Muyshondt Aeon Mk III and Maus MkI passaround!
Finally got home to open up the package. Here they are with some of my smaller lights - from right to left - the Maus MK1, Aeon MKIII, TnC Nano-Lux 10180, and an MBI HF.
https://imgur.com/gallery/GIMfU
So here are some initial impressions (even though I've only had them in my hands for about an hour!) compared to some of my other lights:
They are both very small; I didn't expect them to be so much so from the pictures I've seen. The Maus is about the size of the TnC. Definitely suitable for EDC in that regard.
Neither of them is super bright. I especially dislike the 1 to 60 lumens on the Maus. They are a far cry from the blazing 500 lumens that you get on the MBI HF. I also like the UI of the HF more; it is extremely intuitive and convenient. However, the level of quality found on the Aeon and Maus easily surpass that of the HF's. From the beam to the construction itself, it is clear that Enrique was quite meticulous in his work. Just by holding them in the hand, I can tell of the level of quality they exude; the HF simply cannot compare.
Neither of them uses a rechargeable battery. I know that Enrique has addressed this somewhere above, but I still find it somewhat inconvenient. Both the TnC and HF use rechargeable batteries and as a result have much higher outputs (350+ & 500 lumens, respectively). That said, it should be noted that you most often won't need that much output for day to day tasks.
Personally, I liked the build of the Maus MK1 more. It felt more substantial in my hands compared to the Aeon...there is a certain weight/feel to it that is hard to explain. I like the feel of it more than even the TnC, which is saying something. I think that it would definitely benefit from a mode between the 1 and 60. As for the Aeon, I REALLY like the clicky. A clicky on a light this small is not very common, but I absolutely love it.
So in conclusion: these lights are definitely not the brightest or most cutting edge out there, but if you want quality- these lights are the ones to purchase. They both held up to the TnC, which exudes quality all over. The Aeon definitely surpassed it in terms of UI with the clicky, although the light didn't feel as substantial (maybe because it was aluminum) to my hands. But if there's one other thing that I appreciate, it's Enrique's attention to aesthetics. The packaging and the designs on the cards were top-notch. You can tell he definitely put a lot into them. If you need a comparison, my TnC came wrapped in a drawstring baggie and the HF in a tube.
I will update with more impressions as the week progresses [emoji13]