Flashlight recommendations for grandma

Yeah, if it turns out it can’t handle the abuse, that’s an expensive lesson.

I guess it’s also somewhere within the realm of possibility that she could accidentally 3C, 4C, 10H, 13H, or 15C, but that seems pretty unlikely.

Maybe the WildTrail WT3M (triple) or WT1M (single). 21700 cell so it has a larger diameter which is more comfortable to grasp while pressing a button for hands that may be weaker or arthritic, and the side switch on this one is very easy to press and in a natural position. It’s compact but still has a traditional look to it, which she’s probably used to. Runs anduril so you can muggle it for her and set the ceiling lower if you like, and she can enjoy the ease of the ramping or stepped light settings. Switch backlight can be off or set at different levels. It has USB-C charging, so no fumbling or damaging the cable or port trying to find the right side of a micro-usb. The only quibble might be that the rubber port cover is a tight fit and not the easiest to pop open, but it’s easily removed or she could use a fork tine or whatever to pop it out. I don’t think a protected cell will fit in there but with a 21700 and low level use it should last way longer than a couple weeks even with the switch light set to high. The wider head will make it easier for her to set it on a countertop or whatever without tipping over so easily, but this one will roll easily if laid on its side.

Another idea is the Wurkkos FC11, single emitter 18650. It uses the simple UI like many Sofirn lights where you can choose ramping or stepped, but it’s not so feature-laden or potentially confusing like anduril. They have a smaller diameter of course, a bit more length, and an easy to press side switch. Also USB-C and the cover is easy to pop open but stays put in use.

I’d probably vote for the WildTrail unless her hands prefer longer/thinner of the 18650 tube lights. Since she grew up with dim halogen lights, maybe ask her if she likes that warmer color temp more than neutral white or ugly-cold-blue white of the cheapie flashlights and pick the emitter accordingly.

It sure looks that way. My only concern would be the usb port access. That’s perfect for me, but if the threads are tight to get to the charging port due to water-proofing O-rings, that could be hard for old hands. I may have to order one of those when it becomes available.

ETA: probably not a replaceable battery. I guess grandma won’t care, but kinda eww, anyway.

:person_facepalming:

Acebeam EC50 with diffusion film, preset it to its lowest setting if you want low.

Big enough to get a good grip (26650 inside).

Soft-touch button that’s fairly big and silver-on-black so is easy to find.

USB charging.

Diffusion film widens the hotspot for a much better view, and “dilutes” the beam if its low is too low.

Click on, click off.

Those two also look intriguing, thanks.

Sounds like a good option, thanks.

What is the model of Convoy with 2xAA, does anyone know? :slight_smile:

It is the T4 model, first introduced by Simon here: 【convoy】SFT40 5000K back in stock (sufficient) - #6147 by Simon_Mao

I am not sure if it is available yet :zipper_mouth_face:

What I am wondering about right now is: If I choose an Anduril-powered light (like the IF25A or WT3M), how is she going to be able to tell when to charge it (without letting the LVP fully shut it off)?
Having it blink out the battery voltage is obviously not an option :slight_smile:
At the very low brightness levels she is likely going to use it, do you think the LVP step-downs will be noticeable enough to be used as low-battery indication? Is it possible there are no intermediate steps in that case, and the LVP just shuts the light down completely as soon as it kicks in? (Sorry if it is a stupid question. I have not really studied how LVP is implemented on Anduril, yet.)

Very good insight, i was thinking of the switch going red when needing charging but light blinking is not a bad idea.

Even my old old old Convoys with the dreaded 3/5 drivers would start blinking when running low.

My plumber’s light had a slow-blink every few seconds, which I assume was that the light’s about drained.

And what I suggested elsewhere about a blink every 5-10sec when running low, to every 2sec or so when about to crap out, would be best. Can’t possibly miss that.

And my Tacklife that I use around the house, when you’re using the light, you don’t really notice that the ‘T’ in the tailcap went from green to red unless it’s by pure chance that you’re looking at it while using the light. So if I can miss it, granma is gonna end up in the dark when she needs the light most.

Sofirn CO1 is a great ~7 lumen 1 mode AAA light with very nice 3400K hi-cri led. Inexpensive & durable (black & green models are potted for extra durability).
Twist on/off.
Very long runtime for AAA battery. Great little lights!

I guess that’s one drawback here. I don’t know about the IF25A but the WT3M doesn’t have any indication other than stepping down. Probably will not see stepdowns until the very end and/or if she’s using it for longer periods at that point. The switch light is configurable for brightness/off, but it doesn’t do anything else except turn red when connected to a charging cable (green when charged). I’ve not tested it but 2.8v is supposed to be the cutoff…not ideal but with low current and occasional use I don’t think draining that low will affect battery cycle life. Even if it did a decent 21700 cell used like this is going to last her several-to-many years.

