For those who work in law enforcement or enjoy hobbies like hunting and camping, finding the best tactical flashlight for your needs is very important.
Tactical flashlights provide a light that is much brighter and more reliable than traditional commercial flashlights, and most offer multiple light settings. A good tactical flashlight helps you stay safe in challenging or even dangerous situations outdoors.
Many people may think that a normal flashlight will be sufficient for use camping, hunting, or hiking, or even for military and law enforcement operations.
However, the average flashlight that you might purchase at a supermarket won’t last in the harsh conditions of the outdoors. Tactical flashlights are designed to resist water and impact and provide light that’s bright enough to see several yards ahead.
What To Look For In A Tactical Flashlight
There are several things to look for when shopping for a tactical flashlight. Since these flashlights are much more expensive than a traditional model, you’ll want to make sure you get the best bang for your buck. Here are the features you should be sure to take a look at while you are making a decision.
Quality of Light
Since the purpose of the flashlight is to help you see, you’ll want to take a look at the maximum brightness offered by the product. Brightness is typically measured in lumens, so you can easily compare the brightness levels between products. Some flashlights also use LED technology to increase brightness and reliability.
Light Settings
In addition to looking at the brightness offered by the flashlight, it is also important to look at the settings offered. Many tactical flashlights have the opportunity to switch between a range of brightness levels, which helps you use the appropriate level of light for your situation. Some also offer blinking lights, which you can use as a signal if you get lost outdoors.
Material
Many tactical flashlights are made of weapons-grade aluminum, which is highly resistant to impact, scratching, or other types of damage. If you are considering purchasing a tactical flashlight made of something other than aluminum, it is important to research the durability of that material to ensure that it is worth the investment.
Design
Since you will likely be carrying your tactical flashlight around with you regularly, it is important to look at the design and consider whether or not it would be convenient and easy to use. Most tactical flashlights are designed to be lightweight and relatively small, so you can fit them into an outer pocket in a backpack or jacket. It’s also helpful for the flashlight to have an easy to grip design so you won’t drop it at a crucial moment.
Water/Shock Resistance
If you are using your flashlight regularly, there is a very good chance that you will drop it or that it will come in contact with water at some point. A good tactical flashlight should be designed to resist the negative impacts of water or shock.
Battery Life
When you use your flashlight often and in high-stress situations, you don’t want to risk your battery going dead at a crucial moment and being left in the dark (pardon the pun!). Check to see what type of batteries a flashlight uses before making a purchase, as well as how many hours they typically last.
Tactical Flashlight Uses
There are many things that you can use a tactical flashlight for. Many people like to have them just because they are highly durable flashlights that will last a long time, and the chances of having to buy another one for many years are quite low.
However, they are most effective when used for defense or outdoor hobbies. They can be used to illuminate your surroundings in the event of a threat or even just if you are lost.
They can also be used to illuminate your gun or taser sight if you are shooting, which is very helpful for both hunters and law enforcement agents.
Additionally, if your flashlight is very bright, you can shine it into the eyes of an attacker to momentarily confuse them. You never know when a high-quality flashlight will come in handy, so they are a great investment for many people.
There are countless models of tactical flashlights on the market, and it can be difficult to choose the best ones for your needs. It is very important to choose a flashlight with great quality that you can rely on in many different situations. Here are five of our favorites that have consistently performed well.
The Top 5 Tactical Flashlights 2022 Reviews
1. Streamlight 88040 ProTac
This flashlight is a great option for anyone in need of a tactical flashlight. It provides tons of bang for your buck with great features. In terms of light, it provides 750 lumens of brightness, and it uses C4 LED technology, which means that the LED lights are circuited in a way that provides a very bright, clear light.
It has three brightness settings, so you can decide just how much light you need in any given situation. At maximum brightness, it illuminates as far as 270 meters away. The flashlight can run for up to 18 hours on the low brightness setting, which makes it ideal for anyone who needs to preserve light. If you need to signal, there is also a strobe setting.
In addition to being very powerful and reliable, the Streamlight ProTac is also very well designed. It is made of aircraft-grade aluminum and has a sealed o-ring design, which prevents the negative impacts of water and shock from ruining your flashlight. It is also textured, so it is very easy to grip, and the angular design of the head keeps it from rolling away if you drop it.
It weighs only five ounces and comes with a holster for easy carrying on a regular basis. It uses two lithium batteries and includes three with the flashlight when you purchase to get you started. It also comes with a lifetime replacement warranty.
This flashlight is a great choice for anyone who wants tons of brightness and power at a very reasonable price. The brightness outperforms the vast majority of other models on the market. The one downside is that this flashlight doesn’t have the best battery life when compared to other options because it is so powerful. However, it provides incredible value for the cost and will provide you with bright lighting for years to come.
2. SureFire G2X Series
This is a very popular choice among tactical flashlight owners because it is priced very reasonably and provides many features that are sought after in technical flashlights. It is less than half the price of many tactical flashlights on the market, so if you are just starting to get into these types of products, then this might be a good way for you to try them out.
This flashlight is very durable and will last a long time. The LED emitter, in particular, is designed to be highly resistant to damage, so you’ll continue to get bright light for years after purchase. The body is made of the aluminum bezel with a Nitrolon polymer base, which is highly resistant to high amounts of impact and prevents scratching or denting as well.
The body is both O-ring and gasket sealed to prevent water from getting in and damaging the product as well. The flashlight also comes in a wide range of colors, so you can choose the one that best fits your style.
