Single AA Nitecore D10 vs Fenix L1D vs LiteFlux LF5XT

Hi,

I have a Fenix L0d as an EDC and a P3d at the house but I am off to Africa for a year and need something that will run on AA's.

I have checked out all of the reviews I can find and have narrowed it down to:
D10
L1D
LF5XT

Fenix have been good to me and I am torn between loyalty and wanting something new!

One big problem I have had with the P3D is that it can easily turn itself on while in your bag and when it comes time to use it it's dead Can anyone comment on wether the switches on the D10 or LF5XT are any harder to turn on accidentally? Lhe Nitecore has a twist function as well as a click but I couldn't find anything much about how this works... Is it possible to twist it so thet the button is disabled?

The other thing about the P3d that bugs me is the switch sticks out meaning it wobbles a bit when you tail stand it. The D10 and LF5XT look much better in that respect.

One of the advantages of the L1D are the ability to buy a longer tube and turn it into a L2D. Does anyone know if the same would be possible with either the D10 or LF5XT? It seems like it could cope with the voltage of two batteries so is it likley that anyone will make such a holder?

Does anyone have any comments or suggestions for other lights I should look at?

THANKS!

LD10?

Howdy wingnutLP and welcome to CPF,
I'm sure you will get many helpful responses. I'm considering the D10 Golden Dragon myself.

However, for your situation I'll point out some things I think you might want to consider.

1. The Fenix L1D has a proven track record, is easy to operate, and offers enough light levels for most EDC purposes.

2. While the LF5XT has a devoted following here on CPF, I think it might depend on how comfortable you are with a semi-complicated UI that requires a number of precise twisting actions to set correctly. Personally that wouldn't bother me, and I think that once it is set up correctly the actual operation should be fairly straight forward.

3. While I really like the concept of the D10, it hasn't been out long enough to give us a true sense of how it will operate under harsh conditions over time...... something to consider if you will be away for a year.

Given those considerations, I would probably play the safe bet and go with the Fenix L1D.

I have all three and agree completely with Derek Dean's statements. The by now 'old' and well proven Fenix L1D should be the right choice for an environment far away from dealers.

I have a D10 that has been with me, and used daily since their release and I can't see anyone ever regretting buying one.

I also bought an L1D, which although I like the tint better, have not carried even once, due to my preference for the UI, size/shape and knurling of the D10. The feel and confidence brought about by the perfect knurling is addictive and the L1D feels very slippery, at least by direct comparison.

Another light I just got today which I prefer for its throw especially is the Jet-I PRO IBS which would make an excellent light for someone not wanting to carry in-pocket, due to the slightly larger head and length.

Reliability is one of the reasons I place a lot of trust in the D10, due to it's lack of a clicky, which appears to be one of the more problematic areas, at least according some.

Now to go find out about the LD10...

sol-leks said:

LD10?

Click to expand...

LD10 https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/207168

wingnutLP said:

One big problem I have had with the P3D is that it can easily turn itself on while in your bag and when it comes time to use it it's dead Can anyone comment on wether the switches on the D10 or LF5XT are any harder to turn on accidentally?

Click to expand...

The tailcap can be locked out to prevent accidental activation, just twist the tailcap 1/4 turn.

If you did go for an L1D then i would say it would be wise to order a spare switch along with it as a precaution. I find the switches used in the fenix very reliable. The switch i am currently using in my L2D is on 20,000+ cycles but some people have had them fail. I would say that is the only weak link.

I think the new L1D's have got reverse polarity protection where as the old ones do not so this is something to consider incase someone else uses the light or a moments lapse in concentration could lead to a blown circuit.

The other thing with an L1D is if used regularly the contacts will need to be cleaned every now and again but i suppose this is no different to any other light.

With a spare switch and reverse polarity protection you have got all the bases covered so there is no need to worry about reliability. Someone correct me if i'm wrong.

Derek Dean said:

However, for your situation I'll point out some things I think you might want to consider.

1. The Fenix L1D has a proven track record, is easy to operate, and offers enough light levels for most EDC purposes.

2. While the LF5XT has a devoted following here on CPF, I think it might depend on how comfortable you are with a semi-complicated UI that requires a number of precise twisting actions to set correctly. Personally that wouldn't bother me, and I think that once it is set up correctly the actual operation should be fairly straight forward.

3. While I really like the concept of the D10, it hasn't been out long enough to give us a true sense of how it will operate under harsh conditions over time...... something to consider if you will be away for a year.

Given those considerations, I would probably play the safe bet and go with the Fenix L1D.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the comments. The complex UI is a challange to be relished rather than a problem but the relativelly un tested nature of the other lights may be a problem.

