I am considering to buy either the Fenix E11 ($25) or the Hugsby P31 HA-III ($14 at DX). I have read heaps of posts (on several flashlights) but as I could not find any direct comparison between the two, I thought I might ask a few questions here:
How do the two flashlights perform with Alkaline AA cells (especially in regard to runtime and brightness)?
How do the beams differ? I read that the E11 has a rather narrow spot with quite a nice spill (what makes it kind of ‘floody’) - how is the Hugsby’s beam?
How do they compare in terms of build quality?
I understand that one advantage of the P31 over the E11 is its tailstand ability. I don’t care about the Hugsby’s strobe mode though. The E11 on the other hand has a forward clicky (what I personally like better) and seems to have the better low/mid mode. Is there another important point I’m missing?
The Fenix is a very good light, well made and very reliable with simple, easy to access modes and top of the line efficiency. It draws less than 1 amp on high for it’s 105 OTF lumens, so should be well regulated even on alkalines.
The TIR beam profile is very useful outdoors, but has a number of artefacts/imperfections when on a white wall.
Guys, thanks for your quick replies - though I’m still not sure which one to choose
Has anybody both flashlights and could directly compare them regadring the three points I mentioned above?
So long!
I don’t own the Hugsby so please don’t interpret these comments as absolute, but from what I’ve gathered this is how they compare:
1. The Hugsby will draw 2A plus on high, alkalines can’t manage that amount of current and it will drop out of regulation very soon. The Fenix draws less than half of that and has a very efficient circuit which was probably actually designed with alkalines in mind. On this point the Fenix wins hands down.
2. The Fenix TIR beam will give a medium sized hotspot which then slowly fades out in a very wide corona, there is no defined sidespill but a very useful beam which extends light 180 degrees in front of where you point it with the majority in the hotspot. The Hugsby uses XR-E and an OP reflector, so probably a slightly smaller hotspot with little to no corona and a reasonably wide circle of brighter sidespill than the Fenix which then abruptly cuts off to virtually nothing at the edge.
3. The Fenix is high quality, not premium but very robust and functional with good waterproofing, a good quality forward clicky, square threads and a virtually unbreakable TIR lense in place of a more fragile glass lense. I can’t speak for the Hugsby but from what I can see in the pictures it seems to be decent but lower machining and anodizing quality. The lense is probably fine and not liable to break, but a TIR is always going to be more robust than a glass lense.
I'd say they are two totally different kinds of lights .The fenix will be smaller and thinner and the tint will almost assuraedly be better i'm guessing the hugsby will be a bit purple like mine was .Overall feel of the hugsby is nice and it is a very classic look and feel.hugsby knurling is always nice and the clip and tailstanding is a real plus . My opinion of the hugsby was it just needed a emitter swap ...like a nichia or a xpg2 nw. I think it was one of the better 15$ lights .
I've never had a fenix I didn't like ..... So i assume you are safe either way ...The lights really don't match up and are very dissimilar .. the price is almost double .. That said I think I'd buy the hugsby and do the swap but thats just asthetics and without having owned the fenix ..
buy them both
I think Mr.admin . owns both ...PM him he's probably your best source
Guys, thanks again for your helpful answers - I’ve bought a Fenix E11 now and am looking forward to using it And if one day I feel like being wealthy, I might buy the Husby too… :bigsmile:
