Your pocket/keychain flashlight?

During the workweek my pocket light is a Pelican 1920 or a Thorfire PF01.

On the weekends it’s either a 2AA or an 18650 pocket light (brand and form vary based on my mood)

On the keys there lives a Streamlight Nano.

The one I mostly use is on my key chain. It is currently a Smiling Shark SS-5039, with an Efest 10440, a pill made from a copper pipe, a BLF Tiny 10 driver with 3 x 7135 current regulator chips and a Nanjg 105c two group controller with hidden flashy modes, and a neutral white XP-G. Smiling Shark SS-5039 1 x AAA size flashlight, modification notes, Now 3 x 7135 with modes, on a BLF Tiny 10 board. post #107 and following. I will probably go back to the driverless twisty some time.

Click for full size.

For 10 or 15 years, I have been carrying a red Inova Micro http://www.niteize.com/product/INOVA-Microlight.asp clipped in my shirt pocket. I use it to let kids play with it and when I want dim light.

  • Is it a AA or AAA or lion? 1x10440 / 2x2016
  • Why’d you choose that one? Very bright, looks and feels good, regulated, two mode groups / Very small and light, good pocket clip, three modes, red, somewhat moisture resistant
  • How long have you been carrying it? 3 months / 10 years
  • How often do you use it? Twice a day / Every week
  • How’s it working for you? No problems / Replaced one that started to malfunction and one that got lost
  • How’s the wear-n-tear on the finish? The anodizing wears off at the edges. / Some of the rubber switch boot tore.
  • Do you carry more than one? Yes.

I use an Inova with the coin batteries with my keys and when its dead it will be replaced with a nitecore tube, the tube will be the best light for a keyring for a long time.

my pocket light is a zl sc62

Olight i3s w 10440, not on keys, just loose in pocket with change and a Gerber Sportster, every day since I bought it replacing an SK68 clone on a 14500.

My only concern is that I only use unprotected 10440 lions, but so far the output droops fast as the lion discharges so I notice and recharge.

forgot to tell, since last week I started carrying a Lumintop Tool in the small front pocket of my jeans as an extra backup light. It has a standard alkaleak AAA battery and I modded it with a 3500K 80CRI LuxeonQ.

Now carrying Lumintop Tool (AAA):
Very compact, grippy knurling, good output, simple UI, not easy to accidentally turn on, loud clickie button, cool tint (which I don’t like, but it’s acceptable), runtime dictated by battery type (not much).

Previously carrying Zebralight SC51W:
Brighter, throwier, longer lasting, better tint, cool UI with direct access to moonlight or high, BUT… bulkier and easy to turn on accidentally, which brought to the need to perform lockout everytime and defeated the purpose of one-handed operation.

Looking forward to try: EagleTac D25AAA and L3 illumination L10 or L10C.

  • Tank007 E09 (black)
  • AAA lithium primary battery
  • I read some good reviews here, size does matter because I wear only fitted jeans, and the price was good on FT
  • It’s been maybe 4 months in my front left pocket
  • I use it almost everyday, mayb once or twice a day
  • I like the twisty action, and the 3 modes are well spaced, the magnet in the tail is sometimes useful
  • The anodized finish seems to be quite sturdy, the lens is not scratched, and the thread is so long that you can’t really lose the head
  • I sometimes carry my DQG brass beauty on my belt when I know that I’ll need more light.

Here are some pics of my new carrying method.

This obviously doesn’t stay like this, I throw all this into my pocket.
Two advantages :

- it doesn’t punch a hole at the bottom of my pocket

  • I can reach either my SAK or my light easily

In the pocket: Ultrafire C3 SS (XR-E led), mod with DX 25505 driver and forward switch. Eneloop 1st gen.
In keychain: Bronte RA01 SS. Sony CycleEnergy (LSD)

  • Is it a AA or AAA or lion?
eneloop or 14500
  • Why’d you choose that one?
UI rocks!, huge lumens for its size, programmable light levels
  • How long have you been carrying it?
every day since I bought it, about 18 months
  • How often do you use it?
almost daily
  • How’s it working for you?
fantastic!
  • How’s the wear-n-tear on the finish?
what wear and tear :-)
  • Do you carry more than one?
Not on a daily basis unless I know there is a need for lots of lumens for a long time.
I'm hoping that the new groupbuy of the EE A6 will convince me to swap the SC52w out of rotation. The sc52 has a great clip that I use to attach it to the top of my jeans pocket. Using that clip the light never moves and I've got no fears of losing it. The other thing I will mention is that the sc51 had an issue with accidental activation's, that is fixed in the sc52 with a more recessed button. Not a cheap light but certainly a keeper.

Nitecore Tube modded by Vinh on my keychain, and SC52w also in my pocket.

The SC52w is perfectly covered by Mr.Muller in the post above... after a lot of use, and some abuse only sign that it's a used flashlight is some very small wear on the sharper edges... still looks 95% like new. Have two of them and love the fact that I can can pop in a AA should the 14500 run out.

