Newbie needs help picking first flashlight

[johnnycr]

I'm new to the world of flashlights and I'm looking to buy my first high lumin rechargeable LED flashlight. I need some advice. I will mostly be using this flashlight for camping and hiking, but also some use around the house since we're moving out to the country. I've done a lot of research and really like the looks of the Fenix PD35 and it's competitor, the Nitecore P12. I've also checked out the Streamlight Protac HL, but it does have a lower output. The Fenix PD35 might be my top choice right now, but the one thing I don't like about it is that it doesn't have as much throw as some other flashlights that I've looked at.

Should I go with the Fenix PD35 or is there another flashlight that might meet my needs better?

 

[RetroTechie]

All else being equal, more throw = less spill, and (more importantly) a brighter hotspot. Which makes it less useful for the uses you mention. :duh2:

Throwers have their uses (beside the "wow!" factor ), but camping / hiking / around the house use isn't it. So a 'middle of the road' like the PD35 would be a good choice here.

 

[Charles L.]

Agree that you need to be careful about how much throw you really need. The uses you describe, as RetroTechie pointed out, call for a diffuse, floody beam -- the opposite of a thrower. But of course much depends on the environment in which you will live, hike and camp; for example, is the country locale to which you're moving open or wooded? Where I live (Raleigh), it's so wooded that my throwers are practically useless. Another point to consider: you will find a true "moonlight" mode very helpful around the house and in the tent. Personally I'd be looking for a light that: either comes with a diffuse, floody beam or can be fitted with a diffuser for that purpose; can tail stand; and that can go much lower than the 10 lumens advertised for the PD35… lower than 1 lumen, in fact. There are many such lights, but between the two you mentioned, I'd be going for the P12. Actually I'd go for the Zebralight SC600 II L2, but we all have our favorites

 

[johnnycr]

Thanks for the input RetroTechie and Charles L. I do think that more flood and spill would fit my needs more than throw, because we're moving to northeast Wisconsin where there are a lot of woods. The 1 lumin mode on the Nitecore P12 does sound really useful to me, but I also wish it had something between 210 lumins and 950 lumins. The Fenix PD35 has the 450 lumin mode, which sounds nice but maybe I wouldn't really need that much light very often? I currently have a Streamlight TwinTask 3C which puts out plenty of light for outdoor use and I don't even think it hits 200 lumins.

Maybe the Nitecore P12 will be the way to go, but I'll give that Zebralight a look too.

 

[Poppy]

If you are considering 18650 lights, you might find this thread useful

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?382130-Another-new-EDC

 

[johnnycr]

If you are considering 18650 lights, you might find this thread useful

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?382130-Another-new-EDC

Thank you, that was helpful. I discovered a few EagleTac models that I hadn't looked at before.

The one EagleTac that seems like the best for what I'm looking for is the D25LC2 XM-L2 flashlight. It seems like it has the right amount of throw vs. flood that I would want for being out in the woods. How does EagleTac compare to Fenix and Nitecore in terms of quality? The EagleTac D25LC2 is right around the same price as the Nitecore P12, but the Fenix PD35 is a little more expensive. Is the Fenix worth the extra money or should I go for one of the others?

 

[luis0321]

I would recommend this one, JETBeam SSC10 Dual Side-Switch 300 Lumen LED Flashlight has great throw, it's bright, spill is great, 3 levels of brightness, strobe, and it's very compact. Can't beat the price.

This battery (long lasting) NITECORE 3400mAh Protected Li-ion 18650 Rechargeable Battery and an 18650 charger of your choice.

That's what I use daily at work for my security job.

Link removed as per the banner at the top of the page
Why has my link been removed? - Norm

 

[Poppy]

Thank you, that was helpful. I discovered a few EagleTac models that I hadn't looked at before.

The one EagleTac that seems like the best for what I'm looking for is the D25LC2 XM-L2 flashlight.

The D25LC2 XM-L2 is a nice light, and EagleTac is a Quality manufacturer.

 

[johnnycr]

The D25LC2 XM-L2 is a nice light, and EagleTac is a Quality manufacturer.

