Today, I'll share a little rant about flashlights, amounts of technology, and changes in my thinking about the matter over time, and share that I'm not particularly bright either.
Recently I watched the video about planned obsolescence by Unlearning Economics - and now I watched this video. Never have I been more convinced that the right to repair is an extremely important thing everyone has to root for
One of the key things you touched on was the ability to hand a light to someone and for them be able to use it without having to sit down for a tutorial to go through the UI. If my girlfriend needs one, I’ll generally just hand her a Wowtac with a tail switch for on/off and a side button that can change the brightness if needed. The one time I went to give her an Olight and stated telling her about the lockout, it was a straight no from her. No interest in having something in her pocket that needs a setting to avoid the possibility of it setting you on fire, and you can’t really argue with that.
I repeat the KISS mantra at least once a month. So many devices/things around the house break because of all the moving parts and how complicated they are, when a simpler and less expensive item would still be working.
I agree with you. The fancy lights became ‘difficult’ for me. Press the button 3x to turn on, 2x to brighten it, 2long presses and 1 short yo do XYZ. I just want simple ON/OFF. Great take sir.
Thanks Nick! This video finally convinced me to buy the RRT01 after going back and forth on it for months. Probably I'll keep the short tube on it cause it looks better that way imo. You're always putting out some great content, thanks again!
Spot on Sir! I’ve carried a aaa copper maratac for at least ten years. I’ve definitely tried lots of others but always go back to it. Never had an issue. Tail stands. Three modes with a twisty head. Obviously it’s a small light and it’s my edc. So not a crazy long run time or anything but when I need something like that I again reach for a simple classic sure fire 6p now it’s been modified to be a bit more modern bored out to fit an 18650, and has a led drop in to replace the super old school bulb, but it is a tank. One mode click on click off and is about 200 lumens runs for hours.
I picked up a TIP SE the day I watched your video on it and I've loved it. At the time I was still working a night shift mechanic job and it was perfect for that. Nowadays with a day shift desk job it's relegated to the bedside table and its primary function has been almost exclusively to charge the lume on my watches before bed. Because, of course, I failed to follow your recommendation of not getting into watches.
Not being able to replace the battery is a deal breaker for me. I have four Thrunite Archer 1A V3 flashlights scattered around the house. They are a bit on the large size but have a simple interface and will run on any AA battery.
Malkoff offers everything I could want. Small operation, USA made, superb customer service, upgrades for old lights. Very consumer oriented, easy to replace any parts that could fail. Not terribly expensive either.
most important comment here, gene and his family are the best and to have a light that's easily serviceable in the field is a huge plus. I feel like he would dig a malkoff 3 speed, offers 20% off all the time and even then you buy once cry once cause you'll never have to replace that light again.
@@drewmcclitcock1403you aren’t lying about him and his family being awesome. He will give out his personal phone number to make sure people are getting proper support. Just an awesome human.
I remember joining the Malkoff Cult around the same time you started this channel. Still have the same MD2 with a newer M61. Nothing fancy, hi/low twist but she ALWAYS works. Keep a stash of cr123s near by for redundancy but my god is it reliable.
This made me want to go recharge my beloved ThruNite tc15 (bought based on your review! ) At least despite it's electronic button, it has a physical battery lockout, so presumably doesn't have the same trickle drainage.
I agree that simple is often better. That said, one of my go-to “larger” (it’s not very large compare to some lights), is the Olight Marauder Mini. The output is great, and it has the features of its larger brothers, but you can change the battery (assuming you bought a backup 32650 from Olight). It’s not a daily Cary, but it would be the one I’d grab first in an emergency. I’m also a fan of the modern lantern style flashlights available. If you have a few of them, you can light up your house well enough to see, and just leave them sitting wherever in a medium setting.
I agree that the simple gear is usually the best. Nick, based on your recommendation years ago, I picked up the EagleTac D3A, and love it. Simple AA battery, and the titanium version has a glow in the dark tale switch. If you buy a Enegizer Lithium Battery, you have back up power for 20 years. Perfection. If you are going to use a usb charging flashlight, you need a power bank that you keep fully charged at all times. (Having one is perfect since phones also have non replaceable batteries these days as well.) A power bank that runs off of alkaline/Lithium batteries would be ideal.
