Fenix E11 - thoughts, pictures, beamshots

I don't normally buy aluminum lights, but every now and then I check the major brands to see what they've come up with lately. Jetbeam's RRT-0 has spoiled me forever regarding what an expensive single-cell aluminum light should be capable of, but I've been looking for something to keep in my car to ward off the late-night breakdowns and emergencies that would inevitably occur if I drove unprepared. Murphy's Law, you know?

Enter the Fenix E11.



I like it. Being an AA light and having a clicky switch means it's not as short as, say, an AAA twisty like the E05, but it's nice to have the clicky switch for those times when my hands will be frozen numb while changing a tire in the middle of a blizzard. (the switch is a forward-clicky, btw.)

Here's a picture of the E11 posing next to some comparable lights and the batteries they use. The McGizmo Sapphire is included because it's the same size as the Arc AAA and Fenix E01 that almost everyone here is familiar with.



I saw in the official literature that it has two modes; I wondered how that would work, and whether there would be a memory function to remember which mode I used last. Well, as it turns out, it's a twisty-clicky setup just like the Jetbeam E3S, so the clicky switch turns the light on or off and the twisty switch selects the brightness mode. So the short answer (now that you've read the long one :devil is it does remember the last mode by virtue of the tightness of the head. Works for me; I don't like lights that don't remember their most recent configuration.

So, physically and functionally the E11 is most similar to the Jetbeam E3S, which is a little smaller, a lot prettier, and has the option to use a pocket clip. So why did I opt for the E11?

1. The E11 weighs half as much as the E3S, at 47g vs. 91g including lithium AA cells;

2. The E11 has grip-enhancements on the sides, which will help in non-ideal conditions;

3. #1 and #2 combine to make the E11 very easy to hold with my teeth;

4. The E11 has no exposed fragile parts that could break if dropped/stepped on/run over;

5. I wanted a light that I could leave to bake in my car's glovebox without feeling bad;

6. The E11 costs half as much as the E3S.

I noticed that the E11 was pretty widely panned by flashaholics when it was released, but there are many different roles for flashlights to fill, and I think the E11 does a nice job of being a durable tasklight/backup light. It walks the line between being too nice to treat harshly if necessary vs. being a cheap piece of junk that's unpleasant to use. The fact that it uses an AA and produces decent brightness is a plus as well, because it means I can get a new battery at any convenience store on the planet. CR123s are great if I have the opportunity to plan ahead, but with this light I don't need to plan ahead, and that's even better.

And now for some beamshots. This first one is a comparison of the low and high settings on the E11. The low setting would be better if it were a little dimmer, but it's not a huge problem.



The next two are 3-way comparisons between the E05 XP-E, E05 XP-G, and E11 on low and high settings. (for the record, I much prefer the XP-E emitter in both the E05 and the E11 vs. the XP-G in the other E05.)





And the last two are comparisons between the Jetbeam E3S and the E11, first both on low and then both on high. The E3S has somewhat wider and brighter spill than the E11, as would be expected from a light using a reflector instead of a TIR optic. The E3S' XP-G emitter also has a snow-white tint compared to the much more neutral tint of the E11's XP-E emitter.





So there you have it. I think the E11 is worth the $27 price of admission, assuming you have need of a simple AA-powered tasklight with a basic (though still appreciated) multi-mode feature.

From the shots it looks likte the E11 has a tighter hotspot which i like. I am curious about the throw it may have for a small light. I keep looking into getting one for the price it's pretty good.

Thanks for the review.

Great review thanks. And perfectly timed as I am just about to press the button and finally order one of these after months of 'umming and aahing'. My concerns about the beam have been the reason for delaying and your pictures certainly show some visible artifacts :-(.

But everything else (price, size, modes and tint) all fit the bill perfectly. I'm looking forward to getting it.

Animalmother said:

From the shots it looks likte the E11 has a tighter hotspot which i like. I am curious about the throw it may have for a small light. I keep looking into getting one for the price it's pretty good.

Thanks for the review.

Click to expand...

It has an impressive amount of throw for a 1xAA light, especially one with such a narrow diameter, but reflector geometry doesn't apply to TIR optics. It does a good job of keeping its output in a fairly narrow cone without being blindingly bright in the center.

davecroft said:

Great review thanks. And perfectly timed as I am just about to press the button and finally order one of these after months of 'umming and aahing'. My concerns about the beam have been the reason for delaying and your pictures certainly show some visible artifacts :-(.

But everything else (price, size, modes and tint) all fit the bill perfectly. I'm looking forward to getting it.

Click to expand...

The optic doesn't have an integrated diffuser like the E05 has, and as far as I know there's no way to orange-peel a TIR optic without ruining the reflectiveness of the optic's surface. So yes, it does have some beam artifacts. The most significant artifacts are caused by magnification of the emitter wires, and the rest are just overlapping die images. Still beats the pants off a Minimag, though.

