I don’t review a lot of flashlights. Not because I don’t dislike them – I love lights. But I have my favorites, and I just don’t see a reason to deviate from them. Sadly, my knife interests are becoming like that, which doesn’t bode well for a guy who reviews gear.
For years, the Reylight Pineapple has been a staple in the EDC world. I’ve never thought much about them, but I’ve always thought I should pick one up for review. I finally seized the opportunity when I saw the Mini Ti pop up, though in a lot of ways this was probably a poor choice for my first Reylight. However, I love the Streamlight Microstream, and this one seemed very similar, so I gave it a shot.
In a lot of ways, the two lights are very similar. Both are roughly equivalent in overall size and weight – and they both can run on a single AAA battery. The overall fit and finish is certainly better on the Reylight, though you would expect that at nearly double the cost. Both also boast very nice foldover clips, which make them great for *actual* everyday carry.
However, that’s unfortunately where the similarities end. While the Pineapple Mini does have a much nicer pocket clip (and it can be removed a lot easier), and I do like the tactile feel of the tail switch a bit more, the Microstream outperforms it on every functional level (in my opinion).
For starters, while the Pineapple Mini does ship with a rechargeable battery, you have to own a battery recharger to recharge it – there is no micro USB port for easy charging like there is on the Microstream. The light will work fine with a typical AAA battery, but the light output drops significantly (from 240 down to 90). Additionally, the light has 4 default modes, which have to be cycled through each time. This isn’t uncommon in the world of EDC lights, but I find it particularly frustrating on the Pineapple, particularly because it defaults to the lowest setting. When I’m using this thing outside, it feels like I have to engage the tail switch 30 times just to get the highest beam, and inevitably I end up clicking one too many times and turning the light off.
All in all, it’s not a bad light. But I’m a practical guy, and I can buy 2 Microstreams for the price of 1 Pineapple Mini. Given the more straight forward interface and easier recharging capability, this is a no brainer to me. I totally understand the appeal of a Ti light, but personally it’s not something I care about.
Cut for me. Not bad, but nothing that’s going to get pocket time.
