Highest Rated Tactical Flashlights – Our Top Picks For 2018
The “tactical technology” is the newest trend when it comes to LED flashlights – it indicates that these devices were made with the professional-level planning and out of some sturdy, military-grade materials. If you’re a police officer, hunter, survivalist, fireman, or a fisherman, these gadgets can give you a bright beam of light in all kinds of situations, which can be pretty handy and even life-saving.
But, with so many different models on the market, it can be really hard to find a good tactical flashlight that will suit your needs the best. Have no worries – we’re here to help you out!
Top Rated Products On The Market
| Product | Brightness | Battery |
|---|---|---|
| 400 lm | 3 AAA | |
| 1.200 lm | 18650 lithium-ion, AAA alkaline |
|
| 1.000 lm | 18650 lithium-ion, 3 AAA |
|
| 300 lm | 14500 Lithium-ion, AAA alkaline |
|
| 1.300 lm | 18650 lithium-ion |
J5 Hyper V Tactical Flashlight – We Highly Recommend
As it is incredibly affordable and highly functional, it’s no wonder that the J5 Hyper V Tactical Flashlight is so popular with the users. It comes with a number of pretty interesting features, and it’s time for use to take a closer look at them.
- Brightness: 400 lm
- Material: Aluminium Alloy
- Batery: 3 AAA
- Size: 5 x 1.6 x 1.6 inches
- Weight: 3.7 oz
OVERALL RATING: 4.5/5
FEATURES:
One of the best things about this tactical flashlight is its design – even though that isn’t exactly relevant, we can safely say that everyone will like the durable, sturdy look of the J5 Hyper V. It comes in pitch-black color with a big logo on the side, and it looks fantastic, in our opinion. The LED bulb of this device can produce a very intense beam of light that can shine well up to the distance of 800 feet, thanks to the max output of 400 lumens. That can come in pretty handy in all kinds of situations.
The flashlight has a few light modes – strobe, high, and low, which are there to disorientate the possible would-be attackers and help you illuminate the distant objects. It runs on three standard AAA batteries, which, unfortunately, are not included in the package. It also has an adjustable focus range which you can stretch when needed, the belt clip for the convenient carrying, and the useful attack head with a pointy edge.
It’s really surprising how many useful features one gets by purchasing such an affordable tactical flashlight – the J5 Hyper V has everything that an outdoor adventurer might need, but it can also be used by the people of other professions as well. We highly recommend it – it’s one of the best devices of this type out there!
- Great design and quality
- Three modes, strobe light included
- Adjustable Zoom
- Ultra-thin and loose belt clip.
Solaray Pro Zx-1 Tactical Series Professional Flashlight
Next up is Solaray’s popular PRO ZX-1 model, well-known for its brightness and useful features. Even though it’s a bit pricey, this tactical flashlight definitely deserves to be considered for purchase – let’s check out why!
- Brightness: 1.200 lm
- Material: Aluminum Alloy + DTP MCPCB
- Batery: 18650 lithium-ion or AAA alkaline
- Size: 6.2 x 1.1 x 1.5 inches
- Weight: 4.96 oz
OVERALL RATING: 4.4/5
FEATURES:
The SOLARAY PRO ZX-1 has a reinforced outer body, which is made out of waterproof aircraft-grade aluminum and is extremely durable. Needless to say, that is always a big plus in our book. The same could be said about the lens, which won’t crack when you drop it. That sounds great, right?
All of the features doesn’t make the flashlight heavy – remember, the aluminum which is used for making these devices is lighter than other metals. The XML T6 chip inside this unit is capable of producing up to 200 lumens, allowing you to see the objects that are 150 yards away in the total darkness. There are five different operating modes here – small, mid-range, and the high beam, as well as the tactical and the SOS beam.
All of this runs on the 3000 mAh rechargeable battery, which means that you won’t run out of juice soon after you start using the flashlight. And let’s not forget that this device comes in a very neatly packed kit. Besides the flashlight, it also contains a wall charger, a small solar-powered keychain flashlight, a wrist strap, and two rechargeable batteries.