For my purposes, these artifacts don't matter. I'm not buying it as a museum piece, I'm buying it so I can see what's wrong with my car at 2am.

Thank goodness that fell on this review because I have been thinking about buying on of these. How is the warranty from Fenix?

its the same interface as jetbeams BC series. Looks like i neet to get a XP-E E05

Ki113rMi113r said:

Thank goodness that fell on this review because I have been thinking about buying on of these. How is the warranty from Fenix?

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In general customer service and warranty from Fenix are good. I've read different stories, both good and bad about it on here. I think it's very good. I had problems with my Fenix PD30 (flickering issues) and the light was replaced without problems with a brand new one (after one year).

I bought this today (BlackFriday) for $24 shipped first class. I saw this thread after I pulled the trigger (I'm picky) but it was a nice review to go over just the same, thanks. It's for a plane trip that can be in my pocket and not be 'tactical' with all the sharp points and the like that other lights have which could cause trouble with the TSA. Just a light with a forward clicky, nice. I compare it in my mind to the NiteCore EZAA twisty with a clicky on the tail and a bit larger overall which suits me fine. The EZAA gets hot on 'high' fast because it's so small. Perhaps on 'high' this one won't as bad as there is more meat for the heat to travel about. There is also a silver anno version too or bare aluminum not sure. I like the black colour though.:thumbsup:

I bought an E11 a couple of months ago and must say it is impressive in looks and feel. The difference between high and low power is small enough that for all practical purposes, it is a one output level light in my book.

What really bothers me however it the fact that it briefly lights up every time I set it on the shelf over the refrigerator. I loosened the head in a vain attempt to solve the problem to no avail. So now it sits on the shelf with no battery because I simply don't trust it. Too bad, it really is a nice looking and feeling light.

edit: I would also be wary of using the Energizer Lithium AA as shown in the first post. Despite the fact that the owner's manual said it was okay to use, it was too much voltage for mine. I had to click several times to get it to turn off and then it would go into a type of moonlight glow until I clicked it several more times. Once I switched to and Alkaline battery, I only have the problem described earlier but even that bothers me enough that it will not have any type of battery in it while it's inside my pocket, house, or car.

pro tip:

wrap an elastic band (or a few loops of electrical tape) around the rear of the light, for more comfort when biting down on it.

I was just talking to another member thru PMs about a couple single AA lights. The E11 came up and we both like them except for the fact that they roll off your counter better than a marble!! Come on Fenix, a little help here!

My solution was to use a MagLite clip for their AA lights. I got them in an accessory pack from Amazon for about $5. It's a tight fit, but it will slip on from the back. They look a little strange, but it keeps them from rolling and obviously adds a clip without adding a lot of bulk. I know you can simply use the lanyard, but I've never had a need for one of these and they are messy and just get in the way IMO.

I admit adding another $5 to this light is excessive, but may be worth it to you.

Tracker II said:

I

edit: I would also be wary of using the Energizer Lithium AA as shown in the first post. Despite the fact that the owner's manual said it was okay to use, it was too much voltage for mine. I had to click several times to get it to turn off and then it would go into a type of moonlight glow until I clicked it several more times. Once I switched to and Alkaline battery, I only have the problem described earlier but even that bothers me enough that it will not have any type of battery in it while it's inside my pocket, house, or car.

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I think yours is a dud, only due that a lithium AA (not 14500) is 1.5 volts. An Enloop is about 1.4 full charge. Shouldn't matter, should just be crazy long runtimes. I'll know when I get mine and see. Dad-gum Chinese.

Ewwww, you bite your lights?? Do you know where your teeth have been!? :green:

Energizer Ultimate Lithiums are actually 1.8V out of the package. Also note, some Fenix 2AA lights will lose the low modes until primary lithium batteries "scrub" off the extra voltage. This can also occur with fresh alkalines until voltage drops. Whether this is a factor in their single AA offerings, I can't say. The Fenix line of AAs seem to be tuned for NiMhs.

Up All Night said:

Energizer Ultimate Lithiums are actually 1.8V out of the package. Also note, some Fenix 2AA lights will lose the low modes until primary lithium batteries "scrub" off the extra voltage. This can also occur with fresh alkalines until voltage drops. Whether this is a factor in their single AA offerings, I can't say. The Fenix line of AAs seem to be tuned for NiMhs.

Click to expand...

I haven't used 'Ultimate', now I know. I was talking about the old school silver lithiums rated at 1.5volts. It does sound like the E series is tuned up for Enloops. Glad I know now before I get mine and freak out.
Edit: the silver ones DO say Ultimate, doh. I've never tested out of the box. Isn't there a another type of lithium out by Energizer? I thought that's the one you were talking about.

I've heard from others who run theirs on a 3.7v 14500, voltage isn't the issue. It sounds like a switch connection problem.