What are The Criteria When Buying a Flashlight?

Here is a list of everything you need to think about when choosing a powerful flashlight :

The size

Tactical flashlights typically range from 4 to 5 inches in length. Medium-sized flashlights are 6-10 inches long, and a full sized flashlight (for safety) is longer than 10 inches.

The lens material

Borofloat glass is a high temperature resistant glass that offers good transparency. The anti-reflective coated glass produces a very bright beam, but is easily scratched.

Plastic is the cheapest type of lens and is easily scratched or damaged. The anti-scratch coated polycarbonate is shatterproof and scratch resistant without being too expensive.

Body design

Cylindrical flashlights are traditional, but have a tendency to roll (on the ground), while anti-roll flashlights use a flat bezel surface, asymmetric design, or anti-roll ring to prevent the light from rolling.

The switch can be placed in the head (common in larger models) or in the tail (common in tactical models). They will use either a button, switch, or magnetic ring to light up.

The heat sink

Heat sinks are typically built into the body of an aluminum flashlight, while polymer flashlights tend to use aluminum housings for heat dissipation (moving the bulb head away to extend life) .

The duration of the guarantee

A basic flashlight usually comes with a 1-5 year warranty, but higher quality flashlights often come with a lifetime manufacturer warranty.

Water resistance

There are several parameters to measure the tightness of the equipment: IPX4, IPX7, IPX8. IPX4 means water resistant and can be used in any weather. This is the most common resistance rating.

IPX7 means waterproof, so it can be submerged underwater (1 meter) for 30 minutes without permanent damage.

Ergonomics

An ergonomic flashlight is comfortable to hold for hours. It is a blend of light weight, easy to grip and comfortable on the wrists. Most flashlights are designed with some ergonomics, but you can find a wide range of specially designed ergonomic lights.

When to use a flashlight?

The flashlight can be used in many use cases:

Emergency situations

Lamps pocket is useful for obvious reasons. In the event of a power failure at night, it can provide you with light to find the way, or to find your phone. It is also essential equipment in survival kits .

During visits to the doctor

An ophthalmologist uses a flashlight to check your eyes, a dentist uses a flashlight to look at your teeth, and your attending physician examines your ears, nose, and mouth with one. The flashlight is the key to your diagnosis for many diseases.

You can use your flashlight at home to look at your throat in the mirror and see if it looks swollen when you have a sore throat.

During evening walks

Whether you like going for nighttime walks or your kids doing little things, you’ll need a flashlight to help you see the way ahead and stay safe. It serves as a mosquito repellent because the light scares away this kind of insects.

The different types of torches

There are several models of torches, but here are the types most often found on the market:

LED flashlights

Most flashlights today are “LED flashlights”, which means they use LED bulbs instead of the old incandescent bulbs. LED bulbs are cheaper and more reliable.

Most LED flashlights use one of the following Cree LED bulbs:

• XM-L (T6) / (U2), the bulb used in most LED flashlights, with a maximum output of around 700 lumens
• XR-E (R2), with approximately 300 lumens
• XP-E (R2), with around 300 lumens, but larger than the XR-E
• XP-G (R5) and XP-G2, which have higher lumen counts (500+) and better beam projection capabilities
• XP-C (Q4), an inexpensive low-power LED bulb prone to overheating (BAD!)
• XM-L2 U2 / U3, another common bulb with luminous flux above 1000 lumens.
• XP-L / HI, available since 2014, has a similar luminous flux of over 1000 lumens.

Tactical flashlights

Tactical flashlights are devices designed for military or police use. Some classic features of military and tactical flashlights include:

• The ability to be mounted on a weapon
• Higher lumen emissions
• Infrared system
• Compact size
• Made of military grade aluminum
• Hitting plate for melee combat
• Change tip placement to light up quickly
• Multiple lighting settings

Military tactical flashlights are generally the same, although some are designed for law enforcement and others for military purposes.

Ultra-bright flashlights

Also called “portable sun,” these flashlights emit extremely bright beams (over 3,000 lumens, some of which reach 8,500 lumens) like ultraviolet rays.

These are typically used by security guards, law enforcement, and the military, but they are not always designed with a “tactical” design. They are rechargeable with solar energy.

How to best maintain your flashlight?

They are important accessories in almost any emergency situation. It is essential that your flashlight is properly maintained so that it can function without incident or malfunction if any.

Make sure to keep your flashlight clean, free from grime or dirt. We recommend that you use an alcohol swab or other degreaser cleaner to remove impurities.

A toothbrush, Q-Tips, or other bristle brush will help you clean torches with grooves or slits. You can also use lubricating lotion to make your torch screw on and off easily.