Pelican MityLite 1960 LED

I am by no means a portable illumination connoisseur, but I seem to go through a flashlight about once every year. Either borrowed and never returned, lost, or broken, I never seem to have a flashlight handy when I need one. I'm not one for expensive name brand flashlights either, so you won't find any SureFire torches in my toolbox. That said, I always try to keep a handheld flashlight in my vehicle. Two is even better, with one being brighter than the other. The reason for this is if I'm ever broke down with a dead battery, especially at night, a flashlight is the most important tool to have. If you ain't got it, you're gonna be hurting. Even if I'm just digging around for something in the cab, under the seats, or helping someone under the hood... a light in your hand is your best friend.

The light I keep in my glovebox is the Pelican MityLite 1960 LED. I got this mini pocket light as a stocking stuffer for Christmas a couple years ago. Like the cases Pelican is better known for, this flashlight is watertight and dustproof.

With a runtime of only 3 hours on 2 AAA batteries, this flashlight is really better kept as a emergency light in the glovebox of your vehicle or in your pocket for casual illumination, NOT as an EDC carry flashlight. There are shorter, longer lasting lights with higher lumens that are better suited for checking out what's going bump in the night. However this lights underpowered lens helps in keeping you from blinding yourself when looking for your keys or that missing charger. It's rugged ABS body will take a beating like you'd expect from a Pelican product, so this makes a decent light in a pinch.

Firearms Insider Reviews – 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame: An evolution of the popular MityLite 1900, the 1960 LED brings the latest in LED technology, built compact and lightweight to fit inside your pocket yet bright enough to illuminate with 24 lumens.

Target Market:  Everybody and their mothers

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

• ABS resin body resists chemicals, corrosion and extreme temperatures
• 24 Lumens LED
• 2 AAA Alkaline (Included)
• Runtime 3 hr
• Tough xenoy pocket clip and trademark faceted body
• Clear Polycarbonate lens
• Rotary Switch Operation
• On/Off mode only
• Phosphore Bronze contact, spring & retainer
• O-ring for waterproof / submersible to 1 meter for 30 minutes
• Pelican Limited Lifetime Guarantee of Excellence

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?: Black, Yellow

What others are saying?: None Found

Price point:

• Retail: $23.92 Amazon

I need it now! Availability: Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

• Small enough for EDC or enclosed space illumination (vehicle cab, engine compartment, etc.)
• Faceted body so won't roll on level surfaces
• Dustproof, Waterproof, and submersible
• The light can be activated with the shroud removed, improvised morse code signal

Cons:

• Low Runtime of 3 hours for AAA powered LED

Score: 7.5 Good

Featured FFL:

For FFL services I choose Promised Land Firearms in Toulon, IL.

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Maratac AAx2 Tactical LED Flashlight Review

The Maratac AAx2 LED Flashlight is a compact, powerful flashlight, powered by two AA batteries. The body is aluminum and is 7/8” wide. The tailcap is “Zombie” green, for no apparent reason. It activates by pressing it until it clicks. This means that there is no momentary-on. There are three brightness modes available: High – 620 lumens, Med – 110 lumens, and Low – 5 lumens. There is also a secondary set of modes when you loosen the head by ¼ turn. They are: Strobe, Fast Beacon(flash every 1 second), and Slow Strobe(flash every 3 seconds). To switch between modes, you simply “soft” tap(tap without fully depressing) the button, or quickly click it off, then back on again. There are raised fins around the activation button that shrouds the button from accidental activation. Personally, I believe it makes the button awkward to press. They get in the way, if you don’t position the light correctly in your hand. The crown of the light is crenulated, similar to a lot of other tactical lights, but it is not very pronounced, so I don’t think it would really do much damage if used defensively.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame: Compact and bright LED light

Target Market: Anyone that needs a light

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

• Bright
• Compact
• Many modes
• AA batteries
• Cree XP-G2 LED
• 620 Lumens (advertised)
• Mode Memory
• Military Grade Anodized

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?: TheMaratac AAx2 Tactical LED Flashlight is only available in black.

