Been lurking on this wonderful forum for quite a while but finally decided to register :)
I know there are already a lot of reviews and threads about AAA flashlights. http://lygte-info.dk also has a lot of information on AAA lights.
While I really like the Maratec AAA Cu and the DQG II and would consider them great keychain lights, they are not exactly *budget* keychain lights. I already lost an expensive keychain light in the past and I would prefer to go for a rather cheap one this time around.
I am not looking for the cheapest keychain light, but for the "best bang for the buck". A price I would feel comfortable with would be >20$ including international shipping, 25$ tops.
The light should be small enough to be a comfortable keychain light, as bright as possible (multiple modes preferred but not necessary) and run on normal AAA batteries.
With the sheer amount of AAA lights matching this description on DX and co, I can't seem to see the wood for the trees.
Do you have some recommendations to save me from going dark?
Welcome to BLF, Brunswick! Glad you came out of the shadows. :)
Your best bet for a quality AAA light at a good price would have to be the CQG S1 stainless steel.
It's the thinnest AAA light you can get anywhere and is extremely well machined from stainless steel. Here is the thread where it's currently available for $15 shipped. Old4570 has done a review here.
If you want just a cheapie for under $10 look no further than the Black Cat. You can find them at DX and elsewhere and are highly regarded by many of the members here.
LOL…I just ordered a CQG S1 myself not 20 minutes ago. I hesitated because I already have a Trustfire F23 and wasn’t sure I wanted another AAA light. Btw, the F23 is a ridiculously good AAA light. Polished SS and CRAZY bright on a 10440 LiIon cell. You can get one of those for $15-$20 and if you like AAA lights you just have to get one.
I have 2 and both had some contact problems in head, so they flickered.
Unfortunately heads are glued to body. I managed to open other "bare handed" but for other needed to use pliers. After opening head, I cleaned threads and fixed solders on pill (need to make contact to body's end when tightened). You might also try adding foil for better heat sinking.
Red Black Cats are different, those have screwable pill.
And thank you for the repair info, ML. I hope the ones I have ordered will be okay, but on the other hand playing around, modding and fixing the light is half the fun of dealing with budget lights, no? :D
When it comes to keychain lights there is a lot to be said for the various Photon lights and their clones. I have a Photon ReX on one keyring and Photon 2 clones on just about everything including zipper pulls.
I second the recommendation for the Photon lights and their clones.
I always have one on my keychain as a backup light and it comes in quite handy in those tricky situation where even a little bit of light is much better than no light at all.
Probably bought around 5000 of the things in the last decade. Most of which have been given away. Around 2000 went to customers to give away as promotional gifts. At a bit more than I paid for them.
They are also great to give to dog owners at this time of year - a light dangling from their collar is much more visible than a collar light. Gave away 10 of them today in the park to other dog walkers.
Usual price round here for them is around $8 each - but then the CR2016 cells they run on are around $6 each and these devices need two of them. If I give one away, I tell the folks to return them to me when the batteries are dead and I'll give them another one.
I like my xtar keychain light i got for free with my xtar 2600 battery order :). Should receive another free one from a promotion on a site in a few days. It's simple and not superbright but it does 'light' up a room.
I would highly recommend the coast light from coastportland.com for $3.50.
Click on the free light icon fill out the survey and pay the $3.50 shipping and handling and you hopefully will get the aaa light if not the button battery light is very cool also.
That's kind of an odd "free" offer though isn't it? I just checked it out myself. They want to thank me by giving me a free light for a fee of $3.50 and they don't specific the light.
If it is indeed the keychain light then it isn't free at all as that's at the high end for a button style keychain light. It may be worth it since it includes shipping and handling (I presume) but it's hardly free.
Just for fun I just sent this offer to Coast via their contact us form.
I'd like to give you a free gift for being such a great company. Please send $3.50 via PayPal to my account and I'll send you a return email with some free business advice (I have an MBA so it will be valuable advice).
I will then use that $3.50 to get that free flashlight you so generously offer.
They now have my email address so it will be interesting to read their response. :)
