My poll got buried! 
I don't do 14500 flashlights, so I voted no.
I would like to see pics of the finished light, however.
I think it would looks interesting.
Just imagine an FW1A that’s ~20mm shorter and ~5mm narrower. I can draw something up in Solidworks probably for a quick visual…
If you do, put it next to an 18650 FW1A for scale. 
I care for 14500 lights if they have the same battery/flashlight size ratio as 18650 lights. Many 14500 lights are so bulky that they become unattractive compared to 18650 lights (with 3 times battery capacity and 3 times current handling).
So if a light like this has the size of say the Tool AA, I’m all for it.
Mostly yes, but:
- Like djozz said, the size has to make sense. If it’s the size of my 18650 Zebralight, then I’ll just carry that.
- It should comfortably support both protected and unprotected 14500s. I have some AA/14500 lights with no Li-ion LVP (and rapid over-discharge potential since they’re boost drivers), and being able to bring one type of spare for multiple lights is valuable to me.
- I’d like to see AA support and good behavior out of both battery types. I realize that means a considerably more sophisticated driver design.
I said “yes” 
I’ve been thinking about the possibility to have a 16650 light (slimmer than the FWxA), but a 14500 would definitely be better 
Couldn’t agree more djozz. In the case of a truly scaled down FW or KR the signal tube adds at least an extra 1.5mm to the diameter that isn’t otherwise necessary. IMO, 19mm is the largest diameter that I would bother EDCing a 14500 based light for the same reasons you mention. I feel like with the elimination of the neck-down tube design, 20mm should easily be achievable for this setup. I’ll see when I get time to draw these up in full detail how it looks.
This poll doesn’t really make sense. Sure, I’d buy one of those lights, but only if the design and size we’re done well. And a 4 LED KR4 would mean a flared head on a 14509, whereas the Lumintop designhas obvious reliability issues.
I think you are thinking too hard about this. The FW/KR examples are just familiar examples of tail e-switch lights. I find it interesting that there have been so many FW and GT variations (materials, colors, 21700, quads, minis, micros…) yet no mention of a “mini FW”. As much as Lumintop is squeezing all they can out of these BLF designs, it seems they missed an obvious opportunity.
I threw in the KR4 in the title to broaden the thought and commentary here since there are some issues with the Lumintop switch design and I would personally rather support a Noctigon product. I thought it would be obvious that the 14500 version wouldn’t be a 28mm diameter quad… maybe that was an oversight. Sorry
Only if it could accept AA as well.
Maybe they’re waiting for BLF to design a 15 mm Anduril boost driver for them 
Sounds about right… :person_facepalming:
Biggest advantage of 14500 is it would enable a much slimmer light than 18650.
As such, I think it would make more sense with a small reflector single-emitter light than with a Quad emitter. A Quad would have a wide head and would lose the advantage of being narrow.
I’ve edited the title if that helps make the idea a bit clearer…
Yes. Smaller light might have a smaller button activation area. Would hopefully prevent accidental button presses when clipping it in pocket. For smaller size it might be time to start putting the driver in the tailcap so they can ditch the extra complexity of the additional signal path.
I voted yes (multiples depends on price). While I like AA compatibility in my 14500 lights (my preferred EDC size), it’s not a deal breaker for me. Size though… yes, I agree with what’s already been said.
Agreed on all fronts regarding size, it’d have to be quite smaller than a typical Zebralight or other very compact 18650 light in order for it to be competitive.
What would be excellent in a light this size in my opinion, is the option to use either a reflector or commonly available single emitter TIR so one can choose to have a slightly throwier light or have it with a floodier, smoother beam without purchasing a separate light or head, assuming a reflector designed to fill the same space as a TIR would provide a drastic enough change in beam profile.
Yes I buy one, not that I need one but I like them and they all have great tints.
That said, with 18350 and 18500 tubes I don’t feel I need it as much, you can get sssooo much more power into the 18mm cells.
My fw3a/fw1a lights are just so perfect with the 18500 tube and a 2000mah cell.
That would depend largely on the build quality. And this time I won’t be a pre-order buyer/testpilot.
Currently, my S41 is my walk-the-dog-at-night light. There is more than enough juice to last 20min.
But only after I took it apart, bypassed the springs, and put in thicker and shorter leads.
Gave it some plastic shims for the screws that hold the leadboard, and now it is a really reliable light.
My late mother used to say: if you only have negative comments, please shut up.
So (apart from the few wow moments) this is what I have to say about the BLF A6: …………
The FW3A is a mixed bag of feelings. I’m pretty happy with it.
Build quality could be better. In the design area I think reliability is sacrificed for one mm less size.
It has not let me down (yet) but I would not carry it as my first and only light.
IMHO the driver needs to have a retainer ring with left threads, for now it always comes loose.
And who needs loose pieces of metal, waiting to cause disaster.
Biggest no-no for me is that, given the double tube concept, it won’t be the slimmest light on the block.
I’ll be waiting to be convinced otherwise, but not as a buyer from the first wave.