What others are saying?: I couldn’t actually find any reviews for this particular model light.

Price Point:

• MSRP = $44.95

I need it now! Availability: You can purchase this light from County Comm.

Our Rating:

+-Bright +-Multi-mode +-Mode Memory +-Reversible clip

--Awkward button --No momentary on

Score 7.5

Maratac AAA LED Flashlight with Diffuser Review

The Maratac AAA Led Flashlight with diffuser is a pretty minuscule little power-house of a light. With an advertised brightness, in Hi mode, of 138 lumens, this is a dazzling little pocket light. The body is all aircraft aluminum that has been anodized for protection. The reflector is orange-peel textured, to provide a smooth, even beam. The reflector is made from an aluminum alloy. The light is powered from a single AAA battery and is reverse-polarity protected. The clip is very sturdy and is reversible to either end of the light. You could carry it with the clip toward the back, which would place the head facing down, if clipped to at pocket. Or, you could place the clip toward the head, which would be useful for clipping it to the bill of a hat, and giving you a makeshift head-light. There is also a very low-profile lanyard ring, for attaching it to a key ring or cord.

There are three brightness modes: hi, medium, and low. To power on the light, you simply tighten the head. This turns the light to its default level of Medium(advertised 40 lumens). To cycle through the power levels, just loosen and retighten the head. When the light is turned off for over three seconds, it will revert to its default brightness.

In the package, there are extra O-rings and a glow diffuser. The glow diffuser slips onto the end of the light and spreads the beam, like a lantern. This is very useful for lighting the inside of a tent while camping or for playing card games when the power is out. When you turn the light off, the diffuser will glow in the dark for a few hours. The glow is bright enough to navigate in pitch black and also save your night-vision, as long as you charge it while its under a cover, so you don’t temporarily blind yourself. It is made of a flexible material, which makes me worry that it will eventually stretch out and not stay snug on the head.

All-in-all, this is a great little light for carrying in a pocket. I would recommend it to anyone that wants a small, but incredibly functional, utility light.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame: Tiny, but amazingly bright

Target Market: Anyone that needs a small light

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

• Small
• Bright
• Twist User Interface
• Diffuser included
• Strong and reversible clip
• Lanyard loop
• AAA Battery powered
• 3 brightness modes
• Diffuser glows in the dark

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?: These lights are available in black, stainless,  polished stainless, and copper, though I think all but the black version are a previous generation, so they may lose some brightness and features.

What others are saying?: “So, after 6 months of using this thing clipped to my left pocket every day, even through power outages at work, I can say it's pretty awesome.” - Vicarious_Lee, ZombieSquad

Price Point:

• MSRP = $28.75

I need it now! Availability: You can purchase this light from County Comm, but their website says that they are out of stock until July.

Our Rating:

+-Tiny +-Bright +-Reversible clip

--Twist U/I (not my preference)

Score 8.5 

Maglite XL200 LED Flashlight Review

I bought this light as my first carry light. I immediately loved it. My plan was to carry it in my back pocket, where I could easily reach it. The next day, while at work, I took it out of my pocket and it never went back in. It was a little too bulky for daily carry, but that’s not to say that it’s a bad light. It is very bright with an advertised lumen output of 172. The reflector is deep, which allows the light to throw the beam very far. I would say that the beam is usable to at least 75 yards. The user-interface is unique, though a bit odd. There is a single button on the rear of the light. To activate it, you press the button once, and it’s on. If you hold the button down, while also twisting the light in your hand, it will dim or brighten the beam(depending on which way you twist it) through the use of an accelerometer. To switch to other modes, you have to quickly tap the rear button differing amounts of times. Once for on, twice for strobe, three times for sleep(more on that in a second), four for signal mode, and five for SOS. The strobe have variable speeds activated the same way you dim/brighten the light. The sleep mode is a mode that leaves the light on your selected level until you set it down. Once it is still for a few seconds, the beam will dim to its lowest level. This could be used as a night light and locating the light in the dark. As soon as you pick it up, the beam goes back to your selected level. The SOS mode sets it to blink in the universal SOS pattern(3 long beams, 3 short beams, 3 long beams). The run-time is not great on high. I have never officially timed it, but it just seems to always die or be dim. Another negative would be that the light is completely round, so it doesn’t have anything to keep it from rolling off of a table. You can buy the Mini Maglite Accessory Pack and use the slip-on anti-roll head. This will also give you color filters, if you want. In the end, I would not recommend this light for carry, but as a relatively inexpensive, feature-packed light for all other occasions, I would recommend it.

 Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame: Compact flashlight that offers five basic, easy-to-use functions and stunning brightness.

Target Market: Sporting goods and general use

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product)

Key Features

• Compact
• Bright
• Multiple modes
• Motion-controlled power level
• 3 AAA batteries

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available? This light is available in black, red, gray, and blue.

What others are saying? “Leading the Maglite product line both in terms of function and performance, the XL200 is a great multi-purpose performance flashlight.” - Robin Wang, LED Resource

Price Point:

• MSRP = $44.95
• Retail = $37.85

 I need it now! Availability: The Maglite XL200 LED Flashlight is available from Amazon.

 Our Rating: + Bright + Far reach + Somewhat inexpensive + Multiple modes

- Low Run-time - Strange user-interface - Rolls too easily - Somewhat bulky

Score: 6.5

FourSevens Maelstrom Regen MMR-X

The FourSevens MMR-X is another light in the family of quality products available from FourSevens. This platform is one of their larger offerings (though still pretty small for its level of light output) and is unique in the fact that it is rechargeable through a micro-USB cable. This would be an excellent duty-gear, truck, or nightstand light for nearly any consumer.

The MMR-X offers the ability to program the light from a series of 5 different options, including varying combinations of moonlight, low, high, max, strobe, beacon, and SOS. I found configuration 2 to fit my everyday needs best, allowing me to cycle between max and low depending on what I needed it for.

The MMR-X is powered by a proprietary 18650 lithium ion rechargeable battery; a non-FourSevens 18650 battery can be used, however certain features of the light are lost. At a replacement cost of $15 from FourSevens, there should be no need to use any other branded battery. For a multiuse rechargeable battery, I applaud FourSevens for not charging a ridiculous amount of money for a replacement. On max output the battery is listed to last 2 hours, although in testing I found it to last closer to 2.5 hours before seeing a significant reduction in brightness. From a full discharge, it took between 4-5 hours to recharge the flashlight to full capacity. A sealed micro-USB input is contained where the head meets the body and a small red or green light informs you of where your battery is at in the recharging process.

The light itself has a very nice fit and finish and has a nice aggressively scalloped bezel that can be used as an improvised striking tool if things got nasty; it would definitely leave a mark. For those who don’t want such an aggressive bezel, you are in luck because it also comes with a smooth bezel which easily screws on. In “burst” mode, the MMR-X powers out 800 lumens of light which is reduced to 400 lumens after 1 minute of continuous run time. In FourSevens fashion, the light comes with a few spare o-rings, a lanyard, and an alternate tail cap clicky and boot so the user can choose from a long click or a short click. Their 10 year no-hassle warranty also allows owners to rest assured they won’t need to spend any more of their hard-earned money on a replacement should anything go wrong.

The MMR-X is advertised to survive a 1 meter (3.2ft) drop which I feel is a little low. Under testing, the light survived a 3 meter (10ft.) fall on concrete. The light also survived an even larger fall at 6 meters (20ft.), but the battery did not. I can’t fault the battery for breaking at 20ft. because it is only advertised to 3ft., but I’d like to see more impact resistance in the future. It is certainly rugged enough for everyday use but having an extra 18650 battery around wouldn’t be a bad idea. The light performed well in water submersion tests, meaning that puddle and shallow lake drops won’t hurt this beast. It also operated properly after being subjected to freezing temperatures for 24 hours.

