Why an ARC AAA?

I have the Arc AAA Premium for $40. I don't know if it is better than the Fenix, but it works each and every time. It lights up a room well enough. It is made in the USA. It functions down 90 more feet of water than I can. ;) It takes a AAA. It lasts for over 5 hours of light per its webpage.

Per the Fenix page you might get more features if the site's add copy is accurate, however it is made in China.

I have a Keymate. It works too. It was a great price until I have to buy more batteries, then the Arc will be better value for me.
 
Nakano 2 said:
If you can live with its slightly longer length, then you can get the MJLED drop in LED unit for the MagLite Solitaire. This will give it a 4 hour run time and a much more useful white lite than its poor original incan bulb. This LED unit is brighter than the original ARC AAA. But not as bright as the current version. It is also smaller overall than the Gerber Sonic. You can get a complete setup for about $20. And keep the candle mode intact to boot! :)

N.
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Now that does interest me!

I had no idea there was a drop-in LED unit for the solitare. I love my Nite-eze AA mini-mag. but its too big for EDC. A LED solitare would be nice. Got a link on the MJLED ?
 
Jedi_Knife said:
By the way, Fenix is making a limited quantity of titanium LOP SE lights. Beautiful lights that Arc could have tried making, had they any marketing savvy. Titanium FENIX
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I've had an Arc AAA on my keychain for over 1 year. It doesn't have a scratch on it even though it shares spake with an Atwood XL Prybaby (bead-blasted S30V!) and other assorted goodies. The Type 3 HA is the most bomb proof I've seen on the market. It's really tough stuff. Ti, while lightweight, is soft and will easily scratch.

I like my 2 Arcs (older Premium and new -P) enough that I sent them off to Miller Mods for a 1.25 and 1.5 Watt upgrade. I'm getting a very low beam on the first stage for reading and retaining night vision, then the more powerful beam on the second stage.

If you get the regular Arc and not the -p version, you can save money initially, then upgrade with a Miller Mod later, and have a very lightweight, bomber, two-stage light. Arc is kind of like the Sebenza of AAA lights. The design and execution are second to none.
 
RobbW said:
Arc is kind of like the Sebenza of AAA lights. The design and execution are second to none.
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Now that's the kind of rubbish I've been expecting to hear. On the other hand, it could be an apt comparison, in terms of being over-hyped anyway. The battery rattle and the subsequent cheesy foam-doughnut solution don't indicate supreme design and function.
 
Jedi_Knife said:
Now that's the kind of rubbish I've been expecting to hear. On the other hand, it could be an apt comparison, in terms of being over-hyped anyway.
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I agree with your second assessment as an apt comparison. Whether or not you are in the like or hate camp of either product, there aren't many who have posted on BF of actual quality issues with the robustness of the design of either (I don't count needing a drop of superglue on a foam doughnut as a serious quality problem, though that has not been necessary on either of mine).

Both products offer better fit and finish than most of the competition--and the Type 3 HA of the Arc is better than anything else in its class. This quality comes at a steep price for each. I'll grant you that in the early days of each product, there was a much larger quality gap between it and the runner up. Today, those two gaps are diminishing but still exist. How much the performance gap is worth to you is an individual preference. Both are very much worth it to me.

I have only a few tools. I don't like feeling overburdoned in life with too many of anything. At a very early point things start requiring maintenance just to possess--and forget about rotating through dozens/hundreds of knives/lights. In the handful of tools I do have and use (and I use them hard--without abusing them), I appreciate the extra quality--even though that fit and finish gap has diminished. Unlike most here, I have just a few blades and flashlights--but I like them to be the best (mass produced) that I can get. For me that's Sebenza and Arc. YMMV
 
I had an original ARC AAA a few years ago when they came out for the first time. I think it was about 5 years ago or so. It was great for awhile, but after maybe a year or so it stopped working so I had to send it in for repairs. It worked just like new when I got it back. Then, a couple years later, it stopped working again, only this time ARC was not in business anymore so I threw it away. I don't know if I got a lemon or what, but it kinda turned me off to ARC.
 
Well I hope you guys are happy. After reading this thread, I realized how empty my life has been since my ARC broke. I just clicked "Pay" in paypal and my new Fenix L0P should be here in a week or so. :) I'll let you guys know what I think.
 
Jedi_Knife said:
Now that's the kind of rubbish I've been expecting to hear. On the other hand, it could be an apt comparison, in terms of being over-hyped anyway. The battery rattle and the subsequent cheesy foam-doughnut solution don't indicate supreme design and function.
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Do you own stock in Fenix or something? You keep talking about Arc hype yet post a link to a Fenix that costs over twice what the Arc does?

How is this for hype (taken directly from your link):

The Fenix L0-Ti is the limited collector's edition of the Fenix L0 series! Its housing is constructed of precious titanium alloy, a metal highly sought after in flashlight construction.

