Zebralight Torture Test

[davecroft]

Wow! That washing machine really wanted to live.
Great thread BTW. You have managed to convert me to ZL even though I never liked the look of those lights! I'll be ordering one next payday.

 

[i8mtm]

Awesome thread. Thanks for doing those tests. I have a full-blown case of "Flashaholism" and I have been diving into it by purchasing several lights looking for the perfect EDC. What I have found is I prefer the UI and the small size of the Zebralights the best. However, I was a little concerned that they didn't seem as "armored-up" as something like my Fenix LD10 or a Surefire.

Reading what you did to your little Zebralight and seeing the pics is all the proof I need that the Zebralight will take whatever abuse it is likely to receive as my EDC (and then some).

It reminds me of what a reviewer said when testing the Leupold Mark 4 CQ/T tactical scope: "If you manage to break this scope (from a fall or through combat) it is probably a moot point as you will most likely be dead anyway!"

I will definitely be adding to my Zebralight collection!

Thanks,

~i8mtm

 

[fl0t]

Great test! I enjoyed every post.
run4jc, thanks for exposing your Zebralight only for our delight.

Of course we all wish someone could do this kind of torture tests on a lot of different lights, but none of us wants to pay the price.

 

[Kletsou]

great review ! thank you for posting it
imagine a Zebralight Ti.......

 

[run4jc]

imagine a Zebralight Ti.......

+1 :twothumbs

 

[tobrien]

i forgot about this thread sorta, but THIS thread was the final push that made me buy an SC51

thank you so much.

 

[Mgizler]

Makes me like my SC51 even more after reading through all this.

 

[Mgizler]

Also curious to see if the SC600 can take as much abuse.

 

[Zebrix]

Also curious to see if the SC600 can take as much abuse.

I doubt it. I own a SC600 and dropped it once from about 1 m (3.28 feet for you americans) and it worked fine for many months after that, but a little bit of fast movement with a flattop 18650 cell inside caused it to turn off and not on again, and when i inserted a protruded 18650 cell or 2xCR123 cells only mid and high modes were available since. Even the 5 minutes drop down from turbo to high mode does not work anymore. Somewhere else i read from a Zebralight H51 owner complaining about his light getting really hot after a drop from about 1.5 m to 2 m in every mode. Additionally, i can no where find a 1.5 m impact resistance sign on Zebralight's website most other high quality lights offer. As much as i love Zebralight's interface and overall build quality and feel, they seem to be nowhere near as tough as Fenix' TK lights series. I wonder if the light tested here suffered from any driver problem as well, like not getting to all modes, the light getting hot on all output modes etc. I use a H51w as a bedlight and love it, but i fear letting it drop out of bed (parquet floor) from 50 cm height might destroy it as well. That's a pity for such an expensive little light.

 

[shelm]

i can no where find a 1.5 m impact resistance sign on Zebralight's website most other high quality lights offer.

hi Zebrix, welcome. (nice nick!!)
impact resistance is one of my fav topic on cpf, i've got some experience with it and had posted already my 2 cents in various threads. here a short recap of observations and opinions re this important topic:

[[1]] 1.0-2.0m are enough to make ANY loaded light fail (e.g. broken glass lens) when dropped 100% vertically bezel down. it is the most critical impact angle. unless the bezel is protected with rubber or heat shrinkable wrap (Rayovac Indestructible), at least the glass lens will break. and the probability of failure depends heavily on the hardness and flatness of the ground too. concrete, asphalt, coal tar, garden tiles are plastically soft (or uneven) and often forgiving whereas mirror-like flat grounds made of ceramic tiles or marble tiles ..etc..; in a typical U.S. household the ground is made out of wood or you let the light drop EITHER on an uneven surface (garden tiles) OR at impact angles other than 90° vertical, so the glass lens or the interior electronics should not break. Btw, at 90° vertical angle, a battery cell could also damage the driver disc through the impact. In other words, much is/can be damaged when a light drops perfectly vertical on a perfectly flat, even, superhard surface! I did a couple of drop tests with brand-name flashlights (and i should have recorded them on video) and all lights eventually failed when dropped 100% vertically on ceramic tiles.

