AA, AAA (keychain light), and CR123.

I don't run anything with C or D. Maybe a radio when I get one Did you know you can get converters though, to run 4 AA as a D and 4 AAA as a C. They are rectangles and you can get them at radio shack. They also have 'spacers' so you can run less power but still listen to the radio. Radio shack too.

-Todd

I'm mostly AA, but I like my CR123 lights too much to banish them to a drawer. In fact, my MSR Miox takes CR123s as well, so I'm actually closer to CR123s as a standard than AAs. I'm a flashlight nut, so I want my 230 lumen/ 2 cell/1.5 hour regulated light with me, or my 8 hour/80 lumens. I can't get that from AA's.

CR123s have the advantage of being better for cold, and have the ability for more output, and are great for storing longer term. I also like that 2 of them fit nicely in a waterproof matchcase with a foam buffer. They can also be found for 1.25-1.50 per cell if you don't buy retail, and buy a few at a time.

Damnit! Now I've got something else to buy...

Lithium battery chemistry has "the advantage of being better for cold", that advantage is available with Lithium AA batteries too.

Hi ToddW,



That makes a lot of sense. Putting 4 AAs in a D converter is certainly better than putting a single AA inside a D and then selling it as a D with a 400% mark up.

http://www.naturalnews.com/PhotoTour_Energizer_Batteries_1.html

Where I live, lithium AA's still cost $9/4.

Yeah, they're not cheap, but you don't need to use them all the time. Alkalines are inexpensive and NiMH can be recharged from solar. Lithiums have a great shelf life and are just in case. The problem with CR123's is that so many common things don't run on them and I can get by without the things that do or find an adequate option that runs on AA. YMMV and that's fine.

my next purchase will be the heavier original SteriPEN cause it uses AA's.

Wish they'd standardize memory cards too. But until pc's start dedicating slots we're stuck with multiple items doing the same thing and not compatable.

I am really aware now of how many battery types my gear uses.

The great thing about standards is there so many of them to choose from.

Yep, totally agreed. I store the lithium AAs in the house, take Alkalines along as backups, and almost always use NiMHs exclusively, which ends up saving some $.

I'll mention that the rechargeable Energizer 2500mAh AAs you find at Sam's or CostCo are junk. They don't come close to their advertised specs, even after reconditioning them for a week in a LaCrosse BC900. (I don't remember what their actual, terrible specs turned out to be, but if I recondition them again, I'll be sure to write it down. )