It’s a big EDC market out there, and tons of awesome gear is released all the time. We made The Drop to help you discover the latest and greatest essentials worth a spot in your EDC.
Ever since RovyVon’s Aurora series of keychain lights hit the market, they’ve been a solid option and our recommendation for many EDCers looking for a compact light that wasn’t lacking in features or power. Up until that point, keychain lights had been a compromise: trade lumen output for something you can pocket, with a serviceable output, and probably running off of an AA or AAA battery.
But RovyVon took advantage of modern LEDs and li-ion batteries and carved out an impressive space with their lights, leading to dozens of successive models in the Aurora line as well as giving birth to several more EDC lights. One of the latest is the A26, a sibling of the pocket-sized A28 we’ve reviewed before, and this time built to be a compact thrower.
The A26 sports a lot of what we liked about this RovyVon line, including a compact size, USB-C rechargeable onboard 850mAh battery, and even auxiliary side lights (your choice between UV/red/white and UV/white/UV) for more versatility outside of its main emitter. A deep smooth reflector is in charge of pushing out the 6500K cool white LED’s Turbo output of 600 lumens out to 180 meters (~590 feet), while four other outputs down to a 0.5-lumen Moon mode gives it everyday usability.
Last but not least, the PVD-coated stainless steel used in the head, switches, and clip gives the A26 a great contrast against its lightweight polycarbonate body.
What we like: It’s a thrower version of the A28, making it a great addition to the rotation where you need your light to go the distance.
What to watch out for: The LED only comes in cool white, and while the battery is proprietary and custom-fit for the light, RovyVon offers replacements on their site.
Final verdict: Every RovyVon light has a solid place in most EDC lineups, and the A26 is no different.