About the Nitecore TubeVn... modded to higher output, I haven't used it much, but it's bright, very very floody as expected, and can take a beating. Main reason I've switched to it is that it's micro usb rechargeable. Haven't run down the battery completely yet.

Ultrafire SK68 clone in cargo pants
AA and 14500 - one in the light and one in pocket.
Small, cheap, tailstands, strong clip, zoomie is versatile, single mode with variable light by switching cells.
Carrying it over a year.
Used 1-2 times a day - lend it out occasionally.
Been working great.
Anodizing is worn on a few places - I baked it for an orange finish.
No - cell phone is backup light. When home, carry P60 or C8 in jacket pocket in the evenings.

I was carrying a P60 light for awhile, but found it was a bit too big, and having to explain modes when lending out was a bit of a pain. LOL No one else I work with carries a light, so it get’s a bit of use. Mostly indoor stuff. Most are surprised it only cost $3… Nice flood for close up and it throws surprisingly well when zoomed on a 14500.
Works for me! :slight_smile:

I carry a Sipik SK68 as well in my EDC sling bag along with a Maglite XL50. I agree that for the price it’s an awesome light. Hard to believe the price you can buy them at. Just ordered 10 of them off Amazon for $3.33.

You mentioned you baked the light to get an orange finish, how did you do that? And do you have any pics?

Should show in my avatar/profile pic. Disassembled it and put in the oven at it’s highest temp and kept an eye on it - took somewhere around 45 min it I remember correctly. There are some threads on baking lights…
EDIT: Here is a thread on baking: What's for dinner? Baked UltraFire!!

[quote=Deputydave]

Not to hijack but here's pic of one I did couple years back in toaster oven. Just watch it til it gets the color you want then remove from oven. Don't forget to remove all pieces that heat will damage !!!

Thanks Streamer! Mine is about the same color, except I left the tailcap black. Wife thought I was a nut, but it was fun…

[quote=Streamer]

What parts do you have to remove?

Should have looked at your avatar closer before I posted :bigsmile:

Looks pretty cool and I never even thought about doing something like that. Thanks for the link.

All you want in the oven is aluminum. NO plastic/ lenses, orings, driver, led, switch parts, rubber boots...get the idea???

My current kit is a Thrunite TN12 NW on its belt holster, a Ti3 CW on the collar of my shirt (Bluetooth mini microphone-style), and a Fenix E01 on the steel chain around my neck. Can’t say I’m exactly carrying a “pocket” or “keychain” light right now :stuck_out_tongue:

  • Is it a AA or AAA or lion? The TN12 is 18650 Li-Ion, the E01 and Ti3 are both AAA.
  • Why’d you choose that one? The TN12 because it was (and still is) the best and cheapest 1x18650 light I could get, and I need that much brightness; the E01 because of its battery life; and the Ti3 was kind of an impulse purchase, although since then I found it to be a better casual source of moonlight than the TN12’s slightly too powerful one, and more accessible to boot.
  • How long have you been carrying it? The E01 for some 8 or 9 months, the TN12 going on 7, and some 3 weeks or so for the Ti3.
  • How often do you use it? The TN12’s been catching a break, seeing as I’m currently still on vacation from nocturnal university classes, the Ti3 I use all the time even if it is to play around a bit like any good flashaholic, and the E01 comes out when I need just a practical bit of good light right away.
  • How’s it working for you? Impeccably, all of them. Though I have to say that the Ti3 is a replacement one because the one I actually purchased went SNAFU in early November, four days after the arrival on the mail. This new one arrived mid-January, and it’s been as good as when first fed a battery.
  • How’s the wear-n-tear on the finish? The E01 is fairly beaten up from grinding against the chain and the occasional workplace key I put along with it. The bezel is slightly dented in places, the knurling on the head has a few spots without the anodizing, and all of the tail’s edges are shiny grey by this point. The TN12 took some nasty falls since its arrival, but only a bit of the HA has come off - two small spots on the tailcap’s edge, and a very thin ring of it around the bezel has been scraped off. And despite all my care, I dropped the Ti3 one single time since its arrival; it was this week when I was holding it up while adjusting a curtain rail. It fell from more than two meters onto a polished cement floor, and all it has to show is a ding on the tail’s edge that can only be measured in micrometers. While Fenix is no slouch in the anodizing department, Thrunite really knows how to give a finish to their lights!
  • Do you carry more than one? I think I already answered that question :smiley:

I actually was planning to rotate an Olight S10R I got into the kit, but ten days after I got it from the mail and right before I could take it to workdays (I was on vacation), it stopped working all of a sudden when I twisted the tailcap a bit for physical lockout like I often did. When I unscrewed it fully, a metal ring with external threading fell out - it seems to me like a nut of sorts to hold the tailcap curcuit assembly in place. I’m waiting to get one back from the store.

I must also recommend this light, since it’s one of the best available. I wouldn’t put one on a keychain, but it’s a great item to clip to pants or a purse or to whatever else you take everywhere with you. I’ve had mine since the SC52 was a brand new model, and it’s still in near-mint condition despite lots of daily carry. I suspect it’ll last through decades of use.