Whether you are a police officer, a soldier, a security guard, a hunter, or an outdoor survivalist, a tactical flashlight is a multipurpose power-packed lighting tool that you can rely on to provide bright illumination in combat, emergency, or survival situations.
The 9 Best Tactical Flashlights
- GearLight High-Powered LED Flashlight
- SureFire G2X Series LED Flashlight
- Streamlight 69260 TLR-1 Tactical Weapon Mount Light
- Streamlight 88065 Pro Tac HL-X Professional Tactical Flashlight (Our Top Pick)
- SOLARAY Handheld LED Tactical Flashlight
- klarus XT11X Tactical Flashlight
- EcoGear FX Complete LED Tactical Flashlight Kit
- ThruNite BSS V4 Tactical Flashlight
- Anker LED Flashlight
Our Top Pick for the Best Tactical Flashlight
Our top pick for the best tactical flashlight is the Streamlight 88065 Pro Tac HL-X Professional Tactical Flashlight.
Whether you are an urban crime fighter, a hunter, or a hardcore outdoor enthusiast, the Streamlight Pro Tac HL-X Professional Tactical Flashlight is destined to be your new lighting buddy.
The Streamlight tactical flashlight provides a reliable, brilliant beam of light that can pierce the darkness and disorientate an offender. Its tough aluminum construction, smart technological features, and weapon mounting versatility make it an essential lighting tool for all sorts of combat, hunting, and survival-type situations.
Check the price on AmazonLight up the Darkness with A Tactical Flashlight
Tactical flashlights are specially designed for law enforcement or military personnel and hunters. However, they can be used for off-road camping or wilderness trekking, home or personal defense, walking the dog on a dark street, or even working on your car.
To find the right type of tactical flashlight to suit your lifestyle, here are some features to consider:
- Tough and almost indestructible aircraft or military-grade aluminum alloy with a black anodized finish or an extra-strong Nitrolon polymer body. Excellent impact and abrasion-resistance, with shockproof and skid-proof qualities
- Very good water resistance or waterproofing ratings such as IPX4, IPX5, IPX7, or IPX8. O-rings that stop any water or dust from damaging delicate internal components
- High powered LED bulbs that range from 300 lumens to an eye-popping 1200 lumens. Advanced lens design such as a C4 LED that has a specially engineered optic that produces a concentrated beam or a Cree bulb that contains a super-smart microchip, which delivers a crystal clear illumination and superior visibility
- A choice of lighting mode settings such as a single-output beam or an adjustable zoom lens for closeup and distance illumination, or multiple lighting modes such as an emergency strobe, SOS, or beacon lighting
- Superior battery life or run-time is important especially if you need to use the light for a long time. Battery run time will depend on whether you are using normal alkaline batteries or superior lithium-ion batteries. Alkaline batteries can last up to one hour on full power while disposable or rechargeable lithium-ion batteries can last from 2-6 hours on a medium setting
- Additional accessories or features such as a pocket clip to attach the flashlight to your belt, in your holster, or a lanyard to attach the flashlight to your backpack. For professional tactical combat situations, look for a flashlight that can be mounted on top of a weapon such as a pistol or a rifle
- Ergonomic grip or a compact design that helps you to hold on to the torch while chasing down an offender or hiking through a forest or the wilderness in the rain
9 Best Tactical Flashlights – Reviews
1. GearLight High-Powered LED Flashlight
If you need to light up a stairwell, temporarily impair the vision of an assailant, or hunt wild game in the woods, the GearLight High-Powered LED Flashlight is bigger, bolder, and brighter than other flashlights. Its powerful 1200 lumens LED bulb has a fantastic 100,000 hours lifetime and delivers a reliable lighting performance.
Designed for challenging conditions, this rugged flashlight has an almost indestructible black aircraft-grade aluminum construction that can withstand a 10-feet drop and the IPX4 water-resistant rating means that it can be temporarily submerged underwater.
The flashlight has a compact ergonomic design and it is very easy to operate as the on/off trigger switch is located on the tactical tail cap. There are 5 lighting modes: high, medium, low, strobe, and SOS lighting, and zoom in and out mode, so you can adjust the beam to focus the light into a narrow beam or expand it to a wide beam.
