Will Fenix become the world's largest and best known Flashlight company?

[beerwax]

..........

 

[Lord Bear]

I don't believe I could even possibly come close to judging this. I'm too close to the "flashlight thing". Witness my being on this forum. I sense a disconnect between what I believe and what the individuals in the "market at large" believe. YMMV

 

[beerwax]

I don't believe I could even possibly come close to judging this. I'm too close to the "flashlight thing". Witness my being on this forum. I sense a disconnect between what I believe and what the individuals in the "market at large" believe. YMMV

yeah i hear you. just been looking at tk50 tk60 tk70 and getting all excited.

 

[flame2000]

Have you seen the recent JetBeams? I think there might be trouble there... maybe too early to tell, but I don't think their new owners are going to help JetBeam.

What's with the recent Jetbeam??? I thgt they came out with some pretty affordable lights (BA10, BA20, BC10, BC40) for the budget minded. They seems to have good reviews and looks like a good alternative for those going budget.

 

[Blindasabat]

I used to have several Fenix, but am now down to two which I never use. They are "drawer" backups or loaners. I think they are popular with some people, but far from universal. As an early poster said, not until Fenix is omnipresent in brick and mortar stores will they make a major impact. This will be a very difficult step for them, and this is not a gaurantee of success as Inova has found. If they do go major brick and mortar, then Maglite will probably step up their game and finally make a serious fight. They don't really impact SureFire sales IMHO.

 

[beerwax]

the flashlight market is a good example of the new world order of internet commerce. there is a whole range of lights of good performance and quality at a relativly high price point (for a light) that can be successfully sold from internet stores because of access to buyers, but the volumes are just not great enough to sell successfully thru a bricks and mortar store. we living in good times. cheers

 

[ZMZ67]

I don't know if they will unseat the likes of Energizer or Maglite anytime soon but Fenix does seem to enjoy worldwide success.beerwax makes a good point that the internet is a better sales venue for more expensive quality lights.In general most consumers are unwilling to pay more than $20 for a flashlight, as long as that holds true Fenix will still be in a niche market.INOVAs don't sell fast at the local Target and I would be curious to know how well the Mag XL50 and XL100 are selling with Maglite's brand status behind them.I do think that Fenix is serious competition for Surefire and Streamlight as more consumers are exposed to thier lights though they still need to develope a better service plan.Of the various popular Chinese brands Fenix seems to have infiltrated a wider market than the others and has attained a higher degree of brand recognition.

 

[Outdoorsman5]

Because of their high quality & higher prices, I don't think Fenix will ever be the worlds largest or best known. Lights like energizer, coleman, & maglights are cheaply made lights that are very affordable. Most people don't care about lights until they need one, and even then they don't care enough to pay very much for a light. Spending $5 or $10 or maybe $20 for a light is about it. It's kind of like when my wife goes looking at shoes or purses. She wants to spend $200 or $400 on this stuff, and because I don't care about those things I think it's ridiculous to spend that kind of money.....but it's because that stuff isn't important to me. I'm happy with a $30 pair of shoes, but will spend many times that on a light. People who care about high quality which leads to higher prices of anything are usually in the minority. People who care about lights like we do are a very small minority. Fenix caters to people like us not the general public. If they catered to the general public then their lights would be cheap & dim plastic things that none of us would care anything about.

 

[Kingfisher]

Technology in lights has moved on bucket loads in the past couple of years and Surefire have been a bit slow to catch up with the likes of Fenix. I think Surefire will lose out because of the higher price and the lag on specs.
A lifetime warranty is no use when you want the most efficient and latest technology. The way things are going, a couple of years is all you will need out of a light because something much better will just be round the corner anyway.However, if the specs and technology levels off, the likes of Surefire with their excellent quality will outshine others again – cream always rises to the top as they say!


I don't want this to become a Fenix v Surefire thing, that's not my intention, I just want to give my general opinion how I think the flashlight market is at the moment. Like others have said there's always the casual buyer who buys a real cheapo light. This is a real big market.


