7 Best Keychain Flashlights for EDC (Everyday Carry)
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- Опубликовано: 10 июн 2024
- In this multi-part round up of flashlights or torches as we call them here in the UK, I’ll help you find the perfect every day carry or EDC torch. From the smallest micro EDC or keychain torch up to torches that will still fit in the palm of your hand and in your jeans or jacket pocket.
I have torches from well known and not so well known brands, from £5 or $5 all the way up to just under £100 or $100 - with most of them well below that. And I’ve thoroughly tested them all both in real use and quantitatively. I’ve even built a calibrated lumen testing enclosure to check manufacturers’ sometimes wild claims on just how bright these torches are - especially some of the larger ones. I’ll also measure their colour temperature and accuracy with a spectrometer - if you’re using a torch for longer periods of time the quality of light is also important.
In this first part I’ll look at keyring torches, starting with the lightest. These use either an integrated battery or a replaceable AAA battery. They are super lightweight weighing less than 25g - you’ll barely even know you have them on you. They’re still surprisingly bright - way brighter and with far more reach than an iPhone 13 Pro’s torch that I’ve included as a baseline.
In the second part of this series I look at slightly larger brighter torches with longer runtimes: • 10 Best Pocket Flashli...
All beamshots take at 5000K.
There's links to all the torches down below, and they’re often discounted so please make sure you check the current pricing.
If you want to skip forward or back at any time in this video, please use the chapter markers RUclips creates from the timestamps down below and in the pinned comment.
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Company offers (I'll try and keep this updated):
June Sale: Up to 45% Off: www.olightstore.uk/s/REO74M
New release - Seeker 4 Mini 30% off (bundles available): www.olightstore.uk/s/4JXNJO
You can get 10% off at Olight's store using my affiliate code TTM10 at checkout. I get a small kickback which helps support this channel. If you do use my code - thank you it's much appreciated!
Store: www.olightstore.uk/s/REO74M
Olight i3E: www.olightstore.uk/s/EC41TI
Olight i1R2: www.olightstore.uk/s/XWZ2LC
As an Amazon affiliate, I get a small commission from purchases made via any of the internation Amazon links below:
Amazon links:
Nitecore TIKI: geni.us/p3AALM
Thrunite Ti2: geni.us/sC1ktFQ
OLIGHT i3E: geni.us/OS5YKSK (Black Friday deal)
Nitecore TINI2: geni.us/4e99f
Fenix E03R: geni.us/Xa4W0G
OLIGHT i1R 2 Pro: geni.us/U1S32 (Black Friday deal)
RovyVon Aurora A8: geni.us/U1S32 (Black Friday deal)
Written article: thetechnologyman.com
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You can find most of the recent tech I've reviewed recently all in one place on my Amazon page. I also have a list some of my recommended tech and my current camera equipment for filming:
UK: amazon.co.uk/shop/thetechnolog...
US: amazon.com/shop/thetechnologyman
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Music in video from:
Epidemic Sound:
www.epidemicsound.com/referra... (FREE 30 day trial with this link)
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Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:27 Nitecore TIKI (includes introduction to any technical terms)
6:36 Thrunite Ti2
8:26 OLIGHT i3E
10:10 Nitecore TINI2
13:14 Fenix E03R
15:34 OLIGHT i1R 2 Pro
17:22 RovyVon Aurora A8
21:33 Conclusions - best keychain flashlight
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#edc #flashlights 
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I purchased a Rovyvon A8 about a month ago. It truly is the epitome of EDC. I live on a large (80 acres) unlit rural property and although I own several high end high output lights, I always carry this torch alone in my left pants pocket and keep my keys in the right pants pocket. Using any "keychain light" on a key chain is impractical. I use ALL the modes regularly as a matter of necessity in my environment. In short, I did my due diligence before I purchased and at the end of the day, nothing in the line-up shown, or any other line-up for that matter, even comes close to the A8 for longevity, build quality and real world functionality. Easily my favorite torch.
Me too - a very handy little torch that I always have on me. My only very minor gripe is the UI - I don't like the double press to turn on and long press to turn off. But it does work well and avoids having to put it in lockout mode.
Fantastic content. You just run through the facts with no fluff. For people like me who need torches on a daily basis at work, this info is invaluable.
Great very glad it helped. Hugely appreciate the feedback - means a lot to me.
Ho hum - YAFR ... yet another flashlight review. After 2 mins ... wait a minute. This actually full of really good quantitative information. Excellent work. Learned a lot - thanks.
Great glad it was helpful!
Subscribed! Amazing and clear video with everything necessary included👏
Many thanks for the support and glad the video helped!
@@TheTechnologyMan No problem, it definitely helped! I was between tiki and tini 2 and ended up with tini👍
very data dense, but your presentation and style make is all very digestible. Thanks for the care and attention. Subbed.
