# Budget 1x AAA Keychain Flashlight Suggestions



## wicker_man (Jan 26, 2010)

Hi Everybody!

I am looking to buy a small torch/flashlight to keep on my keychain. I don't want to spend too much, a maximum of £10 (UK Pounds) which works out to about $15 USD. I'd prefer it to be powered by a single AAA battery.

I've been reading and searching on this forum and the Fenix E01 seems to be pretty well reviewed. But, searching on Dealextreme I have found the TANK007 TK-703 which looks quite good also.

Which one of the above would be a better option, or should there be another one I should look at?

My current flashlight is a Tesco (UK supermarket) 3w 2xAA Cree LED version, how would the light output of the Fenix and Tank (or any other suggestions) compare?

Many thanks for any advice!


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## Buckley (Jan 27, 2010)

My EDC keychain light is an ITP EOS A3. It has three well-spaced levels, a beautiful beam, and runs on a single AAA. It is available from goinggear.com for about $22 US. It has served me well.

Good hunting!


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## sol-leks (Jan 27, 2010)

From what I hear the tank is a nice light but it doesnt have much runtime, so I don't think it makes a good keychain light. I would go with the E01, or the ITP mentioned above.


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## mcnair55 (Jan 27, 2010)

I am also in the UK and you could buy the Fenix EO1 delivered to your door for £11.75 postage included (sent from the UK) with a choice of colours.I use mine as my evening EDC and it runs for ages on a simple AAA cell,use Lithium for even longer run time.

If you fancy splashing a little extra cash go for the ITP A3 EOS 3 mode version,you can land that on your doorstep in the UK from the US for about £15 with postage.

If you need some extra power opt for the ITP A1 (123 cell not AAA) landed from the US to you for about £18 with postage,mine took just 3 days for delivery last week.The battery for these can be picked up via our favourite auction site far cheaper than UK retail outlets.

I have all 3 of the lights mentioned above and as an after thought my daily EDC work light is the Microstream AAA cell(now running on Lithium which improves the output on this model),been my EDC for over 2 years and really nice light and bright enough for my use.


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## Oddjob (Jan 27, 2010)

I've had a Fenix E0 (the E01's predecessor) on my keys going on three years and it is still going strong. I also have a couple E01s and they are great long running keychain lights. I like to have a single level light on my keys for simplicity and reliability. The beam colour could be better but adequate for intermittent use IMO.


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## jk037 (Jan 27, 2010)

:welcome: Nice to see another UK CPF'er - hello from Yorkshire! :welcome:

I have a similar Tesco light to yours; mine did not mention Cree on the packaging and I can't tell what brand the emitter is, however like yours it claims to produce 3 watts and runs on 2xAA cells (photo below).

I've taken a comparison beamshot with my new iTP A3 Eos, as you can see the little iTP is noticeably less bright, however it still produces a hugely impressive amount of light (80 lumens) from such a tiny 1xAAA light.

(The photo was taken using an Olympus u-700 with exposure set as low as possible in ISO64 mode to minimise overexposure; lights are approx. 5 feet from a plain cream-coloured wall. A3 Eos in high mode using freshly-charged NiMh AAA, Tesco light using 2x freshly charged AA)









I'd highly recommend the iTP A3 Eos, however mine cost around $24 (about £15) including postage which is a little over your budget. Excellent value at this price, but you might be interested in some cheaper options...

I'm currently waiting for a few lights to arrive from DX, amongst which are the Trustfire XP-EF23 which claims to produce 150 lumens from a single AAA, and the "Blake" (think DX meant "Black) Cat HM-01 which claims to produce 100 lumens from a single AAA. The Trustfire costs $13.80 and the Black Cat $7.99, both including postage.

I'll put up some pics and beamshots when these lights arrive, along with a bit of a comparison with the iTP and the Tesco light (build quality, ease of use, etc) if it'll help you decide. 

Hope this helps!


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## wicker_man (Jan 27, 2010)

Thanks a lot for the replies and welcomes!

I'll have a look at the ITP EOS A3 and also the Microstream AAA. The ITP at ~£15 is double the price of the Fenix E01 though.

Oddjob, thanks for your comments on the reliability of the Fenix. As it will be living on my keychain, it will need to be of solid construction with a nice quality attachment.

jk037, the comparison is very helpful. My Tesco torch looks the same as yours, when I unscrew the top bit and look at the bit with the LED in, it says CREE on the top and LX-MX2503A underneath where the battery goes. I look forward to seeing your comparison between the DX lights, there seems to be so many on there!


