Fenix history?

I would like to know some more about the history of the Fenix flashlight. I got my first Fenix L2D CE about 2 years ago. Can anybody tell me when Fenix started and what models they started with? Thanks in advance!lovecpf

I believe the first Fenix was L1, but it's pretty rare. They broke through with the L1P, which was a huge step forward for single AA-lights(using a Luxeon led). Previously you had to have a CR123 to get that kind of performance. And Fenix checked pretty much all checked all the boxes on a flashoholics checklist(biggest was probably the output, runtime and regulation), and that at a sensible price point. Man, those were simpler times when all you expected from a flashlight was to turn on, be bright, and run for a long time and maybe on a battery source you preferred. Nowadays there are A LOT more factors involved. After that, there came hundreds of clones.
You could almost say that Fenix created the small light AA market the way Surefire created the dual cell tactical CR123 market.
Fenix second light was the natural evolution of the single cell L1P, the 2AA L2P.
Then
L0p - reinvented the AAA-market
LxT - evolution of LxP with 2 lvls by twisting the bezel and using a LuxeonIII LED
P1 - super compact CR123 light

And then the BIG step
P1D CE - the first Cree and the first "digital" multi mode light(multiple settings chosen by multi tapping the clickie, and the light that put the dreadfull blinkie modes like SOS on the map
LxD - First AA-lights with Cree(IIRC) and the first AA lighs that competed with the old guard CR123 lights when it came to output and runtime(L2D beat the Surefire A2 for ex)


DISCLAIMER: I'm typing most of this stuff from memory and quick glances on flashlightreview, so it might not be that accurate.

If you want to read up more, http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews_index/reviews_by_mfgrs.htm is an excellent way to do so. The reviews are almost like an archive over flashlight history.

It's pretty funny that in those days, every release Fenix made more or less revolutionized one market(AA, AAA, single CR123, Cree etc). The frenzy at CPF before every release was unbelievable. And even worse, all these releases were very close. At that time it felt like Fenix came out with something groundbreaking about every second month or so and the competition were nowhere to see. Some smaller companies picked up the slack (Lumapower, Jetbeam and Liteflux were among the first IIRC). Most of the american companies took a very long time before they were out of Luxeons and started to use Cree.

I found this on the website of Photon Shop :

As the proverb says "Improvement roots from dissatisfaction", the establishment of FenixLight Limited also roots from "dissatisfaction". A group of young men, passionate about high quality illumination tools, grew increasingly unsatisfied with the amount of mediocre flashlights on the market, inferior tools with substandard construction and poor attention to detail. Dissatisfied by the lighting products available at the time, the young men set out to make world class illumination tools. Seeking help, they organized a group of professional engineers to head their machining, electronics and design departments and together they founded FenixLight Limited. The marriage between ingenuity and craftsmanship help create Fenix's legendary lights, tools that are held in high regard all over the world. Since appearing on the market, FenixLight Limited has produced an outstanding product line. From the first L1 produced, to the latest multi-level, processor controlled lights, Fenix strives to produce only the most innovative products. In fact, the Fenix L1 became the standard of high quality flashlights and was voted one of the most innovative flashlights of 2005 by users and media. What's more, the Fenix L1 series started a new era of high-quality, single AA lights. The L1 successfully integrated a bright beam, a constant current regulation circuit and low operating costs all in a very compact design, a first in the industry. Fenix was the first mass manufacturer to bring such a quality single AA cell LED flashlight to the market. The introduction of the L1 created a niche market and began to attract people's attention. Fenix Since then, Fenix has produced many models to add to our ever expanding product line. Though challenges are ever increasing, with every new Fenix product we strive to bring our customers the highest quality tool possible.

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So, it seems the first one was the L1 in 2005...

DISCLAIMER: I'm typing most of this stuff from memory and quick glances on flashlightreview, so it might not be that accurate.

If you want to read up more, http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews_index/reviews_by_mfgrs.htm is an excellent way to do so. The reviews are almost like an archive over flashlight history.

It's pretty funny that in those days, every release Fenix made more or less revolutionized one market(AA, AAA, single CR123, Cree etc). The frenzy at CPF before every release was unbelievable. And even worse, all these releases were very close. At that time it felt like Fenix came out with something groundbreaking about every second month or so and the competition were nowhere to see. Some smaller companies picked up the slack (Lumapower, Jetbeam and Liteflux were among the first IIRC). Most of the american companies took a very long time before they were out of Luxeons and started to use Cree.[/QUOTE]

WOW! LOBO! Thank you very much for the link that I did not know yet and the history that you gave me (from memory?!) of my beloved flashlight!:twothumbs

