My Bushnell triple A that I bought on clearance at Wally World has finally given up the ghost. It's been my daily pocket light for almost five years, and it was decent.

I know all the kids say "it's on your phone" or whatever, but what if you're using your light to look under your car seat for your damn phone?

I used the heck out of my old one, and I've learned what I like and what I wish it would have done better. If you carry one, you know how they look after the first year, so super-expensive fancy lights with 15 functions are out. Here's the list of what I gotta have and what might be nice, but isn't a deal breaker.

Gotta have it, no exceptions:

Tail activation.
Single function/brightness.
Metal case/body.

Might be nifty, but not a must-have:

Pocket clip.
Not super expensive.

Thanks in advance for your opinions, and if you have a pic or a link, even better.

Olight i5t

Dual brightness, but ticks the other boxes

Edit: it's AA not AAA

$30 direct from olight

https://www.olightstore.com/i5t-eos-edc-flashlight

I3t is AAA & $20
https://www.olightstore.com/i3...small-edc-flashlight

I like the Streamlight MicroStream. The single AAA version is 20 bucks, pocket clip, 45 lumens. For a task light, 45 lumens is fine. It's bright enough for close-in tasks and I was able to walk around in the pitch-dark woods with one.

There's a two-AAA version for the same price and puts out 100 lumens.

You'll get other suggestions and those lights will be brighter. They'll also burn through a battery faster, too.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod...n_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/Streaml...ls%2C107&sr=1-4&th=1

Streamlight MicroStream. I’ve carried one for years and have had long periods of heavy use- like hours per day (working in the interior of cars). I have also put mine through a full wash and dry cycle with laundry, to no ill effect.

quote:

For a task light, 45 lumens is fine.

I agree with that completely. I just need to find that missing punch in the bottom of my range bag, I don't need it to look like I popped a flare in a broom closet.

For a pocket light, 25-75 is perfect.

I was given one of these several years ago and its my go to light. Its battery is a single CR123 but its handy and I use and carry it daily.

I have quite a few really nice 2 and 3 CR123 lights that I keep around my pistols and would use with them but for taking the dog out at night or looking for things around the house the little energizer is the one I grab and use.

Think it meets your needs other then the battery type.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/cart...w.html?ref_=nav_cart

As Para said, Streamlight Microstream. I bought 3 of them on Amazon in the past couple years, they are very handy and take up very little real estate in your pocket

Microstream

O-Light i3t as the runner up. Two brightness levels but other than that a great little light.

I would stay away from the conventional 2a and 3aaa lights now that the lithium batteries are crazy expensive. Look for a rechargeable version.

quote:

Olight i3t

This and the MicroStream are my go-to lights for average ordinary everyday use. Light enough, bright enough, and cheap enough.

I like the Olight so well, I bought one for everyone in my department a year or so ago.

I'm another fan of the Streamlight MicroStream.

I am going back to work this year and decided to reassess my required items. One of those required items is a flashlight. Nothing wrong with my old one but I am excited to go back and nothing says excitement like new toys.

I settled on a Fenix LD12R. This uses AA which is what my headset uses so I can keep the same batteries as spares. It has a couple really neat features which is why I am suggesting this one even though it isn't a AAA. It is a duel fuel type, so it has a rechargeable battery that you can recharge via USB-C (matches my company provided iPad, commonality again yay). It has four (maybe 3) settings, easily rotated through and the kicker is that it has a "side" light embedded in the tube for an area light. Tons of spill type lighting rather than a beam. The last feature is that the clip is magnetic so you can stick it places and use that "area" light hands free.

Fenix has kind of become my go to handheld brand. They are fairly innovative with features and the price is usually pretty good.

Fenix.

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
I would stay away from the conventional 2a and 3aaa lights now that the lithium batteries are crazy expensive. Look for a rechargeable version.

The microstream USB is the way to go. My son gave me one for my birthday last year. I use it daily and has more than paid for itself not having to buy batteries.

https://www.streamlight.com/pr...tail/microstream-usb

https://www.amazon.com/Streaml...m/dp/B077BHV22W?th=1

Guess I will be that cheap guy. At harbor freight you can get 2, 3-1/2 in. LED mini flashlights for $2.99 around 70 Lumens and takes 3 AAA for around 5 hour run time.

Tail activation. yes
Single function/brightness. yes
Metal case/body. yes


https://www.harborfreight.com/...lashlight-63600.html

Streamlight microstream
But get the one that’s rechargeable

Or…

https://countycomm.com/collect...w-all-light-products

The one thing I will say about the MicroStream is that it has no taper. Once voltage drops too low for the light to maintain its output, it just shuts off. I suppose Streamlight figures that with a 45 lumen output, a taper would be of little use.

This means that if you have a battery near exhaustion, you get no warning before a battery change is required.

The MicroStream will run for short intervals after the first time this happens- a matter of seconds.

Other small lights may exhibit the same behavior and I don't necessarily consider this behavior to be a negative.

My i5t loses its brighter lume, which is about the only low battery indication you get, then off.
But the single brightness 'setting' usually lasts a while before it's dead.

quote:

I would stay away from the conventional 2a and 3aaa lights now that the lithium batteries are crazy expensive. Look for a rechargeable version.

You guys know you can use eneloops or any other rechargeable NICAD AAA battery right?

While I do think the rechargeable Microstream is a great little piece of kit, you are locked in to a proprietary battery, that is replaceable but not easily available.

A standard AA/AAA light or possibly a 10440 or 14500 light that also takes standard AA/AAA batteries gives you a huge amount of options. Even if we discount the lithium rechargeable 10440/14500s you have….

Alkaline AAA
LITHIUM AAA
NICAD rechargeable AAA
Or the same with AA

That gives you a ton of options and easily accessible batteries from damn near any consumer product in an emergency. The point is you are not locked into an expensive lithium primary if you don’t wish to be.

PEAK LED Solutions also makes some fantastic AAA lights and are extremely robust little things that I believe are still fully potted. Is that necessary? Probably not but it’s an option for you.

My choice is the Thrunite Ti3. It's very small and has three modes - 120 lumens on high

quote:

PEAK LED Solutions

https://www.peakledsolutions.n...et_lights/eiger.html

I like the Eiger model, a keychain light for the motorcycle would work great.