Wednesday, April 10, 2013

The Compact Fenix LD22



The Fenix LD22 is an excellent lighting tool that can serve multiple roles. This little powerhouse can be useful in an office drawer, glove compartment, camping bag, or tool belt. The versatility of the LD22 is really what makes it a great performer not just among compact lights, but among flashlights in general. Here are some highlights as to the specifications.

Size/Weight- Length is 6.14 inches (156mm). Weight is 2.1 oz (60gm) without batteries. I thought the length would exclude pocket carry for me, but I was wrong. It fits comfortably in the front pocket of cargo shorts and the light weight makes it hardly noticeable.

Power/Run Times- There are 4 power levels. This is what really makes the LD22 so versatile. Low (3 Lumens/110Hrs) The most common setting for me. A great camping setting to find your way around, can shine across a room at night without blinding yourself in the process. Excellent for tasks that are close (dropped coin, key, etc.) and situations that do not require far throw or brilliant light. The ability for a light to go into low modes is often underrated. A super bright light is not always needed for common tasks. Fenix got it right with this setting that provides excellent light volume vs. runtime. Mid (42 Lumens/15hrs) A great general purpose level. Great search mode. Perfect for most functions that most would use their archaic 2D cell junk lights for. But the LD22 will far outperform given its smooth even light beam. High (92 Lumens/6hrs) Very bright. Easily shines up a room, gives excellent visibility outdoors with a decent throw distance. Turbo (190 Lumens/2.5hrs) This is where the magic happens. Blinding light that is good for tactical as well as searching at a distance. It's amazing the level of light and throw it puts out on just a couple of AA batteries!! I am able to use rechargeable batteries. For this reason alone this light will likely pay for itself in battery savings over some of my other lights requiring expensive CR123 batteries. It also has a strobe function that I like a bit more than a typical strobing light. It alternates the speed roughly every 2 seconds. It seems to be more effective than single speed strobe modes. There is also an SOS function that is not much use to me but it is there if you need it.

User Interface- The Fenix LD22 has some improvements over its predecessor the LD20. A side switch just between the body and the lens allows you to toggle between the various lighting levels. One click moves you through the modes, while holding it down puts you in the Strobe/SOS mode. Very easy. It could be a challenging button to find with cold fingers or gloves however. Orienting the pocket clip to "point" to the switch helps your fingers find it. The rear push button switch is very solid and simply turns the light on and off. The light has a memory and will come on in the mode selected before it was turned off. My particular light has the switch extending just past the tail cap, meaning it is not freestanding. This was not a concern for me, because if I were to use it as a lantern, I would likely hang it instead.

Carry Methods- The Fenix LD22 comes with a decent (not great) nylon holster. It has a Velcro closure on the front, and a loop in the back fitting a 2 inch thick belt comfortably. I doubt this holster would hold up under heavy use but for the average owner it would be sufficient. Someone using this light professionally on a daily basis would be advised to look for an alternative. It also has a pocket clip that is reversible in order to carry bezel up or down. It is solid, and grips securely to a pocket. I was also able to place it off center on the brim of a typical baseball cap allowing hands free operation. Fenix also supplies a lanyard but it is rather thin although stylish does not appear to be very strong. A solution to this might be to get a small ring attached to the light in order to connect to a more substantial lanyard made of 550 cord or other material.

Attachment Options- The Fenix LD22 has some excellent options available. A well constructed bike mount Fenix Bike Mount (Fits lights with 18-28mm Diameter) is made that will allow you to have a very capable bike light that is removable to use for other purposes. A filter kit that has an orange traffic wand, diffuser tip, diffuser lens, and red filter have been invaluable additions to this light. The filter kit requires a separate review however.

//EE
(C) Copyright

No comments:

Post a Comment