**If you are in a hurry I recommend the Goreit Rechargeable Tactical Flashlight as the best hiking flashlight for its versatility and included bonus items**
Getting any old plastic flashlight for the outdoors might come in handy for a kid or a one off trip but if you’re looking for something you can count on time and time again when you’re hiking then you need a durable and versatile option. Learn which one is going to withstand the rugged outdoors but still perform the way you need it to in the best hiking flashlight reviews below.
What Makes A Great Hiking Flashlight
Brightness
In order to understand how powerful your light beam is going to be you can measure the brightness in lumens. The higher the amount of lumens your hiking flashlight has, the brighter your light beam is going to be. It also means that your light beam is going to extend further in the distance giving you more visibility on what’s ahead.
Depending on what battery source you have can also affect the amount of lumens your light produces. Some options on this list will allow both rechargeable and regular batteries but the rechargeable ones will put out more lumens.
The lower end of lumens for a hiking flashlight is around 300 although you’ll find some on this list as low as 150. The higher end can put out as much as 900 lumens.
If you are looking to use your hiking flashlight to primarily light up the trail in front of you while walking then I would recommend not going below 300 lumens.
Durability
There’s a main rating system used to test how durable your outdoor flashlight will be without needing to take it to the outdoors for several months. The IP rating gives you an ideal of how much water exposure your outdoor light can take and the impact resistance.
The IP rating is written with two numbers and the first will give you the impact resistance and the second tells you the water resistance. You’ll see it written as IP65 and the impact number represents how many meters you can drop the hiking flashlight from without occurring any serious damage.
The water resistance number will let you know if you can get a few splashes on your flashlight or if you can actually fully submerge it and still use it on your hikes.
Portability
All hiking flashlights on this list will be able to transport easily with you to wherever you go. Especially since most of them will be able to fit in your pocket with no problem. The real difference is how you are able to transport the flashlight.
Wristbands can be attached to the tail cap and make it easy to slip around your hand so that you can carry it without much thought. But you can also find options that have a side clip that allows you to attach it to any backpack strap or even a belt loop.
A few outdoor flashlights will even come with its own carrying case that will be very nice when throwing your flashlight in the back of the car with the other gear but doesn’t become very relevant when you’re actually on the trails.
Battery
You can use rechargeable or regular batteries in most of the hiking flashlights listed below. Some of them will come with batteries but most do not so be careful on which you get before heading outdoors.
You’ll either be using AA or AAA if you plan on using regular batteries but I would recommend upgrading to some rechargeable when you have a chance. Both to save money on constantly needing new ones and to save the environment because they are terrible for landfills.
With a rechargeable battery you hiking flashlight will usually have a USB cord you can use to plug the light directly into a power source. But what you will find with some of the options below is that you’ll also get a car adapter or wall adapter so that charging your flashlight will be incredibly easy.
Features
There are some nice features to look out for that might come in handy depending on the specific type of hiking you’ll be doing and what you’ll need your light for.
Most options have multiple light settings and can include high, medium, low, strobe, and SOS. It’s pretty common to also include a zoomable lens so that you can narrow or widen your light beam while you’re on the trails. There’s even one option where you can rotate the head of the light 90 degrees and it has a magnetic tail cap so you can use it in a number of different ways.
Best Overall: Goreit Rechargeable Tactical Flashlight
If you’re looking for a full gift set hiking flashlight that will leave you fully prepared in the outdoors, the Goreit comes with a rechargeable battery, wall adapter, car adapter, USB cord, and mount piece. When fully charged it can last up to 6 hours on the medium light setting. And there are five different light settings you can choose from like high, medium, low, strobe, and SOS. You can even narrow or widen the light that’s coming from the different settings.
Just don’t stare at the light directly because the 900 lumens are some of the brightest on this list. You have a wristband attached to the tail cap so it can travel anywhere you go. It’s on the higher end of the price list but all the included power sources and carrying case make it worth the investment. The Goreit is extremely versatile and will keep you prepared on any outdoor hike.
Best Luxury: Anker Rechargeable Bolder LC90 LED Flashlight
There’s no question that when you invest in an Anker Rechargeable Flashlight that you are getting a durable product that’s going to last you several seasons in the outdoors. Made with an included rechargeable battery that you will be able to fill up using the micro USB, you can use the Anker for up to 6 hours on the medium light setting. There’s five total light settings you can choose from including high, medium, low, strobe, and SOS and it takes about 6 hours to fully recharge so you want to be careful with your usage.
You get up to 900 lumens which should be plenty for lighting up the trails ahead of you and you can even change the light beam to be narrowed or wide. It’s also got an IPX5 so you don’t have to worry about being careful in the rain, just make sure you don’t fully submerge it. This is the kind of hiking flashlight that you can really count on to perform well when you need help hiking at night.
Best Budget: GearLight LED Tactical Flashlight S1000
The only thing better than getting one GearLight to light up your hiking trails is getting two Gearlights. For the price of other options on this list that only come with one hiking flashlight, the S1000 model is perfect for having a reliable option that is going to perform on the trails. There’s five different light settings and you can adjust the light beam to be narrow or wide depending on the use case. You can slip it into your pocket without noticing it’s there and you can leave the other in your glove compartment or at home. There’s also a wristband to make it easily portable.
There aren’t any batteries included but it requires 3 AAA batteries or a single rechargeable battery. It’s water resistant and claims that you could run it over with a car and it would still work. Not sure if I recommend doing this to any camping flashlight. But if you’re looking for a high quality hiking flashlight that can easily handle the rugged outdoors then the GearLight should be top of the list.
