Wautton Keychain Flashlight 2025 REVIEW

Rechargeable, lightweight EDC pocket/keychain light

As my sons progress through their scouting journey, we are ever reminded of the motto “Be Prepared.” When camping, hiking, backpacking, spelunking, traveling, or gathering, scouts are supposed to have their ten essentials: first aid supplies, flashlight, trail food, matches/fire starter, sun protection, whistle, rain gear, water, map and compass, and a pocket knife.  When considering flashlights, it is important to note that there will not be a single all-purpose, jack-of-all-trades light that will work in every situation.  Instead, you will need to choose those features that are most important to you.  Consider the beam length, flood versus spotlight, replaceable versus rechargeable battery, handheld versus headlight, and niche factors like magnetic base, charging type, etc.  Despite all of the bells and whistles available on the market, the most essential aspect of any flashlight is having the light when you need it.  

Packaging: 

The Wautton keychain flashlight arrived in a classy, black-colored, hanging-style retail package.  The cover panel displayed the company name, a generic Flashlight product name along the top panel, and an obliquely angled image of the keychain light.  The iridescent image had a lower reflective shadow/image that did provide a bit of depth to the packaging.  The black background provided a good medium to display the product. The right side panel displayed three images of the tiny flashlight.  The top showed a hand holding the light, the second showed a series of two lights on a key ring, and the third demonstrated the USB-C charging port located along the mid-segment of the light.  I liked the layout, imaging quality, colors, and presentation.  

The left side panel also provided three product images.  I appreciated that the company utilized new/different images from the opposing side and that they showcased the expanded/broken down product: 1. Headlamp/spring. 2. Deconstructed light and battery. 3. Charging port.  The rear panel provided a large product parameters chart.  I loved the white font on black background and felt the panel visibly popped. The dual-mode keychain flashlight promised high (90LM) and soft light (10LM) features, 1 hour/6 hour runtime, 15 meter/10meter beam distance, 1.5 meter drop, IPX6 water resistance, 10180 battery, 50mm x 15mm dimensions, 19G/22G (battery included/not included), and titanium alloy construction.  I noted a typographical error on the packaging and confirmed the weights myself.  The instruction manual also incorrectly listed the battery included/not included as 19G/22G, confirming the outer typographical error. 

Unboxing:

I lifted the top panel and removed the contents from the box: 1. Zip closure bag with a 27 1/2 inch long ball-chain necklace, 2. zip closure bag with the flashlight, 3. Zip closure bag with the small battery, 4. Zip closure bag with 20-inch long USB-A to USB-C cable. 5. Instruction manual.  I removed the 0.1-ounce battery and 0.6-ounce flashlight from their bags, unscrewed the tail cap from the battery, located the + icon on the battery, and inserted the positive side of the battery into the light. I subsequently reattached the tail cap. Before using the battery, I removed the USB-A to USB-C cable from its bag and plugged it into a standard USB-A block.  I gripped the headcap and body segments and unscrewed the top portion counterclockwise. This technique expanded the light from a standard 1 7/8 inches long to 2 1/4 inches long, and showcased the O-ring and USB-C charging port.  I plugged the USB-C prong into the battery, noted a red LED opposite the USB-C port, and allowed it to charge fully before first use.  After about an hour, the red LED changed to a green LED and the light was ready.  I screwed the headcap clockwise to reseat the screw and placed it into my pocket for storage/later use.  

Testing:

One potential downside to the light was the charging setup.  Even though I was thankful that the company included a USB-A to USB-C cable with their light, I was disappointed that it would not charge via USB-C to USB-C.  I tested the cable’s prongs and rounded mid-segment and found the design was well suited for repetitive use.  The metallic ends merged into the light/charging cube securely; the neck segments were well designed and should hold up to prolonged use/bending, and the rounded cable did not show memory.  I tried other USB-A to USB-C cables, with multiple 5V/1.5A charging blocks, and found the battery charged well.  However, when I tried to use various USB-C to USB-C cables with various USB-C charging blocks, the light did not charge. 

Since my iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPad Pro 13-inch, Apple Watch Charger, and AirPods all use USB-C, I typically carry a few USB-C to USB-C cables, a USB-C to Apple Watch, and a multiport USB-C block.  It may be inconvenient to some to have to remember to bring a USB-A block and USB-A to USB-C charging cable.  Again, I tried various cables (power, power+data), charging blocks, USB-C hubs, and found that USB-C to USB-C cables did not allow the light to charge.  This feature alone dropped my rating by at least a point. 

I was impressed with the tiny light’s rainbow color, titanium outer coating, and heat dissipation.  To simulate an accidental drop of the light, I placed the light into my pocket, withdrew my hand, and allowed the light to drop onto my hardwood floor, concrete basement, and driveway.  The light did very well and had no visible damage/deformity.  I tested each mode and found the light output was more vibrant than expected.  The high beam will provide ample visibility in a tent, into a backpack, a room, or along the trail.  The low beam provided reasonable reading light, trail visibility, and allowed me to search for gear in my backpack.  I was impressed with the battery/beam timeline as well.  I turned the light to high mode at 11:34 pm, and the beam started to dim at 12:55 am.  The light remained illuminated, although very faintly/dimly lit, until 7:05 am. It continued to dim and finally powered off entirely by 11:24 am.  

The light provides a good amount of power in a small package.  The 1-hour-high and ~6-hour-low beams provided a fair trade-off for an ~2-hour charge time.  The small battery is easily replaceable and, thanks to its lightweight nature, may benefit from having a few backups.  Additionally, I liked that the light had built-in battery-reverse protection to prevent damage if you inserted the battery incorrectly.   To test the charge time, I plugged the included USB-A to USB-C cable into the light at 11:24 am and found it charged to full by 1:25 pm. 

I was impressed that the light never felt hot to the touch during charging or during illumination.  The instruction manual was easy to follow/understand and provided a well-detailed layout.  If I were creating a version 2.0, I would have included a break-away necklace, or a keyring clip instead of a solid-type necklace.  There are too many examples of injuries from non-breakaway-type rings, neck knives, and neck lights to use this type of a hanger. Lastly, for the light to be a top-notch everyday carry (EDC) light, it would need to charge via USB-A and USB-C and cost ~$30 instead of the listed $49.90 price. The current price seems a bit high compared to other similar-style products. Overall, I would rate the device at 7/10 based on light/weight/price/accessories. For the price, you can pick up a couple Streamlight Nano Lights, a few Olight i1r, or a few nitecore tiki.

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