EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – You don’t need to spend $40 or $50 or more to get a quality flashlight for everyday carry.
One of my favorites comes in for less than a third of that.
The Olight iE3 EOS checks off a litany of boxes, making it a nice everyday carry option.
First of all, the iE3 is the quintessential keychain flashlight.
It is about the size of your pinky, is powered by a regular everyday AAA battery and has a simple on-off user interface. You twist it to turn it on and then twist it back to turn it off.
This handy light has just one mode – 90 lumens – and can throw about 44 meters or about half a football field.
Here is a little of my history with this light.
I got my first i3E light as a gift from Olight when I made my first-ever order — my OG, the one that started my odyssey into being an Olight fan.
I liked this light from the start. My first one came in a color that Olight calls Olight Blue — actually more of a green.
“The classic Olight Blue color represents hope, rigor and realibility, embodying the original spirit of Olight and its limitless possibilities,” the company’s website said.
This color is no longer listed as being available on the Olight website but I did find it on the secondary market — at White Mountain Knives and at eBay, for instance.
Over the past two years, this has been a light that I have regularly used and rotated into my everyday carry.
What I really like is its small, compact size and caveman simple on-off operation.
What I have become a convert to is their collectibility.
In the past couple of months, I have bought two more.
The version called Auspicious Clouds is red with cloud images and an Asian-theme, hearkening to Olight’s roots as a company.
Most recently, I got the i3E limited edition Osight version that’s black with red highlights and has the feel of a gun sight.
Die-hard Olight fans say that last one might be the company’s best-ever design for the i3E.
Over the past two years, I have gotten several of these i3E lights as gifts for making purchases from Olight. In the past, I would give them away as gifts, as well, to friends and co-workers.
Now, I am collecting this light and looking forward to new designs and colorways when they come out.
On the Olight website, they are currently priced at $12.99. The black one is priced at $9.99.
With the Osight version, you are limited to just one, while supplies last.
Here is a link to the Olight website.
Here is a link to the i3E EOS.
One bit of advice if you are interested: Order directly from Olight and not the secondary market, like Amazon or eBay. That will allow you to take part in Olight’s excellent loyalty program. I have already gotten a great free light from participating.
Also, Olight has frequent sales that usually include a free flashlight just for making an order.
Here are some YouTube channels on knives and EDC gear that I find informative:
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