Some posts here about Lithium-Ion rechargeables (not the plain Lithium batteries) have led me to the conclusion that people like us - the gadget heads - have to make the the manufacturers take notice. We need equipment that uses standard batteries and standard power sources.

To this end, I'm proposing that we form the informal "AA or No Way" club - a groud dedicated to RESISTING the urge to buy small electronics that use oddball, proprietary battery sizes.

When you see that cool light and it uses "J" cells - RESIST!
When that GPS you want to buy uses 7 "N" cells - RESIST!
If someone shows you a wonderful little AM/FM/SW/Weather Radio and it uses 3 "AAAA" cells - RESIST!

Maybe it's not just "AA" or no way -maybe we can include other sizes like "AAA" or "D" - but seriously -the "militarized" version of most electronics you can buy is almost always modified to use - you guessed it - "AA" batteries.

If you've ever travelled to a 3rd world nation and you want something that's basically a local currency, you can use booze, cigarettes or - AA batteries.

A depleted "AA" Cell makes a nice projectile for an improvised spud-gun like contraption you can make with a bic lighter and some easily found pipe. (I know this for a fact).

We can start another discussion on the 1,200 tips and 800 voltages used for transformers and chargers...but for now "AA or No Way" is the route for me.

The thing I have noticed it the trend toward more AAA stuff. 5 years ago, never had them around. Now, they seem almost as common as AA (as far as demand goes, you can still buy AA in more places that AAA.

Count me in, Pal. I'd also like to see the same principle applied to flashlight bulbs, unless it can be demonstrated that they are clearly superior (such as the move to longer-lasting L.E.D.s).

I have a Surefire with a bulb life measured in hours - and not many of them at that. The lithium battery has a great shelf life, but doesn't last long in action.

I suspect the constant introduction of new batteries has more to do with m-o-n-e-y than with improved performance.

I'm with you 100% as long as you exempt my precious lithium 123As from your boycott. Otherwise, we're going to have to take this discussion outside... <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

I only use AAs and 123's for my non-in house stuff (stuff I plan on carrying). My car and house I use stuff that uses Ds, Cs, AAAs, ect because I have plenty of batteries stocked up there.

Guess I've kinda waged my own personal campaign by "voting with my pocketbook" for awhile, restricting, whenever possible, my portable electronics-buying to AA-powered devices: GPS, radios, (LED) flashlights etc.

AA's are reasonably-priced, small in size/weight, universally available, rechargeable, come in several flavors (lithium, alkaline, NiMH), and allow redundancy among devices.

The rare exceptions for me are things unique in form and function, such that their design precludes AA usage. Perfect example – the Photon lights.

Dan

All my critical pieces are either AA or at least one of the redundancies is. What I did do was go through and cut out almost everything that wasn't AA, AAA or 123 from my inventory, and those three are all that carry EDC or in BOB.

Exceptions to the rule: C-cells in my big Mags, and a couple of 9V items in my tool kit. None of which are terribly mobile items for me.

As for money being the driving force, very wrong in spirit but close in essance. Newer technology is always more expensive, always will be. If you want something more advanced than a basic alkaline, you have to pay for it. If you want it small, you have to pay for it. If you want it potent and/or with enhanced shelf life, you pay for it. You can have it good, fast or cheap- pick the one you need and the one you want, but don't count on the third unless it's stolen or broken.

I agree with two exceptions, I have a D cell in my strobe beacon in my bob and I have a surefire E2E that uses the 123's otherwise everything is AA in my kits including the headlamp. I try to keep things as simple as possible, battery wise

Amen, brother! I have been trying HARD to standardize on AAs, but broke down and bought a Inova T2 (got it today-bright, but HUGE and of course 123s for batts), but I really try hard--GPS, Streamlight LuxJR, tiny shortwave radio (from CountyComm), etc.
I will be AA-2 in the group, you of course can be AA-1.
Ford

I've noticed the trend toward AAA's too. Most remote controls are now AAA, and of course the famous ARC flashlight is AAA, as well as my mini-radio, Aurora headlight and Maglite. I stock more AAA's these days than AA's and I keep around a few AAA to AA converters for that reason - In many cases AAA's can substitute for AA's, but the reverse is not true.

I refuse to buy anything with N or AAAA cells since finding those battery in an emergency could be difficult