Overall this is an excellent light with various uses and the convenience of being rechargeable via any USB port. Replacement batteries, although proprietary (to use all functions of the light), are reasonably priced as well. In the future I’d like to see some ultra-impact survival lights from FourSevens, focused on the market of users who need a light to work no matter what they do to it. If FourSevens offered a fully potted model with some of their best features from their most popular flashlights, they would posture themselves to crush their competitors with functionality, reliability, and toughness.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame: An extremely bright, user configurable, rechargeable light.

Target Market: Anyone who enjoys being able to see things in the dark.

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

• Rechargeable 18650 lithium ion battery.
• 800 max lumens and 1 low lumen (moonlight).
• User programmable configuration of light options with the tail cap.

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available? You can get any color, as long as it is black.

What others are saying? “There is nothing more capable or flexible on the market.  It is also a superior value, both because of the price and because of the rechargeable battery that is included.” –Everydaycommentary.com

Price point:

• MSRP = $100
• Retail = $83 plus free shipping at etoolscity.com

I need it now! Availability: In-stock and available through the manufacturer and multiple online retailers.

Our Rating:

+ Extremely bright emitter with great throw. + Micro-USB recharging feature is excellent. + User programmable format allows for customization. + Reasonably priced replacement batteries. + 10 year no-hassle warranty.

- Keep the manual so you can remember how to program the light. - Pocket clip would be an excellent option, especially to clip onto/into a bag or backpack. - Assembled in China with components from USA, China, and Malaysia.

Score 8.0 (Great)

Steve’s links: Firearmsradio.tv

FourSevens Atom AL

The FourSevens Atom AL is an ultra-compact every day carry (EDC) LED light with useful features and great value.  FourSevens is known for their ingenuity and quality products and the Atom AL is no different.  This light fits in the palm of your hand and is great for pocket, truck, or desk carry.

The Atom AL is advertised to run on CR123A batteries with 110 max lumens and 6 low lumens.  On low setting it can run for 40 hours and also runs for 3.5 hours on max.  It is also submersible down to 3 meters and can withstand an impact resistance of 1 meter for you clumsy types.  During a submersion test, the Atom AL continued to run with no issues when placed in a vat of water to simulate puddle or shallow lake water drops.  The light continued to run during the entire 30 minutes it was submersed for, and even heated the water for those of you who like to sip on warm water.  The light passed the 1 meter concrete drop test with no issues, and as a test of its limits it continued to work after a 6 meter (20ft) concrete drop test as well.  Its compact size and stout construction makes it like a bulldog of ultra-compact lights.  The manufacturer specifications don’t mention anything about operating temperatures, but 24 hours in a freezer didn’t stop this bulldog from shining like it would in normal temperatures.

The light is considered a “mule” meaning it has no mirrored reflector, resulting in a flood-like shallow and wide throw of light.  The area around the LED normally reserved for a reflector is coated with a glow in the dark substance, which is a unique feature allowing for quick locating if dropped or lost in the dark shortly after a recent use.  The beam has no “hot spot” and is useful in short and medium range distances.  The light has a low setting (6 lumens) and a high setting (110 lumens) accessible by twisting the light in one of two stages.  This simple user interface makes it easy to access either setting; this is a welcome change to some of FourSevens’ other more complex and sometimes confusing user interfaces.

The exterior is slightly “grippy” which allows for sweaty or cold hands to firmly grasp the light when twisting it on.  As a side note, out of the box the light was a little hard to twist with one-handed operation.  After cleaning the threads between the upper and lower portions of the light, it became much easier to operate.  The base of the light also contains a magnet allowing it to be affixed to any ferrous surface.  This magnet really comes into play during pocket carry because your car keys will stick to it, so just make sure you carry them in opposite pockets to avoid the hassle.  The magnet becomes the biggest benefit when the light is used in conjunction with the optional 360 degree headlamp kit available from FourSevens for only $15.  I tested this feature out as well and it makes for an excellent combination.  While wearing the headlamp and light combo kit might qualify you for the household geek of the year award, the convenience of the units together make the headlamp kit a must-have option.

