Armytek Barracuda Pro LE Disapointment

We too would be interested to know what is so disappointing about it.
(besides the questionable customer service)

Is it just not as bright as you expected?

I expected better performance for $138. It should be head above shoulders the Predator Pro LE

They’re known for lots of hassle when it comes to their “hassle free warranty and returns”. Just recently they announced a canadan office where they will be accepting the returns but I don’t see how this is working for you.

This is why it is ALWAYS adviced to buy from a reseller rather than from armytek themselves.

If they don’t solve your case you may want to post in their thread here at BLF, sometimes it’s the only way.

And yeah the barracuda is a disappointing performer compared to other throwers its size, like the Olight m3xs ut, maxtoch M24 and 2X. I believe because of the unnecessarily deep reflector and lots of rings in the surface.

So I opened up a Paypal case on 7/8/16. A week went by and I received a called asking me what was wrong with the light. I once again told them I was not happy with the performance. They then told me they would get back to me via email. Two days later I received another phone call asking me why I asked for a partial refund and/or a full refund. I told them the partial refund amount was what I thought was fair for the flashlight’s performance compared to my other lights that cost MUCH less and perform just as good or better. The guy got immediately aggravated. He asked me if I was willing to ship it back to China as my cost. I told him NO I will ship it back to Canada where it came from. He then played stupid as pretended as if he did not know that it came from Canada. He told me he would get back to me. I received an email this morning 7/19/16 asking me to close my Paypal dispute and to ship it back to Canada, and they would ship me another one. I told them that if I ship it back I wanted a FULL REFUND not another light and to have all future correspondence done through Paypal since I no longer trusted the company. They are trying to avoid communicating with me through Paypal at all costs and that is shady to me. My experience with this company has been AWEFUL. I have NEVER had such hassle. I am guessing they are financially struggling to be acting like this towards a RETURNING customer!

airgreek,

Does the light not perform as specified? If that’s not the case, you might have a weak case, at least in principle. Though manufacturers would do well to meet or exceed customers’ expectations, which is always a plus, they’re not obligated to deliver beyond their advertised specs. Think about it, how CAN a light meet everyone’s different expectations? Until AT improves, I’ll be the last person in line to defend them, but unless you provide more details how the light is not performing to specs, it sounds to me you’re being unreasonable.

If you buy something at the store in your not happy with it no matter what the reason don’t you have the right to return it within 30 days within their policy?

It’s my understanding AT does NOT have a “no questions asked” return policy.
And that’s the point. What are your reasons?

I’m not happy with it. I expected much better performance for $130. I do not expect a $60 flashlight to outperform it

Outperform in what area?

Perhaps your criteria might guide us in our future purchases.

Buy a Manker U21 and compare it to the light I am complaining about. Only then will you fully understand my pain. I spend THOUSANDS of dollars annually in my hobbies and I have NEVER encountered hassles like this from a company about returning a product within 30 days! Maybe the flashlight industry is different than other industries

Regardless of your expectations, does it perform to spec though?
Is it putting out the spec’d lumens, CD, and beam angle?

Remember who the customer is. IS the customer satisfied with their purchase? Is it within the company’s return policy? Case closed. WHY is it JUST THIS company I am having a hell of a time with? I have purchased THOUSANDS of products and never encountered this type of hassle. IF they were a healthy business I would not be dealing with ANY hassles.

I have 3 AT lights, none of which meets my expectations, but I can tell you honestly, openly, and precisely why.
That’s why I can’t identify with your situation and I’ll leave it at that.
Good luck.
I’d actually be happy to see AT lose customers. It’s the only way AT will learn and improve.

Fair enough.

Surely you can understand why a company would not want to accept frivolous returns?
Why should they eat the cost for you to “try” it, when they clearly advertise what it does?

Do you feel that the light does not produce the claimed 1450 lumens?
Does the beam not reach to 970 meters?

If the light does not meet these claims you have every right to return it.
However if it does meet these claims, it just seems like you changed your mind or did not pay attention to the specs of the item you were buying.

As far as your statement that a $130 light should be miles above a $60 light, you are so misguided.
You are not just paying for brightness here. For that matter I have a $20 light that is brighter than a $100 light that I own. There is no expectation of a direct relationship between lumens and dollars. You should have known that from the name of this forum when you joined.

Many folks here have asked you exactly what was wrong with it, but you dodge the question and basically repeat that the customer is always right. Which is wrong.

No it does not meet the 970 meter throw. I believe as well as many others that their stated specs are over exaggerated

Does Armytek adopt and measure their lights according to the Ansi fl1 standard? They should to justify their price point and claims of high quality.

I don’t have either light. But I see the Manker is spec’d just under the Armytek. So in that regard I see why you expected the Armytek to outperform the Manker.

I understand your complaints now. Did you by any chance use a credit card to purchase? Maybe you can issue a chargeback?

This should not be a hassle OP is right and should be refunded if purchase is within the 30 days, I think AT are just wasting time to have the 30 days expire…

From here
https://www.armytek.com/support/service-and-warranty.html