Fenix PD36R Pro vs SureFire 6PX Pro: Which Work Flashlight?
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Premium compare · Spec numbers from the brands · Not a lab test
Same job, two answers. Both are small handheld flashlights with a button on the back end, built for one-handed use, with a tight beam that can light up something down a driveway. The Fenix PD36R Pro is the rechargeable USB-C model (big pack-in battery you can top up). The SureFire 6PX Pro runs on CR123 batteries that can sit in a drawer for years. This site has not had either light on the desk for a side-by-side hands-on test. The numbers below come from Fenix and SureFire.
Which one for the job?
- Get the Fenix if you recharge often, keep a spare battery, and want a brighter center spot that reaches farther.
- Get the SureFire if you want batteries that sit for years, a simple two-level button, and the familiar SureFire shape.
- Skip both if you wanted a cheaper ~$40 work light — see the Sofirn SK30 on Best Tactical Flashlights.
Side-by-side (what the brands publish)
| What you care about | Fenix PD36R Pro | SureFire 6PX Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Peak brightness (how much total light) | 2,800 lumens on turbo (Fenix) | 600 lumens on high (SureFire) |
| How hard the bright center is / listed reach | 36,600 candela / 380 m (Fenix) | 8,700 candela / 187 m (SureFire) |
| Power | Included rechargeable battery · USB-C on the light | Two CR123 batteries included · no USB-C |
| Useful everyday setting | About 1,000 lumens for roughly 4 hours (Fenix chart) | High 600 lumens / 1.5 hours; Low 15 lumens / 52 hours |
| Button | Two buttons on the back | One click button (low, then high) |
| Weather rating (brand claim) | IP68 to 2 m (Fenix) | IPX7 (SureFire) |
| Size / weight (brand) | About 5.7 in · about 6 oz with battery | 5.2 in · 5.2 oz with batteries |
| Price we last saw cited | About $120 on Fenix’s U.S. store | $125 list on SureFire |
Sources: Fenix Lighting PD36R PRO; Fenix’s own PD36R Pro explainer; SureFire 6PX Pro. Plain English on brightness vs beam punch: Lumens Explained.
Fenix PD36R Pro — get this if / skip this if
Get this if you plug in often, keep a spare battery, and want the beam that reaches farther on paper. Fenix’s own chart puts the bright-center punch at about four times the SureFire’s (36,600 vs 8,700 candela). That is why listed reach is 380 m vs 187 m.
Skip this if you do not want to learn two rear buttons, or you only keep CR123 batteries for emergencies. Also skip if you thought “2,800 lumens for hours” — the brand’s turbo time usually means total run time including the dimmer level after the light heats up and steps down, not hours at the peak number. Fenix also blocks turbo near half battery. Plain readout: Turbo Is a Burst.
On Amazon, confirm the listing says PD36R Pro, not the older PD36R.
Buy from Fenix Check price on Amazon
SureFire 6PX Pro — get this if / skip this if
Get this if you want batteries that sit for years, a two-level button you can learn in ten seconds, and the current light in SureFire’s classic compact shape. The old 6P is discontinued; the 6PX Pro is what you buy new.
Skip this if you want USB-C charging or a spare rechargeable pack. 600 lumens and 8,700 candela are modest next to a modern rechargeable like the Fenix. You are paying for build, button feel, and brand story — not a brightness contest.
On Amazon, confirm the listing says SureFire 6PX Pro — not a used original 6P, not a copycat.
Buy from SureFire Check price on Amazon
So which should you buy?
If you recharge every week, get the Fenix: same kind of work light, brighter center spot, spare battery. If you are building a glove-box or nightstand kit that must work after sitting a long time, get the SureFire: CR123 shelf life, simple controls.
Neither is a tiny keychain light. Neither is a big Maglite. For more work / “tactical” style picks — including the cheaper Sofirn SK30 — start at Best Tactical Flashlights. Full 2026 map: Best Flashlights 2026.
Related: Turbo Is a Burst · Lumens Explained · Best Rechargeable Flashlights · SureFire 6P era
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some links are affiliate links. You pay the same.
