Top of the best flashlights
In household and everyday life, smartphone flashes have become a major source of light in short-term darkness. Often it is enough to illuminate the steps in an unlit entranceway or to get to the electric panel during power outages. Against this background, buying a flashlight seems like a tribute to the past, akin to buying a wristwatch. All so, but only until the phone is not called while walking in a dark alley with an open manhole, and the centralized electricity is off for a couple of hours at most. When things don't go according to plan, people accustomed to the greenhouse conditions of the metropolis find themselves in pitch darkness with a rapidly falling charge on the "shovel."
At such a moment one can only regret that one could not find the time and money to buy a normal bright flashlight. For people ready for the unexpected, those who live or work in remote areas, extreme enthusiasts and tourists, cavemen, hunters, rescuers and military personnel, there is no question of the need for a mobile, compact flashlight at all. For them, it is only important to find a better unit, and that the product corresponds to the price. Manufacturers of portable lighting devices are making them more and more perfect, compact, reliable, durable, and most importantly - more efficient, and some concerns have achieved some success in this. About such organizations and some samples of their products, worthy of attention and will go.
Specialized
Versatility often comes at the expense of efficiency, so the profession or occupation determines the narrow specialization of the equipment. The miner will not suit a hand flashlight, as his hands should be free, and the charge should suffice for the working shift, plus a reserve for force majeure. A diver needs a device with the highest level of water protection, and a security guard needs a sturdy and heavy argument capable of blinding a trespasser with a strobe light. It is impossible to list everything, but there are companies that prioritize the production of a narrow segment of products designed for a specific consumer.
Surefire .
Company from Southern California, which began its way with the production of chemical power supplies. In the late seventies it added production of lighting devices to its batteries and accumulators, and in 1979 it finally chose the marketing path towards the military-industrial complex USA. Surefire should not be confused with the newfangled UltraFire and TrustFire from China, trying to be similar to the American brand in everything, but having nothing in common with it except the prefix Fire in the name. The company's first success was a successful laser designator, which was immediately appreciated by law enforcement agencies, including the S.W.A.T. division. The organization further developed, producing weapon flashlights and lighting devices for tactical purposes, which determined the leading characteristics of their products:
- Reliability - the first requirement for military-grade devices, so all design elements are exclusively U.S.-made;
- Power and compactness - for example, the super-compact headlamp Minimus can produce 100 lumens for 1.5 hours on a CR123 lithium battery;
- Durability - the housings are made of aircraft-grade aluminum or magnesium alloys that are rugged and corrosion-resistant. To protect the lamps are used tempered glass and Bezel. All structural joints are sealed, which allows the devices to withstand immersion to a depth of 1 m.
These features enable Surefire to produce the finest narrow-field flashlights for law enforcement, hikers, and athletes around the world. Tactical flashlights are equipped with a Picatinny bar mount with the trigger on the grip of the weapon. The disadvantage of the company is the small range of multipurpose and civilian models. The flashlights integrated into the forearms are limited to only two models for Mossberg and Remington pistols.
Eagletac
A relatively young company founded in 2009 in Washington DC by retired officer and avid hunter Dan Lam. It quickly gained momentum, releasing over thirty flashlight models by 2020, which deservedly became top-notch. The company took over the segment of tactical specification, but continues to work in related areas. The Eagletac range now includes not only models designed to be attached to Mark or MX series firearms, but also models for everyday use in the Clicky series.
Almost all Eagletac models are made of aluminum alloy, but some are also made of titanium. There are almost no plastic parts in the design of flashlights. The company uses American Cree LEDs or Japanese Nichia as a light source. They are protected by tempered translucent glass and a steel crown. All contacts are necessarily spring-loaded, making them resistant to shocks and recoil of large hunting calibers. The method of focusing on a number of models is electromechanical. That is, by turning the head, the reflector is extended and the current supply to the diode is increased. Such a solution has a disadvantage: when rotating with the extension of the head, the body partially loses its seal, and full water resistance of the device works only in the near beam mode.
Read also
In the range of the company there are samples and without rotary focus, and the inclusion with the change of modes occurs with two different buttons: tactical (quick start to maximum) and optional. Eagle Tuck products are mainly used by hunters, tourists, and "survivalists", both couch potatoes and quite practical ones. The only drawback of the company - exorbitant prices, designed for the wealthy consumer. However, it is worth noting the full compliance of the devices with the stated characteristics, as well as the operation of the warranty service in the Russian Federation.
