Is Armytek a gamble?

[tops2]

I agree with you completely. I value the good and bad experiences equally, that is the only way to get a complete picture.
I know I need to be forthcoming with regards to sharing negative experiences, for the benefit of others.
Before I started doing reviews, I just always had a tendency to share about the good more than I did about the bad.

Lol..its probably pretty telling when you ask or research a manufacturer and when asked for feedback, you get such wide experiences.

There do seem to be some brands where if you ask for recommendations, you won't get too many "warnings" about the manufacturer. There do seem to be a few manufactures that a lot like here that don't have many operational problems (stuff like lights turning on, problems with modes, and other basic operating problems).

My first Armytek light was a handheld flashlight that developed problems so I returned to vendor. My second Armytek light is a headlamp and so far its fine..but I rarely use it after getting another manufacturer's headlamp.
I bought my first Armytek one due to the claimed specs and durability. I did see (to me) more than enough bad experiences with Armytek on CPF before purchasing but thought to take a chance. I "lost" that gamble and was really turned off by the experience..but a few months ago a good deal came up on the headlamp so I decided to take a chance again. So far so good though despite one of the medium levels to be off the "original" spec.

 

[rickypanecatyl]

No offense impossible lumens but I disagree with the highlighted part of your post. When you can't rely on a simple product designed to perform a simple task reliably it's bad. To use an extreme example, if a parachute company makes parachutes that don't open for example - that makes them bad. When they perform flawlessly in non critical situations 9 out of 10 times there are bad.
While poor workmanships frustrates me, it doesn't frustrate me as much as consumers with low standards that enable them to survive and often shut down quality manufactures. (For example I hate seeing reputable cell phone reviewers such a CNET comparing the Samsung S7 to the iphone 7 and giving the iphone a "negative point" because it's not as waterproof as the Samsung. Every test I've seen where the waterproofness of the phones are tested side by side the iphone blows the Samsung away. But the iphone shouldn't up it's IPX rating because it barely passes. The Samsung's rating is highly exaggerated and at the level of CNET they should understand the difference between regurgitating a claim when the whole point of their article is to TEST!! What ever happened to good old fashioned "shaming" when a manufacturer made up stuff? :laughing: Anyone remember Gman and Ccashih(sp?) going after thrunite on this site when their lumen claims were close to double? And what happened? Thrunite is far more conservative with their claims now and makes better lights!)

I do appreciate that with anything that is good, there is going to be something you can find that is negative. It doesn't make the thing that is good suddenly be bad. With that said, let me tell you quickly my recent experience.

I ordered the PP V3 with XHP35 HI. It worked for a month under babied condition. It was still really brand new but it just stopped. No power when bypassing the tail switch, just nothing at all. I contacted Armytek who was, as another response stated, slow, and redundant. They did not offer solutions and would ask me questions about things I had already told them about. Finally, after going through my retailor, I was able to send the light back to Armytek but had to pay for the shipping to Canada, $15. It's been about three weeks and I'm waiting to get the light back.

Then I'm read another thread somebody started that described the exact same thing happening with the exact same light, PP XHP35 HI. They had to send theirs back too. They had also mentioned hearing about the problem from another party with the same light.

So to sum it up. Armytek's customer service is NOT exceptional. And I'm still wondering about their engineering department, or supplier, when it comes to their new XHP35 drivers.

While it worked, the light was great and I'm looking forward to getting it back. Hopefully.

 

[Woods Walker]

I agree, I would give up all the fancy features for solid build quality, great tint and a simple UI that is reliable. One of the things that really has me wanting an Armytek is the tint options and the promised durability.

I much prefer my Standard Prime over the Pros but they're ok. I dislike the flashing green light and actually prefer the Standard UI. I don't do disco and frankly don't need the extra features of the pros. The failure of these features seems to be the basis of the reports I read here. So I rolled the AT dice again and ordered a XP-L Wizard Standard cuz I wanted the new plastic holder for the XHP-50 (needed to pump up the bill for the free shipping) and liked the CW tint on my last Wizard I gave away as a gift. Sometimes yea just want to get away from NW/W/Whatever. In any case it was 45 dollars. I don't pay full price for AT lights. Also in the aggregate clearly I keep buying for a reason. I do want to take the Viking Pro out as need to get my 35 dollars worth out of it. LOL!

