Tank007, Olight iTP, Fenix, Lumintop, Klarus, Thrunite - helö? :glasses:
I measured tailcap amperages fwiw and actual runtimes for all these 5 relevant (in 2011/12) nice keychain torches and published my extensive measurements at various BLF spots if anyone is really interested in the details of the testruns. My original quest was searching for "the best" 1xAAA production light of a reputable Chi*ese flashlight brand/manufacturer, and after buying 7 models (incl Fenix E01 which is not listed in the table for obvious reasons haha) I finally found my best 1xAAA light, so the quest and search have ended: no need to look any further, really.
The summarized data given in the below table should be interesting and helpful to prospective buyers of 1xAAA torches who have come across one of the 5 models and need fair trustworthy data because 1xAAA lights are often very similar in looks and performance. Hats off to Fenix, they were the only company out of the 5 to publish 100% truthful and accurate data in the LD01 R4 specs (weight, runtimes, lumens, impact resistance, throw, etc.). Lumintop heavily underspec'ed the Worm in light output and runtimes, which was a pleasant positive surprise, but other than that i've come to the conclusion that you cannot trust manufacturers' claims (especially Klarus and iTP; and Tank007 is working on it since the emergence of critical detailed BLF reviews ;=), or better said: single numbers such as lumens OTF or lumens ANSI FL-1 are worth pos and you dont know what you're talking about until you know the full performance graph. For this reason i created the new term integral brightness (IB) which is the mathematical area below the brightness graph enclosed by the y-axis and x-axis until the cell's depletion (800mAh+ consumed) are consumed, or the definite time integral from time 0 to the end of the runtime test:
Integral brightness and typical brightness are to be taken on Hi-mode for that's the mode of interest and who uses Med-modes or Lo-modes anyway haha. IB is an artificial measure and lumps the complete info of the brightness graph into a single number and hence the details of the graphs get lost. IB divided by the runtime would yield a time-averaged brightness but imho that's a rather useless measure.
Without knowing the actual numeric values of the IB's, the above qualitative graph allows us to safely estimate that the 2012 edition of the Worm SS has the highest IB. LD01 R4 ranks second somewhat closely followed by MiX6, then comes iTP A3 and last is Tank E09. Since the IB contains info on the runtime and the full brightness graph, it could be regarded as measure of the circuit efficiency. Clearly, Worm, LD01 and Mi X6 have amazing efficient drivers. Some manufacturer had the identical idea of the IB concept and they call it "lumen-minutes".
If a non-flashaholic needs "some keychain light" in a practical situation, then you cant bore him/her with specs on the paper or artificial numbers like the IB but what counts is the actual illuminative power of the flashlight at that particular moment. Since the LD01 R4 always starts off in full brightness (Hi1) when you cycle thru its mode sequence Med-Lo-Hi1 no matter how depleted the Eneloop cell already is, it illuminates objects (much) brighter than iTP A3, MiX6 or Worm, at the beginning. Only after 7 long minutes is Hi-mode brightness reduced to Hi2. And that's how typical brightness (TB) is defined; for a clearer explanation of TB please see annotation below the table. While the Tank E09 has the very highest TB value, both the E09 and LD01 belong into the same TB category imho: excellent, top of class, 5 stars!
Klarus had spec'ed the MiX6 with 85 ANSI FL-1 lumens, what a joke, scandalous! Neither by selfbuilt's table or graph nor by personal visual inspection comes the MiX6 close to it. Owners dont care because the torch is bought for its unusual timeless optical design: it looks like a piece of jewelry made for a gold necklace!
On 10440's we dont apply the TB concept but introduce another hehe new term, the wow factor (WF). As the printed manual states, the iTP A3 is certified for intermittent use with 10440 LiIon's; we get 3 well-spaced modes with a real low Lo, and on Hi it feels like the iTP A3 is screaming like a blast! Yet, as i had proven in the LD01 R4 review, the LD01 is even brighter with a friggin current draw of 1.316A at t=1s. Crazy bright at the initial 1.316A and 4.215V cell voltage, what a joy! Doesnt feel too unsafe because, surprisingly, the torch doesnt heat up too much or very quickly. At night, a big "wow!" by your friends is guaranteed. Bear in mind that the Fenix is not certified with 10440 LiIon's use so my copy could poof anytime. You are warned. Chicken dont feed liions.
I wasnt able to provide measurements of a white ceiling bounce; hardly anybody publishes or reads such data so i am a happy camper. You can find beamshots on the WWW, for example search term < aaa > on HKJ's webpage. The below table contains enough confirmed data to give you a good idea about the comparative performance of the lights. It took many hours of labor (enjoyable!) to collect the data and it is wishful thinking that other reviewers (or simply: owners) provide the same extensive table for their (here: AAA) lights.