Universal
Most manufacturers of portable zone lighting devices try to fill consumer niches of the most profitable categories. Possession of only production facilities for the full implementation of this task is not enough: you also need competent designers. On firms that have achieved a maximum versatility of their products while maintaining efficiency should be considered in more detail.
Olight .
The brand, founded in 2006 in Shenzhen, has become one of the best Chinese manufacturers of versatile lighting products. And the quality of the export versions does not differ from models made for the domestic market. Olight products are used mainly by law enforcement agencies and hunters in China, but the range covers all kinds of lights. The company's employees have relied on compactness and practicality, not much bothering with the design, which does not detract from the main functions of their devices. For example, a miniature headlamp H15 Wave produces a stable 150 lm for 3 hours, a pistol arming PL-mini Walkyrie weighs only 60g and produces 400 lm for 71 minutes at 65m.
Of particular note is the most powerful searchlight, the Olight X9R Marauder, which weighs 1800g and produces 25,000lm in turbo mode at 2.5km. All products are made of anodized aluminum, shockproof, waterproof, with LED elements made in the USA or Japan and a 5-year warranty. The price of the products, by the way, is not Chinese, but corresponds to the quality, and all parameters are specified very frankly, which is worthy of respect.
LED Lenser
Concern Zweibruder Optoelectronics was registered in 1994 in Germany, but has transferred production in China. The quality as a result, if it declined, it was not very noticeable. Otherwise, the company remains one of the most advanced due to the original patented concepts, one of which was a system of rapid focusing of the beam with the touch of a finger - Advanced Focus System. LED Lenser optics is controlled by two lenses and a reflector, providing uniform distribution of luminous flux over the cone without loss of power. Smart system SMART LIGHT TECHNOLOGY adjusts power depending on the battery charge, maximizing the work of the device. The moisture protection of the devices is kept at least IPX6. In some products, gold-plated contacts prevent oxidation. Employees of the organization monitor compliance with the standards of production by Chinese performers, not allowing "sag" quality, although this fact is considered controversial in some circles. The right materials and adherence to technology define the price range of the products as "above average" category.
ArmyTek
The organization started its operations in 2010, having registered in Canada. Armytek Optoelectronics Inc. factories are located in China, which puts a shade on the honest name of the company, but everything is not so unambiguous. The fact that it is the first company that has set the warranty at 10 years, while the performance of some of the products is striking. For example, the Wizard Pro V3 model can withstand a fall from a height of 10 meters and immersion to the same depth, even though it is a headlamp.
You can't even call the Wizard series a headlamp. These devices are more like multi-flashlights: they can be clipped to a pocket, to a backpack, to hold in your hand, to attach magnet to the metal. You can dive with them. This model alone shows that Armytek designers are the only ones who have implemented the versatility at the highest level. The magnet recharging system ensures that the design is completely sealed. The collimator lens and grooved glass distribute the light spot so that there are no clear boundaries between the central point and the periphery.
Armytek's tactical series are made in a standard inch diameter, allowing for specific and unified weapon mounts to be applied to them. Digital regulation forces the driver to draw a stable current level from the battery, which keeps the devices smooth amplitude until the full depletion of the charge. At the same time, the company's marketers are not overpriced, speculating on the brand, and reliability remains worthy of recommendation from avid militarists, extremists, tourists and hunters.
Top most powerful flashlights
Fenix FD30.
Made in the standard format and dimensions of a handheld flashlight. Cree XP-L HI LED element produces 900 lm of neutral light for 2 hours. Range up to 200m, in maximum focused position and turbo mode.
The device is implemented a rotary method of focusing the TIR-optics, tight enough and not knocked down when carried in a bag or from the recoil of the shotgun. Moisture protection class IP68 - withstands short-term immersion in water. Powered by a 18650 battery or two CR123A batteries. The disadvantages:
- protruding tactical button on the back cover interferes with the vertical installation of the device;
- weak to moisture knot in the form of a swivel mechanism on the silicone gasket.
The gift set includes a branded battery with an integrated micro-USB connector for charging. In its class and price range shows acceptable results. Even taking into account the country of manufacture - a good device, although not the best of the Fenix lineup.
Acebeam K75.
Chinese top searchlight on the LED element Luminus SBT-90.2. It is stated that in turbo mode the searchlight produces 6300 lm at a distance of 2.5 km for 1.45 hours. Please note that this figure takes into account the luminous flux of 1 lm at a maximum distance of 2500m.
