A Simple Guide to Choosing Flashlights

Technology has long been able to provide outdoorsmen with the ability to shed some light in the darkness - and not just by lighting a candle. Campers, hikers, and backpackers alike can benefit from adding a flashlight of some sort to their inventory of necessities, even if you aren’t planning on spending a full night outside. Dense forests, foul weather, and even just the early hours of the evening can darken your path. Make sure you’re bringing the right flashlight for your needs.

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Design

With camping flashlights, there are a multitude of design frameworks tailored to suit a variety of needs. From headlamps to the traditional hand-held light, here’s a quick run-down:

Shop our extensive selection of hand-held flashlights, headlamps, and lanterns at Outdoor Shopping.

Specifics to Each Style

While the general guidelines are listed in the table above, there are a few intricacies to each style that will help in your decision-making process. Here’s a little bit more info about each style type as well as the pros and cons therein.

Headlamps

If you’re looking for a little extra illumination without having to use your hands to hold a flashlight, a headlamp is right for you! Whether you’re setting up a tent at night, searching for firewood after sunset, or going for a little trail running at dusk, a headlamp offers hands-free convenience for any outdoor adventurer.

Headlamps differ in that their reliance on a headstrap means that different features can accompany it such as tilt (the angle at which the lamp tilts from the head) and support straps (for heavier models).

Hand-Held Flashlight

This traditional favorite comes in a wide variety of designs tailored to many outdoor (and indoor) situations. From camping to hiking to sightseeing and exploring, a hand-held flashlight is made for your specific needs.

Advances in LED (light-emitting diode) technology and battery efficiency have resulted in flashlights that are smaller, lighter and brighter than they were just a few years ago. Because of the wide range of differences among hand-held models, prices can range from just a few dollars to well over a few hundred.

Lanterns

A classic in campground and family camping, the lantern is bulky but bright. Recent advances in LED lighting now provide you many modern lantern choices that are light, bright and compact enough even for backpacking (although hand-helds and headlamps are typically still preferred). There are three standard lantern types to look for:

Type	Guidelines	Best for:
Electric	Virtually all battery-powered lanterns these days use LED (light emitting diode) technology.	Long camping trips Family camping (safe around kids because no heat output)
Fuel-Burning	Can run on liquid fuel, propane, or butane. Requires a cloth mantle, and you’ll need to carry replacements on any trip.	Large campsites (best lumen output)
Candle-Lit	These use 1 or more candles to provide soft, natural light with minimal glow.	Cozy tents Close-up tasks

Shop our extensive selection of hand-held flashlights, headlamps, and lanterns at Outdoor Shopping.

Features

Some features are available in generally the same formats between all three styles. Here are a few to consider, no matter what style of light you’re choosing:

Beam Type:

Synthetic light sources come with a variety of different features and styles to suit many different needs. Beam type refers to the dispersion of light when it exits the source. For hand-held flashlights and headlamps, there are typically three beam types to choose from:

Lanterns, on the other hand, can only cast a flood beam, as there’s no way to use a lens to reflect the light into a single pinpointed/focused beam.

Light Output

For each style of light, the light output is listed in lumens. Lumens are a unit of measure that gauges the total quantity of light emitted in all directions by a light source. Typically, a light with a high lumens count will consume energy at a higher rate than a light with a lower lumens number. The general rule-of-thumb is that the higher the lumens, the brighter the light. The effectiveness of the manufacturing of the light reflectors, though, can affect the end result.

Keep in mind that beam intensity, distance, and type all influence the effectiveness of a light in different applications. Light output can range from a modest 20 lumens (great for reading a book) to a terrain-scorching 3500 lumens. Also, a higher wattage (accompanied with higher lumens) often results in lower energy efficiency, which means a shorter burn time (for lanterns, specifically) or shorter battery life.

It’s important to note that headlamps have different brightness levels/modes to give the user more versatility in its use. While most headlamps at least offer two modes, many will offer three or more.

Beam Distance

The distance a light travels from the source is typically only of importance for hand-held flashlights and headlamps, as lanterns are not purchased for their distance capabilities. Measured in meters, the beam distance indicates how far the light will shine before the brightness diminishes to the equivalent of the light from a full moon (which is the illumination considered adequate for safe and careful travel outdoors). Brightness settings and beam type will affect the beam distance of any light source.

A good tip to keep in mind is that lumens will tell you how brightly a light shines while beam distance will tell you how far that light will travel. So, someone looking to simply read a book while camping in their tent will want a low lumen setting with a short beam distance while a trail runner navigating the woods at night would want high lumens with a longer beam distance to be able to see what’s up ahead.

Run Time

While the terminology may differ between flashlight designs, the general idea is the same.

For hand-held flashlights, run time (measured in hours) is how long it takes the light output to drop to 10% of the rated output on new batteries, rounded to the nearest quarter hour.

For headlamps, run time is calculated as the time until lights can no longer produce usable light (the light of a full moon) at 2 meters.

With lanterns, there are different types of run times - known as light duration. This is expressed either as burn time (for gas lanterns) or average run time (for battery-powered lanterns). It tells you how long can you expect a lantern to provide light on 1 tank of fuel (for fuel-burners) or on 1 set of batteries (for electric models). Fortunately, lanterns typically come with different settings to give you versatility and save you energy by cutting down your lumen output and extending the run time for your lantern.

Batteries

Unless you’re using a gas lantern, you’ll need batteries for all portable light sources. The type and availability of replacement batteries may guide you to the right flashlight for your needs.

For headlamps specifically, some high-power models that use 4 batteries position the battery pack on the rear of the headband and run a small cable from the pack to the headlamp. It lightens the load on your forehead but can feel clunky. Top straps (sometimes removable) are offered on some models to add stability.

Size and Weight

For hand-held flashlights, the body is typically comprised of aluminum or alloy. While some feature stainless steel in the head for impact resistance, the body material makeup is what can influence the weight of the light itself. A larger, heavier unit is not necessarily brighter, but it is likely to feature an extended run time due to a greater battery capacity.

Hand-held models offer the widest range of weights, as there are so many uses and tasks that they may be subject to. On the other hand, headlamps are designed with lightness in mind. Most headlamps, with batteries included, weigh less than 7 ounces and are of similar size. You won't notice substantial differences in headlamp size and weight until you start examining some very high-powered models. Some have top straps and external battery packs that add bulk. Such models are intended for specific needs (e.g., climbing) rather than routine adventures.

If you’re planning a hiking, backpacking, or climbing excursion, you may want to stay away from lanterns, as these are typically designed with weight as an afterthought. They’re better for more comfortable scenarios like family or car camping.

Capabilities

While lanterns aren’t typically designed with specific resistances in mind, both hand-held flashlights and headlamps are manufactured to withstand some of nature’s more typical scenarios.

Shop our extensive selection of hand-held flashlights, headlamps, and lanterns at Outdoor Shopping.