Let’s hear from the hard core AAA users!

[gurdygurds]

I’d like to hear from those of you that love and are heavy users of AAA lights, especially single AAA lights. While I like all kinds of flashlights, I’ve always had an affinity for the little guys. Just picked up a few more recently, and sent one off to Vinh to have modded. Around the house, in the pocket, and on the keychain, these tiny lights can still get it done. I’ve been using small Zebralights around the house mainly, but going to make a point to run these more. If you’re a AAA light lover and user, let’s see em’!

 

[this_is_nascar]

Not to brag, but I will, as being one of the first users to really accept the AAA platform, while everyone else was focused on the CR123 based lights, I was hardcore on these single AAA lights. I still am to some extent.

 

[dc38]

Not to brag, but I will, as being one of the first users to really accept the AAA platform, while everyone else was focused on the CR123 based lights, I was hardcore on these single AAA lights. I still am to some extent.

Since I was a kid, my very first aaa light was a small black plastic flashlight with a green plastic backplate, either dorcy or rayovac. It came in a multipack of lights from BJ's, and also had a 2×aa with a red plate, a 2c with a yellow plate, and a 3d with a blue plate. I fell in love with the simple switch mechanism for such a tiny light, and I carried that thing everywhere until I lost it, and my dad got me a maglite solitaire. And MAN was I stoked. I carried that thing everywhere, even with the advent of LED's, and was among the first to cram a small bipin LED into the poor holder, as the holes were too small. I don't remember the most popular bipin LED when everyone started doing it a few years later, I think it was Yuji?

I think we will both agree that the single AAA platform had been much neglected by the industry, because there were only two options, maglite, or trash. Then foursevens, maratac, fenix, and a couple others released these AWESOME newfangled aaa flashlights, bright, decent runtimes, multimodes, then the likes of thrunite and any number of others quickly followed suit, with surefire finally jumping on the bandwagon a few years later with their titan models.

Now, it seems to be one of the larger platforms to dominate edc, even outclassing the 10180 powered lights. They're cheaper, easier to find fuel for, and generally more handy to use with longer runtimes at the same brightness. Olight has one of the smaller aaa twisties around, second to the preon p0 and a0, but is much lighter thanks to being aluminum vs steel (and possibly even titanium).

I predominantly feed my edc with lithiums for the weight, but have loaded a bunch of hinge mounted aaa lights with eneloops around the house. That is, I hang them or use tailcap magnets to suspend them on the topmost hinge behind doors, so if I'm by a door, I have access to light.

 

[gurdygurds]

Not to brag, but I will, as being one of the first users to really accept the AAA platform, while everyone else was focused on the CR123 based lights, I was hardcore on these single AAA lights. I still am to some extent.

What have been your favorites over the years NASCAR?

 

[gurdygurds]

Since I was a kid, my very first aaa light was a small black plastic flashlight with a green plastic backplate, either dorcy or rayovac. It came in a multipack of lights from BJ's, and also had a 2×aa with a red plate, a 2c with a yellow plate, and a 3d with a blue plate. I fell in love with the simple switch mechanism for such a tiny light, and I carried that thing everywhere until I lost it, and my dad got me a maglite solitaire. And MAN was I stoked. I carried that thing everywhere, even with the advent of LED's, and was among the first to cram a small bipin LED into the poor holder, as the holes were too small. I don't remember the most popular bipin LED when everyone started doing it a few years later, I think it was Yuji?

I think we will both agree that the single AAA platform had been much neglected by the industry, because there were only two options, maglite, or trash. Then foursevens, maratac, fenix, and a couple others released these AWESOME newfangled aaa flashlights, bright, decent runtimes, multimodes, then the likes of thrunite and any number of others quickly followed suit, with surefire finally jumping on the bandwagon a few years later with their titan models.

Now, it seems to be one of the larger platforms to dominate edc, even outclassing the 10180 powered lights. They're cheaper, easier to find fuel for, and generally more handy to use with longer runtimes at the same brightness. Olight has one of the smaller aaa twisties around, second to the preon p0 and a0, but is much lighter thanks to being aluminum vs steel (and possibly even titanium).

I predominantly feed my edc with lithiums for the weight, but have loaded a bunch of hinge mounted aaa lights with eneloops around the house. That is, I hang them or use tailcap magnets to suspend them on the topmost hinge behind doors, so if I'm by a door, I have access to light.

Let’s see some door lights!

 

[dc38]

Let’s see some door lights!

I bought a few of these atoms/preons from either Blackmoon or GoingGear on sale, I have quite a few doors in the house lol. For the lights with no magnets, like the olights, I use little fridge nemo magnets to stick the light to, as the ring is not magnetic.

 

[gurdygurds]

Cool idea!

 

[troutpool]

All day, every day, I have one in my pocket. Lumintop, Maratac, Peak Eiger Mule, Jetbeam Jetusolis are my favorites. A little rawhide or paracord tail on the end greatly helps the handling.