Personal favoritism. Last but not least here some thoughts regarding the 5 lights why i like one more than the other, the prospective buyer might be interested in my strong and subjective opinion, so here we go:
All five. All 5 have about the same form factor or dimensions with similar extraordinary performance. Honestly, if you own 1 of them, you dont need any of the other 4. Honestly. Well, there are technical or quality differences but they mainly count on the paper or when you need help with a purchase decision. That's why i introduced concepts like the IB, TB and WF which quantify easier the more relevant aspects in a comparison. Each one of the 5 has its place in my EDC or household and, to me, it is essential to know why i spent so much money on 1 particular little guy and what makes it special or better compared to the other 4. Similar to the wearing of pair of shoes: when i leave the house i decide which shoes i want to wear or which AAA light goes attached to my bunch of keys. Wearing different pairs of shoes on different days or occasions has something to do with looks, and to me, changing the AAA light at the keychain has something to do with "change" and joy. I am not privileged to maintain 5 different gfs at the same time and change between them for EDC for a "change", joy or any other wicked reason but with such a little material toy-for-men i can so i do haha. QuestionA, reverting time, would i buy again that many expensive AAA lights, do i really need 5 same-sized toys while i change only between 2 pairs of shoes normally? Simple answer, no i wouldnt. I could live well without the Klarus (but i am thankful for the Klarus because ..see below..) and the iTP A3 (for many reasons!). I wouldnt want to miss any of my Tank007 copies (so much enjoyment!) nor the premium priced premium performing premium quality Fenix. The Worms .. only speaking of the Worm SS 2012 edition, i adore its expensive looking timeless design but it cost too much. If the DQG Tiny III SS costs 30$ and enthusiastic buyers dont call such a fat price "overpriced", then the Worm SS isnt "overpriced" either. But it is still expensive, and that's the only thing i dont like about it haha. More so than its remarkable weight. QuestionB, do i regret having purchased 7 different 1xAAA lights (incl Fenix E01)? No, because now i have a larger EDC selection to choose from, and it was helpful, instructive and enjoyable to compare them with each other and contribute my knowledge (e.g. repeated full continuous runtime tests on 10440's with the iTP A3 and LD01 R4, world-premiere on the internet, i am self-made hero harhah!!!) to the WWW so that others can profit from it. I am bored with a single light. The more lights, the better, as long as they perform equally well. In chronological purchase order:
WHAT I LIKE WHAT I DISLIKE WHY I BOUGHT WHY I CONTINUED TO LOOK AROUND
Worm. I enjoy owning it. Generates sparkles of joy looking at it, caressing it, ..etc. it is greenish on Lo but very bright on Hi. I removed the smeary glue from the aluminum pill threads, resoldered the torn (my bad!) cables, placed extra insulation, and from now on my copy is totally serviceable thru easy and safe disassembly. i swapped the reflector from SMO to LOP and recentered the emitter thus minimizing the extent and asymmetry of corona artifacts. Likeable head construction, really. At the tail i installed a round neodymium, permanently glued for indoor house use. Finally i find my Worm SS unit acceptable and grow liking it. Because of the SS weight not a super practical keychain pendant, tolerable though if it's your only keychain light. Once you own it, e.g. thru a gift by your boyfriend, you will enjoy it a lot, that's a promise. Just buyers will hate it hehe .. for the high price paid. Interesting to note the Worm driver gets also implemented in other newer pricey AAA flashlights, e.g. the new Maratac Copper (2012) and Lumintop Tool (2013), which indicates acknowledgement of the worth, value and appreciation of this superb efficient driver. Why i bought it: after researching for weeks i had thought that it had the best compromise between performance, ruggedness, price and looks. it was indeed my very first 1xAAA light! Why i continued to look around: my Worm 2011 unit was flawed (Lumintop QC) and didnt do its acquisition price justice. HKE provided FREE replacement copies several months later when i shared my concerns about the original shipped unit.
iTP A3. great to have because everybody else has it such that it serves as reference torch in comparison tests. Has a long track record and people like its low cost/quality ratio. I was intrigued by the low weight of the Ti edition, the multiple product iterations (mature product?) and the beautiful centric keychain attachment; in these points superior to the Worm SS. It's not a very very good torch nor a bad torch, and i mostly like the Ti for its sturdy centric keyring hole. If the Olight i3 had existed in Ti, i would have bought the i3 because it's newer and newer is always better me thinks (falsely hehe). Now i've learned that the Olight i3 is inferior to the iTP A3 but that's another story and shall not be discussed or proven by me; who cares anyway. What makes me kinda regret the acquisition are the gritty Ti threads and the mode skipping. Without exaggeration the twisting of the threads is pita and whatever measure (expensive lubes, grinding, etc etc etc) i tried, you cant fix stupid. That simple. My advice, never buy a ti twisty light. Ti lights are way cool (and heavier than Aluminum) but it must be a clicky to be enjoyable. Why i bought it: i got tangled in ebay auctions and was the highest bidder. BFL'ers didnt want to intervene although i had publicized my ebay max offer. i didnt want to but had to pay for the won bid. Why i continued to look around: tint was a little greenish and the light didnt flash like "96lm". I didnt plan to look further but then i discovered for the first time Dinodirect and their low start prices in December..
