8 Cool Flashlights – List of Super Bright Models

One thing that most of us take for granted is electricity. With that comes an abundance of light, from fixtures in our homes to street lamps to businesses. However, what happens if you can’t just flip a switch and wait for a light to come on? One item that should always be a part of your emergency kit is a flashlight. When the time comes, it’s so much better to have something handy than to try and fumble around in the dark.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the coolest flashlight models out there.

8 Cool Flashlights - Comparisons

Starting us off is this miniature tactical light from Streamlight. One of the benefits of using a tactical flashlight is that they are built tougher so that they can withstand more wear and tear than a usual model.

In this case, you also get a super compact and lightweight light that makes it easy to carry with you wherever you go. Simply toss it in your bag or your pocket, and you are prepared.

The metal housing for this light is sturdy and can withstand drops up to two meters up. It also has an anti-roll face cap so that when you set it down, it won’t run away from you. The back of the light is where the button is, and hitting it multiple times will cycle through the various kinds of lighting options. There is a bright and dim setting as well as a strobe function for emergencies. On low light, the batteries will last up to 36 hours with continuous use.

As far as illumination, this light is somewhat limited but provides up to 250 lumens, which is decent for most situations. The LED bulb is rated for 50,000 hours, and it comes with a shock proof screen to prevent breakage. Overall, this is a great little light to keep as a backup for emergencies or random situations when you need extra lighting. 

Next, we have another highly compact tactical flashlight that you can carry with you just about anywhere. The size and weight of this particular model mean that you can easily have it in your coat or pants pocket without any problems.

 It also has a clip on the side so that you can even attach it to your belt for easier carrying. Like the model above, this light is designed to be handy in a wide range of situations.

Because it is considered a tactical flashlight, it does come with a few key features. First, it has a strobe setting so that you can either grab rescuer’s attention or stun a potential attacker. Second, it has a durable metal housing so that it won’t break if you drop it. Finally, the front has a barbed face cap that can be used for self-defense. It also prevents rolling if you set it down.

What’s cool about this light is that even though it’s so compact, it provides ample illumination. It can shine up to 800 feet with 400 lumens, and you can also adjust the beam by twisting it in the middle. It converts from a spotlight to a floodlight and back. One button controls everything, and it runs on three AAA batteries.

One of the issues with most flashlights is that they require batteries to work. However, in an emergency situation, you may not have any batteries on you, which means that you are out of luck.

Fortunately, with the Cynergy Lifelight that is never a problem, as it comes with its own source of power: a hand crank. While it can take a few minutes to get a decent amount of light, the fact is that you’ll never be without illumination again.

Not only that but if you have the patience and the energy, you can even use the crank system to charge your phone or other mobile devices. In an emergency, having this as a backup system can be a lifesaver. Speaking of saving lives, the reason that this is called the Lifelight is that it comes with some other features to help you out in a bad situation. There is a window hammer on the side so that you can smash open your car windows in case you are stuck.

Not only that, but there is a seatbelt cutter on the top and a compass on the side. It even comes with a magnet so that you can mount it to your car as an emergency strobe. A small red light illuminates automatically so that you can be spotted even faster without having to charge too long.

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Next, we have another tactical flashlight, only in this case you get two of them for the price of one. This means that you can keep one in your car or backpack for emergencies and hold onto the other one as a backup or something.

Overall, as far as tactical lights go, these are about as standard as you can get. They are made of aircraft aluminum, so they are sturdy, which means that they hold up to most abuse without any problems.

A bezel face plate allows you to use them for self-defense if necessary, although they may break from such high impact, so be aware of that. The brightness level is excellent, going all the way up to 1040 lumens. However, we recommend that you keep it at mid or low levels so that you can maximize the battery life. These lights also come with a strobe and SOS setting, all controlled by a single button in the back.

What’s cool about these lights is that you can zoom by twisting the front, which allows you to control the level of illumination even further. Finally, they are water resistant, but not as much as other units we’ve seen.

Usually, flashlights will use alkaline batteries, which means that once they run out, you have to replace them. Fortunately, with this model from Zglon, that is never an issue anymore. This unit uses a micro USB rechargeable battery, meaning that you just have to plug it in and wait for it to reach maximum.

The other great thing about having this function is that you can also use it as a power bank if necessary to recharge your phone or other mobile devices.

