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Need a Tactical Flashlight? Here's What to Look For

Tactical flashlight
 
 

   Flashlights are one of those things that everyone takes for granted…until they don’t have one. Now that almost everyone has a flashlight on their cell phone, tactical flashlights might seem redundant; however, a good flashlight offers several advantages that a phone could never give you.
Most of these advantages are related to out-of-the-ordinary situations. A phone flashlight will help you find the paperclips you just spilled, but a tactical flashlight is what you need when your car breaks down during a late-night drive. The problem with relying on a phone is that you might need it for so many other things – calling a friend for help, for instance. If your phone was already running low on battery power, you’d have to choose between using the flashlight to try to find out what was wrong, or contacting someone who could pick you up.

   With a real flashlight, on the other hand, you’d be able to actually see what you were doing, and you wouldn’t have to worry so much about when the battery’s going to run out. And this isn’t the only situation where a flashlight comes in handy. You’ll be glad to have one if there’s a natural disaster and the power goes out for hours (or days) at a time. If you get lost hiking, use the powerful beam to signal SOS to other hikers. A flashlight with the right extra features could be used to break through glass or ice; you can even use it in self-defense, either to blind the attacker, or as a blunt weapon.

   To be able to use a flashlight for any of these purposes, you’ll need to pick the right one; you can’t just go to the nearest gas station and pick up the first flashlight you see. If you aren’t sure where to start, here are the characteristics that any good tactical flashlight should have.

 

   A long-lasting power source

 

   The average tactical flashlight is battery-powered using a typical 18650 button top battery, but that’s not the only option – there are also solar-powered flashlights, rechargeable flashlights, and faraday flashlights. There are pros and cons for each option; your optimal flashlight won’t necessarily be the same as everyone else’s, so consider what you’ll be using it for when you’re picking it out.

 

   Battery-powered flashlights

 

   Pros: You can rely on this flashlight to have power for as long as the batteries last. There’s very little to worry about, as long as you keep spares on hand at all times.

   Cons: If the batteries run out and you don’t have spares, that’s it – no more flashlight usage until you replace them. If you’re out in the wilderness, or in the middle of severe flooding or storms, that could be an issue.

 

   Solar-powered flashlights

 

   Pros: It’s possible to get a solar flashlight with quite a respectable battery life, so provided you can be consistent about recharging when the sun’s out, this option could potentially outlast conventional or rechargeable batteries. You also avoid the cost of replacement batteries.

   Cons: If your flashlight needs to recharge but the sun isn’t out, you’re out of luck. You might end up running out of power in the middle of the night; then that’s it until the next morning. If the weather really isn’t playing along, it could be days until the next opportunity to charge your flashlight.

 

   Rechargeable flashlights

 

   Pros: You don’t have to worry about bringing spare batteries along with you. If you can count on an external power source, you’ll always be able to use your flashlight.

   Cons: Depending on an external power source for periodic recharges can be risky in certain situations, like when the power grid is out, or if you’re camping. If you can’t depend on being able to recharge the flashlight, it’s not really any better than having a battery-powered flashlight with no spare batteries.

 

   Faraday flashlights

 

   Pros: You’ll never have to worry about battery life; if you get a good-quality faraday flashlight, you could go years without having to replace a thing. This means that faraday flashlights have the solution for the main weakness of nearly every other flashlight out there.

   Cons: since faraday flashlights are powered by being vigorously shaken, this means that you’ll have to take a break from whatever you’re doing every 5-10 minutes to shake the flashlight for a little while. For a lot of people, this inconvenience can outweigh the peace of mind that the seemingly eternal battery can give.

 

   A strong beam

 

   Look for something with at least 300 lumens, and no more than 1,000 lumens. Anything within that range will be strong enough to see all the details, without washing them out with too much light.

 

   Weight and dimensions

 

   Get a flashlight that fits comfortably in your hand, and is built for the kind of tasks you’ll need it for. Is it for self-defense, and needs to fit into a purse? Get something compact. Is it for camping? Get something that can stand on its own, or hang from a branch or tent pole.

 

   Other features

 

   If you have a specific feature in mind that you’d like on a flashlight, just look it up – it probably already exists. At the very least, get one that’s shatterproof, water resistant, and has a few different light settings.

 

   EDC Tactical Flashlight

 

   One well-rounded flashlight to consider is the E300 EDC Tactical Flashlight. It has three different light modes, going from high, to low, to a strobe setting. The strongest beam is 300 lumens, which is enough for pretty much every job out there. You can use the zoom feature to widen or narrow the beam; the strobe function can both signal for assistance and disorient an attacker. Not only is the beam strong enough to get the job done, but this flashlight is also shock-proof and water-resistant, so it can withstand just about any situation you put it through. The LED light performs efficiently in terms of battery usage, and the aluminum housing and textured grip are both sturdy and ergonomic.

   If you get overwhelmed with the sheer number of flashlights that are available, just stick with the basics, and remember: there’s a perfect flashlight out there for everyone, no matter what you’re looking for.

 

 

 
Tactical flashlight

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Tactical flashlight

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Tactical flashlight

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Tactical flashlight

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Tactical flashlight

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Tactical flashlight

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Tactical flashlight

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Tactical flashlight

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Tactical flashlight

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Tactical flashlight

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Tactical flashlight

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