Klarus. As described in the MiX6 thread, after a super simple mod the light becomes better suited for keychain carry and rough use which makes me appreciate it much better. The light is conservatively driven and rather dim thru the floody-like diffuse beam and many buyers cherish it on a necklace how sweet is that. Beam beauty and tint are perfect, brightness is meh and wow factor absent. But you gotta love the keyring hole and most elegant, noble optical design! It's a key product in Klarus's otherwise small assortment of flashlights and evolved from the Mi10 (Mi stands for Midas and Midas means wtf knows) which in turn was a copy of the 4Sevens Preon Revo's. Since then the design has become popular with other manufacturers too. Why i bought it: i had always desired the MiX6 Titanium for various advertised reasons (incl top efficient driver with flat regulation) even before the Worm SS compromise and despite the known problematic rear spring construction, love at first sight so to speak, and there it was, DD offered it for 32$ incl coupon code, that's half of the normal price! Why i continued to look around: I had gathered dinopoints, saw the announcement of LD01's imitation (the Tank E09) on BFL:
Tank. People may dislike the low PWM frequency or prefer a product where perfect beam beauty is guaranteed thru very strict manufacturing tolerances and QC. I on the other hand possess 2 copies with pretty clean albeit different sized hotspots (lottery won 2x!), and i dont mind having low PWM on 1 of my torch models. Apart from that, there isnt anything severe to dislike about the Tank. In fact, conceived as little gift, it is mass produced and seldom fails to please the masses. Furthermore the low price enables the consumer to buy 2 copies at once in order to select/extract the best parts out of them (e.g. the better reflector, the longer body) and to service the customized unit if something ever fails (e.g. broken lens, LED star, driver): note that such an important "feature" is not possible with iTP A3 or Olight i3, the inexpensive replace- and repair-ability! The E09 is only cheap in its manufacturing tolerances of the teeny reflector but please dont expect too much anyway at this price point after the triple DD discounts. Why i bought it: the Klarus wasnt delivered to my door yet and i was yet intrigued, again, by manufacturers' product webpage claims: 140lm output!! (note: 2 months later Tank007 Co. revised this number and nowadays the official output is 120lm OTF with 1xAAA Eneloop.) A new product, so the "140" had to be true haha!! Diffuser available, much talking and desiring on BLF in a huge thread by fran82, Dino discounts available, how could me budgeteer resist? Interesting to note, the E09 driver is implemented in other AAA flashlights as well. Why i continued to look around: i am fully convinced by the product and have continued interest in it, will buy more copies in future (when V3 is available). Fortunately i had store credit at another dealer's shop so i had to buy something with it. A new charger, new LiIon cells? I decided to buy another torch, again a 1xAAA flashlight:
Fenix. As of April 2012, there is no review of the LD01 R4 on the inet. Neither by HKJ, mev, selfbuilt nor any other detailist. I cant remember why i did it but in the end i purchased this expensive light for which no review or confirmed info existed on the inet, except for some simple statements on amazon. All of my urgent questions regarding 10440 LiIon use, runtimes, brightness, a.o. had to be answered by myself, by my own measurements and risky tests. Ah wait, now i do remember. I chose this product because of the below table which consisted of 5 flashlight columns and because Vectrex and Lensman were talking about their Brinyte which was supposed to be brighter than the Tank (on Eneloops, at least). I guess i felt challenged by their reports, and since the Tank was an imitation of the Fenix LD01 (such we thought! but if we look more closely, see the clunky head, i am thinking that the Tank is more of an imitation of the iTP A3 than of the LD01!) i really wanted to include the LD01 (or the Brinyte!) in the below comparison table such that we get a complete picture of how great the Tank compares against well-known popular competitors. What can i say? The Fenix turned out to be a lucky strike and beats the Tank in all its shortcomings: the PWM is gone, beam beauty surpasses the Klarus, tint is much less greenish than iTP A3 (although this will depend on your LD01 and iTP A3 samples: tint lottery!), typical donut hole is present and natural and observed with most CREE led flashlight beams, rivals the integral brightness of the Worm SS 2012 and the fantastic Hi-mode runtimes of the Klarus, comes with reversible clip, tailstands, (some) Protected 10440's fit and beats the iTP A3 in wow factor, the haptics exude superior built quality, and one knows and feels that