Not far but: too many modes, mechanical switch, bad PWM, more expensive than what I have in mind.
Same goes for T3 and T4 (except for the PWM)
You probably aren’t going to get much interest in a twisty AA light. Your best bet would be to make an adapter sleeve for the C01S. Imagine a tube with threaded caps on both ends. The tail cap is a normal battery cap. The front cap has a threaded hole designed to fit the C01S head.
That said…. mechanical switches are now more reliable than the majority of twist switches. Twist switches have gotten much worse in the past 10 years. They now typically use PCB traces for 1 of the contacts instead of metal-on-metal. The PCB trace can wear down or tear out. (The C01S is like this.)
There are some good simple sturdy lights out there for reasonable prices. Looking over the inexpensive AA lights on the market finds a few promising options:
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Nextorch C1 C1 140 Lumens AA Flashlight – NEXTORCH
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Skilhunt E2A Skilhunt E2A 14500/AA EDC Flashlight Review - ZeroAir Reviews
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Inova X1 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MU3BXU5/ (Though this might be recently discontinued. Buy now if you are curious about it.)
They aren’t exactly what you want but they are close enough for most people to satisfy the space you’d like to enter.
You can unscrew tail cap every time if you dont like buttons 
Or any mechanical tail switch could be replaced with a twist switch tail cap. If the threads are loose enough it can even still be used as a momentary pushbutton like the Gerber Infinity Ultra did.
A tail cap like that for the E2A would give you exactly what you are asking for.
I thought about the adapter. This idea is not new, old-timers like me might remember that this was a project for the ARC aaa flashlight 20 years ago (don’t remember if it has ever seen the day).
You are right Parametrek about the wear on the PCB but as mentioned, this is an emergency light. That switch should not be often used. The twisty switch is still in my humble opinion the most reliable circuit breaker. No parts, no spring, no plastic, no board, no rubber, no moving parts, less opening for water.
The Tool AA comes with both switches (clicky and twisty). However, a bit pricey and too many modes. I am dreaming of a refreshed version of the EZ AA from Nitecore,
Jetbeam Jet-1 MK
No interest in twisties for me but you could put the magnetic tail cap on the Tool AA and it becomes a twisty light that way. Simon does have that little stainless steel AAA twisty model…could stand to upgrade the emitter in that one…has large grooves along the tube, not sure if those would match any trit or plastic glow tubes well.
Cool white but I’ve considered it. It’s very, very close to what I have in mind.
Another one very close is the El Capitan from Peak but it uses QTC and I don’t like it.
Nextorch has something interesting but I doubt it has the quality you need:
- the LED is not High CRI
- it has 3 modes instead of 2 (not sure if it has memory or if it starts on low or High)
- runtimes are not specified
- it is pricey
I will check if the C01S driver would fit the Tool AA V2.0 pill. If so, transplanting one from a light to the other would match your request.
I am not sure if the runtime on the C01S is similar to a “cockroach” light, though.
Another warning concerning the twisty lights: if a cell leaks on the bottom, it is a PITA to take it out (ask me how I know it 
)
Yeah, the Nextorch is too $$$ for the intended purpose. It’s however quite nice.
I know about cell leaks ! I’ve killed an excellent DQG AA like that. That’s why I mention L91.
All of those people that you mentioned in your family need a small EDC light ,with a lithium ion battery, a lot more than they need a so-called emergency light. Put a S2+ in your glove box for 5 or 10 years and it’ll still give you more light for longer than what your envisioning. If you want it smaller than that put the short tube on it.
I hear you. They all (except my mother) have an A6 as their main light when we go trekking or camping. However, the grail light I’m talking about is small, cheap and ultra-reliable. A kind of light you toss in your bag and forget it until you need it, not an EDC.
A sort of CMG Infinity with a 219 and 2 levels…
My (basic) understanding of a twisty switch tells me it necessitates either a spring or a rubber/ foam piece to push the cell back to reliably break contact without flickering. Ive only had a few twisty switches though so maybe some are different?
I’ve had a few unreliable twisties as well.
I’d be into a few of these.
You are always there for all project Gunga :+1: ! Just like in the old CPF days.
Some have a spring in the tail (like the C01S), some don’t.
If a Twisty light is unreliable, then it has been poorly machined or it’s a driver problem. Beside a bad thread, there is virtually no way a twisty switch can fail.
It sounds like the A6 is a special events lights not an EDC. Is this your Grail light your or theirs? You have to work with them to find something that they are willing to carry with them everyday and potentially use rather than their phone light.
You nailed it, using their phone light is exactly what I wan’t them too avoid. Too unreliable. Have you ever seen a teenager that has more than 15 % of battery on their phone ?
I’m not looking for an EDC light. My wife and daughters never carry an EDC light, I’ve tried to convinced them but you know, I’m a weirdo for always carrying a light ( :person_facepalming: ). That’s why I would like them to have at least an emergency light in their bag/purse that can give them many hours of light.
Why not just go with a Convoy T3? A mechanical switch is perfectly fine overall if configured with simple modes.
Efficient driver, relatively inexpensive, etc.
Also, please let’s stop asking for new light designs. Let’s just try and reuse current designs because Sofirn’s 2 engineers are already overworked as is lmao.
So yeah, let’s change try and get Sofirn to reuse a current light design to make this project a thing.
The Tool AA is 12USD on AliExpress. Seems reasonable to me.
I prefer the Skilhunt E2A with an Energizer L91 as my emergency backup light in my car. Simple 3-mode with memory. Set it to the middle mode, throw in the glovebox and forget about it for years.