To many broken led lights

[Spork]

After reading the "2 lights broke at once topic" I don't have as much confidence in my x5t or arc ls. Especially the x5t because there have been so many posts about them failing. Inova seems to be good about replacing their lights but if they break that easy I don't want one. That could really spoil a camping trip or if you need a light for emergency. I've really beat up my original infinity and it still works great. I've stood from the top of my attic stairs and tossed it down to the hard floor several times with no damage. Also been dropped on concrete cause I just wanted to see if it would still work. I'm sure the arc aaa would survive also. Maybe I'm asking to much but when I buy a led light i expect this kind of durability otherwise you might as well grab your legend lx or similar light. i see a lot of pictures with lights getting run over but i dont think that really compares with being dropped on something hard. I wish Inova would tell us if there was a problem with the x5t and if it has been fixed. I hope I don't sound like the cranky guy in the forum that always complains. What lights would you consider extremly durable? The arc-aaa and infinity are first on my list.

Chris

 

[Saaby]

"I've stood from the top of my attic stairs and tossed it down to the hard floor several times with no damage."

Please standby--(For several months) because I am going to (some time soon) be sending my Arc AAA through boot camp. The goal? Make it fial...

I just have to get antother one and get this one fized first

 

[APW]

Well, my suggestion is to always have backup, the smaller the flashlight the better.

Larger size flashlights are more likely to fail than the smaller one like Arc AAA because of their larger weight (mass). Think of the force as mass x acceleration. The greater the mass, the greater the force (also its reaction & inertia) while generally the same acceleration are due to gravity. More complication is made by the impact point on hard surface. Sharper corner impact will generate higher pressure (again Pressure = Force/Area), due to lower area thus higher pressure. And then the vibration, and then the natural frequncy bla bla bla.....

But unless you design the flashlight to be fail safe + very strict QC, which is not very viable.
Andy

 

[geepondy]

Well I have rarely/never heard of Surefires failing due to mechanical issues, mostly just from bulb (incandescent) failures. I think there is a high probability the KL series will be rock solid right from the get go.

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

That thread kinda made me think twice too.It is strange to think that even with the durability advantage of LED over a filament bulb,that a short drop could make the lights fail.With a bulb light,at least the bulb can be replaced easily.
As far as durability,I have found that Photon lights(2s and 3s) are pretty tough.I think the fact that they are really light weight helps them survive drops.My P3 on my keys was acidentally dropped off the roof of a three story building onto concrete,and took no damage.I was pretty surprised.
troy