Photo from Shutterstock

Originally Posted On: https://apesurvival.com/blogs/survival-skills/what-makes-a-good-tactical-flashlight

Tactical flashlights are an excellent option for lighting that also serves as personal protection and self-defense. You know how important a good flashlight is if you’re a camper, biker, night jogger, or hiker. Imagine if the same light could also offer you peace of mind knowing you could defend yourself against an attack if you had to.

A tactical led flashlight is useful self-defense equipment. It can emit light intense enough to discourage an attacker, disorient them optically, or be employed as a blunt force self-defense weapon. They’re frequently used as a daily carry or mounted on a gun to illuminate a target.

Law enforcement, search and rescue teams, military personnel, and many other professionals use most tactical flashlights. Tactical light are not just for emergencies either; they can also be used for camping or providing illumination during power outages. It should generally offer a high level of brightness and the ability to produce an adjustable beam distance. Several features make up an excellent tactical flashlight design. We will go over this one by one in this blog post, so you know what to look for when purchasing your next tactical flashlight and to know the best tactical flashlight for you!

Here are 7 Things that Make a Good Tactical Flashlight

Your tactical flashlight should ideally be small, sturdy, have higher brightness, and last longer. If it’s not one of those, it’s just a regular household flashlight.

Before you consider a flashlight to be tactical, keep the following in mind:

Small and Compact

You want something tiny and portable that you can take with you almost anyplace. Your tactical flashlight should be small enough to fit in your palm. The size of your flashlight should be no larger than your hand.

This is a matter of personal opinion, but paying attention to the grip and size of your tactical flashlight while purchasing it will pay off in the long run. You should also choose a tactical light that has a pocket clip, making it convenient for carrying.

Light Output

A tactical flashlight must emit enough light to cause an enemy to become disoriented. Therefore, a flashlight with at least 120 lumens is recommended.

The lumen is just a measurement of the total amount of light that the flashlight produces. Lumens are frequently confused with watts, which refers to the amount of electricity utilized by the light.

The higher the lumen output of your flashlight, the more light it provides overall. Next, the lens or reflector will determine the light’s film projection and how the total lumens are utilized, impacting brightness. Most flashlights have lumens ranging from 20 (which is very low and ideal for reading books in the dark) to 1000-2000. Some flashlights advertise even higher lumens. However, due to the heat sinks and batteries required to support such output, the flashlight must be giant to adequately and efficiently reach anything brighter for a meaningful amount of time (more than short bursts).

Variable brightness output levels are common in tactical flashlights, so look for one with this functionality. This will allow you to adjust the lumen output based on the situation. Because these flashlights are so bright, high power will quickly deplete a battery. Hence multiple modes are necessary to provide the user with options that will allow them to go longer between battery charges or swaps.

Waterproof

A tactical flashlight should be able to function in any weather condition. It should be waterproof not to get damaged when used in the rain or other damp environments.

Ruggedly Constructed

Your tactical flashlight should be constructed of tough, long-lasting materials that won’t easily bend, break, or fracture. It should ideally be built of aircraft-grade aluminum. It’s a heavy metal that’s also light.

Look for anodized aluminum, stainless steel, or titanium flashlights. These metals are sturdy and long-lasting, so they won’t easily break if dropped on hard surfaces like concrete.

Additionally, employing heavy metals will make it more durable, allowing you to use it as a weapon to defend yourself against assailants if you don’t have a weapon on you.

LED Bulb Type

The absolute best solution is to utilize LED lamps. Incandescent lamps waste a lot of electricity. LED bulbs last substantially longer than incandescent bulbs and consume significantly less power. LEDs are also durable and built to last, unlike incandescent bulbs, which break when dropped.

Light Modes

A good tactical flashlight should have a strobe mode to flash the light at random intervals. If the light is too bright, it can create an annoying glare and cause everyone in its path to become disoriented. You can also use it to send out codes to signal for assistance.

Battery

Your flashlight’s runtime, light output, and overall performance can all be influenced by the type of battery it uses. Tactical flashlights use a variety of batteries, although Lithium-Ion batteries are renowned for lasting longer than others. But you should always choose a rechargeable tactical flashlight!

Conclusion

This article outlines all of the considerations you should make before purchasing a tactical flashlight.

A tactical flashlight is an excellent addition to your self-defense arsenal. It can not only provide the necessary illumination in a dangerous scenario, but it can also act as the first line of defense against an assailant. And it accomplishes all of this without appearing to be a threat to others.

Tactical flashlights can be employed in various situations, including emergencies, nighttime illumination, and signaling for assistance. You must, however, know how to use them properly, or they will work against you.

Your tactical flashlight should also be tiny and compact, waterproof, have multiple light settings, be ruggedly constructed, have a high light output and long battery life. If you’re looking for a tactical flashlight, here at ApeSurvival have the best tactical flashlights that you can choose from for survival and emergencies! Check out on our site today.