The Features That Your Tactical LED Flashlight Must Have

The benefit of owning a tactical LED flashlight is that it can serve a range of purposes both inside and outside your home. From lighting up a bike trail through the woods to blinding an intruder/attacker, and from helping you find keys lost in your purse to sending an emergency light signal that will attract attention—a tactical flashlight should be able to handle it all.

In order to come through when used for such varying tasks, your tactical LED flashlight will need to have certain “must have” features. So, if you are going to buy a flashlight, here is a look at the features that you should not compromise on.

Should be very bright!

Although on paper a difference of 100 lm may not seem like a lot, when coupled with the right assembly, an increase of a hundred lumens can make a significant difference. As far as a visual reference of performance goes, think of it this way—you will need about 150-200 lm to light up a mid-sized room.

If you need to illuminate your entire backyard, you need a flashlight that delivers around 500-600 lm. But, if you want to light a dark path in front of you up to 200 meters, you need 600 to 700 lm. This kind of performance can be reached with the U2 bin LEDs, using an advanced electrical circuit, driving the LED so as to be able to reach the 600-700 lumen values. Now it does look confusing because there is so many XML T6 LEDs flashlights sold on the market claiming to have 1,000 or even more lumens, so what is so great about 700 lumens? Well, unfortunately, these flashlight will not give you this promised lumen output; they will give you on average only…325lumens.

Fortunately, companies such as Brightex Technologies test flashlights. So if you are looking for a  powerful brightest tactical flashlight, make sure that the lumens claims are backed up by an independent lab test results.

With that light output, the tactical LED flashlight should have different operating modes

What if you want to check the map in your hand? Indeed, you won’t need 500 lm of brightness for that. In fact, the brilliant beam will blind you. So, it is imperative for a tactical LED flashlight to have different operating modes. At the least, look for low, average/medium, and high light output modes. If you can also get SOS and strobe modes with these, the product is a winner!

Lightweight and easy to use

The last thing you need in an emergency situation is a large flashlight that refuses to come on and one that calls for the utilization of both hands just to get it to zoom in and out. In fact, a tactical flashlight should be so light and easy to use that it should not turn into an impediment in any sense of the word when you are confronted by dangerous situation.

A tactical flashlight also has to be sturdy enough to withstand physical shocks and environmental elements. So, look for a flashlight that has a casing made from aircraft grade aluminum, a material that is both lightweight and durable. It should also be waterproof to protect the electrical assembly and LED inside. Unfortunately, many flashlights claim to have the waterproof ability, but in reality, only the battery compartment will be protected while the LED will usually be left without any waterproof protection.

Belt Clip/Holster

A tactical LED flashlight always needs to be readily available so you can use it immediately in any tactical situation. Having a belt clip or a holster will ensure exactly that.

What’s your experience with a tactical LED flashlight?

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