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.
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