EDC light: LUMINTOP Tool AA 2.0

[Paladin]

LUMINTOP Tool AA 2.0

I'm pretty impressed with this little light so far. It's not much larger than a pen light, runs off AA batteries, gives you 650LM, and is currently running $20.99

It's not as powerful as other lights out there, but for the size and money you get a capable light that disappears in your pocket. It has multiple modes, which are reasonably accessible, but don't seem to be in the way of standard operation.

[puma guy]

LUMINTOP Tool AA 2.0

I'm pretty impressed with this little light so far. It's not much larger than a pen light, runs off AA batteries, gives you 650LM, and is currently running $20.99

It's not as powerful as other lights out there, but for the size and money you get a capable light that disappears in your pocket. It has multiple modes, which are reasonably accessible, but don't seem to be in the way of standard operation.

That looks exactly like the same flashlight I recently ordered from an online Chinese vendor: Same name and description, but according to their info it uses a lithium 14500 rechargeable battery.

[03Lightningrocks]

I just ordered one. That is perfect for using on the occasions I do food delivery at night. It is amazing how many folks order food delivered at night and leave the porch lights out. I have been using a full size flashlight I keep in the side console of my pickup truck door. I don't like that it takes up my left hand leaving me carrying food with my draw hand. I can literally stick that thing in my mouth and keep my draw hand open for the BG who decides to try and rob me.

[Paladin]

LUMINTOP Tool AA 2.0

I'm pretty impressed with this little light so far. It's not much larger than a pen light, runs off AA batteries, gives you 650LM, and is currently running $20.99

It's not as powerful as other lights out there, but for the size and money you get a capable light that disappears in your pocket. It has multiple modes, which are reasonably accessible, but don't seem to be in the way of standard operation.

That looks exactly like the same flashlight I recently ordered from an online Chinese vendor: Same name and description, but according to their info it uses a lithium 14500 rechargeable battery.

It accepts either 14500 or AA. I've only used AA so far.

[puma guy]

LUMINTOP Tool AA 2.0

I'm pretty impressed with this little light so far. It's not much larger than a pen light, runs off AA batteries, gives you 650LM, and is currently running $20.99

It's not as powerful as other lights out there, but for the size and money you get a capable light that disappears in your pocket. It has multiple modes, which are reasonably accessible, but don't seem to be in the way of standard operation.

That looks exactly like the same flashlight I recently ordered from an online Chinese vendor: Same name and description, but according to their info it uses a lithium 14500 rechargeable battery.

It accepts either 14500 or AA. I've only used AA so far.

[Rafe]

It is amazing how many folks order food delivered at night and leave the porch lights out. I have been using a full size flashlight I keep in the side console of my pickup truck door. I don't like that it takes up my left hand leaving me carrying food with my draw hand. I can literally stick that thing in my mouth and keep my draw hand open for the BG who decides to try and rob me.

Hm. I think I'd kinda want a super-bright job that throws around 5,000 lumens. Ya know, just to remind the homeowner that their porch is dark. And if you have it in your mouth, a tilt of the head will temporarily blind whoever's looking at you from the door.


But I'm a sucker for small tactical lights. Sometimes I can carry a larger light, but for EDC I need something that, like Paladin says, disappears in your pocket. I also get cautious about all the bells-and-whistles if a small light has, like, 14 different operating modes, all "easily" available with click combinations that are as complicated as writing out a street address in Morse code.

My current go-everywhere EDC is a Streamlight Microstream USB rechargeable. Works perfectly for me, but its maximum output is a tad on the weak side. Good illumination, don't get me wrong; in a dark outdoor environment it's plenty good enough for target ID out to around 25 yards. It's 250 lumens on high (1,150 candela) with a 1.5 hour runtime (3.5 hours on low) and the USB feature let's me charge it from the car or anywhere I can get to an outlet without having to have an adapter. It's a whole 1.2 ounces and less than 4 inches long.

