X5 vs. L1/2 T

nmiller

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Which would you chose as a basic longer runtime light to back up your edc. I carry a P1 and basically can't decide between the other two if I needed a longer running light. Any suggestions would be great.

Sorry I meant X5. I always knew I couldn't type well.
 
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Flying Turtle

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Re: X1 vs. L1/2 T

I can only speak for the X1. It's very well constructed, long running, usefully bright (Nichia CS), wide flood, reasonable price ($20), and kind of big for the pocket. For my money, I'd get the Fenix E0 instead. It has all the attributes of the X1 in a package that's about 1/4 the size.

Geoff
 

l1s125

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Of the two choices you give, I would pick the X5 to back up the p1. The bright flood would be a good alternative to the P1's spot with spill. Also, the X5 uses the same batteries as the P1 whereas the LxT does not. You can think of the X5 as a backup / battery holder for your P1.
 

MacTech

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Actually, the P1 is a pretty efficient battery sucker in it's own right, once the P1 is done with a cell it's pretty much done

the other thing that's critical with 123a's is if you're using a couple batteries from your P1 in the X5, make sure you *match* them first, test them on a ZTS meter and make sure they have the same amount of charge left in them, mismatched 123a's have the potential to "vent with flame"
 

Badbeams3

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I don`t like the length of the L2T or X5 for EDC...they seem to catch on things when I sit down...or move up/down latters...and such. So based on this I would go with the shorter L1T. Just as a practical reality for me. And it probably looks more sane/classy/professional to have something less noticable attached to our belts. Probably a cellphone/flashlight holster combo would look best.

I find wearing a small light on a landyard around my neck works best for me.

Ken
 

l1s125

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MacTech is 100% right about matching the batteries before using them. NewBie has an excellent thread where he goes very in depth about the causes and consequences of 123 battery failures. From, what I read, it seems nearly impossible for a single cell used alone to fail, but two or more cells used together that have different charge levels can fail violently...

Just to be safe, I would only go from X5 to P1 and not P1 to X5.

A practical issue arises from the need to match cells when you harvest a cell from the X5 to power your P1. If you use one of them, its the same as using both. If you harvest a cell from the X5 to power the P1 in the field, you'll need to put a separate matched pair into the X5 when you return home. The lone battery that was left in the X5 must be set aside until you can match it to another battery with similar charge level, or I suppose you can save it for use in the P1.
 

arty

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I have both the X5 and L2T, and prefer the L2T. It runs forever on the low, and this mode has as much - or more useful light than the X5. I tried both lights for walking my dog, and the X5 doesn't get used.

I am not enthusiastic about the switch on the X5 (it is stiff) - try one in a store before buying. I do like a good twistie/clickie - I have that on an L1 and like it. I also am not crazy about the blue tint of the X5.

Much of this is subjective, and so the only solution is to try them out.
 

10mmWiseman

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I don't have and L2T but I have an L2P and the newer X5 with the Nichia CS LED's, I also keep a P1 on my keychain.

All summer long I toted the X5 and it is very useful for a flood of light, not so much throw but in medium to short ranges it puts out a very useful flood or wall of light. The L2P on the other hand has a nice tight hotspot but not as much sidespill. The Inova X5 has a bluish purple tint towards the edges, the L2P is whiter than alter linen.

The P1 I have found to be a handy tool on my keychain. Because of how handy it is it gets used more than most other lights I may carry.

The X5 has been a useful companion to my Airweight S&W all summer, I have used it quite a bit over the summer and it is still on the same set of batteries. Indoors the X5 excells, outdoors it is not very useful past 25 feet or so, but inside that 25 feet watch out!

Personally I have a great respect for my X5, it goes along with me everyday, the L2P while it offers a nice throw it is long and skinny and offers little sidespill. Personally while throw is nice to be able to reach out far, I find it sidespill to be much more useful in an EDC and for that the X5 can't be beat.
 
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UnknownVT

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Have to be a little careful here -
the Inova X5 has a claimed/spec'd burn-time of 20 hours
BUT on test the runtime to 50% was closer to just over 6 hours
(see X5 at FlashlightReviews )
To me this is disappointing for a light running on 2x CR123A lithiums......
don't get me wrong I still like the light - please see the review -

Inova X5 (white)
it's just the runtimes comes no where close to the advertized "burn"-time.......

The Fenix L1T and L2T both have low level modes which have long runtimes.

The tested runtime of the L2T on Low was about 22 hours - as spec'd (see runtime graph),
and the L1T on low was about 10 hours, again as spec'd (see runtime graph)

Comparison Reviews -

Fenix L1T

Fenix L2T

and

Fenix L1T on 3.7V Li-Ion - Whoa!

The solution might be to get the Fenix L2T with extra L1T body so you in effect can have BOTH.

There are also cheaper versions in the Fenix L1S and L2S
or the combo of the Fenix L2S with extra L1S body
(note: the 'S'-series use R-bin 1watt Luxeons and are rated to handle between 0.9v~3.3v so cannot be used with 3.7V Li-Ion rechargeable batteries as the L1T)
 
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