Camping, power outages, emergencies and survival situations: With so many times when you'll need a flashlight, it's smart to have a few on hand. You may not be sure which flashlights are right for your needs, and there are just a few things you should know about how to buy flashlights. This flashlight buying guide was designed to help you evaluate your options and choose the flashlights that are right for you.
Flashlights are available in many variations, and your level of interest in technology will determine how you evaluate flashlights. The most important thing to do is choose the right type of light source for the right situation.
New types of flashlights have come out recently, but traditional styles still have their good qualities.
Incandescent bulbs: These flashlights have been around the longest and are often the least expensive. The lamp produced is usually bright, but this type of light wastes energy by producing heat. Batteries and bulbs don't last very long in these flashlights.
LED lights: Light-emitting diodes are a type of semiconductor. LED flashlights have a long life because they waste very little energy making heat. LED flashlights have no glass or filament, making them very durable. Both the batteries and the bulbs in LED lamps have a much longer life than incandescent bulb flashlights, but this may require a higher initial cost. Originally only available in colored lights, LED flashlights are now available in a "white" light (which is actually more of a bluish light). Many people find this light to be very natural, while others are more used to the yellow light of electric lights.
HID: High Intensity Discharge bulbs have an electric current which passes through an arranged ball of ionized gas. These flashlights aren't as common as others and are bulky and often expensive, but they produce a very bright light that cuts through the darkness lilke a knife, with a long lasting bulb.
Xenon, Halogen and Krypton bulbs: Some incandescent bulbs are filled with a pressurized gas, which helps extend the life of the filament inside, so the bulb burns brighter without running down the batteries any faster. Currently, these are the brightest flashlights available, although they are not as rugged or long-lasting as LED flashlights.
Other types of lights
Shake flashlights: You may have heard of these Faraday flashlights, which are named after the man who discovered the electromagnetic principle. By shaking the magnets inside the flashlight for about a minute, you get several hours of LED light. The light isn't very bright, but the lack of batteries means that these flashlights will always be ready, making them perfect for an emergency situation. Be careful with shake flashlights: The powerful magnets can damage computers, credit card strips and pacemakers.
Headlamps: The hands-free convenience of headlamps has made them a popular alternative or addition to flashlights, especially for hikers and bicyclists. Like flashlights, headlamps are available with different types of bulbs. Many headlamps are adjustable to various levels of brightness and to different angles, making them perfect for all sorts of activities that require free hands. Another great small source of light is a penlight, which can be carried in a pocket like a pen.
Lanterns: For a more ambient glow while camping or during a power outage, a lantern can be an efficient alternative to a flashlight.
| Fuel-burning lanterns | Brightest light | Require ventilation, noisy, hot, needs replacement mantles |
| Electric lanterns (LED, fluorescent or incandescent) | Quiet, no exhaust, safe | Require batteries |
| Candle lanterns | Attractive light, inexpensive, lightweight, quiet | Not very bright, can be a fire hazard |
Aluminum: Aluminum flashlights are rugged and long-lasting. They can be a bit more expensive and heavy, but the weight can be comforting when you are checking out a bump in the night. You can also find mini flashlights with aluminum casings, and these are perfect for stashing in a purse or glove box.
Plastic: Inexpensive and lightweight, plastic flashlights are perfect for light use. If you only need a flashlight when you change a fuse in the basement or look for a dropped earring behind a dresser, plastic flashlights are sufficient.
The beam pattern will affect the way you can use flashlights and headlamps, so you'll want choose the right one for the job or keep a variety available.
Spots: give a narrow, long, fixed amount of light; good for finding a route.
Floods: give a wide, fixed amount of light; good for slow night hiking or stationary tasks such as working on a car or bicycle.
Adjustable: let you switch between spots and floods; good for times when you may need both types of light, such as when camping.
Strobes: give a pulsing beam of light; good for search and rescue. Strobes are more common on headlamps than flashlights.
Flashlight maintenance is usually no more than occasionally changing batteries and light bulbs. Be sure to use the batteries that are designated for your flashlights. Using lithium batteries in flashlights that are not intended for them can cause damage to your flashlights. For more information on batteries, be sure to read our Batteries Buying Guide.
Half-life brightness: a measure of a flashlight's brightness when the batteries are 50 percent drained. Only some flashlights will have this technical specification noted.
Lumens: a measurement of the intensity of light. There are many different ways to measure lumens, so most flashlights and headlamps will not give this specification.
Lux: a measurement of the amount of light that falls on a surface, often measured at two meters because that's about where light falls when holding a flashlight straight in front of you. As a standard, the full moon is considered to be 0.25 lux.
Waterproof: indicates that a flashlight can be submersed in shallow water for a short period of time.
Water-resistant: indicates that rain or water splashes will not damage a flashlight.
Which are the best lights for camping?
You'll probably want a variety of lights for camping. For use at the camp site, lanterns will be the best choice because they spread light over a large area. Each camper will want to have a flashlight for walks to the water fountain or restrooms. If you'll be doing any night hiking, you'll want a headlamp. If you'll be star gazing but want a flashlight to view a sky map, a blue or green LED flashlight will light up the map without taking away from the view.
Which flashlights shoudl I have ready for emergencies?
A shake flashlight is great for emergencies, like earthquakes or hurricanes, because you won't need to worry about batteries. If there is a long power outage, however, you may want the brighter light of a regular flashlight or even a lantern. To always be prepared, keep a rechargeable flashlight charged and ready.
So, why are they called flashlights?
When flashlights were first invented in the late 19th century, the carbon filaments inside the bulbs weren't very reliable and would only work in brief flashes. The name stuck (at least in North America -- elsewhere, English-speakers call them "torches") even though advancements now let you keep flashlights on for much longer than just a flash.
Outdoor adventures
Are you buying flashlights for a camping trip? There are a lot of other things you may need as well. From sleeping bags, to tents, to camping stoves and more, getting away from it all can get a bit expensive. You'll find all of the outdoor gear you need here on Overstock.com so you can go camping without spending all of your money.
Light up your target
If your idea of outdoor sports involves game hunting, then a tactical flashlight will be helpful for you. Tactical flashlights mount right onto your gun and shine right where it's pointed, giving you a clear view. You'll find your tactical flashlights and other hunting gear when you're on Overstock.com.
Wish upon a star
Take your flashlight out on a night hike to a good spot for star gazing and check out the sky with a pair of binoculars. Once you have hiked out far enough, you'll be amazed at how many stars you can see. You'll find the perfect astronomical binoculars in the optics store on Overstock.com.