Depending on the beam setting, the flashlight provides lighting for 2-6 hours with continuous use.
You can use the adjustable lanyard wristband to keep the flashlight secure on your wrist, and it can even be mounted onto a weapon with specially designed hardware.
The GearLight tactical flashlight requires 3 AA batteries or you can use rechargeable batteries, and the flashlight is covered by a 1-year warranty.
Pros
- Great value for money
- Very good price
- Extra bright 1200 lumens Cree bulb lasts for 100,000 hours
- Ideal for law enforcement, military personnel, hunters, fisherman, mechanics
- Compact ergonomic design
- Good IPX4 water rating
- Rugged and almost indestructible aircraft-grade aluminum housing
- Can be tactically mounted on a weapon
- Easy to operate push button On/Off trigger switch
- Five settings: high, medium, low, strobe, SOS
- Zoom in and out modes
- Depending on the beam setting, the flashlight provides lighting for 2-6 hours with continuous use
- Durable adjustable lanyard wristband
- Compatible with 3 AA batteries or rechargeable batteries
- One-year warranty
Cons
- No belt clip
- Not waterproof
- Heavier than other flashlights
2. SureFire G2X Series LED Flashlight
The SureFire G2X Series LED Flashlight is a tough and reliable proximity lighting tool, tailormade for law enforcement officers, mechanics, and outdoor enthusiasts.
The high-strength durable Nitrolon polymer body, anodized aluminum bezel, and durable polycarbonate window are scratch, abrasion, impact, and corrosion-resistant. If you need to work in wet conditions, the flashlight has a good level of water resistance as the O-ring and gasket are sealed to stop any water or dirt from damaging the internal components.
For extra bright illumination when you need it, the single-output flashlight has a 320 lumens high-efficiency LED bulb that produces a brilliant, penetrating optimized beam.
The smooth sculpted design gives you a comfortable, secure grip and it allows for one-handed operation as the switch is located on the end of the tail cap.
As this is a single-output light with basic lighting features, SureFire also makes dual-output flashlights such as the G2X Pro 320 lumens flashlight and the G2X LE 400 lumens flashlight, which have low and medium settings.
The SureFire G2X comes with 2 lithium-ion batteries that have a 10-year shelf life and there is a choice of 4 colors, black, yellow, forest green, and desert tan. The flashlight is covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Pros
- Excellent quality
- Ideal for everyday-carry
- Very good value for money
- Reliable
- Brilliant penetrating optimized 320 lumens beam
- Tough Nitrolon polymer body
- Hard anodized bezel for durability
- Durable polycarbonate window is impact resistant
- Weatherproof O-ring and a sealed gasket
- Lightweight
- Two long-life SureFire lithium batteries are included
- Batteries have a 10-year shelf life
- Built-in heat and fault (short-circuit) protection
- Easy to use one-handed tail switch design
- Available in black, yellow, forest green, and desert tan
- Very good battery life
Cons
- Only provides a single output level
- Beam not strong enough for long-distance lighting
- No adjusting light settings
3. Streamlight 69260 TLR-1 Tactical Weapon Mount Light
Streamlight has created a rugged 69260 TLR-1 Tactical Light with a solid machined aluminum sealed body and a black anodized finish and a shock-mounted Boro Float glass lens, which makes it the ideal flashlight for challenging outdoor environments.
It can withstand extreme temperatures ranging from -40°F-+120°F and its IPX7 rating means it can be submerged up to 1m for 30 minutes and it has been extensively live-fire tested for impact resistance.
Advanced C4 LED optic technology allows the 1000 lumens bulb to last for 50,000 hours, and it can project an extremely bright concentrated 234m beam of light to illuminate a dark alleyway or woodland area, and it can last up to 1.75 hours on a fully charged battery.
For high weapon versatility, the flashlight is compatible with a range of weapons such as handguns with Glock-style rails, a Beretta, or a Smith & Wesson 99/TSW. The rail clamp is designed to be rapidly attached and detached from the side of a weapon and the programmable strobe lighting mode can be activated by double-tapping the paddle switch.
The flashlight is extremely lightweight at 4.18-ounces and its ambidextrous momentary/steady on/off switch allows for one-handed snap-on operation, and the tightened interface keeps your hands away from the muzzle of your weapon.
