The best tactical flashlights to light the way

The SureFire Stiletto is the coffin-shaped wonder that we reviewed back in early 2021, except now it’s in an upgraded 1,000-lumen version that fits handily in anyone’s pocket, and with an improved external presentation. The Stiletto Pro is a flashlight that fits every use, from searching through the back seat of your car for a lost item to momentarily illuminating or dazzling a potential target in a life-or-death self-defense situation. Featuring a 50-lumen low mode, a 300-lumen medium mode, and a scorching 1,000-lumen high mode, as well as a strobe mode for dazzling, it is all powered by a USB-rechargeable battery. Finally, the Pro version of the Stiletto swaps the polymer of the version I reviewed for aluminum, making it even more premium.

Part of what makes the Stiletto Pro so good is the fact that it eschews the typical cylindrical shapes of most flashlights for a flattened, coffin-shaped form factor, which is more fitting in the user’s hand and easier to put in one’s pocket. Probably the biggest improvement that the Pro has over the already-stellar Stiletto is the 1,000-lumen output power, which is a lot of power for a pocket-sized light. As with many of the lights that I own, use, or have used, this one is rechargeable, which I prefer simply because it ensures that I can have a light that I know is charged at all times, without having to run out to the store for batteries. Ultimately, you have a great EDC companion.

However, when I said that this light fits “every use,” I may have been stretching the definition of “every.” One key area where this light lacks is that it doesn’t have a red lens mode, making it immediately limited for military field use. It’s not designed for that, but it’s part of the reason why I don’t use my Stiletto more often in situations where I’d need a durable flashlight. The pocket clip is also a weird choice, designed to be clipped to the brim of a hat, at the expense of carrying light-up in my pocket. This is another issue that makes it difficult to justify for any kind of military use, since one wrong bump against something, and you’ve got a 1,000-lumen flash, which is also inconvenient when carrying in civilian attire as well. Finally, while the batteries are rechargeable, good luck actually replacing dead battery cells, as the batteries in this are proprietary and inaccessible to most users.

It’s not perfect, but when many people think of a tactical, standalone flashlight, they think of something that offers the capabilities of the Stiletto. This is a pocket-friendly, ultra-bright light, and whether you need it as a duty flashlight, self-defense flashlight, or simply a utility flashlight, SureFire makes the best handheld tactical flashlights, and the Stiletto is one of them.

If SureFire was Coke, Streamlight is Pepsi. It’s slightly less popular, but with a string of certified classics to its name, and the Microstream is one of them. Proof that a great light doesn’t have to cost a lot, this is something that’s small enough to keep on your keychain to replace your phone flashlight. Plus, it also has a relatively high output of 250 lumens. That wouldn’t be extremely high in a larger light, but it is outstanding in a light that’s not much larger than a tube of lip balm. When we reviewed it in early 2021, we were extremely pleased with its performance, owing to its great value. Best of all, it’s rechargeable, meaning that as long as you’ve got a USB cable, which is included, you’ll have power for your flashlight.

The biggest advantage of the Microstream is that it’s incredibly affordable, meaning that if you’re the kind of person who hesitates before buying anything nice because you’re worried that you’ll break or lose it, this is the light for you. However, this also means that almost anyone can afford a good flashlight, in this case, one that will do its job and stand up to serious abuse. I’ve had my Microstream since writing my review of it in early 2021, and it’s been used and abused by myself and others effectively nonstop since then. Even though a 250-lumen light is probably the dimmest standalone light on this list, for such a compact flashlight that’s designed mostly for emergency illumination in a pinch, it’s perfect. Plus, for close-up tasks like reading, it has the low mode.

A small flashlight isn’t going to be popular with people who have large hands, and that’s an inherent physical issue. However, compounding this issue is the fact that the tail switch on this light is somewhat finicky to switch between high and low modes, meaning that it might take you a few tries to get it right, and accidentally go into high mode when you meant to go into low, or vice versa. Again, like the SureFire Stiletto, the Streamlight Microstream lacks a red lens function, making this a light that’s better suited for EDC than military use.

The Microstream is the optimal compact EDC flashlight, and it’s one of the best rechargeable lights available for most people, owing to its fantastic price. It’s no slouch in the durability department either, so you’re getting a lot of light in a little package.

Most of my uses for a tactical flashlight are squarely military, so I need a small tactical flashlight that’s durable and features a red lens for reading in low light tactical scenarios. The SureFire Aviator satisfies all of these capabilities. This truly mil-spec flashlight represents the pinnacle of durability for handheld military flashlights and makes for a great duty flashlight for anyone who needs red lens capability, especially if they’re known to be tough on their gear.

