Battle of the Keychain Lights

Its interesting where internet searches leave you...

It started off with a search to find a replacement Swiss Army Knife for my keychain and as soon as I discovered that some SAK's have LED lights built into them, the search grew to include keychain LED lights. This of course led to the discovery of the Photon and its popularity, and eventually...I came across this forum. This is my first post.

What I've discovered is that keychain lights pretty much come down to the Arc AAA (LE), Photon III, and Infinity Ultra. Respective prices are approximately: $27 ($37 for LE), $18, and $24. These prices excluding the LE are from Brightguy (LE's seem to be very difficult to find).

I've read lots of reviews on each of them but rarely have I found them directly compared. From what I've found the following seems to be true:

Brightness: Photon III > Arc AAA > Ultra
Battery life: Ultra > Arc AAA > Photon III
Price: Arc AAA > Ultra > Photon III
Durability: Ultra > Arc AAA > Photon III
Size: Ultra > Arc AAA > Photon III

However, none of this is personal experience. This only comes from the coalescing of various posts and reviews. What I'm asking for is personal experience comparing the three and their usability as a keychain light.

Side questions to get you guys started:

Is the LE worth the extra money? I have a bad habit of buying the best of everything and I'd probably buy the LE if I decide to get an Arc AAA just because its "better", but is it really worth it?

Am I the only one who sees those blink and dimming features of the Photon III as pretty cool? I don't recall reading of anybody actually using them, but I think I would.

TIA

Mark

Hi Mark,
a good place to start would be one of the review sites, such as for example
the LedMuseum
the Torch Reviews Site
the LightSite

btw, Welcome to CPF.

Cool! Welcome, and great questions. I have an old style Infinity, a regular Arc AAA, and had a photon 1.

1. I knew of the Arc-LE, but picked the regular Arc. I don't care much about the hard anodize, and reviews I've read say the brightness is almost identical. Plus, I like the black color.

2. I mostly use the coin cell lights as a quick find something in the dark. Different modes would drive me nuts, but that's just me.

I'd put the Arc and Infinity as equal in the reliability/ruggedized catagory. I've never heard of anyone being able to break either one with anything close to normal use. Both safe to toss out a window, drive over with a car, take to the bottom of the pool, etc.

To me, even the Arc is a bit big for a keychain, I carry mine in my pocket, and the Infinity way too big. In size, it's like half a roll of nickels. I did carry one when I went to NYC to help out, but I didn't have the Arc then.

A bonus of the Arc is that it's regulated, so you'll get same intensity light all the way through. The Photon may be brighter at first, but not for very long.

There's also a strange thing that everytime somebody buys an Arc, they fall in love with it, and start showing it to their friends.

I wanted the ARC LE but was having trouble finding it so I gave up and bought the black ARC AAA. Now I am glad I did, saved $10 and essentially got the same light. It's black instead of natural anodized which seems to be the only big difference. I love it, use it every day and many of the folks I show it to are getting one.

Mark, Welcome to CPF!

I'm moving this thread to the LEDs Section where it should have a better home as this thread appears to be talking about LED lights.

Regarding the Photon3, I have four. Three don't work. The one that does, I carry along with my ArcAAA and a Glowring. If I use them (rare since I have a KL1 on my E1e) I'll use the ArcAAA because I often last used the P3 to show off the flashing modes, and when I come to use it next, I can't be bothered to wait for it to cycle through the modes. The ArcAAA remains bright for ages whereas Photons tend to dim faster. I have to say I notice this more on the PII's rather then my P3.

Al

The Arc AAA is about the best light around. I don't know why you said that the ultra is more durable--issues with the Arc AAA you've heard about maybe?

The Photon is going to be brighter when you first turn it on but overall you are correct, the Arc will be brighter...

But lets talk about durability again...Darell did a thing somewhere on Arc durability and I'm getting set to do my own. It's been dropped, kicked, ran over with electric vehicles, shoved up noses, flushed down toilets, ran through washing machines, and always came out alive. It is waterproof...even if water gets into the battery compartment it will continue to operate.

I highly recommend an Arc AAA teamed up with a SS Clip from Berkeleypoint. You can get both (Standard Arc+SS Clip) for less than the price of an Arc LE.

We go around in circles every time it comes up, but the LE and Standard are basically the same other than the fact that the LE is a different color and that it's, well, limited. For your first Arc get a standard, then you can get a LE if you wish.

www.berkeleypoint.com
To get the clip...

Welcome to CPF, enjoy your stay

Personally, I like the LE over the regualar, simply becuase the natural HA is closer to the colour of aluminum. As the HA chips (And they ALL chip), the chips aren't as noticable.

BTW: I have a regular 3.1 in black in my car with a Duracell Ultra for emergencies. It won't get banged up on my keychain, sitting in the car.

Whizz Whizz.

Just today I quit carrying my red Photon II and started carrying the ARC AAA.

I just wanted more light when I need it on my keychain. After a year's experience with both, I've voted with my feet and picked the ARC (took a while!).