As long as granny doesn’t have arthritic hands…

This is why there’s a burgeoning market for things like those sticky rubber sleeves to stretch over doorknobs, or replacement lever-type door-handles vs shiny slippery round knobs.

Everybody… put yourself in the place of poor ol’ granny, with failing eyesight, arthritic hands, limited mobility and strength, etc.

That’s why even tailswitch lights might be a Bad Idea, despite a mechanical cut-off being superior as far as zero battery-drain when off, or even a “lightweight” AA-based light might be too skinny to hold comfortably, and so on.

This, exactly. Tailswitch could be fine or could feel like murder. I was wondering the same about the rotary switches everyone has been clamoring for…they’d need to be easy to turn but also the size of the light may need to be larger/longer to use those comfortably in weakened hands. Before I recommended the WT3M I was wondering if it might be too heavy, but almost everything else checks nicely.

It’s not always the stiffness/difficulty of activating a switch but the position that arthritic joints may need to be in to use it.

I couldn’t agree more. This is one of the reason I am leaning towards the chunkier (21700) IF25A and WTxM. The others would be way too skinny to be comfortable for her. Especially the tiny Manta Ray S1 and CO1.
The D4S V2 could be nice option, but is too expensive and lacks both a built-in charger and AA NiMH support. Having to buy a standalone charger would drive the total cost even higher (about 2x the IF25A and WTxM), not to mention the extra hassle for her when recharging.

I appreciate you putting this much thought into it :slight_smile: IMO, the ~200g total weight of the 21700 form factor should not be a problem. Remember, she is going to use the light only a couple of minutes at a time. And she is used to carrying things of similar weight.

“Twist on-off” is also a “no-no” in my mind. She - like many elderly people - has restricted mobility, and an impaired sense of balance. So she either walks with a cane or holds on to the nearby furniture, doorhandles, walls etc. Therefore two-handed operation is a deal breaker. Tailswitches might be a slightly better option, but they cannot beat a good side-button in terms of overall ergonomics. It is also an important factor of course, that a side-switch is what she is used to.

Shame. I really like the low-battery indication (via the button light) feature of the Wurkkos FC11. Too bad it is 18650… and its UI is not Anduril-based => long presses could cause confusion.
As far as I can see, the new 21700 TS21 has the same feature + Anduril v2. But reviews seem to indicate its button is of the higher actuation force variety, which is an instant deal breaker (unless modded, of course). Unfortunately I’ve also seen multiple reports of excessive parasitic drain with the current revision of the TS21. Plus it seems to be the general consensus among users that in comparison with the IF25A, the latter is the better product overall.


That leaves the IF25A and WT3M. Between those two, it is a tough choice. I read up on both, and man, do I love the WT3M! Especially its capable thermal design, ease of disassembly, accessible flashing pads. It’s a true enthusiast light. If I was looking for a compact torch for my personal use, I would definitely go with it. For grandma though… the IF25A might be the safer option. It just seems… more refined and also more rugged somehow.
Based on what I’ve read, the WT3M looks like a very respectable first(ish) effort from the manufacturer which needs some extra care(*) to reach its true potential, while the IF25A is available as a complete package and is pretty much “plug-and-play”. Plus it is available with warmer color temperature and higher CRI LEDs than the WT3M. And it has Anduril v2, i.e. the config menus are hidden deeper.
(*) Fixing potential connection issues (supposedly only affecting the clear-coated silver versions), replacing the bad-batch 7135, buying a battery separately while keeping in mind not all 21700 batteries will fit, smoothing the occasional sharp tail spring, modding the USB cover flap so it is easier to remove, etc.

I just got my Wurkkos TS21 on Christmas Eve, and I was planning to do a side-by-side comparison video of it with my trusty IF25A. For a number of reasons, I probably won’t do that now, but the IF25A just feels solid. It’s shorter and thicker than the Wurkkos, but the perceived ruggedness is amazing. It’s probably purely subjective, but the squat, dense feel, plus the fact that I’ve carried it for months, dropped it multiple times and only have one ding in the ano, makes it “feel” invincible. As Kondo Marie would say, it sparks joy.

Yeah, it most definitely looks indestructible :slight_smile: Loving that compact glass with the thick bezel. Looks like it can handle a few drops.

Speaking of potential drops, I also like the fact that the tail of the IF25A has 3 flattened sides, which makes it less likely for the light to roll off a table / nightstand when stored vertically (e.g. versus the WT3M which is perfectly cylindrical). In addition, I can also order the 1.5$ Sofirn pocket clip for it. (It’s weird how it is not part of the default - and otherwise quite generous - bundle.) That will definitely prevent it from rolling off, although it might make it more uncomfortable to hold.

Do you own a BLF LT1 by any chance? If so, how do the e-switch actuation forces compare? (just so I have a frame of reference)

Nope, sorry.