The Best Flashlights and Headlamps to Light Up Your Life
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Let there be light. Lots of it. In my hand. Whether you're on a mountaineering adventure or just walking the dog after dinner, a good flashlight or headlamp is an essential tool for life. The headlamp gets most of the press these days, and if you need your hands, they're great. But the rest of the time I suggest a flashlight. It's more powerful, the batteries generally last longer, and you can point the light where you want instead of where you look. We've tested dozens to find you the best flashlights and headlamps, so you can spend your money wisely.
Be sure to check out our other outdoor guides, including the Best Tents, Best Sleeping Bags, Best Sleeping Pads, Best Portable Power Stations, and Best Overlanding Gear.
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Headlamp vs. Flashlight: Why You Need Both
The flashlight is superior to the headlamp in almost every situation save when you're moving or need your hands free. Think running, working, walking the dog, or trying to set up camp, these are the times a headlamp makes more sense. The rest of the time you're better off with a flashlight. Ideally you'd have both, which is why we've kept our recommendations separate.
Pro tip: No matter which light you bring with you, when you wander off in the woods to use the bathroom, don't forget to turn it off. Your fellow campers thank you.
What to Look for in a Flashlight or Headlamp
The two most important metrics to look for when shopping for a flashlight are the batteries and the lumens.
Batteries: There are two big categories of both flashlights and headlamps: rechargeable flashlights and those that take batteries. The difference is in how you recharge them. AA or AAA batteries are easy to find and can be swapped out quickly. When your light dies in the dark, you'll see the genius of separate batteries. That said, rechargeable lights can charge off the same power bank you're charging your devices on, and these days, with USB-C, many lights can recharge in less than an hour.
I used to swear by the battery option, and I still do recommend headlamps or flashlights with removable batteries for many situations (your emergency kit for example), but I must say I've come around to the convenience of a charging port for everyday-carry flashlights or camping headlamps. Personally, I rely on a Nitecore NU25 for most situations except long backpacking trips where I bring my Petzl Tikka and set of extra batteries.
Lumens: Flashlight and headlamp companies like to make a big deal about lumens, which measure how bright a flashlight is, but the truth is you don't always want more lumens. We didn't test a single flashlight or headlamp that wasn't bright enough. You'll find lights in here with everything from 300 lumens up to 1,000 lumen spotlights that will temporarily blind you if you so much as glance at them. 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 far less light, but any good headlamp will have a variety of brightness levels, usually with a low power mode that's more like 40 to 60 lumens, which is about what you want for reading. Also, look for a strobe mode which will pulse the light. The strobe function is good for rescue situations since the flash is more noticeable than steady light.
The light source for most flashlights and headlamps these days is LEDs. While there are still plenty of traditional bulbs out there, the light output to energy use ratio of LEDs is hard to beat.
- Photograph: Martin Cizmar
Best Flashlight Overall
Olight Arkfeld Pro FlashlightI've tested a lot of great flashlights out there, but if I could only pick one to keep around the house, the Arkfield Pro by Olight would be that light. It has three settings with a max brightness that tops out at a claimed 1,300 lumens. It doesn't seem to have quite that much power, but it is bright enough to see the beam on my desk in broad daylight. It has a throw of 300-plus feet, which is enough to cover the full length of a football field. For basic tasks, you likely won't need more light than this.
It's all the little details of this square-bodied light that sets it apart. I strongly prefer the square shape, as it doesn't roll anywhere and it's more natural to hold. The strobe mode can help when you want to draw extra attention for safety, and there's a built-in UV light and a green laser beam. The UV light is great for spotting stains or leaks and makes this light extra useful for cleaning tasks and car repair, and you can point at things with the green laser.