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## Oddjob (Jan 27, 2010)

Forgot to say Welcome! There was a thread around here showing a Fenix E01 the survived a 5 story drop and still worked. Can't seem to find it but I'll keep looking.

EDIT:
Here it is:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/203409


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## brianch (Jan 27, 2010)

wicker_man said:


> Thanks a lot for the replies and welcomes!
> 
> I'll have a look at the ITP EOS A3 and also the Microstream AAA. The ITP at ~£15 is double the price of the Fenix E01 though.
> 
> ...


The iTP A3 should be around $20 USD. Though it cost more the iTP is brighter then the Fenix by a noticeable amount. I would personally go for the iTP A3 EOS. I have one on my keychain :twothumbs


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## tylernt (Jan 27, 2010)

Dorcy makes a AAA LED light: http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/dorcy_aaa.htm

Part number is 41-4234 and it can be had from Amazon.

I have these in my emergency kits so I have not EDC'd one, but I can tell you the beam is not as bright as the E01 but it is a beautiful even flood with no hotspot (or rather, it's all one large hotspot).


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## sol-leks (Jan 27, 2010)

The dorcy is a nice little light, but a bit big I think for keychain carry, the aspheric is nice though. I've heard its a good light for modding too.


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## Warp (Jan 27, 2010)

The Fenix E01 is a nice little light. My wife and I each have one, though mine often stays at home as I carry a 1xCR123 on my keychain and 2xCR123 in my pocket. It is barely larger than the AAA battery that powers it and is right at your price point. It has always worked perfectly for me and took a beating on my keychain as a third light for awhile without any ill effects save for the beat up appearance.


However, it is not very bright. With an Energizer lithium AAA the output is roughly equal to...if not a little lower than... the free button cell light you get with every order of $20+ USD from http://www.batteryjunction.com/

I am sure it will run longer and is more durable/reliable, but still.....




Edit: Ah yes, the Microstream AAA. I like mine. For a single mode 1xAAA light it is, IMO, somewhat long. Quite a bit longer than the E01. But the light output is also much better and I really like the tailcap. It is easy to use momentarily or click fully for on yet I have never had it accidentally activate (that I was aware of) due to the LONG travel required to get to the click.


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## Flucero28 (Jan 27, 2010)

+1 for the ITP. I have the Maratac version (slightly more expensive, however I fell in love with the knurling) and absolutely love it. Spend the extra $ and go with the ITP, you wont regret it. Very high output, and tiny in size, is a great deal for the price. :twothumbs Battery Junction carries them.


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## hyperloop (Jan 28, 2010)

The E01 is a great little light, nearly bombproof. Just make sure you use either rechargeable NiMHs or lithium AAAs. I had an energizer alkaline leak into my first E01 and it had to be discarded, the cell had fused to the interior and could not be removed.

wouldnt want that to happen to anyone.


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## choaticwhisper (Jan 28, 2010)

Another vote for Fenix E01, I've had one lost it somewhere. I just ordered another.


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## Egsise (Jan 28, 2010)

iTP A3 EOS


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## shark_za (Jan 28, 2010)

I have most of the torches mentioned above and find I use them for different things. 

When you EDC a torch what does it actually do for you? 

I find I use mine to look into dark cupboards, behind desks, into open PC's, in the back of computer cabinets etc. There is usually quite a bit of light around so my eyes are not adapted for best vision. 
I like the power of the Microstream and brighter for this. 

At night the E01 works well but I find it a little lacking for daytime tasks. 
My other 5mm LED AAA is the Leatherman Serac S1, just an E01 with a stainless head and clicky tailcap. 
Contrary to popular advice here I use the 5mm LED's with Alkalines, I have 2x boxes of blister packs. 
At the rate I use the E01/S1 I will never finish using them and will run into leaking after a few years. 

I dont use alkalines in the higher drain lights like the iTP. There I have Hybrio and Duraloops for good cheap power. 

While I love the A3 and I'm impressed with the A1 I find I am being drawn to the A2 more and more. 
Once you see the PWM comparison you tend to avoid the A3. 
I keep the A3 on my security card lanyard all the time, I prefer its mode layout for daytime EDC. The medium is handy for the tasks at hand and yet I can select the next low mode if its really dark and I want to save some juice. 
The high is impressive for its size. 

If I was to only have one of the lights mentioned above it would be the microstream for its clicky or the A2 for its runtime/handiness.
The A3 is also a leader for its size/performance.

If you but the A3 make sure to order the iTP A3 Upgraded.


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## shark_za (Jan 28, 2010)

I just lined a few up for you to see. 

