Fenix LD40 Flashlight

The Fenix LD40 is no longer available. See the new Fenix E40.

The Fenix LD40 is a high-powered LED flashlight running on AA batteries (NiMH or alkaline). The LD40 has 4 brightness levels, disorienting strobe, slow flashing and SOS modes. The dual tail switches make changing modes or brightness levels simple. With the main tail switch, you select momentary on or constant on. The secondary tail switch allows you to adjust the output mode. An important feature of the Fenix LD40 is that this flashlight will always turn on in the last brightness level used before it was turned off. The Fenix LD40 also has a neutral white LED that won't wash out colors.

Features of Fenix LD40 LED Flashlight:
• Cree brand XP-G neutral white LED for improved color rendition
• 4 brightness levels, strobe, slow flashing and SOS*
     Turbo - 248 lumens, runs for up to 3.2 hrs
     High - 110 lumens, runs for up to 9.4 hrs
     Medium - 43 lumens, runs for up to 27 hrs
     Low - 4 lumens, runs for up to 245 hrs
     Strobe - 278 lumens
     Slow Flashing - 64 lumens
     SOS - 64 lumens
• shines for up to 679 ft
• dual pushbutton tail switches
     primary switch for momentary on and constant on/off
     secondary switch for mode selection
• always turns on in the last brightness level used before the flashlight was turned off
• constructed of aircraft grade aluminum head with Type III hard-anodized finish, polymer body,
     glass lens with anti-reflective coating
• powered by 4 AA batteries (Alkaline or Ni-MH) >>> batteries not included <<<
• digitally regulated for more constant brightness
• reverse polarity protected
• smooth reflector
• waterproof to IPX-8 standard, not dive rated (submerged in 2 meters of water for 30 minutes)
• measures 7.25"L x 1.7" head diameter
• weighs 10 oz with batteries
• Includes wrist lanyard, nylon belt holster with top flap and velcro closure and spare O-ring
• made in China
• limited 1 year warranty through BrightGuy
     Note: damage due to battery leakage is not covered under warranty

* Note: Lumen outputs and runtimes were calculated using NiMH batteries following the new ANSI/NEMA FL1 standards.

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Rating:

I have used and compare the Fenix LD40 to the Underwater Kinetics 120-lumen (UK4AA eLED, CPO).

The Fenix weighs twice as much, due to the metal housing around its' lens. The Fenix handle is plastic. Therefore, the Underwater-K is better for backpacking. The Fenix is better for home and car-camping.

The Fenix-low setting, of 4-lumens, is as bright as my two triple-A battery old, Coleman, flashlight. The Fenix lumens are conservative.

The Fenix medium-setting of 43-lumens is as bright as the Underwater-K 77-lumen model. The Fenix high-setting of 110-lumens is as bright as the Underwater-K 120-lumen model. The Fenix has a turbo-setting of 248-lumens, which surpasses the Underwater-K. The advantage of the turbo-setting is seeing a long distance away. Both flashlights can light a person's face 100-yards away to recognition.

The Fenix has a wider beam; so, you do not find yourself having to move the flashlight slightly left-to-right and right-to-left to light up your full range of vision as you must with the Underwater-K. This makes the Fenix superior for home and car-camping. The Fenix's noticeable, twice as much weight, makes it too-heavy for back-packing.

The Underwater-K has a much more convenient on/off switch on the handle near the lens, for easy one-hand, quick, use. The Fenix has a tail on/off button, which requires two-hands to use; or precariously flipping the light with one-hand after turning it on. Only cops hold a flashlight above their head with their thumb on the tail of the flashlight.

I like the plastic-handles on both lights, because metal-handles get ice cold to the touch in cold weather; and plastic-handles do not. I have never seen a flashlight fail for wear of occasionally unscrewing the lens-head to insert batteries. Flashlights fail at the switch after 4-years of daily turning the switch on and off.

After 3-years; the tail-spring and battery-plate in the Underwater-K came loose and required self-repair with a portion of a bent paper-clip and some foil . The Fenix has a lightweight, plastic, battery-carrier, insert, which makes it sturdier.

Fenix should make the lens-housing in plastic; lightening the weight equal with the Underwater-K. I have never seen a plastic head around the lens break in 5-years of use and numerous drops; including drops onto cement-pavement. Fenix should move the on/off button from the tail, to the handle near the lens, for easy, one-hand, quick, operation. Fenix should get rid of the 3 strobe modes, which add weight and cost. One will never use them. The 278-lumen-strobe is cool to blind an attacker in theory, but you would first have to work through the two, preceding, strobe-settings, focusing all your attention to get to the right mode among the 7-settings, with your thumb on the tail of the flashlight, and so, having to point the flashlight downward all this time, and then flip the light back around precariously in your hand; by then you would be toast.

- Brian Greer, Walnut Creek, CA

Submitted on November 25, 2011

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Rating:

I'd been hoping that Fenix would release a 4-AA light for some time.

I really like this light. Fenix seems to have discovered that it is possible to increase head/reflector diameter somewhat and still have a lamp that can fit in a pocket, preferably "heads up". The LD-40 has a 1.7 inch wide head and that helps a lot with respect to throw distance as well as for allowing a reasonable amount of equally distributed spill, as well.

The output is impressive. The price is quite reasonable as well.

Now for the downside. The LD-40 has an aluminum head (and threads, of course) and a PLASTIC BODY (and threads.) Based upon my life and outdoors experience over the past 5 decades, I believe that the designers and materials engineers at Fenix have made a SERIOUS mistake. There WILL BE uneven wear on the plastic side of the junction.

There's some grit in the threads right now, and if I remove or replace the head while holding the head between just a couple of fingers (if you hold it with your hand fully encompassing the head you'll muffle the vibrations) when you turn the head it sounds like a pepper grinder with the grit grinding between the threads.

Fenix could have gone with an aluminum body. They've used a similar "2-up" battery magazine on their TK-35 4 CR123A light. And the body is aluminum and not plastic. That body is not round as well - it's very similar to the LD-40.

If Fenix's choice of materials was a cost savings measure, I believe that they've erred. OK, an all-aluminum light will certainly cost more than the current LD-40, but it's very difficult to completely wipe the threads on a finely threaded light, and choosing a lubricant that works equally mell on both anodized aluminum and plastic is also a problem.

(There IS a very fine all aluminum 4AA mega-bright light available, but Fenix doesn't make it and it discounts for about $110.)

Overall, however, I'm still VERY PLEASED with the LD-40. I just hope that it lasts.

- Dan W, Grafton NH

Submitted on February 20, 2011

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Rating:

Thank you, Bright Guy, for prompt shipping of this product. I will keep this review brief, as I have had the product only for 10 days. Simply stated, it is the brightest flashlight in my small collection. I'm currently using regular AA alkaline batteries(user's manual says NIMH batteries will give a brighter beam), and the brightness and throw of the beam of light from this flashlight is amazing. I can see objects hundreds of feet away, well illuminated. I am a big fan of flashlights that use "normal batteries." The plastic 4-AA battery cradle and the body of the flashlight do not seem flimsy. The flashlight head is solid metal, and seems an effective heatsink: If you leave the flashlight on with the highest beam setting for about 10 minutes, you can feel the flashlight head has become moderately warm but not hot.

In summary, I have found in the Fenix LD-40 my ideal flashlight-not overly large, very bright beam (with a large, effective spill beam), easily-replaced "standard" batteries. This is flashlight nirvana.

- Brad, Fair Lawn NJ

Submitted on November 15, 2010

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P/N: disc LD40BK; UPC: 6942870300863
Fenix LD40 LED Flashlight, Black