Men’s Gear Awards: Best Tactical Flashlight Brands Of 2019

Surefire

The Surefire brand happens to specialize in flashlights, putting them among the best tactical flashlight brands in the world without even having to break a sweat. They have over two-dozen tactical flashlights in their line-up.

Yet they also offer several items for guns as well as those in emergency management.

Many of them are popular and come in all shapes and sizes. However, the best thing about the Surefire brand is that they realize people cannot always afford the big fancy type of flashlight. This is why they have several terrific, low-cost lights available.

Their lowest cost flashlight is $29.99, in fact. They call it the “Sidekick.” It comes with a high of 300 Lumens, which is pretty good for a flashlight at its size. It is compact, weighing in at just 1.2 ounces.

It is easily rechargeable, with a battery life of nearly 2 hours on consistent usage.

That makes this light a really useful one in an emergency. Due to being rechargeable, you can get countless use out of this one tactical flashlight. While it only contains a light, this flashlight is weather resistant and is even backed by Surefire’s one year guarantee.

Average Pricing Combines With Quality Performance

Their average flashlight costs around $200-300, however, these models tend to come with a ton of accessories. Take for example the Surefire Lawman & E2D LED Defender Ultra models. Both contain a lot of use and have lumen strength of up to 1,000!!

They can both last around 2 hours on one charge, and they’re nearly impossible to break. They’re often used as a weapon due to their hard body, as well as a window breaker when in need.

The E2D LED Defender Ultra even has the Crenellated Strike Bezel® for enhanced self-defense.

Both are also backed by the one year guarantee Surefire gives their products. To further add to this, both flashlights come with batteries that won’t need to be replaced for a long time, with the E2 promising a 10-year shelf-life.

Overall, Surefire knows flashlights. When searching for tactical flashlight brands, it was pretty simple to add a brand that knows its way around some lumens like Surefire.

5.11 Tactical

5.11 Tactical is known mostly due to their entire brand of great tactical gear. However, they make some amazing tactical flashlights too. When thinking about tactical flashlight brands, it’s important to consider 5.11 right away.

This brand specializes in tactical gear completely, so that gives them a leg up due to the fact that they know the major needs a flashlight must have. A lot of brands have an issue with their flashlights because they seem to want to sell you only on the light and very few other things.

5.11 decided against this by giving you great tactical flashlights at great prices, as well as stacking them full of features. In fact, absolutely NONE of their current flashlights cross over $100. Their highest priced item that they sell is only $89.99.

Price Plus Quality Equals Greatness

However, they have sold higher priced lights in the past mostly due to special runs of flashlights. The 5.11 Tactical XBT D3 Flashlight is among those, and it is considered by many to be one of the best flashlights in the world.

Overall, even this won’t cost you an arm or leg. You’ll usually never see those flashlights cross $150-200, in fact.

That makes them one of the most affordable tactical flashlight brands around per price average.

Let’s examine their $89.99 model and check out all that is provided. They call it the “Station 3D.” It comes at an amazing 1232 Lumen strength, with a high and low mode setting. Set on high, the run time for this flashlight can reach nearly 6 hours!! The beam distance even reaches up to 179 Meters.

Most of this is an industry-high for the price asked.

This model is impact resistant up to one meter as well as IPX-4 water resistant. It’s even made out of machined aerospace grade aluminum, so it won’t randomly break on you. All of this comes with their most expensive model sold online, which is a lot compared to other tactical flashlight brands.

They even have what we like to call “pen-lights” due to being the size of one. These lights are not insanely bright, most at under 200 Lumens. However, they can last just as long as the Station 3D. They also don’t cross over $30.

Overall, if you want a fantastic flashlight, it is hard to argue against any other tactical flashlight brand on our list. However, comparing the price to what is offered, it seems that 5.11 Tactical is a great way to go for most.

Streamlight

Streamlight has been responsible for several top tactical flashlights over the last few years. That said, it shouldn’t come as a shock to see them on this list. We love exploring the product line for brands like this, but with Streamlight, it took us a while.

Streamlight has managed to put out some great tactical flashlights, but we’re not lying when we tell you that they have a massive amount of flashlights to choose from. In fact, they have specific lines for lights.

This is so extreme that they have lights you can actually buy “switchblade” lights from them that pop out just like a knife does.

On top of this, they have a ton of accessories for damn near every single flashlight they have. Some even have accessories for those accessories.

The main focus of this brand is light-related products, clearly. They make headlights, weapon mountable lights, and of course the handheld lights we all know and love. They have a heavy focus on making lights for emergency management and law enforcement groups.

That includes the likes of the police, military, and even firefighters and paramedics.

We aren’t going to lie, we seriously love Streamlight. Their products are available in several places across the United States and Canada, with several international stores also carrying their products.

If you don’t know where you can find one near you, simply go here and search for your country or search by ZIP if you’re in North America.

Few Other Tactical Flashlight Brands Are As Thorough As Streamlight

They seriously are one of the best light-makers in the world. While their flashlights are made for almost any condition you can think up, they have a massive amount of handheld tactical flashlights that they display with pride.

This company literally thought of everything. While they don’t really display prices on their website, you can find out almost anything else you want to know.

Not sure if this can be used in your country? Well, they have the knowledge of its acceptance. Want to get only certain parts for your flashlight and need exact product number information? They have that too!

