Utorch UT-01 has been good for me in that form factor (I EDC a Zebralight SC62w…and sometimes Emisar D4…but pick up the Utorch when I’m looking for smaller). I have the NW version and really like the beam…subtle hotspot on the floody side. I actually sold my Nitecore EA11 after getting it because I liked the beam better for EDC. VERY compact light. Runs really well on AA battery but can really kick it out with 14500 if you feel frisky. I will say it ends to perform a little better on good quality rechargeable AA’s then it does on alkalines…but not a huge difference.
Comes on to moon every time with a click OR you can long press to come on to the last used mode.
I recently bought a SP10 V2 and the UI on mine has minor problems.
14500 - mode memory, no shortcut to moonlight, double click to turbo, triple click to strobe, 4 clicks from off to lock-out, 4 clicks to unlock.
AA NiMh - always starts in low, no shortcut to moonlight, double click to turbo, triple click to strobe, 4 clicks from off to lock-out, 4 clicks to unlock.
As to the problems, when switching battery type it sometimes doesn’t come on, or comes on weakly and flickers and won’t switch modes. Both are rectified by loosening and re-tightening the tailcap so it’s not a major problem. Other than when it first happened and I thought the switch was defective
I took the light on a vacation to Europe recently and liked it a lot. Ran it with a Eneloop and it was bright enough for my purposes and much more convenient to carry than the Convoy S2+ I usually bring.
I’m going to recommend my EDC, Eagletac D25A, with a 219C.
No memory, always start on Moonlight, unless you fully tighten the head then it’s Turbo first.
Really compact.
Another one : L3 Illumination L10C/L11C. Always starts on ML, no memory. Available in 219B flavor
Ultratac A1 is a good light. Simple 3 mode. Runs wickedly well on NiMh. Nice stock beam and tint. Zebralight SC52w is nice as well. Jetbeam Jet I-MK is a favorite as well. Can’t go wrong with either of them. I don’t like side switches on my AA lights. Its just a preference, nothing inherently wrong with them. I have them on bigger lights.
LOL! - I can see where they are coming from. I would have said Wuben E05 but the UI is the worst I have ever used. The utorch wins, even if it’s button is not as fantastic….the output is - on both.
Love the SP10whateverversion, and it got plenty of mention here.
Don’t forget the Thorfire TK05. Great pineapple knurling, goes low→high.
Jetbeam Jet-I. Has mode memory (the Jet-II always starts from low), but tint is a bit on the greenish side. Twisty, so extremely hard to turn on accidentally in a pocket.
Another vote for the Tool AA V2.0. It has 4 modes but checks out all the other boxes. I have mine and it’s one of the torches I like the most, and this is coming from a big Convoy fan.
That seems ideal… price and mode-wise and brightness too.
I have an older Fenix LD10 (single AA). It’s alright, fairly bright on high, but I don’t like the modes (combinations of clicks and turning the head); but mostly, the battery life isn’t great and I think it has some parasitic drain. I paid like $40 several years ago and now feel like that was a total waste.
Awesome work fellas!
Indeed, I have some reading to do, haha.
I do prefer a warm-neutral white tint.
I have some solarforces and convoy S2+ and an old 4sevens.
But good point on accidental activation on side switches. I considered it but didn’t think it’d be that much of an issue.
I’m from Tasmania and spending 5 months across Europe from April.
