Fenix lights at retailer store batteries included......alkalines?

[moerush04]

I was in REI the other day gathering some gear for an upcoming climbing trip. I had zero need for a new flashlight but as we flashaholics know, its impossible to pass a flashlight section without snooping. I was amazed to see they stocked the Fenix E22 and a few other AA Fenix lights as well as a 2x123 / 18650 light. I cannot remember what series they all were. They were sitting among the run of the mill retailer flashlights (Mag, Ray-Vac, energizer etc). I noticed they all said batteries included. I thought; nice touch. I opened the box to the E22 to check it out and was shocked to see they were Tenergy Alkalines! An employee recognized me from the local climbing gym I go to often and came over and asked how I was? I said I am good and that I am amazed that they carry Fenix lights. He said they've pretty much been flying off the self. I responded that its because these are on another level from everything else they had on the self. I said however if you see someone purchasing one make sure to tell them not to use the batteries included and that they should go over to the battery section and pick themselves up a pack of eneloops and a charger. I said if the alkalines leak in the tube and ruin the circuitry, its not covered by warranty. He was intrigued. What I want to know is, why would Fenix include alkalines with their lights? The box says on it 10 year warranty but unless you read the fine print you the every day citizen isn't going to know that alkaline leaks aren't covered? That would be like an insurance company sending a policy to a customer that does not cover lead poisoning but the booklet is written with lead pencil with instructions to burn it in your garage after reading it. It makes no sense to me and frankly I was very surprised. I see the attraction to having batteries included where you do not have to buy anything else to get started. To me I would think they would conclude that it would be better to not include any batteries if including a decent set of NimH's is too expensive rather than risk a light breaking from the batteries they included. It's kind of a catch 22. To me, its just asking for problems. Your thoughts?

 

[parnass]

I was browsing Fenix lights in an REI, when the salesman told me he would recommend using rechargeable batteries in them instead of alkalines due to leakage. Then, he put his hand in his pocket and pulled out his own Fenix LD01 to show me.

I smiled, and showed him my own LD01, but in shiny stainless steel, powered by an Energizer Ultimate Lithium primary.

 

[reppans]

.. The box says on it 10 year warranty but ...

I thought Fenix was 2 yrs, that's what their home page says and I was just in an REI and could have sworn I'd seen the same. REI has a Lifetime warranty though.

Anyways, I haven't ever seen anyone ever include batteries better than alkalines, when they include batts at all.

 

[AVService]

I picked up an LD22 at REI on Saturday as they are on sale now and I tried the supplied alkalines in it first to see how they worked.
There was a note in the box warning about alkalines preventing the light from working in the low mode which was the reason I got it and sure enough it wouldn't.
All is well with Eneloops but it does make you wonder what they are thinking?
So then this morning I was in a different local store and they had the LD12 on sale so I snagged one of those too!
I might be able to stop anytime but it doesn't seem likely?
The LD12 had no batteries included?

Go Figure?

They both seem very nice so far.

Ed