Fenix LD12 Cree XP-G R5 LED 115 Lumen Flashlight

If you don't want to read my full review, here's the bottom line up front: After nearly a month of carrying this light every day, I couldn't be more pleased with it's features, construction and function. Highly recommended! I've had an EDC flashlight for a few years now - don't know how I ever got by without one. My most recent EDC was an inexpensive EnergizerEnergizer Tactical Metal Handheld LED Flashlight AA LED; simple, small and effective. When I lost the Energizer I went looking for a replacement. Criteria was a durable LED that was waterproof, had a good run time and was small enough to fit in my pocket. As an added consideration, I wanted a light robust enough to double as a tactical/bedside light (lighting up Grandma with your weapon-mounted light as she gets a glass of water in the middle of the night makes for awkward Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners). After pouring over a ton of reviews, I was about to pull the trigger on a Streamlight when I stumbled on the Fenix LD12. WOW. This light is everything I was looking for and then some. - It's powered by a single AA battery - the ultimate in easy replacement. I won't rehash run time numbers here, as they've already been covered in previous reviews, but I find them more than sufficient. - Bright?? It's hard to believe how much light is put out by this little guy using only a single AA (125 lumens on Turbo). Pointing the light at the ceiling in a darkened 15x20 room on its Turbo setting lit the entire area well enough to easily read small print; even on the lowest power setting the room was lit well enough to be able to move around and function. The strobe function will, literally, stun you. Yes, there are high-end lights out there that are brighter (usually employing one or more CR123's) but repeat after me: Single. AA. Battery. Simply amazing. - Construction is first rate. The aluminum body is smoothly machined and finished with an anti-roll design. The clip is heavy duty and attaches securely to my pocket without any play. The threads on the battery compartment are precision cut and the cap smoothly screws on and off (a blessing for those of us who have fought with poorly mated threads). After three weeks of carrying the LD12 in my pocket daily (accompanied & banged around by a pocket knife and mini leatherman) the finish remains essentially unblemished. One much appreciated aspect of the construction is that the body is threaded on BOTH ends. Ever have a battery leech acid and get stuck in your flashlight? I have, and being unable to get the battery out ruined an otherwise good light. With the ability to open both body ends there's no longer any chance of a leaky battery becoming a permanent fixture in the tube. My only reservation with the construction was with the durability of the gray mode select button, which is located on the body below the lens. It's rubber with a tactile raised design and I wasn't sure how it would stand up to the wear and tear of EDC. To date, my concerns appear to be groundless, as almost a month of carrying it around in my pocked hasn't resulted in any noticeable damage or wear. - Waterproof! - Cost. Let's be honest - this isn't a cheap flashlight. Fifty bucks is fifty bucks, no matter how you slice it. That said however, the LD-12 is cheaper than other flashlights with similar performance and features. Fenix also stands behind their product with a 24-month warranty (extended to 30 months if you register your light on their site). If you would have ever told me I'd buy a light for $50 and count the money well spent, I'd have offered to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge for $50 and made my money back. I was wrong. This light is a great *value*, based on features, performance, and construction. In sum, I like the light so much that I find myself looking for excuses to use my LD-12, and get this stupid grin on my face when I do. I'd buy another LD-12 in an instant if this one were to ever be lost. Even more telling, my wife and daughter may be getting these for Christmas (and I don't trust the well-being of the most precious things in my life to junk). Hmmm, I wonder if I can convince Fenix into making an LD-12 in female pleasing pink, purple or turquoise.....