I've been using a thrunite t10-tv2 (cutlery lover titanium limited edition) and despite all of my flashlights this is still my go to because of the simplicity of a AA battery or a 14500. I've won a FW3A with the anduril UI and as much as I love it and find it really cool, theres too many features. With the thrunite theres only 4 levels, 2 of which 2 is already the quickest, the medium and high. Turbo is there if I want it and moonlight is too. But I press it and it turns on to medium. It works for me for everything.
Thanks for bringing this issue to light. There’s a lot to be said for simplicity. Less moving parts, the less there is to break. I have a couple rechargeable light’s but most of mine use regular old CR123A batteries that have a 10 year shelf life. They may not be the latest and greatest cool guy stuff but I can pick them up and have light when I need it the most.
Excellent review and logic! What was going through the minds of the designers of the flashlights that keep a constant load on the battery? Most folks use a flashlight when either power goes out or they are camping or outside where lights or external power are otherwise not available. I too, like the simple flashlights with rechargeable batteries.
I have a very small pocket sized Surefire that I carry daily. One switch, three brightness levels, mIcro USB port. Love it. On the other hand I went on vacation without remembering to charge it and it died the first day. I suspect that the battery is not replaceable too.
ZebraLight fits this "it just works" pretty well. Yes, X number of click can switch modes on some, but mostly they just work and don't self-drain. Combined with Eneloop batteries and battery self drain is also low enough that it can sit there a year and still work. While they are all Chinese made, I do like the dedication and honesty I've experienced.
@@rpeg6487I don't mind getting another light now and then because there is always some place in the house that can use a dedicated light. :) (mainly talking about the AA lights)
I love flashlights and own many and I discovered from the beginning that good User Interface (UI) is way more important than 10,000 lumens or fancy strobes that require an abacus to turn on. My most used flashlight is on the table there in the Nitecore Tip. It's on my keychain and use it most every day. It's simple to use and emits a reasonable amount of light in reasonable step levels. If you have to pick up a flashlight and try to remember how to turn it on then you need a better flashlight. My favorite flashlight ever is the Fenix E12 (original). It's small but comfortable to hold and just works like it should. Also keep in mind shining in a flashlight in someones face even at 50 lumens will cause them great discomfort in their eyeballs and probably be as effective as strobe mode on your 4,000 lumen space laser.
I came to this conclusion as well. Common battery types only. My preference is 2A, 3A, and CR123 though. Streamlight has great dual fuel options as well for emergency light.
I don't know if you're familiar with defcon knives, but I'd love to see your opinions and maybe a deep dive into their JK fulcrum. It uses the roundhouse lock that's on the truffle knife that's been making the rounds. I can't think of a knife for a better value at $200. M390 steel, milled titanium clip/hardware. best action I've ever personally experienced on a knife.
I've resisted the built in battery in as many things as I reasonably could. I've been using the same vape every day for like 9 years and have gone through like a dozen 18650s. If they were built in pouch cells like many of them transitioned to, I'd have had to probably rebuild them several times and the cells couldn't be used as flashlight backups.
Fascinating that you went with those over the O-light Warrior mini or Baton 3. The huge advantage to those over the ones you bought is that the clip goes both ways, so you can clip it in a pocket like yours or on the brim of a visor or ball cap for hands free operation. Both also have a magnetic base. My job requires that I spend a lot of time operating in the dark, and I would not buy a light that didn't have robust hands free capabilities.
Those in my use case never work out to be what I want them to me. I hate olights tail switch and metal shaving gets in there and the switches fails and can never get it to charge without fiddling with the thing. Then the 2 way pocket clip in my opinion is terrible. It gets snagged on my back pack when I take it off and bends it almost everytime. Also I'm not a fan of olights ui. The magnetic base is cool but I rather they used a standard battery that's usbc charging. Their claim to fame is the magnetic charging which I never cared for. The baton 3 is the only light in the lineup that is interesting if you have the case but then your lugging that around to. They just don't have enough battery life for me. It's great light to leave in the case and chuck into the glove box though.
@wednesdar452 I don't carry a baton 3 sized light. It's a good light that I gift alot but I don't carry one that small. Not enough capacity and run time for me. I like the baton 3 Promax or when it actually works the wm2 but the tail switch fails to much for me. Side button always works. I mostly end up carrying the arkfeld uv but that light frustrates me as it's almost great but has fundamental flaws.
