NOTE: A regular reader purchased an L10C and it stopped working pretty quickly. He has agreed to let me take a peek at it and see if we can get it working. I may update the score and review after that. Just a heads up.

This review, in a way, is perfunctory. The L10C already won my pick for Overall Product of the Year in 2014. It is, in many ways, a watershed product--serious performance at a budget price, in a great battery format. It is the promise of the Eiger filtered through economic forces and competitive markets into a $30 light. The L10C is a great light and an insane value. But you already know that. This review is designed to formalize all of that in one place, to give you a benchmark for other lights. Suffice to say, going forward, production lights need to be insanely awesome. The era of lumens upgrades is over--quality is now available on a budget. So if you are making a me-too design bragging about a marginal benefit in output, go elsewhere. The market has passed you by and thank god. I just about lost touch with the production world of lights. I couldn't take another tiny tweak in a light that manufacturers called revolutionary when it was, at best, hardly noticeable.

Here is the product page. The L10C costs $33 shipped. Yep, shipped. Here is a written review. Here is a video review. Here is a link to Amazon, where you can find the L10C, and all proceeds benefit the site when you purchase things through this link:

Here is my review sample (purchased with change from inside my car...well, almost):

Here is my video overview:

Twitter Review Summary: The light found in Adam Smith's Invisible Hand

Design: 2

This isn't a titanium jewel. It isn't a thrower. It isn't all that complex. In fact, this is probably one of the simplest lights I have reviewed. But, it has all of the things that really matter and none of the bullshit that doesn't. Let's run down the list:

1. Clicky: the clicky feels great here--responsive without being sensitive.

2. Clip: good bolt-on clips are my favorite and here you get one that threads relatively easily in place, though you don't have to worry as it comes attached.

3. Output: the whisper bright low is perfect and the high is about as good as you can expect given the battery format.

4. Emitter: Nichia 219 for excellent color rendering.

Simply put--the L10C is shorn of baloney and focuses on the features of a flashlight that really matter. Its good--really good. And frankly the simplicity of the design is a pleasant change from uber complex lights like the Surefire UDR Dominator. There is zero feature creep here and the light is all the better.

This is a slightly larger than normal 1xAA light. Here it is with a standard deck of cards (a more colorful and easier to photograph size reference than the shiny Zippo):

The performance ratios are good. The lumens:weight is 79.47 (120 lumens/1.51 ounces). The total lumens output is found on high with 10800 (120 lumens for 90 minutes).

Fit and Finish: 2

The hard anodizing has held up just fine over six months of use. The clicky is still crisp. And the threads are clean and smooth. But there is feedback out there that the L10C isn't all that solid. I will note that the feedback came from earlier than the date of my purchase so it is entirely possible my unit came from an improved batch, as I have had zero problems. But I think it is important to note the issue.

One thing I will point out and this the thing that probably detracts from the fit and finish the most--the emitter is ever so slightly off-center. It doesn't affect the beam, not at all, but it is visible. Its just one of those things that flashaholics check for (like blade centering) and when it is off, you always seem drawn to it, no matter how little it sits to one side. Also remember, this is a $30 light, so small cosmetic flaws like an slightly off-centered emitter shouldn't be a big deal. You can get perfect fit and finish at any price, as the San Ren Mu 605 proved, but I wouldn't lose a second of sleep over the emitter placement here.

Grip: 2

I have said this before but there is a certain feel, a well made and well designed flashlight has in the hand, and the L10C has it. It just fits. Everything falls in place and your hand is right where you need it to be. It is, frankly, lovely.

The knurling pattern is effective without being shreddy and the pocket clip mostly stays out of the way. Very good and one of the reasons to buy this light over another very good cheap light, the Eagletac D25 AAA. The reality is, some of the smaller 1xAAA lights are too small. But here you get compact but not teeny.

Carry: 2

It is not exactly tiny, but the size isn't bad in the pocket at all. The L10C is a slender, especially compared to stuff like the comparatively "bulky" SC52. This isn't the shortest light running a 1xAA power source, but its not too bad. Finally, the clip is darn good. Its not the best ever, not Haiku good, but it is probably equal to the also refined SC52.

Output: 2

Its funny, over the years, the top end of output has become pretty boring. Everyone makes lights that are good, some are great. This is where the L10C sits--between good and great for the power source. But the real action, where the real performance jumps take place, is at the low end. And here, like everything that matters with lights, the L10C comes up huge. With a whisper bright .5 lumens low the L10C gives you a few slivers of light, enough to find your way, but not enough to wake a sleeping person or steal your night vision. This is best in class performance here, on par with some uber pricey boutique lights like the HDS Rotary (though it is getting more common on midpriced lights). Additionally, the two other medium type modes are adequately spaced and useful. All in all, its hard to beat the L10C on the bottom, its decent at the top, and good in terms of spacing. Superbly done.

