How reliable are Zebralight's?

I'm thinking about getting my first single AA EDC light and the new Zebralight SC51 is at the top of my list at the moment, but I was wondering how reliable these lights are especially the switch?

I have 3 and have not had an issue. They are great lights.

How long is a piece of string?Any switch can fail or put it this way I would buy a Zebra brand tomorrow.Buy with confidence from any good vendor and use the warranty supplied if you ever get an issue with any branded make.If a maker kept on with bad quality items such as a switch for instance there reputation would be in tatters and news of that nature would be around this forum in a flash.

mcnair55 said:

How long is a piece of string?

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Twice the length from one end to the middle

Well despite all the glowing reviews there have been a lot of complaints of failed lights as well. I would consider the failure reports to be more common than average... Which is why I still haven't bought one.

I have a 501W that I got 10 months ago and I really love the light, unfortunately I had to send it back under warranty. It would fail to start reliably. I think the problem is related to the end cap, which you twist to stop the light from going on inadvertently in your pocket. When I would screw the cap back in, the light would not start unless I removed the battery, waited several minutes and then reinserted the battery. Perhaps the connection in the end cap is not quite what it should be or the electronics has some issue. Very weird though and not related to the switch AFAIK.

Anyway, like I said, I love the form factor and utility of this light and am looking forward to getting a new one under warranty. I also like the form of the light so much I probably will get one of the H51 headlamps as well in the near future. I just hope I don't have the same problems.

EDIT:
Received my repaired H501W in the mail today. Looks like they may have replaced the tail cap. Its working now, although I seem to have to screw the tail cap tighter to get it to run. I really love this light though. As others have said, there isn't another manufacturer who makes as nice a headlamp/angle pocket light that I know of. I ended up ordering an H51 today.

Check out the headlamp subforums for mor info. Specifically this thread and this one .

I'd like to add that whilst these reports concerned me, I still went ahead and ordered a H31. Their unique features make them so useful that I'm prepared to roll the dice. Everyone needs a good headlamp IMO. And I don't think they're expensive so if I do get a dud one, then it's not a major loss.

Have 3 Zebralights, use 'em all the time, drop them now and then, bang 'em around, don't baby them... and never a fault with any of them.

I have a SC60 and a SC30 and have not had any problems with them.
They are very very nice flashlights for the money. The SC60 is very small to have a 18650 battery and I carry it in my front pocket by itself. Very impressed with both of these lights. The SC30 is very small for a CR123 light especially with large easy to use side switch. I back the tail cap off slightly to keep them from coming on in my pocket by accident.

carrot said:

Well despite all the glowing reviews there have been a lot of complaints of failed lights as well. I would consider the failure reports to be more common than average... Which is why I still haven't bought one.

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I don't think the proportion of complaints to good reviews and total sales that are seen here is a representative sample of the quality of their product. On the contrary, because forum members here happen to have higher standards and better knowledge of these products, I think the sample is skewed in the opposite direction; we're more likely to complain when something isn't right. I think you can see this with respect to the Quarks as well. 4Sevens sells a lot of product to CPF members and when things aren't right, we let them know. And further, what percentage of those reports are because the user made some mistake or had some accident with a light, rather than the problem being a genuine warranty issue?

I don't think that in either case, the number of reported problems here is accurate with respect to the rate at which genuine problems occur with most any brand of flashlight that's popular here.

I read all the reviews and comments I could find for both positive and negative issues with the Zebralights, and I came away with the impression that the SC50w+ was the best of their line for me, and I've been EDC'ing mine for a month now, and after a small number of accidental drops it still doesn't have a scratch on it and is going great. I'm very satisfied with the light.

They're good everyday edc lights. I woudn't put my life in their hands though. They do tend to have some switching issues with regard to the tailcap. Sometimes you have to clean it and tighten it down good to stop it from flickering. But overall a very nice edc.

B0wz3r said:

On the contrary, because forum members here happen to have higher standards and better knowledge of these products, I think the sample is skewed in the opposite direction; we're more likely to complain when something isn't right. I think you can see this with respect to the Quarks as well. 4Sevens sells a lot of product to CPF members and when things aren't right, we let them know. And further, what percentage of those reports are because the user made some mistake or had some accident with a light, rather than the problem being a genuine warranty issue?

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Do you realize that you've just claimed that those 'more knowledgeable' CPF users are more likely to mistakenly break their lights & file unwarranted warranty claims than Joe Q Public and implying the reports of problems here stem from CPF members actually not knowing what they're doing?

My EDC has been the SC50W+ now for 2 months +. No problems, no babying, no regrets. Love the WW - I can actually tell which color of socks I grab out of the drawer while my wife is asleep. Before, I sometimes found what I had on was a "fashion surprise" in daylight.

I love the side-clicky form factor. :thumbsup:

Kindle said:

Do you realize that you've just claimed that those 'more knowledgeable' CPF users are more likely to mistakenly break their lights & file unwarranted warranty claims than Joe Q Public and implying the reports of problems here stem from CPF members actually not knowing what they're doing?

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That about sums it up.

Dan FO said:

That about sums it up.

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Whatever, it goes both ways. Knowledge comes from mistakes. You don't make mistakes, you never learn. So are you saying you'd rather never learn anything?

B0wz3r said:

Whatever

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That says it all.

i have the sc50w and h501w and are really happy with them. no malfunctions; work great.

Well tbf I think Bowser was just making the point that CPF members are more picky and therefore more likely to see something as a problem than 'joe public' not that we were less knowledgeable or more likely to break a light.. :shrug:

Although, that being said, I don't know many non-cpfers who would insist on putting all their lights through various waterproofing and shock tests after a purchase, 'just to make sure'. Incidentally, all of which my H501 has so far passed.

Wow and I was just about to pull the trigger on a Zebralight.

209 CPF'ers without problems versus SEVENTY TWO who have? (according to the poll thread linked a few posts above)

That does not smell very good...

I use an H501w and an H60 for caving. No problems after 9 and 14 months, respectively. I'd even buy these for gifts, if I knew someone who could use them.

Jeff