Goodbye 2020, Welcome 2021!

Goodbye 2020, Welcome 2021!  Here at ZeroAir.org, 2020 has been great.  I hope it has been for you as well!  I’m going to take the opportunity to highlight some of my most-read posts this year, and some of my favorite posts, and favorite gear!

Goodbye 2020

Most Read Posts

Most Read Post – Fenix PD36R Review

The most-read post on this website for 2020 is the review of the Fenix PD36R.  I’m a little surprised.  I would call this flashlight a “workhorse” without meaning that it’s exactly “unremarkable.”  What’s more, I didn’t even publish that review in 2020!  So what a random light to get so many eyeballs!!  Also surprising based on this fact that Fenix is still a fringe brand for me – I can not get a reliable contact from Fenix!

This post was actually in the top three last year, too!

I did go on to review some other Fenix lights in 2020, though.  Namely, the Fenix HT18, the Fenix LD05, and the Fenix E03R.  I can truly say I do not often connect a keychain light to my actual keychain, but I like the E03R enough that it’s on my keychain at this very moment!

Second Most Read Post – KillzoneFlashlights.com BLF-348

That’s right, my second most read post was not only not from 2020, it was not from 2019 either!  It does make sense – I link the KillzoneFlashlights.com BLF-348 review in every flashlight post, so anyone interested in my comparison light might click through.  I still love that little flashlight, and I wish they’d make more!

Third Most Read Post – Astrolux EC01

The popular BangGood brand Astrolux rings in at number three, with the Astrolux EC01.

Fourth, a Fun Fund Friday Review

We have to go all the way down to thirty sixth on the list to find a Fun Fund Friday as most read post.

This was the ReyLight Krystal, a light I still reach for often.  The filled tritium slots in the head make it easy to find at night in the dark.  Also I just like it.  Great to use, good user experience – I just like this one!  (Still in search of the 18650 body and carry tube to match, though.  And a head with amber instead of red! 😀 )

I’m not sure what FFF being so low at 36th means.  For reference, I posted 17 FFF reviews this year.  I recommend checking those out here!  Should I stop reviewing things that interest me enough for me to throw my money at?  What do you think?  I have some very exciting (to me?) things lined up already for 2021 in this category!

Favorite Reviewed Items

This year I published 131 reviews.  My goal of Monday, Wednesday, and Friday flashlight reviews was mostly met.  Tuesdays and Thursdays were still generally for non-flashlight and flashlight related items, though this year I believe there were much fewer of those.  I will likely keep this schedule more loosely in the coming year, but that’s my goal.

Hanko Machine Works Trident Tesseract

I also reviewed a “most expensive” flashlight – the Hanko Machine Works Trident Tesseract in brass.  This is a review I’m happy with, and pleased that is a bit rarified air – I don’t know of many other technical reviews on a light like this.

Deadwood Custom Works Huckleberry Topo

It’s been a long time since this review, but one of my favorite items I reviewed in 2020 was the Deadwood Custom Works Huckleberry Topo.  Mine’s special/different, because Grant agreed to have my cerakote with an orange topo line, and I think it’s a stunner.  Not only is it still a favorite light, it’s also a single emitter with reflector Nichia 219b light.  Here’s that review.

Lumintop FW3A

I also really loved the Lumintop FW3A in brass.  I was hit or miss with a bunch of the FW series lights (often saying that the “EDC18 is the best FW series light” because of a more-reliable side-e-switch).  But I really fell for this brass FW light, and it still sits prominently in reach, ready for use on my desk.

That brings me to my favorite gear of the year.

My Top Personal Lights of 2020

Hanko Machine Works Trident

There are two lights I reach for most often.  First is the brass Hanko Machine Works, which has tritium – again, that makes it super easy to distinguish at night, so it’s easy to grab.  I also “finished” this light in 2020, outfitting it with a SteelFlame Hardness Triple in bronze (I can’t get a good reference on the actual name of this one – if someone knows please let me know so I can put it here!)  This finished version of the Hanko Full Twist is brass with tritium, a Lux-RC 371d driver, and this Steelflame pocket clip – I call it my “heavy Hanko.”

But my other “most reached for” light is also a Hanko – The Hanko Machine Works Trident Reactor in titanium.  This is my “light Hanko.”

It’s not just a HMW Trident.  I converted this one from a stock triple to a single with a reflector.  The emitter is now a single Cree XP-L HI in 4000K with a H17f driver, and it is literally the perfect flashlight.  The conversion engine is by Devin of Sigma Custom Works.  The conversion is more throwy and also quite significantly lighter than the stock triple.

TorchLAB BOSS FT 35

I didn’t forget the BOSS.  And TorchLAB didn’t forget us.  TorchLAB released a new BOSS, called the FT (or “Forward Taper”) and I really love it.  The driver is now even more exceptional, and the built of the FT is just as nice.  The FT doesn’t scratch that “iconic” status of the RT (Reverse Taper, the original BOSS), but it doesn’t have to.  Compared to anything else, the BOSS FT is head and shoulders above.

I actually have two of these!  First was copper:

Then was aluminum.  This aluminum is just absolutely comically light – 50g without cell!

The BOSS makes up the headlining image from this site, so it should come as no surprise that it’s a favorite.

Favorites Other Posts!

Last year’s ending post I mentioned the Bic Clic Stic pens I customize….  I still do that, but after many requests, and much time wasting, I posted a how-to.  I’m pleased with that post, and still very pleased with the pens.  Here’s the that post from the “How Do I…” series.  And here’s the pen I use still.

Also note, I’m pretty sure this marks another year of this same two-dollar bill, seen above!

Instagram

I posted some on instagram this year – you can see that @zeroairreviews.  My top 9 posts were these!  Largely featuring Hanko Machine Works and TorchLAB BOSS lights, with a nice mix of “do you really carry all of that?”

Logo

Another thing that massively pleased me in 2020 is that I finally got a logo!  It’s part logo part watermark – ok technically only used as a watermark for now….  I worked the watermark out myself (as you can definitely tell) but I’m satisfied with it.  I have considered getting vinyl patches made of this logo.  Would anyone be interested in those?

It’s not perfect, but it’ll work!

Over 600 Posts!!

One final note about 2020 – this year saw me pass 600 posts total on my site.  I don’t aim for quantity.  My aim is quality.  But if I can keep up the quality and have quantity, I’m ok with that too.  I am working with a major name in flashlights this year to add a unique and useful feature to the site!

As ever, I welcome constructive feedback!

Welcome 2021!

What’s in store for 2021?

I’m already working on reviews for 2021, and beginning to work with some new manufacturers.

Also I’ll continue working with PhotonPhreaks, writing the news articles and the like.  My role there will be expanding, and I’ll be doing more writing, too.

I enjoy making Fun Fund Friday posts, particularly of unusual and/or custom items, and I will continue that.  In fact I have more Fun Fund Friday posts in the wings than I do of other type items!  This gets costly of course, so any help you can offer is greatly appreciated!  Help comes in the form of: just clicking links!  The traffic matters!  If you’re feeling wild, shoot your favorite manufacturer an email and recommend that they send review items to me for review.

I have also played with a donation page.  This is another thing I will reevaluate in 2021, probably sooner than later.

My list of responsibilities has grown this year, but in 2021 I hope to keep posts going here.  I enjoy it, and I hope you do too!

What would you like to see here for 2021?

Let me know in the comments, or shoot me a private message through the contact page!

Thank you for reading!