When you go camping, you know that no camping trip is successful without the right gear.
There are many reasons to get a good flashlight when camping and you don’t have to worry that much about not being able to find a good one.
Nowadays there are many standards that flashlights need to comply with in order to get on the shelves.
How to Choose the Best Tactical Flashlight?
Looking to choose a good flashlight for you? Here are the most important factors to consider before buying a brightest tactical flashlight.
1. Light Output
The brightness of the light emitted by a flashlight is one of the most important factors that should be considered. Spending a lot of money on a flashlight that does not have a bright output is an utter and total waste of money. To know how much brightness a flashlight produces, one should check the lumen count of the flashlight. A flashlight that produces anything above 1000 lumens can be considered a bright output.
2. Zoom
Not all flashlights come with an option for zooming. If the flashlight has zoom, one should keep in mind to buy one with a very high lumen count because when the zoom is provided, the brightness in the initial smaller area will be lesser than that of a flashlight without zoom and the same lumen count.
3. Water Resistance
Water resistance is another important factor to consider before buying a flashlight. If a tactical flashlight without water resistance is bought the chances of the flashlight to stop working is higher in rainy or wet conditions which can be a major drawback.
4. Size and Weight
One should always consider buying a flashlight that is small enough to carry in your pocket and also is lightweight so that carrying around the flashlight will not become a tedious task on its own.
5. Belt Clip
Belt clip is a feature that can be very useful while trekking or similar environments where holding on to the flashlight at all times will not be possible.
6. Battery Capacity
To have a flashlight with a great battery backup, it is always suggested to have a flashlight that has a battery capacity of around 26650. Make sure that the battery is made of lithium to guarantee a longer life and better performance.
7. Charger
Not all flashlights come with a charger as some of them may be made to use replaceable batteries. Both types of flashlights have their own advantages and disadvantages. If the buyer is worried about recurring expenditure, we would suggest buy a rechargeable flashlight or at least use rechargeable batteries.
Top 5 best camping flashlight
EcoGear FX TK120
For those of you who don’t really have the patience to look for a flashlight and its battery and would rather go for a kit containing everything you need, the EcoGear FX Tactical LED Flashlight Kit is a great choice.
The kit includes a very bright LED flashlight, 2 rechargeable batteries, a charger and a keychain flashlight.
There are many things we like about the flashlight and the accessories that come along.
The flashlight is made of long lasting air craft grade aluminum alloy, which makes it ready for the heavy jobs.
As it’s water resistant, you can take the flashlight in the water also.
As for the holding, no worries either as the hard-anodized finish and the anti-abrasive body give a good, sturdy grip.
As a matter of fact, the flashlight has a great shape and size that provide a secure, comfortable grip and nice feel in the hand.
The flashlight gives you no less than 5 modes to use: low/medium/high/strobe and SOS.
The flashlight is great not only for camping, but also for military forces, Police. The buttons are easy to use, but not too sensitive to give accidental operation.
The flashlight has a zoom function and comes with a solar powered key chain.
Let’s pinpoint the most important pros:
- The flashlight is for heavy use
- The flashlight has a good grip and is very comfortable for the hand
- The light is bright
- The flashlight is waterproof and has several features and functions that add to its value
As for the cons, there are only few to mention:
- The modes switch when you turn on/off the flashlight
- The flashlight leaves a cheap feeling, even though it’s not the case
All in all, for the little money that you pay, you get a reliable, bright flashlight that fits cozy any hand and fits any pocket.
Streamlight DS LED Flashlight
There are some of you out there that would rather have a smaller, easier to pack flashlight when camping.
If so, you can go with the Streamlight 75832 Stinger DS LED Flashlight with AC/DC Piggyback. It is not only small, but it also gives a great, bright LED light that shines a long way.
The flashlight is made of machined aircraft aluminum with on slip rubber grip. The flashlight is not only easy to grab, but it’s also safe. The unbreakable polycarbonate lens is efficient when giving a good bright light.
The flashlight has 3 watt LED that gives you almost 80lumens and the parabolic reflector has a good long range targeting beam with great sideways illumination also
There are multiple modes to choose from and the dual-switch technology is efficient. The single-handed operations are useful in various situations and the durable construction ensures a good life span for the flashlight.
The flashlight is rated IPX4, is impact resistant and has a compact design. It comes with an O-ring seal and an anti-roll rubber ring.
The light is not only bright, but also it reaches far.
Pros
- The flashlight gives a reliable, bright LED light
- The flashlight has a rugged, reliable built and is made to last for very long time
- The flashlight is impact resistant and is IPX 4 rated
- There is a good grip on the flashlight that is compact and very easy to carry
Cons
- The beam is not perfectly centered
- It’s a bit difficult to put the flashlight into the piggyback on itself
- The buttons are too sensitive and sometimes the flashlight operates on itself
But, when it comes to good built, good and bright light, there are no argues on the performance of the flashlight.