There will only be 250 L0-Ti units produced in the world. Retail price is set at: USD$100

If you’d like to own one of these limited edition gems...


For that sort of money I could get one Surefire 200 Lumen 9P, three Surefire 120 Lumen G2, or most of one Surefire 90hour/4hour : 1 lumen/22lumen L1. Sure the not at all hyped Titanium "that everyone wants in a flashlight" Fenix has 40 lumens for an hour, but I'd rather have 22 lumen for 4 hours. Now those other little features: Primary -> Low -> Max- >Strobe Mode -> SOS Mode. Are they really worth that? Are you really going to use strobe on that tiny thing? :rolleyes:
 
zenheretic said:
Do you own stock in Fenix or something? You keep talking about Arc hype yet post a link to a Fenix that costs over twice what the Arc does?

How is this for hype (taken directly from your link):

The Fenix L0-Ti is the limited collector's edition of the Fenix L0 series! Its housing is constructed of precious titanium alloy, a metal highly sought after in flashlight construction.

There will only be 250 L0-Ti units produced in the world. Retail price is set at: USD$100

If you’d like to own one of these limited edition gems...


For that sort of money I could get one Surefire 200 Lumen 9P, three Surefire 120 Lumen G2, or most of one Surefire 90hour/4hour : 1 lumen/22lumen L1. Sure the not at all hyped Titanium "that everyone wants in a flashlight" Fenix has 40 lumens for an hour, but I'd rather have 22 lumen for 4 hours. Now those other little features: Primary -> Low -> Max- >Strobe Mode -> SOS Mode. Are they really worth that? Are you really going to use strobe on that tiny thing? :rolleyes:
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lol, i dont know if any fenix is a collector item, lol.

ya know i have never seen a arc advertisement myself, all i know about them is from lighthound and BF, not many complaints about them either other than price.

to be considered by some as "overhyped" its suprising i havent seens ads, what do (did?) they advertise in, i know it wasnt guns&ammo, shooting times, combat handguns, tactical knives, texas monthly or sports illustrated, where did they advertise???
 
SIFU1A said:
lol, i dont know if any fenix is a collector item, lol.

ya know i have never seen a arc advertisement myself, all i know about them is from lighthound and BF, not many complaints about them either other than price.

to be considered by some as "overhyped" its suprising i havent seens ads, what do (did?) they advertise in, i know it wasnt guns&ammo, shooting times, combat handguns, tactical knives, texas monthly or sports illustrated, where did they advertise???
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Funny I've never seen an Arc add as well...although to be fair I haven't for Fenix either. If I didn't lurk around these gadget forums, I would never have heard of either one. I would have settled for my little Keymate :thumbup: that I found in the local electronics store. The only reason I have an Arc instead of a Fenix is because I read people's opinions on the matter before I read about Fenix. Then I went and bought one, it works every time, it runs on AAA, it lights a room up enough to see stuff, it works when camping to rummage through a bag in the middle of the night, it is made in America. Is it worth $40? Well that depends on who you ask I guess. If it lasts a life time maybe so, I'll drop an opinion on the ethereal forums on the other side...hopefully in at least 40-60 years. :D
 
Yes they're worth it, this morning I ordered 4 more (for me & my family). For a "large" light my brother carried a .$99 2 AA from sears. He bought 5 which lasted ~ 1 yr. Now when he gets his (arc) he can't tell me we can't go berry picking cause he's afraid he'll get lost.:rolleyes: The only time we get him in the woods is to use his fish scale to weigh deer/bear. Even then it's on the side of the road not really "woods". When I get back I think I'll write a book about all the excuses he invents to not go anywhere more wild then walmart. My dad used to carry a mag, in 1 hr we decided they were junk, I think its being used now as a gravity aid for my resume(s) at his place. If I were to carry a large light it would be a sears 2 c type for $2. The mil issue lights (led, or reg) also are junk & I never carried them either.
 
flipe8 said:
I liked the ARC for it simplicity and its reputation as a very durable little light that has a very good warranty. It is also such a size that it stays with me regardeless of what else I'm carrying. I guess I look at the $40 as well spent.
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I am with you!! My Arc-P lives on my keychain.
 
Back in The Day, Arc was on the cutting edge. For many of us, we cut our teeth on Arcs, and they continue to stimulate the pleasure neurons in our brains like heroin to an addict.

Aside from that, they have a look and a feel that continue to be unmatched by Fenix. And I buy just about every Fenix that hits the market. I would buy more Arcs is Peter G would just make the dang things.

I'll keep carrying an Arc AAA as a backup on my keychain, and likely will purchase the new LS if and when it is released someday.


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cheers
 
I LOVE my Arc-P's. I too would buy any light Peter G. makes. The quality of the Arc's are unmatched by Fenix. I own several. Powernoodle said it best.
 
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