Reccomendations for a SOLID AA light?

I would really recommend Nitecore EC25W, which I know is a 18650 light and you are looking for a AA light. But listen.

EC25W is a little thicker than 2AA lights but shorter (~12.5cm instead of 15-16 cm long). It fits nicely in almost any pocket. It is a lot more powerful than 2AA lights (~200ish lumens) at around 800-900 lumens. Build quality is very high. UI is great. Beam is perfect on my sample with good throw and good spill. In fact it is my favorite stock light even though it does not have a lower low mode (at around 5 lumen) (right now it is 65 lumens). I like it even better than my trusty zebralight SC600 because EC25W has much better throw.

It is also the best bang for the money at ~$50. Worth every penny.

Here is the mini review. Nitecore EC25 Cobra