Fenix P1: Flashlight Fatigue?

Peter Atwood

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So I came on here figuring there would be a couple of threads going on this new light but I only see one and it is not particularly active. Is everyone just sick of lights and no one wants to comment on the new P1?

I'm assuming that a ton of people have gotten theirs by now, mine arrived on Friday. Great light for the money. It is very bright, beam is tinted slightly bluish on mine but not objectionable, the anodizing is really gorgeous and overall it is very nicely done.

What say you CPFers? Yea or Nay on the new P1?
 

Freedom1955

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IMHO there would be allot more excitement if the P1 had a two stage twisty for about the same price.:whistle:
 

RemingtonBPD

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I like my P1...to me though the tint is has more purple to it...compared it with the Jet1, L1P, and SF L4. The only thing it needs is a nice kydex holster and I am golden.
 

Lee1959

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So many lights, it is hard for people to stay excited about any given one for a longish period I think. With so many new things coming out at once it is harder to stay focused on any single one. The new LT Fenixs, the Maglights, the Proton and I am sure more my sleep fogged brain isnot thinking of are all fighting for pocket money and forum time :). More will be written on it eventualy when it gets in wider use.
 

powernoodle

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I bet if you showed a P1 to a non-CPFer, he or she would be highly impressed. But after seeing light after light after light, like many of us have, another small bright one in nice, but isn't quite so exciting.

That being said, I have 5 Fenix lights and may very well end up with a P1.

I jumped on board the CPF bandwagon right before the old Arc company went under. Like a crackhead whose first high is the best, and who can never quite recreate it but tries nonetheless, my first high was on Arc lights and I've been buying ever since.

Also, some of us experience a little burnout from time to time. McGizmo and TIN come to mind. I've been a little burned out to - but not for long. :)

cheers
 

savumaki

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I'll get excited when one of them comes up with a momentary on clicky, you could even have a twisty for levels as long as you could activate the light for a momentary time. (Just like my L2) :whistle:

Karl
 

Planterz

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I happen to think the Fenix P1 is a rather amazing light. Even though every other flashlight I own is at least 2X more expensive. I've got 2 McLux III PDs, an HDS U60XRGT, SF A2, Jil Intelli, CR2 Ion, and a couple other customs on the way. But the P1 impresses me nonetheless. For the price and size, nothing can come close. Fantastic output, and perfect regulation.

If the current trend wasn't gearing towards multi-level lights (and justifiably so, considering my own collection), the P1 would probably be getting more press.
 

jar3ds

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Freedom1955 said:
IMHO there would be allot more excitement if the P1 had a two stage twisty for about the same price.:whistle:
+1 and if the second stage came on 2nd.... making the brighter first stage the first turn...

the 2nd stage needs to be about 2 lumens
 

JML

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Some of us are waiting for in-transit P1 lights (TripleAught shipped mine last week, for delivery on Wednesday).

Or maybe we're looking forward to the next one! I imagine we'll see a P2, with two CR123 cells, and then a variable output P2T... :whistle:
 

BentHeadTX

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Planterz said:
If the current trend wasn't gearing towards multi-level lights (and justifiably so, considering my own collection), the P1 would probably be getting more press.

Agreed!
Since lithium batteries are expensive, a flashlight that uses them needs to have additional features to create excitement. Even Fenix's own L1T and L2T have two-stage output using "normal" batteries so the P1 just does not grab the headlines.
Luxeons are now available in AAA (Fenix L0P and Peak Pacific), the Proton offers variable output running a single AA and there are multiple lights available that run Lux's on single AA cells.
The P1 seems to be a decent light... just does not do anything new, different or blindingly bright.
 

Solstice

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The P1 is really just an "update" or a more cost-effective refinement of what Peter Gransee started several years ago- a simple twist on/off flashlight using a luxeon and based around a single CR123 cell. It looks nice, but if I bought every light similar to this one, I'd be quite broke. In recent months, lets see- we've got the various Peak lines, the Amilite T3, the Fenix L2P with CR123 body, the JetBeam Jet-I with CR123 body and even the Dorcy Super I Watt (which, while being quite a bit larger than the P1, wins the best "bang for the buck" award in my book).

I don't mind using CR123s (even though I do have a soft spot for single AA based lights), but wake me up when the P1 has a 2 stage twisty switch ala the McGizmo lights. Having a friendly low mode really does pack MUCH more utility into EDC lights.
 