I still like my Infinitys but I never carry them on a keychain. They are by the bedside for night time walk around, in my pocket when camping (or backup for my incandescent when walking) and in the glove box with a lithium AA for a reliable backup car light in the winter.

Minjin,
If a keychain light is what you're after, unless you mean a fob, the coin cell type lights such as the Photon is your answer. There are others besides the Photon, such as Inova's that are as good, and in some's opinion better.

If you're looking for a keychain light (as a fob) then the Arc or the Infinity Ultra would serve. The Arc would be smaller and more manageable, but I regard the Arc and the Infinity as pocket size lights rather than keychain lights.

You're going to hear more than one opinion on the brightness of the Ultra and the Arc AAA. There may have been someone here that has measured them on a meter, but to my eye the Ultra is significantly brighter with a cleaner beam.

I've posted this before, but here it is again.

Until I figured out that my ARC AAA needed some "swinging room", on my keychain, I was leaning towards using the Inova microlight as my EDC.

As small as the ARC AAA is, it takes up a lot of room on your key ring.

However, buying a "ball-chain" key chain (I bought 4 for a dollar, with the idenfifying key tabs included) at Wal-mart, and using the ball-chain key-chain to attach the ARC AAA to my keyring, made my ARC AAA very easily carryable as an EDC. I now much prefer my ARC to my Inova Microlight for EDC.

The inch or two swing that the ball chain provides gives me the room I need for my ARC to be comfortable on my keychain.

SS Clip from www.berkeleypoint.com is where it's at I'm tellin ya. Little more expensive than the ball chain, but I'm hooked...I need to order some for my LS power packs.

For clarification purposes...Budd has been talking about his ball chain keyring for months now and it just bearly (for me, but maybe I'm just slow) clicked what it is. It's one of thoese ball chains, like the kind the military uses on dog tags...

I'd really like to get a couple of SS clips from Berkleypoint for my ArcAAA and Ultra but they won't ship to Canada.

I don't have a Photon, but I would guess the Arc and Ultra would be far more durable. In real world use though they would all hold up well in the pocket.
I have 2 Ultras on order and have had an Infinity. The biggest difference between the Arc and Infinity other than light output is their size. The Arc is almost unnoticeable when being carried where the Infinity is heavier and bulkier. Keep in mind though that both are just a little bigger than their batteries. Depending on how much you use them the battery cost/life would make a difference. Each light has its pluses and minuses and most have a place where they are the best light. In the end gather all the information you can, decide how it applies to you and your uses and then "buy them both" (or all three).
FYI-Texas Tactical
http://www1.ecxmall.com/stores/texastacticalsupply/Search.bok?category=Led+Lights
Has the Ultra and PIII for $15.99 each and the Arc AAA for $19.99. And good service

Originally posted by witsend:
"buy them both" (or all three).
FYI-Texas Tactical
http://www1.ecxmall.com/stores/texastacticalsupply/Search.bok?category=Led+Lights
Has the Ultra and PIII for $15.99 each and the Arc AAA for $19.99. And good service

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">That sounds like the best suggestion I've seen.

BuddTX, or anyone, what does a "ball-chain" key chain look like?

Originally posted by mc:
BuddTX, or anyone, what does a "ball-chain" key chain look like?

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">
Photo courtesy of Inland Products Please visit their site.

I use a pear-shaped oval-ish titanium ring (they also come in aluminum) that I got at Eddie Bauer with my first red LED flashlight about 12 years ago.

On that is a standard key ring for most of my keys, my car keys are a separate ring, then I have my mini Swiss Army Knife, the Arc AAA LE and the Arc sLs. Quite a handfull, but fits in my pocket. I unscrew the ring and take off the unit that I need...car keys for valet (hey I live in SoCal), knife before air travail...

Cheers,

Richard

I think I might just end up getting all three. But I'll try an ARC AAA standard first since it comes so highly recommended.

How is shipping from Texas Tactical? I've noticed that many places will advertise the low price to get you to buy but you end up getting screwed on the shipping. Thats how the ebay people can afford to sell things as such seemingly cheap prices.

As for saying the Ultra is more durable, I just said that because it looked like an extremely similar case design, so the advantage would go to the one with a higher width to length ratio in terms of shear strength. But it looks as though the ARC AAA is certainly more proven than its competition.

Thanks for the comments guys. I'm sure I'll have plenty of other questions in the future.

Mark

Originally posted by Empath:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by mc:
BuddTX, or anyone, what does a "ball-chain" key chain look like?

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">

Photo courtesy of Inland Products Please visit their site.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Empath, you read my mind!

That's exactly it, but mine is just about an inch or so long, that looks long enough to go around my neck!

Man, you must be psychic, or have some kind of 6th sense or sumthin!

Shipping should be about $4 for an Arc according to TTS's website. Along with the excellent price, they also offer excellent service. I have been very pleased in my dealings with them.

Pat