I don't think so.... their products use standard alkaline batteries that everyone around the world can easily obtain. If I were to ask ~100 people at random to pick between light A-2xCR123 and light B-3AA/2AA/2AAA the overwhelming majority would choose light B. So their designs make good sense.
On a more technical note the Cree XPG has a Vf of only 3.2V. If this is a downward trend that continues, as LEDs evolve, it will allow better performance from lower voltage battery types. LL will be one of the only manufacturers to capitalize on that across the majority of their products. LEDs are also emitting more light from less current. As this trend continues to push the envelope it will further lessen the need for exotic cell types and chemistries.
(devil's advocate) Personally I think everyone else is behind the times. LL is the only (reputable) company I know that makes an aluminum body 3AA and 4AA/AAA light in a round cylinder format. IMHO DX junk and showerhead lights do not make the grade.
(EDIT... heres a copy-paste from another thread)
I was at the
Strategies in Light convention ~2 (maybe 3.. I cant remember the year) years ago, chatting with the Fraen technical staff. We started talking about flashlights (of course). I pulled out my SF-M2 which had a DIY drop and proudly showed him my DIY handi-work. We started talking about the cree rings and how I can eliminate them... Then he pulled out a 3AAA prototype flood-to throw light that Fraen was working on in conjunction with a "big name" flashlight manufacturer. It was plain aluminum, with no knurl or anodize. It had a GREAT, high quality flood to throw optic system, that you just pull in and out the bezel. Comparing it to my DIY build... I'd say the two were in the same Lumen ballpark, ~150L, but it was impossible to judge on the convention floor.
I begged him to tell me which manufacturer they were working with... I named all the big dogs... Olight, Fenix, Jetbeam, surefire. But he just put on his poker face, and I respected that completely. I felt very privileged to have been given a sneek peak. He was very careful, when he showed it to me... cradling it in his hand and not letting anyone else see it. That engineer (whos name I forget) is a CPF member and lurks these halls as a member of the trade. Yes.. .we did talk about CPF a little too.
2-3 months later Coast/Lenser relased the 3AAA P7... with the same flood to throw optic system.
I am very positive that it was Lenser who Fraen was working with. As LL is the only manufacturer to conceive a design like this. Others have copied and cloned it, but LL is the design origin, having invested in the R&D partnership with Fraen (I speculate). I don't see how this could be seen as being behind the times.
Also FWIW.. they make several lights that use N cells, coin cells, button cells and even AAAA. So they too have some odd-ball cell lights to pick from. Personally I am not a fan of their designs... but for other reasons not because they don't have a CR123 light. My only real complaint is that they do not export the "M" series lights to North America. The M14 is on my want list.