All in all, we can safely say that the SOLARAY PRO ZX-1 is certainly worth the money – it is super-bright and highly durable, and comes with a handy kit that contains some additional goodies. We can do nothing else but recommend it!
- Super-bright and highly durable
- Comes with handy kit
- Worth the money
- Includes multiple lighting modes
- Ridged bezel is excellent for defense
- Doesn’t remember the last used mode
- Getting warm after 3 minutes
- Bulb warranty is bad
Peakplus Super Bright Led Tactical Flashlight Zoomable Adjustable
PeakPlus is well-known for their quality tactical flashlights, and here we have another one – The Super Bright LED Tactical Flashlight is an incredible piece if hardware, and one that will suit the needs of those with smaller budgets. We’ve decided to have a closer look at it – join us!
- Brightness: 1.000 lm
- Material: Aluminum Alloy
- Batery: 18650 lithium-ion or 3 AAA
- Size: 5.3 x 1.6 x 1.1 inches
- Weight: 11.2 oz
OVERALL RATING: 4.4/5
FEATURES:
The body of this popular device is made out of aluminum alloy, making the device water-resistant, anti-abrasive, and, above all – highly durable. It has been built to withstand drops and shocks of all sorts, and it fared very well on our “dropping” test. This makes the flashlight highly suitable for the outdoor activities, such as hiking, camping, and fishing. The chip inside this gadget has the capacity to produce 1,000 lumens, which is pretty impressive in our opinion and definitely deserves special praise. The users can use the zoom function (x1 / x250 / x500 / x1000 / x2000). The Soft-touch Tail Switch allows on/off mode and multiple brightness settings – full, low, strobe, and the SOS mode.
The estimated lifespan of the flashlight’s LED lamp is around 100,000 hours, and its light can reach between 200 and 400 meters of distance. It is an advantage that can be pretty useful in some situations. The flashlight comes in the so-called PeakPlus kit, which contains things such as the battery holder and the sleeve, the charger, the extra rechargeable battery, as well as the user manual.
Coming at an affordable price and bringing powerful brightness, useful features, and the additional goodies inside the kit, the PeakPlus Super Bright LED Tactical Flashlight is among the best products of this type we’ve reviewed so far, and we think that buying it can’t really turn out as a mistake.
- Affordable price
- Durable construction
- Powerful brightness
- Ability to withstand aggressive use
- Offer five lighting modes
- Additional goodies inside the kit
- It takes a lot of time to charge it.
Ecogear Fx E300-3 Bright Mini Tactical Led Flashlight
If you’re looking for a cheap but functional tactical flashlight, this might be the one you’ve been searching for – the EcoGear FX comes at an incredibly affordable price, but it still features a quality build and some interesting traits that make this gadget worth considering for purchase.
- Brightness: 300 lm
- Material: Aircraft-grade Aluminum
- Batery: 14500 Lithium-ion or AAA alkaline
- Size: 3.6 x 1.1 x 1.1 inches
- Weight: 2.1 oz
OVERALL RATING: 4.4/5
FEATURES:
Even though it’s so cheap, the EcoGear FX has been constructed out of premium materials – the aircraft-grade aluminum alloy has been the primary material here, and makes the gadget as durable as it gets. The frontal part of the flashlight has the striking bezel, which can come in very handy in the case of emergency, and there’s also a rugged clip which allows the user to carry the gadget on his belt.
One thing that really surprised us here is the high-quality CREE LED chip, which can deliver some 300 lumens of light and illuminate the dark areas very efficiently – we certainly didn’t expect something like that from such a cheap flashlight. By pressing the tail cap, you can quickly change the light mode, and there are three of them – high, low, and strobe. There’s also the zoom feature, which is operated by pulling the device’s barrel back and forth.
This affordable tactical flashlight is a perfect solution for people who need a cheap source of light for their camping adventures, general household use, as well as for the personal security and the emergency situations. Its price doesn’t really affect the quality and the features – it certainly deserves our big recommendation!
- Durable construction
- Delivers ultra-bright light
- 3 different preset light modes
- Doesn’t come with the extra features.
