In my own experience, I don't use my EDC lights heavily. To me, lights that are used heavily, such as for dog walking at night or for your job, are something you grab when you're heading out for that purpose. They aren't on me all the time like a little AAA EDC light. Or else these lights are used at higher power and thus drain very quickly.

Haertig, if you drain the battery of something like a Fenix E01 more than once a year, then you're a real keychain light power user!

I only use lithium primary batteries and high-quality rechargeables.

The E01 is bullet proof and I have them stashed in kits, but for about the same money the Thrunite Ti has more runtime on low and a heck of a lot more light on high. The E01 also has a nasty purple tint. Until something better comes along at that price point, the Ti is what I suggest to folks.

I keep a Preon ReVO on my keychain, so I don't need a Photon-type light. I buy fauxtons from DX ten at a time and give them away to people.

By comparison, a Maglite Solitaire with a fresh battery puts out 2.5-3 lumens. The low range on a Maratac AAA is 1.5 lumens, and that is my preferred setting for finding my way in the dark. Just enough light to see where you're stepping and out to around 10 feet without totally killing your night vision.


I can't speak to the Thrunite but the Maratac has been on my keyring for 3 years now without problems. I've gone through three AAA lithium primary batteries during this time. Even the keyring attachment clip, which many cite as a potential weakness in the design, shows no sign of wear. Of course I do have a fishing swivel attached to mine so it has more freedom of movement than just attaching with a split ring.

I use my Maratac AAA almost daily, usually on its lowest setting, occasionally on high, and a AAA Lithium primary lasts me a year. But I do also carry a Fenix PD30 2xCR123A flashlight, and use that about as often as the Maratac. So if I used only the Maratac for all chores, battery life would be shorter.

You may want to check out the Preon P1 (1 AAA). At 2 lumens it lasts for 23 hours. It has an optical-grade glass lens and can light up the night with 70 lumens if need be. You see them a lot in the medical world. RNs use it mostly on low. The smoothness of the threads, color rendition, and its ability to tail stand are among its claims to fame. You can get a click switch ($7.00) for the back if that's what you're used to.

Good point! I imagine a battery in an E01 would last me a lot longer than in my higher powered EDC light.

Actually, the E01 is 10 lumens.

while Fenix states that, comparing it to other tested lights, it seems duller to me, so i added the "under".



there are two Thrunite Ti versions: the original (superlow .04 lumens) and the newer 3 lumen model (that i linked too above).

the superlow .04 lumens is about the same amount of light as partial moonlight. fact is, i prefer this original over the newer model: living in the wilderness without streetlights or city-glow, it more than enough to hike to the outhouse or navigate the house. and it sure protects night vision.

on the other hand, for anyone living in town, its usually nowhere near enough to make a difference from no light at all.

The 4Sevens Quark 123, R5 Edition has a moonlight output of 0.2 lumens out-the-front which IMO is an ideal low end output. 3 lumen is way brighter than moonlight, OTOH 0.04 lumen is more like starlight -- extremely dim. The Quark 123 is a very good light IMO -- not as small as 1xAAA, but small enough for pocket carry.

i guess its all in perceptions. i too agree that .2 lumens is more than adequate for very dark conditions.

i take each of my ultra low lights onto the deck in moonlight and compare them to what light a partial moon offers. if i can just make out the beam at 6 feet, then i think of it as the same brightness. my original Thrunite Ti fits that bill.

on the other hand, all my above-one-lumen lights can very easily over-power moonlight.

my eyes aren't that great, but i have no problem hiking with .04 lumens on a moonless night. on nights like that, 3 lumens is blinding.

again, please keep in mind i'm discussing the use in the wilds, not near any town.

on the other end of the spectrum: in the wilderness i find 60 lumens more than enough for seeing distant things at 50-plus yds, yet when i visit a city that's not enough. there i find i need at least 200 lumens for most chores.