If you don't mind primes either the Zeiss 21mm F2.8 or the Zeiss 18mm F3.5 are excellent, I have the 18mm and have found it a great lens, light weight and easy to filter.
Zooms, I can't speak to the 17-35, but have used the 14-24 for almost 2 years now and it's still my main lens on the D800e. Many bemoan this lens, but I personally love it. It has pro's and con's to consider.
Pro
1. Excellent from F2.8 to around F11 maybe F14 on the D800e. This is still my main night lens which I use from F2.8 to F 4 and it's the best wide I have found at 14mm wide open. In the F6.3 to F11 range mine is really just amazing.
2. Fairly easy to manually focus as focus ring has a good fine degree of movement
Con
1. Flare, can be terrible and it's the type that ruins an image, doesn't add to it, tend to be a harsh magenta band
2. Weight, it's heavy and large and on day's I hiking far, I don't carry it and bring the Zeiss 18mm
3. Doesn't play well with filters unless you purchase the special Lee setup. Hightech also makes one. I have the Lee and it's great. You can easily use a CL-PL with a slight adjustment to the Lee holder. It's the only way I know to use a CL-PL with the 14-24mm
4. Huge outer element which requires special care not to scratch
My cons are more than pros but I still love the lens. The Canon 16-35 I have can't touch this lens from 14mm to around 30mm especially wide open. If you are going to want to shoot at night (where F2.8 tends to be needed) the 14-24 is great. Also a great all round landscape lens.
I tried the 16-35 and just didn't like it, felt a bit on the cheap side, more plastic less metal, it's less weight than the 14-24 however. Years ago when I was shooting the Nikon D1 and D1x (remember those, 2.74mp @ 4.5K and 6mp at 5K) I used the 17-35 and thought it a great lens. But I have not shot it on the D800 family. It's smaller than the 14-24 but as I remember not much lighter. Takes a 77mm filter however which comes in really really handy.
Paul Caldwell