HAUSBELL Flashlight
The best part about the HAUSEBELL Flashlight is the price. At the lowest price point on the list you’ll be surprised by the fact that your purchase actually comes with two hiking flashlights. For how durable they are it’s absolutely one of the best deals you’ll find and you can keep one in the car while the other can go where you go. It gives off about 300 lumens which isn’t a whole lot but is more than enough to light up the path in front of you while hiking.
It’s only about 4 in in length and comes with a side clip so you could easily stick it in your pocket or attach it to a backpack strap without even noticing it was there. You can use three different light settings as well as narrow or widen the light beam depending on what you need. The HAUSEBELL is probably not going to last you forever but at the price point you could buy four and still not spend as much as some of the other options on this list.
PHIXTON Rechargeable Tactical Flashlight
It wasn’t enough for PHIXTON to produce a high quality and durable hiking flashlight but they also had to create a whole carrying case and extra items. All for a lower price than some other outdoor flashlight options you have. The case itself is nice but you also get a USB cord, wall adapter, car adapter, rechargeable battery, and mounting device. You’ll pretty much never have to worry about recharging your flashlight in any scenario. And given that the high light mode can last for up to 6 continuous hours your hiking will be well lit when you take to the trails.
You can adjust the light beam to be more narrow or more wide to help you focus while you’re in nature. And you also get five different light settings including high, medium, low, SOS, and strobe. You don’t want to get this light too close to water because if it submerges there’s a good chance its not going to work again but don’t worry if some water splashes on it because it has an IPX4 water resistant rating. This hiking flashlight would work well as a gift for a birthday or holiday because of the carrying case and extra items that come with your purchase. And for the price point it’s a great value.
NICRON Flashlight
You’re not going to find another hiking flashlight that has a rotation so that you can either keep your light pointing straight or switch it 90 degrees for a completely different use. And the magnetic tail cap is perfect for attaching to any magnetic surface so that you can freely use both hands for setting up your campsite or getting dinner prepped. On a rechargeable battery you can get up to 600 lumens but you’ll have to buy this separately as the NICRON doesn’t come with a battery source.
The IP65 rating means your light is going to hold up if it starts pouring down rain but if you leave it out too long or submerge it under water you’ll have some problems. There are four different light modes you can choose from and switching through the different modes is easy compared to other models where you have to memorize a formula just to use it. If you’re looking for a very versatile hiking flashlight that can work in any outdoor scenario then the NICRON is a great choice.
J5 Tactical V1-PRO Flashlight
The J5 Tactical Flashlight makes some bold claims about the durability of it’s product that don’t have the proper data to back it up but what you will get is a reliable light source on your hiking trip that is very easily portable. The side clip makes it a very convenient option to stick in your pocket or attach to a strap on your backpack. You’ll get up to 300 lumens which isn’t a very high amount but should be plenty of light to get you up and down the trails.
There isn’t an IP rating listed and they also don’t mention anything about run time for the battery usage. It should perform about average but not having the specific information included is a bit of a missed opportunity for J5. Based on a lot of customers previous experience you should have a reliable light source to use during your hikes but you won’t be able to count on this product working in a few years.
Olight I3T Flashlight
The Olight I3T Flashlight is a perfect every day flashlight that you will be able to easily haul around during your hikes. The very light size and weight allow you to put it into your pocket without even noticing it’s there. It also comes with a reversible side clip so you can attach it to any bag you need. It also has an IPX8 rating so you can not only use this during heavy rain but you can actually submerge the whole hiking flashlight and still be able to use it afterwards.
One of the drawbacks is the very low lumens it produces. Only 180 total from the high light setting so you won’t be able to see very far ahead of you if you are using it in the dark while hiking the trails. And on top of that you can only use it on the high setting for up to 20 minutes. But it does come with a battery so that is at least a start. Overall the Olight is going to be best for hikers who need a tiny light source they can easily transport anywhere they need to go.
GearLight High-Powered LED Flashlight S1200
GearLight is no stranger to providing high quality light for outdoor enthusiasts and the S1200 is a staple in many hikers’ backpacks. There’s five different light modes you can select from like high, medium, low, strobe, and SOS. You can also adjust the zoom lens for a narrow or wide light beam depending on if you need a lot of the trail lit up ahead of you or you just need to focus on one area. And you have a wristband attached to the tail cap so that you can keep it near you at all times.
There are no IP ratings or battery run time listed which is disappointing given the GearLight is held in such high regard but the previous experience of customers should be enough to convince you that what you are investing in is a durable and reliable hiking flashlight. Given the low price point the GearLight S1200 provides great value along with a trusted brand.
CVLIFE Tactical Flashlight
Much like the PHIXTON, the CVLIFE comes with a full carrying case that includes a rechargeable battery and wall charger. Because of the rechargeable battery you can get an impressive 800 lumens to use on your hike. You also get a choice of five different light modes including high, med, low, strobe, and SOS. There’s a side clip that allows you to easily attach the CVLIFE to your pocket or backpack strap.
The IPX6 rating is a nice feature because it allows you to be able keep it out in the rain without any worry but you’re not going to want to fully submerge it under water for any reason. You can get a full six hours of run time before needing to fully charge it again. And you have the ability to narrow or widen the light beam to change the focus. It’s a great price for everything that is included and is going to hold up long term.
Summary
My choice for the best hiking flashlight is the Goreit Rechargeable Tactical Flashlight because of its versatility and included bonus items. You get a wall adapter, car adapter, rechargeable battery, USB cord, and carrying case. There’s 900 lumens of brightness that will blast the trails ahead when you’re trying to get to the perfect spot before sunrise. You’ll be able to use the Goreit for several seasons and be able to take it with you wherever you go.
