The following is a review of the Fenix Lighting PD30 flashlight, and AF02 flashlight bike mount. Fenix Lighting is headquartered in Shenzen, China. There are numerous US dealers that sell Fenix products. Although they aren’t “Made in the United States” they are still a quality product worth considering. Although I like products made in the US, I don’t discount products of any origin if they are high quality. I have owned a Fenix PD30 flashlight for several years, and use it as a backup light on duty. Technical details: The PD30 is an LED light powered by two 3V Lithium 123A batteries, which is fairly standard for most tactical flashlights. The body is made of high-quality aircraft grade aluminum. It is compact and very bright. It is simple to use and has multiple light features, including 220 lumen high output, 5 lumen low output, several in-between lumen outputs, strobe, and even an SOS signal setting. The flashlight has a rubberized tail-cap, and is sealed from the elements with internal O-rings. The current model is the PD30 R5 (revision 5), but the model I own is an older revision. The specs listed here is for the version I own, but the newest revision only improves on them. Current retail prices are in the $60 range. My thoughts: The water-tight seal has proved itself on multiple occasions, as I have accidently put this light through a washing machine cycle on two separate occasions after I forgot to remove it from the pocket of my uniform. It would make a great primary duty light, but I prefer it as a backup because of its compact size (I personally prefer a larger-sized light as a primary light source). This light has also served me well on camping trips and as a nightstand light. The PD30 I own has a smooth body, but the new R5 has a better gripping surface and a brighter output of 257 lumens. Overall, the construction is sleek but durable, and I would put this light up against any other tactical light brand such as Surefire or Streamlight. Fenix recently released their updated version of the flashlight bicycle handlebar mount, the AF02. When I saw the price of just $20, I thought to myself that it couldn’t possibly be very high quality. However, given my experience with the PD30, I thought I’d give it a try. A quick call to my local Fenix dealer and I had one in my hands within a week. Technical details: Features a rotating 360 degree design, making it adjustable to any angle; high quality rubber mats to provide shock resistance and slip-resistance; fits flashlights with a diameter of 18mm-28mm. My thoughts: This mount is hard to beat for the price, particularly if you already have a good quality flashlight that will fit the range. The mount is made of durable plastic, and contains rubber grips on both the handlebar mount and the flashlight mount. The two halves swivel a full 360 degrees, which is great for fine-tuning where the light is pointing. Both sides use thumb screws for tightening. I was able to easily mount this light to several different bars, including both 27.2mm and 31.8mm diameter bars. The mount held securely on both sizes of bars I put it on. I tested a few different flashlights, including the Fenix PD30. I found the PD30 to be brighter than any bicycle specific light our department has on any of our bicycles, and far less expensive to boot. I tested the mount with the PD30 during an IPMBA Police Cyclist course. I don’t know about other instructors, but here in Tacoma we love our stairs. We went up and down countless stairs during the course, and the mount stayed put the entire time. I was able to squeeze (barely) my primary duty flashlight into it as well, though it was larger than the 28mm limit of the mount. Even with the larger light, the mount stayed where I wanted it. So what’s not to like about it? Only a few minor details I can think of, really. While the mount is durable, it is also a bit on the bulky side. It takes up a fair amount of handlebar space, which on a patrol bike is often already at a premium. I would like to see a quick release type feature instead of the thumb screws, but that’s just a personal preference. However, at the price of just $20, it’s really hard to complain about these minor details. I will continue to use this light mount on my patrol bike, and I’ll probably even take it out on some night rides on my personal mountain bike to see how it holds up on rough trails. If you aren’t familiar with Fenix, you owe it to yourself to at least check them out at fenixlighting, or your local Fenix dealer.
Posted on: Sun, 11 Aug 2013 20:57:55 +0000
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