Thank you - and for the support!
The most perfect video on RUclips
Wow thanks - glad it helped!
Cool video. I might pick one of these up.
Great let me know which one you go for!
amazing video mister gidon
🙏
Thank you Murat Celik!
I’d love to hear what flashlight you use on your keyring if you use one? Or if you have any suggestions for flashlights to include in my upcoming video please let me know down below!
Amazon links:
Nitecore TIKI: geni.us/p3AALM
Thrunite Ti2: geni.us/sC1ktFQ
OLIGHT i3E: geni.us/OS5YKSK (Black Friday deal)
Nitecore TINI2: geni.us/4e99f
Fenix E03R: geni.us/Xa4W0G
OLIGHT i1R 2 Pro: geni.us/U1S32 (Black Friday deal)
RovyVon Aurora A8: geni.us/U1S32 (Black Friday deal)
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:27 Nitecore TIKI (includes introduction to any technical terms)
6:36 Thrunite Ti2
8:26 OLIGHT i3E
10:10 Nitecore TINI2
13:14 Fenix E03R
15:34 OLIGHT i1R 2 Pro
17:22 RovyVon Aurora A8
21:33 Conclusions - best keychain flashlight
Absoluteley brilliant Gidon! Very, very useful!
Also appreciate the hard work you have put down in making this quite unique review.
@ Thank you so much - really appreciate the feedback!
@@TheTechnologyMan I´ve been using a number of Olight i3E for years, always carry one. Even used it to lighten up backgrounds when filming or taking pictures :-)! And with no leakage from alkaline batteries.
@ Good to hear! It’s fine if you’re using them regularly - and the i3E works really well on alkalines as you probably know!
I had a olight imorse...it's stopped charging after few months ...have the nitecore tini 2 now seems alot better but twice the price and a bit more mucking around to turn on as I have to have it locked as it's in my pocket
I’ve carried a Nitecore Tiki on my keychain for a couple years. It doesn’t look the least worse for wear. I like it so well, I’ve given several to wife, sisters, daughters and friends. I think best value in its class.
My Tiki is looking a little battered but still works fine!
I carry the Rovyvon A5 in neutral white and it’s my favorite. EDC/ keychain light
Nice one - I still carry the RovyVon A8 in my jeans pocket at all times!
I carry the Rovyvon A8, for all the reasons you stated, plus my toddler finds the UV “blacklight” effect entertaining 😄, and the low in-body white light works well as an impromptu nightlight magneted to a radiator when travelling.
I also just bought a couple of Olight I3Es on sale for £7 each. One will be a gift for my father (who will appreciate the simple UI, he complains about the “fussy” torch he currently uses) and the other is a backup for myself (I wanted something simple that runs on commodity batteries).
Excellent video btw, you’ve really gone the extra mile with this review! Looking forward to the next one (I have an Olight Perun as our “big” torch which is great… but I’ll probably be tempted by something new 😄)
Thank you Henners! I've got some great torches in the line up for the next video! I will also have the Perun Mini and Perun 2 and quite a few others in a future video on headlamps :).
Good info!!
Thank you - glad it was helpful!
Felicidades, felicitaciones tremendo acierto. Excelente contenido,
Thank you!
I had the Fenix E03R light for a while but found it accidentally activated quite often. I picked up an Olight i3E EOS free with a larger Olight but I've carried it every day since, and the twist has never accidentally activated. The simplicity of twisty single mode is bullet proof, really love the simplicity. I do like the OLED display idea though.
The i3E is a great little light too!
The Fenix has a lock out function. It does seem more susceptible to accidental activation so I always lock it.
What about the Nitecore TIP SE ? Is that any good for a small bit bigger of an every day carrier ? As I do enjoy the ability to go brighter
I don't have that one - but doesn't have the OLED screen which is so nice on the Tini 2!
@@TheTechnologyMan I ultimately ended up ordering it, as it is a decent bit cheaper and has better battery and brighter top mode which is all I need
@@denied2182 Great let me know what you think of it!
@The Technology Man it actually arrived today wasn't expecting it till tomorrow, based on 1st impressions quite good feels good in the hand (I have big hands so didn't want 1 which was too small) the mid and high settings seem very useful not too sure on the super dim 1 and turbo is nice as a needs be. So overall based on 1st impressions for the £30 I spent on it, its a solid 8.5/10
Sounds good thanks!
Great video. I have Fenix, Olight and Silva flaslights/headlights but there is a brand that is equal or better in my opinion.... Ledlenser. Very unfortunate that this brand is not included in the test.
Thanks! I wanted to include LED Lenser in the roundup but couldn't on this occasion - I will definitely try and get them in the next roundup - thanks for the suggestion!