Supernova Guardian 1300xl Tactical Flashlight
This is the most expensive tactical flashlight that we have reviewed so far – can its features justify the price? With an incredible build quality, powerful LED bulb, and a number of useful characteristics, we can already say that the Supernova Guardian 1300XL is something worth checking out.
- Brightness: 1.300 lm
- Material: Aluminum Alloy
- Batery: 18650 lithium-ion
- Size: 7 x 2.1 x 2.1 inches
- Weight: 5.1 oz
OVERALL RATING: 4.4/5
FEATURES:
he 1300X has a pretty nice design – it comes in black color and has a big white logo on the side. It weighs 5.1 ounces and has the length of 6.2 inches, fitting comfortably in the hand of an average size. The body is made out of the brushed aluminum alloy, which makes it lightweight but still heavy enough for the self-defense (more on that later). This material also makes the 1300X shock proof and scratch resistant, which is pretty important if you’re going to use it in the remote areas.
The LED bulb used here is the powerful CREE XM-L U2, which can produce some 1300 lumens of output, and is exceptionally bright and useful. The bulb is surrounded by the rigid strike bezel made out of stainless steel, which can be used against the would-be attackers. There are five operating modes here, while the battery allows over 4 hours continuous use which is pretty impressive.
The Supernova Guardian 1300XL is the gadget to go for if you have a bigger budget – it’s a lightweight but sturdy flashlight that produces 1300 lumens of bright light, and has a very efficient battery that will get you through the day. The best thing about this product is that it is backed by a five-year warranty. What more could one ask for?
- Batteries are easy to replace
- Comes with a removable belt clip
- Good price for LED torch
- 5-year warranty
- The operation switch seems a little soft.
2 IN 1 TACTICAL GEAR
K1 Tactical Flashlight Knife
What would happen if we would combine a good tactical flashlight with a sharp knife? We’d get one highly functional survival gadget, of course! And that’s exactly what K1 Tactical Flashlight Knife is – a product that breaks the rules and a perfect choice for all outdoor enthusiasts. Let’s have a look at it!
- Brightness: 800 lm
- Material: Aluminum Alloy
- Batery: 18650 lithium-ion
- Length of knife: 3.5 inches
OVERALL RATING: 4.4/5
FEATURES:
The design of this gadget is pretty impressive, as it combines the standard black color with some green elements, making it look very attractive. The K1 can, actually, be combined in three different ways, depending on how long you want the flashlight to be. It can produce some 800 lumens of bright light and has three brightness levels that are easy to adjust depending on the need. There are also three different operation modes (strobe/low/high) and the adjustable beam focus, and the whole flashlight part of this device has been made out of quality aluminum alloy, ensuring durability and sturdiness.
The knife, on the other hand, is 7.6 inches long and is very sharp, having a serrated part and being very useful for hikers, hunters, and all sorts of outdoors adventurers. There’s also the attack hammer, as well as the standard charging adapter and a single 18650 battery.
As you can see, this interesting gadget will not only help you to illuminate the dark areas but also to cut all sorts of materials when needed and can be of great help when it comes to self-defense. We think that the Kootek did an excellent job here, and give this product our recommendation.
- Multiple purposes
- Long lasting rechargeable batteries
- The blade packs very light when sheathed
- USB charge cord included
- Does not grip very firmly.
Tactical Flashlight Buying Guide
People are using the tactical flashlights for all kinds of uses – both the everyday ones and in the hazardous situations. These devices can help you to illuminate the dark areas by using their powerful LED bulbs and are small and lightweight enough to be used as EDC items. And since they’re so useful, you should never approach to purchasing one without some knowledge about them – about the material they were made out of, about their strobe settings, their ergonomics, and other things. We’re here to help you out – read this buying guide and buying the tactical flashlight will be much easier!
The Material
The manufacturers are making their tactical flashlights out of all kinds of materials, like aluminum, anodized aluminum, or the plastic. The plastic is, actually, the material that’s used the most, but we advise you to avoid it – nothing beats the superior strength and the lightness advantages of the aluminum.
The anodized aluminum is even better – the flashlights made out of this material will have an additional layer of the aluminum oxide on their outer surfaces, which will toughen the whole gadget and make it more resistant to all kinds of scratches and scrapes. So, go for the flashlights made out of anodized aluminum.