@@orangerider2827 If you like a bit bigger, you should check out O-light baton pro (I know you're not an o-light guy, but this one is pretty sweet). Still can be carried on ball cap visor but has much more in battery/lumen dept.
Hey nick would love a review of the Linus Tech Tips Screwdriver and maybe also the Stubby version. They are also working on a precision screwdriver at the moment. Would love to hear your thoughts as I value your opinion on tools.
Sofirn IF30 is a nice alternative to the Olight Maurader Mini. It has 32650 battery that can be replaced. A 21700 or 18650 cell can be used with a spacer. The tailcap can be unscrewed slightly to avoid draining while off. Wuben X1 is a nice alternative to the Nitecore TM10K. It has two flat top 21700 cells. That said, you need a 1.5 hex driver to remove 4 screws. The two replacement 21700 cells need to be "matched". But the flashlight may also drain itself over time.
I keep flashlights stupid simple. All mine use AAA batteries. Petzl headlamp with 3 AAA. Pocket flashlights with a single AAA. That's it. One kind of battery. No recharging ports. Some have different modes, but no fussy interfaces. I need to be able to use them when It's dark and can't see it, only feel. I mainly use them for camping, but the same ones I keep handy in case of power outage. Complex flashlights are just toys.
this video is what finally made me buy an rrt-01 since im an 18650 guy. i love spacers and extenders. i like easy ui. especially in my job where there are language barriers. i went this way on the surefire e series light but i could totally see myself buying 5 more rrt-01 for personal use. its january 12 2024 and i got this light on the 10th. i love it and i also use and 18650 thats usb-c rechargable
My absolute favorite edc light was the e1e surefire. For some unknown reason they discontinued it and ebay has taken notice. For my popop i got him about 4 i5t olights, kept offering upgradea, but he swore by their simplicity and easy of battery swapping
Good to see and hear from you again. Could not agree with you more regarding Simplicity of operation and problems with Flashlight batteries. I've never been a fan of rechargeable stuff much rather keep a supply of fresh batteries on hand than have to try and recharge something when the power is out to begin with and it is therefore not rechargeable LOL. And who wants to carry around all the little chargers and USBs and try and keep track of which ones are fast charge slow charge Etc because now all the batteries seem to have special instructions about which kind of charge speed they can accommodate. It has been out of hand for years. And for God's sake if I had a dollar for every time I cussed out a flashlight because I couldn't figure out whether to push the button three times facing an East Wind on a Wednesday while holding a piece of yellow cheese in my left hand whenever it is a month with an r in it in order to get the light to do what I wanted... Cheers.
I'm curious why that one stood out to you so much, because the simple click on/off interface with a user replaceable cell battery is the bulk of what Olight, Thrunite, Sofirn, etc offer. Why is Jet Beam your favorite?
I love streamlights st8nger Platform since I can leave them in a charging cradle turned on and the light will turn off until the power goes out then the light comes on. I also love my Acebeam pokelit AA and streamlight stylus pro for edc due to their relative simplicity.
Don't know if you'll read this but Jetbeam has the RRT2 Raptor which is a 21700 battery version of the RTT01 Raptor. Would love to see a review of that. Since you love this guy, a version with better output and runtimes makes sense. Plus as of writing this (3-18-24) it's 105 bucks which is cheaper than getting the RRT01, the extension tube and an 18650.
I have been slightly gadget crazy with torches. With various LED-Lenser units using AA or AAA bat's. Then I got both 18650 & 26650 rechargeable torches + various head torches & work lamps. But I agree entirely - user serviceable easy to fix, use & charge is much more important than raw power. I keep a light head torch + a hand held torch in my backpack. Then various others doted around the house or workshop, anything reliable and simple to pick up when needed.
Yep, totally agree,, if you have flashlights from different manufacturer's, you have to remember how to turn them on and off,,, long press /double press /triple press for turbo,, etc, etc, etc,, I too have just bought a simple flashlight, which takes a triple A, and you click to turn on, and click to turn off, and I'm a happy bunny, 👍🐰
Nick my man if you're just figuring this out now then I think you've got much more reliable power than you're letting on LOL You also definitely don't have dogs... I know O Light are not the best but I have three each of two different models because they share batteries and chargers. One of the little Batons is in my pocket always, bigger ones by the doors to outside. Always one of each on the charger since they seem to have smart batteries. Also those slide-open cheapo AA powered lanterns are perfect to have scattered around the house and come in 4 packs for under $20. My neighborhood is wooded and forest adjacent and we lose power about once a month for 2-6 hours and sometimes days (once 8 days after tropical storm Irene). Absolutely agree with redundancy with this kind of gear.
