The four sevens mini is one of my favorites. I’ve been using one for many years.
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I begrudgingly use a Foursevens Mini MKIII - it’s expensive AND you have to buy the keychain attachment separately, but I like the short length too much.
I hate that Fenix and Olight abandoned this form factor (the S Mini was such a great size)
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You might want to check out the Trustfire MC1 then, it’s 1mm shorter than the Mini MKIII and comes with the keychain hole built in. I’ll let you know how I like mine when it arrives.
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This one has to be one of the best currently. Eagtac D25C
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74mm long though, the same length as the Sofirn in my photo in the OP
I do apologize. I missed the length maximum I suppose. Just giving you my opinion on the best one available today.
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In this length one can already find 14500s, and those cells have more capacity and are easier to source than 16340.
I concur re: ET D25C MK II. I use several every day (w/different emitters) and consider it the top pick for a minumum length, fairly high quality 16340 tailswitch light, and it has a good feature / option set. It’s available from stock w/ choice of several very good emitters from a top notch U.S. distributor. It also has several very useful, appropriate, easily configurable UI options.
It’s essentially a ‘minimum form factor’ 16340 tailswitch light using a conventional reflector. If you don’t need a tailswitch w/ conventional reflector, there are likely shorter ones, but those were / are among my personal criteria.
There are many more good choices in 16340 cells than there were just a few years ago, and while length is critical with this light, there are very good choices available that fit fine if you shop wisely.
Yeah, I use a lot of 16340 lights;-) I also use several of the D25As w/ 14500, but they are considerably longer of course.
Absolutely. If all you need is some light maybe you aren’t concerned with quality of beam profile and it’s ability to project therefore the light would be able to be manufactured much shorter.
I recently decided to find some lights that will take cr123a cells for the small form factor and extreme temperature stability, along with the higher voltage vs lithium AA cells. It all started with a cheap Energizer cr123a light that I got from Walmart, and I decided that I’d like something better. Well, of course, instead of getting one more light, I wound up with eight more. But we all know how that goes…
Now I have, left to right, two 47’s Atoms, two Fenix E16’s, a Jetbeam JET-II MK, a Fenix LD15R, a Fenix RC09, an Eagtac D25C, and an unnamed Energizer light that takes cr123a cells.
Despite being an Energizer, and an enormous monstrosity of a single cell cr123a light, it actually has a pretty decent tint to it, and an overall nice beam, with a smooth reflector. Not bad for 10 bucks. I don’t think this one can take a 16340 cell. This one rides in my cupholder for easy access, and since it was cheap, I don’t mind if it gets scratched from other random cupholder catch all items.
I agreee that the Eagtac D25C is really nice, and has a proper moonlight, almost firefly level, which I absolutely desire. Nice mode spacing, and instant high with a twist of the head, and high CRI with a good CCT. It is a bit yellow in the very center of the hotspot, but only noticeable when white wall hunting. This light has a smooth reflector. It even came with a nice sheath, which keeps it from getting scratched in the center console. This one can take 16340, but they advise not to run it on high for too long with LiIon, as it can overheat the emitter. I keep a cr123a in this one as a vehicle light anyways.
The Fenix RC09 came in a bundle of second hand lights, and I like it, but probably wouldn’t have bought it by itself since it’s so long in comparison to some of the others. The emitter is a bit too cool for my liking, but it does have a really nice beam pattern with a smooth reflector, and the UI is pretty decent and familiar, being the same as the UI on the Fenix E16. Nice little light to have on hand in case I need to share, and still fairly compact. There is a place to attach a magnetic charge cable, but I can’t attest to the operation, as I never had the cable. It has a magnet in the tail cap, but it isn’t the strongest.
I like the Fenix LD15R quite a bit, despite the cool CCT. It also has a nice beam pattern with a frosted TIR, and mostly the same UI as my other small Fenix lights, but with the addition of a red led, which is pretty nice at times. I really dig the right angle form factor for clipping on a pocket or neck of my shirt to operate hands free. It also has micro usb charging, which makes it nice for travel. It also has a magnet in the tail cap, but once again, not super powerful.
