Couldn’t find much about this seemingly excellent little flashlight. So thought my initial user experience might be helpful to others.
But first, let me start with another AA sized LED flashlight, my favorite, the NiteCore D11.2. I love my D11. Even did a write up about it. I used that little ramping output light for so many things: test lab prep and result inspection, late night checks on the cats, walking in dark parking lots, looking under furniture, power outages at home and work, plus so many more things. It was small enough to be my constant EDC companion. Always with me, day or night. Even powered by a 14505, it only occasionally let me down in one, crucial, area - overall brightness.
I’ve tried other newer, brighter AA lights. None were quite right. Certainly not worth a full post. However, the KR1AA may be.
I got two KR1AA.1s from, “https://jlhawaii808.com”. Without knowing, screwed up my order, and was immediately help out by Jackson Lee, the J and L of JLHawaii (JLH). You concluded that correctly, Jackson took the time to helped me before I even knew I had caused a problem with my own order. Gotta say, Jackson has earned the reputation touted about him on the flashlight forums.
As previously alluded to, communication was excellent. This was from that start. Jackson preemptively put a “Please Read” section on the KR1AA page. From button, to body, to emitter - choices / variations were (and are) greatly varied. Packaging was first rate. And shipping fast. The: heads, tails, and bezels were all put on without being over tightened. They could all be easily manipulated without special tools or techniques.
Both lights were ordered with 14500 batteries. Both lights showed their batteries to be at 3.8 Volts. The lights arrived good-to-go! Especially as a flashlight enthusiast, this was much appreciated. It meant I could “play” with my new lights right away. Even though it was a fairly bright early afternoon, play I did. Noticed a few wonderful things. Also noticed a few small things and immediately found their easy corrections on my own.
Let’s start with the wonderful things. For me, the grip and size is only second to the diamond knurling and tubular form of the NC D10. Of course KR1AA bodies have the machine finishing step EMISAR NOCTIGON is known for. A continuous shallow line, with a tight filar, spiraling around the entire body. They also have what I believe is a new “chalky” finish. These two things, in perfect combination, make the KR1AA quite enjoyably grippable. And, less of a pocket shredder. The metal button allows for table- standing. Its throw is longer, not as crisp, and requiring more force than my TS10. This should help mitigate accidental activation.
I noticed the captured clip (my favorite style) of one light was a little looser than the other. Both clips were quite readily secured by simply: removing the head and battery. Then first slightly unscrewing then re-tightening the tail. Reinstalling the battery. And lastly, replacing the head. All was done by hand. I might have been a little too cautious when replacing the head. I did not press firmly, purposefully enough against the spring tension to seat the head. Making it flash like an electrostatic generator in a lightening storm! I believe this caused a self induced unintentional programming problem. For, oddly enough, the emitter of that same flashlight would only initially turn on and off. And, the ancillary RGB LEDs would only perform a fixed colour cycle. This condition was easily remedied with a quick factory reset.
Please note, these are just first impressions and experiences. Neither of the lights has had any pocket time. Though I will note, one of my cats HAD to knock the initially slightly problematic light off my desk as I was writing this. There seems to be no ill effect from the single fall directly onto a hardwood floor. Not even a scratch!
Interested to see and learn more about others’ experiences with the little EMISAR NOCTIGON KR1AA.1. Hope this thread gets added to.