 

[vincent3685]

Armytek recently sent me an email solicitation for their new Wizard Pro XHP-50. Citing some of the concerns expressed in this thread I replied I was not interested at this time. Here is their response to me;

Thank you for your opinion. We do our best and when there were some issues with our products, they had been fixed immediately.
The warranty process takes more time due to misunderstanding. Sometimes a customer doesn't understand how to operate the flashlight. And when he/she provides the detailed description of the problem, it's easy to prevent the replacement/ repair before sending the flashlight back to us if the flashlight is ok. Some issues also depend on power source. When you read posts on different forums, you can't know that the member knows how to operate or some details about electronics and so on. You just see the post from this member that the flashlight has an issue. But many returns are due to abnormal maintenance and service. Not everyone knows that threads should be cleaned from time to time because due to dust the flashlight works not good. Brightness is less and some modes can be missed and the flashlight can flicker.

As for the shipping refund, we refund $15 through PayPal accounts. If anyone doesn't have the PayPal account, we will suggest any accessory with the equal price.

Everyone has his/her own choice. Thank you for taking time for writing this feedback. It is very important to us and we'll take it into account.

If you have any questions, please, feel free to contact me.

Sincerely yours, Sandra.

Armytek Optoelectronics Inc., Canada
Phone: +1 (347) 650-2100
Skype: armytek.canada

 

[Tachead]

Armytek recently sent me an email solicitation for their new Wizard Pro XHP-50. Citing some of the concerns expressed in this thread I replied I was not interested at this time. Here is their response to me;

Thank you for your opinion. We do our best and when there were some issues with our products, they had been fixed immediately.
The warranty process takes more time due to misunderstanding. Sometimes a customer doesn't understand how to operate the flashlight. And when he/she provides the detailed description of the problem, it's easy to prevent the replacement/ repair before sending the flashlight back to us if the flashlight is ok. Some issues also depend on power source. When you read posts on different forums, you can't know that the member knows how to operate or some details about electronics and so on. You just see the post from this member that the flashlight has an issue. But many returns are due to abnormal maintenance and service. Not everyone knows that threads should be cleaned from time to time because due to dust the flashlight works not good. Brightness is less and some modes can be missed and the flashlight can flicker.

As for the shipping refund, we refund $15 through PayPal accounts. If anyone doesn't have the PayPal account, we will suggest any accessory with the equal price.

Everyone has his/her own choice. Thank you for taking time for writing this feedback. It is very important to us and we'll take it into account.

If you have any questions, please, feel free to contact me.

Sincerely yours, Sandra.

Armytek Optoelectronics Inc., Canada
Phone: +1 (347) 650-2100
Skype: armytek.canada

That sounds very reasonable to me. Definitely, a lot of issues are caused by user error and battery problems. It makes sense for them to try and figure out those simple fixes before having the customer send the light back. It's better for them and the customer if it is a simple issue and no return is needed.

I have to say, I was treated very well with my return and $15US was sent to my Paypal account just like they replied. That ended up being more then it cost me to ship it too. They have also been very friendly and helpful anytime I have emailed them or talked to them on the phone.

Some people are hard on them but, many newer companies have growing pains(especially smaller ones). Look at Zebralight for instance, they used to have tons of issues and now they make some of the best lights in the industry. Armytek seems to be constantly trying to improve and that's a good thing. From my experience, they have great customer service. What other company pays for your return shipping on a warranty return. I hope they continue to refine their company and lights going forward and I look forward to their future products.

 

[scs]

I'm confident [I hope] that those who posted about problems with their AT lights here are experienced users.
Furthermore, of the problem threads I've seen, the typical initial responses give the light the benefit of the doubt, or give the OP suggestions on eliminating the cell and operator error as the source of the problem.

 

[Jomohr84]

Armytek recently sent me an email solicitation for their new Wizard Pro XHP-50. Citing some of the concerns expressed in this thread I replied I was not interested at this time. Here is their response to me;

Thank you for your opinion. We do our best and when there were some issues with our products, they had been fixed immediately.
The warranty process takes more time due to misunderstanding. Sometimes a customer doesn't understand how to operate the flashlight. And when he/she provides the detailed description of the problem, it's easy to prevent the replacement/ repair before sending the flashlight back to us if the flashlight is ok. Some issues also depend on power source. When you read posts on different forums, you can't know that the member knows how to operate or some details about electronics and so on. You just see the post from this member that the flashlight has an issue. But many returns are due to abnormal maintenance and service. Not everyone knows that threads should be cleaned from time to time because due to dust the flashlight works not good. Brightness is less and some modes can be missed and the flashlight can flicker.