Streamlight includes two 3-volt CR123 lithium batteries that have a 10-year storage life, and the tethered battery door and a latch mechanism stop the door from falling off and the flashlight will fit most existing flashlight holsters.
The Streamlight Weapon Mount flashlight is covered by a limited lifetime warranty.
Pros
- Excellent design and quality
- Great value for money
- Very bright 1000 lumens bulb
- 1.75 hours of continuous run time
- Bulb has a 50,000-hour lifetime
- White light illuminates large areas
- Ideal for law-enforcement and military personnel and hunters
- Solid machined aluminum and black anodized finish
- Advanced C4 LED technology
- High-temperature resistance -40°F-+120°F
- Shock-mounted, impact resistant Boro Float glass lens
- IPX7 waterproof rating up to 1m for 30 minutes
- Live-fire tested for impact-resistant construction
- Can be mounted on a broad range of weapons
- One-handed snap-on and rail clamp interface
- Lightweight
- Ambidextrous momentary/steady on/off switch
- Fits into most existing flashlight holsters
- User programmable strobe
- Long-lasting 3-volt CR123 lithium batteries with a 10-year storage life
- Limited lifetime warranty
Cons
- Too bulky for some smaller weapons
- May need to modify a holster to accommodate the torch
- Limited lighting settings
4. Streamlight 88065 Pro Tac HL-X Professional Tactical Flashlight
Once more Streamlight delivers the goods with a high-quality tactical torch that offers you a lot of lighting versatility. The Streamlight 88065 Pro Tac HL-X Professional Tactical Flashlight features a long-lasting 50,000-hour C4 LED bulb that can project a brilliant, powerful 1,000 lumens optimized beam that will quickly light up a darkened street or a wilderness track.
The flashlight has a shock-proof, abrasion-resistant anodized aluminum housing and a gasket-sealed AR coated glass lens, an anti-roll face cap, and a waterproof sealed O-ring. It has been subjected to impact-resistance testing of up to 2m. The IPX7 waterproof rating means it can be submerged in 1m of water for 30-minutes.
Super smart intuitive Ten-Tap programming allows you to quickly adjust between 3 beam settings: high/strobe/low, high only, and low/medium/high, and the strobe has a runtime of 2:30 minutes or 3:15 minutes, depending on what type of battery you are using.
Optimized for one-handed operation, the flashlight is lightweight at 5.7-ounces and the push-button switch is located on the tail cap.
The flashlight comes with 2 CR123A lithium batteries or uses the Streamlight’s rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which is sold separately, and a removable pocket clip and nylon holster.
You can choose from 3 colors, black, blue, or pink and the Streamlight flashlight is covered by a limited lifetime warranty.
Pros
- High-quality construction
- Very good value for money
- Powerful 1000 lumens tactical flashlight
- C4 LED has a 50,000-hour lifetime
- TEN-TAP programming
- Three settings: high/strobe/low, high only, and low/medium/high
- Push-button tactical tail switch allows one-handed operation
- Durable, anodized aluminum construction with anodized finish
- Lightweight at 5.7-ounces
- IPX7 waterproof to 1m for 30-minutes
- Shockproof and 2m impact resistance tested
- Multi-battery versatility
- Removable pocket clip
- Gasket-sealed AR coated glass lens
- Waterproof sealed O-ring
- Anti-roll face cap
- Includes 2 C123A batteries
- Excellent battery life
- Unbreakable removable pocket clip, and nylon holster
- Limited lifetime warranty
- Three colors; black, blue, and pink
Cons
- Expensive
- Operating manual does not have clear instructions
- No zoom function
5. SOLARAY Handheld LED Tactical Flashlight
The SOLARAY Handheld LED Tactical Flashlight is a high-performing multipurpose light that is perfect for home security, self-defense, search and rescue, law enforcement, natural disasters, camping, hiking, or hunting.
Durable and strong, the flashlight has a rugged shockproof aircraft-grade black aluminum housing and the battery compartment, the lens, and the end cap are protected by a waterproof and durable O-ring.
The highly advanced 1200 lumens Cree XM-L LED bulb can project an ultra-bright light that illuminates an entire room, zoom in on objects or illuminate objects up to 150 yards away.