 

[jon_slider]

Some of my favorite AAA:

I hang them or use tailcap magnets to suspend them on the topmost hinge behind doors, so if I'm by a door, I have access to light.

cool idea! ;-)

 

[gurdygurds]

All day, every day, I have one in my pocket. Lumintop, Maratac, Peak Eiger Mule, Jetbeam Jetusolis are my favorites. A little rawhide or paracord tail on the end greatly helps the handling.

Love to see a family pic

 

[troutpool]

Here's a pic from a few years ago. Beads are by Fuzzyedge.

 

[lampeDépêche]

I love AAAs. Favorites include:
4/7s Preon 0, some in SS, some in Ti
Thrunite Ti3 and Ti3 v2
Manker E02 right angle
Maratac Al don’t love the mode sequence or lack of real low.
Sofirn C01 in warm
Fenix E01 first gen — old school cockroach goodness
Fenix E01 second gen — a nondescript mediocrity with a TIR lens
Fenix Silvglow SS — like it so much I got 3

Thrunite is probably my favorite, because of its low low firefly.
One thing I do not have are AAAs with rear clickies. Those turn a tiny light into a big light, at which point I’d rather have an AA light.
Maratac (ie County Comm) sells spare silicone GITD diffusers for about $1.95 that will fit pretty much any AAA light. Useful for protecting the lens, too, if it’s living in a harsh environment.

 

[340pd]

I’d like to hear from those of you that love and are heavy users of AAA lights, especially single AAA lights. While I like all kinds of flashlights, I’ve always had an affinity for the little guys. Just picked up a few more recently, and sent one off to Vinh to have modded. Around the house, in the pocket, and on the keychain, these tiny lights can still get it done. I’ve been using small Zebralights around the house mainly, but going to make a point to run these more. If you’re a AAA light lover and user, let’s see em’!View attachment 75657

Hard pressed to find a handier light than the Lumintop EDC01

 

[aznsx]

Not to brag, but I will, as being one of the first users to really accept the AAA platform, while everyone else was focused on the CR123 based lights, I was hardcore on these single AAA lights. I still am to some extent.

Original Fenix LD-02. Outstanding, unique, and long-discontinued design.

~10 years ago I bought a handful of 1xAAA lights because I thought they were cool, until I realized there was only one I actually wanted to use at all in practice. The rest remain unused in a drawer today.

I've been using this one regularly for 10 years now, and still do. There are some tasks that can't be done as well with any other light I have (full functionality in very confined spaces w/ 1 hand [like 2 fingers and a thumb]). Still nothing else 'like' it AFAIK, so it will likely remain the only 1xAAA I'll ever use. When I saw the writing on the wall, I had the (rare) good judgement and luck to buy a second one that's still NIB today (Fenix Lighting happened to have one left), so I'm probably 'set' (the switch in my 'user' will have to fail eventually if I live long enough;-).

IMO, Fenix made a big mistake by discontinuing it and never replacing it with anything fully comparable in their line.

LD02 Fenix Flashlight - DISCONTINUED

Fenix LD02 flashlight travels anywhere 100 lumen max output light is needed. Three brightness levels in a tiny 3 inch package easily fits into your pocket,

www.fenixlighting.com

EDIT: T_I_N: Didn't you used to have one of these back in 'the day'?;-)

 

[Schokokeks]

So, I'm an AA person, with AAA being second, because - really - I'm an Eneloop person, haha.

This was what I had in reach.
Top left, clockwise:
Fenix Silvglow, two of those freebie Olight i3e's (I've got a few more around, these were the two most recent ones), Reylight Pineapple Minis (519A), Killzone penlight (519A), two Peak Eigers in high CRI warm (and a head with a different emitter - 5000K 519 with a wide beam in the ultra head), two Convoy AAA's (3000K and 4000K), Maglite 2xAAA Spectrum, Surefire Titan Plus, Maglite Solitaire Spectrum, and one of the Skilhunt E3A's from my PILE of those.

I'll share some thoughts.

Mediocre ones (no AAA light is bad):
Olight i3e: nicely made, fun colors, but horrid CCT. 100% worth the $5 shipping for the freebies. The $13 MSRP is WAY too much, though.
Fenix Silvglow: Sharp edges, okay beam. I like the modes and the color, but this was really underwhelming. For all the praise I've heard of Fenix quality, I have to remember that most people don't own US made lights, because this is clearly Chinese.

Good ones:
Reylight Mini Pineapple: nice beam, great shape, nice feel. It ALWAYS turns on if I carry it, so I no longer do. The smooth body is amazing for pocketing, but the grenade texture feels better in hand.
Maglite Spectrum 2xAAA: Not the brightest, but the beam is actually not a terrible CCT, and it feels AMAZING in the hands. Simple twist action. Made in USA, and VERY affordable. The beam focuses well to a hotspot with spill (MUCH better than my experience with larger Maglites). Probably a perfect gift for someone who wants something simple around the house. The maglite twisty action is still satisfying to use.
Convoy AAA: I like the CCT on these, and they're cheap, but they're clearly a cheap Chinese light, haha. So-so quality (very wobbly fit, endcap chews o-rings). Only maybe 50 lumens, so I LOVE giving these to kids. The Skilhunt E3A and Maglite Solitaire are much better for the price.