Thanks, again for the help. It's taking me a while to figure out which one to get because I have to check out so many different websites to compare specs. It would be nice if there was a website or online store where I could compare specs from different flashlights side-by-side. I think I might pass on the Nitecore P12 for now, because the EagleTac D25LC2 is the same price and seems more fitting for what I need. The P12 just has too much throw I think, and I don't like that it doesn't have a brightness level in the ~400 lumin range. The one thing I am noticing about the D25LC2 is that a lot of people are saying it's not as bright as it's advertised to be. I'll have to do some more investigation. I really do like the Fenix PD35 a lot, but I don't know if I want to spend that much on my first rechargeable flashlight.

 

[Poppy]

You might find selfbuilt's reviews helpful
http://www.flashlightreviews.ca/cpf.htm

 

[johnnycr]

You might find selfbuilt's reviews helpful
http://www.flashlightreviews.ca/cpf.htm

Thanks Poppy, I was actually just reading his reviews on the the three flashlights I've mentioned so far. His review confirmed that the D25LC2 is not as bright as advertised. In his opinion, the Fenix PD35 has the best build quality of the three and his tests show that the PD35 is also the brightest. So now I'm leaning heavily toward the Fenix PD35.

I still need to decide on a battery and charger though. The EagleTac 18650 3500mah battery looks nice and I'm leaning toward the XTAR WP2 II charger because it is supposed to charge faster than the Intellicharger i2 and it's not much more expensive.

 

[Charles L.]

Trouble with the PD35 -- and with the Eagletac for that matter -- is its lack of a moonlight mode. Read the thread about moonlight modes in the LED Flashlights section. It may change your mind. Or not

Eagletac makes a fine version of the underlying Panasonic battery. Can't speak to the charger.

 

[johnnycr]

Trouble with the PD35 -- and with the Eagletac for that matter -- is its lack of a moonlight mode. Read the thread about moonlight modes in the LED Flashlights section. It may change your mind. Or not

Eagletac makes a fine version of the underlying Panasonic battery. Can't speak to the charger.

I did read up on moonlight mode. When I think about it, it might be useful. Usually I use my phone screen to find my way around at night and my wife usually complains that it's too bright. I could also see myself using moonlight mode to check on my son or in the tent at night. The problem is that I don't have great vision and usually light that is too dim is useless to me. Even with my phone I can't see jack unless my screen brightness is turned up to at least 25%. In theory it sounds nice. Maybe moonlight mode on the Nitecore P12 would be more useful than the 450 lumin mode on the Fenix P35.

 

[johnnycr]

After watching more reviews and doing some more research, it sounds like the Nitecore P12 has trouble with certain kinds of batteries. Flat 18650's aren't even compatible and some of the button tops don't work either (I've seen some people in the forums here having trouble with EagleTac 3400mAh batteries).

Now I'm leaning back toward the Fenix PD35. It has greater flexibility with batteries, and I like the 450 lumen mode.

 

[Charles L.]

Sounds like a good choice. You're right that Nitecore can be fussy with flat-top batteries. Hope you enjoy your new light!

 

[Poppy]

I've read that some people have used little magnets to turn flat-tops into button tops.

 

[RetroTechie]

From what I've read on their site, Eagletac lights are specifically designed not to take flat-top batteries. Dunno about the Nitecore, and I think the PD35 is quite flexible in battery options. That said: while

I've read that some people have used little magnets to turn flat-tops into button tops.

isn't an elegant solution imho, it works & turns this mostly into a non-issue. Have some of those magnets myself, used a few times to quickly hook up some 18650's in series.

Is the light tint (color) important to you? If so, Eagletac offers various lights with different tint (neutral white vs. cool white) or even different LED options.

 

[johnnycr]

Is the light tint (color) important to you? If so, Eagletac offers various lights with different tint (neutral white vs. cool white) or even different LED options.

I'm not picky about light tint at this point. Maybe if I become a true flashaholic at some point I will, but right now it doesn't matter much to me.