Keychain lights

L

Locust

Joined
Sep 30, 2008
Messages
539
Does anyone know how the Maglite Solitaire and the Streamlight Key-mate stack up against each other?
 
A great resource to check out is flashlightreviews.com, which has a review for both. But if you'd like to listen, I'll state my opinion, having used a Solitaire myself, and having seen the Streamlight.

They suck. Badly.

The solitaire is VERY dim, even to start with, and dims to unusable in just a few minutes. The streamlight is brighter, but is very blue, and is totally unregulated, so it also dims rapidly.

If you're looking for an inexpensive keychain light, please consider a Fenix E01 (from 4sevens.com), which is slightly larger than the maglite solitaire, and is also brighter than the solitaire. It also maintains that same brightness (about 5 lumens) for >10 hours on a single AAA battery. It uses a Nichia 5mm LED, which is better than the alternatives, but is still lacking in terms of color.

For more money, you can get much more "ooomph". A Fenix LD01 keychain light uses a high-end Cree LED, which puts out beautiful WHITE light. And this little light (also AAA size) can put out a whopping 80 lumens of it (for 1 hour on a lithium battery, or 45 minutes on a AAA rechargeable) or less light for a longer period. That's more light than a 3-D Maglite.

I understand that this may be somewhat more than you're used to spending on lights, but consider that most people would flinch at the idea of buying any knife that's more expensive than a Buck 110... and this flashlight is a tool that should serve you well for many years to come.
 
Another option would be the Arc AAA, like the ones Gnius suggested, very compact, but still very useful.
 
Thanks for the insight. How dim are we talking? If I were to stand in a pitch black room how much would it illuminate? How hard on the eyes is the E01? I have pretty good night eyes and for that reason have stuck with incandecent lights so far.
 
Locust said:
Thanks for the insight. How dim are we talking? If I were to stand in a pitch black room how much would it illuminate? How hard on the eyes is the E01? I have pretty good night eyes and for that reason have stuck with incandecent lights so far.
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I have never had the Streamlight, so I can't comment on that. I used to EDC a Solitaire on my keychain. I also gave dad one a couple years ago for fathers day- he still carries his everywhere and likes it a lot. For him it replaced a dead one time use penlight of comparable size. He is very satisfied with his. The solitaire is generally very easy on the eyes (in my experience) and it could be a little brighter- though it was never not sufficient for the tasks I used it for. On an aside- mine was the black anodized version. I bought dad the silver version. The silver one looks a lot better after clanging around with keys than the black one.
 
i have the Steamlight Keymate and i carry it everywhere. being a mechanic, i use it all the time and for extended periods of time, about 15minutes. i have not seen it dim yet, and is bright enough to see every nook and cranny of a car. i just shined it down the hall and into the bathroom about 10 yards down and its bright.

just recently i picked up a Streamlight Nano light. i was going to give it out for Christmas but i still have it with me, costs me $10. this thing is literally 1/4 of the size of a keymate, and just as bright shined down the hall. i recommend this one.

like they said, its very blue.
 
The E01 is very bright by comparison to the Solitaire. It is very much worth it. Let's put it this way, if you could cope with the Solitaire on your keys you will think the E01 is a pocket rocket by comparison. It is very useful.
 
carrot said:
The E01 is very bright by comparison to the Solitaire. It is very much worth it. Let's put it this way, if you could cope with the Solitaire on your keys you will think the E01 is a pocket rocket by comparison. It is very useful.
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I would vote against the solitaire. I used to carry one years ago and found it next to useless.

The Arc AAA is a good keychain light but expensive. Aside from the build quality, the LED is the key performance indicator. The Arc AAA uses a Nichia LED so if you find that LED in a cheaper light you are likely to have fairly good light output, certainly far superior to a maglie solitaire.

If I were buying another keychain light and didnt want to spend the money on an Arc AAA then I would look at the Fenix E01, which is a very similar unit at a lower cost. I dont own one but I EDC a Fenix P2D which is very good.
 
I have a Key-Mate and with fresh batteries it, in my opinion, is very bright with exceptional throw considering the 5mm led. I also recently picked up a couple of E01's out of curiosity, and they are almost as bright (to the naked eye) as my E1 with SSC P4 (unknown bin). I'm very impressed with them, and due to runtimes may be replacing my E1 soon.
 
I have to concur about the Solitaire: about the only thing Mags have going for them in the new world of bright LEDs is weight to thump people in the head... and, being so small, the Solitaire doesn't even do that. The few Mag-Lites I have were converted to LEDs.

If I was willing to settle for a dim light, I'd go for something even smaller, like a Photon. In the Solitaire's size bracket, the Fenix E01 is simply fantastic. I bought one for myself, and since then I've bought two or three more as gifts.

The Solitaire is about $7.50; the E01 about $15. You'll save the difference in batteries in the first year or two.

I have no experience with the Streamlight.
 
I got a Fenix L0D about a year ago and all I can say is, if you've never experienced a really good light, you don't know what you're missing. I highly recommend it and you will be very happy the first time you're trying to find something in the dark- the difference is amazing.
 
I'll second the Fenix lights... I just got a Fenix LD01, and its shockingly bright for its size. The highest setting gets 80 lumens from a light thats just a smidge bigger than an Arc light which I also have. Compared to the Fenix, the Arc is like holding a lit match up to a spotlight.. The quality is unreal for the price, and it runs a Cree LED bulb.
 
Thanks for all the advice. I know many say that the mag is too dim but what if I'm the type that doesn't turn on lights unless it's impossible to see (even then not all the time). The fenix E01 sounds great but has anyone ever had issues with the glare from it?
 
The E01 is not that bright. I can't say I've ever had glare problems with it or similar lights, but then what do I know, I collect the damn things (flashlights).
 
What Carrot said. The E01 is adequate in a completely dark room, but it is far from bright. More geared toward runtime, which is a fine attribute too. At $15 or so, they are priced right. I have one on my keys, and another in the sleeping chamber.
 
While I love my L1P and L2P, I like my Photons (red and white) for my key chain. I find the white (max) plenty bright for indoor activities.
 
Well, to voice a dissenting opinion, I still use a Maglite Solitaire. Its biggest virtue is its size. It is tiny and does not take up much room in my pocket so that it is always with me. It's also robust. And it is cheap. I buy a new one every 3-4 years at Target for about $5.

I use it when I'm fussing with computers and other boxes that have hard to see labels on the input jacks. The solitaire is always in my pocket and it is enough light to see the labeling. I also use it when I come into a dark room. Not very bright, but enough to find the light switch without tripping over the cat.

If I need a real flashlight for LOTS of light, I can always go get one. But for something that is small enough to keep in my pocket all day everyday along with all my other stuff, I haven't found anything as small and robust as a Solitaire.
 
knarfeng said:
But for something that is small enough to keep in my pocket all day everyday along with all my other stuff, I haven't found anything as small and robust as a Solitaire.
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The E01 is the same size... is brighter, lasts more than 10X longer, without dimming, and is rather tough physically.
 
I'll just throw in that I carry a LUMMI WEE.

30 minutes of 50 lumen rechargeable and useful light in the smallest package I feel comfortable with.

I really dislike AAA lights.
 
Thanks for all the advice I got a chance to check out the Solitaire and it seems pleanty bright. If I think I need more light or runtime I'll upgrade to a Fenix E01.
 
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