Excuse my torches, they are all workers. 

iTP A3 EOS Upgraded - iTP A1 - Fenix E01 - iTP A2 - Leatherman S1 - Streamlight Microstream 







Some other AA ones I carry daily. 

Led Lenser P3 (can't recommend this torch at all) - Microstream - Fenix LD10 - Ultrafire C3 Stainless Q5 - Leatherman LGX200 - iTP C7T - iTP SA1 Eluma.


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## wicker_man (Jan 28, 2010)

Thanks for all of the replies. I think the iTP EOS A3 (upgrade version) is looking to be the better option, just need to find the cheapest place shipped to the UK!

I'll still check out some more reviews on other suggestions, and await JK037's comments and comparisons with the DX lights. But at the moment, it looks like the iTP is worth the extra money.


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## Egsise (Jan 28, 2010)

shark_za said:


> While I love the A3 and I'm impressed with the A1 I find I am being drawn to the A2 more and more.
> Once you see the PWM comparison you tend to avoid the A3.
> I keep the A3 on my security card lanyard all the time, I prefer its mode layout for daytime EDC. The medium is handy for the tasks at hand and yet I can select the next low mode if its really dark and I want to save some juice.
> The high is impressive for its size.
> ...



I was worried about the A3's pwm but it does not bother me, in normal use I don't see it.


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## kramer5150 (Jan 29, 2010)

just another vote for the A3 EOS. IMHO its worth the extra $$$ over the E01.

killer user ID too btw... and welcome to the forum!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WddjLLFxoow


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## MojaveMoon07 (Jan 29, 2010)

Here are some outdoor shots of the iTP A3 _[single and three stage]_ and the iTP A2

"Mag2D Vs. Maratac 9290 Vs. Maratac AA...Night Shots" _(link)_
[skip to the 3min 48sec mark]


"Beamshots newer AAA lights including penlights" _(link)_


"ITP A3 EOS and Maratac AAA, beamshot comparison to other AAA lights" _(link)_

I've had a hard time deciding between buying an iTP A3 single stage and an iTP A3 three stage.

Here are direct links to the high mode of those two:

iTP three stage _(link)_

iTP single stage _(link)_


Based on those shots, the high of the iTP single stage seems like it would be more pleasing to the eye. The center of the iTP three stage high looks in that photo to be a little too bright to the point of being a little harsh.

But I could be reading too much into that one shot; here's another outdoor beamshot of the iTP A3 three stage on high _(link)_


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## drb (Jan 29, 2010)

I'm not an expert but I have the E01 and so far use and like it alot!


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## Stainz (Jan 29, 2010)

I ordered a pair of EO1's for $25 delivered - awaiting their arrival now. They are destined for Altoid tins! I still use the Inova X1's - and my S-F E1b - at night and in pocket carry. I also carry the E2DL or Olight M21 Warrior at times. That E1b is starting to show it's frequent use. I love the CR123A cells - but the AAA keychain sized light will be new to me, although my wife loves her Wally World $6 AAA keychain light.

Stainz


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## jk037 (Jan 29, 2010)

wicker_man said:


> Thanks for all of the replies. I think the iTP EOS A3 (upgrade version) is looking to be the better option, just need to find the cheapest place shipped to the UK!
> 
> I'll still check out some more reviews on other suggestions, and await JK037's comments and comparisons with the DX lights. But at the moment, it looks like the iTP is worth the extra money.


 
Yep, i haven't forgotten about you, hopefully my new lights will arrive next week! If any of them outperform the iTP A3, I'll be seriously impressed


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## AlexLED (Jan 29, 2010)

sol-leks said:


> From what I hear the tank is a nice light but it doesnt have much runtime,



Confirmed ! 

Output I would estimate around 50 lumens, runtime about 40 mins. 

Overall, quite usefull light and very cheap.


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## wicker_man (Feb 2, 2010)

OK, thanks again for everybody's advice. I think I've pretty much decided to go for the ITP EOS A3 Upgrade, in Natural.

Where is the best place to buy from? (somewhere that ships to the UK)
Shiningbeam's eBay shop sells them for $24.25 inc. shipping, is this the best deal?


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## Warp (Feb 2, 2010)

If goinggear ships to the UK (I'm pretty sure they do) I would take a look at them. Here is their add in the marketplace

http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=197775




This thread helped me along as well. Along with several other threads, of course.

I just ordered an iTP EOS A3 Upgrade in red to have as an option for my keychain. My Fenix P1D-Q5 is great, but kind of large at times.


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## mfm (Feb 2, 2010)

MojaveMoon07 said:


> Based on those shots, the high of the iTP single stage seems like it would be more pleasing to the eye. The center of the iTP three stage high looks in that photo to be a little too bright to the point of being a little harsh.