it is not devised as gift torch like the Tank but as professional lighting tool for serious applications. Is there anything i dont like? Since i hadnt paid full price thanks to a store credit, i cant think of anything. I find it still short-ish, and it's really light-weight too. I was thinking of buying the stainless steel version as well (LD01 SS R5) but its heavy-weight makes it more impractical than the Worm SS, so i ended up ordering a second specimen of the LD01 R4 (in a combo pack with E01 purple). Since the LD01 is such an old product (first production iteration released in 2008 afaik), i am sure that nowadays in 2012 people underestimate the R4 (released in 2010 afaik) and are not aware of the immense quality and ongoing relevance. And how should they be aware of it? It is an old product and it was reviewed many times on youtube, the inet, and elsewhere.. well.. except for the R4 version! Why i bought it: I had a store credit and i wanted to include the LD01 in a fair comparison against the Tank because soooo many people own (older versions of) the LD01 or L0D and i was myself curious about how the Tank competes against the 40$ Fenix! Why I continue to look around: I dont. This is where the enjoyable and expensive journey comes to a halt. No need or desire to look any further. However, i am open-minded: If someone proves in a detailed review that his new 2012/2013/2014/etc 1xAAA light beats the LD01 R4 in each and every category (see below table, all rows!!), i.e. smaller incl clicky, with integrated reversible clip, lighter, brighter, longer runtimes, official full Protected 10440's support, higher IB, higher TB, higher WF, higher impact resistance, cheaper, more than 30 months FREE warranty, and easier to disassemble/maintain/repair/clean, then i will look into the suggested new 1xAAA torch, yah why not? I am just saying that, to me, the LD01 R4 is the reference 1xAAA torch par excellence from now on and very hard to beat. It had undergone many product iterations (updated LED, updated driver, different reflector shape, material, anodization, ..) and we should believe that it has reached a very mature state on the product evolution scale. After months of spending much money on AAA lights i've finally and under lucky circumstances become a LD01 believer, and i am thankful for it. If months ago someone just had told me "hey kreisler check the LD01 out, it's a great torch, and still one of the best", i wouldnt have believed him. Why? Because there was no R4 review, or i couldnt experience the claims by myself, i had nothing to compare it to. Was it just a quick opinion of his, or was he talking facts and where are the facts, and which LD01 version was he talking about anyway? Well I could have asked my local dealer to send over a R4 review sample but still i would not have had anything to compare it to, another reference torch. Anyway, this thread is not a LD01 review thread, so i am gonna stop blahing the trumpet for now. On a very last note talking about price, the ebay seller outfittercountry lists and relists the LD01 R4 for 34.95US$ shipped and the buyer can still click on "Make Offer" to get this price even more down. By clicking repeated times on the ebay notification link "This listing has ended. The seller has relisted this item or one like this." you can observe the sales history of the product and learn that outfittercountry often accepts an Offer as low as 32.00US$. Unless you profit triple from the Dinodirect discounting options especially during the pre-Xmas sales period right after Black Friday, in terms of regular price throughout the year 32$ shipped internationally is no doubt the very lowest you can find on the WWW, so good luck with this ebay seller! Fenix list price is 52$ according to amazon, and on ebay for example Italian dealers ask up to 50€ plus shipping, which is a total of over 75$ (depending on the dollar exchange rate). The only problem with buying from them the way i see it is, they are no flashlight specialists and you cant ask them to quality check the tint, beam beauty and LED centricity prior to dispatching the item. Fenix sellers who will do this for you in person as a favor and special service are HKEquipment.net and Fenix-Store.com, both of whom you could ask in a friendly e-mail for Best Price anyway or special coupon codes.
Favorites. The Fenix and the Tank are my favorite 1xAAA torches. I admire the Tank, which was originally conceived as cheap gift light but surprisingly competes well against 40$ professional quality lights!, for its competitiveness with regard to its price point ("Preistipp", top price tip), and i admire the Fenix because imho it has to be the overall best 1xAAA Chin*-made production light ... at least in the below extensive feature comparison among 6 competitive models. Yes, it costs between 30 and 40 US$ but with this money you buy professional high quality. My conviction.