For long-lasting illumination, the beam can last up to 2 or 3 hours depending on what setting you use. The 5-mode settings: high, medium, low beam, tactical strobe, and SOS, allow for ultimate lighting customization.
You can also use the flashlight for self-defense as the strong front mount striking-bezel can be used to strike home burglars or attackers.
A compact, lightweight (5-ounces) flashlight, it fits easily into your pocket or attaches to your belt with the heavy-duty metal belt clip or backpack with the deluxe lanyard.
The Solaray flashlight kit includes a deluxe direct plug-in battery charger, a Solaray rechargeable 18650 lithium-ion or AAA alkaline batteries, and the flashlight is covered by a 5-year limited warranty.
Pros
- Excellent value for money
- Very good price
- High quality
- Professional-grade flashlight
- Powerful bright 1200 lumens
- Rugged shockproof aircraft-grade black aluminum housing
- Highly durable construction
- Waterproof and durable O-ring
- Impact and shockproof
- Advanced Cree XM-L T6 LED chip bulb
- Very sharp and bright light
- Adjustable focus zoom lens locates distant objects up to 150 yards
- Five lighting modes: high, medium, low beam, tactical strobe, and SOS
- Strong front mount striking-bezel
- Includes lithium-ion battery and rechargeable 18650 battery
- Batteries can be recharged up to 500 times
- Deluxe lithium-ion rapid battery charger
- Five-year limited warranty
Cons
- Included batteries do not last very long
- Not fully waterproof
6. klarus XT11X Tactical Flashlight
Built for tough outdoor conditions, the klarus XT11X Tactical Flashlight has a solid aircraft-grade aluminum body with a military hard anti-abrasive and anodized coating, which has been impacted tested up to 1m and has an excellent waterproof rating of IPX8.
The steel bezel design and scratch-proof tempered glass protect the lens from getting damaged if you drop the flashlight on a hard surface.
This incredibly bright 3200 lumens flashlight projects a beam up to 283m and it has 2 operating settings: Tactical Setting and an Outdoor Setting. In the Tactical Setting, you can choose a one-touch Turbo mode and a one-touch strobe mode.
In the Outdoor Setting, you can use the one-touch turbo, one-touch low, or an SOS light. You can easily switch between these modes with just a flick of a switch on the side of the flashlight.
Innovative features include a smart memory function, a lock-out function, and a dual tactical tail switch that allows for easy one-handed operation. The Intelligent Thermal Protection System (ITS) monitors the flashlight’s internal temperature and adjusts the beam’s output for maximum brightness and optimum battery charging performance.
Equipped with a revolutionary charging system, this flashlight offers you convenient, safer, and faster charging almost anywhere. It supports charging from a wall outlet, car battery, PC, or a power bank via the micro USB port, and the battery capacity indicator display also helps you to control your battery usage.
klarus offers a Super Bundle deal which includes the flashlight, a removable pocket clip, a wall charger, a USB charging cable, a lanyard, a rechargeable 18650 battery, a holster, a USB car adapter, and a mini USB light.
The klarus flashlight is covered by a 5-year warranty.
Pros
- High quality
- Excellent value for money
- Incredibly bright powerful 3200 lumens
- Solid aircraft-grade aluminum with a hard anti-abrasive and anodized coating
- Intuitive controls
- Intelligent Thermal Protection System
- Ideal for law-enforcement officers and outdoor enthusiasts
- Two settings: tactical setting and outdoor setting
- Strobe and an SOS mode
- Easy to use dual tactical tail switch and a side switch
- Side switch features a lockout function to prevent accidental illumination
- Impact-resistant up to 1m
- Waterproof up to IPX8
- Micro USB recharge facility
- Battery capacity indicator display
- Five-year warranty
Cons
- Expensive
- Light gets hot quickly
- Velcro on the pouch is not very strong
7. EcoGear FX Complete LED Tactical Flashlight Kit
A highly versatile all-around flashlight, the EcoGear FX Complete LED Tactical Flashlight Kit is the perfect torch for campers, hunters, hikers, fishermen, night watchmen, or law enforcement officers, or home defense.
