I see the Nitecore EA4 is a favorite recommendation for multi-AA. What about the Blackshadow/FandyFire Rook? Any good?
If you ask for the best multi-aa EA4 can not compare with Blackshadow / FandyFire Rook.
”EA4” is top quality, and it is not more expensive than the others.
the rook is wired parallel - 1.5v on primary alkaleaks, 4.2v on li-ion, it also has no tailcap lock out and can drain your cells there were early reports of very high parasitic drain.
I’d like to find a nice multi aa light but nightcore can f* spiders, I wont be giving them any money, which leaves jetbeam with a question mark too 
At current pricing, the EA4 is a better buy than the Rook. When the Rook was less and the EA4 was more than it is now, the Rook was more appealing.
LOL yeah after reading some about the whole fallout I am very turned off by Nitecore as well.
Close…. but I would HIGHLY recommend spending $5 more for the Nichia 219 high CRI emitter. It is a fantastic light! My 4-mode white version is definitely one of my best buys to date. Can’t recommend it enough.
That’s a good light, as is the ShiningBeam Spark (which converts to a 1xCR123 light for travel or better pocketability). The 47s Quark, EagleTac P and D series, and Crelant V21-A are all good 2xAA lights, and the ET GX25A3 looks interesting, but I haven’t owned it.
Both BlackShadow and Fandyfire have the mentioned problems? Is you also take out Nitecore, then what is else is available with multi-AA cells? I see that there are options when it comes to single cell, but with multi-cell the case is different.
I think the Blackshadow Padme CAN be locked-out, unlike the Rook (unmodded). Fortunately, you can mod the Rook with tape to enable lock-out…. there are threads on here about it elsewhere if you are interested.
The Fenix TK41 takes 8xAA. It is very similar to the Nitecore EA8. TK41 is nice, but about $100. Not sure if you are trying to spend that much.
There is also the Fenix LD41, LD40, and E40, and the Jetbeam PA40. All four of these are very similar. Different emitters and features… These are 4xAA like the EA4, but different shape/configuration.
…cells are you thinking? My TK41 is an awesome light, but despite being about the same size as a 2D maglite, I think many people used to small EDC lights think it’s too big. It’s a true SAR and gamespotting light. If an 8xAA light isn’t too big, check it out.
Sipik sk68
LED Lenser T5
$14.68 Hugsby P2 is a thought considering price, and it also can use CR 123a.
http://dx.com/p/hugsby-p2-cree-q5-wc-190-lumen-led-flashlight-1-aa-1-14500-32876
Jerry
mimd to shed some light about what is happening to nitecore that turn you off?
blackshadow is a good light. not always that nitecore sits higher than it.
nitecore is actively bitching at some trusted blf dealers for other people posting prices on deals offered to the forum. Price fixing basically. I’ve decided to fix the price at nothing - I will pay nothing for any nitecore products, simple as that really.
This is not price fixing. The authorized dealer is allowed to sell at whatever price they want, they just can’t advertise it, it has to be via a promotion code or something I think.
As far as I can see, Nitecore is being tared and feathered for something that isn’t uncommon among some of the bigger brands and their dealers. I know when I wanted to check the pricing on a Zebra S6330, I had to PM the seller for the price.
Any why not? No respect for that sort of business practice.
This is my guess. The seller agrees to these terms and in return they either get listed as an authorized dealer or maybe get special pricing. If you’re a grey marker dealer or don’t get your supply from the manufacturer, you can advertise at whatever price you want probably.
Whether you like it or not, it’s rather common. Ever wonder why in newspapers it says advertised price too low to list?
I’m English, we dont get that crap. simply there is a wholesale price not mentioned and a retail price determined by the distributer.
Don’t you have authorized dealers for watches in England? This is actually something that’s very common for watches. The authorized dealer has to buy a certain amount of watches from the manufacturer and can’t sell or advertise below a certain price, in return the manufacturer provides a warranty for watches sold by the seller. At least that’s how I think it works.
That’s usually also where grey market watches come from, the authorized dealer can’t sell his allocated number of watches and sells them cheap to an unauthorized dealer who then sells the watches without warranty or with his/her own in store warranty.
possibly, I’m engineer so a watch has not been a thought for a long time - its just something to get snagged on machinery and cause a horrific accident.
To answer your question though, no price fixing is not tolerated, charge too much, people go elsewhere, just look at fuel for instance
To be fair, Nitecore were responding to complaints from other dealers about the low prices.