A very successful businessman once said to me "there are only 2 places to be in business – right at the top quality end of the market, or at the bottom crappy end – anywhere else and you're screwed."

 

[richpalm]

Fenix workmanship is nice, but they use lousy tints. They skimp on the binning end.

Both TK35 and 45 were awful. Had to change emitters to make them usable.

Rich

 

[StandardBattery]

Fenix workmanship is nice, but they use lousy tints. They skimp on the binning end.

Both TK35 and 45 were awful. Had to change emitters to make them usable.

Rich

More people have probably said that about Surefire than Fenix, and pretty much every other LED flashlight company as welll including many very popular ones. I've only known Liteflux and Zebralight to have consistent and high quality to the spectrum of their LEDs. A few custom makers are also pretty consistent, but their quantity is so much less and their cost reflect the extra care. My TK-35 was fine, not the best, but it is alot better than any light just a few years ago.

 

[beerwax]

i had always assumed surefire would get that bit right . im happy with my fenix tints but they are all older. on balance i find the quality and tints of my older leds surpass that of my more modern ones. the new ones are brighter , but the old ones are nicer.

so how many dollars on the price of a tk35 would be saved by skimping on the binning?

 

[Napalm]

beerwax makes a good point that the internet is a better sales venue for more expensive quality lights.

I noticed a general trend with this not only with flashlights. These days brick & mortar stores specialize either in the lowest quality, cheapest junk or in overpriced "luxury" stuff. Want a nice diving watch? All that's available is either a plastic crap fake "diving" one in *mart stores or an over-expensive Rolex or Omega one in jewelry stores. Nothing in between. You have to scour on-line stores in Asia in order to find something reasonable.

Nap.

 

[RBR]

.....

 

[genius5th]

fenix lights really appeal to me, especially their AA lights super compact and can fit on a keychain. A lot of light brightness in a small package

 

[Kraid]

I know what you mean, Jeff. For a full on primary EDC, I'd rather go with many brands before Fenix. But there is something to be said for their super small lights as a backup. Especially the ones that can handle 10440s or 16340S!

Welcome to CPF!

 

[beerwax]

I noticed a general trend with this not only with flashlights. These days brick & mortar stores specialize either in the lowest quality, cheapest junk or in overpriced "luxury" stuff. Want a nice diving watch? All that's available is either a plastic crap fake "diving" one in *mart stores or an over-expensive Rolex or Omega one in jewelry stores. Nothing in between. You have to scour on-line stores in Asia in order to find something reasonable.

Nap.

i notice this with a product as simple as a battery. the only place i can buy eneloops is internet. once there i can get normal xx lite coloured sparkles. i can order them at a local store but the interent is quicker and cheaper. and the local store will only be able to order the standard ones.

 

[Napalm]

i notice this with a product as simple as a battery. the only place i can buy eneloops is internet. once there i can get normal xx lite coloured sparkles. i can order them at a local store but the interent is quicker and cheaper. and the local store will only be able to order the standard ones.

LOL. Don't even mention batteries and chargers...... enter your local supermart and there are clusters of alkalines hanging everywhere. If they happen to have rechargeables, it's usually the Energizer 2500 mAh variety (no further comments) and a "charges 2 or 4 AA" charger (no comments either). If they have two models of chargers available, the other one is the "high end" 15 minutes charger (I'm refraining from comments).

Nap. :shakehead

 

[beerwax]

LOL. Don't even mention batteries and chargers...... enter your local supermart and there are clusters of alkalines hanging everywhere. If they happen to have rechargeables, it's usually the Energizer 2500 mAh variety (no further comments) and a "charges 2 or 4 AA" charger (no comments either). If they have two models of chargers available, the other one is the "high end" 15 minutes charger (I'm refraining from comments).

Nap. :shakehead

you have just described my supermarket. australia and canada have the same store.

we also get a selection of plastic led torches with between 3 and about 15 leds. you dont need to buy fenix - your local supermarket has plenty of led torches, some of which have more than 1 led.

 

[chewy78]

good question