Malkoff MDC AA HCRI Flashlight

Why we built this:

For those who spend lots of time in the dark, or require globally available commodity batteries, the MDC AA HCRI brings the same high quality beam, reliability, and ease of carry, with three perfectly tuned output modes for getting around in the dark.

We made it small and lightweight, but still sized for real hands and real work. With the MDC's high efficiency light engine, a single battery can take you from dusk til dawn. We equipped it with specialty emitters made for color sensitive applications so you can see as well as daylight.

The MDC AA is an essential light for the traveler or the prepared, from jeans to suit. Made in the USA.

Short Specs (full specs below):
- Emitter: Nichia 519A sm453 domed LED
- Optic style: McR-series textured reflector
- CCT: 4500K
- Power source: 1x AA (NiMH, Alkaline, or Energizer L91)
- Output: 0.4 - 8 - 100 lumens
- User Interface: 3 modes, LL- L- H, starts on LowLow
- Runtime: 200h - 18h - 1h
- Malkoff Devices Lifetime Warranty

For the readers:

The Malkoff MDC AA HCRI is designed for extreme reliability in a lightweight and compact footprint. Classically overbuilt but re-imagined for modern times, the MDC HCRI is proudly made in the USA by Gene Malkoff and his small team who are trusted by law enforcement, military, and civilians in dark places around the world.

The MDC AA HCRI is built for every day carry, natural disasters, world travel, or extended expeditions and is optimized for use on commodity AA cells which can be purchased anywhere around the world at gas stations, convenience stores, groceries, and supermarkets. With three output levels and 100 lumens max, the MDC 1AA HCRI-45 offers incredible runtimes to guarantee you can always see your next steps.

Using the industry leading Nichia 519a emitter and the legendary McR reflector with orange peel texture, the MDC HCRI offers full spectrum light (Ra 98) and boasts an incredible red spectrum (R9 80+) while also guaranteeing a generally pleasant tint. No more tint lottery.

This special limited run of MDC AA HCRI is issued in the Nichia 519a sm453 variant for a perfectly neutral white 4500K CCT for clean, consistent color rendering, perfectly smooth without any beam artifacts or aberrations, and of course using an LED rated for tens of thousands of hours without burnout.

The MDC AA HCRI is renowned for its unusual LowLow mode at 0.3 lumens, which is enough to navigate a bedroom without disturbing a spouse or check on sleeping children and for hiking on hardpack with fully night adapted vision and runs for a stunning 200+ hours. Low mode is plenty for reading a book or a map or normal use hiking more challenging terrain and lasts 18 hours on a single battery. High exceeds the original standard for tactical brightness and runs for over 1 hour on a standard Eneloop NiMH battery. Thanks to the carefully chosen logarithmic brightness steps, each successive brightness level appears to the human eye as nicely spaced apart.

The MDC AA HCRI is equipped with a sturdy pocket clip and has a new upgraded tapered half knurled body for easier pocket ingress and egress. The new design slips in and out of pockets so easily, you can wear it both work jeans and dress slacks. All of the flashlight electronics are potted for water and impact resistance and the only wear item (the switch) is designed to be user serviceable with the industry standard McClicky.

The full spectrum emitter is paired with a McR-series reflector. Legendary flashlight maker, Don McLeish, better known as McGizmo, designed the reflector not to waste a single lumen outside the range of human vision. Unlike many ultra-high lumen lights which blast photons scattershot, the McR directs every last photon into an optimal cone for foveal, central and mid-peripheral vision, beyond which light is considered wasted for most users. In the real world, you get an aesthetically pleasing beam tuned for color and detail discrimination, situational awareness, and depth perception.

This flashlight is powered by a single AA battery. While we strongly recommend only using Energizer L91 Lithiums and rechargeable NiMH AA batteries like Eneloop and IKEA Ladda for best performance on high and to avoid the risk of leaking alkalines, Gene Malkoff's 1-2V boost driver capably powers the Nichia 519a emitter even on standard alkaline Duracell, Rayovacs, Kirklands, etc. We supply the MDC 1AA HCRI-45 with a Panasonic Alkaline AA single-use cell.

Please Note enthusiast 3.6-4.2V Lithium-ion cells including but not limited to RCR123A, 16340, and 14500 may NOT be used with this head. It can cause irreversible damage to the electronics inside the flashlight. Please use 1.2-1.7V chemistry AA batteries only.

What we're excited about:
- Nichia 519a LED for ultra high color rendering and rosy-neutral tint
- super neutral CCT (4500K) for ideal color-correct viewing
- very low outputs make this flashlight ideal for discreet lighting and night adapted vision
- extremely overbuilt but gentle on pockets, with a great pocket clip
- next gen 1xAA body, half knurled with tapered smooth front for easier pocket ingress
- fully potted electronics for water and shock resistance

Please note: Due to the nature of this limited run item, any warranty issue brought to Malkoff Devices that requires a full unit replacement will not be able to replicate the unique LED configuration of this light and will be offered one of the standard factory options.

Full Specs:
- Length: 4.5 inches
- Diameter: 1 inch (head)
- Weight: 2.66 oz (without battery, with avg. battery ~3.38 oz)
- Host materials: Type III black hard anodized 6061T6 aluminum
- Optic: McR-series reflector, textured orange peel
- Emitter: Nichia 519a sm453 (4500K wide hotspot)
- User interface: 3 modes, LL-L-H, starts on LowLow
- Output: 0.4 - 8 - 100 lumens
- Amperage draw: 8mA - 90mA - 1400mA
- Runtime: 200h - 18h - 1h
- Power source: 1x AA (NiMH, L91 lithium primary, alkaline)
- Included battery: 1x Panasonic Alkaline AA single-use cell
- Working voltage: 1-2V
- Switch: McClicky forward switch, silicone boot
- System compatibility: E-series, Aleph, MDC/Scout
- Origin: Manufactured and assembled in the USA

Some details Mr. Malkoff would like us to share:

This light will support standard alkaline AA, lithium primary AA, and rechargeable NIMH AA.

Mode of Operation:

The switch debounce time is 150 milliseconds. The mode will advance each time the light is momentarily activated and the switch debounce time has passed.

This light uses ON time to determine mode switching. If the light is left ON for more than 1 second, the NEXT off/on cycle will return the light to low. If the light is NOT LEFT ON for 1+ seconds the next off/on cycle will advance the mode. The off time has no relation to the mode switching of the light. In most normal use, the light will always come on in low.

A 2000 mah Eneloop at full charge will provide approximately 200+ hrs on LowLow, 18+ hrs on Low, and 1 hr on High.

This Flashlight was designed for rugged service from the ground up. It is fully potted to stand up to rough service and recoil. This Item is Covered by Our Lifetime Warranty.

This flashlight was designed for use with a single primary lithium AA, rechargeable NIMH AA, or alkaline AA. Best results will be achieved with a primary lithium AA, or rechargeable NIMH AA. DO NOT USE A RECHARGEABLE Li-ion CELL. The voltage is too high.

The input voltage is 0.8 - 1.7 volts. Input voltages of more than 1.7 volts may cause unstable operation of modes. Voltages of more than 3.3 volts may damage this flashlight.

This light is NOT protected against reverse polarity. The positive terminal of the battery must be installed toward the head of the light!!!

WARNING: This light is capable of causing eye damage at close range. Please use the light responsibly!!!

Made in the USA. Some parts not domestically sourced.