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The Fenix P1 is latest entry in the Fenix series of
lights. Many people who enjoy the Fenix brand lights
wanted a 123A powered light. So much so, that Fenix-Store
has had custom 123A bodies
made for the L2P. Fenix responded by producing the
minuscule P1. It uses a single 123A cell, a T-binned
Luxeon III, and a regulation circuit to produce excellent
output for almost 2 hours.
Body: The body of the Fenix P1 is machined aluminum
with type III hard anodize finish and is available in
black and silver. The outside of the body has six flat
panels around the central area of
the body for texture and display of the company logos. The
head has a ring of knurling for grip (the head is the switch).
The tailcap has an unusual raised 4 pointed star configuration.
Two of the "arms" of the star have holes in them
for attachment of the included small split ring and
lobster-claw keychain attachment. The raised base is large
enough to allow the light to stand on end.
Bezel/Head: The head of the P1 includes a coated
glass lens, a metal reflector, a T-binned Luxeon 3
watt LED, and a regulator circuit, all permanently installed.
The lens is slightly recessed which serves as some protection
from impact and abrasion. The LED is perfectly centered
in the reflector.
Output: Output is very good. The white light
produced by the LED produces good color rendition. No
tint is detectable in the beam. The beam itself is a
excellent multipurpose beam with a tight central spot
surrounded by a wide corona and spillbeam.
Beam at one meter at target center.
Runtime Plot: Runtime with a standard 123A cell
is shown below. This graph is a perfect example of very
good regulated output.
Runtime
completed with "Titanium" brand
batteries. More information
on runtime plots is available HERE.
Switch: The head of the light is the switch.
Tighten for on, loosen for off.
Seals / Water Resistance: The light is protected
from the environment by an o-ring and a sealed bezel.
Fenix advertises the light as "waterproof"
with no specific depth rating. I would call it "dunkable"
but not "diveable". I would recommend lubricating
the O-ring with a teflon based lubricant. This may be
found in many hardware stores (and Radio Shack) in a
precision applicator and is often labeled as "Super
Lube". I find it works extremely well.
If it gets wet inside, just disassemble as much a possible
without tools and let it dry before using again.
Ergonomics: Nothing special to report here,
except that it is very small and easy to carry in the
pocket or on a keychain.
Size compared to a common 2 AA aluminum light
Batteries: One 123A cell powers the light. I
would recommend Titanium
brand cells for $1.00 each (here's
a review) or BatteryStation
or Surefire
brand cells for less than $2 each. I would not recommend purchasing
these cells at retail stores since they cost $10 a pair
or more in most retail stores!
To change out the battery: unscrew the head, drop out
the old cell, place in new cell observing proper polarity.
Reattach the head and you're ready to go.
Accessories: Several accessories are included
with the light. Inside the box you will find a spare
O-ring, key ring/lobster-claw type clip and belt sheath.
What I Liked: Waterproof, Tough/impact
resistant, Bright, Easy battery change, Lightweight,
Stands up
What I Didn't Like: None
Picky Little Things: None
Conclusions: To be honest, I didn't
think I was going to be overly impressed by the P1.
It seemed to me that it would be "just another
single-123A powered light". After looking at the
output numbers, beam, and runtime graph, I was quite
impressed. In fact, it looks like the P1 may just be
the light that is finally going to take over my "favorite
every-day-carry light" status that has been reserved
for the Peak Caribbean thus far. I'll be carrying the
P1 with me for a while and see how it fares. It seems
to be a well designed, high quality illumination tool
and shows every indication of being very durable as
well.
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