New EDC: Fenix PD22ue vs Olight S10 l2 vs EagleTac D25C

Hello Everyone! This is my first post here. I really like flashlights and am in the market for a new one. I have a Surefire e1l that I carry often, but I need something with more output and where the light sits deeper in my pocket (i hate how the whole head sticks out of the pocket). I also have a Fenix PD50 that i use often when I need a lot of light. I am a huge fan of Fenix and think the PD22ue would be a great option. It doesn't have a "moonlight" setting but I don't know how useful that would actually be. I love that it takes rechargeable batteries and has a 510 lumen output.

The Olight S10 L2 and Eagletac D25C have also been getting good reviews and am considering these as well. I would love hear you guys who have these and carry them often on which ones you prefer. I'm open to other options but right now it's narrowed down to these three. What should i get? Thanks!

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?135-Recommend-Me-a-Light-For

Lots of recommendations over there, i am rooting for a stainless steel light, Quark, or Armytek. Will last your for 10 years warranty.

timothydavidson1 said:

It doesn't have a "moonlight" setting but I don't know how useful that would actually be.

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Very useful, trust me.

^ +1

I find moonlight is my most often used brightness, and I'd rather cycle through it to get to brighter modes than not have it at all. If you feel differently, you can avoid moonlight pretty easily in the D25C clicky (it can be toggled on/off) or the S10-L2 (accessed only by a long press from off) user interfaces. Speaking of which, UI is pretty different between these three lights... and that might help you decide. What's best is entirely subjective and depends on your preferences and how you carry/use the light. Personally for EDC I'd go with the Eagletac, but that's because I prefer a rear clicky for EDC, and as I said I like the low modes. If tint matters to you, Eagletac gives you choices of different emitters... whereas Fenix does not, and the S10 is a tint lottery with less than stellar odds.

:welcome: ... I edc an earlier PD22 (max 200 lumen) and other than the CR123A, which seems to last forever, I love that the clip is secure and pliant enough for one handed draws and reclipping into my pocket. Not crazy tight to you need two hands to reclip. No super loose so as to be worried about losing it. Just..., perfect.

I have no experience with the S10 or D25C. I do have an Olight i3S and it's one of my favorite AAA lights (tied with a Ti3). Had an ET D25AAA and quickly returned it.

It's such a hard decision! They each have pros and cons. To be honest, the Fenix is probably last as far as perks. It's the longest and doesn't have a moonlight mode. It was my favorite as of recent but because I like Fenix. Now I'm just not sure! Haha. From everything I have read, moonlight mode will be very useful. How is the build quality of Eagletac and Olight compared to Fenix?

Thank you guys for replying! Sorry for all the questions, i just want to make sure i get the right one!

To those who have the Olight S10:
When carrying it in you pocket, does the light turn on accidentally because of the side button?
How is the clip? Sturdy?

Those who have the Fenix:
Is the 6 lumen low ever too bright?

Thanks guys!!!

timothydavidson1 said:

To those who have the Olight S10:
When carrying it in you pocket, does the light turn on accidentally because of the side button?

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Yes, unless you lock it out by loosening the tail cap a half turn.

EDIT: Have you considered the new S10R? It looks like accidental activation is much less of a concern due to a redesigned button.

timothydavidson1 said:

How is the clip?

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Perhaps a bit too sturdy... It can be difficult to attach it to your pocket without using two hands, and a thick cloth or belt will not fit all the way into the clip. For these reasons, It's not my favorite clip. In its defense, once it's clipped to your clothing, it's unlikely to come off without you're being aware of the occurrence.

I am happy with my Fenix for sure. I have been EDC'ing PD2x series lights for about five years now. The clips definitely function great although they can sometimes grab on clothing and pull the light out (very rare). I really don't have any need for moonlight mode during the day. I have plenty of other lights at home for when it gets dark out. If I need to dim down the light on my PD22UE I just wrap my hand around the front to cut down the light output. I will concede that moonlight mode is good for energy conservation but not something I am concerned with.

timothydavidson1 said:

Those who have the Fenix:
Is the 6 lumen low ever too bright?