Fenix (originally called phoenix, methinks the trademark officials would not let them use that word) came to CPF in 2004 looking for dealers in North America. 4SEVENS ansered the call and was given CPF as his territorial right. 47s also was very helpful in making Fenix understand that many North Americans wanted reliable practical lights instead of toys (a zillion flashing modes) or gifts (all the early Fenix come in gift boxes, the other top end China lights still do). That is one reason Fenix still makes the L1T/L2T and the LD01 lost the blinking modes of the L0D series. EDIT And the TK40 uses AA instead of 18650 batteries (try recharging 18650 out in the boondocks or on the hills of Afghanistan) /EDIT

Fenix originally had the L1 and L1+ (stainless).
By the time they shipped to North American dealers the L1P (AR coated glass, circuit upgraded to output 350mA) was standard.
L(common battery - AA)1/2(# of batteries, 0 indicates AAA)P//T/D(Premium/two mode/Digital)
The P series (CR123A batteries came next)

Fenix connections on CPF made them aware of the coming of the Cree XR-E and they beat everybody out the gate. They even bought the 1st reels from Australia before the chips were available locally to them.
Reasonably priced, reliable, and at the time brightest torches solidified their reputation.

Tactical lights became the vogue and Fenix came out with the TK series.

The numbering system is showing its age for some time so Fenix came up with a new one. There are enough similarities so people can still identify a lights predecessor. LxD became LDx for example.

WOW! LOBO! Thank you very much for the link that I did not know yet and the history that you gave me (from memory?!) of my beloved flashlight!:twothumbs

Well, it's not entirely from memory since I checked the dates on flashlightreviews to get the right order of release.
But if Doug(a big THANK YOU to him for all of his reviews and groundbreaking work to establish a review standard, before that a review mostly was, "It's bright/not bright") reviewed a light late, then the order I wrote down the releases might be wrong. But he was usually pretty fast on getting his hands on a light so I doubt that.

LEDninja, good point. Should have mentioned 4Sevens and his fenix-store who had a large part of the success.

Interesting - When I joined CPF recently, there was one of those 'Where Have I Been' thoughts. If Fenix represents the average evolution, then it's really young and I didn't miss out for long. 05/06 is like yesterday

I think I arrived right in the start of the LED-revolution(Luxeon), but CPF had been here for a long way before that. Although I think it was very different from what we have now. There weren't a multitude of manufacturers that catered to the CPF crowd with low(everything is relative)prices presenting such a multitude of lights like it is today. I believe it was mostly about Surefire, Arc, Peak, custom makers and hot wiring in those days. Not that many big manufacturers that offered regulated LEDs in those days(can you even by a direct driven cree nowadays?).
But even if 05/06 was yesterday, it happened A LOT during that time. I thinks it just the last year or so that it has slowed down. So if you signed on this spring, then yes, you have missed the major changes.
Imagine CPF without any of the asian manufacturers.

Before the production (aluminum) L1, Fenix made a very limited run of stainless lights called L1+.

This thread is an interesting look back at this first offering from Fenix in June '05.

For some reason I was thinking the Civictor was the first Fenix. Was it actually after the L1?

Ah, the old trustworthy civictor. Shame that I lost mine.
But was that ever an official Fenix? I believe it was the same company(kind of hard to tell who made who and sold under what name some times) but the Civictor never had a Fenix logo? It was just sold as a civictor?

Flying Turtle said:

For some reason I was thinking the Civictor was the first Fenix. Was it actually after the L1?

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The Civictors (there was the Al and SS models) came well after the L1/L1P.

Lobo said:

So if you signed on this spring, then yes, you have missed the major changes.

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Agree - going from a standard Mag 2/3D to a PD30 & TK40 was probably more impressive for me than users who passed through the 05 to 08 design steps.

Interesting read here. Didn't know that Fenix was one of the forerunners of the 'LED in flashlight' evolution.

Indeed, it's rather difficult to retrace those few years of LED history if you haven't been on CPF. I joined in 2007, but was quite inactive one year. In fact, it was the purchase of the L2D-Q5 and the L0D which made me curious.

My first LED was the LedLenser V2 Triplex (end of 2004?) and I thought LedLenser was the leading company. As I am a geocacher, I saw others' lights from 2006 on, those who had LEDs mostly had the Hocus Focus from LedLenser, then came the Fenix.

I remember end of 2007, where I only had my 2 Surefires and got the drop-ins for the Mags, that the engineer who produced them told me that China produced mostly crap and that only Fenix was pointing out with quality. Well, others seem to have followed the quality way by now!

It is a little bit sad that Fenix hasn't brought out revolutionary lights for quite a long time now (OK, the TK40 can be considered as an exception, even if I don't want it...). I guess their actual models sell quite well, after all they are fabulous flashlights and 99,9% of the people don't have any LED flashlight yet and find some easy and solid lights in the actual priduct line. It's only on CPF where we got bored, we probably thought that great history of evolution would continue without a break! :thinking:

Very interesting thread!

DimeRazorback said:

Very interesting thread!

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It is! I bought my first Fenix, a black L0P, almost three years ago. Seems like yesterday.

I still have 2 L1P's.

http://www.fenixlight.com/flashlight/index.htm

:thumbsup: