It runs on a rechargeable battery that powers four CREE XP-L2 V6 LEDs. This setup provides exceptional versatility for everyone from campers and hunters to search-and-rescue and tactical uses. The user interface is great, providing easy access to toggle between modes (like its turbo output and strobe mode) through a dedicated button separate from the rear tail switch. The brightest flashlight you can currently get is the Imalent SR32. Its maximum output gets up to a blinding 120,000 lumens -- beating its previous title-winning 10,000 lumen iteration. This model has seven settings, including cold and warm light options and a moonlight and strobe mode. When switched on, the Imalent SR32 emits the highest brightness level for about a minute before dimming to 25,000 lumens, which it can sustain for 45 minutes. This model also features an OLED digital display to show the battery level. I take all this information and experience and compile the best advice for you. Over the years I’ve tested about 50 flashlights specifically for this buyer’s guide, selected from hundreds pitched to me by brands and examined at events like SHOT Show and the Outdoor Retailer convention. My goal is to give you the same advice I give my best friends. Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose a Flashlight You’re over 50 and single, and this really is the prime of your life. You’ve never felt better. Your kids have flown the nest, and you finally have the time and money to do the things that you love. But you don’t want to do those things alone. Maybe you’ve considered online dating but worry it’s not for you. The flashlight uses 123ALithium batteries, which are manufactured by Surefire and have an amazing shelf life of 10 years. Because the batteries last so long in storage, most users will have lots of spares on hand to reload as needed.

Speaking of modes, the PD36R PRO ranges from a low-end 30 lumens up to a searingly bright 2,800 lumens. At that 2,800-lumen turbo mode, you can easily see objects at 1,247 feet. That’s more than enough for most use cases for recreation in the outdoors. And impressively, the PD36R PRO can maintain that brightness for 3.5 hours. These flaslight are not small or lightweight so i highly recommend that the included shoulderstrap be used. They are also incredibly powerful and most definitely not a toy so always be careful while using the higher settings.The top priority was to develop a list of flashlights and brands that meet the Made in America Act of 2016. This means the flashlights must have 70% of the components made in the USA, with less than 30% of the components being imported. Each brand has its own formula for what this means. All of the flashlight brands covered here manufacture their housings in the USA. Bright flashlights that have a high lumen output are good for some scenarios, but they are most certainly not always the best. Short said super bright flashlights can actually make it harder to see. However, use cases for a bright flashlight still exist, and you may find yourself needing the brightest in a situation. One thing I love about the MT10 over the Fenix PD36R is the Ledlenser Advanced Focus System. This simply means you can adjust between a broad floodlight and a long-distance beam in an instant. Simply press the front bezel forward, and the light focuses tighter and tighter.

It’s slightly larger than our 2021 winner from Fenix, however, so it’s less suitable for hikers, hunters, or others who value light weight and small size. Some flashlight manufacturers still offer flashlights with incandescent or halogen bulbs. To keep an even playing field and lean toward the best lighting solutions, I chose to discuss mostly flashlights with LED bulbs because they’re brighter and have longer-lasting bulbs that are more efficient. Beyond user experience, the runtime is phenomenal. With the new PD36R PRO in Eco (30 lumens) mode, you can achieve a solid 42 hours of runtime. If runtime is your primary concern, the non-PRO version of this light has a much longer runtime, but lower overall output. It can run for 3.4 hours on the highest setting at 6,500 lumens as well as 6.8 hours at 1,000 lumens. The flashlight has white light, red light, and UV light, making it perfect for places underwater or in a cave.With over 200 employees, they’ve become the standard for American manufacturing. Maglite flashlights are made in America with a small amount of imported parts. Specifically, they are made in Ontario, California. What We Like and Don’t Like About the Maglite ML300LX Those are pretty wild specs for a flashlight that weighs just 8.43 ounces and measures less than 6 inches in length. It runs on a 5,000mAh rechargeable battery. You can recharge it anywhere you have a 12-volt USB outlet or recharger. It comes in three additional colors. I've also used it when I broke down on the side of a dark road in the middle of nowhere. It lit up everything and left both hands free to repair the vehicle," he told ZDNET. Specializing in tactical lights for military, police, and rescue personnel, First-Light has manufactured its lights in Seymour, Illinois, since being started up in 2004 by Jeremy Ross. What We Like and Don’t Like About the First-Light Liberator STT Before we get into some of those details, I’d like to share some details about how I chose flashlights to test for this article. And there have been a lot of them. Just a few of the many flashlights we’ve tested over the last 10 years; (photo/Sean McCoy)