BlackDecker

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P1 doesn't do anything for me. Don't own a single CR123 based light, and never plan on doing so. Too expensive to feed those lights compared to lights like the L1P using normal AA NiMh batteries.
 

PhotonBoy

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It's remarkable how frequently Fenix is cranking out new lights. I already own an L1P and an L0P plus more than a dozen other lights so I'm at the point where I can slow down. I feel badly about neglecting some of my older lights and the batteries in them. I'll keep an eye on CPF and Fenix especially, but I'm definitely putting a pause on more purchases. It'll be interesting to see what's on the market in a year or so.

I would have liked to have seen what EternaLight's 'The Punch' was going to be like but that project seems to have been shelved.

Maglite's initial output seems to be underwhelming.

Kudos to Fenix for speed to market and making some really nice lights.
 

2wheels4me

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Is the slower review response perhaps partially attributable to not being in "flashlight season" - after all, we are 3 weeks away from the longest daylight of the year???

I would like the P1 if it regulated lithium ions better (at all) and had a pure no-keychain pocket body option to clean up the back of the light. I don't attach lights to keychains, but like lights in my pocket if they are small enough.
 

nuggett

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Yes,DST seems to put a damper on flashlights. I think my Firefly 3 has answered all my needs, wants and desires, it and the HDM6 batt pack coming soon. Fenix makes good lights.
 

yaesumofo

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Actually the cr123 lights are very inexpensive to run. Personally I use rechargeable cells I get to use them over and over lets say 100 times and the battery costs $5.00 that makes this light somewhat less expensive to use than many many lights. They are certainly no more expensive to run than a flashlight that uses Nimh cells except that you usually need more than one minh cell and the good ones cost $4.00.
You may find running 123 flashlights LESS expensive. Try it. You might like it.
Peter the P1. Is a light that people would have been jumping for joy fo 1 year ago. It has everything many people were looking for in a light when the arc LS series of lights was available. now a few years down the road and what it boils down to is that we are all LUX Iiird out. It is time to see some real innovation in the flashlight world. We have guys building multilevel drivers, super high efficiency boost converters, we have guys like Mr Bulk McGizmo making innovative lights all based on the same formula.
one cell Lux III.

What this place needs are the K2 emitters, and some new designs.

The fenix does a lot for $40.00. A year ago you could buy a firefly it would cost you 3 x as much and the beam was crappier.
I don't see these single cell lights talking over the world. I think that people will finally decide that brightest is not allays best. I believe we will see more 2 cell lights with very efficient drivers allowing for multi levels and good runtimes.

On the surface of things the feniz is a good value.
if you scratch the surface you see that they are not extremely well made big globs of solder, hand finished contact nipples. don't forget these lights are made by PEOPLE who are being paid pennies to crank out these things.
Personally I am having a hard time supporting it. I do. but I also do my best to be conscious of the consequences. Watch where your money is going. Certainly not into the quality of this light. And not into the pockets of th people who are making them.
Yaesumofo



BlackDecker said:
P1 doesn't do anything for me. Don't own a single CR123 based light, and never plan on doing so. Too expensive to feed those lights compared to lights like the L1P using normal AA NiMh batteries.
 

frisco

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BlackDecker said:
P1 doesn't do anything for me. Don't own a single CR123 based light, and never plan on doing so. Too expensive to feed those lights compared to lights like the L1P using normal AA NiMh batteries.

Get a rCR123 battery and a little Nano charger. Brighter than primary CR123 and with the Nano charger makes the P1 a nice "System"

frisco
 

paxxus

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Hi folks,

Lost my MAG for the car and decided to get a new light, ended up here. Wow, a lot has happened with flashlights! I've actually never seen a LED light (other than those dim blue ones years back). So anyway, I got my P1 today - without a battery
mad.gif
This is pure torture, I can just sit and fiddle with it and imagine how it'll be when lit up - there should be a law against this! I'll get the batts in a couple of days. I also have an HDS U60XRGT coming my way, can't wait to get it
cool.gif
.
 

chanamasala

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The P1 is a light to be excited about. I considered a Firefly III but it is expensive(almost three times as much) and limited with battery options. I find that the runtime with a FLuPIC even when using a lower beam option isn't that wonderful. With the P1 you get 1 1/2 hours of regulated high brightness; that's just what some want in an EDC.

And as for not wanting to use CR123s, I was like that at first but after some self-drained NIMHs pop up at the wrong time, you'll understand the worth of lithiums. Moreover, you can get a decent price on them at internet stores. They are optimal to use in terms of compactness, decent Mah, and slow discharge rate.
 
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