As far as i know the efest 10440 should be the best one yet.
I think that that ā11.5ā might refer to the diameter of the driver, i.e., 11.5mm? Iāll wait for the 1xAAA ones from Ebay, but if youāre going to try to remove the driver, I was looking at the 2xAAA head, and I think that the driver is actually just soldered to a brass ring, and that brass ring may be press-fitted into the head?
Thanks ohaya, but fortunately the swapping head trick worked so this time i donāt have to use the dummy, but it probably will come in handy some other time.
I think you are right about that it is press fitted in there, my xp-1 heads brass ring sits on a kink slightly unevenā¦ā¦ā¦any tips on how to best get it out? i guess i will try to find some small but sturdy pliers and try to pull it out.
Ok, learn from my experience: It looks like the lens is glass. I tried pushing a small rod on it (thinking it might push the driver out the other end), and it cracked.
So, that is not the way to get the driver out :(ā¦
BTW, it looks to me like the lens is also AR coated (I can see blue/purple tinges).
Thanks for trying 
i had also thought that could be a possibility.
I tried with a plier on the brass part, but no luck so far.
I got my Jexree mini today, it is a very nice aaa & 10440 capable light for 5$, slightly worse reflector than the hugsby but much shorter and very nice anodizing.
And it is completely modable it looks like the best 10440 host i have found yet.
Every part is easily accessible, lens,led star,driver,even the bottom spring. Driver compartment is 6,6mm deep, driver is 12,6 wide, led star sits on a shelf thats is 13,8mm wide. EDIT i made an error when i measuring this initially, the shelf that the star sits on is 12,4mm wide.
First i am going to put an XP-L V6 3D on copper in there, then i will try to find a small fet dd driver that will fit.
And djozz has already done some mods on this one.
and some more discussions here
I got my Jexree mini today, it is a very nice aaa & 10440 capable light for 5$, slightly worse reflector than the hugsby but much shorter and very nice anodizing.
And it is completely modable it looks like the best 10440 host i have found yet.
can you order just (1) of these from the site? How fast was shipping?
thanks!
pat
Yeah you can order just one, if you check for a listing that doesnāt say āmin orderā and a number, all the colors exists as a single separate listing.
To Sweden over the holidays it only took 15 days, i would say that is as fast as anyone could hope for under the crazy shipping condition in china over christmas-new year-chinese new year period.
Edit
I just want to add that i think the hugsby is a better nimh aaa light with a nicer warmer light, but i have totally failed in opening the head to mod it and i think the jexree has the most potential i have found yet to fully customize it and it works stock with an 10440 so it is brighter and it also have modes when you use a aaa battery.
I may try to dedome the led first to see if i like it better when it is warmer, before i put the xp-l in.
Since I already shattered the lens on one of my hugsbys, Iāll probably try to complete the job and get the head apart. If I do, Iāll post some pics, but, if anyone else gets it out first, please post HOW?
Yes please do i hope we can get any insight in to if is at all possible to non destructively get these open, and if it is not, maybe it is possible to buy or cut a small flashlight lens to fit, if we have to go trough the lens to get in and poke the driver out.
Hi,
Iāve started a thread specifically for the Hugsby XP-2 (and possibly XP-1) disassembly (and possibly, mod):
I got the driver out now, relatively un-damaged (had to cut-the solder joints), but havenāt been able to figure out how to take the head completely apart yet.
My pics are in that other thread.
Vinh Nguyen is modding these. If you have the coin, itās $85 for a 1200 lumen OMFG! experience.
Itās about the size of a key LOL.
I know, but i want to make my own OMFG light and be able to say i bought the light, stripped it, and made it from the ground up including bought every part to make the driver, soldered the driver, programmed the driver to the exact modes spec i wanted, sanded a copper dtp mcpcb to fit and selected the perfect hue for the XP-L, so it is actually useful as a nice edc besides the maximum output.
And his has only a single mode, i thought of buying the E05SSvn before i realized how much fun building and modding them myself could be 
I am still somewhat of a fan though, but most of his creation are just to rich for my blood.
And the best thingā¦ā¦ when i get tired of i can rebuild it like nothing because i will know the ins and out of it because it is my own creation J)
I actually have this light in stock form. But if I was to have it modded, I would rather have a usable 150-200 lumens for a significant amount of time than 1200 lumens for ten seconds.
just ordered two for $4.78 each shipped here, can use paypal unlike on aliexpress:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/9cm-Mini-CREE-LED-Flashlight-AAA-Pocket-Torch-120LM-1-Switch-Mode-White-Light-/171550801015?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item27f1397c77
Got my little hugsby today and i have to say itās an impressive little light.
Throws out a good beam, nice tint and is easy on the eye, almost seems a shame to have it as an edc light.
If youāre in the US you can now get the XP-1 for a mere $3.83. Total Bargain if you ask me. Doesnāt ship to UK though. RATS!
lancman, just want to point out that thatās the same item as Iāve referenced, shipping is $.95 so total is $4.78
Ahh, sorry, the postage doesnāt show up for me, just the annoying āDoes not ship to UKāā¦.