This is a well-designed light from top to bottom. It's about the same length as a smartphone, though a little thicker and only a third of the width. The various functions are controlled by an intuitive wheel that reminds me of an old iPod. The clip on the back is strong and doubles back on itself so you can point the light in either direction while it's being held. It magnetically sticks to a charging cord with USB-A on the other end, so you can top off the battery easily anywhere. It has an IPX7 rating, so you can put it under 3 feet of water for an hour without leaks—which is mostly useful if you leave it in your pants while they go through the washing machine. —Martin Cizmar
Specs: 1,300 Lumens | Rechargeable (USB-A) | IPX7 - Photograph: Martin Cizmar
Best USB Everyday Flashlight
Fenix E35R FlashlightThis Fenix flashlight has two advantages over the Arkfield Pro above. First is the max brightness, a claimed 3,100 lumens. That's nearly double the power in a pocket-carry light roughly the same size—the Fenix is brighter but not nearly as bright as the Inova below, which claims to only have half the power. Despite being less than 5 inches long and only weighing about 5 ounces, it has the power to be seen a block away on its highest setting, which you can use for about an hour on a full charge. (Fenix claims the light can be seen from nearly three football fields away, but I didn't get that type of power from it in my testing.) There are four total power settings plus a strobe, and the lowest was enough light for my use around camp.
The second advantage—probably more important to most people—is the USB-C charging port. You don't have to worry about packing any exotic cables on your next trip, you can just bring this light and recharge it using the same cord you use on your phone.
This is a sturdy, well-built flashlight that carries and clips easily. It's rated IP68, which means it can handle being under 4 and a half feet of water for 30 minutes. My biggest complaint is the power, which comes from a tubular 5,000-mAh lithium battery you can get to by unscrewing the top of the aluminum case, just like an old MagLite. I charged this light before taking it on a trip then left it in my truck for about a month during an extended summer vacation. When I got to camp and fired it up, the Fenix was dead while other newish lights in my crate still had juice. It's easy to recharge with USB-C but I would have been annoyed had I not had eight other flashlights handy. —Martin Cizmar
Specs: 3,100 Lumens | Rechargeable (USB-C) | IP68
- Photograph: Nite Ize
An Absolute Overkill Flashlight
Nite Ize Inova T4R Long ThrowThis Inova flashlight is one you leave on the charging cradle until you need it—and when you need it, there won't be anything you can't do. That includes signaling aircraft or lighting up your entire basement from one corner. Inova claims the T4R long-throw flashlight has 1,220 lumens, which makes me doubt all other companies' claims on power—if this is what 1,220 lumens look like, they have to be half that. It claims to have enough power to be seen 1,000 feet away, and while I wasn't able to test it across 10 football fields, it had enough power to startle someone two blocks away when I took my daughter trick-or-treating. You can't twist it to tighten or loosen the focus, but the native setting has a nice, tight ball of light in the center which gracefully transitions to soft edges.
The best way to charge it is with the included cradle, but the lithium battery inside has a USB-C port, so you can top it off on the road in a pinch. This is a big, heavy, and sturdy light—I would not hesitate to use it to bludgeon someone in self-defense in a pinch. —Martin Cizmar
Specs: 1,220 Lumens | Rechargeable (USB-C) | IPX4 - Photograph: Martin Cizmar
Best Penlight
Princeton Tec Alloy-X Metal PenlightThis sturdy one-button penlight from Princeton Tec comes with a rechargeable battery, but I lost that in testing and now just use two AAA batteries to power it. The Alloy-X has a claimed power of 400 lumens on the higher of its three brightness settings, and indeed it's bright enough to light up a table in broad daylight. The lens is small and not well calibrated for distance, so don't expect to spotlight something more than 25 feet away.
Like NFL running backs, when it comes to a penlight, availability is the best ability and this light is great as a backup or to keep in your pocket. It's small, light, durable, and has versatile power options since it takes regular batteries. It has IPX7 water resistance, which is helpful if you accidentally run it through the washer or drop it in a puddle. —Martin Cizmar
Specs: 400 Lumens | Rechargeable Battery or 2 AAA | IPX7
- Photograph: Martin Cizmar
Focus Time
Ledlenser P7R CoreLedlenser flashlights are generally well regarded and in my testing, the P7R Core performed solidly. But with a premium price, middling power, proprietary charging connections, and so much wasted space inside its 8-inch form, it's hard to recommend this light over other picks. On the other hand, the P7R has a zoom-to-focus that's appealing for some uses. With the zoom all the way out, it provides a nice soft and wide glow, but you can tighten it down to get a claimed 700-foot beam distance.