The Weight
One would think that buying one of those heavy tactical flashlights is a better option since they pack more power with their bigger batteries and can be used for the longer periods of time.
But, the situation is, actually, quite different – the lightweight flashlights are easier to carry around and to maneuver with, which can be very important in the situations in which you need some light as quickly as possible. You can also hold them for a long time without any fatigue, and they are easy to mount on the hunting weapons.
The Leds
Purchasing a tactical flashlight that uses one of those standard light bulbs can turn out to be a great mistake very quickly – these bulbs burn out very fast and are incredibly easy to break. Even the slightest impact will shatter the thin filament and leave you in the darkness, and you certainly don’t want that to happen.
And that is precisely why should you look for the tactical flashlight with a LED bulb – the LED bulbs easily survive all sorts of impacts, which makes them reliable in the hazardous situations. They also have a much longer lifespan that the standard bulbs.
The Lumens
To put it simply, the greater the number of its lumens is, the brighter the beam that your flashlight produces will be. If the short-range illumination is the thing that you’re searching for, go for one of those simpler devices with 30 to 50 lumens.
If you’re in a need of the long-distance illumination (for activities such as search & rescue) you’ll need a tactical flashlight with 200 to 300 lumens. And if you’d like to dazzle the burglars with a very bright beam of light, you’ll need a device that generates over 500 lumens.
The Strobe Settings
Many manufacturers are adding the strobe settings to their tactical flashlights, and this feature is, in our opinion, is not as important as the other ones are. The reason behind this is the fact that the rapid blinking can impede not only the attacker but the user also, giving both persons short glimpses of the current situation and putting them in the same position.
If your plan is to scare off the attackers, purchasing the high-lumen flashlight is a much better choice, as it will dazzle the opponent but give you a steady illumination of the scene.
The Battery Types
A tactical flashlight cannot work without a source of energy, and that’s what the batteries are there for. In most of the cases, the users can choose between the rechargeable and the disposable batteries. The disposable ones will function even when there’s no outlet around for recharging, but you’ll always need several packs of them for the replacement.
The rechargeable batteries, on the other hand, can function many times over – but you’ll always have to use an electric plug to recharge them. Eventually, they will also fail and become unusable.
As you can see, there are many things that you should take into consideration before you buy your first tactical flashlight. Skipping some of these points could cause you to end up with a flashlight that doesn’t produce a bright enough beam of light, has a poor battery, or comes with the standard light bulb that could break on the slightest impact.
Approach the purchase carefully, and you’ll end up with a gadget that will serve you for years, helping you to illuminate the dark areas whenever needed. Check out our reviews and find the right model for yourself!
CONCLUSION
People used sources of light to illuminate the dark areas for thousands of years, and doing that is now easier than ever before. The flashlights have been around for quite some time now, but only in the recent decades have they become so sophisticated and powerful that they deserve full in-depth reviews of their own. The tactical flashlights of today pack a lot of power and can illuminate hundreds of meters of the area in front of the user, turning the night into day in a matter of seconds. These useful devices can also help you dazzle the burglars in your home and the animals in the wilderness, and often come with some very useful additional features such as belt clips, attack bezels, glass breakers and compasses, and allow you to focus the beam of light and to change the way in which it illuminates the scene.
With so many uses and functions, they have become the irreplaceable gadgets – every household should have one, and we don’t even have to mention how crucial they can be for the outdoor adventurers. If you’ve decided to finally purchase one for yourself, read our unbiased and honest reviews of the best tactical flashlights that are currently on the market, and you’ll certainly find one that suits your needs the best!
Our Verdict: What Is The Brightest Tactical Flashlight?
All of these tactical flashlights that we’ve tested are good in their own ways, but only one deserves to be the product of our choice. And that’s the J5 Hyper V Tactical Flashlight, which, in our opinion, stands as the perfect combination of the affordable price and the useful features. It has a fantastic design, a powerful LED bulb, different operating modes, as well as the good battery and the convenient attack head.
All of this makes it a gadget that’s worth the money, and we can do nothing else but give it our big recommendation.