGHLIGHTS

• Compact size
• Simple UI
• Great built-in clip
• A few color options
• Easy to open battery compartment
• Doesn't get too hot
• Tail stands pretty well
• Lightweight
• Very durable plastic body
• Still has gold-plated contacts
• Still comes with a standard lanyard

OBSERVATIONS

• Switch and LED are not aligned to the same side
• Silver "button" seem like the power switch at first
• No mode memory
• UI starts in High
• UI cycles trough strobe, wish strobe was hidden
• Option to reverse the clip would have been nice
• No lockout available
• Remember that runtimes in the spec are based on rechargeable Ni MH batteries, not standard Alkaline so expect weaker performance from disposables.
• Battery tubes seem a bit larger than necessary of standard alkaline

OUTSIDE

All the pictures below are taken with the light in High. I've also included my beamshots preview which goes through all the output levels to help you get a real-world feel.













PRICE

The current price for the light is about $30 USD .



THANKS FOR READING!

Disclaimers:

• CivilGear Reviews received this product for testing and providing an honest review.

To round out the review it may be helpful to add some performance specifications.

Need warm tint version

Need warm tint version

LeanBurn said:

To round out the review it may be helpful to add some performance specifications.

Click to expand...

Hi there thanks for the suggestion, what kind of performance descriptions would be helpful to you? I don't have much equipment for performing technical tests, like run time graphs, so I tend to lean towards user experience such as look and feel and user interface. Thanks for the feedback

marinemaster said:

Need warm tint version

Click to expand...

Warm tints are always welcome but it does feel like the center of the spot is a tad warm so that helps a little Thanks for the comment.

I like Nitecore lights but. .

- No mode memory, always start in high (deal breaker)
- Strobe in normal mode cycle (deal breaker - lose the strobe)
- Yellowish tint (deal breaker)
- No mode level between 45 and 260 (poorly thought out - something around 100-120 would have been nice)

wjv said:

I like Nitecore lights but. .

- No mode memory, always start in high (deal breaker)
- Strobe in normal mode cycle (deal breaker - lose the strobe)
- Yellowish tint (deal breaker)
- No mode level between 45 and 260 (poorly thought out - something around 100-120 would have been nice)

Click to expand...

I like this light form a great deal. Completely agree that the UI and emitter need to be changed.

wjv said:

I like Nitecore lights but. .

- No mode memory, always start in high (deal breaker)
- Strobe in normal mode cycle (deal breaker - lose the strobe)
- Yellowish tint (deal breaker)
- No mode level between 45 and 260 (poorly thought out - something around 100-120 would have been nice)

Click to expand...

I agree with your first two concerns, but mine was no yellow at all, just cool white. I think the levels are OK. Since our eyes perceive light in a logarithmic fashion (from what I've been told), the levels seem to be well balanced. I think the bigger transition is going from 1 to 45. Going from 45 to 260 seems about right.

But to start out on max and then advance to lower and then to have to mix strobe in there also............not cool! If a light doesn't have memory, then I prefer it to start out on low. So that is probably my biggest complaint with this light.

I measured 280-49-1.2 lumens with two freshly charged Eneloops in my amateur light box, so I think they are accurate with their lumen specs. I highly doubt alkaline batteries could maintain that max level for long at all. But the middle and low modes are going to have some long run times on any 2xAA batteries. I picked mine up used for $20 and not sure in hindsight I'd be interested in this particular light at full price. I'd only pay full price if they had those issues fixed as discussed........and if it was in that tan color (mine is black).

I kind of like it. It's just different from any 2xAA lights I have ever owned. It's just barely over 3 inches long. I think it would make a good emergency or glove box light in the vehicle.

i also got this one for review

UI ruins all the idea of this flashlight.


the rest is good.

The form factor is awesome. Only reason I got it was to try a AA side x side and it is great! Run 2 14500 side by side with a VN driver and neutral LED. Killer! And pocket friendly!