I do also like the Pineapple AAA. Hopefully Rey will start to use the deep carry clip he used on the ti version on the copper one as well. I still think I like the Preon 1 the best though, (after changing led mind you) mainly because I love the clip and prefer the switch over the Pineapple. Can’t beat the 219b still used in the Pineapple though. perfect for a 10440 light
I returned the A1x. It’s fine for someone who isn’t as picky as me, I guess, but i’d take abt any of the 1xAAA lights above over it, personally. The extra 1.5mm diameter (15.6mm) makes a noticeable difference over a ~14mm 1xAAA, just doesn’t feel as sleek. And I wasn’t crazy about the ‘Polyamide’ material, perhaps the metal variants feel nicer. And the button is a bit stiff compared to the Ultratac K18 SS I had. Also, claimed 650 lumens but didn’t seem any brighter than what I remember my K18 being, which claimed just 370 lumens.
I can confirm… I have had a 10440 in a black Maratac AAA for five years, which I briefly lost and replaced with a Ti Maratac AAA, also with a 10440 installed. Both 100% reliable.
I have a k18 also, and generally do not prefer twisties, but there’s something about the Maratac that just does it for me. It stays in the pocket of my jeans unclipped 100% of the time so I have found it stays off better. Maybe I’m just used to it, but it just feels right, especially for a little light.
Yeah, the one problem with the SS K18 (aside perhaps from being too cool, but I don’t especially mind that in a keychain light that is just used for brief illumination rather than extended nighttime strolls etc), is it’s a tad long with that stubby keychain attachment, compared to most AAA size twisties. The maratacs do have a nice feel, as does that fenix E05 stainless and Thrunite Ti, olight i3s brass or copper, and similar.
All of those are discontinued tho, I suppose. I really liked the brass olight i3s, would be nice if they refreshed that one.
Man that IS a nice light. Im tempted to get one and try to swap the emitter if it does come with a 5000k emitter. That would go great on a neck lanyard.
Yes- that, and lack of aaa support are its 2 glaring shortcomings but thats ok for my purposes. Since I make clips, keepers, and other small spring steel items, i can fix that (but prefer not to have to) I envisioned a small semi-cylindrical spring steel piece that comes up past the body and surrounds the switch slightly so that it shields the switch from accidental activation. It would also have a lanyard attachment point, and if i wanted a clip that held the light emitter down, it could incorpirate that as well. I honestly dont know why they didn’t make it that way to begin with. I sometimes shake my head at flashlight manufacuters and wonder if they ever use them themselves or listen to customer feedback. This would have been nearly perfect had they make it without the shortcomings you pointed out.