[[2]] Of the Top10-Most-Reputable-flashlight brands the more clever ones DO NOT give any impact resistance ANSI FL1 STANDARD rating:

1. ZEBRALIGHT
2. HDS
3. 4SEVENS (FOURSEVENS)
4. EAGLETAC (EAGTAC)

And there are other companies which publish (at first sight) impressive drop test videos but dont give any ANSI FL1 STANDARD rating either:

• Xeno Co.
• Prometheus Alpha
• (...)

According to Fenix, the revised ANSI FL1 STANDARD demands that only full numbers are to be specified in the rating, i.e. it is forbidden to specify "1.2m", "1.5m" or "1.8m" and the manufacturer has to decide whether to publish "1m" or "2m" as impact resistance. However, not all companies adhere to (or are aware of) the revised standard, or dont care.
Clearly, if i was a flashlight manufacturer i wouldnt specify the impact resistance either .. because proudly stating things like "1.5m impact resistance" will make some dumba$$ customers feel invited to perform a tentative series of drop tests in front of friends or a video camera for boasting purposes. 4sevens company philosophy is "to understate and to overdeliver". In the case of impact resistance, it is correct and wiser to shut the h*ll up regarding this topic and state NOTHING. no claims, nothing. Zebralight users, HDS users, 4Sevens users, Eagletac users, Xeno users, Prometheus Alpha users are then INDIRECTLY WARNED that their lights should not by any means be dropped at all. As a consequence, the users will take better care of the lights and will not mistakenly think that they (or their lights) are safe.
Imho, the concept of impact resistance is, because of [[1]], silly and futile. Jetbeam is a funny company: they publish specs and also drop test videos (on garden tiles) with harmless impact angles. at some point the Jetbeams (glass lens) fail, as documented in the videos.

[[3]] If you know the majority of popular China-made power LED flashlights and compare their difference in construction and rated ANSI FL1 STANDARD impact resistance, then you will come to the conclusion that the lights are internally built very similar and that the manufacturers have little means to improve impact resistance. Most rate theirs at 1m or 1.5m (forbidden!). Seldom will you see 1.8m (forbidden!) or 2m ratings. internally designers use 2 o-rings to cushion the glass lens (or they use plastic lenses see Surefire, Maglite, Rayovac), and HDS has a potted driver in addition. That's about it. In practice 1m or 2m rating isnt worth pos if the light is dropped according to [[1]].

[[4]] My advice is: Ignore all and any impact resistance ratings. Treat each light equally well. Dont think mistakenly that you're safe only because you have read user reports or watched Xeno, Jetbeam or Prometheus Alpha -company-made-videos (none of which use static 90° impact angles!). Never drop your light on superhard surfaces like bathroom tiles or stairway marble tiles. If you know that your light will get dropped often, then protect the head with heat shrinkable wrap or a rubber band (or the whole torch wrapped in paracord ), or attach it with a long lanyard (or wrist strap) to your belt. And if the torch malfunctions after a drop (on a softer surface, say concrete or tar), then make use of your 10 years performance guarantee by the manufacturer (Zebralight, 4Sevens, Eagletac, Maglite, Surefire, Rayovac, etc.). Some torches have a long track record and are considered quite rugged on cpf, see the many positive comments regarding Fenix E01, Fenix LD20, Fenix LD01, 4Sevens Quarks, and HDS: many users had dropped their sample multiple times and the light survived.

i am wondering how often Zebralight owners drop their lights (or McGizmo owners) lol.

