Mini flashlight recommendations?

matthew.Contributor - November 8, 2020

AdviceGear

Hello!  Has anyone found a mini flashlight that they love?  By “mini flashlight” I mean a flashlight about the size of your index finger.  A single AA battery type, or rechargeable, but something that could easily fit in a pocket. 

Thanks!

16  

What a crazy coincidence: that exact model of flashlight (Olight S1R Baton II) saved my bacon just a few nights ago, big time. I almost got run over!

Story time: I was walking one of the dogs after dinner and was halfway across the intersection when a white Charger rolled through the stop sign on the other side and came right at us. I yelled and tried to jump out of the way but it kept going until I remembered at the last moment to swing up the flashlight, blinding the driver right in her eyes and making finally her screech to a stop.

I’d be having a very different week if I didn’t always keep this little thing on a wrist leash at night…

Some pics: here’s a shot to show how small it is in my hand.

Mine’s orange, my favorite color 🙂 and I’ve noticed that Olight tends to rotate through different special edition colors for a lot of their models.

One thing I like about this model is that it comes with an optional wrist leash, which I like a lot because I’ve usually got at least one hand busy with a dog leash or poop bags or what have you.

Here it is in “loose mode” like when I’m just popping out for a minute. You can cinch it down nice and tight and let go of the flashlight altogether if you’re running around somewhere, like when I take my dogs to the beach or on a trail.

Another thing I like is the dead simple charging aspect. No batteries to swap out, no micro-usb outlet hidden under a port that has to be unscrewed… just a nice fancy modern magnetic cap that clamps right on instantly. It’s fancy in that dead simple kind of way, like the charger for an Apple Watch or the MagSafe chargers on old Macs.

Here it is charging by my work desk, just sitting on the ground. I’ve got another one right by the front door by our dog stuff, always charged and ready to go.

This is probably more than most people would ever want to know about a flashlight 🤣 but I’m a big fan of this thing and can see why it’s their best-selling model. It’s tiny, waterproof, built like a tank, and has become a constant companion.

 

I’ve been happy with my streamlight  protac1L-1AA  , hopefully hopefully links are ok .

It will use cr123a or aa battery , so you have options. Also has a beveled edge that could be used in a defensive situation . I think its made in the U.S. I gave out  these as xmas presents last year. surefire sidekicks , made in the U.S.  

 

I second this! I have been using these flashlights forever and they are bomb proof. I have clipped them to my hats, mounted them on to my firearms, and even stuck them on my helmets. The new dual-fuel Protac that accept CR123s and AA batteries is hard to beat. 

 

I’ve been a huge fan of Olight flashlights. Around black friday they always do a great sale, so if you can hold out till then, that might be a good time to pick one up. 

The S1R Baton II  is super small and can get up to 1,000 lumens. It has various brightness levels though too. Free shipping and 5 year warranty. I’ve been happy with Olight.

 

What a crazy coincidence: that exact model of flashlight (Olight S1R Baton II) saved my bacon just a few nights ago, big time. I almost got run over!

Story time: I was walking one of the dogs after dinner and was halfway across the intersection when a white Charger rolled through the stop sign on the other side and came right at us. I yelled and tried to jump out of the way but it kept going until I remembered at the last moment to swing up the flashlight, blinding the driver right in her eyes and making finally her screech to a stop.

I’d be having a very different week if I didn’t always keep this little thing on a wrist leash at night…

Some pics: here’s a shot to show how small it is in my hand.

Mine’s orange, my favorite color 🙂 and I’ve noticed that Olight tends to rotate through different special edition colors for a lot of their models.

One thing I like about this model is that it comes with an optional wrist leash, which I like a lot because I’ve usually got at least one hand busy with a dog leash or poop bags or what have you.

Here it is in “loose mode” like when I’m just popping out for a minute. You can cinch it down nice and tight and let go of the flashlight altogether if you’re running around somewhere, like when I take my dogs to the beach or on a trail.