I'm of the same mind as Nick, except with Eagtac lights. They make a bunch of different lights with the same UI- it's a mechanical clicky switch, and you can select hi, med, low by completely tightening the head for hi, barely loosening it for med, and a little looser for low. Since the very simple UI is the same, I've got to enjoy various Eagtac models that are optimized for throw or flood, big or small etc, but I always can make them work in the dark. It's good to have one less thing to think about when you actually need the light. And by the way, has anyone ever actually needed a strobe light?
The Coast A5 fits 100% of my needs. Simple, reliable, extremely easy to use, durable, cheap, and runs off of rechargeable or standard AAAs. Super bummed its out of production
I was watching a show about a guy clearing out his grandparents' house after they passed. He found an antique hurricane lantern in the attic that must have been there for 50+ years. To his surprise, it still had some oil in it and fired right up... long story short; I now own a hurricane lantern for much the same reason as this video.
Analog switch that disconnects the battery is an absolute must have. I have to keep the housing cap partially unscrewed on my stupid Fenix light or it will drain the battery and not work. So l have to screw the cap a quarter turn every time I use it and remember to unscrew it before I put it away.
Wholeheartedly agree. I have a few torches, and I'm sick of trying to remember how to turn them on. Click once? Double click? Long press? Why's the bloody thing no brighter than a candle on a cake? How do I change it? etc etc.
There is nothing worse than having the power go out and not have a way to light up your place. I use the annual Great California Shakeout to change/recharge all of my battery powered lights (vehicle flashlights and road flashers, home flashlights, etc). I have a friend who is even more proactive and changes/recharges everything when we switch times, twice a year. My last battery preparedness activity is to buy one mega multi-pack of alkaline AA and AAA batteries at the beginning of each year. They have shelf lives of 10 years (supposedly) and can be used with all my flashlights (with adapters, if need be).
The simplicity of use is the reason why i mainly use and carry my Okluma DC0. Push button to turn on. 3 Modes that can be switched by just clicking the button quickly. No display, no lockout mode, no complicated morse code UI, no nothing. It just works and runs on batteries that are readily available and rechargeable.
The way I see it, if you’re gonna get a crazy complex flashlight, you’ll need to carry it everyday so that the UI becomes second nature to you. There are plenty of flashlights out there that are simple yet boasting in power and other features like the olight seeker series. Also, non replaceable batteries is a huge deal breaker for me. I really wanted to get the olight marauder 2 but that non replaceable battery prevented me from doing so and it was pretty much the only downside to that flashlight.
I have a few flashlights of various "fancyness" and I always end up sticking with the sinplist ones. I have one that has a fancy emiter and you can do all sorts of programming and bla bla, and I just can't ever get it to be "perfect" and still be easy to actually use. I am also stupid 🤷 but I got a handheld Cloud Defensive with a rifle light purchase, and this thing has everything I want, it's simple, it's got a good rechargable battery, it's powerful, only has 2 modes, hight and low, and it's an absolute tank in durability.
Better is the enemy of good. I have the same Thrunite that you displayed which I Iike. However, turning it on in the dark can be a challenge. I also wonder why the majority of these lites are black which seems counter intuitive. I was going to check if you had a review of the Jet Beam but then realized the fact that you bought a half dozen of them should be good enough for me.🇨🇦💡🔦
3 months after this video posted-I can’t find this model anywhere online for sale. The new multicolor version is now being promoted-and I don’t know that I need all that. Anyone got a solid line on how/where I can find this model? Thanks in advance if anyone knows! 🙏
Oddly, this type of thought process is why I don't like the cheap Casio watches. I'm forever trying to remember which button is the light, which I press to change mode, how can I stop the stopwatch, etc. A simple mechanical, or quartz three hander, is just better for me. I did get a chuckle out of the "I like them, so I bought 3 more" theory of acquisition, though. I think like that too. :)
And try reading the instructions! They are printed in such tiny type that even with my progressive trifocal glasses I have to use my phone to magnify them, and then lose track of where I was on the sheet of paper with 1,000 folds to find the next step. I just get the watch shop guy to reset them when I get new batteries and use them as long as the batteries hold up, then leave them in the drawer till I have 2 or 3 that need new batteries, calling for a trip to the shop. Not buying any more.
