The Laulima Hoku Clicky has rapidly become my favorite go-to flashlight when wearing shorts. Using a 10440 (AAA size Li-ion chemistry) battery and the latest Nichia 519A LED it packs an outsize punch for its size and has a programmable driver that lets the user select their preferred mode group. Unfortunately, battery capacity is incredibly low compared to more usual 14500 and 18650 cells, so this isn’t a top pick for flashlight-heavy adventures.

The original Hoku is also available at a lower starting price without a clicky, using twist to activate. Despite my affinity to twisty lights I find the new Clicky version to be a massive upgrade for daily use.

For those looking to fill a similar role at a more affordable price point, the Rovyvon A3 G4 is an excellent alternative, but has a substantially worse clip and is better used when attached to a keychain.

Pros:

• high quality build and machining
• most powerful flashlight available in its size
• amazing pocket clip
• excellent clicky action which is nicer than any other pen size light on the market
• programmable driver for fine tuning the mode groups to user’s preferences
• can be customized at time of order to suit a variety of aesthetic tastes
• Laulima offers top tier customer service as a two-man operation

Cons:

• very expensive for an aluminum light
• runtime is very short especially on higher modes due to FET driver
• reverse clicky is “slow” to activate compared to standard McClicky lights
• availability is currently limited as maker hasn’t been able to catch up to demand