I bit the bullet and got a Fenix PD35 v2.0 to replace my aging Surefire LX2. The Fenix arrived yesterday and I've had a chance to play with it this morning.
https://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-pd35-v2-0-led-flashlight-1000-lumens/My thoughts...
Build QualityVery good to excellent. Made of aluminum and the materials seem of good quality. Milling marks are clean and parts appear to have been tumbled to remove sharp edges. The lens is glass (unknown if it's garden-variety or some type of heat-resistant product). The buttons depress with a quality feel. Overall the initial impression is very good.
FunctionalityThere are two buttons. The tail cap is the Momentary/On/Off switch. Press lightly to use as a Momentary button. Press until it clicks to use as an On/Off button. With the light on, press the side button to toggle between five output levels (3/50/150/350/1000) or hold down it for a few moments to activate Strobe. Press again to return to flashlight mode.
CarryabilityThe flashlight fits nicely into the 5" x 1" category of EDC units. As with other units in this class, the barrel is slightly smaller in diameter than the LED head or tail cap. There are no hard corners or sharp edges to snag clothing. The unit fits easily in a pants pocket or can be carried in the included belt holder. It also comes with a removable pocket clip.
Light Throw and QualityThe flashlight throws a cool-white light with a well-defined hot spot that feathers pleasantly (and usefully) at the edges. At ten feet, the hot spot is approximately 18" wide with a bleed circle of several feet. The output modes don't seem to change the light color but do run the extreme in output levels. On Low (3 lumens) the illumination is minimal, comparable to a full moon on a clear night. This is offset by a 430 hour run time (seventeen
days!). In an extended emergency or survival situation this could prove a godsend. On High (1000 lumens) the output is dazzlingly bright, making it functionally useless for closeup work but much appreciated for outdoor pursuits. The downside is a dramatically reduced runtime. Fenix claims most of three hours at this mode but what I've seen online says it will only do this for a few minutes until the LED starts to overheat. At that point the protection circuit cuts in and reduces output to a slightly lower level. I find the middle setting (150 lumens) to be the best compromise for general use. Given the ease of switching between output levels, it's really not an issue. Strobe mode is dazzlingly bright, even on a sunny day. Indoors in a dark room? Debilitating.
Quirks and GripesNot many, really. The main one centers around the tail cap's protective ears. If you have hammy thumbs like I do, the ears are deep and wide enough to interfere with function unless your finger is perfectly centered between the lobes. Gloves make it even more of an issue. Also, the ears are not long enough to let the light tail-sit. Minor quibbles, sure, but something that should have been addressed in the design of a $70 EDC flashlight, especially the second iteration.
A secondary issue is the small size of the key/strap slot. It's too thin to accept anything more substantial than the supplied strap, requiring some type of secondary attachment type in order to hang the light from a ring or lanyard.
Comparison to a SurefireI bought this flashlight to replace an aging Surefire LX2, my EDC for the better part of eight years. I hate replacing it but the tail cap switch assembly spontaneously disassembled itself during a recent battery change. I got it back together but the operation is a little funky now. Compared to the price of a comparable current model Surefire the cost of a new tail cap isn't horrible, but it also isn't cheap.
The Fenix offers a noticeably cooler light temperature than the LX2. My Mk1 Calibrated Eyeball says the LX2 is somewhere in the 4000-4500K range while the Fenix is 4500-5000K. The higher color temp's added contrast is nice when there is a bit of ambient light, but stark and jarring when powered up in complete darkness. The LX2's hot spot feathers off a tad bit more gradually but the Fenix's is still pleasantly soft.
One serious question deals with the Fenix's lumen rating. Either the Surefire, at an advertised 200 lumens on High, is substantially underrated or Fenix is cherry-picking their max measurements to an embarrassingly obvious degree. In a direct side-by-side comparison at 15 feet the Fenix's output should wash the Surefire's output into dim unnoticeability, but it doesn't. It is perceived as slightly brighter, but not five times so. Is it a deal-breaker? No. Just glaringly obvious (pun intended) when directly compared to a product with more trustworthy performance claims.
Weather seals in the Fenix are noticeably less robust than in the Surefire. That's to be expected considering one was made for a retail EDC market, the other for extended harsh-environment military deployment. For my needs the seals will be fine and a dab of silicone gel lube will keep the o-rings from drying out or getting pinched. Should they fail, Fenix was nice enough to ship the flashlight with two spares.
Of course, comparing a $70 light to one that sold for most of $200 is a bit lopsided but it's the only comparable product I have. Compared to the LX2, the Fenix is, well, cheaper. The overall fit, finish, and feel just isn't quite what the LX offers. It's not bad, mind you. It's just not as good. It's no one thing, either. Just a combination of subjective perceptions that add up to, well, quite a lot. Will it make a bit of difference in everyday parlance? Probably not, and the difference in initial investment certainly does much to quell any remaining dissatisfaction. Being able to use a protected-cell 18650 battery is a definite plus, something my Surefire can't do because the body walls are too thin to accommodate an overbore.
ConclusionIt's a good EDC light and worth its modest price, especially if you take advantage of Fenix's perpetual 20% Off promo codes (I used FREE20). Built solid enough for all but the most severe environments and designed well enough that carry options are equal to far more expensive units. Good light, both in quality and quantity, with illumination options that allow for extremes of need with respect to both quantity and runtime.
Brad