One dollar CR123 holder

B

Buck268

Joined
Nov 5, 2006
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Just figured I'd throw a post up since its been so long. Most of you already know, but those orange waterproof match containers they sell at Walmart and the like make excellent CR123A carriers. There is plenty of rattle room, but I just took a strip of cardboard backing from the surefire battery pack and used it as a shim- plus it should make a great little piece of tinter if the need arrises.

Found these for a buck a piece (plus tax) at the local wally world, made by Ozark trail in case anybody is interested :thumbup:
 
I use a 4x no rattle holder, fits really nicely in a pouch or pocket and holds 123s nice and tight yet very easy to get to. (Also availible with a 4x AA)

Its a bit more expensive weighing in a $5-$6 but worth it in my book. I can't afford to have any chance of "rattle" at times and those match holders have a tendancy to "pop" when you open then (the noise they make) which can equal a unwelcome noise at a critical time.

http://www.countycomm.com/CBH.htm
 
MutedRaccoon said:
I use a 4x no rattle holder, fits really nicely in a pouch or pocket and holds 123s nice and tight yet very easy to get to. (Also availible with a 4x AA)

Its a bit more expensive weighing in a $5-$6 but worth it in my book. I can't afford to have any chance of "rattle" at times and those match holders have a tendancy to "pop" when you open then (the noise they make) which can equal a unwelcome noise at a critical time.

http://www.countycomm.com/CBH.htm
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Interesting, I have been looking for something like that.

Do you happen to know if they work well with rechargeable AA batteries, such as Energizer NiMH? I seem to recall that in some instances the rechargables may be a hair thicker than their standard counterparts. I am concerned that this may pose an issue when dealing with a very tight fitting case.
 
PSU said:
Interesting, I have been looking for something like that.

Do you happen to know if they work well with rechargeable AA batteries, such as Energizer NiMH? I seem to recall that in some instances the rechargables may be a hair thicker than their standard counterparts. I am concerned that this may pose an issue when dealing with a very tight fitting case.
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I keep DuraCell Recharges in them without issue, and those are a HAIR thicker which means you need to squeeze those bastards in. Not as easy in, not as easy out.

I don't use Recharges as much as I would like, I try to as much as possible but at times you don't have access to recharge the spent bats especially for a extentend period of time. So 90% of the time I have standard AAs in them, I just wish they made a "fat pack" with two of those back to back (like a 8 pack) as it would be very handy for me...But then again theres nothing some glue, and tape can't fix or make.

But ultimatly I cannot say enough good things about those, very high praise for a battery holder I know, but it does its job and it does it well. I keep a pair of 123 and AA holders in the orange in my pack and they are easy to find at any time, it keeps them together so theres no digging for a loose one. I've even gone so far as to rig up a little mesh pocket for them in my pack, keeps them right there and quick to grab.

The other colours are...well its a different colour, still does its job and does it well. I keep two others (AA,123) in my gear in a pouch and love them. If you've ever had to do a high stress battery change you don't want to be fumbling around with them. You want to be able to one hand the holder, pull two out and slap them in and go. With these holders I can do just that, a one hand no look bat change which at times comes in very handy and in a pinch when you don't have time to stick them back into a pouch its quite easy to just palm or pocket the holder.

The 4x holding ability works out quite well as its nice to know that you have a spare set incase something occurs, I've had friends who needed a set right after I did a change out on my light and if I had been carrying only 2x they would have been screwed...Of course I always carry enough batteries to power a small city :D so its never a issue. But its just nice to know you've got that backup backup set.
 
I have a couple of these stashed around with a couple of 123's in them. I added a few scraps of bicycle innertube and have no rattle.
 
MutedRaccoon said:
I keep DuraCell Recharges in them without issue, and those are a HAIR thicker which means you need to squeeze those bastards in. Not as easy in, not as easy out.

I don't use Recharges as much as I would like, I try to as much as possible but at times you don't have access to recharge the spent bats especially for a extentend period of time. So 90% of the time I have standard AAs in them, I just wish they made a "fat pack" with two of those back to back (like a 8 pack) as it would be very handy for me...But then again theres nothing some glue, and tape can't fix or make...
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Thanks for the reply. It's good to know that they will still work with rechargeable. I think I'll have to pick up a set.

Although the tadgear version looks tempting as well.
 
PSU said:
Thanks for the reply. It's good to know that they will still work with rechargeable. I think I'll have to pick up a set.

Although the tadgear version looks tempting as well.
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The nice thing about the county comm versions are they aren't "solid".

CBH22LARGE.JPG


They have a slit as you can see to help you push the batteries out when you need them, this is a good thing as for larger batteries there is less material you need to work through to get it to fit. The nice thing about those slits and holes is that its very easy to remove a battery by just giving it a bit of a push with your finger...That allows you to remove 1 battery at a time without having the other come loose at the same time...Or if you wanted 2 you could do that...or 3...Its just nice to be able to remove a single battery without having to flip the container over and worrying about all the batteries falling out.

Also note how they are held in by both a retention "nub" and by the container wrapping around them...Not by a lid.

CBH6LARGE.JPG


A little trick though its not reccommended is to actually heat up a plug the size of a AA battery (not an actually AA, just something that size thats solid metal) and use that to melt a bit of material on the inside to make it your batteries work. I've never tested it but some people will submerge the holder in hot hot water and then quickly pull it out and stick a battery in. However that really only works with the less "robust" carriers that use thinner material.

Though with my recharges that I used I just crammed them in and took them out around 20 times before things got far easier...a breaking in period if you will.
 
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