Need help choosing a flashlight

Which one would you choose Nitecore p12 and p16 and the Fenix pd35 and why? Which one you think is more durable? If you know a better flashlight with close specs please post your opinion.

Out of those three, I would choose the Fenix. Yes, Nitecore has lower lows but quality wise, Fenix beats them.

The pd35,simply because thats the one i bought out of those mentioned. Like Fenix build/design and UI with the forward clicky,side mode.......Just feels great in hand,nice mix of throw/spill.............not much to not like.

Like the mode spacing too,which imo along with the UI is the important part,if its 800lm or 1000lm to me is n/a. Two reasons,which ever would only run for a few minutes on turbo at best due to heat/mass,cant tell easy to the eye a couple of 100 lumens.

Too add anyway,selfbuilt measured over 1000lm on the pd35,IF it was 750lm i would have still bought it I tend to use 400lm or 180lm the most............of course nice to have a little extra when needed

Have Nitecore lights,like them a lot,durable out of the mentioned.............well i would say Fenix like kj2,imo the anodizing is a little better,from some lights opened up,the Fenix seem well made,mr overclocker has opened a couple of nitecore ligths iirc and not best inside...................iirc the p12 can suffer due to the way the solder and power button is set up. Maybe worth a search on here for the thread.

BUT many have had the p12 issue free,sure some may have had a p35 with issues,not a million miles apart,imo i dont think you could go wrong with either..........but get the pd35 :laughing:

Nitecore P12. The 10-lumen low on the PD35 is way too bright if you're trying to preserve your night vision.

yes guess its down to what you use it for,night time without disturbing the boss,then low is good but then again i have my landing light on all night for the kids. For me,lows,even bellow 20lm i dont use much. Only times i use very low is in caravan in night, to not wake kids........

Work uses then 90% of time anywhere between 150-400lm all the time....

So certainly a factor along with UI and thats mode spacing,if low lows are required then it shortens the list.

Definitely some good points. As mentioned above, the P12's moonlight mode would only be useful if you need it in certain situations. Other than that, it's pretty similar to the PD35 so you can't go wrong either way.

Thanks for the replies guys!

I've owned both the P12 and the PD35. They are similar but the biggest difference is the P12 has a 1 lumen low mode and the PD35(2014) has a 14 lumen low mode. That is a big difference. The P12 is too low and the PD35 is too high for my tastes. I'm not a moonlight mode guy unless I have a variable like a Nitecore SRT6,7 or SWM V11R where I can adjust it to my liking. My favorite fixed low mode is around 3 to 5 lumens. I find I use the lower modes most of the time because I'm using the light for closer-in observation. I use other lights most of the time.

The next big difference is in the beam pattern, the P12 is a tighter spot and the PD35 a little more floody than the P12. So it really boils down to preference.

Other than lows,and being a nitecore fan,the one thing that stopped me buying one originally was the modes,the 210lm med(or now 240lm) and a huge abyss of nothing to 1000lm which only runs for a short amount before stepping down.

Would have liked a 400/500 ish lm mode fitted in there,brighter than the "around depending on version" 210lm for longer uses where more light is required. Of course this is a variable down to what its used for,as most uses can be covered in 210lm ...........generally.

So ideally a proper low low, and some useful modes to turbo

This i will probably buy
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?399696-New-generation-of-Acebeam-EDC-flashlight

Seems to have pretty much everything covered(within reason) other than a holster........
Just my opinion for my uses so just a general comment

carnage said:

Which one would you choose Nitecore p12 and p16 and the Fenix pd35 and why? Which one you think is more durable? If you know a better flashlight with close specs please post your opinion.

Click to expand...

Neither.

I know both seem to be the current "trendy" brands on CPF. But I read a lot of threads with issues with Nitecores (not saying they are bad), but you do certainly see a lot of people/threads with some kind of issue.

I'm also not taken by the fanboy fanaticism that seems to follow the Fenix lights on here (this alone makes me want to not own them). Again, not saying they are bad, but really not bowled over by the specs they offer vs the cost of the things. Quality might be good, certainly from my observational point of view, I've not seen the number of threads/complaints as the Nitecores.

Personally I'd either look at better priced but equal performing lights such as the Convoy S2+ or maybe an Eagle Eye. Or for a more premium light something from EagleTac or Zebralight.

Chicken Drumstick said:

Neither.

Click to expand...

"Neither" refers to two things. He mentioned three.

Ryp said:

"Neither" refers to two things. He mentioned three.

Click to expand...

Sorry I'll make it clearer for those that get too easily confused.....

NEITHER a "Nitecore" or a "Fenix"???

Thanks for the replies guys!

Which did you choose?

So far I'm thinking of going with the Fenix for what I read and talk to a few vendors.