As for the shipping refund, we refund $15 through PayPal accounts. If anyone doesn't have the PayPal account, we will suggest any accessory with the equal price.

Everyone has his/her own choice. Thank you for taking time for writing this feedback. It is very important to us and we'll take it into account.

If you have any questions, please, feel free to contact me.

Sincerely yours, Sandra.

Armytek Optoelectronics Inc., Canada
Phone: +1 (347) 650-2100
Skype: armytek.canada

So that's it, the majority of issues are due to bad batteries, user error and dirty threads? Hmm....from what I've seen on CPF this doesn't quite add up, at least not in my mind. Been seeing a lot of folks that know a thing or two about flashlights having issues out of the box. I would love to believe that the majority of issues were as Sandra stated, but sadly, still not convinced that it wouldn't be a lottery. Hope they are listening to some of the folks issues and take their game up a notch, then I'll be all in. Not hating on Armytek, just want to see them succeed, and at the moment, the sentiments shared in this thread have been less than positive.

 

[Tachead]

So that's it, the majority of issues are due to bad batteries, user error and dirty threads? Hmm....from what I've seen on CPF this doesn't quite add up, at least not in my mind. Been seeing a lot of folks that know a thing or two about flashlights having issues out of the box. I would love to believe that the majority of issues were as Sandra stated, but sadly, still not convinced that it wouldn't be a lottery. Hope they are listening to some of the folks issues and take their game up a notch, then I'll be all in. Not hating on Armytek, just want to see them succeed, and at the moment, the sentiments shared in this thread have been less than positive.

That is not what the email said. I am not sure where you got majority from when she uses words like "sometimes and many". She didn't deny that there are sometimes legitimate issues with their lights(there is with most brands, especially newer ones). She actually said "when there were(issues)" and said they were fixed immediately. I can verify this is the case as when I had an issue, they shipped me out a replacement before I even shipped the old one back. I didn't even have to make a video or anything(I just explained what was going on, that I was an experienced user, and verified that I was using new high quality batteries). She was simply explaining why their warranty process sometimes takes more time(to weed out simple user and battery issues). People, even some on here, don't always know how to diagnose simple issues and properly maintain things so I think it is a good idea to make sure they do.

Considering Armytek backs their products, warranties lights with any issues for 10 years, and even pays the return shipping, I personally don't see it being much of a gamble trying them. From my experience they have better service then a few other companies I have dealt with. Not many, if any, companies have a 10 year warranty and pay for returns.

 

[richbuff]

Not everyone knows that threads should be cleaned from time to time because due to dust...

My stream of reading got interrupted when it came to the word dust. My reading stream anticipated the word trolls, instead of the word dust.

 

[Jomohr84]

It's nice to hear the positive CS experience Tachead. I've seen several stating that customer service gives them the run around, asking to make videos and such. And perhaps the videos are warranted to help diagnose the issue. I've never had a company ask me to make one, but maybe it's not such a bad idea. What you wrote makes sense, I guess I was thinking "majority" as most of the email was explaining those issues that I cited.

 

[Tachead]

It's nice to hear the positive CS experience Tachead. I've seen several stating that customer service gives them the run around, asking to make videos and such. And perhaps the videos are warranted to help diagnose the issue. I've never had a company ask me to make one, but maybe it's not such a bad idea. What you wrote makes sense, I guess I was thinking "majority" as most of the email was explaining those issues that I cited.

I too was leery of Armytek before I purchased, especially when they first started out. They have definitely made some mistakes and have had issues with some lights but, they are a small growing company and they seem to genuinely be trying to improve. I like that they now have a Canadian office to support their Canadian and USA customers. It makes dealing with any warranty issues way easier then before when lights had to be shipped back to China. Another thing which is nice is they seem to just replace defective lights and deal with the issue on their own time. Which is nice because you aren't without your light for long. Although I had a light with an issue, they quickly remedied the situation and I don't regret giving them a try. I really like the lights I bought(especially the Prime Pro V3 XHP35 Warm) and they have some features that no other companies offer. Hopefully they hold up long term but, so far I am happy and I am not worried because I know now they will make it right should I have an issue down the road.