Note! 1 lumen corresponds to 1 candela, i.e. the brightness of one wax candle.
In practice, a normally illuminated object will be visible at a distance of one kilometer.
By and large this is quite enough for such a "headlight" with a head diameter of 126 mm. The device is powered by 4 batteries 18650, inserted into the cartridge. The disadvantages of the device include:
- Requirement for battery power - not less than 10 A. On weak batteries the turbo mode will not start;
- Poor balancing - the head is strongly outweighed;
- Cold light of 6500 K.
The digital dimmer maintains an even amplitude or adjusts to the charge level in ECO Mode. There is a connector on the body of the illuminator for attaching the L-shaped handle included in the package. At the same time even when the lamp is overheated the temperature of the housing is quite comfortable, perhaps due to the well-designed heatsink. Standard protection: IP68 against moisture and immersion up to 2 meters for 30 minutes, and FL1 against falls from one meter.
Armytek Predator v3 XP-L HI
An underbarrel variant of the pocket-sized rangefinder with XP-L High Intensity LED, producing 1116 lm in short-term turbo mode and 1.5 hours of light output with 930 lm. Maximum range is 424m.
It is noteworthy that the device is designed to be submerged in water up to 50 m for 5 hours. The company equips the device with LEDs different temperatures of luminescence for different tastes. Programming is quite complex, carried out by a given number of turns of the head. The tactical button is located on the battery compartment cover and interferes with the installation of the flashlight with a candle. The reflector is deep and smooth. The clarified toughened glass is protected by a steel Bezel. The manufacturer gives a 10-year warranty, which inspires confidence.
NiteCore TM39.
Search and rescue unit on the French Luminus SBT-90 Gen2 diode? producing 5200 lm for 45 minutes for 1.5 km or 2000 lm for 2 hours. Adequate illumination of objects at a distance of 900m. Beam is cool, medium sidelight.
Housing with radiator and OLED display mounted on it. Powered by a battery pack with the ability to charge separately from the head directly from the network. IP68 protection, shock resistance of 1 meter. Contacts gold-plated, aluminum alloy housing anodized with the possibility of mounting the device on a tripod. Overall, it's a killer handheld spotlight, capable of competing with a car headlight.
Video test
Olight X9R Marauder.
It is declared by the manufacturer as the most powerful handheld spotlight and was created, most likely, for the image principle: "Only we can do that". The price is out-of-this-world, but the parameters are impressive. Six XNR 70.2 Color White diodes give out a total of 25,000 lumens in Turbo, although the designers honestly stated that the duration of the turbo is limited to critical heating - 3 minutes.
The unit will last 12 hours in economy mode at 800 lumens. The duration of operation is regulated by the temperature sensor, so in winter or in a strong wind the unit works even at maximum until the power source is fully discharged. This monster is powered by a block of 8 18650 batteries. Near the reflectors there are sensors of reflected light, which resets the brightness when the lamps are close to the object. With this power, the range of each LED lamp individually 630 m, but in the layout of the spotlight the entire area is illuminated at an angle of 35° with visibility close to daylight.
Figuratively speaking, if Acebeam K75 and NiteCore TM39 are big-bore sniper rifles, the Olight X9R Marauder is a six-shot Gatling machine gun.
The unit is IPX7 rated for dust and moisture protection. The illuminator holds steady in an upright position. Even a child can cope with the control algorithm. The unit is certified by CE and RoHS Certification. All parameters are indicated very honestly, and the company gives a guarantee for untypical Chinese 5 years.
A detailed review on the video. Testing the device at the last minute.
The appearance of 8228
Budget Chinese for the Russian market. One cold LED at 1500 lm, in a smooth reflector, shines for 4 hours at 900 meters. Adequate range does not exceed 450m. The plastic case is bulky, with a handle-holder. The battery is built-in and can be replaced. There are only two modes: 100 and 50% power.
There is a red flashing emergency light in the back for car drivers. Everything is extremely simple and cheap.
Camelion LED 5136
Another tactical budget model with a cold spectrum LED lamp that delivers 500 lm for 4 hours at 400m. In reality, it reaches 150-200m, but it is quite acceptable for its price.
The retractable lens head negates the moisture protection and reduces the mechanical resistance to focus shifting during weapon recoil. It is powered by 3 AAA microwell batteries with optional 18650 battery. A device from the category "to buy quickly, for a short time and so it would not look so ugly".
