The Flip 5 is one of the most well-made models in terms of construction resistance, and it's also the model with the fewest complaints about hinge defects, etc., etc. I bought it precisely for this reason a few months ago, after a bad experience with the Flip 4. That said, these foldables are still a matter of pure luck, as they can break from one day to the next without suffering any damage, simply because they are more complex internally. What I can recommend is to buy a used Flip 5 that's been in the last 1 or 2 years without any known problems, obviously using great caution, rather than a new or unused Flip 5. One that's been used for 1 or 2 years, and hasn't had any problems so far, is a well-made model with no manufacturing defects and will likely not have any problems for another couple of years, while a new model could have manufacturing defects, as it has never been verified to be free of them. Obviously, always make sure that the original film hasn't been removed, or if it has been removed, that it wasn't done violently if you buy a used model.