Fenix LD01 Stainless - Garbage Quality at Premium Prices ???

Finally broke down and purchased a Stainless LD01.

The first disappointment was finding that the stainless threads were not cut very cleanly, requiring more than a half hour of work with Alcohol, Kleenex, and Q-tips to clean all the metal particles and gunk out of the works, and get things working smoothly. :sigh:
When I finally got things cleaned up and installed a battery, I was happy to see that the LD01 is indeed a little brighter than my L0D-Q4, and that it had a fairly good tint, BUT - It has the absolute WORST beam pattern of ANY light that I have purchased in the last 10 years (including several $10 DX cheapys I bought as gifts).

There is a VERY noticeable DARK SPOT in the center of the hotspot; like a donut hole (incorrect focus). :thumbsdow

Fenix quality control has obviously gone completely to s#%t.

The reasonably good brightness and tint just make me twice as angry, because it shows that this could have been a really fine little light if Fenix cared even the tiniest bit about quality, and taken the extra 10 seconds it would have required to get the emitter properly centered and focused.

Remind me again, why we are paying 50 plus dollars for a tiny AAA light?

Oh yeh, that's right, I remember, it's because Fenix is a "premium quality" brand.

I bought the LD01 with the fond hope that, due to it's tough Stainless Steel construction, it would be the last AAA size light I would ever NEED, and that this would save me money in the long run.

This may not be the last AAA light I will ever need, but it sure as hell will be the LAST Fenix light I will ever buy. (Gee, I guess that means that the LD01 did come close to meeting my requirements after all, because it will certainly save me lots of money on overpriced, overrated, Fenix GARBAGE in the future.)

- Luminescent

Re: Fenix LD01 Stainless - Garbage Chinese Quality at Premium Prices

oo: Mine was pretty nice.

Re: Fenix LD01 Stainless - Garbage Chinese Quality at Premium Prices

I can't speak to the quality of the stainless but I have the aluminum version and the quality is top notch. The beam pattern is nice with a nice hot spot for such a small light and good spill.

Basically what I am saying is don't judge their who lineup by one bad apple.

Re: Fenix LD01 Stainless - Garbage Chinese Quality at Premium Prices

Sorry to hear about that. I have had good luck with Fenix. Never got the LD01 after reading about the higher low level. But seems lots of people are happy with them. Do you have a photo of the beam out of curiosity? How has the LOD-Q4 worked for you? Don't have one but like the E01.

Re: Fenix LD01 Stainless - Garbage Chinese Quality at Premium Prices

woah nelly!

if the beam's that bad, you should contact the place you bought it from and ask them if you can exchange it. my beam pattern on my SS is quite fine. it does have a faint cree ring around the hot spot though, but that's fairly common from my experience. no biggie for me.

nor did i have any problems with the threads. maybe you got a lemon

sorry man.

Re: Fenix LD01 Stainless - Garbage Chinese Quality at Premium Prices

Brilliant review!

I loved the brutal honesty and scathing wit. 4 stars!

Re: Fenix LD01 Stainless - Garbage Chinese Quality at Premium Prices

Luminescent said:

There is a VERY noticeable DARK SPOT in the center of the hotspot;

Click to expand...

My L0D Q4 has one of those.

Re: Fenix LD01 Stainless - Garbage Chinese Quality at Premium Prices

**edited to remain on topic**

OK... Settle down. Take a deep breath. You have a problem, thats all this is. Think it through logically, to reach a solution. Openly ranting and flaming Fenix in a sensationalistic manner as you have done only clouds your train of thought and derails you from a solution.

Contact the AD you purchased it from, and request an RMA. If you bought it form a reputable seller, they should have no problems exchanging yours for a good one, or refunding your purchase.

On a personal note Regarding Fenix quality, I do not believe your rant for one second. My E0 and L1T-V2 are TOP QUALITY products that have served me well the past year. The L1T in particular has been BOMB proof durable, surviving hard falls onto concrete that busted my SF and killed my Inova. The L1T has the most uniform and artifact-free beam of any of my Cree lights. End of rant.

Re: Fenix LD01 Stainless - Garbage Chinese Quality at Premium Prices

For a factory in senzhen-china to make these flashlights, it takes no more than 15 usd. It sells for $50 because we are willing to pay that. If they were selling the same flashlight at the same price in china, no one will buy it.

Despite the low production cost and high selling price, they still can't implement a quality check control. I agree with the op and Fenix should take this issue more seriously.

Re: Fenix LD01 Stainless - Garbage Chinese Quality at Premium Prices

kramer5150 said:

As an American born citizen of Chinese descent I find your anti-Chinese commentary offensive,

Click to expand...

same.

I know it sucks to have a bad light.. but my entire collection consists of chinese lights such as fenix.. there will always be duds as the workers are human.

Re: Fenix LD01 Stainless - Garbage Chinese Quality at Premium Prices

I understand your frustration, but you are making broad statements with little evidence to back it up, other than your SINGLE bad experience.

You have also provided no clue as to whether you have sought satisfaction from the dealer or from Fenix, but instead simply spilled some bile here. Seems like an inefficient way of dealing with a problem.

