No love for Inova's??

[munkybiz_9881]

Im just wondering why more people are not into Inova lights. I have a few and while they are not overly impressive, output wise, they are really nice lights.

Just picked up the X2 at target and love it, love it, love it. (I would live to see a runtime graph is anyone has one yet)

All my Inova's just feel like quality to me, Tank Tough, reasonable runtime and decent output. I have Never had to send one back for repair, and would trust them to the extreme.

Not the easiest critters to mod, but oh well. Use led's that are behind the CPF curve, but so do other high end lights "cough" (we wont mention any here).

Seems like the "flavor of the week" lights get most of the credit here. Dont get me wrong I own many of the "newest and greatest", so to speak. But keep coming back the best of the best (there are several brands that deserve credit here, but I was just wondering about Inova)

Just seems like Inova is worth the dollar spent in the long run.

Am I alone Here?

 

[289]

Two years ago I got a T5 for my son for his birthday. It is a great light, well built, looks good, great UI, and doesn't need an OP reflector to have an excellent beam.

 

[yellow]

the T series are great, but
* "bad" battery choice,
* no multilevel,
* that "ask for defect" reverse battery insertion
* led used ...
... really disappointing, they are soo good in machining and good price, but ...

A multilevel T1 ( low/high at least) 18650 were an instant winner

 

[sol-leks]

I think Inova's get their proper respect here. They are in general well made lights but suffer from the same problems that alot of mainstream brands suffer from:

-they don't update their products regularly enough.
-they are always a number of generations behind the most current technology
-they are a bit pricey for what you get. An inova is not a bad light but when you look at their more premium lights which are usually 50-60 bucks, they look pretty pathetic compared to a quark for the same price.

 

[gallonoffuel]

The difference being that you rarely see a 'My Inova Isn't Working!' thread, where I see numerous 'My Flavor of the Week Isn't Working!' threads every day. Our community is a small percentage of flashlight users. The average person is not chasing lumens, scraping out every bit of light they can muster. Inova's are rock solid, well performing, well priced, and easily available. And on the off chance they stop working, the company will take care of you, from my experience.

 

[Warp]

The difference being that you rarely see a 'My Inova Isn't Working!' thread, where I see numerous 'My Flavor of the Week Isn't Working!' threads every day. Our community is a small percentage of flashlight users. The average person is not chasing lumens, scraping out every bit of light they can muster. Inova's are rock solid, well performing, well priced, and easily available. And on the off chance they stop working, the company will take care of you, from my experience.

I guess I am in the minority.

I have owned one Surefire and One Inova. Both failed. I had an early all flood either 1st or 2nd gen Inova X1. It quit working. Don't know why. I have a Surefire G2. It was my very first light of higher quality than a regular Mag. It failed when I took it into a swimming pool. Surefire "fixed" it but when it came back the tailcap SUCKED. It spins almost freely and I have to tape it to prevent it turning on accidentally at the drop of a hat.

Oh, I bought a Surefire 9P for my dad some years ago. He hardly ever used it. It sat in the console of his truck as a 'just in case'. It quit working. I have no idea why, I am waiting on Surefire for an RMA number so I can send it back.


However, out of 6+ Fenix lights of my own and several as gifts all are 100%. And one of them has been on my keychain for over two years, getting beat to HELL. I have taken them swimming, more frequently and in deeper water than my G2 when it failed. Multiple have been dropped onto concrete and hard tile. They are all 100%.

 

[Big_Ed]

I've got several Inova's. I feel they are as tough, durable and dependable as any of my other lights. Not the highest tech lights, but well above average. I feel they are some of the best lights that are available in brick and mortar stores. Kind of like a "poor man's Surefire" in a way. Most of the brightness, all of the durability (and maybe even more), but not as versitile (no multi-modes on the T and X series), and less expensive than most Surefires.

 

[parnass]

I have more Inova lights than any other brand and am particularly fond of the new X2 and latest version X1 (gen. 4). Made in USA, they are well built and a good value.

Over 10 weeks ago, I got an RMA and returned (at Inova's suggestion) a defective T4 along with a check to purchase a new version.

I have received nothing from Emissive Energy in return. My telephone calls to their customer service department during the past few weeks have gone unanswered (by a human). No light, status info, no return phone call, no post card, nothing.

My "love for Inova" is fading.

Feb. 9, 2010 UPDATE: After several phone calls, I sent Inova an email and received a polite response and apology the same day from their customer service person. The situation has now been resolved to my satisfaction. Inova made things right.

 

[Rocketman]

Early on I liked Inova lights. My X5 was just wonderful until I realized how dim it was. Still works like the day I bought it. My T2 still works although the switch feels wrong. Bought a T3, dead on arrival. Very disappointed and I looked then at their quality, to me they are 75% high quality. For my money, they need to be closer to 100%. I am not a typical customer, though.

 

[Cheapskate]

The difference being that you rarely see a 'My Inova Isn't Working!' thread, where I see numerous 'My Flavor of the Week Isn't Working!' threads every day. Our community is a small percentage of flashlight users. The average person is not chasing lumens, scraping out every bit of light they can muster. Inova's are rock solid, well performing, well priced, and easily available. And on the off chance they stop working, the company will take care of you, from my experience.

I can show you a couple of threads about the Inforce where it would appear those with a trouble free light were in an absolute minority.

