Fenix PD32 LED Flashlight Product Review

The first thing I notice about the PD32 LED Flashlight by Fenix is the size.  This is a perfect size flashlight.  At just under 6″ long and under 1″ in diameter, this flashlight is the perfect size to stash in your car, in your purse, in your Bug Out Bag, or anywhere else you may need a good flashlight.  The next thing that strikes me about the PD32 is the quality of materials and construction.  There are a ton of low cost, flashlights on the market.  But so many of them fail in the quality of materials and construction.  This flashlight is built from aircraft grade aluminum with a black finish.  The entire lower part of the handle has knurling which gives you a solid grip on the light.  The PD32 turns on and off with a tail cap switch which can also be pushed just lightly for a momentary on/off.  This comes in handy when you just need a peek at what you are looking for but don’t want the full effect of the flashlight.  The flashlight also comes with a removable pocket clip and has a slot in the butt cap that can be used as a lanyard carry.

What is incredible about this flashlight is how powerful it is.  I took several pictures of the light from the PD32 next to the light from a standard two battery Duracell flashlight that I bought several years ago at Costco.  The Duracell uses two Double AA batteries and has just one brightness level.  The PD32 has four brightness settings which you can rotate through by pressing the side button near the top of the flashlight.  The side button is in the perfect spot for easy access and is easily activated.  As a side note, you can also hold the side switch for 3 seconds and the light will switch to a repeating SOS pattern.  Pretty handy.  Back to the brightness levels, you can see from the pictures that the PD32 outshines the Duracell by a long shot at all the brightness levels except the lowest. This makes sense as the PD32 will throw out a whopping 315 lumens on high and will still run for about 2 hours at this setting.  At the lowest setting, it puts out just 9 lumens but will run for 200 hours–giving you a great mix of longevity and power.

The flashlight comes with some nice accessories including a nylon sheath, a wrist lanyard that can be attached easily to the light as well as a spare rubber on off button cap and a couple of spare O rings.  The light is waterproof to 2 meters.  I especially like the hex ring in the upper third of the flashlight body.  The shape of the hex ring makes it so your light won’t roll when you set it down on an uneven surface.  Yesterday, when I was driving to the store, I set my flashlight on top of a book on the passenger seat.  When I got to the store, the flashlight hadn’t moved a bit–something that a standard fully round flashlight body would never be able to do.  I would have been looking for my flashlight under the passenger seat for certain.

Brightness level is unmatched for the price.

The price is unbelievable.

Size is perfect for most applications and is especially good for a Bug Out Bag or emergency kit

The only drawback is the battery size–the CR123A battery is not cheap.

This is a great flashlight for someone who wants a high quality LED light at a price that can’t be matched.  The construction quality and components are sure to please.  If you want a similar light but don’t want the CR123A battery issue–I would suggest sticking with the Fenix brand and looking at their LD15 or LD25.  I definitely recommend the PD32 by Fenix for anyone who wants a great flashlight.  Be sure to check it out on the BladeOps website–as one of our sponsors I can attest that their prices are competitive and their shipping speed is unmatched.  Get the PD32 and share your review with the rest of the Survivaleer readers when you get a chance.