Ledlenser says the light puts out 1,400 lumens, and the P7R Core offers plenty for my uses. This is not a pocket flashlight, but it is nice to carry thanks to a longer handle and relatively light and balanced weight, which makes for a pleasant grip. It uses a standard 3.7-V lithium battery that charges inside the light with the included proprietary cable, which connects magnetically to two little metal dots on the bottom. It has IP68 water resistance. —Martin Cizmar
Specs: 1,400 Lumens | Rechargeable 3.7V Battery | IP68 - Photograph: Amazon
The Best Headlamp
Petzl Tikka HeadlampI've had the same Petzl Tikka headlamp since 2012, and it's still going strong, which beats every other headlamp or flashlight I've tried in that time. To be fair, the headband gave out long ago, and I replaced it with some shock cord (mimicking the strap of the Nitecore below), but the LED and plastic battery housing still function perfectly, which is a testament to Petzl's durability.
The Tikka is not the brightest light. The models linked here top out at 350 lumens, but you can go up to 450 lumens. Mine is less than that, but it's plenty of light to cook by in the backcountry or trace the source of that transmission fluid dripping off the oil pan. The Tikka I have runs on three AAA batteries (we recommend Panasonic Eneloop rechargeable batteries) and lasts over 5.5 hours. Current models can run on either three AAA batteries or Petzl's Core rechargeable battery ($30), which has a Micro USB port on the battery. I haven't tested the Core battery, but it looks like a good solution for those who prefer a rechargeable headlamp or the option to use either battery.
The Tikka has three light modes: bright, brighter, and brightest. There's also a red light mode to retain some of your night vision. The user experience could be better (I still remember it took me ages to figure out that you have to long-press the button to turn it to red mode), but if you're looking for a reasonably cheap, reliable headlamp, this is my favorite. If you don't need the red light feature, the Petzl Tikkina is even cheaper.
Specs: 350 Lumens | Rechargeable with Micro USB or 3 AAA | IPX4
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- Photograph: Martin Cizmar
An Absolute Overkill Headlamp
Ledlenser HF8R SignatureLedlenser's HF8R Signature headlamp has bountiful bells and whistles, plus more power than anyone should have strapped to their noggin. The light has seven separate LEDs and a claimed 2,000 lumens. On its highest setting, you can see all the way down the block. When it comes to lower-power settings suitable for polite conversation or crawling into your sleeping bag without waking the rest of the tent up, you not only have the standard red light but also blue and green LEDs. It's all controlled by a single button and a dial that you rotate around to get to various settings. There's also an app I didn't test—if I wanted to use my phone to control a flashlight I'd just use the flashlight on my phone.
The HF8R Signature is big and sturdy. At 6.8 ounces, it's rather heavy to wear around camp and left me feeling worried I'd blind someone by looking at them. However, if I was going caving or looking for a headlamp to wear while riding a bike on the road at night, it's worth a look. It uses Ledlender's proprietary magnetic charging cable and has IP68 water resistance. —Martin Cizmar
Specs: 2,000 Lumens | Rechargeable 3.7V Battery | IP68 - Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
The Best Backpacking Headlamp
Nitecore NU25 400 HeadlampWhen you carry everything on your back, every ounce counts. The original Nitecore NU25 UL headlamp was the darling of the ultralight backpacking community for its meager weight—under 1 ounce. The company recently redesigned it to be brighter and charge off USB-C, but, gasp, it also made it 0.5 ounces heavier (it still only weighs 1.59 ounces). The newer, heavier, bulkier model is still the best headlamp for backpacking because it's light enough, lasts over 10.5 hours on low (bright enough to hike by in most situations), and most importantly, it's reliable. I can't tell you how many Nitecore NU25 knockoffs I've tried that died on me after less than a year of use. Actually, I can. Three of them. Spare yourself the disappointment and just get the actual Nitecore.
The NU25 has a 400-lumen spotlight mode, along with a floodlight mode, red light, and strobe-light options. In my testing, spotlight mode at full power can throw light about 200 feet and keep it shining for over 2.5 hours. Also excellent is the recharge time, which in my testing was a mere 1.25 hours, less than the company's claim of 1.5, which is impressive. The best feature in my view though is the battery life indicator. Why doesn't every headlamp have one? —Scott Gilbertson
Specs: 400 Lumens | Rechargeable with USB-C | IP66
