# Review Fenix PD22UE: first Fenix XP-L EDC, max. 510 lumens, 1 x CR123A / 16340



## kj75 (Dec 8, 2014)

*Review Fenix PD22UE: first Fenix XP-L EDC, max. 510 lumens, 1 x CR123A / 16340*

Fenix has updated the successful PD22 with the newest XP-L led. This is also a long awaited light because it can run on a 16340 cell. For me, this is from now my EDC!

*the ultimate edition of the PD22*











*powered by the latest XP-L V5 led*





*Before we have a closer look, the specifications (given by Fenixlight):
*
*Utilizes Cree XP-L V5 LED with a lifespan of 50,000 hours*
*4 brightness levels:*
· *Turbo*
*CR123A Battery: 400 Lumens (1 hour 15 min.)*
*16340 Battery: 510 Lumens (45 min.)*
· *High*
*CR123A Battery: 200 Lumens (2 hours 20 min.)*
*16340 Battery: 200 Lumens (1 hour 50 min.)*
· *Mid*
*CR123A Battery: 60 Lumens (10 hours)*
*16340 Battery: 60 Lumens (7 hours)*
· *Low*
*CR123A Battery: 6 Lumens (100 hours)*
*16340 Battery: 6 Lumens (50 hours)*
· *Strobe:*
*CR123A Battery: 400 Lumens*
*16340 Battery: 510 Lumens*
· *SOS:*
** CR123A Battery: 200 Lumens*
*16340 Battery: 200 Lumens*
· *With a maximum beam distance of 426 feet (130 meters), you get a 242% performance boost from the regular PD22 version*
· *Intelligent drive circuit: automatically recognizes the battery loaded and selects the corresponding working mode of the battery*
· *Tactical tail switch with momentary on*
· *Intelligent memory circuit: Automatically enters the previously used brightness level when turned on*
· *Waterproof to IPX-8 rathing: 2 meters for 30 minutes*
· *Includes one **AOD-S** diffuser which allows the light to stand on any surface*
· *Digitally-regulated output: maintains constant brightness*
· *Low-voltage warning function to remind you to replace the battery*
· *Reverse polarity protection to protect from improper battery installation*
· *Over-heat protection to avoid high-temperature of the surface*
· *Anti-roll, slip-resistant body design*
· *Made of durable aircraft-grade aluminum*
· *Premium Type III hard-anodized anti-abrasive finish*
· *Toughened ultra-clear glass lens with anti-reflective coating *
· *90mm/3.54in Length x 21.5mm/.84 inch Diameter*
· *45-gram/1.59 ounches weight (excluding battery)
*
*Unboxing:
*
The PD22UE is delivered in a nice, tiny carton. Carton’s size shows you can expect a real compact light. I like the looks of the box, and it looks like Fenix has banned their blisters… I’m very happy with that…

*the box
*





*on the box the (output)specs and runtime..with a typo on flashaholics *





*and in the box: PD22UE, manual and warranty card, holster, lanyard, spare o-ring, CR123a and diffusor*




*

Impressions:
*
Tiny Fenix-EDC, excellent built-quality and finishing. Anodizing well done. XP-L V5 led is well centered, engraving is ok. Fenix did a good job on the threads too: I had some Fenixlights before with “gritty” threads. These are well made. Fenix has also added a better, improved clip. No negatives on this! The diffusor fits on a bunch of other lights of my collection too, very handy! 

*excellent built-quality
*




*
and finishing
*




*
well centered led
*




*
tiny, but 500+ lumens!
*










*unfortunately no tailstand…*





*can run on 16340 also..
*





*a look inside*




*
good job on the threads
*




*
a hard job to add the lanyard*





*comes with white diffusor, ideal for (map) reading
*





*and holster*





*User interface:
*
For me, PD22UE’s UI is still one of my favorites. Tail clicky for on/off and momentary, side button for modes: Low > Mid > High > Turbo. Press and hold side button for strobe, long press again (out of strobe-mode) for SOS. Works all without problems, easy to handle with one hand.

