Buyers Beware! Thru Nite's Archer 2A

Andre Brundridge

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May 15, 2014
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8
Update: 72 hours after my service request, a reply was sent to me via email. The mail was a little tricky to understand (translated I assume). It looks like they will be replacing the reflector, without me having to send in the light... I will keep you posted...

Straight to the point.
I needed to replace my Mini Mag Pro


I found a good looking light for about the same price as my Mag ($26.99~) The Archer 2A


Everything about it screamed Goldilocks (good quality for a decent price), but after using it on high for only five minutes, it started screaming China light...

I started noticing artifacts in the beam, when I got inside I found out the lens was chipped and the reflector coating was starting to bubble and flake off.
I'm not sure if it was from heat, but I did not feel the light heating up.








I'm not a big flash light guy, and you can call me cheap, but a 26$ light should hold up better than my 8$ 502-B Ultrafire.
I won't be returning the light because I want to follow up on this post, but I have attempted to contact Thrunite to see if I can get a hold of a new reflector. I'll update you guys if they come through for me.
 
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Lord Flashlight

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Dec 16, 2012
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Mine is fine. None of the defects you talk about. It's one of my favorite lights, and definitely a decent upgrade on a bog standard mini mag.
 

Torpedo

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Sep 8, 2012
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112
I have had mine for months with no problems. Any brand can have a lemon slip by sometimes, I would just return it for exchange.
 

ven

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Oct 17, 2013
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Manchester UK
Sorry to hear with the misfortune,must have "slipped through the net" as it can happen with any brand.

Best advice is speak personally to david,feedback on here has been very good and i am sure he will help and get things sorted for you.
 

Poppy

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Dec 20, 2012
Messages
8,353
Location
Northern New Jersey
Andre,
The thrunite 2AA archer is a nice light for $26
I have their Neutron 2C and I like it very much.

I have three other Thrunite lights, had issues with two of them but their customer support took exceptional care of me.

You really should have tried to remedy the problem before blasting them.
Shame on you. :thumbsdown:
 

Andre Brundridge

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May 15, 2014
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8
Andre,
The thrunite 2AA archer is a nice light for $26
I have their Neutron 2C and I like it very much.

I have three other Thrunite lights, had issues with two of them but their customer support took exceptional care of me.

You really should have tried to remedy the problem before blasting them.
Shame on you. :thumbsdown:

I am simply reporting on my experience.
I have not heard back from them yet, they may have good customer service, we will see.
I rely want to like this light, but I will not fan-boy over it or the brand.

You want to shame me, but at the same time you claim that 2 out of 3 of your lights had issues?
You only made me feel more justified in my post.
 

LEDburn

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 26, 2010
Messages
265
LOL!! You're coming from a Mag and complaining about beam artifacts - surely a joke!?

Whilst I don't believe your light should be like that, I bet it still outlerforms that Mag crap!
 

reppans

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 25, 2007
Messages
4,873
I have three other Thrunite lights, had issues with two of them but their customer support took exceptional care of me.

You really should have tried to remedy the problem before blasting them.
Shame on you. :thumbsdown:

I don't know Poppy, I appreciate hearing other people's out-of-the-box experiences - it helps me gauge brand QC and nobody wants to hassle with sending stuff back. I've had a few fault items OTB from other reputable manufacturers and when it's one-outta-one (or two-outta-three, as in your case) I generally don't go back to that manufacturer. That said, Thrunite does operate in a price range where you should expect some issues, and I have purchased a few (T10s and Ti's) that worked well for the price (well, I thought the Ti's were garbage, but they were effectively free). Good to hear their CS is good though.
 

Andre Brundridge

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May 15, 2014
Messages
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LOL!! You're coming from a Mag and complaining about beam artifacts - surely a joke!?

Whilst I don't believe your light should be like that, I bet it still outlerforms that Mag crap!


I did not give much thought to flashlights back before I started working nights, and at the time I had no idea there was a vast selection of them.
My complaint comes from the fact that I was under the impression I was buying a quality light.

I can see why you would think that coming from a mag, but when I say artifacts, I'm talking about weird looking incandescent style beam projection. :(
 
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Poppy

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Dec 20, 2012
Messages
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Location
Northern New Jersey
Andre,
The thrunite 2AA archer is a nice light for $26
I have their Neutron 2C and I like it very much.

I have three other Thrunite lights, had issues with two of them but their customer support took exceptional care of me.

You really should have tried to remedy the problem before blasting them.
Shame on you. :thumbsdown:

reppans, you know that I respect your opinion, but I guess your math, not so much :rolleyes: 1+3=4 :) wow!!! I finally get to teach YOU something :thumbsup:

All kidding aside, I actually had 5 Thrunites, one being the TN11. It was a great light, but I was a newbie, and didn't like the UI, (today I would probably really like the UI, a combination clicky, twisty, and ramping/programmable low to mid output) but when I pressed them on "Satisfaction Guaranteed" they upgraded me to a TN11S. That was when the TN11S was their newest light. The tail switch has two switches and electronics. It worked fine when I first got it, so it would have gone through QC, but within a week the switch failed. They sent me a new switch and a year later it is still working fine.

