Modern EDC Flashlights

[Drop bear]

You can't write with those.

Those sort exist but the ones you can write with are generally too painful to carry. Because for them to work they need tiny batteries and tiny ink cartridges.

And so you are constantly farting around either replacing one or the other.

But you get two sorts. One with a little torch on the back of the pen and one with an even littler torch on the front

A quick look. Olite do one. Which is at least a reputable brand.

 

[Guy McVer]

Yeah I know about the one from olite but it doesn't use a AAA battery.

Once again, the criteria I am looking for are

1. pen shaped form factor

2. pocket clip

3. it can write

4. it uses a single AAA battery

So far I only found one flashlight that meets all of those criterea, but it's of questionable origin.

 

[Drop bear]

Yeah I know about the one from olite but it doesn't use a AAA battery.

Once again, the criteria I am looking for are

1. pen shaped form factor

2. pocket clip

3. it can write

4. it uses a single AAA battery

So far I only found one flashlight that meets all of those criterea, but it's of questionable origin.

One of these.

A Bic and some sticky tape.

 

[Guy McVer]

A Bic and some sticky tape.

I think I'll pass.

 

[iacchus]

HDS Systems makes a fine light, and their Rotary model has what is possibly the most intuitive and best designed UIs on any flashlight ever produced. Malkoff is another brand that is incredibly well made and has stellar warranty. Both are bombproof.

Torchlab made their bones in the P60 circles back when the Surefire lego game was at its height. They now produce an incredibly well designed light called the BOSS. That's an acronym for Big Output Small Size. It's spendy, but among the finest on the market.

All three of these are made in the US by small shops who stand behind what they sell.

 

[navman]

From what I have found....pens with built in flashlights usually aren't great at either function. The light is weak and doesn't last long (also not weather resistant so water damage is a concern) and the pens are usually terrible quality that die after a month of daily writing. Better off getting a decent AAA pocket flashlight and a small EDC pen. I have both from Maratac (CountyComm) Both in Titanium.

 

[Charlie Fox]

My choice of EDC light is pretty mundane; Streamlight Protac 1L-1AA. I like it because I can program the functions (although I use the factory settings - High/Strobe/Low), it carries easily and it can use either CR123s, AAs, or even AAAs in a pinch! And it runs less than $50 so when (not if) I lose it, the bank won't be broken replacing it.