8 Best Flashlights and Headlamps (2024), Tested and Reviewed

The two most important metrics to look for when buying a flashlight are batteries and lumens.

Batteries: There are two main categories of both flashlights and lamps: rechargeable flashlights and those that take batteries. The difference is in how you recharge them. AA or AAA batteries are readily available and can be quickly replaced. If your light dies in the dark, you will see the brilliance of different batteries. That said, rechargeable lights can charge the same power bank you charge your devices with, and these days, with USB-C, most lights can be recharged in less than an hour.

I used to swear by the battery option, and I still recommend headlamps or flashlights with removable batteries in most cases (your emergency kit for example), but I have to say that I came for the convenience of finding a charging port every day- carry flashlights or camping lights. Personally, I rely on the Nitecore NU25 in most situations except for long backpacking trips where I bring my Petzl Tikka and a set of extra batteries.

The lumens: Lighting and lighting companies like to make a big deal about lumens, which measure how bright a flashlight is, but the truth is that you don’t always want more light. We didn’t test a single flashlight or bulb that wasn’t bright enough. You’ll find lights here with everything from 300 lumens to 1,000 lumen spotlights that will blind you for a moment. For most uses, this is a good range: 300 to 1,000 lumens. For something like reading in your tent at night you’ll want very little light, but any good lamp will have different brightness levels, usually with a low power mode like 40 to 60 lumens, which is about what you want. reading. Also, look for a strobe mode that will turn on the light. The strobe function is great for rescue situations as the flash is more visible than a steady light.

The light source for most flashlights and lamps these days are LEDs. While there are still plenty of traditional bulbs out there, the light output for the energy consumption ratio of LEDs is hard to beat.