I don't think that I would risk only carrying or having one light out there so I will probably take at least 2 or 3 in the end. I have a zebra light H50 on the way and will take the LOD also.

Where I will be going will have at the best intermittant power and at the worst almost none for several days at a time so I will not be taking any chances.

The idea of ta body to accept 2AA's would be good and is another advantage for the fenix. I assume that as no one has mentioned it neither the D10 or 5XT do or are ever likley to have a 2AA option?

For some reason though I just don't really like the Fenix UI.

The tailcap can be locked out to prevent accidental activation, just twist the tailcap 1/4 turn.

Click to expand...

On the P3D or D10?

If you are talking about the P3D then that is a major DOH for me!!

Thanks also Lee, spares will definately be in order!

Alex

I forgot to mention that the L0D Q4 is what first brought me to CPF and although I use the D10 more since I got it, I have never been without my L0D Q4 other than when I've handed it off to someone who didn't have a light on them, while I was using the D10.

Great backup/2nd light to always have on hand!

One more point to consider with these lights is that the low-low available on both the D10 and Jet-I Pro IBS is so perfect when you're somewhere completely away from electricity, as I am here in Alaska.
To the best of my knowledge they both have the lowest output available in a readily available light and it stands as one of my biggest priorities when considering a new light.

I can use mine on low-low and turn it off without losing any night vision and it actually makes the low on my L0D Q4 seem bright by comparison.

Kilovolt said:

I have all three and agree completely with Derek Dean's statements. The by now 'old' and well proven Fenix L1D should be the right choice for an environment far away from dealers.

Click to expand...

+1 The L1D is a proven light with many here. I don't know how a D10 will work in a harsh environment, away from tubes of special lube and deoxit.

For simplicity on the L1D, you can get the L2D body with tailcap, and cap. You'll have a backup switch, along with a water tight tube for 2 spare batteries and the option to go for 2xAA power.


Or you can put LiFePO4 cells in your L1D.
I just got some, and they make an L1D Q5 rock like a P2D... 180 lumens!

L1T v.2 Cree Q2

has a simpler UI and requires more pressure required to switch it on

however, it does not tail-stand

I was in same shoe just a while back. I bought the D10 first, based on "look". I was so happy with it, I immediately purchased a second as a gift. I intend to acquire the LF5XT, hoping for a nicer design and hope they would have fixed the fraction-of-a-second delay issue by then. Also in my list are a couple of Romisens and Jetbeams. I will go either way depending on the discount available at the time. If I need another AA light in a hurry, I will get a L1D/LD10 at 4seven, with a spare L2D tube.

Thanks all! What a lot of feedback in such a short time!!

Regarding the earlier post that a 1/4 turn of the tailcap will prevent accidental activation of the clicky tailed Fenix lights can anyone confirm this?

It would be a huge HUGE plus for me!!

My main concern with the L1D is the lack of a very low low.

LF5XT has 61 lux 43 hrs
D10 10 lux 60 hrs
L1D only goes down to 184 lux where it will "only" run for 25 hrs

I have the L1D and the D10. Of the two I like the D10 better. It can tail stand, it can be converted to momentary by twisting the tail cap and it has a very low low. Also, you can set any brightness between high and low. Turn it off and it will come back on to that level. It seems just as bright as the Fenix to me and the regulation is good. No 2 AA tube though.

When traveling off the grid I typically take enveloops and a solio solar powered charger. You can then recharge your AAA's as well with a USB charger. Links below:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HHOD5O/?tag=cpf0b6-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XVZYXO/?tag=cpf0b6-20

Derek Dean said:

Howdy wingnutLP and welcome to CPF,
I'm sure you will get many helpful responses. I'm considering the D10 Golden Dragon myself.

However, for your situation I'll point out some things I think you might want to consider.

1. The Fenix L1D has a proven track record, is easy to operate, and offers enough light levels for most EDC purposes.

2. While the LF5XT has a devoted following here on CPF, I think it might depend on how comfortable you are with a semi-complicated UI that requires a number of precise twisting actions to set correctly. Personally that wouldn't bother me, and I think that once it is set up correctly the actual operation should be fairly straight forward.

3. While I really like the concept of the D10, it hasn't been out long enough to give us a true sense of how it will operate under harsh conditions over time...... something to consider if you will be away for a year.

Given those considerations, I would probably play the safe bet and go with the Fenix L1D.

Click to expand...

The LF5XT does not require twisting to program, just a number of clicks.