The point you are making has been in my thoughts about cars that run on a whole network of computers and gadgetry. How easy is that going to be to fix as the years pass and a vehicle gets older? How will one easily operate one in 40 years? Surely there will be auto enthusiast shops that will tinker on these things, but you can't fix it or depend on it yourself out in the wild. I wonder what happens if the grid goes out for an extended period or we have some tough times. We'll need the simplest, most reliable, overbuilt sturdy tools. The gadgets will be a nightmare.
I agree, the only thing I expect from a flashlight is reliability, I'm an electrician and spend a lot of time outside, 1 fenix uc30,a macrostream, macrostream, and a nightcore tip
Simplicity is the best. I own most of my lights are replaceable batteries, even if they are rechargeable, some of my most simple lights that I use all the time our Duracell Came in a three pack keep one in the car, one by my bed, etc. one in my truck at work
Streamlight protac is my edc and emergency light. Multiple power sources aa, cr123, and others in a pinch. Then tried a and true 3D Maglight all of these with rechargeable batteries and disposable for just in case (I live in Florida). I try to avoid anything with a built in battery when posible, even my wife’s wine opener uses rechargeable AA batteries. Anything with a built in battery is made to fail in a couple of years. Ok for a phone since tech moves quick, other items not so much.
Several years ago I purchased a Streamlight Microstream USB. Fine light, dead simple to use, and plenty of spare parts available from the tail cap switch to the clip to the battery. Since then I’ve looked for brighter lights with Type-C charging, or ones with more features and settings. Every time I try, I’m always back to having the Microstream USB, with its inferior micro-USB port, clipped to my pocket. If I need light, click. Light. No fiddling with switches and settings. Just click. Let there be light.
My Maglite just turns on and off. And could also be effective at providing confidence in some situations as it is powered by multiple heavy batteries. Tough to tuck into a pocket for EDC.
Yep! Simple is best. My worplace built a new building 5 years ago. A few rooms have dimmer light switches that send signals to a computer in the ceiling, which sends a signal to the light fixture. The wall buttons are not intuitive (the big button is not the on-off control), and some weeks they decide they just won’t behave as designed, refusing to get brighter. Can't replace them because that would be a several thousand dollar change order. It’s a damn light switch!!!! We’ve been designing reliable ones for over 100 years! But someone went too far.
I couldn't help but be reminded of that Kids in the Hall skit where the guy buys seven plungers. Also, it's been far too long since we hear Nick say '10,000 LUMENS!' Non serviceable batteries are a no-go... and for me, even replaceable but less common batteries are less than ideal. I'm happiest when something accepts rechargeable AA or AAA's that I can potentially use in other gadgets if need be.
Voltage drain in flashlights is a real bummer. It's nice to have an LED-lit button, but I end up storing the battery outside the encasement, which is not ideal for quick access.
Something I've come to look in a flashlight, it needs a replaceable battery, if it does not I won't buy it. Have passed on many flashlights I absolute love the look of, formfactor, features and so on due to the simple reason that it does not have a replaceable battery.
I own two stupidly cheap Superfires that are rechargeable. They are backed up by older lights that will run on AAA/AA/Cs and Ds. I always have disposable batteries in the house I case the rechargeables run out. One of my favourite lights must be 15 years old. It's a pre-amazon buyout Ring Cybalite that runs on two AAs and has an old luxeon rebel chip in it. Its got one mode. On/Of on a clicker tail switch. It has never failed and it will run on anything from a crappy zinc carbons putting out a single volt up to lithiums. Not the brightest light but it's never failed me. 14:09
My stream light protac USB rechargeable goes with me everywhere everyday . I charge it once a week and will probably have to replace the cell sometime this year. You need simple tools when conditions are against you.
At this point, if it has more than 5 settings I'm out. I use a 3 setting Acebeam penlight every night for dog walking, and that light works for almost any task I do outside of hiking/camping.
Built in potential obsolescence as a pay off for perceived technological advances that are retrograde in an emergency. Good point Im sticking with my 18650 tubes to.
I refuse to use rechargeable stuff because you never get a charger with it. Streamlight 1L-1AA works perfect for me,and it has a proper reflector so you get directed light instead of just flood.