My EDC keychain light is a Nitecore TINI Cu. The copper version is heavier than the aluminum one and puts out 189 lumens for 50 minutes on high instead of the standard 145 for 60 minutes. Mine has a sleeve I made from heatshrink tubing and it has not been turning on by itself. Your videos provide a lot of useful information but could be improved with a couple of small changes. For power cells and batteries the watt-hour rating is better to compare different types of power sources than just the ampere-hour rating. A NiMH size AAA cell with 900 mAh capacity delivers about 1.1 watt-hours of energy when discharged. The lithium pouch cell In my TINI has a 280 mAh rating but also delivers over 1.0 watt-hours of energy when discharged. Watt-hours are a better way to compare different power sources. It would also be good to know the average lumens put out by the various lights. Most companies quote the peak lumens which may, or may not, indicate the real output of the light. In the case of the TINI the average lumens output on high over the rated time are within 10 percent of the peak value. For the TIKI they quote 300 lumens for 30 minutes. The problem is that the output of the TIKI drops from over 300 down to 110 lumens in less than 90 seconds. After that it drops from 110 to about 90 lumens over the next 28.5 minutes. The peak lumens are about 300 but the average is closer to 105. Please add watt-hour ratings and average lumens to your already excellent reviews.
Agree Wh is a far better measure. If torches are using standard 3.7V Li-ion cells it's all comparable but if cell voltage varies then mAh are no longer comparable.
@@TheTechnologyMan The strange thing is that all flashlight companies have technical people that know that watt-hours are the best way to compare power cells and batteries. Despite this most companies always seem to quote just the ampere-hour rating. This happens with power tools and garden equipment as well as flashlights. It is good that technical reviewers are around and can give their audience the Wh or mWh values for the cells.
Still looking for a mini torch that has the ability to use in the hand and as a head torch
Lots of options in my upcoming head torch roundup!
Can you recommend any keychain torches that are around 300lumens and last minimum 2hrs while keeping the light brightness stable? I have night blindness and really need a good bright keychain torch
2 hours at 300 lumens for a true keychain sized torch might be tricky. If you could step up to something a little bigger like a Olight Baton 3 - it does 300 lumens for around 1.5 hours IIRC.
@@TheTechnologyMan it looks really good! But do you have any more recommendations that are less expensive?
Check out some of the Sofirn torches - they are good value.
do you know what lights have PWM? and which don't? I usually stick to single output lights to avoid PWM
If it's something I notice I'll usually bring it up - but it's not something I noticed on any of these torches IIRC.
thanks@@TheTechnologyMan
Where’s the Surefire sidekick????
Good review though
Thanks
For whatever reasons Surefire isn't available in the UK.
Thx.
You're welcome!
In your opinion, would the 650 lumen cool light rovyvon a8 be better than the lower 420 lumen high cri version of a8?
I have the 650 lumen version and do like that extra power but would be tempted by the high CRI version if this one dies - 420 lumens is still plenty for a small torch like this.
please check out the fenix e03r v2
Will do for the next roundup - thanks for the suggestion!
Good video review but, could you start using a lapel mic? The echo in the room make it a little difficult to understand you. Thx
I do use a Rode lapel microphone - not sure why you're hearing an echo.
i personally prefer the Olight i3E and i1R. they are very small and round, also 100% waterproof. i have had to scrap many other expensive keychain lights in the past because water finally got in. they are also 1piece~ aluminium construction and extremely durable. the only thing i dislike is that after 1year on your keychain the outside annodization finnish will be quite worn, and your favorite color will be pretty much ruinned.
Nearly every torch I've had on my keyring loses the anodising with heavy use. Although the Nitecore Tini 2 I'm using at the moment has lost it quicker than most!
@@TheTechnologyMan i dont know why they dont coat the keychain lights instead. there are many kind of very resistant paint available. epoxy based paint or even baked on plastic like coatings could be a better choice.
the current choice of anodized aluminum is prone to wearing down since alu is weaker than the surroundings steel/stainless keys. metal to metal contact dont seem like a resistant choice. maybe a more slippery coating could fair better.
Both my main and backup light are from Thrunite (T1 and Ti2). Best budget light in my opinion.
Thrunite do make nice torches at a decent price.
nothing comes close to the olight i3e with a 10440 battery. the output is insane.
Yes it's a good combo!
Hai I’m Paul 👋🏽
👋
Oh jesus, ordered a nitecore tini 2 ti titanium keyring light too, before watching this. No more lights of any kind for at least a year, ha ha.
It can get addictive!
Lumintop Frog v2, :-) your welcome.
Thabks for suggestion.
🦇🌲🌲🌲
Not sure what that means!
Too much not-needed information. Go to the point
Maybe skip to the conclusions - full timestamps in the video?
no aaa light beats out any aa light as best edc light. the olight i3e isnt better than the i5r, the i3e is a keychain light not edc.
Take a look at my best pocket torch video!