*Size comparison:
*
As said earlier, PD22UE is real compact, because it runs on a CR123A cell. It’s a little thicker than LD09, but has a bit less length. A comparison between AAA/AA/CR123A Fenix lights.

*1 x CR123A, Fenix E99Ti, Fenix LD09 and Fenix PD22UE
*





*Fenix brothers compared: 1 x AAA, 1 x AA and 1 x CR123A/16340*





*2 x xp-e2 and xp-l v5 led
*











*Tint:
*
First thing I noticed PD22UE has a cool, bluish tint. When shining on a white wall, and compared with E99Ti you can clearly see that. Personally I’d prefer a more neutral tint.

*PD22UE has a bluish tint
*




*
The beam:
*
PD22UE has a nice, big hotspot with enough spill, this is ideal for EDC-ing. We can name it a compact flooder. Compared to the LD09 (almost the same size) you can see clearly the difference. LD09 is more “throwy”, but has much less output. 

*Beamshots:
*
Projected on a white wall, taken with a CR123A cell, only turbo-mode with CR123A and 16340.

*camera settings: ISO100, F/2.7. 1/125 sec, WB daylight, 35mm*

























*animation
*




*
Outdoor shots:
*
First, only the PD22UE’s beam. The light has well-balanced modes and a nice profile. You can see clearly the higher output on turbo-mode when driven by a Li-ion cell. Please scroll down for a shootout with other lights…

*camera settings: ISO100, F/2.7. 1/125 sec, WB daylight, 35mm
*

























*Animated
*





A shootout against the Fenix LD09, which has about the same size. It shows the difference between an AA- and a Li-ion cell…..

*Fenix LD09 against Fenix PD22UE*





And a shootout against the Olight ST25 Baton, another light in the “500 lumen class” Note: I used a 14500 cell + spacer in the Olight to get the highest output. As you can see, Olight has (little) more output, but has twice the length..

*Olight ST25 against Fenix PD22UE*





*Conclusion:
*
From the moment I got this sample, I’ve carried it 24/7. It’s a lightweight, solid EDC with a good interface. The big hotspot and floody beam will be suitable in most situations. Until now I didn’t own many Fenix CR123A lights, except the Fenix E15, but with the possibility of adding a rechargeable cell times will change… The 16340 will also give the light more output on turbo. Only cons are the bluish tint and the lack of tailstand. I wish Fenix will come with a more neutral tint. But with the delivered diffusor you’ll have steady standing and a more diffused low-mode (for low-mode lovers ) Overall, a very nice EDC with a lot of output, 500+ lumens hidden in the palm of your hand is real impressive! So I can recommend this light for those who are looking for a new, strong Every-Day-Carry light!

:twothumbs*Thanks to knivesandtools and fenixlight for sending me this sample!*:twothumbs


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## CelticCross74 (Dec 8, 2014)

NICE!! Gonna have to pick this one up! I was wondering when Fenix would start changing over to the XP-L! Got 2 XP-L lights myself and love them. Good review!


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## Labrador72 (Dec 8, 2014)

Thank KJ, very nice review!


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## kj2 (Dec 8, 2014)

Nice light. Didn't pick it up because of the price.


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## 5S8Zh5 (Dec 8, 2014)

Thanks for the great review. I like how the clouds are drifting left to right in the first animation.


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## Kilovolt (Dec 8, 2014)

A nice and complete review, thanks for sharing!

The only thing I don't like about my PD22UE is the low level which is still too high.


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## Grijon (Dec 8, 2014)

Great review; thank you very much, kj75!


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## Trevilux (Dec 8, 2014)

Thanks kj75. Its a great flashlight, i received mine some days ago, I love it.
But one question:
Fenix talk about cr123a and 16340 compatibility, but I read carefully the manual user and his web, and they say 16340 3.2V, but they do not recommend 16340 3.7V. I do not understand, the promotion of this flashlight is a little confused. They refer always 16340 (when they talk about 3.2V battery).