As far as illumination goes, this light provides up to 800 lumens and has seven different settings. In addition to the standard modes of high/med/low/SOS/strobe, it also comes with two different color filters for added convenience. At the highest setting, the battery can last up to four hours, but that goes up to eight if you keep it at the lowest option.

Overall, this flashlight is great to have as your primary light source because of its ability to recharge. It’s not as durable as a tactical model, but it does provide plenty of illumination and works well in most environments. Just be careful about dropping it and don’t use it for self-defense. 

As we’ve seen, most of the portable flashlights that you can find these days are either designed to be tactical or life-saving, which means that you can expect many of the same features to be present on most models.

 In this case, we have a middle-of-the-road light from Out lite, which provides ample illumination and performance, even if it isn’t quite as robust as some of the other ones we’ve seen.

Standard features that come with this flashlight include a beveled face cap so that you can use it as a self-defense weapon, the ability to “zoom” the beam and make it tighter, and five different lighting modes. High, med, low, strobe, and SOS are still the norm, and they are controlled by a single button in the back.

Overall, this light doesn’t have much to add, but it is compatible with a rechargeable lithium ion battery, so that can make it more convenient if you have one of those available. Otherwise, it runs on AAA. Finally, it does come with a lanyard so that you can hold onto it easier.

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Next, we have another deal where you get two lights for the price of one. As with most tactical flashlights, these come with most of the standard features, but regarding performance, they are somewhat middling.

The maximum brightness of these lights is just 300 lumens, and the housing is not as shock proof or water resistant as others, so be aware of that. Overall, they are cost-effective and can provide decent lighting for most situations.

Standard features that are included with these lights are five different illumination settings (high, med, low, strobe, SOS), a zoomable beam, and a bezel faceplate. This prevents the light from rolling away from you and can be used in self-defense. Finally, these lights are compatible with either a rechargeable or a regular AAA battery, so there is some extra convenience in that regard.

Our final flashlight model is built to be brighter than anything else we’ve seen while also being compact and highly portable. Even though this isn’t considered a tactical light, it does come with some features that make it similar to models with that distinction.

First of all, this unit has five lighting options (high, med, low, strobe, SOS). Second, it has a bezel faceplate which means that it won’t roll away and it can be used as a self-defense weapon.

However, the housing is not as durable as other tactical lights, so that could wind up breaking it. One unique feature that this flashlight has is the addition of a lantern covering. This allows you to use it as an area light rather than a concentrated beam, which can be helpful in many different situations. Since it is compatible with both AAA and rechargeable batteries, you can rely on it in almost any environment.

How to Choose a Flashlight

Brightness

First and foremost, you want to make sure that your light is bright enough to illuminate whatever is in front of you. The best way to determine how well it will work is to look at the number of lumens.

Most flashlights will be within the 300-500 range, with some models going as high as 1000 or more. That being said, with higher brightness settings the battery will drain much faster, so it’s usually best to keep it at a lower option. Usually, 400 lumens is ideal for most situations. 

Zoom

One feature that is common for flashlights these days is the ability to concentrate the beam by twisting the lens. This means that you can make it more of a floodlight or a spotlight, depending on your needs. However, in some instances there may not be much of a difference between the two, so you will want to test it before you commit to anything.

Lighting Modes

Another thing that many flashlights have is the ability to change brightness levels and turn into a strobe light for emergencies. In most cases, you will have three to five different settings, but some models will also include colored lights for different purposes.

Size

Usually, you want a flashlight that is both compact and lightweight without sacrificing brightness. If you go with something larger, it can be harder to keep on your person or carry in a bag for emergencies.

Typically speaking, if you are planning on an outdoor trip (i.e., camping), then a large flashlight or lantern is ideal, with a smaller model as a backup. However, for everyday situations, it’s better to stick with a compact unit so that you can keep it close by for emergencies. 

Tactical vs. Standard

We’ve seen plenty of tactical flashlights on this list, but what does that mean. Although there is no universal definition, tactical lights are usually made of tougher materials and come with a bezel faceplate so that you can use them in self-defense. Otherwise, they are about the same as any other compact flashlight you can find.

Final Verdict

With so many great models from which to choose, it’s hard to narrow down the list to a top one or two. However, given the fact that it comes with the most features, we have to say that the Lifelight from Cynergy is one of our favorite options.

In an emergency situation, this could potentially save your life. As far as everyday use, though, we like the Zglon Ultra Bright Flashlight. It is tougher than the rest and will be much more reliable overall. 

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