That said, I wouldn't trust the LF5XT for an extended period in a remote place. It's got a lot of parts, and more parts = more complexity and thus more potential for failure. My LF5XT's o-rings were super fragile and always threatened to snap and break every time I opened and closed the head / tail pieces.

The Fenix lights have the best regulation and thus makes the most sense out in remote areas. But the D10 would make a great companion because of the super low. I've been heavily using and abusing my D10 ever since it was introduced and it has been flawless in use.

So I recommend a combination of L1D or LD10 and the NiteCore D10.

wingnutLP said:

Regarding the earlier post that a 1/4 turn of the tailcap will prevent accidental activation of the clicky tailed Fenix lights can anyone confirm this?

It would be a huge HUGE plus for me!!

Click to expand...

Yes, all the Fenix lights have a tailcap lock-out due to anodized threads. This is a great feature when travelling. The LF5XT also has it. Unfortunately. the D10 doesn't have a full lock-out - no matter how much I unscrew mine, they can still be activated in momentary mode by sufficient force on the piston (although I grant you that it would take a lot of sustained force).

My main concern with the L1D is the lack of a very low low.

Click to expand...

Well, you could solve that by taking a second very low-level light with you (like your LOD). Frankly, you are best to have a backup light anyway. But the D10 and LF5XT both have much lower low modes, it's true.

wingnutLP said:

Thanks all! What a lot of feedback in such a short time!!

Regarding the earlier post that a 1/4 turn of the tailcap will prevent accidental activation of the clicky tailed Fenix lights can anyone confirm this?

It would be a huge HUGE plus for me!!

My main concern with the L1D is the lack of a very low low.

Click to expand...

Yes, a quarter turn does lockout both L1D CE and L1D Q5.

I haven't ever had the need for of the 2 lumen low... Perhaps I get enough vitamin A

A trick you can do is partially cover up the front of the light with your fingers. Tried it out of curiosity and seems effective, but I can't find the use for it.

Welcome to the forums wingnut!


I, too, just went through the whole "what AA light do I want?" and I came out with the D10. Here are some reasons why.

For the Fenix, I liked the L1T over the L1D. I don't need strobe or SOS and the T has a forward clicky with momentary (I use mementary often, might not be important to you). Fenix also has some if the most efficient lights in the market. What I didn't like is the low level isn't low enough for my tastes and the switches aren't the most durable out there (I've had a few clickies break so I'm biased against them). You can order replacements and, like you said, you can buy a 2-AA tube for more runtime.

The LF5XT is a nice light but I just don't like programmable lights. The last one that I owned I had to reboot it almost as much as my computer because it would lock up on strobe all the time. I haven't heard of the LF having many problems with locking up but it did have a glitch where it would turn off if you dropped it or even tapped it lightly on a table (even gently setting it down would turn some lights off). I think that they were working on a fix and the fixed lights are probably shipping by now. It does have a great beam and has a super low low level and if you like the programmable option it is very flexible in how you set it up. Another thing that I don't like about the LF is the lack of a good momentary. I know that you can set one of the modes to a momentary mode and maybe it is really easy to access it but I just prefer the D10's sytem better.

The D10 is the most compact of the three due to it's switch design. The switch is a big reason why I went with this light. After reading about it and then laying my hands on one I can see this switch lasting just as long as the light. The other thing that I really liked about it is the UI. It is about as simple as an adjustable output light can get. Push once to turn on push again to turn off. While it's on push and hold the button to ramp the brightness one way and release and press/hold to ramp the other way. There are shortcuts to min and max output and if you unscrew the head a half turn it has a really good momentary mode. The low level is quite low and yet is plenty of light when you're dark adapted and the runtimes on this level are excellent, over 100 hours on an alkaline even. https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/206178

So if it were me I'd go with the D10. I know that it hasn't been around as long as the Fenix but from the design I can't see much that could go wrong with it. As for the LF, keep in mind who else will be using the light. Do you want to spend 20 minutes explaining how to use it everytime you hand it to someone?

Have fun deciding and have a great trip!

If you use low as much as me there is no replacement for the D10. Take some lithium primaries with you, and you get 6 days of runtime on low!!! I have the L1D as well and it's an excellent light, but it never leaves the house with me... The D10 goes with me everywhere... Around the house I will use the L1D once in a while. It is more efficient, if you set your D10 to the same level of output the Fenix will often run twice as long... If I was going to Africa for a year I'd get either one of each or two of the one I liked best. Actually I'd bring two D10s and one L1D, or a larger more throwy light, like a mag mod.

When you have to rely on what you have with you two is one and one is none...