Another thing I like is the dead simple charging aspect. No batteries to swap out, no micro-usb outlet hidden under a port that has to be unscrewed… just a nice fancy modern magnetic cap that clamps right on instantly. It’s fancy in that dead simple kind of way, like the charger for an Apple Watch or the MagSafe chargers on old Macs.

Here it is charging by my work desk, just sitting on the ground. I’ve got another one right by the front door by our dog stuff, always charged and ready to go.

This is probably more than most people would ever want to know about a flashlight 🤣 but I’m a big fan of this thing and can see why it’s their best-selling model. It’s tiny, waterproof, built like a tank, and has become a constant companion.

 

I use the same flashlight for my morning runs when it is dark.  I am a big fan!

 

Thanks Gideon, it does indeed look like another great Black Friday sale in just a few days!

 

less a recommendation, more a warning – I bought these a while back and am less than thrilled.  

Kootek 5 Pack Super Mini Flashlights LED Waterproof

They claim to be waterproof (haven’t tested) and seemed like a good value.  That said, they aren’t particularly bright, the cycle between on/off/rapid blinking which I find annoying.  Battery life with a single AA was not very impressive for at least one (I had to replace fairly quickly with minimal use)

Something else to keep in mind with LED flashlights… when the battery goes – it doesn’t usually ‘dim’ but just stops working.  Sometimes it might flicker (which makes an “blinking mode” more frustrating) but depending on the activation switch that could also be a sign of a bad contact/corrosion.  It’s not intuitive to replace the battery because there is rarely a ‘warning’ period – it just works one moment and then stops the next.  This can be tru of higher quality LED flashlights too, so mostly something to keep in mind: first troubleshooting step is always replace the battery.

 

Thank you for sharing. This is a great example of don’t always trust the Amazon reviews. Because it has 4.5/5 stars on Amazon with over 1100 reviews. Most people would think they are fantastic.

 

Fenix HL 10.   Can be used as a headlamp or a keychain light.  Takes one AAAbattery.

 

I’ve just gotten few mini Olight flashlights. I haven’t field-tested them extensively yet, but I’m impressed so far at how bright they are.

Perun Mini (this looks similar to the one @Gideon posted). This is the one I like the most: super compact, and it shines from the side, as opposed from the tip. Meaning that you can clip it to your jacket and it will shine straight on. It also comes with a velcro patch that you can attach to a body armor etc. It also charges via USB (magnetic – proprietary charger). 1,000 lumen output and 100 meter throw.

i5TEos: 300-lumen output and a 60-meter beam distance. Takes one AA battery.

Warrior Mini: This is their ‘tactical’ option among the small lights. 1,500 lumen and 6 brightness settings. Takes a rechargeable 18650 battery.

 

 

Thank you so much everyone, this is very helpful!

 

I’m very happy with a Maglite Solitaire ($10). It’s just a small, basic flashlight about the size of your index finger. One AAA lithium battery has lasted me 2 years so far. It’s bright enough to light the sidewalk at night or poke around under the car hood. It’s definitely easy to carry in a pocket, and I have it attached to the clip on my pocketknife:

 

I love that style of Gerber knife! I love the open frame, it prevents lint buildup and looks cool. The Gerber Paraframe II I believe it was called, was my EDC for most of high school and college. Gerber has a great lifetime warranty on those knives, I’ve sent mine in twice and got brand new ones with no hassle. 

What is that rod inbetween the flashlight and knife? It doesn’t look like a ferro rod.

 

Yes, I’m a fan of that little knife. For me, it’s a good combination of being light weight, pocket-sized, easy to use and stays reasonably sharp.

The little rod is actually a 3″ measuring stick. It has grooves every 1/8″ and markings every 1/2″ making it much more accurate than my thumb.

I used to work on a lot of machinery, often in high or tight spaces. The rod was very handy for measuring things like screw/bolt lengths & head sizes, depths of drill holes and clearances between parts. But it’s equally useful for handyman stuff around the house too.

This little trio makes up my EDC and invariably I use at least one of those things every day.

 

That is so cool! I want to get one now. 

 

IIRC, it’s the “Inchworm” from TEC Accessories. There’s a metric version as well.