What is a tactical flashlight and which are the best ones to get?

If you can’t seem to find a bright enough flashlight in stores, then we have two words for you — tactical flashlights. You can get a reasonably inexpensive tactical flashlight that will last you for years, no matter what you put it through. Or, if your tactical flashlight needs are more demanding than simple, everyday use, you can splurge and get a tactical flashlight full of powerful features.

What is a tactical flashlight?

A tactical flashlight differs from a regular flashlight in brightness, durability, and the ability to use it for self-defense. Tactical lights can benefit hunters and hikers who need to illuminate long distances. Even if you’re not a hiker or a hunter, a tactical flashlight can still be helpful in everyday life. We’ve researched, found the best flashlight brands, and rounded up the six best tactical flashlights you can buy right now.

The best tactical flashlights

Editor’s note: We’ll be updating this list of the best tactical flashlights regularly as new options launch.

Feyachi WL25 Professional Tactical Flashlight

The woods can be dark and dangerous. Your weapon should keep you safe, but it doesn’t fix the darkness issue. The Feyachi WL25 Professional Tactical Flashlight should be a great addition to your gear. It can mount on your rifle, which you’re already carrying anyway.

This accessory features a powerful 1,200-lumen flashlight, which you can control with a remote pressure switch. It’s also incredibly durable, built with type III tactical-grade anodized aluminum alloy, which is strong and light. It’s also water-resistant, so rain shouldn’t be a problem.

Vont LED Tactical Flashlight

The Vont LED Tactical Flashlight isn’t the most powerful light at 400 lumens, but it’s small, portable, robust, and very convenient. Not only that, but you get two units for a very reasonable price.

Check out: 5 best emergency apps for Android and other tips too

The manufacturer claims it’s “virtually indestructible.” It has been tested against freezing, underwater submersion, and has even been run over by a full-size truck. The zooming mechanism is also very convenient, as you can choose to flood an area with light or focus on a specific area.

Fenix PD35 TAC

The Fenix PD35 TAC is a lightweight and compact option, but it still packs quite the punch when it comes to brightness. Excluding the battery, this tactical flashlight weighs 3.1 ounces, so it barely adds any weight to your backpack while hiking or camping. It has a 1,000-lumen maximum and boasts that its Cree XP-L LED has a lifespan of 50,000 hours.

This flashlight has an intelligent memory circuit that remembers and uses the light mode you were last using. One of the remarkable things about the Fenix PD35 TAC is Eco mode. In Eco mode, you still get plenty of brightness, but the flashlight’s battery will last you 150 hours. Eco mode is excellent for more generic flashlight needs like hiking, power outages, etc.

The flashlight also has Turbo mode, which is bright enough to be used as a stun weapon or illuminate a considerable distance in front of you.

ThruNite BSS V4

ThruNite’s BSS V4 tactical flashlight is seriously bright. The flashlight can generate 2,523 lumens, and the light can reach up to 820ft.

It has various modes, all with different lumen settings. One of the more valuable modes is Firefly mode, with a 0.4-lumen setting that mimics moonlight. This gives you a small amount of light to allow you to protect your eyes when reading a map or a book at night.

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The flashlight is made of aluminum, so it’s very resistant. It’s also IPx8 certified, so it can resist getting wet. And there’s no need to worry about batteries, as this unit is rechargeable.

Streamlight 69260 TLR-1 HL

If you’re looking for a tactical flashlight to attach to a handgun, go with the Streamlight 69260 TLR-1 HL. It’s designed for “Glock-style” weapons, and the one-handed “snap-on and tighten” interface keeps your hands away from the muzzle when attaching and detaching the tactical light.

The Streamlight 69260 is durably made with aircraft aluminum and produces 1,000 lumens with C4 LED light technology. Its TIR optic generates a concentrated light beam that can reach up to 283 meters. The HL, or High Lumen, series of Streamlight tactical flashlights provide maximum illumination for smaller areas where you need a lot of light, but you don’t need to see a super long distance away. The battery has an estimated 1.75 hour run time.

Streamlight 88081 ProTac HL 5-X

Like the other Streamlight flashlight, the 88081 ProTac HL 5-X also utilizes C4 LED technology to power its concentrated light beam. This flashlight takes things to another level, though, outputting 3,500 lumens of brightness.

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This tactical flashlight is also amazingly built, constructed with anodized aluminum. It’s also waterproof to a meter for 30 minutes. It’s a larger flashlight, but the added size is worth it for all that brightness.

Anker Ultra-Bright Tactical Flashlight

You’ve heard of Anker, right? It’s a very popular smartphone accessory brand that makes other great survival products. The Anker Ultra-Bright Tactical Flashlight is outstanding. It features a bright 1,300-lumen brightness, produced by three Cree LEDs. Apparently, it can reach as much as 1,200ft.

See also: Zerohour Relic XR, for all your portable charger in a tactical flashlight needs

This tactical flashlight is said to last for six hours, thanks to its 5,000mAh battery. The aluminum body is shock-resistant, as well as IPx7 certified.

Willuck Tactical Pen

The other best tactical flashlights are great, but they don’t work well as multitools. The Willuck Tactical Pen does, and it’s an amazingly convenient gadget. It packs a lot of accessories in a super portable and light body. Some include a light, whistle, glass breaker, pen, and a four-in-one general multitool. The manufacturer also throws in a multitool card if you need more functionality.

What’s best is that you get all of this at a very accessible price point. It can make for a great gift too.

Do you need more help staying safe out during your adventures? Your smartphone could be the best tool, simply because information is so powerful. We have guides for the best hunting apps and the best survival apps. Give them a read!