Best Highest 4350 Lumen Flashlight
If you are looking to buy a rugged, yet handy to hold flashlight, the Best Highest 4350 Lumen Flashlight: Jetbeam T6 High Output Cree LED Spotlight is a nice investment for your money.
There are many nice things on the flashlight that got us. The flashlight gives you 7 modes to choose from and that are easy to go through also. The flashlight manages to give a very bright light, even though it’s not very heavy weight. The flashlight has a rugged built, but it’s still lightweight and well balanced. Additionally, the flashlight comes with a shoulder strap for easier carrying.
The flashlight come is 4xOlight 3400 mAh Rechargeable 18650 batteries and Nitecore i4 battery charger, this means you never have to buy batteries again for your flashlight and you don’t have to worry about charging it very often as the batteries run for long time.
There are many details that add up to the quality of the flashlight, as the SOS, the location beacon or the ergonomic fast dual switch. The HAII hard-anodized aluminum body means the flashlight is ready for the heavy use, whereas the precise aluminum alloy reflector and the double-side AR coated lens count for the light transmission.
The flashlight is waterproof, impact resistant and has a useful power indicator also. The knurling on the body makes it very grippy and easy to operate even with wet hands. The flashlight comes with a socket for straps and a tripod socket.
When it comes to the light, along with the wide beam, comes the very long distance for the light and amazing brightness that it gives.
Let’s highlight our main pros:
- The flashlight is lightweight, yet tough and ready for the heavy camping trips
- The beam is wide, and the light is very bright and travel a very long way
- The flashlight comes with batteries and all the accessories for recharging the batteries
- The flashlight is rugged, cozy and well balanced
As for the cons, apart from its price (which is a bit high), we can’t think of any. The flashlight gives pretty much everything you might want in a flashlight when camping and a bit more: reliability, good build, bright light and…batteries that run for a very long time.
ThruNite CREE XP-L HI LED Thrower Flashlight Black
The ThruNite® TN32 1702 Lumen CREE XM-L2 U2 LED Thrower Flashlight Black gives amazing bright light with its max output of 1702 Lumens.
As it features copper circuit warehouse, the flashlight has better heat dissipation performance. The ultra-clear tempered glass lens with anti-reflective coating give a bright light that travels far.
The flashlight has several modes to choose from and the strobe mode is great for tactical or emergency use. You don’t need to worry about dropping the flashlight as it has a tactical knurling for better and safer grip. The streamlined body design gives a good and sturdy feel to the hand also. The premium type II hard-anodized anti-abrasive finish surely contribute to the good grip.
The circuit board design is highly efficient and gives a great performance and long run time for the flashlight. All these features make the flashlight great not only for camping trips, but also for military, law enforcement, self-defense or other challenging outdoor activities.
The flashlight also has mechanical reversed polarity protection design for battery carrier and the smart temperature controlled light output makes it safer to use.
The flashlight comes with useful O-ring, lanyard and all finishes are only good quality.
The flashlight has a good built and the light is bright, traveling far.
Here are the most important pros:
- The flashlight has a good, rugged built
- The light is very bright and reaches far
- The flashlight has a good grip
- The flashlight is well balanced, made of high quality materials
Some issues are worth to be mentioned so here are our cons:
- The flashlight doesn’t come with batteries, nor charger
- The flashlight is a bit pricey
When you put side by side the pros and the cons, you realize that, for some bucks more, you get a reliable, rugged, reliable, ready to take the heavy duty jobs flashlight that doesn’t come with batteries nor charger.
Best Camping Flashlight Lantern
For those of you who want not only a flashlight when camping, but also a camping lantern, the SAMLITE- Super Bright 4 in 1 Portable LED Searchlight & Torch Light Lamp manages to be more than just a lantern.
The Samlite is a rechargeable LED lantern flashlight that may also be your search light or a torch light, according to your needs.
The Samlite gives you a 250 Lumens bright light and several modes to choose from. The side area light may work as a stable LED lantern to give enough area lighting. You may use it as a search spotlight or a normal camping lantern, as it’s highly flexible with the settings
The camping lantern comes with an adjustable strap so it’s very easy to carry around. The hanging loop is highly efficient and practical when camping. You don’t have to worry about running out of batteries. The Samlite lantern is not only rechargeable, but also very easy to charge due to its USB cable that comes along. The lantern operates on two rechargeable 18650 Li-Ion batteries. You can use the lantern as a power bank as it can charge various types of tablets, cellphones or other electronic devices.
As you can see, the Samlite 4-in-1 is versatile and has many good things related to it. The lantern shows the charging status and the remaining power so it’s never a surprise to you. The red light shows warning and signaling.
Last, but not least, the Samlite 4-in-1 has a nice design and comes at a great price.
Here are the most important pros:
- The Samlite is a 4-in-1 camping flashlight lantern
- The lantern comes with 3 rechargeable 18650 batteries and a USB cable
- The lantern has several modes to operate
- The lantern may be used as a power bank also
As for the parts we like less, there are only few:
- The lantern has a toy-feeling
- The lantern’s durability is a bit questionable
All in all, the lantern is great to get for your camping trips, as it has great features related and only few minuses.
