Nite Ize Inova XP: A Solid Backup Light With a Tight Twist Switch

This is a sturdy light that I initially didn't think I would like very much. The smooth finish over the majority of the light didn't seem like it would be easy to hold onto while in use. The only portion that has knurling is the rear part that you have to twist to turn the light on and off. It is definitely helpful there, as it is pretty difficult to turn it, and will probably require a lot of use to loosen it up (or some kind of lubrication that I have yet to come by), but that isn't a bad thing, since it is commonly carried in a pocket, and I wouldn't want it turning on in my pocket to be of no use when I pulled it out to use it. Another reason I wasn't sure I would like it is because it was the first twist-type light I purchased in hopes of adding it to my every-day carry rotation. Prior to this, all the lights I carry daily have been tail-cap push-button style. As for the light itself, it has a great powerful beam, that is a really nice mixture of flood and spotlight. The hot spot of the beam is really large, and the light beyond that is really spread out, yet bright enough to still be useful light. I believe that it is every bit of the 144 lumens it claims. In comparison to all other 2xAAA lights that I have, this one is very compact, and appears to have been built very efficiently for small size. Being the first twist-type light I have ever had, this definitely took some getting used to. The tail-cap could be pushed in as a sort of momentary-on setting, but it was so tight that my thumb would weaken in a matter of seconds, and the contact would come off, thus causing the mode to change when I pushed it back in. Also, with the first mode being the brightest, and the second mode being low, I had a few moments of frustration when I was trying to switch to low mode right away, only to have the light flicker as I was tightening the rear onto the light, so it would go back and forth from high to low multiple times, so when I would tighten the contact back down, it would seem to usually be back in the high setting. With the light typically needing two hands to twist the light on and off for operation, it is not the ideal light for quick use here and there throughout the day/night in my opinion, but it is definitely a solid and sturdy light that I would expect to stand up to tough daily use. Based on the difficulty to use this in comparison to other tail-cap push-button flashlights, I don't carry this with me every day, but it is a solid back-up light I feel I can count on. EDIT 10-10-15: added pic of this light next to the Pelican 1920 to show how much smaller it is, while using the same 2xAAA lights, as well as a handful of other smaller single AAA lights.