Whether you are working or holidaying in the great outdoors, the flashlight has a water-resistant, anti-abrasive, shock-proof, and scratch-proof, aircraft-grade aluminum alloy construction with a hard anodized finish, which protects the flashlight if it is dropped on a hard surface.
Its high-powered 100,000-hour, 1200 lumens CREE T6 LED bulb projects up to 1200 lumens and produces a clear and sharp beam. For a reliable source of light, the beam will stay bright up to 2 hours on the high setting and up to 5 hours on the low setting.
There are 5 preset lighting modes: high, medium, low, SOS, and a tactical-style strobe light option. The zoom lens has a special reflector design that enhances the beam’s intensity and allows you to narrow down the beam to focus on a targeted area in the distance, or light up a wilderness area or forest track.
The super-smart flashlight has a memory mode and the soft touch on/off button is easy to use. If you need to use the flashlight in combat situations, it has a compact and lightweight (5-ounces) design that allows you to hold the torch in one hand and your weapon in the other.
For illumination around the campsite, the flashlight can be placed upwards on a flat surface to resemble a candle and it can be mounted on various types of hand pistols, rifles, and shotguns with proper mounting equipment.
The EcoGear flashlight kit contains a flashlight with a lanyard cord, 1 AAA battery holder, one 18650 plastic battery sleeve, 1 dual-channel battery charger, 2 rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, or 3 7-volt 3000mAh lithium-ion batteries, a battery storage case, and 2 O-rings.
EcoGear FX offers a 30-day return policy on all its orders and the flashlight is covered by a limited 6-month warranty.
Pros
- High quality
- Fantastic value for money
- Very good price
- Professional-grade
- Ideal for law enforcement, hunting, hiking, camping, and general household use
- Aircraft-grade aluminum alloy with an anodized finish
- Ultra bright and sharp beam
- Light stays bright up to 2 hours on a fully charged battery
- Provides a very good field of vision
- High-powered 100,000 hour CREE XML LED
- Ultra-bright 1200 lumens beam can be seen up to 4,000 yards
- Five modes: high, medium, low; fast strobe and SOS signal
- Tactical-style strobe
- Advanced features
- Memory mode
- Extra strong enhanced zoom capabilities
- Water-resistant and shockproof
- Easy to use one-handed operation
- Kit includes 2 rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, AAA battery holder, 18650 plastic battery sleeve, dual battery charger, 2 spare o-rings, and a battery storage case
- Durable lanyard cord
- Can be mounted on various types of hand pistols, rifles, and shotguns
- Limited 6-month warranty
Cons
- Memory function does not always work very well
- Lens can get scratched easily
8. ThruNite BSS V4 Tactical Flashlight
The compact, lightweight, and powerful ThruNite BSS V4 Tactical Flashlight is just right for everyday carry, camping, law enforcement, hunting, and survival purposes.
Although the ThruNite has a mini design, its tough aircraft-grade aluminum-alloy body can survive a 1.5m drop and has an IPX8 waterproof rating of up to 2m, and it can be used in the rain or hail.
The flashlight has a waterproof O-ring seal and the durable removable strike bezel also protects the delicate lens from any impact damage.
Lighting up a large area is so easy as the ThruNite tactical flashlight produces an ultra-bright 2523 lumens output and the powerful cool white beam can focus on objects up to 820-feet away on a clear night. You have 6 lighting modes to choose from: firefly, low, medium, high, turbo, and strobe.
Offering long-lasting illumination, this supercharged flashlight will give you up to 150 minutes of lighting on the high mode, 4.5 hours on medium mode, 55 hours and 42 minutes on low mode, and up to 56 days on firefly mode.
Featuring a dual switch design, you can press and hold the side switch to cycle through the low, medium, and high modes, and click the side switch for the last mode used. You can also turn on the firefly mode by pressing and holding the side switch, activate the strobe by triple-clicking the side switch, and access the turbo mode with one click of the tail switch. An indicator light also lets you know the charging status of the battery.
The tactical flashlight comes with a sturdy pocket clip, a lanyard hole, a rechargeable battery, 2 spare O-rings, a USB rubber cover, a USB charging cable, and a red lens cover. It is available in 4 stylish colors; Black-CW, Camouflage-CW, Desert Tan-CW, and Metal Grey-CW.
