Flashlights buying guide

Flashlights

Unless you can see in the dark, you'll probably need a flashlight for one thing or another. And if you do anything outdoors at night, you may need several. There are all sorts of ways to light up darkness, so let's take a look at your options.

Types of Flashlights

Household/Car/Camping Flashlights

Alkaline/Rechargeable Battery Flashlights

The sizes vary, but these flashlights are nice and simple.

Alkaline batteries are cheap and easy but need to be replaced.

Rechargeable batteries are more environmentally responsible, but are expensive and could leave you in a bind during a blackout.

Battery-Free Flashlights

Shake, squeeze or wind these up for permanent power, free from batteries.

Alkaline-filled landfills and your electricity bill will thank you.

Modern Outpost has a good comparison table.

DC Outlet Chargeable Flashlights

Plug these into your car, boat or RV for flashlight power on the go.

Great if you're constantly on the move and in the dark.

Camping? Night fishing? Living away from civilization? These could be the way to go.

Specialized Lights

Mini Flashlights

Great for a backpack, pocket or key chain.

Can help you find your car/house lock in the dark.

Will they become obsolete now that we can all see by cellphone light?

Wallet Flashlights

Cheap and easy flashlights, often with pictures on the casing.

Great for people with vision problems.

Just squeeze and squint!

Headlamps

Strap these on for hands-free illumination.

Not just for miners anymore.

Hikers love these.

Great for when the power goes out.

Book Lights

Clip this on your book for some night-time reading.

Maybe you need a desk lamp .

Lights for Bikes, Guns, Etc.

Flashlights' less conventional cousins strap on to whatever you need.

A great safety accessory.

Kinds of Bulbs

Incandescent Bulbs

Like your typical lightbulbs, but smaller.

Simple and replaceable.

LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes)

Most efficient by a landslide.

Very bright and tiny.

Halogen Bulbs

Fairly efficient and very bright.

The bulbs get very hot.

Factors to Consider

Size : How big of a flashlight do you want to lug around? Is this a pocket tool or a major appliance?

Most flashlights will give their dimensions and weight. Keep them in mind.

Brightness : Because finding something under the sink is not the same as finding your cat in a blackout or your way on a midnight hike.

80 Lumens or 12,000 candle power is a good baseline for measuring the brightness of a flashlight. Anything brighter is pretty bright and anything dimmer might be too dark for regular jobs.

Durability : Are you going to put this flashlight through some seriously hard terrain? Go for flashlights that are:

Made of aluminum or other metal cases.
Corrosion resistant.
Shock resistant.
Mag Lites are strong and well-known.

Adjustability : Will it need to serve multiple purposes?

Can you rotate it to switch from floodlight to searchlight?
Can you move the head to turn it into a lantern?
Does the light stay on when you hold down a button or will it be on until you shut it off?

Attachment : Does this have any extra holding mechanisms?

Some have belt clips, head straps or bike mounts.

Look : Matters if you want to keep your flashlight separate from all the others.

Kids may want their flashlights to look unique. Check out the arts and crafts section for some ideas.

Warranty : Is always a plus.

If you spend a good amount of money on a flashlight, it behooves you to get some quality assurance.

Extras

Colored lights?
Strobe action?

External Links

Flashlight Guide -- More detailed info.
FlashlightReviews.com -- The name says it all.
Wikipedia -- Overview of flashlights with a good list of hobbyist sites.
Flashlight Museum -- An interesting history of the flashlight with fascinating photos of antique models.