Table. The below table contains my own exact measurements (runtimes, weights, sizes, amperages; runtime test results are published in more detail (and also updated or refined) at the respective threads/posts of mine), selfbuilt's measurements (ANSI FL-1 Standard lumens) and manufacturer's FL-1 Standard specs and claims ("quoted" in italics, e.g. Tank007). These 6 models are carefully selected flashlights and none of them has severe flaws or shortcomings. I use them in daily rotation and dont want to miss any of them. They are equally great. The biggest difference is their price and official 10440's support.
| Worm Alu |
Worm SS | iTP A3 Titanium | Tank E09 | Klarus MiX6 | Fenix LD01 | |
| emitter | XP-E R3** | XP-G R5 | XP-G R5 | XP-E R3** | XP-G R5 | XP-G R4 |
| tint options | CW | CW | CW | CW | CW | CW |
| driver voltage | 0.9 ~ 2.2V | 0.9 ~ 2.2V | 0.9 ~ 3.0V | 0.8 ~ 4.2V | 0.9 ~ 1.5V | 0.9 ~ 1.7V |
| (Protected) 10440's | (No) no | (No) no | (No) yes | (Yes**) yes |
(No) no | (Yes**) no** |
| tailstand | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ |
| switch | twisty | twisty | twisty | twisty | twisty | twisty |
| 1-handed operation | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| keyring attachment | ★★☆☆☆ |
★★★★☆ |
★★★★☆ |
★★☆☆☆ |
★★★★★ |
★★★☆☆ |
| tactical momentary on | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| ultralow Low | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| wow factor@10440 | N/A | N/A | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | N/A | ★★★★★ |
| integral** brightness@Eneloop | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| typical** brightness@Eneloop |
★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ |
| brightness levels : mode sequence |
2 : Lo - Hi | 2 : Lo - Hi | 3 : Lo - Med - Hi | 3 : Hi - Med - Lo | 3 : Med - Lo - Hi - Strobe | 3 : Med - Lo - Hi |
| mode memory | no | no | no | yes | no | no |
| mule mode possible | no | no | no | yes | no | duh |
| net weight (g) |
13.100 | 27.117 | 14.461 | 12.796 | 17.063 | 15** ("14.74") |
| body weight (g) |
7.699 | 17.753 | 7.664 | 6.515 | 9 |
8 |
| head weight (g) / massivity | 5.400 / 41.2% | 9.361 / 34.5% | 6.797 / 47.0% | 6.272 / 49.9% | 8 / 47.1% |
7 / 46.7% |
| number of extended parts | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| thickness at threads | 1.00mm | 1.00mm | 1.00mm | 1.00mm | 1.00mm | 1.15mm |
| length (mm) |
72.22 | 71.46 | 66.95 w/o nub | 70.00 | 71.75 | 76.38 |
| char. diameter (mm) |
14.00 bezel | 13.95 bezel | 14.01 bezel, 12.54 body |
14.38 bezel, 14.95 knurling, 15.38 anti-roll, 13.6 body |
12.70 bezel, 11.60 body |
14.03 bezel, 14.53 knurling, 12.81 body |
| fits diffuser tip |
no** | no** | no** | yes | no | no** |
| fits clip / points to | LD01 / reversible | LD01 / reversible | yes / reversible | LD01 / reversible | Synco / tail | yes / reversible |
| original anti-roll design | no | no | yes (by clip) | yes | no | no |
| rev. polarity protection | no | no | no | no | yes (by foam) | yes (by ?) |
| water-resistant | 2.0m FL-1 | 2.0m FL-1 | 2.0m FL-1 | "IPX-8" | 2.0m FL-1 | 2.0m FL-1 |
| impact-resistant | 1.5m FL-1 | 1.0m** | 1.2m FL-1 | "1.0m"** | no | 1.5m FL-1** |
| male body threads | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | yes |
| threads anodized | yes | no | no** | yes | no | yes |
| finish | HA Type III | polished steel | polished titanium alloy | HA Type III | brushed steel |
HA Type III |
| lens | glass | glass | glass | glass | glass | glass |
| reflector | aluminum LOP|SMO** |
aluminum LOP|SMO** | aluminum OP | aluminum SMO | aluminum OP | aluminum OP |
| beam pattern | throwy w/ dark spill |
flood + throw |
flood + throw | throwy w/ broad bright spill |
smooth floody |
throwy w/ tight spill |
| hotspot |
small, focused |
large, soft |
medium, soft |
medium, defined |
large, diffuse | small, focused** |
| throw | 42m FL-1 | 30m** | 37m FL-1 | "80meters" |
24m |
50m FL-1 |
| tint tendency |
yellow, greenish | greenish on Lo |
less greenish | purplish | pure white w/ purplish |
white w/ least greenish, tint lottery applies |
| overall beam beauty |
★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| built quality & finish | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆** | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ |
| constant brightness | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| PWM | no | no | yes, high Hz | yes, low Hz | no | no** |
| ease of repairing | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ |
| low upgrade cost | ★★★☆☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ☆☆☆☆☆ | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| play'n fun factor | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
