Fenix P1: Flashlight Fatigue?

[Cliffnopus]

Welcome aboard Paxxus, this is a great place to be. Hold onto your wallet.

Cliff

 

[Alloy Addict]

If someone can point me to a two stage (or more) Luxeon based light that is close to the same size as the P1, and costs less than $50 shipped, please do. I would like to buy one.

I'm sure the P1 is not as nice as the FF3, HDS line, Orb Raw, or several other lights, but the price is much, much lower than all of them. For some only the best will do, but other people are looking for "bang for the buck."

 

[cheapo]

I'll get excited when one of them comes up with a momentary on clicky, you could even have a twisty for levels as long as you could activate the light for a momentary time. (Just like my L2)

Karl

my thoughts too. The fact that it is a twisty makes it less waterproof- well, it loses its waterproofness if you try to turn it on while underwater.

-David

 

[LEDninja]

The L1P is the 1st quality AA light. The only competition until very recently are the Xnovas which are definately inferior.

The P1 is comming into an established market. People who want quality will stick with their Surefires or HDS. People who want value will get the Q3. People who like tiny lights will go to a CR2 light, Orb, Jil. The P1 has not found its niche yet.

 

[Beamhead]

I like mine.

 

[FlashlightPhreak]

Re: Fenix P1: Flashlight Fatigue? - No Fatigue here...

The P1 Pocket Rocket is hard to beat for the money. I use the NANO charger with a protected R123a battery, also it's no big deal to carry a spare charged battery in your pocket. WOW, what a bright little dude!

If the P1 craps out in a year or so, no big deal for the money invested, unlike some of the typically more expensive torches...

 

[TORCH_BOY]

paxxus Welcme to CPF, good choice of light

 

[paulr]

Sorry if this is a double post, I thought I posted before but I don't see it.

I'd never carry a charged li ion battery in my pocket unless it was well protected etc. There are too many stories about their catching on fire or exploding. I wish I could find a cellular phone these days that didn't use them (i.e. that uses AA's).

As for the P1 and fatigue: I think it's a victim of the L1p's success. They heyday of the 1x123 LED light is over. Except for some very special powerful lights like the HDS and the McLux PD, there's not that much point to using 1x123 instead of 1AA or 1AAA, or if you're after minimum length, 1xCR2. The P1 would have knocked our socks off in the Arc LS, Firefly 1 era. These days, yawn.

Wowing over the 3.6volt brightness misses the point too. It's probably running direct drive at that voltage, and if you want that, why not buy and Orb Raw instead? The brightness at 3.6V shouldn't be seen as a good thing. It either means the light is overdriven and in danger of self-destruction, or else it means the boost circuit wasn't able to produce enough power from 3.0 volts to run the light at full brightness so the engineers should go back and try again.

 

[Planterz]

why not buy and Orb Raw instead?

It costs half as much? It lasts twice as long?

The max rated input voltage of the P1 is 4.0V. Hot of a charger a li-ion can be up to 4.2V, but this drops quickly. I would say that the P1 is not overdriven, but you still need to monitor temperature.

 

[RemingtonBPD]

Interesting to see the amount of complaints of another CR123 based light over a AA...I guess I just don't get the big deal. I have owned Surefires for so long that I kinda forgot about AA, AAA based lights. I had always purchased CR123's in bulk (I use a good portion of my lights for work as a P.O.), so to me adding another user of this battery was a no brainer. I just keep going back to the P1 and look at what I am getting for my money...good value, and a real performer at the price...actually prefer the beam over my L1P, but prefer a clickie.

 

[Peter Atwood]

Some great comments so far. I see all sides of the argument here and can appreciate the points as I own all the lights discussed as well (except for the HDS). But for me I want to own and experience all of them and to me each has it's place. I agree that the Fenix does not break new ground...except on price. James' comment is a sobering reminder of the high cost of that low price. On the other hand it is a very cool little light and it is here.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

I'm not as active or on here as much as others by any means but feel that from what I've read the P1 needs some changes. I think that the people behind Fenix should be getting more input directly from a place like CPF before putting things into final design and ultimately production. This business seems to clearly be a niche based market and so I feel there is a lack of communication.

Anyway, that being said, for the price I don't think the P1 is bad at all from the things I've read. I've ordered mine and will have it here in the next few days hopefully

 

[tsask]

The P1 is comming into an established market. . People who want value will get the Q3. People who like tiny lights will go to a CR2 light, Orb, Jil. The P1 has not found its niche yet.

I expect it to outshine my Q3. esp w/ RCRs from lighhthound.

 

[LEDninja]

I expect it to outshine my Q3. esp w/ RCRs from lighhthound.

I suspect most Q3 owners are happy with them and in no hurry to upgrade.

Also the Q3 price has dropped some $12 since they came out 3 years ago. Actually the price difference is not that big as the Fenix-Store includes shipping, but a dollar s a dollar saved to the budget minded. I suspect the budget minded would pick neither and go for the Civictor or Ultrafire 602 once they factor in the battery costs.

 

[Orion]

I expect it to outshine my Q3. esp w/ RCRs from lighhthound.

Replace the stock reflector with one of the 20mm reflectors and you'll change your outlook on the QIII.

 

[GrooveRite]

Replace the stock reflector with one of the 20mm reflectors and you'll change your outlook on the QIII.

Any idea where I can get my hands on a 20mm reflector for my Q3?!?!? Also, what are the best RCR123's on the market right now??

 

[underdust]

For what I was looking for, the P1 fits very well. I wanted a simple, small, bright, and inexpensive light that I could slip into my pocket when I'm out walking the dogs.

I typically wear lightweight shorts and a lightweight shirt in the summertime, and I didn't want to carry a large light.

The P1 is very unobtrusive, simple to use, bright enough for what I'll need it for, and best of all because of the price, I won't be heartbroken if I ended up losing it.

For me, the P1 is a no-frills tool, and it was exactly what I wanted.

 

[tommymeboy]

I got my P1 yesterday. For me, it's my first single 123 light (if I don't count the 123 body from 4-sevens for my L2P), so it's just what I need for a small, uncomplicated EDC. I don't have other small lights that it has to compete with.
It's plenty bright on a primary, though I like the idea of a rechargeable. Mine has a slightly purple tint, which is only visible when comparing with other LEDs (L2P slightly yellow, L2T more greenish-blue, Dorcy Super 1-Watt pretty white, G & P 3W drop-in for 6P the whitest.) But, as I said when each is seen alone, they all look like white light, so not a problem.
But: I hear you- I'm feeling like I'm pretty well-equipped with lights, and it's not as dark in summer (though I'm more likely to be outside at night than in winter.) I guess the focus now is to make sure people I know have decent lights! Like my oldest boy, showing me his 50's car at night, pointing his stock Mag solitaire around- I took out my L2P, making his light invisible, but he still kept pointing it around1 and he was the one who gave me my SL Batonlite years ago and got me started on this expensive tollroad! But I digress. I like my P1!

 

[tracker870]

I find that I'm using the P1 more than the L1P now....
I like the throw of the P1 in my backyard.

 

[STJ]

For the size and price, I think it is a great light! Its alot smaller than my HDS60 and just as bright as the HDS on hi. Doesn't have the bells a whisles but it is way cheaper...