It's just sample variation or an unlucky shot, single mode light is the same as the upgrade edition on high.

+1 on iTP A3 EOS.


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## jk037 (Feb 2, 2010)

wicker_man said:


> OK, thanks again for everybody's advice. I think I've pretty much decided to go for the ITP EOS A3 Upgrade, in Natural.
> 
> Where is the best place to buy from? (somewhere that ships to the UK)
> Shiningbeam's eBay shop sells them for $24.25 inc. shipping, is this the best deal?


 
Good choice! :twothumbs

My A3 Eos also came via Shiningbeam on ebay and came to $24.25 - £15.25 in real money at the time.

My remaining lights from DX are currently at the local post office waiting for me so might get round to putting pics & reviews up next week...


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## Pete Mcrash (Feb 2, 2010)

i've just ordered from DX, 3 red blake cats (100lm) for the wife n kids and got a tank007 (110lm) for me....both have good reviews and for about £23 delivered for 4 lights u cant go wrong......(fingers x'd they work....lol)


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## DM51 (Feb 2, 2010)

Moving this to the Budget Lights section...


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## ichithekiller (Feb 3, 2010)

I have iTP A3 EOS and it's still become one of my reliable torch.


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## Melson (Feb 3, 2010)

Hey guys I was wondering if when using the ITP A3 if it's in your pocket and it happens to turn on?

I plan on purchasing the Standard version and this is something I am concerned about before I make my decision.


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## jk037 (Feb 3, 2010)

My new lights are here! 

Not got time to put together a full review with pics yet, but a quick summary and comparison with the iTP A3 Eos:

Trustfire XP-EF23: Hi/lo/strobe, hi mode very similar brightness to iTP A3 Eos's hi, slightly colder tint and a little more tightly focused. Quite heavy, about 1" longer than the A3 and maybe 1.5mm thicker, VERY nice shiny finish, feels built to last. No problems and no adjustments/modifications required.

Black Cat HM-01: single-mode, a little dimmer than A3's Hi mode, brighter than A3 in Med, much tighter focus (surprisingly good thrower!), tint a little warmer. Very light, similar diameter to the head end of the A3, about half an inch longer, grippy but slightly rough knurling at head and tail, pinkish-red anodizing, feels robust despite light weight. No problems and no adjustments/modifications required.

Unbranded DX $3.42 AAA "3W" light: single mode, a little dimmer than A3 in med, bluish tint, very floody beam without much of a hotspot. As expected, if this produces 3 watts then I'm a monkeys uncle. The LED emitter is some sort of 5mm variety but with more output than most 5mm types; surprisingly for this price it looks to have something like a "proper" driver board. About 3mm thicker than the head of the A3 and about 1cm longer, VERY thick battery tube, heavier than the Black Cat and iTP, knurling on head but not very grippy, cheap-looking bare ally tailcap, twisty switch means it's a "battery crusher" - I had to remove the tailcap spring and file down the inner side of the tailcap to make it work. (That said, bearing in mind the ridiculously low price, it's something of a bargain)

Unbranded DX 3xAAA flood-to-throw zooming "100-lumen" light: 3-mode (hi/lo/strobe), adjusts from very floody to very tight throw (beam shows shape of LED die when at full throw), similar output on hi to an Akoray K-106 (will use this for comparison as its a bit mismatched to the iTP!)on hi, slightly warmer tint. Body quite chunky - head about 1.5" diameter, overall length about 1/2" longer than the Akoray, neat but not particularly scratch-resistant black finish. Initially the head (which screws in/out to adjust zoom) felt very loose - threads are loose and original O-rings too thin. Much improved by fitting slightly thicker O-rings although threads still loose and a little rough.


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## boomhauer (Feb 3, 2010)

I carry the little iTP on my keychain, it's great. 

I also just got a "Blake Cat" HM-01 in a mixup on an order, and I must say it's an impressive little light for $8.00. Almost the output of the iTP on high, and has a rugged-feeling rear clicky. It's about the size of a Solitaire. It does warm quickly, so apparently the heat-sinking is working. I decided to keep it. Wish they would lose the stupid graphics though, on what is otherwise a nice AAA light.


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## shark_za (Feb 4, 2010)

Gemany is a province of China no doubt.


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## toughCookie (Feb 4, 2010)

What's the runtimes on the Black Cat HM-01?


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## boomhauer (Feb 4, 2010)

Gemany, lol. It comes in the same type box as some Tank007 lights, so it might come from that factory. Heck, I suspect that most of these brands come from the same factory anyway, with different names and trim levels.