| look'n feel factor | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| brand recognition | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ |
| ceiling bounce@10440 | N/A | N/A | a@1.2A, b@0.214A, c@15mA |
g@1.062A, h@0.321A, i@21mA |
N/A | p@1.316A, q@0.890A, r@0.169A |
| ceiling bounce@Eneloop | p@0.525A, q@0.091A |
r@0.524A, s@0.089A |
d@0.906A, e@0.308A, f@40mA |
j@1.6A, k@0.5A, l@51mA |
m@0.642A, n@0.130A, o@15mA |
s@0.655A, t@0.207A, u@22mA |
| runtimes@10440 | N/A | N/A | 14m/76m/17h | 22m/67m/15h | N/A | 28m/33m/2.3h |
| runtimes@Eneloop | 77min@68lm 427min@14lm |
75min@80lm 415min@14lm |
63min@78lm 140min@22lm 18h@3.5lm |
33min@"120lm" 95min@"60lm" 17h@"10lm" |
91min@67lm 300min@21lm 45h@0.8lm |
97min@"72lm" 195min@"26lm" 32h@"3lm" |
| packaged accessories | cardboard box: 1x o-ring 1x split ring 1x hard plastic case |
cardboard box: 1x claw w/ split ring 1x hard plastic case |
tin case: 2x o-ring 1x pocket clip 1x printed manual |
tin case: 2x o-ring 1x swivel rings 1x printed manual** |
cardboard box: 1x o-ring 1x split ring 1x printed manual |
cardboard box: 1x o-ring 1x split ring 1x pocket clip 1x printed manual 1x warranty card |
| key notes | precisely machined, good runtimes, intense tight beam, very throwy, starry corona artifacts, three tint bin improvements, good-looking unexciting torch for nonflashaholics, lego-ability with iTP A3, Olight i3, and Tank E09 |
w/ Eneloop the integrally brightest of all, top efficient current controlled driver, extraordinary high built quality, scratch-resistant polish, seems indestructible, heavy for 24/7 pocket bottom riding, expensive, useful shelf queen with installed tail magnet, beloved timeless design see related products |
popular allrounder, questionable longevity, good beam profile, all 6 levels very well-spaced, dims on Hi & Med, no further greenish tint shift, w/ 10440 very hot & bright, Titanium threads suck, Protected 10440's unsupported, crappy pocket clip, no tailstand wtf |
w/ Eneloop the hottest & brightest of all, rugged**, feels nice, poor beam perfection**, low PWM, safe 10440's operation, likeable, easy to repair, cheap to replace, best value, continuously supported and improved by company, support the Chi*ese underdogs thanks |
illuminates rather dim, conservatively driven, diffuse hotspot, top efficiency, steps down from Hi to Hi2 after 3 mins, premium beam and tint, delicate jewelry with exquisite design, not suitable for rough EDC usage, loss of head possible |
the overall best torch (very professional: built quality, brightness, beam, tint, throw), w/ 10440 very poor-spaced levels and loses a really low Lo but is the brightest 10440 light of all, fantastic Hi runtimes, steps down from Hi to Hi2 after 7 mins (Eneloop), feels still small, too expensive in Euroland |
| personal favoritism | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ |
| related products | iTP A3 Fenix LD01 |
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| price shipped globally | 18.99$ | 25.50$ | 39.90€ | 33.99$ w/o Dinopoints |
** = the Tank E09 and Worm were originally equipped with Cree XP-E R2 emitters, newer production versions come upgraded with XP-E R3 LED's. Fenix LD01 R4 does not support 10440's officially so you should not use them; protected grey Trustfire 10440 fit without mod. I use protected grey Ultrafire 10440 plus a 1.0mm copper sealing washer. The Tank E09 has official support for Protected 10440's from V3 on. "Integral brightness" be defined as mathematical area below the brightness-vs.-runtime graph i.e. the time integral with no subsequent division thru the cell's lifetime; values of integral brightness are estimated from runtime measurement graphs and not calculated. "Typical brightness" be defined as perceived usable brightness in a "typical" or most common situation where or when keychain lights are employed (e.g. several times per day for durations each <5 mins with a half-depleted cell, indoors, spotlighting close-range objects or work areas); basically it is a semi-subjective measure of 'how well the light performs the illumination task' with any given cell of unknown depletion state and for a realistic period of time. The Tank E09 is always very bright because of the high constant current draw, the Worm SS maintains constant high brightness thanks to its perfect flat stabilization with no down-step, and the Fenix LD01 R4 appears the brightest within the first 7 mins after cycling thru the modes back to Hi1 and thanks to its narrow beam angle. With a low voltage cell the iTP A3 generates