Runtime: 2

Like with output, the runtimes have become pretty staid. The top end here is what you'd expect from a modern light, but again, the action and interest takes place at the bottom of the output. Thanks to the very low low, the L10C can run for an enternity. Its not unique in this regard, but the idea that you could get ultra long runtimes out of a 1xAA flashlight is quite nice and, if I had a DeLoren, it would have been stunning even as few as three years ago. Flashlight technology changes quickly and this is one of the signs of that pace--amazing performance even on a budget light.

Beam Type: 1

With a deep-ish emitter, I would have expected a bit more throw. This is not the most terrible flaw, but I just can't figure out what is going on here. Someone with experience designing reflectors could probably say why. If I were L3 Illumination I would upgrade to a pure experience with a TIR optic. As it is, you get a little bit of throw and a little bit of flood, but not enough of either to make one or the other 100% worthwhile. You can cover up some beam type problems with good outputs and the L10C does that, but blah, I wanted more.

Beam Quality: 2

Hello Mr. Nichia. I didn't realize that you had become so egalitarian. I am pleased that you have. The results of your more democratic approach have been inspiring. The beam is clean, round, and resplendently sun-like in its color rendering.

UI: 2

Clickies aren't great. I'd prefer a selector ring, but this clicky is surprisingly good. I am not saying "good for the money," I am saying just straight up very good. There is a strong feedback to the clicky and the spacing between the modes is perfect. I like the start up in whisper low, but I wish there was a mode memory. Alas, the budgetary constraints come in. Of the things to not include, that's the thing I would have left out as well.

Hands Free: 2

It stands well. It doesn't roll. And it does the always last resort, between the teeth grip, quite well.

Overall Score: 19 out of 20

Its not a perfect light, but it is pretty close. If it weren't for the neither here nor there beam type, this would be a perfect light. As it iss you'll have to settle for damn good. At the price its an amazing deal. The 1xAA format has come a long way from the days of weaksauce output and runtimes measured in heartbeats. In terms of EDC use the format pulled ahead of CR123as a while ago, but that was largely because of the performance of the mid-priced lights out there. As it stands now, well, even the budget lights are screamers.

When I gave the L10C my Overall Product of the Year for 2014, I got some feedback that the lights weren't all that well made. I did some research and it is true that there are performance and durability issues reported on forums, CPF and Budget, but I have not experienced those problems nor have I been able to cause issues to occur with rough use. I have mentioned this before, but evaluating QC is very hard to do for two reasons. First there is the sample size issue--usually I only have one review sample. Second there is the whiner issue--people on the Internet LOVE to whine. Type in even the most beloved piece of gear, something that has a reputation for superior fit and finish, such as the Sebenza, and you will find dozens of threads containing people attesting to the poor QC out of Chris Reeve's shop. Be clear, I am not saying that the folks complaining about the L10C are whiners. Its just that I have no way to distinguish whiners from sincere folks, hence the problem with Internet feedback. My review sample has been fine but as a tip of the hat to the reader who passed the QC tip along, I decided to include this paragraph. Its the best I can do.

Simply put the L10C is a great light, one that just about anyone on Earth could carry and use with no problems. Its design and production budget was spent incredibly well, skipping baloney like a junky sheath in favor of a truly great emitter. Every choice was made exactly as I would have made it. Only the soupy beam type was an issue and even that was a small one. With a TIR (also available on budget lights, see the D25AAA), the L10C could be a world beater. As it is, it is probably the best 1xAA light on the market and a no-brainer recommendation for newbs all the way up to seasoned flashaholics. Beware of QC problems, but delight--this is a $33 light that performs like a $100. Its not sexy. Its not titanium. There is no Jetsonsesque selector ring. What there is is everything you want in an EDC light and nothing you don't. Just go buy the L10C.

The Competition

Pu-lease. The Fenix PD22 is not even in the same league--the friction fit clip, thick body tube, and less than awesome UI makes the L10C an easy choice. The thing I keep coming back to is this--the L10C compares favorably to the SC52 from Zebralight, probably the consensus pick for the 1xAA format. While the SC52 is shorter, thanks to the side switch, the L10C isn't giant and is actually a bit thinner. In every other regard the L10C is as good or better. Both run bolt on clips, the L10C has a better UI, a better clicky, a better emitter, and while its not as bright on high as the SC52, in terms of perceived brightness, there isn't much of a difference (again, remember that our eyes perceive brightness logrithmically, meaning that large increases in lumens are necessary in order for things to look different). In short this is a better light than the SC52 and it costs 50% less. And yes, Zebralight is a US company, but both L3 Illumination and Zebralight have their lights made in China.