This little Lumintop shows a 1.3 hour runtime at 360 lumens; the big-time 650 lumens in turbo for 33 minutes; and a whopping 37 hours in where's-the-keyhole everyday 16-lumen use. It's a little shorter than the Streamlight, and I can't tell if it weighs less or not: it shows 0.83 ounces but that seems like it would be without the battery. It includes a "glow diffuser" that you snap on the bezel to get candle-like illumination in low mode. I wonder if they make one in red to help minimize night-vision interruption?

One thing I'm seriously not sure about is that the tailcap button has a raised metal edge on two sides--I assume for clipping on a keychain or attaching a cord--but the overall width of the flashlight is shown as 0.73 inches...meaning that it looks like about 0.6 inches or less is actually available space to press the tailcap with your thumb. My little Streamlight is thinner, 0.61 inches, but the tailcap switch is fully exposed; nothing around it. Checking the press of the tip of my thumb on a ruler, it needs a little more than 0.75 inches, probably 0.8. I don't have huge hands; wedding ring is size 13.

But I found the "kit" version that only costs a few dollars more and includes a lithium 920mah rechargeable battery (can still use plain AA of course) and a screw-on magnetic tailcap...which I don't see myself ever using. Ordering that.

Small EDC lights are kinda like magazines. You can never have too many.

[03Lightningrocks]

[puma guy]

Rafe wrote
But I'm a sucker for small tactical lights. Sometimes I can carry a larger light, but for EDC I need something that, like Paladin says, disappears in your pocket. I also get cautious about all the bells-and-whistles if a small light has, like, 14 different operating modes, all "easily" available with click combinations that are as complicated as writing out a street address in Morse code.

Here's a website my cousin sent me years ago. He was a sucker for flashlights like me. I haven't been on it for a while, but they have a thread about the Lumintool AA.

https://budgetlightforum.com/

[puma guy]

-12-23Amazon Prime Day price today is $16.79 for this flashlight. Ends today

[puma guy]

Got the flashlight today and installed a 14500 battery. Very impressive illumination from such a small package! 5 illumination levels -photo is brightest. It has a blue lit tail piece switch to locate in the dark,

[03Lightningrocks]

I received mine about three weeks ago. It is impressive for such a small light. I love it because it is such low profile it is hardly noticeable in my front pocket.

[RoyGBiv]

How do you change modes?
Description on Amazon says it has "mode memory", but every inexpensive tailcap clicky light I've used changes modes when you turn it on...
If I set it for max brightness, will it skip to strobe mode the next time I turn it on?

Drives me crazy.

Looks like a decent inexpensive light if the clicky behaves itself.

[Paladin]

There are 2 ways to change modes... tap the tailcap or rotate the bezel. Its mostly seamless, but I find rotating the bezel is more reliable if you want strobe mode.

[puma guy]

How do you change modes?
Description on Amazon says it has "mode memory", but every inexpensive tailcap clicky light I've used changes modes when you turn it on...
If I set it for max brightness, will it skip to strobe mode the next time I turn it on?

Drives me crazy.

Looks like a decent inexpensive light if the clicky behaves itself.

The tail piece switch has two modes The hard click function functions through the brightness modes off and on, but once it's turned on with the hard click you can lightly touch the cap to toggle thru the brightness modes. Once you get to the brightness level you want for memory use the hard click to turn it off and on. It should remain at the same brightness mode. Mine does any way. You can probably use the bezel to get to the level you want as well then turn it off.

[03Lightningrocks]

How do you change modes?
Description on Amazon says it has "mode memory", but every inexpensive tailcap clicky light I've used changes modes when you turn it on...
If I set it for max brightness, will it skip to strobe mode the next time I turn it on?

Drives me crazy.

Looks like a decent inexpensive light if the clicky behaves itself.

The tail piece switch has two modes The hard click function functions through the brightness modes off and on, but once it's turned on with the hard click you can lightly touch the cap to toggle thru the brightness modes. Once you get to the brightness level you want for memory use the hard click to turn it off and on. It should remain at the same brightness mode. Mine does any way. You can probably use the bezel to get to the level you want as well then turn it off.

Thanks for the info! I suppose this should convince me to read the instructions from here on out. I had no idea.