ThruNite offers a lifetime limited warranty on the tactical flashlight.
Pros
- High quality
- Very good value for money
- Ideal for everyday carry, camping, law enforcement hunting, and survival
- Tough aircraft-grade aluminum-alloy body
- Can survive a 1.5m drop
- Durable removable strike bezel
- Ultra-bright 2523 lumens
- Longlasting rechargeable battery
- Mini, compact, and lightweight
- Powerful cool white beam can focus on objects up to 820-feet away
- IPX8/2m waterproof rating
- Six lighting modes
- Dual switch design
- Sturdy belt clip
- Lanyard hole
- Two spare o-rings
- USB rubber cover
- USB charging cable
- Red lens cover
- Available in 4 stylish colors
- Lifetime limited warranty
Cons
- Expensive
- Side button can be a bit sticky
- Housing gets hot on the high mode and strobe mode
9. Anker LED Flashlight
The Anker LED Flashlight is built for the most extreme outdoor conditions, with an extra hard anti-abrasive shock-resistance, skid, scratch, and chip-proof, anodized aluminum body. It will continue to provide illumination in freezing temperatures down to 14°F/-10°C, and it has a very good IPX5 rating for rainy conditions.
Super bright illumination is in the palm of your hand as the powerful 900-lumens (max) Cree LED has a long-lasting life space of 50,000 hours and its intense brightness can cast a bright beam over the length of about 2 football fields and can reach nearly 1000-feet.
The flashlight has intuitive controls like the single on/off button which allows you to cycle quickly through the lighting modes, and the adjustable zoom slider is for broad, sweeping illumination or more focused spotlight modes.
You choose one of the 5 lighting modes: high/medium/low/high visibility strobe, or SOS in an emergency. For self-defense, the extra-long handle and scalloped-bezel are built for striking an opponent.
A highly versatile flashlight, you can use the long-lasting rechargeable battery or use the included micro-USB cable and the charging port to fully power up the flashlight in 6 hours.
The pocket-friendly compact chassis has an anti-slip finish that holds fast in your hand even in wet conditions or you can stand it on end as an emergency lamp inside your camping tent.
The Anker LC90 flashlight comes with a 18650 3350mAh rechargeable battery, a micro USB cable, a wrist strap, a welcome guide, and the flashlight is covered by a worry-free 18-month warranty and Anker provide friendly and easy-to-reach tech support.
Pros
- Excellent value for money
- Superior quality
- Very affordable price
- Intelligent design
- Innovative technology and operating features
- Multi-purpose
- Designed for harsh outdoor conditions
- Provides illumination in freezing temperatures down to 14°F/-10°C
- Very good IPX5 water-resistant
- Abrasion, shock-resistance, skid, scratch, and chip-proof
- Super-bright high tech 900 lumens bulb
- LED bulb has a 50,000-hour lifespan
- Powerful beam can cover 2 football fields and reaches nearly 1,000-feet
- Durable anodized aluminum housing
- Five different settings: low, medium, high, strobe, and SOS
- Six hours of run-time on medium-beam setting
- Adjustable zoomable lens
- Extra-long handle and scalloped-bezel are built for striking
- Pocket-friendly compact chassis has an anti-slip finish
- Can be used as an emergency light in a camping tent
- Premium rechargeable 3350mAh battery
- Micro USB cable and charging port
- Includes a rechargeable battery, micro USB cable, wrist strap, welcome guide
- 18-month warranty
Cons
- Tail cap cycling mode can be annoying
- Beam can create a halo effect
Our Top Pick for the Best Tactical Flashlight
Our top pick for the best tactical flashlight is the Streamlight 88065 Pro Tac HL-X Professional Tactical Flashlight.
Whether you are an urban crime fighter, a hunter, or a hardcore outdoor enthusiast, the Streamlight Pro Tac HL-X Professional Tactical Flashlight is destined to be your new lighting buddy.
The Streamlight tactical flashlight provides a reliable, brilliant beam of light that can pierce the darkness and disorientate an offender. Its tough aluminum construction, smart technological features, and weapon mounting versatility make it an essential lighting tool for all sorts of combat, hunting, and survival-type situations.
Check the price on Amazon