 

[Jomohr84]

My stream of reading got interrupted when it came to the word dust. My reading stream anticipated the word trolls, instead of the word dust.

Lol, good one!

 

[novarider]

After 13 emails back and forth with Armytek asking pretty much the same questions over and over again I finally asked if I had been sent a beta test light without being told. Their next response was that they are going to replace the light. I have to send it back to them in Canada which isn't going to be cheap or fast.

Not exactly what I would call a "no-hassle warranty"

 

[eraursls1984]

That is not what the email said. I am not sure where you got majority from when she uses words like "sometimes and many". She didn't deny that there are sometimes legitimate issues with their lights(there is with most brands, especially newer ones). She actually said "when there were(issues)" and said they were fixed immediately. I can verify this is the case as when I had an issue, they shipped me out a replacement before I even shipped the old one back. I didn't even have to make a video or anything(I just explained what was going on, that I was an experienced user, and verified that I was using new high quality batteries). She was simply explaining why their warranty process sometimes takes more time(to weed out simple user and battery issues).

If my experience was like yours I'd probably be happy, too. I'd probably have several more Armytek's and less Zebralights. However, I had several emails back and forth with Armytek and had to send them a video. My last two emails were ignored. I did finally have Armytek contact me on here a year later (probably just to stop all the feedback I was giving on my experience with them) but they said it would take a month minimum to get a replacement. After some research, I found others that took 2-3 months when they were told a month minimum. They never offered to pay for the shipping either.

I couldn't find any info on my issues when I first started researching it, but after they contacted me a year later i found many others with the same problem I had. That's when I found out that I just have a pre-production model, no real issue, just not what I bought.

 

[eraursls1984]

Also, I wouldn't call their warranty "hassle free." It may be warranted to reduce minor issues, but not exactly hassle free.

 

[Woods Walker]

I had good CS from them. Took a few weeks to get a replacement light shipped from Canada though I had to make a video etc etc but just used my phone to make it. Also not only did they pay for shipping but they reminded me about giving them the bill info weeks later as I forgot about it. Then again the best CS is the one yea don't need. I actually ordered another light and some accessories from them a few days ago. They're good with email confirmations and updates on the order.

 

[Tachead]

If my experience was like yours I'd probably be happy, too. I'd probably have several more Armytek's and less Zebralights. However, I had several emails back and forth with Armytek and had to send them a video. My last two emails were ignored. I did finally have Armytek contact me on here a year later (probably just to stop all the feedback I was giving on my experience with them) but they said it would take a month minimum to get a replacement. After some research, I found others that took 2-3 months when they were told a month minimum. They never offered to pay for the shipping either.

I couldn't find any info on my issues when I first started researching it, but after they contacted me a year later i found many others with the same problem I had. That's when I found out that I just have a pre-production model, no real issue, just not what I bought.

How long ago was this though? A long time ago by the sounds of it(at least 2 to 3 years). Things can change a lot in a few years. My experience was at Christmas this year(just over a month ago). Now that they have their Canadian office, there is no more waiting for months for a replacement unless they are out of stock maybe. I had my replacement, in hand, in just over a week from the day I emailed them about the issue(it would have only been about 3 days because they rush shipped it to me but, it didn't get here before the mail system shut down for Christmas). Sometimes how you treat a vendor can effect things as well. I am always very polite and friendly, you catch more bees with sugar...(not saying you were not polite but, I know some people treat people like shat and then wonder why they don't get good service). Another thing that helped, I am sure, was that I thoroughly described the issue, my experience, and told them I am using know good batteries that had been tested in my analyzing charger in my original email. That let them know right away that it wasn't a user error or battery issue so no additional emails or videos were needed.

After reviewing some of your old posts, I see that there was actually nothing wrong with your light. It was just that their online manual wasn't updated(you now get an updated manual with all models of their lights in the factory box). Maybe that's why you had trouble getting them to replace it.

