EDC Light

If we count EDC as “being with you at all times, including inside your home in lounge wear”, mine is a LT Tool CRI. It’s religiously on the collar of my shirt, be it old clothes to stay at home, the undershirt when going out, heck, even the PJs incase a nighttime loo trip is needed. Mostly, though, it’s a backup for something bigger.

I EDC an 18650 torch whenever my bottoms have pockets. From March up to this Friday, my go-to was a Convoy M1 7135*8 in 7A running Biscotti. Now I intend on swapping it for the S2 7135*6 in 4C, also running Biscotti, that just arrived. The M1 is decorating my wardrobe until I receive the lenses that are on the mail (the one on it is cracked thanks to a fumbled drop).

On my backpack is my trusty C8. Always.

Its funny how in the winter we seem to carry bigger lights………lol. In the summer i carry something small and compact and usually dont worry about what battery i throw in (nimh or lith)…….but in the winter its 18650 for the long runtimes. Clipped to my backpack i have an extra 18650 and 14500 and the light there is a T1 by Solarforce.

Funny you should say that… where I live, winter is at a close and days are getting longer. And yet, the need for burlier batteries increases as well. Over here in winter the days are short but totally clear of clouds and wind because of drought season, while spring, summer and autumn have as a signature long dark and rainy days, with dramatically increased chances of power outages (especially at my work, where the power grid is rickety even in good weather).

Earlier and longer nights, more travel, evenings spent shopping in town after dark. There tends to be more crime/robberies around Christmas.

I definitely pick a more robust light when in town during winter. Usually, a no-mem start-on-high 18650. Brighter (tactical advantage) and longer runtime.

My EDC flipflops around depending on which old batteries I’m trying to burn through. For the record, I don’t buy alkalines, but somehow still manage to find a ton of them lying around, etc… When I buy a new tv or DVD player, the remotes often come with alkies, which I never use in the remote. I always replace them with NiMHs to save them from leaking damage. Anyway, I typically EDC 2 lights. One “keeper” with either an AA NiMH or 14500 and a throwaway, used to burn through the pile of AA/AAA in my junk drawer (which I store in old glass jars, negative terminal down, to avoid leaking issues in my junk drawer). Yeah, I know, pretty anal. What can I say?

Going back from at least 6 years ago, I used to EDC an Inova X1 (gen 5, I believe?). The X1 had been around for quite some time before then, but the one I bought (and that still hangs from a lanyard next to my recliner) was from when they first offered 2 illumination levels. Found the the clip from my old AA Minimag fit just fine around the front section, allowing me to mount on a cap brim as an added bonus. I don’t have a lux meter, but I’m guessing the outputs are around 60 lumens on high and 5 ish on low. For the time, it checked off a lot of boxes for me. Single AA powered, tail twisty reliability, decently bright, fairly neutral tint, great run time, great fit and finish (love the way the matte black anodizing looks and feels), good form factor, decent throw for such a small package, especially considering how long ago it was and was cheap enough (around $25) that I wouldn’t mind terribly if I ever lost it (which I never did). I used a flash drive lanyard as a leash which allowed me to quick release it from my belt, if I needed to.

These days I’m in a AAA burning mood. Been using a Maratac TPF AAA which I clipped to the bottom of the placket of my polo shirts. I don’t care for the tint, but makes for a great hands free light in a pinch.

Recently discovered that you CAN mount the clip on a Manker E02 on front side of light which lends to it also being placket worn.

Since making that discovery, been switching between the Manker (with the Nichia) and the Maratac. The only benefit of the Maratac is that it’s very light, which for my purposes goes a long way for it being popular for EDC.

Like Jack said, as far as always being with me, even when lounging around at home in a T-shirt, it’s probably the Maratac, clipped to the collar. I hardly notice it. Or a Tank007 E09, on which I mounted a clip from a Huxby clone.

When I leave the house, my burner is the $7 pink Xtar WK50, burning AA alkalines. I love the tail switch for ease of operation in a crunch. In my front right cargo pocket, usually something like a Utorch UT01, Nitecore EA11 or MT01A.

If I only had one light to carry, it would probably be the MT10A. Seems to get overlooked a lot, possibly because of tint? Pretty much does everything for me.