Best Cheap Camping Flashlight
When you’re short on budget, but still want a pretty good performant camping flashlight, give it a try with the Outlite A100 900 Lumens CREE XML T6 LED Portable Zoomable Tactical Flashlight.
The flashlight gives you a light of 900 Lumen and comes with a rechargeable 1850 battery. This takes your mind off the worry you always have to buy batteries; you only need to charge it from time to time. And, if this doesn’t really suit your liking, you can always use the AAA batteries. The flashlight only needs 3 of them.
The flashlight suits many situations as it gives 5 modes to choose from for operation: low/medium/high/strobe/SOS. It’s very easy to operate the flashlight as it only has a button for On/Off. The flashlight is free standing which makes it great in some camping situations. As it’s made of strong, long lasting 6061T aluminum alloy, the flashlight is able to also take the heavy use when camping. And, if you lose it in the dark, the solar powered keychain with LED flashlight is going to be more than handy.
The Outlite is water resistant, but it’s better not submerse it in water.
As it has a strong built and is able to take a few falls, the Outlite is a low priced, good performant flashlight for camping.
Here are our main pros:
- The flashlight operates on rechargeable 18650 batteries but also with AAA batteries
- The flashlight is water resistant and has a strong, reliable built
- The Outlite gives a 900 Lumen light
- The flashlight has 5 modes to choose from
On the other hand, the flashlight could use some improvement so here are our cons:
- You need to buy your own AAA batteries as it comes with any
- The modes don’t differ that much
- The battery doesn’t last long
For the money you pay, the Outlite makes a good impression with its feature and performance when camping in the wilderness.
Best Camping Flashlight Led
If you like better the LED lights on your flashlight when camping, the Stanley SL10LEDS 10 Watt Lithium-Ion LED Spotlight is a lightweight, yet reliable flashlight to get.
What makes a good flashlight?
There are some indicators that you need to watch when getting a flashlight. The light output, which measures the intensity of light, may be shown for multiple light settings. Beam intensity, the distance also has a say when it comes to the brightness of the light. You can find low lights of 20 lumens (efficient when reading a book) up to 3500 lumens.
The beam distance is measured in meters and it tells you how far the light shines before the brightness becomes similar to the light of a full moon. When you travel, full moon illumination is pretty safe. Keep in mind that beam distance varies with the type of brightness you select.
You need to know how long your flashlight is going to work. The running time of your camping flashlight (or any other type of flashlight just as well) is something to consider as you don’t want the batteries to run out on you, or to change the batteries every day either.
Impact resistance is also measured in meters and it tells you how resistant your flashlight is after a few drops. Obviously enough, a flashlight is not going to work after you hit it with a strong object or after you run over it.
Having a water resistant flashlight when going camping is a great thing and you should check the IPX system on your flashlight. An IPX4 mark gives you a flashlight that is splash resistant from all angles, whereas an IPX7 means you can immerse the flashlight up to 30 minutes at a 1 meter depth. You can keep a flashlight rated with IPX8 submerged for up to 4 hours.
The extras and the functions
Nowadays, when it comes to bulb type, there are so many options on the market: krypton bulbs, LED f bulbs, and so on. When we talk about energy efficiency, run time, brightness options and impact resistance though none of the new bulb types equals the LED flashlights.
The beam also may differ, and you can get a flood (fixed) flashlight (great for camping, walking), spot beam (for route-finding, fast-paced activity) or adjustable beam.
When it comes to the batteries your flashlight use, the most common choice are the AAA or the AA batteries. There are flashlights that run with CR123 batteries, which have higher voltage and give a brighter flashlight, despite their smaller size. The downside for the CR123 batteries is that they are more difficult to find and also more expensive. For the baton-sized flashlights, you need D cell batteries.
If this is not your option, you can go for rechargeable flashlights that come with built-in Li-Ion batteries that use a USB connection, an AC or DC outlet or even a solar panel for charging. You do pay the extra cash in the beginning, but you won’t spend any more money on batteries afterwards.
If none of these two options suits your needs, you can go for a flashl
ight with a built-in battery that runs by a hand crank or solar panel. This is the best option for your emergency kit, though not for camping.
The material of the body of your flashlight is also important when you choose it. For more impact resistance, you can get a flashlight with stainless steel in the head, but most flashlights have either a plastic or an aluminum alloy body. The thicker the alloy, the tougher the flashlight.
As for the shape of your camping flashlight, a cylindrical body is by far the most common choice. The knurled pattern on this type of shape gives a better grip and prevents slipping.
And the winner is…
A bigger flashlight doesn’t mean a brighter light or more impact resistance either. It may mean the batteries run for longer time, which is a big plus when you go camping, nevertheless.
Some accessories might also be important when you choose your camping flashlight. A belt clip or holster, lens filters and diffusers might count for you when you cease the deal.