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## msim (Dec 8, 2014)

Trevilux said:


> Thanks kj75. Its a great flashlight, i received mine some days ago, I love it.
> But one question:
> Fenix talk about cr123a and 16340 compatibility, but I read carefully the manual user and his web, and they say 16340 3.2V, but they do not recommend 16340 3.7V. I do not understand, the promotion of this flashlight is a little confused. They refer always 16340 (when they talk about 3.2V battery).




3.7v Li-ion rechargeable batteries are fine. The manual only points out the overall potential for danger with poor quality or mistreated cells. Here's a photo I just took from my manual, the fine print explains the reason for the 'Cautious' message.


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## Ishango (Dec 8, 2014)

Thanks KJ75 for doing the review. I received mine about 2 weeks ago and it is one of my favourites now.


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## kj75 (Dec 9, 2014)

msim said:


> 3.7v Li-ion rechargeable batteries are fine. The manual only points out the overall potential for danger with poor quality or mistreated cells. Here's a photo I just took from my manual, the fine print explains the reason for the 'Cautious' message.



At first, thanks for all kind words guys!

About the cell, I use a protected Xtar 16340 (600 mAh) and and Xtar charger that I put on max 0.5 A.
I read on a website 16340's that are 600 mAh+ can be dangerous..

So you must be careful with this, and that's why Fenix calls this cautious.

My Xtar works without problems.


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## lionken07 (Dec 9, 2014)

Thank you for the review. I wonder how durable the side switch is...?


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## hatman (Dec 9, 2014)

Good review - thanks!

I have the 2014 PD 35 with the same or similar side switch. Seems quite durable.

I am getting pickier about tints and don't care much for the cool white on my PD 35. Wish Fenix offered it in neutral.


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## bright star (Dec 9, 2014)

lionken07 said:


> Thank you for the review. I wonder how durable the side switch is...?



+1 I prefer a forward clicky myself


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## torchflux (Dec 9, 2014)

Thanks for the helpful review with comparisons. I like this light as a general-purpose EDC but the bluish tint and non-tailstand are unattractive.


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## Jagged77 (Dec 9, 2014)

Great review, thanks! I've had mine since last week and really impressed with it so far.

Mines certainly got a cool white tint, not sure I'd go as far saying it was blue though. The light will actually tail stand if you position the pocket clip in between the rear button cutouts. If you stand it up it'll the lean against the base of the pocket clip - all be it at an angle. Another thing I've found is that if you twist the threads to lock it out whilst the power is on, when you twist it back the power comes back on, effectively making it a twisty too.


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## smole (Dec 10, 2014)

Great review!

Which 16340 cells would you recommend for this flashlight?


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## kj75 (Dec 11, 2014)

smole said:


> Great review!
> 
> Which 16340 cells would you recommend for this flashlight?



I use an Xtar 600 mAh in combination with the Xtar XP4 charger. I put the charging current on 0.5 A, higher can be dangerous.
My dealer says a higher capacity than 600 mAh can be riskful.


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## Retief (Dec 15, 2014)

In a recent exchange with the President of Land Run Brands (who is the U.S. distributor for Fenix), where I specifically asked for a 16340 suggestion for the PD22, he replied that they tested several "high quality" batteries and found one that will run this flashlight at the stated output and run-times. That battery will be an *eFest* and is supposed to be appearing "on the web-site [I assume, _Fenix-Store_ and _Fenix-Outfitters_] soon."


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## SeamusORiley (Feb 19, 2015)

Can someone recommend me a good 16340 battery for this flashlight? Thanks.


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## kj75 (Feb 28, 2015)

SeamusORiley said:


> Can someone recommend me a good 16340 battery for this flashlight? Thanks.



I've used the Xtar 16340 600 mAh without problems for several months now. See also post #18


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## RBWNY (Mar 26, 2015)

Does anyone know how the low battery indicator works? Does it blink as voltage drops, or is there an indicator within the soft switch?


