Selecting a High Power LED Flashlight
When I got into selling flashlights many years ago, 150 lumen flashlights were just about all one could afford for under $50.00. They were flashlights using the older incandescent bulbs that broke easily and got hot. Thankfully this technology is just about extinct. Incandescent bulbs have been replaced with low power consumption, high output, more efficient Cree and Luxeon LEDs (that look more like a circuit board chip). Efficiency means getting more brightness (lumens) or runtime and many of these flashlights range from 250 to 500+ lumens.
Purchasing Considerations: When purchasing a flashlight, determine what you will use it for, the size of the flashlight, and replacement batteries. Does it use rechargeables, AAA, AA, CR123, CR2, etc? How long do the batteries last?
Does it need to be weapons mountable or military grade for impact, water and corrosive atmosphere resistant, use a remote on/off pressure switch? Do you need a strobe that is used to confuse an attacker? How about SOS in case you get lost? What’s the warranty? I could go on and on.
Bright Light or Distance: Consider how much the flashlight concentrates the light into a spot and how far it throws the light, plus the size and quality of the light circle the flashlight casts. A flashlight that’s great for close-up work may not be effective for hunting, checking the house or mounting on your pistol, rifle or shotgun. Many of the tactical flashlights offered at Gunner Security throw a beam over 600 feet and are rated at 500 lumens+.
Construction and Size: Bodies with the most durable finish cost more. Among aluminum bodies, Anodize type 3 is the hardest, but Anodize type 2 is tough enough for most users. Powder coating is least durable. Among the plastic/polymer bodies, price is a good clue to durability. A good body tube diameter is 1”, allowing you to purchase a standard Picatinny or weaver mount to attach your flashlight to a shotgun, AK or M-15.
Reflector: You hear a lot about “orange peel,” dimpled or textured reflectors. This design usually smooths out the beam and displays a large even pattern at all distances. A smooth reflector tends to concentrate the light more in the center so the light looks bright. The flashlight that’s built into the Viridian C5L and X5L green dot lasers range between 100 to 187 lumens, but due the size and smooth reflector, they are a lot brighter than you think. Determining what reflector is in the flashlight helps you select a flashlight based on whether you want maximum brightness in the center or a smoother gradation to the edge of the light circle.
Price: I started off buying flashlights advertised with all of the right claims (mostly on e-bay) only to find out many were junk, and I forgot the “you get what you pay for” rule. Prices for a high quality, tactical flashlight with a lifetime warranty usually start around $70. Just to get an idea of what’s out there, you can check out my high quality flashlights with a many of the above mentioned items at Gunner Security
- Olight is ranked as a fantastic flashlight with all of the Military spec/weapons grade durability with many outstanding features.
- iTP is the consumer model that has many great features but are not weapons grade.
- NEBO is the consumer model that has many great features (including a zoom lens) but are not weapons grade.
- Rail Mount flashlights can be mounted on pistols, AK’s, M-15 etc. and can take a pounding.
- Red Laser & Flash Light Combos you can also check out the high powered flashlight and red laser combos
- Green Laser & Flash Light Combos super durable and high end flashlight and green lasers combos are also available