FENIX reliability - Can you rely on them when it counts?

[brightnorm]

Let me state at the outset that this is NOT an anti-Fenix thread. I like Fenix products so much that I EDC them, and that is the reason for this thread and my question about Fenix reliability.

I own many lights from many manufacturers and quite a number of mods and creations from our finest and best-established modders. I have "experimentally" EDC'd dozens of them in search of the ones that best fulfill my personal needs/preferences. Those criteria include:

Proven reliability
Small and easily belt or pocket-carried
Multi-level, fully regulated
Quick & easy activation
Contemporary generation LED, not excessively bluish-white
Smallest 2 x cr123 light
Longest runtime for its size
Brightest (on max) for its size
There may be some redundancy in this list but you get the idea.

I have finally selected two lights that best match these criteria, a commercially manufactured one and a modder-created one. They are the Fenix P3D/Q5 (or Fenix P3D/Rebel) and The SPY005. Until I have my SPY reflectors modified I will carry the Fenix. As a "secondary" EDC I carry a Fenix P1D/Q5 in my R front pocket attached to a belt lanyard. Finally, the Fenix EO has replaced my beloved ARC AAA because of its longer runtime (almost 2x longer) and tail standing ability.

As you can see, Fenix is an important EDC for me, and I consider my EDC lights as potential emergency lights because based on experience I have learned that EDC also stands for Extremely Dire Circumstances.

The question is - has Fenix established a reputation for reliability that safely justifies carrying their products (or at least these specific ones) with confidence that they will work when they have to work? One way to determine that is to have other users tell about their experiences, positive or negative.

That is the reason for this thread. Your input will help determine my decision.

Brightnorm

 

[Burgess]

I think the one thing we've all learned on CPF is that ANY flashlight can fail.


Therefore, l suggest it is prudent to carry a spare flashlight (or two).


Nobody ever said: "Gee, i wish i didn't have a spare flashlight."



To respond to your question . . . .

I've found my Fenix flashlights to be very reliable.

However, i had a problem with my L1D-CE "switch retaining ring",
which loosened over time.

Fixed it myself, with small needle-nose pliers.

Luckily, i was at home when it happened, or i'd have been "Out for the Duration".


And, i had another tailcap switch fail me.
Had to get a replacement from Fenix-Store thumbsup: )
to make things work again.

_

 

[passive101]

A lot of it will depend on what you are using the light for. Does it need to take the recoil of being used in conjunction with a firearm? If so Surefire's hold up very well to those shockwaves and vibrations.

Or are you just talking about drops and falls?

 

[Cydonia]

My only EDC are 2 LRI Photon keychain lights. Originals without multi modes or switches. I can trust them to work. Just don't need to worry about it or think twice about it.

I owned a Fenix L2D for several days.

• I didn't like the design, shape and feel of the light.
• I didn't like the thin rubber tail cap
• Lack of grip and knurling
• The smooth HIII anodizing that can't be true HIII
• The head glued together by loctite
• Didn't like the lack of reverse polarity protection
• Didn't like the batteries right up against the circuit board with no spring or piston
• Didn't like the aluminum particles left in the threads from machining

All these things together told me a story. So I sold it quick :thumbsup:

My idea of reliable is being dropped on concrete multiple times. I didn't feel the L2D was capable of surviving that. This will irritate and anger many, but I have to say I felt it was a toy novelty light and not a serious tool that you can rely on. Sorry in advance to the fans. This was just my view of this particular model Fenix I had. Maybe it's different now with their new models.

 

[Cydonia]

the dreaded double post :scowl:

 

[quatra2008]

fenix lights do seem like they would be a toy with thin walled battery tube and such but they can, in fact take a beating. there is a thread with a torture test with a p3d and it held up extremely well. i also can personally tell you about multiple drops onto any surface you can think of from about 4 feet and the light is still going strong (just a few nicks). is it a surefire? no but it will take almost anything a normal flashaholic will dish out.

edit: found the link to the torture test; http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=181049

 

[FrontRanger]

One way to determine that is to have other users tell about their experiences, positive or negative.

That is the reason for this thread. Your input will help determine my decision.

Brightnorm

An L2D Q5 has been my almost-EDC for about the last four months. It has survived almost 1000 miles mounted on the handlebar of my commute bike, and a drop onto a hard surface from several feet. I've used it between -10 and +70 deg F. No failures, so it can tolerate a some shock and vibration, and some temperature variation. I haven't intentionally abused it, but it's been great for my use so far.

There were no aluminum particles on the threads on mine. I had to loosen the tailcap's retaining ring to get it to tailstand, but that's not difficult. I'm pretty satisfied, but I don't have the huge collection that some other posters have to compare to. Good luck.

 

[nerdgineer]

This is asking us for our feelings on the subject, with no way to collect actual information or resolve differences by testing. That said, my feeling is that the Civictor with its "best of breed" twisty design would be the most reliable Fenix. Maybe improved if I replaced the glass window with a thick plastic one to make it shatterproof (tradeoff between pristine transmitivity and ruggedness...). But I don't know. T1 sure looks thick walled enough if that's a criteria.

Like any critical mission equipment, it will require maintenance for best reliability; and my guess is that, like most critical equipment (military rifles for instance), Fenix and several other makes are sufficiently reliable that are operationally indistinguishable.

And of course, I'd carry a spare if it was that important...

 

[KeyGrip]

If you do get a Fenix, remember to keep the threads clean. This should be SOP for any flashlight, but I've found it especially necessary with Fenixes.

 

[kongfuchicken]

I don't have a lot of fenix lights but I'd like to believe that they are as reliable as any flashlights I own. Just as Nerdgineer said, take that with a grain of salt.