The SureFire G2X is also very easy to use and carry around. It is very small and fits easily into your palm, so it won’t take up much space in your backpack or pocket. It has a maximum of 320 lumens on the high setting, as well as a low setting that helps you preserve battery life.
With a minimum output of 15 lumens, you can make your flashlight’s battery last for days if you want. The flashlight also contains reflectors that ensure that the light is as bright as possible in even the darkest situations. The product can quickly be turned on and off with a conveniently located button on the end of the flashlight.
Overall, this is a great choice for those who are just getting into tactical flashlights and need a high-quality option at a great price. This flashlight is very durable and has a nice design that will last a long time. However, the lighting is not as bright as many other options on the market, which may be a deterrent for some shoppers.
3. Inova T4R
For those who want to invest in one of the best tactical flashlights on the market, this is an amazing option. It has an amazing balance between high brightness, long battery life, and design and durability.
This flashlight also has great range when compared to many other tactical flashlights – at its highest setting, it provides a range of 213 meters, and on the low setting you still get a strong 51 meters of range.
This flashlight has five different settings. The high setting provides a strong 303 lumens, which is very bright and is ideal for many situations. The medium setting is 144 lumens, which is still quite bright and is ideal for preserving your battery life while still maintaining high performance.
For long term use, the low setting uses just 17 lumens. There is also a strobe setting for signaling or disorienting and attacker, as well as a momentary high setting when you just need a quick burst of light. The battery life ranges from two hours on high to a whopping 43 hours on low.
The Inova T4R is impact resistant and is constructed with aluminum and rubberized coatings. It is also water-resistant and is designed to be very easy to hold. It is eight inches long and weighs one pound, which makes it heavier and larger than some other tactical flashlight models.
This may be a drawback for some that like to carry their flashlights around all day, but the heavy-duty design also makes it very durable. Additionally, this flashlight uses rechargeable lithium batteries, which are included with the flashlight, so you don’t have to worry about replacing them.
Overall, this is an amazing quality flashlight that we believe is worth the price for anyone looking to make an investment.
4. Outlite A100
This highly affordable tactical flashlight is extremely popular among law enforcement and military personnel as well as outdoor and travel enthusiasts. In many ways, it is just as powerful as much more expensive flashlights, with a range of 182 meters as well as both spotlight and floodlight options.
It has low, medium, and high brightness settings as well as an SOS setting and disrupter strobe. The light is bright enough to temporarily blind an attacker, with a huge 700 lumen maximum, which is one of the reasons why this model is so popular.
Additionally, this is a great option for those who would prefer a small flashlight. At just four ounces, this light is very small and compact. The handle is skid-proof, which makes it very easy to hold, and it is also water-resistant.
However, it cannot be completely submerged in water, and it is not as shockproof as some more expensive models, which is one downside to this flashlight. It works well with either one lithium-ion battery or three AAA batteries.
This flashlight provides amazing power for the price, and it would be a good option for anyone who needs an incredibly bright light for multi-purpose use. Generally, this is the best flashlight that you can get for such a low price, particularly in terms of light quality.
5. J5 Tactical V1-PRO Flashlight
This is a cool little light that is reasonably priced and portable, making it a perfect first EDC purchase. On high power, the V1-Pro produces 300 lumens, which puts it right up there with all but the most tactical, army-grade flashlights. For a reference, J5 claims that the V1-Pro should be able to illuminate the length of two football fields on a relatively cloudless night, although this may be a stretch.
The V1-Pro’s Achilles heel – and the factor that likely keeps it from costing much more – is its lack of water resistance. Though it is “water-resistant,” the V1-Pro isn’t “waterproof,” meaning it can’t be expected to survive an unforeseen downpour or a deep dive.
Overall, the V1-Pro is an ideal grab-and-go torch. It runs off a single AA battery and is extremely durable by all accounts. It’s been used on search and rescue missions in Afghanistan, and it gets three weeks to a month of battery life presuming intermittent daily use, so you know it’s the real deal.
6. LLBean Moonbeam 5-Day LED Flashlight
A household brand that resonates with everyday consumers, LL Bean has a certain resonance with a certain type of person – it’s almost the Calvin Klein of outdoors products. Here, LL Bean has crafted a sleek “designer” flashlight that looks good and works extremely well.
The main draw here is the torch’s glow-in-the-dark capabilities, but it manages 300 lumens on high power and purports to avoid the hot spots, blind spots, and uneven dark areas that plague other lights. An ergonomic design allows for a strong grip, and the battery lasts 5 days if you keep the power on low.
A few flaws – the light is much bulkier than EDC lights, and you won’t be able to keep it on your person at all times. It also starts on max power mode when you click it on, so it can be a bit of a hassle if you want to use it around the house.
Conclusion
Overall, although we like all of the flashlights presented here, we think the Streamlight 88040 ProTac is the winner when comparing the best tactical flashlights. It is extremely bright and is also made of the best quality materials, so it will last you for years to come as you have adventures out in the wilderness.
Although it is slightly more expensive than some other tactical flashlights on the market, it provides so much more power than we think the price tag would be worth it in many cases.
When you are using a tactical flashlight, you need something that will help you stay aware of your surroundings the best you can. This flashlight has many different settings and a huge range of light. It is also very light and easy to carry around, so you never have to leave it behind when you are on the go.
Finally, its unique design is easy to hold and is highly resistant to water, which keeps your flashlight in good shape for a long time. Although it is a bit of an investment, we believe that the Streamlight 88040 ProTac is the best choice for your tactical flashlight needs.