 

[run4jc]

hi Zebrix, welcome. (nice nick!!)
impact resistance is one of my fav topic on cpf, i've got some experience with it and had posted already my 2 cents in various threads. here a short recap of observations and opinions re this important topic:

[[1]] 1.0-2.0m are enough to make ANY loaded light fail (e.g. broken glass lens) when dropped 100% vertically bezel down. it is the most critical impact angle. unless the bezel is protected with rubber or heat shrinkable wrap (Rayovac Indestructible), at least the glass lens will break. and the probability of failure depends heavily on the hardness and flatness of the ground too. concrete, asphalt, coal tar, garden tiles are plastically soft (or uneven) and often forgiving whereas mirror-like flat grounds made of ceramic tiles or marble tiles ..etc..; in a typical U.S. household the ground is made out of wood or you let the light drop EITHER on an uneven surface (garden tiles) OR at impact angles other than 90° vertical, so the glass lens or the interior electronics should not break. Btw, at 90° vertical angle, a battery cell could also damage the driver disc through the impact. In other words, much is/can be damaged when a light drops perfectly vertical on a perfectly flat, even, superhard surface! I did a couple of drop tests with brand-name flashlights (and i should have recorded them on video) and all lights eventually failed when dropped 100% vertically on ceramic tiles.
.......

[[4]] My advice is: Ignore all and any impact resistance ratings. Treat each light equally well. Dont think mistakenly that you're safe only because you have read user reports or watched Xeno, Jetbeam or Prometheus Alpha -company-made-videos (none of which use static 90° impact angles!). Never drop your light on superhard surfaces like bathroom tiles or stairway marble tiles. If you know that your light will get dropped often, then protect the head with heat shrinkable wrap or a rubber band (or the whole torch wrapped in paracord ), or attach it with a long lanyard (or wrist strap) to your belt. And if the torch malfunctions after a drop (on a softer surface, say concrete or tar), then make use of your 10 years performance guarantee by the manufacturer (Zebralight, 4Sevens, Eagletac, Maglite, Surefire, Rayovac, etc.). Some torches have a long track record and are considered quite rugged on cpf, see the many positive comments regarding Fenix E01, Fenix LD20, Fenix LD01, 4Sevens Quarks, and HDS: many users had dropped their sample multiple times and the light survived.

i am wondering how often Zebralight owners drop their lights (or McGizmo owners) lol.

Great post - thank you. Your last point is a very good one, and all your points are valid. In the 3 years since I have become a fan of these little photon throwers, I can count on one hand the times that I've accidentally dropped a light. Each time it was on a sidewalk or a hard indoor floor. Never has a light failed as a result of the drop. Frankly, I'm amused at some of the tests that lights are subjected to, but it's always interesting.

Sadly, I lost the little Zebralight that was the subject of this 'test.' I was really fond of that little light - it suffered the abuses and kept on working. But it 'lives on' in this thread - glad this thread has been 're-discovered.'

 

[TedTheLed]

oh boy, here I go ... sorry, but

ONE flashlight passing many tests is anecdotal evidence.

Conversely, if it failed on the first test, it would not mean that all the ZL's are poorly designed and/ or built.

We need to analyze the build of the light itself, and determine what factors lead to a rugged light, and see if the light in question is built that way..and hasn't just been 'lucky' or, had a 'bad break' ..

mm?

 

[shelm]

Sadly, I lost the little Zebralight

i know family members who lose things like keys, pair of glasses, sun glasses, or watches. Or bags. In the house, around the house, or elsewhere. Sometimes lost for good. i myself lose stuff like ball pens, pencils, clothes, paperwork, docs, letters, addresses. a ZL SC51 purchased from *my* local retailer costs ~107US$ and i couldnt imagine losing such a costly photon thrower. my other torches cost more like 35$ or less, and i never lose (or lend) them

Sorry for your loss!!

Rest assured: If ZL ever boasted off with statements such as "our SC1000 is ultra rugged and we have tested it positive for ANSI FL-1 STANDARD impact resistance of 2m, go figure!", i'll promise you and ZL that i would feel challenged by their provocative claim and feel invited to conduct a series of bezel down drop tests with a loaded SC1000 from 1.5m drop height on our superhard marble floor, record everything on video, break the glass lens (and anything else) according to [[1]], and then publicize here on cpf with CAPITAL LETTERS my tests, how the torch broke (after the 3rd drop), and how Zebralight Co. refuses to send a FREE replacement copy following their 10yrs performance guarantee. The whole affair would lead to very bad publicity for Zebralight. Even if ZL replaced my copy for free, they would be regarded as loser and liar anyway: because i was able to document that the SC1000 broke after only 1.5m drops while they claimed 2m impact resistance.