As for well priced - not in my opinion. To quote myself from an earlier thread about the Inforce:

It costs $220 and puts out 6830 lux in the spot, 106 in the spill, and will do this for 1:53 and use two cr123s in the process.

For $250, you could get a solid Titanium (6-4 alloy) Jetbeam Ti M, which puts out 8460 lux in the spot and 151 in the spill, and will do that for 2:28 on a single 18650.

I personally think the Jetbeam represents better value.

 

[Entrope]

(Post Removed)

 

[curtispdx]

I have more Inova lights than any other brand and am particularly fond of the new X2 and latest version X1 (gen. 4). Made in USA, they are well built and a good value.

Over 10 weeks ago, I got an RMA and returned (at Inova's suggestion) a defective T4 along with a check to purchase a new version.

I have received nothing from Emissive Energy in return. My telephone calls to their customer service department during the past few weeks have gone unanswered (by a human). No light, status info, no return phone call, no post card, nothing.

My "love for Inova" is fading.

I'm jealous that you actually had contact with Emissive Energy; they didn't bother to reply to either a voicemail or email. I ended up returning the light and will probably never buy another.

 

[munkybiz_9881]

I'm jealous that you actually had contact with Emissive Energy; they didn't bother to reply to either a voicemail or email. I ended up returning the light and will probably never buy another.

Unfortunately, This has been a growing trend lately with a few dealers and manufacturers. Although I've never had to send a defective Inova back to Emissive Energy, I have had some recent troubles with other, very reputable, manufactuers. I have been hearing that Inova was bought out by Nite-Ize.......We will have to see how this works out. I hope this will be a good turn for Inova.

I stick mainly to the X series in the Inova line. My fav's are the X03 and now the X2. One X03 has been mounted to an AR-15 for 2 years and roughly 20,000 rounds and not a single fail to fire. I love how sensitive I can set the switch, the lightest of touch and the light comes on. And with a well defined hotspot, night fire is a breeze. Just center the target in the hotspot and your good to go.

The thick tough body is what got me started on prefering the Inova X line, solid enough to be clamped tightly. Most of the newer lights I received have really thin walls and I always worry about denting or bending the flimsy sides of the light. The X series also have very straight walls so I don't need some fancy bracket for mounting them to anything, just a standard 1" scope ring (for the X03 anyways) and it can be mounted to anything I want to screw a weaver rail on. All of which anyone can pick up locally, very handy for me. Of course there are other lights which also have the same diameter, Surefire G2 for example, which is also mounted.

This thread was started because as some of my lights begin to set on shelves as they get used a little, I noticed how the Inova's never get any bench time. They get used and used and used, and just keep on going. And as they just spend their time patiently in the shadows, I show my respect by buying another one........weird!:thinking:

They are my workhorses and will be for some time I reckon.

 

[gswitter]

I've owned a few Inova's and have never had a problem with them. I'll always have a soft spot for the X1 (v2), X5, T1 (TIROS) and T1 (K2).

I'm curious to see what happens to the product line now that NiteIze is calling the shots.

 

[munkybiz_9881]

the T series are great, but
* "bad" battery choice,
* no multilevel,
* that "ask for defect" reverse battery insertion
* led used ...
... really disappointing, they are soo good in machining and good price, but ...

A multilevel T1 ( low/high at least) 18650 were an instant winner

Bad Battery Choice? How so, when there are hundreds of other lights designed to use the CR123.

There are only a select few lights out there, that are usually Custom, that were designed for the 18650. Hell, Most folks don't even know what an 18650 is, let alone where to get one or how to take care of it.


However, I do agree that the batteries in reverse is silly, especially with out reverse polarity protection.

 

[RoBeacon]

TBO I purchased an Inova X5 a few years back for like 40 bucks at a Target. It was my first venture into a quality light. It works great till this day and feels good in the hand but... If I had known for 15 dollars more i could have had a multi mode, regulated light that doesn't run on cr123s I would have been much happier. There is deff better bang for buck.

 

[carrot]

I like Inovas but they are typically too wide in diameter, too long in length, and lack a pocket clip for them to be of any real consideration for me to carry. Besides that, I love the feel and the ruggedness and overall they are pretty sweet lights.

In any case as for their customer service they were just bought by Nite Ize very recently, which I'm told has excellent customer service and also has plans to carry the brand forward. Perhaps those of you who slipped through the cracks recently should contact Nite Ize instead.

 

[ZMZ67]

I have quite a few INOVAs and have been pleased with their quality.In the past customer service has been great but recently it seems to be slipping from reports here,maybe Nite-Ize will improve upon that.Still consider the X5,T1 and T2 great values.There are times when a straight forward single stage light is what I want and I don't know of anything with the same performance and quality in the INOVA's price range.

 

[kramer5150]

Ive always liked Inovas, even though I dropped my X1-V2 from waist high and killed it. I was able to take it apart and repair it.:thumbsup:

Their incompatibility with Lithium Ion cells keeps their higher end lights off my want list. The new X2 looks really nice though.

I love the fit, finish and quality of their products.

 

[Bomo]

I have several Inova's - X1, X5, and a T1. I really like the T1 and although it's not using a CREE emitter, it seems the lumens/runtime is not far off the mark but the beam and tint is really great.

The X5 I was a bit disappointed in. I had read that it was all flood but it seems more like a broad hot spot, not at all like the flood I get from the X1.