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## hiuintahs (Apr 9, 2015)

RBWNY said:


> Does anyone know how the low battery indicator works? Does it blink as voltage drops, or is there an indicator within the soft switch?


I don't think there is a low battery indicator on the PD22UE.

I just got mine the other day. I kind of like it. Mine also has a slightly more bluish-purplish tint than the PD35. I actually consider my PD35 acceptable. What I've done in the past with lights that I like, I'll wait until a sale comes up and buy another and then compare and hope I get lucky with a better tint. It worked once for me on V11R but no guarantees I suppose.

The beam seems to be a mix between the XP-G2 and the XM-L2. There is a more smooth transition from hot spot to (whatever that area is called outside the hot spot) than both the XP-G2 and the XM-L2. I like the beam pattern. I only notice that my light is more bluish-purplish when white wall comparing........other than that I can't tell.

I placed the light in my light box for output measurement. I've got an approximate formula for translating lux to lumens based on the couple of dozen lights I've measured and tested against manufacturers stated lumens........but its still an estimate. But at least it tells me the relative difference between modes and between different lights.

Guesstimate of lumens after 1 minute run time.

CR123A / EagleTac 16340
low 7 / 7
med 80 / 82
high 262 / 268
turbo 428 / 603

Turbo is very dependent on battery voltage for both battery types. A CR123A at 3.00v only got 300 lumens on turbo. I personally would not use turbo or high very often and only for momentary occasions. Even though I'm a big fan of 18650 lights I have steered away from CR123A powered lights up until recently. But now my intention is to take advantage of the long storage life of the lithium, so I wanted to find a single cell CR123A light and the fact that the PD22UE would be powered by a rechargeable 16340..........plus the fact that I wanted to try out the new XP-L led..........then I had to get one.

I will say that the included diffuser (AOD-S) is not that great of a fit as the light has to slide deep into the diffuser before it will fit snug. The AOD-S fits better on a slightly bigger diameter light like the PD32..........but it does work. I had to force mine on a little harder than I'm use to on the PD32.


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## Chay (Apr 11, 2015)

Picked up this little powerhouse a week ago, it's my current EDC. Loving it so far, miss the compactness of my LD02 though!


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## espresso (Apr 12, 2015)

This is the only flashlight that I actually carry with me all the time. It's one thing to own big flashlights that you almost never use but this one is really useful for me. 
To me, living in a city, those big flashlights are like having a gun in the house. You don't know if you're gonna need it, but if you do, it better be around. 

Now I'm interested in smaller lights with high output or high versatility (14500/AA). That leads me to the following choice for my next flashlight:
Nitecore EA11 or EC11
Zebralight SC5 or SC52 or SC62

P.S.
I noticed occasional flicker on PD22UE on max output only. The flicker is not constant but seems like the light is strugling with the output. The contacts are clean. It usually disappears after several on/offs. And it tends to happen when the battery is fully charged (li-ion). It doesn't happen on primary.


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## LAMPARITA (Apr 13, 2015)

espresso said:


> This is the only flashlight that I actually carry with me all the time. It's one thing to own big flashlights that you almost never use but this one is really useful for me.
> To me, living in a city, those big flashlights are like having a gun in the house. You don't know if you're gonna need it, but if you do, it better be around.
> 
> Now I'm interested in smaller lights with high output or high versatility (14500/AA). That leads me to the following choice for my next flashlight:
> ...



Looks like the EC11 can support the Nitecore IMR 18350 700 mAh "Unprotected" battery. Is this safe?:thinking:


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## espresso (Apr 13, 2015)

It should be if the lamp has a voltage cut off and doesn't drain the battery. But there's no detailed review of either EC11 or EA11.


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## Chay (May 7, 2015)

espresso said:


> This is the only flashlight that I actually carry with me all the time. It's one thing to own big flashlights that you almost never use but this one is really useful for me.
> To me, living in a city, those big flashlights are like having a gun in the house. You don't know if you're gonna need it, but if you do, it better be around.
> 
> Now I'm interested in smaller lights with high output or high versatility (14500/AA). That leads me to the following choice for my next flashlight:
> ...



