Where are the 2AA lights?

I've been noticing lately that the more recent lights are either using lithium batteries, or are using only 1 AA or 1AAA battery if using conventional batteries. It used to be that 2AA lights were popular, but the newer ones don't seem to be of this configuration. Any ideas why? It's nice when a 1 AA light comes along that can put out 150 lumens, but it seems like it wouldn't be too difficult to extend the body of the flashlight just a little bit to include a second battery, and then the performance would be doubled.

I think it's because with LEDs, you can pretty much do anything you can do with one cell as you can with two. Of course 2 cells has potentially more run time and a form factor many people like, and there's always the tradition of 2 cells from the incan days.

Fenix LD22 (current model 300 lumens), Streamlight Protac AA (250 lumens). Just two examples of 2xAA lights from todays world. But you are right.

I'm in the same shoes with 2XAAA penlights. It seems single AAA lights getting popular.

Maybe the reason is: people need more lumens (that is where lithium/Lion comes in), or extreme portability (single AAA/AA) these days.

+1

..and yes, more efficient electronics today can live on lower voltage

xxo said:

I think it's because with LEDs, you can pretty much do anything you can do with one cell as you can with two. Of course 2 cells has potentially more run time and a form factor many people like, and there's always the tradition of 2 cells from the incan days.

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tokaji said:

Fenix LD22 (current model 300 lumens), Streamlight Protac AA (250 lumens). Just two examples of 2xAA lights from todays world. But you are right.

I'm in the same shoes with 2XAAA penlights. It seems single AAA lights getting popular.

Maybe the reason is: people need more lumens (that is where lithium/Lion comes in), or extreme portability (single AAA/AA) these days.

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That's one thing I was thinking might be the case. When there are so many choices on the market, it starts becoming more obvious to the manufacturers after a while what people are looking for--either more lumens, or more portability. Personally, I find the stubby little single cell lights harder to hold. Not much room to hold it.

I have a single AAA Fenix LD01. Very nice little light for traveling with little packet. But it is, as you say, hard to hold securely, and it turns across in my pocket. Thats why I EDC a 2xAAA light (Protac 80 lumen), because it just stays in its place in my pocket.

DoubleA said:

That's one thing I was thinking might be the case. When there are so many choices on the market, it starts becoming more obvious to the manufacturers after a while what people are looking for--either more lumens, or more portability. Personally, I find the stubby little single cell lights harder to hold. Not much room to hold it.

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Pelican sells a nice 2xAA called the 2360. Specify Gen 5 if searching for one)
They say 275 lumens. Can be programmed hi/strobe/lo or hi only or lo/hi through a series of half presses. Low is like 60 lumens so if you don't need a ton of light it's a great light from low with a high beam.
6 half presses get you a flashing battery meter where each flash represents fuel remaining in 25% incriments.

Here is one: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?441720-Quality-2xAA-Flashlight-only-9-79!

Thrunite sells one as well.

Check out the factor equipment mizpah 300. I love their lights and they have excellent customer service. They do mainly contract sales but sell to the public as well. Great lights.

Thrunite Archer 2A v3 is a nice 2xAA light

They 2xAA lights are out there, but more and more I think that by the time you get into that size/form factor that people are expecting a lot more power than ever before and the only way to do that at this time is to move up to 18650 cells and the like. In my mind this is a benefit because we reduce a heck of a lot of waste by going to rechargeable cells vs once-and-trash primaries.

It's taken a lot of time, but we're starting to see some old companies (Ray-O-Vac) and a lot of new ones (Ozark) getting into the "lumen race" and realizing that a more powerful light with rechargeable cell(s) included just plain sells better these days.

A good question.

I think the trend these days is for minimum size or maximum power, so single cell AA / AAA or Li-Ion, respectively. The 2×AA designs exist, but they're almost all older designs from a year or two ago. None of the manufacturers seems to be interested in making an updated 2×AA design at the moment, even though that's a nice middle ground for many people.

