Fenix PD35 Flashlight Review 2024: 1000 Lumens of Awesome

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Fenix PD 35

8.2

Features

8.9/10

Ease of Use

7.6/10

Price

8.1/10

Pros

  • Extremely bright
  • Well made
  • Good value

Cons

  • Bit of a learning curve
  • Just *ok* battery life

PD35: The Best Fenix Flashlight?

A tactical flashlight makes the perfect present for a birthday or maybe even father’s day.

Once you start to carry a little flashlight with you everywhere you go, you will be surprised just how much use it gets.

I have been testing the Fenix PD35 TAC Edition tactical flashlight, and below you can read my opinions and thoughts on this portable but powerful piece of equipment.

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Pros of the Fenix PD35

I don’t know about you, but for me, the first and most important feature of any light is its portability.

It is all good and well having a bright light, but if it won’t fit into your pocket or bag, the reality is it will be left behind in your car or house.

When the time comes to use it, you will end up kicking yourself.

This device is a beautifully formed flashlight that feels comfortable and light in your hand. It is very pocketable, so much so that on more than one occasion I have had to double check that it was still in my pocket.

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Made of military standard aluminum the Fenix PD35 flashlight is strong and durable, while not being heavy.

The PD35 was designed with the military and law enforcement in mind as their ideal customer so your biggest problem might be keeping hold of it, as every time I used my tactical flashlight people wanted to borrow it.

Considering we are talking about a flashlight, this gives you some idea of the admiring glances this product inspires.

It is hard to describe just how bright this Fenix flashlight is, it could (and maybe should) come with a government health warning, as it truly blinds you if you are stupid enough to shine it directly into your eyes.

But if you actually use it for the purpose for which it was intended then the PD35 flashlight is quite simply stunning. The main beam travels a distance of up to 200 meters.

Don’t be fooled by its small exterior, this is the perfect embodiment of the phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

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PD35 Cons

I always look for negatives when doing a review as I don’t believe there is such a thing as a perfect product, but it took a lot of thought and effort to come up with something bad about this Fenix flashlight.

For one, if you’re looking for an EDC flashlight, the PD35 might not be for you. It’s a bit too large and heavy to carry with you all the time.

Secondly, and this is honestly being really picky, the Fenix PD35 can get a little warm at the business end of the light. But when you consider that it is throwing out 1000 lumens from a very small area it is hardly surprising.

And if that is the only complaint, then I feel that Fenix has done an amazing job.

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Battery

A flashlight is useless without power and once again Fenix have thought this through properly.

Capable of using a rechargeable 18650 battery, this little beauty also can take two CR123A batteries.

This means in an emergency you can always utilize ordinary batteries that can be bought from most stores.

Speaking of power, the Fenix PD35 flashlight has a power management style system, which basically lowers the brightness level in increments as the battery starts to drain.

Once it is at the lowest brightness, it flashes off and then back on every five minutes, to make you aware that it is time to recharge it.

This is a very welcome feature and one not regularly seen on other flashlights at the same price point.

The beam can be set to spread out to cover a wider area, or you can set it up as a razor sharp point of light. Words cannot honestly do this Fenix flashlight justice in regards to the brightness of the beam.

Whatever your expectations are, I believe they will be exceeded ten fold.

For those of us prone to inserting the batteries the wrong way, either through panic, darkness or stupidity, the Fenix PD 35 has a protective system in place that will not let the circuitry be damaged.

While this may not be a huge factor in your buying decision, it is still a nice addition that the company has added.

The thought and effort that has gone into the design of this product would make the late Steve Jobs proud.

There is a dual switch option, meaning that you have the tactical option of a quick off and on button otherwise known as a tail switch, as well as the standard on-off switch at the side.

It is these small but important details that have made the Fenix PD35 so popular across the world.

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Value

The Fenix PD35 Flashlight is currently selling for well under $100 at the time of writing. Depending on how important a portable flashlight is to you this could be considered an absolute bargain or quite an extravagance.

I am actually giving serious consideration to purchasing a second one for my wife, as I think this could be quite a deterrent to any would-be attacker.

And even if it the would be assailant wasn’t deterred, the bright light is fully capable of blinding or incapacitating the attacker for 30 seconds or so.

When you take the self defense feature into consideration, the cost seems rather irrelevant.

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Conclusion

This Fenix PD35 tactical flashlight has totally changed my opinion about flashlights in general.

Prior to using this light, I would have happily used any old flashlight and never given it a second thought.

But this little lumen powerhouse has opened my eyes to the quality and benefits of investing in a professional grade flashlight.

tactical military flashlight

Portable, well built, and with a light so bright, it is like carrying a stadium floodlight in your pocket, I have been totally spoilt.

1000 lumens has to be seen to be believed.

When you consider that this could also be used as some form of self-protection, and the fact it covers over 200 meters in distance, the cost for peace of mind alone is wholly justified.

As I mentioned before, I am so impressed that I am genuinely considering investing in a second one for my wife.

I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this piece of equipment; it took me a long time trying to think of a single negative thing to say about the Fenix PD35, and in all honesty the only complaint I came up with would probably not be regarded as a negative by most people.

This is a fantastic piece of equipment, and anyone who receives it for a gift would be delighted.

Totally recommended, it is fantastic.

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