I have purchased at least 10 Fenix lights over the years, and never had a single QC issue. My 10 good experiences are still too small a sample to draw very broad conclusions from, but it is at least 10 times better than your one bad experience. My LD01 SS has an excellent beam, no holes, very faint rings, and the threads are smooth as butter from day one.

If you had sought satisfaction from your dealer or from Fenix and gotten the blow off, then I could understand your puerile venting a little better. I'm sure you have purchased modern electronic equipment before, and probably understand that there is an occasional dud in a batch, and sometimes you are unlucky enough to get one, even from the best brands.

What generally often distinguishes the best brands from the ones to REALLY stay away from is how they deal with you when you do have a problem. You have to give them a chance, though.

Otherwise your story reflects more tellingly on you, and not on the flashlight maker.

Re: Fenix LD01 Stainless - Garbage Chinese Quality at Premium Prices

kramer5150 said:

I find your anti-Chinese commentary offensive, racist and you are a border line racist in my opinion.

Click to expand...

Re: Fenix LD01 Stainless - Garbage Chinese Quality at Premium Prices

Ive owned and sold 3 L0Ds, two of them Q4s.

two had really really nice beams, and one arrived dead, and the replacement was really bad, with rings in the center of the beam, and really blueish. Getting a bad light is part of being a flashaholic, it happens,and you either contact your dealer to fix it, or you live with it.

If you are really unhappy, contact your dealer. every company has lights that slip through the cracks of its QC. even surefire. even Ra. even novatac. even inova. even nitecore. even fenix.

Armed Forces, have you actually used any fenix lights? let alone a LD01? if you have you will notice that they, for the most part, have a good track record. there was even a recent thread about how someone used thier Pd20 in afganistan to great effect

and to the OP, making a sweeping statement that fenix lights are overpriced garbage wont even make it in the jeers section. you got to be a bit more objective. I understand that you are upset, but stuff like this happens

Crenshaw

Re: Fenix LD01 Stainless - Garbage Chinese Quality at Premium Prices

sabre7 said:

Click to expand...

"Garbage Chinese Quality"

Re: Fenix LD01 Stainless - Garbage Chinese Quality at Premium Prices

I'm guessing you got a lemon. It happens with any mass produced product. Exchange it with another one and see if it has the same problem.


Mine's been living on my keychain for 6+ months without the slightest issue.

Re: Fenix LD01 Stainless - Garbage Chinese Quality at Premium Prices

richardcpf said:

For a factory in senzhen-china to make these flashlights, it takes no more than 15 usd. It sells for $50 because we are willing to pay that. If they were selling the same flashlight at the same price in china, no one will buy it.

Despite the low production cost and high selling price, they still can't implement a quality check control. I agree with the op and Fenix should take this issue more seriously.

Click to expand...

I have always wondered about this. The people working in a famous mp3 player factory in China (you guess the brand) make between $50-100 a month for 15 hour days. Under those conditions one has to wonder about quality control and worker stress.

By the way-

I bought two Stainless LD01 's . I only tested one to see if it functioned and put it right back in the box. On the other, I cleaned the threads and used Deoxit Gold on it. It immediatly began to malfunction. It stayed on until both halves were separated. Cleaned it down with alcohol, and lubed it with Radio Shack lube. So far no more problems. It must have been a tremendous amount of crap on the threads and head contact areas.

Re: Fenix LD01 Stainless - Garbage Chinese Quality at Premium Prices

I dont think that it is fair to condemn based on one bad experience, any product no matter where produced will have a few items that will not meet the quality standards, it isnt done on purpose, it's just the way things are.

After reading the first post, i took out my black LD01 and tested the beam, no doughnut at all even at 2-3 inches from the wall but the hotspot appeared to be slightly off centre, but no biggie there, its fine when actually using the light.

Send it back is my 2 cents worth, see if it improves when they replace it.

Re: Fenix LD01 Stainless - Garbage Chinese Quality at Premium Prices

EagleAg said:

I can't speak to the quality of the stainless but I have the aluminum version and the quality is top notch. The beam pattern is nice with a nice hot spot for such a small light and good spill.

Basically what I am saying is don't judge their who lineup by one bad apple.

Click to expand...

Sorry, silly me, I foolishly thought that not having to deal with 'bad apples' was what I was paying Fenix's premium prices for.

I think I get it now, I'm supposed ignore the 'bad apples' and be really impressed that virtually 100% of the lights that Fenix doesn't screw up - are not screwed up. :thinking:

Re: Fenix LD01 Stainless - Garbage Chinese Quality at Premium Prices

Further to my previous post, i dont think that anyone is saying that you should be impressed or unimpressed, personally, i think that you got a bad light and should send it back and see what can be done to improve the situation.

Also, i think that this post would be more appropriately posted in the 'Jeers' section.

Re: Fenix LD01 Stainless - Garbage Chinese Quality at Premium Prices

I could care less about the brand of flashlight!
The OP has a every right to voice his personal experience, good OR bad.
Anyone doing even a cursory search on Fenix would find overwhelming positive reviews, so one scathing bad review won't hurt a thing.
..unless things keep slipping w/ Fenix's QC, and that's why it's good to know about issues like this!