Which batteries are you using for your PD22UE? I'm using a Nitecore NL166 16340 and didn't notice any flickering on it's highest mode.


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## espresso (May 7, 2015)

I have two Keeppower (silver label). The irregular flicker sometimes happens with fully charged batteries. As the voltage drops during usage, it diminishes completely.


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## stowman2 (May 17, 2015)

Thanks for the great review. I have been carrying mine since the day I received it.


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## NaturalMystic (Jun 9, 2015)

Thanks for the review, I've been EDCing this light since Nov 2014 with the orange & silver Titanium CR123s but want to try 16340s. I've been using the Silver/Grey UltraFire 880mAh/3.6V Li-ions with other lights but wasn't really impressed with their runtimes. 
At someone's recommendation I bought 6 TrustFire Protected 16340 880mAh 3.7V Rechargeable Li-Ion Batteries (black with the flames on it) for that other light but haven't used them. Can anyone advise if these would be safe to use on the PD22UE? Sorry, not too well versed on these Li-ion rechargeables and need to figure out if I need to buy more when I order a new charger (trying to decide between the* Klarus CH4S *or *NiteCore Intellicharge i4*).


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## kj75 (Jun 10, 2015)

In the manual Fenix calls 3.7 volt cells cautious. So I can't recommend that cell.

About the charger: I don't have experience with the Klarus but can recommend the Nitecore D4 charger, optimized for little cells and IMR.
In my region for around € 25,- to get.


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## hiuintahs (Jun 13, 2015)

NaturalMystic said:


> Thanks for the review, I've been EDCing this light since Nov 2014 with the orange & silver Titanium CR123s but want to try 16340s. I've been using the Silver/Grey UltraFire 880mAh/3.6V Li-ions with other lights but wasn't really impressed with their runtimes.
> At someone's recommendation I bought 6 TrustFire Protected 16340 880mAh 3.7V Rechargeable Li-Ion Batteries (black with the flames on it) for that other light but haven't used them. Can anyone advise if these would be safe to use on the PD22UE? Sorry, not too well versed on these Li-ion rechargeables and need to figure out if I need to buy more when I order a new charger (trying to decide between the* Klarus CH4S *or *NiteCore Intellicharge i4*).


3.6/3.7v rechargeable 16340 batteries are fine. The 3.7v lithium ion batteries that you charge up to 4.20v work just fine. That is what I use in my PD22UE. I've got EagleTac 3.7v and Olight 3.7v lithium ion 16340 rechargeable batteries and they work great. I personally am skeptical of the *****Fire brands though..........however they probably will be fine.

Caution is always needed when dealing with lithium ion. So that warning isn't about damage to the light per say. Just that you'd need to use caution using lithium ion regardless of what flashlight you're using.


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## torchflux (Jul 4, 2015)

Thanks kj75 for the thorough review, and to hiuintahs and other users for their helpful comments.

If anyone has a chance to do a comparison of the recently released PD25 with the 22UE, we'd please be interested to see.


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## Jiri (Aug 31, 2015)

espresso said:


> This is the only flashlight that I actually carry with me all the time. It's one thing to own big flashlights that you almost never use but this one is really useful for me.
> To me, living in a city, those big flashlights are like having a gun in the house. You don't know if you're gonna need it, but if you do, it better be around.
> 
> Now I'm interested in smaller lights with high output or high versatility (14500/AA). That leads me to the following choice for my next flashlight:
> ...




Hi Espresso,

I actually experience the same flickering with my PD22UE exactly as you described. I think it is related to high voltaged in fully charged Li-ion 16340, 3,7 batteries. It does no do it with standard disposable CR123A lithium battery. After few seconds of usage, the flickering desiperes. It kind of annoyes me, but all my PD22UE are working just fine with AW Li-ion 16340 batteries, 750 mAh.


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