low brightness, and the diffuse beam of Klarus MiX6 makes the light always look dim especially after the very soon appearing down-step. The weight for the Fenix LD01 includes the heat shrink tubing and the keychain connector as seen on the pic and was measured by a +1g kitchen scale. The Tank 15.0mm diffuser can be made fit on 14.0mm bezels with the help of adhesive tape. Beware of published impact resistance data. Fenix sells LD01 R4 sets (packaging + printed manual) which state either "1m" or "1.5m"; indication of shock resistance may not exist (Klarus MiX6, Worm SS) or may be questionable: this author assumes least internal break resistance for objects with high mass density, and vice versa (chocolate bar vs. Belgian waffle, or Worm SS vs. Tank E09). Don't rely on such data but actively protect your keychain lights with 16.0mm heat shrinkable tubing. Non-anodized female head threads in conjunction with Protected 10440's give problems if copper sealing washers are needed to extend the body tube; the iTP A3/Olight i3 aluminum versions may work well with the washer mod, the iTP A3 Titanium version doesnt very well. The Worms come with LOP or SMO reflectors as stated in the Worm review; i have both reflectors and they are easily swapped. The hotspot of the Fenix LD01 R4 beam is small, defined round and focused as long as your specimen has a 100% perfectly centered XP-G R4 emitter; eccentric XP-G R4 LED's produce a less small and less defined round intense hotspot, see Fenix QC. Throw for Worm SS 2012 (SMO) estimated in relation to the competitors and will be less if the aluminum LOP reflector is installed. The machining and built quality of the Tank E09 is very nice, however manufacturing tolerances dont seem as strict as the competitors' and different samples would produce inconsistent beam profiles (lottery!). Fenix introduced PWM-free LD01's as late as in the R4 and SS R5 editions; i herewith confirm personally that the LD01 R4 has no more PWM. Tank includes a printed manual from V3 on; the E09 V1 and V2 didnt come with any printed documentation. Due to its light weight, agreeable construction, brand name ("built like a tank") and company statement we will assume that the Tank E09 is more rugged than the indicated "1.0m" impact resistance; one day i am going to perform 2.0m drop tests, so stay tuna! Different Tank E09 units may have less or more beautiful hotspots and hotspot size may vary as well, so there is some lottery involved in the perfection of the tiny reflector.
Video summary. And finally it is time for some entertainment. An original kreisler video clip (8'30'') in HD comparing the 5 lights in detail, enjoy!
summary: Tank E09/ iTP A3/ LD01 R4/ Worm/ MiX6 [VIDEO CLIP]
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Addendum, the Thrunite Ti:
ThruNite Ti. In November 2012 the Ti won the Top2 poll, and if everybody has the same popular flashlight model, then i want to have it too haha! So finally i got a pink copy and have been carrying it as keychain pendant. What can i say? It is a fantastic little light and it features it all except for any signs of brightness stabilization:
Pro's:
- the newest XP-E emitter: CREE XP-E R4
- good build quality, sturdy construction similar to E01, feels good
- everyone has it, that feels good too!
- pleasant grippy knurling, not too aggressive
- centric symmetric keychain attachment point similar to A3
- tailstands not bad unlike A3
- very strong keychain attachment point unlike A3 Aluminum version
- LD01 pocket clip is a perfect match and reversible
- comfortable agreeable UI, 1-handed operation a breeze
- perfect thermal path similar to D25-series lights
- shines on Unprotected 10440's *recommended by kreisler*
- ultra-low moonlight "firefly" available
- no PWM
- wide inofficial operating voltage range: 0.76V (resting Alkaline) — 4.20V (resting 10440)
- LED still glows down to 0.22V (Alkaline under load)
- performs optimally on Alkalines; a power LED torch perfect for Alkaline or Lithium primary cells
- awesome runtimes on Alkaline i believe sorry dude havent tested or measured them
- competitive integral brightness due to long runtimes i believe again
- deepish aluminum OP reflector with great overall beam beauty: round-looking small focused hotspot, smoothed out corona artifacts visible only when spinning the beam profile on a white wall, my sample ymmv at a distance pure white tint impression similar to MiX6
- beam pattern is throwy w/ .... spill
- on a full cell as throwy as E09
- on a full Eneloop AAA cell@1.47V as bright as the competition!
- on a full 10440 cell@4.20V slightly brighter than the competition!
