Tektite Tekna Splash-Lite LS

I'm surprised I can't find a discussion of this light with the search feature.

Is it the lightest weight single 123a battery luxeon led light? How much does it weigh?

The review at http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/tektite_tsl_ls.htmseems to lack a runtime graph and a weight. Oh, well...

Anyone have a picture next to an original arc ls or a surefire e2 (my other two 123 lights).

Does anyone else make a small 123, plastic light? I'm tired of metal....

-It scratches the other stuff in my pocket or bag.
-It's heavy

I have one. It's a great little light, very lightweight, about the size of an Arc LS with the clickie switch but a fraction of the weight. Because of thermal issues it runs at rather low power, but that should translate into increased battery runtime. I haven't measured the current but I'd guess around 150 mA to the led. Bigger but sort of conceptually similar would be a UK 2L with UK's LS eLED head.

In the early stages of my addiction I was inquiring about these, actually I was inquiring about a way to use my depleted 123a's. Everyone directed me to this little fellow..

I have one and both the L222 and Luxeon bulbs for it. I must say that I prefer the L222 since it purportedly gets twice the runtime (6hrs vs 3hrs) and actually appears brighter. Of course, the luxeon has better tint. This light is the one I would truly consider my "beater" or should I say "dunker" since its the one I have with me when night swimming, etc. Definitely worth picking up one way or another. I'd love to see a single AA light to come out in a compact, tough, waterproof plastic body, but until then, this is the best (and cheap) option.

I've wanted for a while for Tek-tite to make a 1AA version of the Splash-lite but it's not likely. They do make several other 1AA sized lights that are extremely tough and waterproof. These include the Micralite (1AA incandescent), Trek Lithium (direct drive LED from AA-sized 3.6v computer battery, 200+ hours runtime(!)), and a 1AA powered strobe. The expensive part is making the injection mold and so these lights all use the same housing. It would be nice if they made an LED module for powering from 1AA alkaline. Hmm, maybe I will try DIY'ing that, using the circuit board from a Dorcy 1AAA and trying to fit it into a Micralite.

Meanwhile you could get a UK 2AAA eLED. That's also very waterproof and compact and it's just about what you want except it uses two AAA's instead of 1AA. Runtime is about 20 hours and it's fairly inexpensive as such things go ($12 or so at Brightguy).

Yeah, I remember reading a thread a while back. I think you and a guy from Tek-tite (Scott?) were discussing these lights and the short of it was that producing new molds was prohibitively expensive. I wasn't suggesting that Tek-tite produce a 1AA polymer LED light per say, just that someone should do it (UK?, Streamlight?).

I've got the UK 2AAA, and while I like the size and quality, psychologically I like 1AA more than 2AAA. That and IMHO the beam leaves much to be desired; its an off-center spot with blue edges and a dingy yellow center that has very distracting artifacts all around it. Better than nothing, sure, but it wouldn't be my EDC choice when there are nicer options out there.

I've got a Splashlite LS and it's a great little light to keep around for emergencies. I don't use it as an EDC since it's not particularly bright and has a pretty lousy beam in all honesty (well, mine does). Also, I'm not into using CR123 lights constantly since the batteries are just so much more expensive than AAs.

I'd really love to see a 1AA splashlite but I'd guess it would be quite a job to tool up and manufacture one - not just for the plastic body but also to make the bulb capable of driving a lux off the lower voltage.

On that point, does anybody know if the lux "bulb" in the splashlite is direct drive off the CR123 or is there some kind of regulation circuitry?

The LS222 "bulb" has a dc-dc converter inside. It gets pretty warm.

Dc-dc converters are not that big a deal. Tek-tite already sells an LED bulb replacement module for the Mag Solitaire. The injection molds are a lot more expensive to tool up for. Tek-tite's existing 1AA housing is very nice, just bigger than it needs to be. I do think they should make an LED module for it. Scott are you listening?

I agree about 1AA vs 2AAA in principle. In practice, for a long-running light like this, it's not that big a deal. The UK's beam is not the prettiest but the Splashlite's isn't either. The weird UK beam is partly from the focusing optic, which does increase throw, so there's a trade-off.

I like the way the UK 2AAA flatpack sits in my pocket. It is more comfortable than the new 1AA 8LED Xnova or even the stock Dorcy AAA. I looked at but did not get a splashlight as I do not wish to stock a 3rd type of battery. Of course that is not a problem to the CPFers who already have Q3s, Inovas or surefires etc..