I like longer lights because I find them easier to hold without dropping them, especially when wearing gloves. It irritates me that there are several lights that can do 400lm or even 500lm on a single NiMH AA, but no 2×AA equivalents. 2×AA should be able to hit 800lm by now, but the only attempt I've seen so far was the (unreliable) Thrunite Neutron 2A V2, now withdrawn from sale.

Admittedly, there's a ThruNite Archer 2A V3 that hits 500lm and seems to get good reviews, so it's not all bad. Just not making as much technological progress as I'd like.

On a related note, I'm also surprised none of the flashlight manufacturers makes a 3×AA tube for their 18650 tube lights. 3×AA matches 1×18650 in voltage, so the driver would just work as normal, albeit with lower runtime. It would be a nice emergency option. If Convoy made a 3×AA tube for the S2+, I'd buy about six of them for the S2+ lights I already have.

My go-to favorite all occasion light remains my Thrunite 2xAA Archer. It sees more use than all my other lights combined. Looking forward to this light being taken up yet another notch.

For all out versatility and price point, it's hard to beat 2xAA.

Phlogiston said:

I like longer lights because I find them easier to hold without dropping them, especially when wearing gloves.

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Amen brother. As much as I like the tiny lights, the one that still "feels right" for checking a bump in the night is something with a larger grip area and a bit of heft.
At one point I had a friend machine a tube for one of my thicker 1xAA lights simply to extend the grip. For a while we were thinking of making it a storage area either for a spare battery or as a cheap/gimmick "survival tool" with fishing line and all of that (LOL). Never could get it to feel right though.

2AA is a classic format and for an allround flashlight I think it should never be abandoned. I am not interested in extreme outputs but on respectable runtimes. 4modes with 1,20,100 and 300lm would be fine.

2AA is left over format from the days of the incandescent bulbs. While the size of the light might favor many people, the driver of a 2xAA light has a challenge that single cell lights don't have (unless that single cell also can do 14500). And that is that the forward voltage drop of most LEDs is right around the 3.0v area.........ie: right around where new alkaline batteries are at. If battery voltage is clearly below that voltage then you do a boost circuit. If battery voltage is clearly above you do a buck. If the voltage of the battery starts out above and ends below, then the driver needs to account for that. Some manufacturers do a better job of dealing with that than others. On some lights if you put the higher voltage Energizer lithium ion L91's in the light you lose the low mode until the voltage drops. Those lights work great with the lower voltage Eneloops.

I've kind of abandoned 2xAA for the most part. I did however recently purchase a Nitecore MT22A 2xAA light that is in a side by side configuration (battery power is still series though). The price is inexpensive. I like the polycarbonate case and it does not have an issue with new L91's. I think the MT22A is a great gift light for non-flashaholic people. If I did not already have an emergency light for my car......that 2xAA light would be the one.

Swedpat said:

2AA is a classic format and for an allround flashlight I think it should never be abandoned. I am not interested in extreme outputs but on respectable runtimes. 4modes with 1,20,100 and 300lm would be fine.

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How about 200, 50 and 15? That's what the Zanflare F2 has and it's now on sale at Gearbest for $12.99 instead of the regular $19.99. I'm about to buy one right now!

Not sure which version. One says 6,000 to 6500k and another version says 4500 to 5000k. Which one should I get? Truth be told, this will be my first flashlight bought online. All others have been bought in stores.

I loved the Quark 2A because it was a clicky yet very short for 2 x AA format. It was also thin and didn't have big indentations and a flared head w attack bezel. I like a plan short tube with a clicky. Can anybody think of one? I'd buy a used Quark but hate their emitters. I like XM-L2 or XP-L

I think i need a nitecore mt22a. Thats a 2xaa form factor i never have playd with.

I should take a better picture sometime, but this is one of my favorite 2x AA custom torches ...