Mi7 too expensive for what I need. Jetbeam looks good. Utorch is about 3x brighter for the same torch, but the control button / system looks annoying. If there’s something brighter than the Jetbeam with an easy control system and is decent quality for the same price range I might get that.
With the code it is only a few dollars more. I personally found the Mi7 brighter than the Utorch in NW.
Regardless of what you decide check with BLF member M4D M4X for a code and you can save a few $$. He also has a dedicated website for his deals.
Bob
Jet I. Got 2 (1 as a spare), both bone-stock.
The UI doesn’t piss me off, so that’s High Praise coming from me.
Utotch UT01 is known to have issues with the side switch
I got my Jetbeams for 12.99$ so I bought 3 of em
the stock emitter has an ugly green tint and is too cool
I put a XPG2 S2 5A3 in there wich has a very pleasant neutral warm white
The Nichia 219 has a rosy tint, but I like it much that way
left Astolux K01 XPL HD 3D 5000K, XML2 U3-3D 5000K,Jetbeam Jet-1 MK Nichia 5700K, Utorch UT01 XPL HD 1A 6500K
I ordered a NW Utorch UT01 and got CW instead, the tint of that light sucks, as you can see in this picture
Really? Hmm, mine were “cool” but not too objectionable.
You want green, lookit my Quark 2AA-X.
That’s one I’d bother with an emitter-swap…
Consider also quality of ligtning (tint).
In this case Nichia 219B is the best option.
Jaxman has a model wiht 219B and the price is around 22$.
Here is the review.
If you not going to use 14500 this is good choice.
Not too concerned with tint. Appreciate all the advice, but the Jet I looks good and nothing posted looks better yet. Open to suggestions still and not in a huge rush 
I also recommend the Jetbeam Jet I MK. For the price it is a no brainer AA/14500 edc light. The twisty is smooth and easy to operate one handed. Compact, light and slick body. I’m carrying one in my tight jean pocket and i use it all the time. With a 14500 it’s very bright and quite impressive for the size.
I also have a few side switch (and more expensive) lights (Mi7, UT01…) but you need to lock them out either with a click sequence or a twist of the head/tail for edc which i find annoying - it’s hard to remember how to lock/unlock each of these lights…
You can’t go wrong with the Jetbeam.
How about a Thorfire TG06S? It has been reviewed a couple times here recently. Here’s a review by SoCalTiger. I’ve also received one for review and my review should be up in a few days. I’ve been carrying it every day since I received it. It seems to be a nice light.
UT01 is my EDC when I wear dress pants (cargo pants allows a BLF A6 or X6). I have not had any problems with the switch, and the option of AA or 14500 is very nice.
I have a Jetbeam E10R and I’m very happy with it.
On an alkaline/Eneloop it does 190 lumen, pretty good, and if you happen to have a decent 14500 around it gets you 650 lumen. It is compact and has a USB-charging port (but using that to charge the Eneloop gives you only half the charge, a known defect of this light, 14500’s charge fine).
There still is a discount on Gearbest.
http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_618210.html
Nice light indeed! I was just about to order one to see for myself and then i checked the size… quite big for a AA - it’s almost the size of a DQG Tiny 18650. The specs and price are nice though.
I will throw my recommendation in for the Acebeam M10. About $25 in the US, on sale for $17 right now. I have been carrying one everyday for a few weeks now and love it. I did do an emitter swap, but the stock xp-g3 wasn’t terrible, I just like warm white.
https://www.amazon.com/Acebeam-Cree-XLamp-XP-G3-Flashlight/dp/B01N6GPLK2?th=1&psc=1
The Jet I MK is also very good if you go that route, I have one of those as well, I just prefer the Acebeam for the rear clicky switch.
The ThorFire TG06S looks good. I like the tail cap better than the twist in the JetBeam, but is the twist likely to last longer? I’ve had a few smaller torches and they all fail within a couple of years - other than my mini maglite with LED upgrade kit.
Can anyone recommend a “cheap but not going to explode” reasonable quality 14500 charger / 2 battery combo for less than $15? I don’t know what brands are good. I might just stick with the Eneloops, but the extra brightness could be handy.
Tail cup i better than twist.
Much more convenien and secured in pocket.
NW tint also.
Liitokala Li200 is good cheap charger.
I ended up finding the Lumintop ED25 group buy and got one of them. I wanted 1xAA, then wanted AA with 14500 battery, but it wasn’t worth buying the battery and charged. The 2xAA weren’t a lot bigger and were a fair bit brighter, so I went with that.
I may end up with the Thorfire or Jetbeam if I decide I want a 1xAA as well. Thanks for the help everyone
The Thrunite T10 was not mentioned but is a nice 1xAA light too.
Klarus mi7 maybe?
Actually, back when this thread started, I was going to suggest a minimag, but it’s 2×AA, and wasn’t sure if the longer length was something you’d tolerate. Aside from the crappy slide-in holster (“Whups, lost it again…”), it’s a great (not-so)little light.
Every single light I ever carried in my pocket, whether side-clicky or tailcap, has managed to turn itself on accidentally. Can’t tell you how many alkies and Li primaries (Energizer, $:money_mouth_face: I’ve burned through lighting up pocket-lint.
The only lights that never did that were twisties. Kinda hard to get accidental torque in a pocket…
Alas, with all the other sharp/abrasive crap I keep in my pocket (coins, keys, etc.), any light in there will get scuffed up. Hence my “bobofett” light, where the peaks of the knurling are all worn off that the knurling looks gray vs black. So I’m not about to ruin a Jet I or the like by pocket-carrying it.
Dunno, I might “abuse” my ’348, because the threads are half-stripped to the point it’s almost press-fit, and hopefully SS won’t show up scuffs that much. But again, there’s that tailcap switch…
Anyway, in a pocket, switch bad, twisty good. 
I also would recommend a TG06S. 1xAA or 1x14500 for EDC. It’s only ~$10 in the US via Amazon. Not sure about price shipped to you in NZ.