Interesting thread. This post kind of sums it up for me:
I'm not military or law enforcement and the times I am really relying on my flashlight are while camping and backpacking. If my Fenix LD20 came on in the wrong mode it wouldn't be a big deal and if the thing failed altogether it would be a bummer but I carry a backup, so again no big deal.
Does Surefire make any flashlights that use AA batteries?
THis is one of the major drawbacks to nearly all of Surefire's line. With few exceptions (the Saint?), Surefires must be powered by one or more CR123 Lithium cells. Hint: Surefire sells a Surefire branded lithium cell and sales of these batteries no doubt contributes significantly to Surefire's bottom line. These are a great power source, however, they are not generally easy to find and when you do, expect to spend anywhere from four to eight bucks per cell. (If you shop the internet, you can do much better than this... but don't expect to find replacement cells at your local drugstore and if you do... you'll pay dearly for them!)
And the problem with lithium cells is that each time you use the flashlight, the battery become weaker, so over time, you will start your day with a flashlight which has a semi-discharged cell. In time you can do nothing but discard the depleted expensive cell! On the other hand, with other brands/models which can be powered with rechargeable li-ion or NiMH cells, you can top the cell off at the end of the day and always start each day with a fresh cell.
And for Surefire models which use two lithium cells, you MUST make sure the two cells are very well matched to each other... for using a fresh cell with a partially or fully depleted cell can result in a very dangerous lithium venting "event" which can cause severe damage, injury, and/or fire.
This is serious stuff... we're not talking about your grandpa's harmless alkaline batteries here.
This is the major reason why I don't use my Surefires very often. I prefer to use brands/models which can be powered by rechargeable li-ion cells (which need to be recharged with knowledge and care as well), rechargeable NiMH cells or even, if no other option is available, the lowly AA alkaline cell which can be found pretty much EVERYWHERE, no matter where you are.
Practically every Surefire flashlight must be powered by a CR123 Lithium primary cell. This is an important point you should not lightly overlook. Lithium cells are the cells of the future... they pack a lot of power in a very small space and have a very long shelf life, but they have some noteworthy drawbacks as well. You need to understand flashlight powering sources and options well before venturing into this realm.
In direct answer to your question.... there are some very good alternative flashlight choices available with can be powered with a plain old AA alkaline, but are MUCH better powered by a AA size lithium primary, AA size NiMH rechargeable or AA size (14500) Li-Ion rechargeable. The Quark AA model from 4Sevens is one of the very best possible choices of flashlights which can indeed be powered by all of these sources and offers a great range of output levels from blindingly bright down to "moon mode" which is ideal for use with night-adapted eyes in a dark environment. Here's a link to them:
http://www.4sevens.com/product_info.php?cPath=297_305&products_id=1597
The entire Quark line is designed so that you can virtually "lego" heads, bodies, and tails to achieve just the size and power you desire. If you own several different Quark lights you can mix and match to your heart's content! Total fun and great utility.
The 4Sevens Quark AA model is the one flashlight that I can whole heartily recommend to ANYone I know who asks me what a great choice would be in a contemporary, highly potent flashlight because it has such versatility in powering options and such a huge range of output levels from just a squeek to tactically blinding output. These are very well designed and engineered lights with a 10 year warranty available from a USA company of very high reputation for quality and customer service. I would not steer you wrong with this. And, no, I have no affiliation with them other than a long standing involvement with the flashlight world.