The light comes from the factory with spare O-rings and a handy lanyard, which I think are nice touches.  Some people don’t like lights requiring more expensive CR123A batteries; these people are in luck because FourSevens also makes versions of this same light which handle AA, AAA, and CR2 batteries.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame: An ultra-compact rugged everyday carry LED light that is barely bigger than the battery it contains.

Target Market: Anyone who enjoys being able to see things in the dark.

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

• CR123A battery.
• 110 max lumens and 6 low lumens.
• Simple two stage user interface.
• Optional inexpensive headlamp kit available.

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?:  Matte Stainless Steel.

What others are saying?:   “The Atom AL is a remarkably tiny CR123A light.” – User “selfbuilt” on candlepowerforums.com provides a highly detailed technical review of the Atom AL.

Price point:

• MSRP = $40
• Retail = $35 at Amazon.com

I need it now! Availability: In-stock and available through the manufacturer and multiple online retailers.

Our Rating:

+ Extremely compact and rugged design. + Works well with optional inexpensive headlamp kit. + Simple user interface to access both low and high settings. + Extra O-rings and lanyard were a nice touch.

- Magnet in base has a tendency to stick to keys while utilizing pocket carry. - Lack of a reflector can make the light a little too “floody” for some users. - Assembled in China with components from USA, China, and Malaysia.

Score: 8.5

Steve’s links: Firearmsradio.tv

FourSevens Preon 2 Review

The FourSevens Preon 2 is a great everyday carry light. Powered by 2 AAA batteries, it is very slim and easy to carry in the pocket. It is about the size of a standard size Sharpie marker.

The advertised output is 160 Lumens. It has a very shallow reflector, so it does not project the beam very far, but the light is still usable for seeing movement out to about 50+ yards. The light has 3 output levels and 4 Special modes. The modes are Low(2.2 lumens), Medium(22 lumens), High (160 lumens), Strobe, SOS, Beacon Hi and Beacon Lo. The light turns on in low mode and to access other modes, you can either “soft” tap the tailcap switch, or turn it off and back on within a second. Once you cycle through Low-Med-High twice in quick succession, you will start to cycle through the special modes. The light has a beautiful anodizing that feels almost like velvet to the touch. It holds up very well, except around the hard edges, like the bezel. The tailcap activation switch is very positive and easy to actuate, but it’s almost TOO easy. If you carry this light in your pocket, rather than clipped inside of your pocket, you are sure to activate. One way around this is to purchase a flat tailcap from FourSevens. It is the tailcap that comes standard on their single battery version. With the flat tailcap installed, you must twist the bezel to activate the light. Another way is just to unscrew the bezel. It will work just like having the flat tailcap, except you will have to make sure the clicky switch is on at the same time. The lights are a little pricey, for their size, but very much worth it, in my opinion.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame: Ultracompact and incredibly bright!

Target Market: Anyone who needs to carry a flashlight with them, which, in my opinion is EVERYONE!

FNBs: (Features & Benefits of this product)

Key Features

• Slim, sleek design
• Simple interface
• Bright

Key Benefits

• “Always there” compactness
• Runs on AAA batteries

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

There are many colored anodizing options available including black, red, blue, gold and satin titanium/black 2-tone.

What others are saying?

“For its excellent ergonomics, longer burn times, and attention getting brightness level, I prefer the Preon 2.”  - nutnfancy

Price point

• MSRP = $50.00
• Retail = $40.83

I need it now! Availability

Readily available from many retailers, including Amazon.

Our Rating

+ Compact + Bright + Simple interface + Many finish colors

- Possible inadvertent activation - Pricey to some (worth it to me!)

Score: 9