What about the complaints a light may have against it? Streamlight makes sure you know about this too.

Due to working with so many law enforcement organizations, they need to be on the up and up with everything. They do their best to display their products well while also providing critical information that almost no other company we’ve ever seen has ever done as well as them.

They make a lot of lights, which is sort of underselling the amount if we’re being honest. However, most of them are well-priced at under $100. In fact, a quick search will show you a lot of them under $80 at several stores.

Honestly, no one is more impressed with Streamlight than Men’s Gear. We’d recommend them to anyone

Nitecore

If you’ve ever owned a Nitecore Flashlight, you know why we added them to our list of the best tactical flashlight brands. They are simply one of the best you’ll ever find, and this isn’t an exaggeration.

Everyone who knows the world of tactical gear knows Nitecore are serious contenders for the best flashlight makers.

This is for good reason. Nitecore reminds us of Streamlight, due to their set-up. Like them, their website is more about informing you about their product rather than telling you about their prices.

There are just so many that is can be a bit jarring, but this is kind of a good thing.

They are not specifically made for the likes of law enforcement like Streamlight often tends to be. Nitecore is also heavily influenced by their testing and actually puts testing in the hands of people like those who know the world well.

There are pros and cons to every single flashlight in existence, which should be heavily noted here. However, Nitecore actually seems to love getting both about their product from the likes of us, the media.

The reason? This testing helps them better their products overall, even if that means removing a certain type from their line to make sure it’s perfect.

This means you are not just getting testers that work with Nitecore only. Rather, you’re getting people in the real world that are putting these flashlights to the test.

Nitecore’s Proper Testing Led To Better Lights And Inventive Results

They make lights for just about everything. We always feel that great tactical flashlight brands must evolve with the times. Not only do their flashlights need to be made for certain activities, but those lights have to adjust to the very things those activities require from a flashlight.

Nitecore has headlamp lights, for example, that are made specifically for fields like cave exploration, climbing, etc. They have to be perfectly organized, of course, for this particular field.

That is not where their organized tactical flashlights end. They make your standard lights to have around the home for storms, of course. However, they have specific lines dedicated to exploration, as well as lights dedicated to search and rescue.

They also have a tremendous “Tiny Monster” series that combines lights to make a really cool, revolutionary flashlight.

One of them stacks 4 beams in one, offering 6,000 Lumen strength lighting. It seems insane, right? It isn’t, but whoever thought it up must be a genius if you’re asking us.

Another we absolutely love about Nitecore is that they sell their batteries separately as well as together. Many flashlights come with batteries when you buy them. However, places like Nitecore make specific types of flashlights that require batteries you won’t find at your regular, run of the mill store.

This is why they sell them separately so you won’t have to buy a brand new flashlight to get new batteries. Under this as well, they have power banks/chargers that are used to power other things too. This will allow you to charge a cell phone, computer, and much more.

They even sell lasers, the types that can be really annoying at theaters as well as those you can use on a gun to help aim a shot better. Seriously, this is flipping awesome!

Overall, there is nothing but impressive material here at Nitecore. Their prices vary, but most of their flashlights are under $200. This, of course, does not include any accessories or extra batteries you may want to buy along with it.

Fenix

We’re big fans of Fenix Flashlights at Men’s Gear. One thing we love about them is that, just like Streamlight and Nitecore before them, they are heavily detailed on their website. If you want to know something about their flashlights, they make sure you know it.

However, unlike the other two, they actually put the prices out there to make sure you know how much they are. The others are often sold in stores around the world.

While Fenix sells their products other places too, they have an online sales department that allows you to buy without dealing with a middle man.

We absolutely cheer on their attempt to help you find the right light too. On their website, you’ll find that they help you find the best light for your needs. They break it down to specific categories like biking, everyday carrying, camping, hunting/fishing, and many more.

If that wasn’t enough, they also break it down to find the right size you want and even the flashlights that use the type of batteries you like.

Seriously, how thorough does one place get, right?

Unlike some other places, they also offer bundle deals that combine batteries and flashlights you need. They also have a section where you can, quite literally, find the best for emergency management situations.

Well Made Flashlights, Rechargeable Batteries, And More Gives Fenix An Advantage Over Several Tactical Flashlight Brands

Fenix also happens to have several tactical flashlights that use rechargeable batteries. As you see in the image above, you can charge some with simple USB chargers with your computer, certain USB-accepting phone chargers, or other power sources.

The average price for their flashlights is similar to the others, sitting $200 and under for most. They do offer some higher priced items, but this also comes with bigger lights and higher lumens.

While they do sell things like tactical pens, knives, and more here…their flashlights clearly are the bread and butter for Fenix. They offer headlamps, camping lights, and even bike lights. All of which is well put together, if you’re asking us.

Fenix also does something that no one else on this list truly offers. They will do custom work on their flashlights, offering a few different color designs as well as engraving. This is great for group camping or exploration trips.

No one will get a light that doesn’t belong to them with this.

If you’re getting our opinion, all of the tactical flashlight brands listed here are absolutely amazing. However, Fenix is a top company in this industry due to their online sales section, as well as their extensive library of lights for just about anything you need them for.

We cannot possibly express how impressed we are with Fenix and all they bring to the table.