As I said, they have definitely made some mistakes in the past, but they seem to be working on improving all the time. Most companies have some issues as they are evolving. Look at Zebralight, they used to have a ton of product and customer service issues but, they have gotten a lot better. If everyone had written them off years ago because of one bad experience they never would have became what they are today(one of the best flashlight makers in the industry imo). I think that dwelling on the past is not always a good course of action. Especially when it comes to newer small companies. Sometimes mistakes are made as companies grow and evolve but things can change and improve if a company works at bettering themselves. I think this is what is happening with Armytek. My experience has been good so far but, there is still room for improvement and I hope they continue to evolve.

 

[Tachead]

After 13 emails back and forth with Armytek asking pretty much the same questions over and over again I finally asked if I had been sent a beta test light without being told. Their next response was that they are going to replace the light. I have to send it back to them in Canada which isn't going to be cheap or fast.

Not exactly what I would call a "no-hassle warranty"

If your light is in fact defective, they will likely reimburse you for your shipping charges.

 

[eraursls1984]

How long ago was this though? A long time ago by the sounds of it(at least 2 to 3 years). Things can change a lot in a few years. 1.5 years ago. Sometimes how you treat a vendor can effect things as well. I am always very polite and friendly, you catch more bees with sugar. I just sent them an email with no ill will. Another thing that helped, I am sure, was that I thoroughly described the issue, my experience, and told them I am using know good batteries that had been tested in my analyzing charger in my original email. That let them know right away that it wasn't a user error or battery issue so no additional emails or videos were needed. I told them in my original email that I had the same issues whether using Eneloops, or 14500's.

After reviewing some of your old posts, I see that there was actually nothing wrong with your light. It was just that their online manual wasn't updated(you now get an updated manual with all models of their lights in the factory box). Maybe that's why you had trouble getting them to replace it. I had the first release of a new product. There was no update for the online manual yet, there was only supposed to be one UI up to that point. This is another issue with them, they said it was a pre-production model and not to buy from their reputable dealers. There wasn't an issue with it not working, but it was still a problem because it did not have the single mode I bought the light for.

 

[Tachead]

It was at least 2 years ago if you were being honest because you posted this on December 19 2015...

I'm in the same boat. I have a Tiara warm and I'm really interested in a Wizard Pro warm, and a Prime C2 Pro warm. However, I just don't have the confidence that it'll deliver what I expect, or it'll have issues. I thought my Tiara was messed up so I contacted customer service and that went no where. After complaining on here Armytek reached out to me (a year later) and I almost sent it back for warranty work. They said it would be a minimum of 30 days, but I'd saw others saying theirs upwards of 2-3 months. I looked up reviews when I first got it but couldn't find any. I decided to look again and found a few. It looks like they all behave the same. So it turns out mine isn't defective, it just isn't what Armytek claimed. It won't work for the main role I bought it for because of this, luckily my wife found a use for it as I don't use it at all.

The main reason I keep up with this forum is because I think the Prime could be a very good competitor to Zebralights(Wizard too), and Armytek hit the warm tint PERFECTLY! This is the best tint I have from any XM-L2, XP-L, XP-G2, or 47's Nichia 219B. The only tint I have that's better is a Nichia 219B but not by much, and it's worth the trade off for the extra lumens.

That post was over 13 months ago and it sounded like it was a while before this post when you heard back from Armytek. You said they took a year to reply. That makes it at least 25 months and that is if you posted that post the day after they replied(which it doesn't sound like).

Either way, that was a long time ago and things could have changed a lot by now(judging by mine and others recent experiences, they have). You seem to be holding quite the grudge considering they did offer to replace your light(multiple times by the sound of it). They also seemed to be nothing but helpful and friendly(at least in your forum exchanges). I don't know what else you could expect?

As for the pre-production thing, again, that was years ago. All of their models now come with updated manuals included in the box. All three of my lights operate exactly as indicated in the included manual.

In the last couple of years, they have opened a North American office to speed up warranty turn around time and better serve their Canadian and US customers, they have started including updated and accurate manuals with all their lights, they have corrected many errors on their website and seem to be fixing more all the time, and they have further refined their models and firmware. That's marked improvement in many areas and I think it is proof they are constantly trying to better their company, products, and customer service. Do they still have more to improve on? Sure(most companies do), but they seem to be working at it all the time and is a good thing.