A person can’t go wrong carrying a quality flashlight every day.

I have been carrying the Foursevens Quark Tactical QTA flashlight for more than half a year and have been impressed.

This flashlight is less than four inches long, weighs two ounces and uses a single AA battery. Its size and carry clip allow it to easily be transported in a pants pocket or small purse.

Designing the flashlight to use AA battery makes it easy to find inexpensive replacements.

The body is made from aluminum and is sealed for continual water submersion. It uses a cool white CREE Xp-G2 LED light emitter.

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A normal battery should last slightly more than an hour when the flashlight is set to maximum brightness of 109 lumens. The battery would last up to 10 days if the flashlight is put on its “moonlight” setting of .2 lumens.

The QTA has five constant light modes as well as strobe, SOS and beacon flash modes.

The light settings may be programmed into the flashlight, depending on your personal needs. Only two settings may be programmed at one time, and I have never needed more than that in a portable unit.

The owner’s manual has simple instructions on how to program the flashlight to your preferences. The programming stays between battery replacements.

Pushing a button at the rear of the flashlight turns it on in one mode. Loosening the head by a half-turn switches the flashlight into a second mode.

I set mine up for medium brightness in mode one and maximum in the second with usable success. Pushing the activation button partially causes the flashlight to momentarily illuminate until it is released.

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The small, light flashlight is almost unnoticeable in everyday carry. Its durability and reliability gave peace of mind for when I needed extra light. A single battery lasted many months before needing replacement.

Foursevens offers other models in its Quark Tactical line. Some use two AA batteries to power a brighter light with CREE XP-G2 LED emitters, while others use more expensive CR123A batteries for brightness and longer run times.

The Foursevens Quark Tactical QTA flashlight costs about $60.

Kim Quintin is a Saskatoon outdoor enthusiast and knife maker. He can be reached for column content suggestions at kim.quintin@producer.com.