My first Thrunite was a TN30. It has 3 emitters, one was a neutral white, the other two cool whites. I sent them a beam shot, and they replaced the light before I sent the other one back.
 

reppans

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Mar 25, 2007
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Me thinks that ain't the first time ya schooled me ;)

Nor will it be the last :(
 
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Javora

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Feb 18, 2014
Messages
224
I use my Archer 2A every day on my duty belt. Works well but I try really hard to take care of it. It really gets the light out where I need it when I want it every time. The light allows me to keep a good grip on it even when I'm wearing Nitrile gloves. Changing modes and adding a little thickness to the side of the tail cap are the only things I'd like to see improved. Well that and finding a good belt holster for the light. The holster that comes with the light isn't that great. If anyone has any ideas on where I can find a good holster for my light please PM me if that is allowed. Overall this light has been fantastic.

OT:

What I'm really wanting to see is combining the drop-in of a current TN12 with the tail cap and optional extender tube of the TN11S. That would be the LEO light dreams are made of.
 

leon2245

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 4, 2008
Messages
2,335
I don't know Poppy, I appreciate hearing other people's out-of-the-box experiences - it helps me gauge brand QC and nobody wants to hassle with sending stuff back. I've had a few fault items OTB from other reputable manufacturers and when it's one-outta-one (or two-outta-three, as in your case) I generally don't go back to that manufacturer. That said, Thrunite does operate in a price range where you should expect some issues, and I have purchased a few (T10s and Ti's) that worked well for the price (well, I thought the Ti's were garbage, but they were effectively free). Good to hear their CS is good though.

I do too, but it's customary here to wait until any out of the box problems are solved, then use it as an opportunity to praise the manufacturer's or dealer's excellent customer service instead of focusing on the problems. Otherwise, you're gonna have a bad time.
 

Andre Brundridge

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Joined
May 15, 2014
Messages
8
Update: 72 hours after my service request, a reply was sent to me via email. The mail was a little tricky to understand (translated I assume). It looks like they will be replacing the reflector, without me having to send in the light... I will keep you posted...
 

ThruNite

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Joined
Jul 14, 2009
Messages
110
I am very sorry to hear that. I think you should buy the light from Amazon. You should leave your feedback in amazon. As you know. we almost have no dealer to carry our products. since we can not provide good profit to them. Anyway. we are small company. THanks to Amazon. we can sell our products directly from amazon or website. We will stock our products in the amazon warehouse. and we send the stock from the shipment from China to amazon. sometimes, we send the sihpment to warhouse before out of stock. before shipment from China. we will conduct 100% QC on the products. since it is very expensive to get the defects back. So we often get the defects back to China. What I mean we are small company. but we still conduct QC before shipment to amazon. and then allthing out of controling.I do not know what will be for several month later. but we stand behind our products. we will replace all the defects based on amazon service policy. and direcly sell the products to customer. same much profit for customer. sure we have something to impvoe. just send us email. I. as owner of ThruNite. thank you very much. Thanks for your support!

Regards

David
 

leon2245

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Joined
Apr 4, 2008
Messages
2,335
I am very sorry to hear that. I think you should buy the light from Amazon. You should leave your feedback in amazon. As you know. we almost have no dealer to carry our products. since we can not provide good profit to them. Anyway. we are small company. THanks to Amazon. we can sell our products directly from amazon or website. We will stock our products in the amazon warehouse. and we send the stock from the shipment from China to amazon. sometimes, we send the sihpment to warhouse before out of stock. before shipment from China. we will conduct 100% QC on the products. since it is very expensive to get the defects back. So we often get the defects back to China. What I mean we are small company. but we still conduct QC before shipment to amazon. and then allthing out of controling.I do not know what will be for several month later. but we stand behind our products. we will replace all the defects based on amazon service policy. and direcly sell the products to customer. same much profit for customer. sure we have something to impvoe. just send us email. I. as owner of ThruNite. thank you very much. Thanks for your support!

Regards

David

What about the thrunite USA distributor site, stock still comes from amazon's warehouse? Because I don't see the aluminum version of the latest t10 that works like the ss & ti versions on their site. Just the stainless & ti are available in the drop-down menu on that amazon listing, despite the page being labeled t10/t10s/t10t. This one- http://www.thrunite.com/thrunite-t10/

Either way, great to see your presence here on cpf.
 

Lord Flashlight

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Joined
Dec 16, 2012
Messages
227
Location
UK, England
I am very sorry to hear that. I think you should buy the light from Amazon.

The Archer 2A doesn't seem to be available on amazon any more. I bought mine from there a few months ago from the Thrunite store, but very few of your lights are still available from amazon.

I appreciate your flashlights, keep up the good work.
 
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ThruNite

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Jul 14, 2009
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110
Thanks for your support. We try to set up a new website. so you can buy from our website. you can buy from amazon or from our website. and all the shipment are dispatched by amazon. and we will have some more models come back!

Thanks again.
 
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