Haven't yet gone through the first Energizer Ultimate yet, but I've heard that it runs brightly for the first 30 minutes then ramps down significantly over the next 30.


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## Pete Mcrash (Feb 4, 2010)

toughCookie said:


> What's the runtimes on the Black Cat HM-01?


....DX site says 90mins


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## boomhauer (Feb 4, 2010)

Melson said:


> Hey guys I was wondering if when using the ITP A3 if it's in your pocket and it happens to turn on?
> 
> I plan on purchasing the Standard version and this is something I am concerned about before I make my decision.


:welcome:
Assuming you'd use just regular 1.5-1.7V primary battieries, nothing bad should happen - it would get quite warm, though. All bets are off with 10440s as these are not recommended anyway.

You also have the ability to twist that head so far into the "off" position that it should never be an issue. Mine has never come on accidently. I'd say go for it. :naughty:


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## mfm (Feb 4, 2010)

toughCookie said:


> What's the runtimes on the Black Cat HM-01?



Probably like 20 minutes.


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## toughCookie (Feb 5, 2010)

Pete Mcrash said:


> ....DX site says 90mins


 
And you believe the specs that DX release? From the ppl on here, they think otherwise, so I was just asking their opinions. 



mfm said:


> Probably like 20 minutes.


 
Really, that's really short :duh2:


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## mfm (Feb 5, 2010)

toughCookie said:


> Really, that's really short :duh2:


I didn't try, but according to KD the current draw on 1.2V is 2A.

In general, most single mode DX/KD lights draw 1.5A-2A because they don't sell many lights on long runtime, and this light in particular has an OSRAM emitter that have to be driven harder to get the same brightness as a similar CREE light.


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## Pete Mcrash (Feb 5, 2010)

toughCookie said:


> And you believe the specs that DX release? From the ppl on here, they think otherwise, so I was just asking their opinions.
> sorry for trying to help..........


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## Blackbeard (Feb 5, 2010)

Did anyone mention the Fenix LD01? I have most of the models mentioned, but I think the LD01 is the brightest. It costs a few dollars more, but the output is greater.


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## how2 (Feb 5, 2010)

Hi try the smallsun zy-c72 1*aaa Q5

It has a shallow reflector and a wide spill 1metre distance from the wall will give you a spill of 1.7 metres. 

Runs from about 40-45 mins. on Panasonic batteries. If you try to switch it on after 45mins the light go into a low mode, telling you it's time to change the battery.Has reverse polarity protection.

Is only $13.99(£8.75) from KD


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## Jay R (Feb 5, 2010)

wicker_man said:


> OK, thanks again for everybody's advice. I think I've pretty much decided to go for the ITP EOS A3 Upgrade, in Natural.
> 
> Where is the best place to buy from? (somewhere that ships to the UK)
> Shiningbeam's eBay shop sells them for $24.25 inc. shipping, is this the best deal?


 
Qualityflashlights.at ( Austria ) will ship you one for 19.95 euro but that's a couple of quid more.


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## mcnair55 (Feb 5, 2010)

wicker_man said:


> OK, thanks again for everybody's advice. I think I've pretty much decided to go for the ITP EOS A3 Upgrade, in Natural.
> 
> Where is the best place to buy from? (somewhere that ships to the UK)
> Shiningbeam's eBay shop sells them for $24.25 inc. shipping, is this the best deal?




Yes a good choice and shiningbeam were great to deal with and fast delivery to me in the UK,so much so am going to buy another light this weekend off them,not sure but probably the ITP A2 that would make the complete set for me.


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## toughCookie (Feb 6, 2010)

Pete Mcrash said:


> toughCookie said:
> 
> 
> > And you believe the specs that DX release? From the ppl on here, they think otherwise, so I was just asking their opinions.
> ...


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## Moonshadow (Feb 6, 2010)

> OK, thanks again for everybody's advice. I think I've pretty much decided to go for the ITP EOS A3 Upgrade, in Natural.
> 
> Where is the best place to buy from? (somewhere that ships to the UK)



You can get them from Flashaholics here: http://www.flashaholics.co.uk/olight/itp-a3-eos.html

CPF discount code will get you 8% off and you'll have it within a couple of days.


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## wicker_man (Feb 17, 2010)

Just thought I'd update the thread, I now have an iTP EOS A3 Upgraded 

I ordered from GoingGear, it arrived just 1 week after ordering, and came with a free little keyring container thing (not quite sure what it is!)

It seems like a great little flashlight, good quality and on full power it's output is pretty similar to my Tesco 3w CREE 2AA torch.

In summary, thanks everybody for advice and I am happy with my choice


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