Normally, the sidewall thickness is the least of your worries.
The big point of failures are the switch, improper heatsinking (often related to unwise driving levels) and points of contact made with a blob of solder.
Well designed lights have extremely resilient twisties, don't push any of its embedded parts beyond rated specs and have no weak point of contact prone to failure.

Batteries are another major source of headaches but they are hardly the responsibilities of light manufacturers.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Yes, Fenix flashlights are reliable. You can spend much, much more on less reliable flashlights. I have.

 

[Masque]

Fenix seems fine. Carry a spare. Why? Today I had a SureFire fail on me. It can happen to anyone, with any brand. I'm sure I'll have a Fenix fail on me in the future, too. It's the nature of electronics.

If warranties weren't necessary, neither SureFire nor Fenix would have them.

The shortest answer to your question is this: NO. No single light can be relied upon when it "counts". Preparedness in any arena means having a backup plan, be it knife, firearm, tire, flashlight, lunch, theater, library trip, zoo admission, moon landing....

 

[WadeF]

All of my Fenix lights are still going strong. I had a P3D Rebel with a tailcap issue, wasn't the switch, but it still turned on, just didn't change modes properly. Sent it back to fenix-store and the new one works fine. I think Fenix lights have been proven to be just as reliable as all the other brands. We've seen them dropped, we've seen them abused, frozen, baked, run through the washer and dryer, and they keep going. Some other brands, claimed to be much tougher, have failed from a single 3-4 drop into their tail switch. So if the best of the best can fail from a single drop, and cost 2-4 times as much, I don't see the problem with depending on a Fenix. I'm not saying a Fenix couldn't also fail from a single drop, but if the best can, then why worry about it? Some of the abuse tests would lead one to believe the Fenix lights like the P2D, P3D, etc, can take drops better than some of the bigger a sturdier brands, simply because the Fenix lights are tough, yet light weight, so when they hit, they don't hit with as much force. Also their switches are generally protected from taking direct impact.

They feel light, and some may have the opinion that they feel like a toy and couldkn't take a drop, but they have proven they can take a drop, actually many many drops, and keep on going. Bigger and heavier duty isn't always better.

I have many brands of lights, but the Fenix P2D Q5 is my EDC, and before that it was a Fenix P2D Q2, and before that a Fenix P1D-CE P4. My reason for it always being on me is it's small, it's light, it offers various modes from low to super bright, simple and useful UI, efficient circuitry for long run times, water proof, tough, reliable, etc. I probably wouldn't be a fan of the L2D simply because of the size.

 

[Spypro]

My P3D is the light I carry the most: small, holster + lanyard, powerful and useful modes. The P3D helped me a lot.
The only problem comes when the batteries's (I use AW's RCR123) protection kicks in: the P3D don't light anymore (I can wait a while and it will fire again but I don't want to ruin my batteries). I have no warning that my batteries are low.
Reliable ? Yes.

 

[Hans]

The question is - has Fenix established a reputation for reliability that safely justifies carrying their products (or at least these specific ones) with confidence that they will work when they have to work?

When I got my first Fenix lights I was rather sceptical about their reliability. I travel long distances on the underground every day, and I carry my EDC lights mainly to be prepared in case something goes wrong. I spent a rather unpleasant hour on a totally dark train after a power failure years ago with a dead light in my pack, and that taught me a lesson I won't forget. Reliability is to me the single most important aspect when choosing a light.

So, when the first Fenix lights came along I already had a few reliable EDC lights like an Arc AAA, a couple of Peak Matterhorns, a Surefire E1e and a couple of HDS42. So the Fenix lights were up to some stiff competition, and sure enough, the L1P didn't really make it. I soon had a couple of switch failures, and that was that.

However, these were the only failures I ever had, and soon after I got one of the early LOD CE's I began carrying it on a daily basis. I still have that light, it's been dropped dozens of times, it's been through the washing machine and the dryer, it's been used in all sorts of weather, it spent a week in deep snow in the garden after I lost it last winter - and it still works just fine. That light has seen more use (and abuse) than any other of my lights, so I feel yes, it's reliable. In fact, I'm now carrying just the LOD CE as my primary EDC light, plus a second one as a backup in my pack.

Now, the LOD CE is a twisty, and I generally prefer twisties. However, I use the P2D, the L1D and the L2D quite a lot when I'm out and about at night or when I need more light. Apart from occasional switch problems when the retaining ring got loose I never had any problems since those first two switch failures with the L1P. To put things into perspective: I also had two Surefire tailcaps crap out on me over the years.

So yes, I think Fenix lights are reliable.

Hans

 

[brightnorm]

Very useful feedback. Hopefully we'll have enough responses to be able to come to some reasonably accurate conclusions.

brightnorm

 

[NA8]

Very useful feedback. Hopefully we'll have enough responses to be able to come to some reasonably accurate conclusions.

brightnorm

I think the first response you got was the only one you need.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showpost.php?p=2385766&postcount=2

 

[brightnorm]

... water proof..., tough, reliable, etc. I probably wouldn't be a fan of the L2D simply because of the size.

Didn't realize they were waterproof. That's another plus.

BN

 

[brightnorm]

I think the first response you got was the only one you need.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showpost.php?p=2385766&postcount=2

It is an excellent response but multiple responses solidify the case.

BN

 

[tygger]

After daily "throw in the pocket with keys" use for a long time now I've been looking for a reason to give away my scratched up L1P, but the darn thing just keeps on going like the day I bought it. My other lights are like "just fail already so we can ride shotgun!" But it remains defiant. And so far my L2D is trouble free as well. Like many here, no matter what the label says, I always carry a backup as no light is failproof. But I trust 'em as much as any other quality brand light.