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My older PD22 has an 8 lumen low that I use 99 percent of the time, especially during the hotter months coming up when I walk the dog before the sun comes up.

Well I bought a PD22ue today!!! Carried the whole day and love it so far! Thank you guys for the input! I decided to go with it because I like the interface (D25c is too complicated to me), rear click button, and the clip. The s10 was close but I heard the side button would turn the light on often and therefore have to put it in lockout mode: and to me that makes it bad for EDC. Anyway I love the Fenix so far and will keep you guys updated!

timothydavidson1 said:

The s10 was close but I heard the side button would turn the light on often and therefore have to put it in lockout mode: and to me that makes it bad for EDC.

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The S10R comes with a battery/charging dock and its switch is flat unlike the regular S10. Also, let us know how you find the 6 lumen mode for things that are up-close at night.

Hmm, might have to pick up one of those in the future! I'll definitely let you know how the 6 lumens work out.

Question: what's the best 16340 battery for the PD22ue? I've found a few on amazon but they all have some bad reviews.

The Olight 16340 seems to be pretty popular.

UPDATE: Hello everyone! I just wanted to give you guys a quick update about the PD22ue. First off, I have been very pleased with the light so far. It fits and stays in the pocket very well. The clip is very well made; it sits deep in the pocket, but is easy to remove from your pocket too. It also has a very good amount of throw for its size IMO.

Now, with all the good i have noticed a few things I would want changed. First, it would be nice if it could tail stand. I knew that it couldn't when i bought it, but have just realized that it would be nice. It also seams to go through batteries faster than I would have thought it would. I have used Surefire and Titanium Innovation CR123a batteries, and with average use, I have to replace batteries about every 4-5 days. I feel as if the runtime is about half of what was listed, but i definitely haven't done an official test. I also haven't got my Olight 16340 batteries in yet, so i can't comment on those. That's not a big deal though.

Lastly, I have realized that I wish it had a moonlight setting... I really didn't think that it would be THAT useful. I thought that 6 lumens was low enough, but i have woken up several times the night, and went to the kitchen to get a drink, and the 6 lumens was blinding at night! I was very surprised who bright it was on the lowest setting. I still love it for a EDC light, but as a nightstand light, I might pick up an Olight S10 L2 or something? Would that be dumb? Haha!

I'll keep you guys posted if I have any more news come up

Wouldn't be dumb at all to get an S10, moonlight mode is very useful.

It would be great if Fenix would put a moon mode on their lights, but it hasn't happened yet. I do find it to be very useful, but even some are too bright. I have a Eagtac D25A2 that has a great low, but the Sunwayman D40A I have is a bit too bright on mine. Great for use at night though, that D25A2 sits on my nightstand.

Been looking at that PD22UE for a while now, I love it's output and compactness. Such a short light to still have a tail switch and side switch!

redtruck said:

It would be great if Fenix would put a moon mode on their lights, but it hasn't happened yet.

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From what I've read, moonlight is not something Fenix plans to EVER include on their lights, due to the way they design their circuits, and their design philosophy in general. It's too bad for those of us who appreciate Fenix build quality and who also appreciate moonlight outputs... But luckily there are plenty of other manufacturers who include that feature. Olight Batons, L3 Illumination, and Foursevens Quark, to name a few...

From what I've read, moonlight is not something Fenix plans to EVER include on their lights

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But the new camp light, the CL25R has...moonlight

About the PD22UE..it's my EDC from the first day...But on my nightstand, because of the lack of moonlight, I prefer others, like Klarus RS16

timothydavidson1 said:

Hmm, might have to pick up one of those in the future! I'll definitely let you know how the 6 lumens work out.

Question: what's the best 16340 battery for the PD22ue? I've found a few on amazon but they all have some bad reviews.

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i;d just get the baddish ones
4 for $5 is a good price on ebay
thing is, to double the energy costs about 10x the money
diminishing returns
just carry another battery or get 18650 light for those heavy days

18650 are practically free if you get them from old laptops
usually 4-6 times as much storage as 16340


wle