- inexpensive both the Ti and its successor Ti2 (CREE XP-G2)
Con's:
- looks boring, chunky, clunky, plain, primitive, lacks design elements or whiff of premiumness, elegance, sophistication
- 2 modes only wtf
- Protected 10440's dont fit hallelujah
- entire(!) torch heats up within few seconds on 10440's; firm cold grip required for extended operation
- apparent total absence of brightness stabilization omg
- poor typical brightness
- pink anodization rubs fast off the knurling
- questionable longevity of the UI's head spring mechanism and foam pad
- loose small head could get lost easily
The most striking Pro is the incredible beam beauty, I really didnt expect this .. what a beautiful looking beam the Ti produces! No donut hole in the center or around the hotspot. An intense small white hotspot, very clean. You cant really see the corona artifacts, too blurry the corona zone, with a mild gradual transition of soft tints. Smoothness, no abruptness, across the beam profile. And at a distance the beam would simply look uniformly untinted white. That's at least what my specimen produces. My bare eye tells me that the XP-E emitter isnt 100% perfectly centered, so the beam would look even better if it were! On a full cell, the Ti puts out a competitively bright light with clean beam pattern and void of any greenishness; the overall beam beauty really exceeded my expectations!
The most striking Con is the total lack of brightness stabilization, and to some flashaholics it is the only dealbreaker. After having carried and used the product for several weeks i must admit that this Con is indeed a bummer. While the E09 puts out constant immense lumens on Eneloops (1.6A current draw at full 1.52V, goes up to 1.8A at depleted 1.18V woof!!!), the Ti doesnt care if you feed Alkaline or Eneloops. With *any* cell chemistry in the Ti after continuous 5mins on Hi-mode your eyes can tell that the lumens output has decreased noticeably, lamentably. The light dims. And it dims fast. Very fast. In turn you get extended runtimes albeit at very dim brightness levels: similar to the vampire sucking E01 the Ti still produces light at 0.2V (under load) and can start off from 0.76V (resting empty Alkaline).
Personally, to me, the lack of constant brightness is *not* a dealbreaker. Why? Because i already got better performers such as LD01 and E09 in my collection haha!! Tank E09 remains one of the top brightest performing 1xEneloop AAA light i know of —tbh it is rivalled during the first 15 seconds by Thrunite Ti on a full(!) Eneloop—, which is no real wonder at insane 1.6..1.8A current draw from a single 1xAAA-sized cell, and LD01 the most efficiently performing keychain light with its super clean tight beam pattern. LD01 does suffer from tint lottery, greenish/yellowish LD01 R4's do exist, and from mal-centered XP-G R4 emitters, and with good eyes you can also see the typical Cree XP-G donut hole, so at the 30$ Fenix price one doesnt necessarily get a guaranteed nicer beam! If i had to grade the overall beam beauty, beam perfection of LD01 R4 vs. Thrunite Ti, i might rate the Ti's beam even higher than the Fenix. However i dont know for sure if the beams of other Ti samples are equally, consistently as beautiful/perfect as my unit. Searching the internet you'll find your share of Ti owners who do complain about bad tinted beams and mal-centered emitters, so maybe i was lucky? The other point is, since the Ti2 is out, I dont expect Thrunite Co. to continue production of the old Ti. Why bother reading this blah-blupp if the Ti isnt produced anymore? You got nutting else to do haha? If you dont own the Ti already but want to buy a new fine AAA keychain light and seriously consider buying the Ti, then i'd say drop it. The Ti isnt produced any longer correct me if i am wrong and you better look into the Ti2. The Ti2 is newer, brighter and probably better me tinks. A little more expensive too so that the remaining stock of Ti's can be cleared faster. Will i buy the Ti2? I dont think so. I dont think that the Ti2 could have a much nicer looking beam. Probably it does have so tho. I mean that's the whole purpose of releasing a successor product right? And if it's so, i dont care. I got the grand XP-G2 emitter in my new AA-lights and also 18650-light. I asked Fenix, they dont know when/if they're going to release LD01 G2, but they are planning to release LD12 and LD22 with XP-G2 fwiw. Let me assume that the Ti2 doesnt stabilize brightness, it's a fair assumption. Cant be bothered then. But one thing's for sure: If Fenix ever releases a LD01 G2, i will be all over it. At 15$ during Wallbuys crazy hour that's a steal! Till then i'll be a happy camper with my XP-G2 1xAA flashlights and my beloved E09/LD01/Ti 1xAAA keychain lights B2T.
With the lack of brightness stabilization in mind i herewith highly recommend the torch. The Thrunite ebay store offered bundles of 5 or 10 Ti's so the unit price was 5-10US$ shipped incl Registered Airmail tracking number. As of January 2013 I think that the Ti has been discontinued in favor of the Ti2. I dont know anything about the performance of the Ti2, drop me a note if you encounter any detailed technical Ti2 reviews thanks.
Finally, personal favoritism revisited. If i had to rank the 7 discussed lights subjectively, the Ti would come after E09:
- Fenix LD01 (XP-G R4) / Tank007 E09 (XP-E R3)
- Thrunite Ti (XP-E R4)
- Lumintop Worm SS 2012 (XP-G R5)
- Klarus MiX6 (XP-G R5) / ITP A3 Titanium (XP-G R5) / Lumintop Worm (XP-E R2)
I like .