Almost great:
Maglite Solitare Spectrum: Everything you like about the solitaire, but with the efficiency of an LED and a CCT closer to the incandescent. Maybe the least awful beam of any Maglite? Made in USA, very affordable, rugged, and surprisingly lightweight. Still, it's a bit large. If you liked/loved a Solitaire at any point in the past, you NEED one of these, as it's probably going to be your new favorite.

GREAT LIGHTS:
Surefire Titan Plus: Despite having the ugliest beam I've ever seen in my life (It's more green than any light I own), this is an amazing EDC light. The stock titanium clip was a bit sharp, but stoning it fixed that up. I MUCH prefer the Prometheus clip. This light has been an EDC for...years, and it still looks new. It feels amazing in the hand, and has absolutely buttery threads. The UI is fantastic and reliable. The beam, despite the hideous tint and CCT, is amazing. The reflector on this is a thing of beauty (people poop on Surefire a lot online, but everyone else seems to mostly just use off-the-shelf reflectors, so this really gives Surefire an edge). I've charged the included Eneloop pro maybe twice or thrice, so using it on low, I have plenty of run time. Made in USA, and you can feel it. I've seen people whine about the price, but I got it for $100 before I really even got into flashlights, and it's been worth every penny...in fact, I think it's actually a pretty good bargain for the street prices you can find them on sale for.

Peak Eiger: I got these in single mode to skip dealing with the finnicky nature of QTC. These are so nice. With the Prometheus clip, it's an EDC dream. The ultra head is cool, but I like that the normal head means this slides into a shirt/pants "pen(cil) pocket" perfectly. Fantastic quality. Made in USA, and surprisingly affordable, considering the quality. From the site, warm is the ONLY high CRI option...and this made me fall in love with warm CCTs. Everyone should have one. You can get the SS Eiger shipped to your door for like under $80. The price/value curve on this thing is really high. If Robyn made a slick website and Instagram profile, she could probably sell these for a few hundred each. That's the other nice part; Robyn is very nice. Just be a bit patient, though, haha.

Killzone penlight: Cheap, pretty, simple. It's got a nice beam, too. This is kind of the ultimate desk light and/or present light. Know someone who could benefit from keeping a simple light on their desk? Get them this and an Eneloop AAA set with the charger for Christmas. It's not the best made light, but for the price, it's simple and elegant. Every time I use it, I'm shocked at how wonderful it is...for $15!?

Skilhunt E3A: Want the best EDC for a tight budget? This is it. Comes in cool, neutral, and warm (high CRI). It's shockingly bright, single mode twisty, and the floody TIR makes for a fanstastic beam that is just a single, even hotspot. They are lightweight, durable, and come in pretty colors. My other "go to gift" for non-flashlight people. Everyone loves them, and will spend YEARS telling you how much they use it and love it. I've converted people to caring about CRI from these, haha. The high CRI version is like $11. When Skilhunt codes aren't being broken and terrible, and I buy a light from them, I just fill my cart with these to get the maximum discounts, and then pass them out during the holiday season.

 

[AMD64Brunette]

Thinking I might get the Maglite Spectrum 2 AA for my mom, as a Mother's Day gift.

BTW.. I do love my brass Peak Eiger high CRI.

 

[sim1tti]

Cool topic. You know, I've never delved into AAA lights.

Anyone know of a single AAA headlamp?

 

[Schokokeks]

Thinking I might get the Maglite Spectrum 2 AA for my mom, as a Mother's Day gift.

BTW.. I do love my brass Peak Eiger high CRI.

Yeah, I also gave my folks a 2xAA Maglite Spectrum. It's perfect for someone who just needs to have A flashlight around.

Cool topic. You know, I've never delved into AAA lights.

Anyone know of a single AAA headlamp?

Manker makes the E02 III.
I think single AA is the sweet spot for headlamps, and AAA excels at disappearing into your pocket.

 

[lampeDépêche]

Cool topic. You know, I've never delved into AAA lights.

Anyone know of a single AAA headlamp?

Manker E02, sometimes called "E02H" or "E02 II" or "E02 III" -- I don't know how the versions differ, but they are all AAA headlamps. They have some good features, e.g. good low modes and a very bright high mode (200 lumens?). Also, they take 10440 cells. I don't love the lensing, which is a little too diffuse for my taste. Good switch, decent UI. Good price.
Overall a very nice package.

 

[lampeDépêche]

Manker makes the E02 III.
I think single AA is the sweet spot for headlamps, and AAA excels at disappearing into your pocket.

I agree about AA being better for headlamps. The trouble with a AAA headlamp is that the headband and mount already take up so much room that there is no way to gain the benefit of small volume from the smaller battery. You've got a nice small light with the AAA, and then a pocketful of headband.
I must have the E02 II with the diffuse lens -- I see that the E02H has a clear lens over a reflector, which I would like a lot more.