Other consumers, reviewers and testers of comparable electronic gadgets such as rugged USB-flash memory sticks or rugged Portable Mini-HDD (hard disk drives) do actually the same thing: Whenever a company comes up with a bold claim regarding ruggedness, some serious product reviewer (for example on youtube or in printed magazines) would feel challenged by the company's bold claims and, consequently, test the claim (here: ruggedness) and publish the negative test results. Does a company like ZL or 4Sevens really want to see their customers performing ANY KIND OF DROP TESTS and publish the negative test results?? Probably not. If there is a single user who is able to break the light after 100% following the ANSI FL-1 STANDARD protocol (and publishing a youtube video document), the company would already have lost face!

Since most Chinalamps are constructed similarly and similarly well (and often manufactured on the same CNC machines or the same factory, see the outsourcing of Klarus/Jetbeam, 4Sevens/Olight, ITP/Olight, XXXFire/xxxfire, ..), impact resistance is similar, between 1m and 2m, so not much of a difference (Rayovac Indestructible has 10m!). The main difference is: clever companies dont publish any numbers, and other companies do publish them.

 

[run4jc]

oh boy, here I go ... sorry, but

ONE flashlight passing many tests is anecdotal evidence.

Conversely, if it failed on the first test, it would not mean that all the ZL's are poorly designed and/ or built.

We need to analyze the build of the light itself, and determine what factors lead to a rugged light, and see if the light in question is built that way..and hasn't just been 'lucky' or, had a 'bad break' ..

mm?

Lest we forget the spirit of this test, let's look back at an initial statement:

After posting a beam shot thread on Zebralights as well as singing their praises in another thread, one of my friends asked "are they bullet proof? Do they hold up? Well, mine certainly have...but I thought it might be fun to abuse one and see just what it could take. So here you go.

(Taken from the OP)

 

[aerosmith9110]

my sc 51c ring poped out causing the glass and o ring to pop out too after my baby test.... so I took a hammer and pouded it right back in. take note that the floor was not that hard as it was covered by vinyl...

baby test = handed the FL to a 1 yr old baby and let him play it for an hour or 2. it was thrown from a height of no more than 1.5 meters multiple times.

 

[TweakMDS]

Great post - thank you. Your last point is a very good one, and all your points are valid. In the 3 years since I have become a fan of these little photon throwers, I can count on one hand the times that I've accidentally dropped a light. Each time it was on a sidewalk or a hard indoor floor. Never has a light failed as a result of the drop. Frankly, I'm amused at some of the tests that lights are subjected to, but it's always interesting.

Sadly, I lost the little Zebralight that was the subject of this 'test.' I was really fond of that little light - it suffered the abuses and kept on working. But it 'lives on' in this thread - glad this thread has been 're-discovered.'

And now re-rediscovered... I was looking for the right phrasing.

Did you contact ZL with your torture tests and images? I'm sure they could spare a new model with epic publicity like this. To be honest, when reading a thread like this, the SC51c immediately makes it onto my list (or at least rises a few places) so it's quite likely that they've sold a handful to even a few dozens more by your testimony alone.

 

[run4jc]

Did you contact ZL with your torture tests and images? I'm sure they could spare a new model with epic publicity like this. To be honest, when reading a thread like this, the SC51c immediately makes it onto my list (or at least rises a few places) so it's quite likely that they've sold a handful to even a few dozens more by your testimony alone.

Very, very kind of you. Yes, I did contact Zebralight and they didn't see fit to respond. That's okay - it doesn't taint my opinion of their products. If companies don't have need for this type of support, so be it!

 

[Pacificwing]

I"m getting a kick out of this since I just recently had my sc600 die for doing nothing more than having the audacity to turn it on. Zebralight took 2 weeks getting back to me about repair.

Being in Canada, I have to jump through warranty hoops to get it fixed. By the time I pay for shipping there and back, its just over 1/4 the cost of the light. Not sure its worth it.

I do have an H600 though, which has served me fairly well. Used it on my hard hat in the rain and seems to be holding up. The world needs more 18650 headlamps.

Not sure I'd buy another if I had it to do over.