Flashlight durability

[Boss Hogg]

I've had maglites that have lasted for a long time, basically forever. Now that I've got a Quark, Nitecore, Fenix just to name a few since I've visited this forum. My question is how long do you think these will last if I take care of these lights?...that is with normal EDC use and occasional camping trips here and there. I'm not go to battle with these lights, just normal outings.

 

[Sgt. LED]

11 years, give or take.

 

[Bobpuvel]

well.. that's how i was thinking when i first spent this much money on flashlights. but now i couldn't care less really because after a couple years, there's a light WAY better than the ones you'll buy now... but they're definitely not as "durable" as a maglite just because they're more complicated and stuff... more places for things to get messed up. ya dig?

 

[Boss Hogg]

Ya' I feel ya. Probably like computers then. After a few months the novelty wears off and it's off to the latest releases.

 

[Gunner12]

Quite a while if you don't try to break them (some lights will work even if you try the break them).

 

[Hacken]

i hope my fenix will last for 10+years to come..it's been a year now..counting 9 more to go..

 

[Owen]

My Quark lasted a week or so of actual use before the circuit quit working properly.
My Nitecore made it less than a day, since I decided to dunk test it, and the head instantly filled up with water.
The Fenix lights I've owned that had switches had to have them tightened down regularly, though the twisties like the E0, E01, and P1 were fine.
Perhaps I'm the unlucky one, but I don't expect much service life from most of the Chinese lights on the market. Most flashlights are "durable" because relatively thick tubes of hardened aluminum tend to be that way. Switches and electronics can fail without warning('course so can batteries and LEDs), though, and I'm afraid the use of cheap components may be weak points for some of these lights. Being "durable" doesn't necessarily make them reliable.
I'm hopeful my Zebralights will be exceptions, like my Longbow(waiting in the wings for it's umpteenth mod) has, but I don't fully trust them because of the problems other people have had.

Have backups.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Depends on the light as well as how you care for it and treat it. I've had l.e.d. Maglites. The 2AA and 3AA ones have contacts that corrode and lose electrical contact after about a month. I've had one fail and one dim because of poor heatsinking frying the l.e.d.. I've had to use Deoxit on all my remaining Mags that work to keep them working. I have yet to see any of my Fenix lights fail, but I take good care of them. I have a P3D Q5, a P2D Q5 with L1D and L2D body and tailcaps, a couple L1Ts version 2.0, a half dozen EO1s, and a TK11 R2. I have spare bodies and tailcaps for some of these lights and they come with spare O rings. I have used Deoxit and Deoxit Gold on all of the contacts and lubed the threads and O rings with Nyogel. I think these lights will last. However, most don't follow the KISS principle (keep it simple stupid). All of these lights have circuits that can fail. Most have push button switches that can fail. The lights that will last the longest are the simplest ones with a reliable twisty switch, good heatsinking, waterproof, built like a tank, and with no extra levels. That's what Inova lights (and some Gerber lights) are good for. My T1s (2007 and 2008 versions), XO (new with O.P. reflector), X1 (version 4), X5s (2008 and 2009 versions), as well as my Gerber LX3.0 and Infinity Ultra are all great lights that haven't failed me yet. The ones I would trust the most would have to be the Infinity Ultra and X5. These lights have never failed and have been constantly improved over time. They can be beaten and thrown around (and have been) and still work. Neither have: a lens to break, new cutting edge circuit that still has bugs to be worked out, push button switches that can break, extra entry points that require extra O ring seals to keep it waterproof, a poor thermal path, a new type of l.e.d. that hasn't been tested for how long it will last, multiple settings (that at the very least wear out a switch faster as well as provide another thing that can break), a regulation circuit (alkaline batteries leak more often when these try to suck them dry), or an exposed l.e.d. (Both lights have recessed l.e.d.s. The X5 has stainless steel on both ends to limit damage from drops.)

 

[MarNav1]

They'll last until you see some new ones on CPF............

 

[Boss Hogg]

Which means a few minutes? Pretty bad...

 

[leukos]

Hooked on Fenix made a good point about KISS lights being most durable, Inova being an excellent example of low-tec LED lights built like a tank. Peak lights probably could fit in this category as well. Though some higher end LED lights like the Ra series are so well made they will probably last until the next ice age.

 

[Flying Turtle]

I can't hardly imagine ever wearing out a light in my normal use. Maybe those that see many hours will show some dimming, but even that would be tough to notice.

Geoff

 

[qwertyydude]

This is where simplicity will eventually play its part. Maglites at least the incan ones are as simple as it gets, unless you completely wreck the light it will work. As long as the bulb is good and contacts are good you've got a working light. Led lights with super multi-mode capability have more components that can fail except maybe some direct drive or resistored lights. But I've had my Inova Bolt for a long time now and it still looks almost brand new and I don't really see it failing even though it's been through hell as a loaner light, camping, fishing. It's not waterproof, I know, I have waterspots on the inside but it still works and I'm thinking of rinsing the light out to get the water spots out but am afraid of damaging the reflector more.

 

[strinq]

My Quark lasted a week or so of actual use before the circuit quit working properly.
My Nitecore made it less than a day, since I decided to dunk test it, and the head instantly filled up with water.
The Fenix lights I've owned that had switches had to have them tightened down regularly, though the twisties like the E0, E01, and P1 were fine.
Perhaps I'm the unlucky one
Have backups.

Yes you are, there's so many here who's had those lights for at least a year or 2 without any problems.

My fenix is going 6 months without a single problem and it gets used quite a bit, and is now subject to 60C everyday.

 

[Owen]

Yeah, I'm sure it's pure coincidence that my cheap lights have problems, and my expensive ones don't.

 

[fenix-rules]

ive had all my fenix lights for over a year at one point i had my l1d start to flicker on me but i popped in a new battery and poof the flickering stopped, i trust fenix, but i would trust my life to only one brand of flashlight a SUREFIRE they are proven rugged bomb proof lights that will not fail you.

 

[TheInvader]

I'm very impressed with Fenixs' quality.
Received an L0D, returned that and got a LD01 for the extra 10 lumens.
Bought another LD01 the same week as a backup, but my brother got a hold of it.

Anytime my Fenix flickers, it's from my crappy lube I put on the threads. Simply take some 91% alcohol and swab it off, good as new.