  1. AA/14500 Compatible
  2. Tail power switch, 2 side mode switches
  3. Deep pocket carry clip, reversible for use on cap brim
  4. Max output: 920 lumen w/ IMR, 170 lumens on NiMH
  5. IPX-8
  6. 170 meter throw
  7. red LED for NV preservation
  8. Instant access to turbo and red
  9. Electronic lock-out
  10. Battery voltage indicator
  11. Blinky modes (if you want them)
  12. Mode memory (Can actually remember strobe)

I always have bigger 18650 lights strapped to my pack and in my fanny pack. These are just what is aways on me. On the occasion when I know I’ll be running around in the dark, I’ll EDC an 18650 light and also a few spare batteries, but that’s not typical. Of course there are various keychain lights, like the Jetbeam Mini-1 and the Nitecore Tip.

Mac EDC SST50 and Maratac Vin Modded Copper LMH

My trusty Jaxman E2L triple with 219c 9050 4000k and H17F driver.



I carried my D4 for a week or so after getting it, but the lack of magnet and fatter head made me go back to my trusty E2L. I have been carrying it since april. Before that, I carried a triple convoy s2+ 219c, but constant falling and hits ended up making the front of the light uneven, which I suspected would affect waterproofing, so I switched to the E2L.

I miss the iTp brand of lights.

They were a good company with some neat ideas.

iTP = Olight

I've been alternating between Lumintop TOOL and Eagletac D25C ti. But I recently got an Emisar D4 Quad and cannot put it down. Despite the larger size, it has become my EDC. (Actually, I bought two versions of it).

I use my Eagtac more more than my Ti Tool, but the new blue one at Massdrop sure is purty.

Ven, Absolutely and awesome collection back in post #17 :thumbsup:

My true EDC has been and likely will be for quite a while, a plain ol’ 1-mode WF-502B with 5000K XP-L running at little over 1A. Nice and bright, instant-on without worrying about modes, more than 3hr runtime with a panny-B. Best threads I’ve ever seen, screws glides on/off noiselessly like an end-cap on plumbing pipe, beautiful robust threads.

At night, my new fave, a Sofirn SF31 with 7A/7D emitter. Really warm light at night is a beautiful thing, and this one’s my first that’s that warm. :smiley: Despite the green, my former fave was a Zanflare F1, as I loved pretty much everything about that light except for the green beam. Fit, finish, style, UI, everything except for the damned green. :slight_smile:

In my bag, used to be a WK50 but now a Jet-II. Would love to swap in a 219B, but dunno if the head comes apart nondestructively. Firefly mode on the II is a thing of beauty…

Always nearby, a Boruit RJ02 with 60° TIR. Just Because.

And then there’s bobofett… Inland R22, beat to Hell, eats “dead” alkies, wrings every last electron out of ’em. Fits standard 20mm TIRs, too! The reflector’s pretty decent, no nasty artifacts at all, so while I tried a wide-angle TIR for a while (90 or 120, forgot), I went back to the stock reflector. The switch has gotten a little “flickery” after so long, but not too bad. It looks like bobofett’s helmet, but it Will Not Die. :smiley:

My most used EDC flashlight, now in triple, with stock driver.

3 years EDC is this Thrunite Ti2.

Basically just a one mode twisty now. Has an XP-G swapped in warmer tint, R5 something, don’t remember. Been stripped of anodize, used and abused, lost and found its way home a few times. Think I am up to #6 on lenses replaced. I have many other AAA lights but it keeps on ticking, so I keep it in my pocket all the time. I really like the flat part on tail, holds lightly in teeth well. Looks like this now…

That’s a nice one, and still looks good. What mode is it stuck in now, High or Low?

It still can get the 2 modes, Med or high, but its kinda delicate to get the Med. Notable problem with them from new. The tiny 10180 lights like the astrolux M01 use the same dimple to get the 2 modes. The Ti2 is aluminum despite the name. Not the brightest at 80 lumens but good for almost an hour and that makes it perfect. One mode, one handed, quick and simple.

Oh, and the current emitter is actually an XP-G2 R5 4C when Simon had them for about $1.70ea already mounted on various board sizes. He never relisted them after the last holiday shut down. I wanted more… good LED on the cheap.

In jeans pockets:
Jeatbeam I MK 14500/AA - the most used for the past year
Astrolux A01 Copper BLF Edition

In jacket:
DQG Tiny 18650… moving to Emisar D4
Ultratac K18
I sometime carry a Klarus Mi7 Ti and/or a Lumintop Tool Ti

In backpack:
BLF A6

  • 3 or 4 mixed AAA lights just in case.

When Olight bought out iTp they phased out many of the nicer lights and just kept some of the smaller 1xAA & 1xAAA lights. The C7 C8 A3 all went away.

Put my D10 aside to try this one out……so far i like it, the form factor is nice and its insane bright when i need it to be. Still not a light i will be carrying in the colder months where 5pm its dark out, will be holstering an 18650 light.