Nitecore Thumb Rechargeable Keychain Light

Most keychain lights point one way: straight out the end. The head on the Nitecore Thumb tilts through more than 120 degrees, so you can clip it to a cap brim, a pocket or a backpack strap and aim the beam at whatever your hands are doing.

It weighs 0.88 ounces with its battery and clip and is about 2.9 inches long, roughly the size its name promises. Two switches split the work. One runs the white light at 2, 30 or 85 lumens; the other goes straight to a red light or a red flicker mode, which keeps your night vision intact for reading a map or walking a dark campsite. The battery is built in and charges over USB, and a charging cable comes with it. It’s rated IP65 against dust and water, and it’s built to survive a 1.5-meter drop.

It suits the guy who is always under a sink, in a crawl space, under the hood or walking the dog after dark.

The catch: on high it runs about 45 minutes before it needs a charge. Low lasts 22 hours, but at 2 lumens that’s a reading light, not a flashlight.