Seems like no love for the AA lights any more…
I must say… I have acquired an Orcatorch T11 and like it! It has mode issues, disco modes not hidden but other than that it is pretty good. I would like to see a lower low, but Turbo is good on it. It also has about an 18mm smooth reflector, it will throw for a single AA light. It is glued tight, and I do not know if they would work with us on any of the nit picky issues… I can ask!
Matt
I wouldn’t say so, look at the following threads
And this light is also very interesting Home - KLARUS Lighting Technology Co.,Ltd
I have one of these as well.Got it yesterday in exchange for a review. I wish it had the ability to run off a 14500 and mode memory, but all in all a decent light. Now if I had paid the $45 asking price. I would be fairly disappointed
I just haven’t seen any discussion on the issue of a BLF Budget AA light in months.
There would probably be too much argument over whether to design it for AA or 14500 cells. There are drivers that can do well with one or the other but a true boost/buck driver is a bit more complicated, probably limited to sane output, and proprietary as well. The next driver I’d like to see is an ax2002 based buck driver adapted to Attiny use for 1A Max mods. No heat issues in Minimags using 2 X liion and great run time in C/D Mag mods.
I agree with your summation! I also have water tested mine for 30 minutes at 2.5 feet and it stayed dry and on! I really wish it did not have disco modes or they were hidden. It does have impressive throw for it’s size. Price is to high as it stands.
Thanks.
How hard wouldsa 14500/2* AA be? I have a Balder that works well on both. I just like the option for “regular” battery use.
Have you tried a 14500? My manual says voltage range 1.2 - 3… Kinda scared to blow it! mine is glued up tight.
BTW the little Orcatorch shows no PWM that I can see. I have tried water and motion. I have not tried a video camera at different shutter speeds yet. They do say that they are working on a version that will support lithium ion batteries… but may never happen who knows.
> T11
I was offered one for $5 in return for a review to be posted at Amazon; waiting on it to come.
I guess they contacted a lot of people.
I suggested they consider offering it and their other lights as hosts, so people can try out various emitters and drivers and compare them directly to the stock lights.
Lots of pitfalls to be avoided with a new manufacturer. Let’s be careful.
I have not… I do not want to cook it as I actually do like it. If I can get it apart, I may try one out but until then I will not. Would make a great little host.
Hank, I hear ya… but everyone was a new manufacture at one time or another. They seem to make quality hardware based on reviews of other lights and now having one in my hand.
Its well built with some mass to it. An XPL on a 14500 would definitely be sweet.
No progress on this yet?
> Have you tried a 14500?
Even the “3v” LiFePO4 cells can be at 3.2v when freshly charged.
I am not inclined to risk that unless I know I can replace the driver and emitter with something more robust when I need to.
I might …. it is s fairly nice light though and I need to finish my review first.
Hope there’s a chance this is still alive given the recent bumping. I choose to believe there are lots of aa fans and they’re just really quiet 
I don’t use my single aas much outside of travel these days but I’m always keen on improvements to the format. To be fair replacing the lights I use more frequently (li-ion and nitecore multi aa) would probably be in the arena of multi aa and seeing a new blf design there would be great, especially if they are a high cri alternative to existing performance multi aa.
I like AAs! The form factor is better than 18650 for casual use and eneloops are supposed to handle the heat of being left in a car better than li-ion cells. But there aren’t many good budget AA lights.