Inova lights are now made in China!

I just got back from a trip to Target when I noticed some new packaging on some of the Inova lights. The X2 caught my eye as the package stated in was now 107 lumens not 85. On the back of the package in small print it states, Engineered and designed in the USA, made in China. The old 85 lumen USA made light and the new one were both the same price. The light seems to be made just as well, and is a tad bit brighter, but I am disappointed. Another one bites the dust! I am going to guess the rest of the models will be the same. I am also not sure if I will buy another Inova.

:thumbsdow:mecry:

Yes, I sadly discovered this myself. All of the X series lights are Designed/Engineered in the US, but manufactured in China. On first impression I think they still show some quality, but I wish they would actually advertise this on their website. I have not been able to find the manufacturing location anywhere on it.

Never buying another Inova again. Nice lights, have a few, but made in USA was a major selling point for me. I'll just buy much more powerful lights designed, engineered, and manufactured in China then. In other words- more Fenixes, no more Inova. It's that simple

I like my X1-GT however noticed that its made in "Cha Ching China" - I would like to support the US - however even Leatherman dont stamp 'Made in the USA' on their tools due to some globally sourced parts. Pitty huh.

Inova was bought out by Nite-Ize.
It was bound to happen.


I won't buy any of them.

TK41 said:

Never buying another Inova again. Nice lights, have a few, but made in USA was a major selling point for me. I'll just buy much more powerful lights designed, engineered, and manufactured in China then. In other words- more Fenixes, no more Inova. It's that simple

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Exactly!

In my early days here I'd only buy USA made lights and avoided the Fenix lights. Bought a bunch of Inovas. Now since Inova sold out I haven't bought one. But I've bought a bunch of Fenixes! Funny how things work out.

I know the quality has gone down in recent years. I have some older ones that have rock tight threads on them but the new ones don't. They are loose.

Their service is still really good though since they got bought out, and the service center is still in the US.

This thread began over 2 years ago.

I've owned many Inova lights purchased before the Nite-Ize takeover. While I prefer to buy American lights, the Chinese made dual level X1 and XS work very, very well and are a joy to use.

It looks like Inova lights have advanced faster under Nite-Ize ownership than before.

The initial groundbreaker & flagship was always the X5 IMO. New LED Gen I twist and initial Gen 2 tail several years ago. As far as not buying another Inova; I found it hard to embrace the product path well before the Nite-Ize news.

Holy old posts Batman!! I started this post more than two years ago, and just now it is responded to! I actually learned later that Inova lights were never actually MADE in the USA, just ASSEMBLED here. There is a difference. In other words, the lights parts were made in China, then assembled here. A few years ago while in a tactical shop in Jacksonville, NC, I saw a few new Surefire models that had some parts made elsewhere also, maybe China, do not remember. I have not bought an Inova light since Target stopped selling them, but I am no longer too concerned where they are made.

I don't care where something is made as long as:

1. It's of good quality.
2. The company is clear about where it's made.
3. Where it's made is reflected in the price.

Racer said:

I don't care where something is made as long as:

1. It's of good quality.
2. The company is clear about where it's made.
3. Where it's made is reflected in the price.

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I couldn't agree more. I am mostly upset that Inova does not list this information ANYWHERE on its website. I purchased the light based on the fact the website said it was a US light, it was posted here on CPF that they were at least assembled in the US, and supposedly Nite-Ize is a US company. I can't tell you the dissapointment I felt when I saw the "manufactured in China" label on the back of the packaging. I guess I can't emphasize your point #2 enough.

parnass said:

This thread began over 2 years ago.

I've owned many Inova lights purchased before the Nite-Ize takeover. While I prefer to buy American lights, the Chinese made dual level X1 and XS work very, very well and are a joy to use.

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I have to agree that the X1 is not a bad little light. I kind of forget that its only 55 lumens due to the beam being rather well shaped, IMO. However, while I am not generally sensitive to PWM, the low on this light has what I would consider to be very obvious PWM. I made the mistake of using as my light source while running some water from the tap and I actually felt a moment of nausea over it. I wish I knew more about PWM to describe my experience with it better, but this will have to do.

I too don't really care where a product is made...BUT... if I could support the US workforce by buying products that may be slightly more expensive than their MORE POWERFUL and sometimes comparably priced or even LESS EXPENSIVE Chinese counterparts, then I would buy the USA made one simply to support the country. Yet, if the product is partly made in China...well, I may as well just buy the Chinese product to begin with. For instance, the Fenix LD22 is superior (lumens, runtime, water resistance, ect) to the INova X2. I have no reason now to purchase an X2 in favor of the Fenix, as the 'support the USA' thrill is gone.

Racer said:

I don't care where something is made as long as:

1. It's of good quality.
2. The company is clear about where it's made.
3. Where it's made is reflected in the price.

Click to expand...

Holy Spider-Man, old thread revival, first reply, 2.4 years, my gosh, what is this world coming to?

I actually still care where a product is made, but it depends upon the company. For example, if Maglite decided one day to lay off its US workforce and start making their lights elsewhere, I would stop buying them. Hershey's did this a while back and started making some of their US product in Mexico, so I no longer buy their products. I also will only buy lights and other goods from US merchants. I believe doing this still supports the US workforce, regardless of where a product is made. My wife and I shop at World Market every now and then, and they sell things that are made all over the world (obviously!!). I am not one of these people who believe EVERYTHING has to be made here. As far as Inova is concerned, apparently this was not a case of a greedy company outsourcing its manufacturing to cheap labor to make its CEO'S fat! I actually like the new version of the X2 better than then the original and the same goes for the X1. It is a shame Target downgraded their light selection and stopped selling them.