My Jetbeam Jet-II MK is a really nice light. The CCT is once again cooler than my preference, but the mode spacing and lovely beam pattern make up for it, and it isn’t too blue or ugly green, or any nastiness like that. The low is almost a moonlight like low, and pretty decent for dark adapted eyes. It has an orange peel reflector, and a nicely knurled head that makes operation easy. There is no magnet in the tailcap, but it does have two lanyard holes, and a 1/4-20 threaded hole to allow mounting to a tripod for hands free operation. The pattern on the tail is a bit funky, but it will tail stand if needed. I’d say this and the Fenix LD15R are tied for third place on my favorite cr123a/16340 light list so far. Love the charcoal anodizing and stainless bezel!
The Fenix E16’s are my favorites out of the group for sure. One is stock, and the other has my favorite Nichia 219b swapped in, which is simply leaps and bounds above all the others for CRI and tint. The stock emitter in the other one is pretty darn nice as well, with a good, warm tint that makes it feel higher CRI than it is, but next to the 219b, it is quite a bit more yellow. Still a very nice CCT for a big brand light, or any light in general really. They have non frosted TIR’s, and very nice beams overall, but a bit of squareness from the emitters does show through, but only if you really look hard to notice it. The magnets are about the same as the other two Fenix lights, but since they are so short and light, the magnets are able to hold them in place much better. My only complaint would be that the switch can be a bit hard to find by feel in the dark.
The 47’s Atoms are a very close second favorite, especially one that has a 219b and slightly aspheric lens swapped in. The stock Atom has a pretty cool CCT, but it makes up for it with the perfect flood of the mule configuration and the overall simplicity and small size. These are cr123a only, but work well for what I need. I love the two level twisty where you tighten a bit for low, and tighten more for high. The magnets on these are amazingly strong!
I was able to find the Eagtac from Andrew and Amanda on ebay, the LD15R from another seller on ebay, the Jetbeam came from Battery Junction, got the Energizer at Walmart, a couple here from a Want to Sell post, and the rest here from my Want to Buy post, which I will link below, in case you want to check it out for ideas. I would suggest to keep searching for a Fenix E16 on ebay, and start a Want to Buy thread here, as I feel it is an amazing light that won’t be easily replaced.
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Nice comparison write-up! With the Jetbeam Jet-II MK, what do you think the modding potential is? Do you know if the pill is threaded and or has thread lock? Tempted to pick one up when it’s on offer and swap in a 519a.
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Thank you! I have been searching for info on the mod-ability of Jetbeams, and haven’t really found much info. Mine looks to be fairly glued shut with hard, white epoxy or whatnot on the back side of the pill, with no holes or notches to unscrew it. You can just barely see the epoxy in the middle pic. The bezel has some internal notches that may help if one has a six pointed spanner, but that is probably thread locked tight.
And @bigm
I don’t have this light and haven’t researched it. But the notches on the bezel ring tells me it unscrews. That means it likely doesn’t have a pill, but instead has a shelf. If you want to swap emitters you simply need to remove the bezel ring and the reflector will fall out. You can get a universal tool for those things for a few bucks or make your own out of some brad nails and a piece of wood.
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good photo
sometimes no tool is needed, just pressing the bezel against my solder mat, while turning the light counterclockwise, will open a screwed in bezel like that… ime, they dont use glue on that type of bezel
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have not tried that particular light, but if the bezel wont unscrew by pressing on a rubber surface, then external snap ring pliers have worked for me on similar bezels
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Just like you said, the bezel came right off all easy peasy with a little help from a foam jar opener pad. Thanks for the guidance. Looks like it will be a little reflow job to swap out the emitter, unless one wants to trim down an MCPCB to fit. Either way, definitely changes the status to moddable.
I’ll probably leave it as is for now, until I can get a proper workspace set up again.
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That’s a really helpful image, thanks!
Now I’m torn between 16340 and 14500 format. The latter I have more spare cells for, and I have a slight preference towards as I prefer slimmer lights. That said, the AA/14500 doesn’t seem to have the threaded stainless bezel?!
Why not try both, lol? Hard to say what other models look like, but this one definitely seems doable. Battery was dead in the caliper, otherwise i would have pulled some measurements while I had it apart. At least I cleaned up the excess flux on the leads while I was looking around inside.
excellent!
looks like a very easy mod… just remove, reflow, replace
agree 
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I am a 16340 enthusiast as well. Disappointed the market (14500 winning rn) didn’t go this way because it’s a large enough width for a usb port. SC21 mini was perfection, except for the insane parasitic draw.
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The elzetta version of the jet beam looks great. I hated cycling through the modes on my jet beam and eventually gave it away. I miss the olight s mini size. I carry my 16340 lights on a p7 suspension clip and found them perfect size.
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