Hey dougwalkabout, my sister´s Fenix L1T V2.0 was from one point gradually loosing the low mode for several days. Today the low mode stopped working - I could only use the high mode. I was worried that this was the same case you had described. Then I tried to replace the battery (Alkaline) in it with fully charged NiMH and the low mode started to work flawlessly. I don´t know if it´s normal but I am glad that it was just because of the battery running out of juice. I will try to find out if it´s normal or not.
Possibly unnecessary question but - have you tried to replace the battery with a new fully charged one (and maybe with other type of the battery - Alkaline vs. NiMH etc.) and test the low mode? Maybe the Fenix is sensitive to the amount of the remaining power and for some strange reason turns off the low mode at some point. Anyway I am not flashlight specialist so maybe others can comment on this.

Should checkout Candle Power Forums the Tk10 has some issues as does the newer TK11 IIRC.

I've got the TK10. It will take anything you throw at it and laughh in your face. It is a good light, but if I wouldn't buy it again. Buy USA (Surefire).

Last week I received the new flashlight I had selected. I had ordered a Fenix TK10 but a TK11 arrived, I am not going to knock the free upgrade (TK10 and TK11 appear the same except for the rechargeable battery option).

The light appears very tough and well designed, it came with a nice belt pouch but I choose to carry it lens down in an old OC spray pouch, I find I can access it faster.

The package was missing the accessory kit (lanyard, spare switch/o-rings, body ring) so I contacted the Canadian retailer and received an instant reply; accessory kit in the mail that day with an apology and free 10-pack of batteries. The service from this retailer has been terrific ( http://www.fenixtactical.com/ ).

I used the flashlight last week at work in the forest and found it great, but I did not realize how bright the light was until I attended night training with 15 co-workers. Everyone had their favorite belt light, (Surefire, Stinger, Nightfighter, lots of Scorpions) but the Fenix blew them away; it was obviously brighter, had a "cleaner" type of beam and projected the beam much further.

I found only 2 negatives; not being rubber-coated I would not advise holding the light in your teeth (you could wrap some Gorrila tape around it) and when on Turbo (225 Lumens) if in error you "flash" the barricade in front of you (instead of the target) it really hurts your night vision.

I have little to say about the durability of the light as I have only had it about 10 days. I dropped it in the dirt a couple of times and once hard onto concrete; no damage or change in performance.

I am pleased with the choice I made, "Thank You" all for your advise on this purchase.

Mike

NovaTac 120P

Question... does surefire offer any torches that operate on double or triple A's? I didn't look on their site yet but just posting the question as a general inquiry to the experts that use this stuff often. If not, are there any mods out there to convert them to the common battery sizes?

Not right now and the SF lights tend not to to lend themselves to adaption to AA -- The lithium cell is 3V, so you'd need twice as many AA batteries. Less efficient in size and the non-regulated lights really need lithium cells to have reasonable performance anyways.

The Fenix lights have some decent AA options. Look at the upcoming TK20 for example.

Also the http://ralights.com/ (made by HDS Systems) lights are supposed to have an upcoming AA battery pack options. These lights are state of the art, bright and bulletproof.

If cost is your primary concern, also consider lithium ion powered rechargeable lights. My understanding is Ralights is also coming out with a 18650 (lithium ion rechargeable) battery pack and Fenix offers the TK11 which takes either a single 18650 or 2x123a.

Right now I use an HDS EDC U85 powered by an 18650 battery pack with a 2x123a battery pack as a spare. I'm sold. Rechargeable lithium ion with backup lithium primaries are the way to go IMO. Lots of power, reliable, very bright, cheap to run.

-john

Currently they do not, however the new Surefire headlamp will give you the option of using either CR123 or AA batteries.

What are your impressions of NiteCore single AA flashlights in terms of reliability?
D10 caught my eye. Defender Infinity also looks good.
Fenix L1T v2.0 is good but there is one thing about this flashlight that I don´t like - the smooth surface. The falshlight slips from my hand (and I am talking about the situation when my hand is not wet). NiteCore flashlights possess rough surface for secure grip which I really like.

Sorry Raptor, I am not familiar with NiteCore lights, but I am sure others on the forum are?

Mike