I’ve got a Led Lenser somethingorother, the Internet would suggest that it may be a P8 or P9. It’s a bit smaller than the size of my little finger. It’s served me well, but I came to it the other day and there’s a hole in the front where the LED used to be, the lamp’s fallen out. I could try and source a new bulb but I figure, technology has probably moved on. Plus the P? ran on a stack of button cells and the price of a new set of batteries vs the price of a new torch with batteries isn’t wildly dissimilar.

So before I go and buy whatever Led Lenser currently offer, does anyone have any better suggestions? Maybe something AAA powered might be better, or something running off those AAA-sized 12345-whatever rechargeable things?

Cheers.

I have this Fenix on my car keyring, very bright wee light that is rechargeable and has two lumen settings.

https://www.amazon.com/ThruNite-Ti-CW-Flashlight-Titanium/dp/B00QQBOW0G/
Sadly I lost mine, but the one above is a very good little flashlight, titanium body, and very bright at 162 lumens.
I replaced it with a cheaper aluminium Ti3 which puts out 120 lumens, but it’s still perfectly bright enough for general use.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Thrunite-Ti3-CREE-LED-120-Lumen-Key-ring-AAA-Flashlight-Cool-White/1440494260

Thanks CZ, I was kinda hoping you’d reply.

(and thanks somafunk also of course)

I used the Carey a Fenix L0D but I stopped to save space on my key ring, it’s already rammed and I found the light on my phone to be more useful more of the time

Was a good little torch, I’ve been through a couple. Check out flashaholics

Got one of these

I never lose my keys cause the torch is soooo big

I’m no expert but I have one of these and it must be pretty tough to beat for the price.

https://m.banggood.com/Rofis-ER3A-XP-G2-S3-120LM-Mini-LED-Keychain-Flashlight-AAA-p-1089134.html?rmmds=wishlist

My suggestion – Olight i3E EOS:

http://amzn.eu/jjL7YhE

I’ve got two; they run off AAA’s rather than the wee buttons. I’ve had others but these have lasted way longer. Only a tenner.

nitecore TIP is a cracking light. Over 300 lumens and rechargeable.
Also look at the o light s mini.

Olight i3E EOS Are ok, but really easy to lose the head of overtighten and activate in your pocket.
They should have given more threads or changed their pitch.

Single aa or aaa won’t get near the nitecore tip

The Fenix UC02’s are good, a built-in rechargeable battery is really convenient.

Cheers all. That Fenix looks good. Any more for any more?

I’m liking the USB rechargeable idea, for some mad reason that hadn’t even occurred to me.

Hah, just spotted, the Nitecore one mentioned above is on Amazon as “Nitecore Tip Unisex Adult Rechargeable Flashlight” 😆

I have one of these. Just bought another for a mate. Its tiny, comes with a lithium 10180 battery and is usb rechargeable. Check out candlepowerforums if you really want to get into it..

https://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_279764.html

Possibly at the bigger end of the scale but I’ve been very impressed with mine. Runs 14500 battery but can run aa if needed. Side switch, can be locked to prevent accidental operation.

Klarius Mi7

I have one of these.

Cool. That looks almost identical to the Fenix (same LED and everything).

Possibly at the bigger end of the scale

How big is it?

If seems like that Fenix form factor has a lot of competitors / knock-offs. Anyone heard of MecArmy?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/MecArmy-illumineX-2-Flashlight-Underwater-Waterproof/dp/B06WLMSVYF

… or am I better off sticking with a known quantity like Fenix?

http://www.lrapshop.com/aaa-flashlights-c-366_392_398/rofis-er10-r5-led-mini-stainless-steel-keychain-flashlights-torc-p-16841.html

I’ve had the rofis on my keyring since forever, I bought for when I used to DJ it was handy. Stainless steel, AAA powered …purchased for no other reason than it looks cool.

That teeny little light papamountain posted up looks interesting, having USB charging is handy, especially when the battery is an unusual size. I’ve always got a powerpack with me, so it would be easy to charge on the go.
Having a stainless steel body is nice, too.
Still, AAA batteries are available pretty much everywhere and are cheap.
The Fenix looks good, as well, interesting range of prices, too.

Did you look at the Fenix, CZ?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fenix-UC02-CREE-XP-G2-S2-LED-Key-Light/dp/B01M268I2E

Ordered one of those Thrunite Ti3 jobbies today for £8.99 from Amazon, thanks to CountZero‘s recommend.

Can’t really cope with any more things to recharge; a battery is much easier to buy or buy a rechargeable version.

Totally what I need attached to my keys in deepest darkest street lamp free Dorset.

Thanks for the tip.

I have loads of torches. Yes quite a few companies make them in that small size, fenix wasn’t the first. Jetbeam are similar quality to fenix etc, mecarmy again similar. They all take 10180 batteries which are tiny. Astrolux M01 is another..

I needed one that really was small enough to have on a keyring and still be bright, aaa is nice but too big still (I have a thrunite ti aaa too, for pocket use which i actually use loads).

So take your pick.
You can get some of them in Ti or copper etc too.

btw code for gearbest 12% off flashlights – GB17LED brings it down to £16. I bought one few weeks ago for £12 but cant find the code I used, think it was a flash sale or sumin.

The fenix can be had from the UK but its twice the price.

Cool, good to know. “I needed one that really was small enough to have on a keyring and still be bright” is where I’m coming from, I just didn’t want to throw money at some far-East knockoff that was great on paper but made of cheese and liable to burn the house down, then wind up buying what I should’ve bought in the first place.

Ta.

I too have a Nitecore tip cri.
Nice light but it’s been properly battered by my keys. Like that it’s rechargeable and the two brightness levels are well judged. However, round torch > square torch I think.

The Tip isn’t really what I’m looking for form-factor wise. My Led Lenser was perfect size-wise but it’s broken, presumably legacy technology now, and replacement batteries were silly money.

V8, not P8 as in my OP, it seems.

The Klarius is 88mm long

Yeah, that’s a bit more torch than I was looking for. Thanks for the suggestion though.

They are all made in China but with the usual varying levels of QC.

Just as a coda to this, I bought the MecArmy one. I didn’t realise at the time that it shipped from Hong Kong, but it turned up today (seemingly shipped from Germany despite tracking details?)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/MecArmy-illumineX-2-Flashlight-Underwater-Waterproof/dp/B06WLMSVYF

It’s a lovely little thing. My only minor criticism is that low power is a little too low and high is the power of a thousand suns, it really needs a medium setting. Other than that, I’m made up with it. I went for the stainless steel option rather than anodised aluminium so that it’ll hopefully stand up to rattling around in a pocket / bag for years, and it looks really well put together. Impressed.

Thanks for all your help and advice guys.