The SureFire Aviator is advertised as “virtually indestructible” and that’s neither fiction nor hyperbole. This light is legendary for its durability, being able to withstand the rigors of almost any military use. I’ve personally witnessed these lights with dents, scrapes, and zero paint left on the body operate perfectly with only a change of battery or a bulb swap. The controls are also incredibly intuitive, allowing you to easily select illumination modes, eliminating the possibility that you might accidentally use the white light when you mean to use the red one. Additionally, this light features a safety mode that prevents activation in any case, which is essential for when you need total light discipline. Finally, this light features high and low white and red lens modes, which is great for when you need a red lens to read a map, versus when you need one to search through a darkened seven-ton truck or aircraft fuselage.

The obvious downside of this light is that they want you to pay north of $260 for a 250-lumen flashlight, in a market where many users can get 1,000-lumen lights for the same price, even from SureFire. Unless you need an indestructible red lens flashlight, you will likely be in the camp of seeing this as excessive. Another issue that people may have is that this light isn’t rechargeable, and instead uses conventional CR123 batteries, which can be difficult to locate in quantity at many stores, but which are commonly found in military supply warehouses, comm shops, and armories. Overall, these are issues that are caused by being a specialized tool for specialist users.

The SureFire Aviator lives up to its military name by being rugged, fully featured, and exhaustively tested. If you have a need for a handheld tactical duty light that features a red lens, look no further than this model.

When I asked currently-serving servicemembers what tactical flashlights they preferred, the response was, in almost every case “Flashlights? You mean headlamps?” That’s for a good reason. After thinking about it, I remembered that I hardly ever used anything except a headlamp for military purposes. One of the names that kept coming up in this discussion was Princeton Tec, and the Vizz Tactical is one of the pinnacles of product development in that field. This is a headlamp that offers not only red and white lenses, but also green, blue, and infrared, meaning that it will work for all your tactical illumination needs, all in tactical colors for those of you who need, say, a multicam flashlight strap to go with your multicam plate carrier.

The Vizz Tactical headlamp is a rugged, multipurpose headlamp that is purpose-built for military use, and which has several capabilities that make it optimal for that purpose. For starters, the LED lights offer a 420-lumen white light, as well as lower output red, blue, and green lights, and an infrared bulb for use under night vision. The 420-lumen white light has a narrow beam, meaning that this makes for a good long range tactical flashlight. The decision to use non-rechargeable AAA batteries offers one specific military advantage, which is that you can quickly swap batteries as long as you have AAAs on hand. Finally, and in a marked improvement over many headlamps on the market, this one is actually well-regarded for its durability, which is essential for military use.

Probably the biggest downside to the Vizz is the fact that it doesn’t offer the option to use rechargeable batteries unless you use a separate charger for rechargeable AAAs, which is an extra cost to consider. Another issue is that the elastic headband on Princeton Tec headlamps eventually wears out, which isn’t necessarily an issue with Princeton Tec specifically, and is more a side effect of elastic straps in general. Eventually, you’ll have to replace it, especially if you are like me and you swap your headlamp between on your head and wrap the strap around your plate carrier. Finally, in an effort to cut down on control clutter, Princeton Tec has put every function behind a single button, meaning that you’ll need to learn how to do things like changing the sequence of lights, in the event that you don’t need green or blue lights as much as you need white, red, or infrared.

All of my gripes with the Vizz Tactical are minor, and that’s because it’s one of the best headlamps that I could find. Have extra AAA batteries on hand, and this will be a headlamp that lasts for years.

The Coast HP3R is proof that penlights aren’t necessarily weak flashlights, and that you can get a full-power flashlight that’s the perfect balance between large, high-power lights and tiny microlights like the Microstream. When I sold equipment to police departments, these types of penlights were probably the most popular purchase items for law enforcement. They have a slim profile, so they’ll fit inside your breast pocket next to a pen or marker.

Penlights remain popular because they fit everyone who can hold a pen. These aren’t huge, bulky, 2,000-lumen affairs, but rather lights designed for quick illumination in close-up environments. The Coast HP3R makes this happen by using AAA batteries, or a slim rechargeable battery, which gives it roughly the same dimensions as a Sharpie marker, albeit slightly thicker. Still, it’s a durable light, made entirely of aluminum, and featuring a splash-resistant IP57 rating. One of the best features of the HP3R that makes it stand out from the other penlights on the market is that it features a focusable illumination head, allowing the user to select a wider beam for close-up tasks, or a tighter beam for illuminating objects at longer distances, which is usually a feature reserved for much larger lights.

The Coast HP3R does have some drawbacks. The pocket clip is constructed from stamped metal, which can wear out over a short period of time. After about a year, you might experience reduced pocket retention with the stock clip. Fortunately, they’re easy to replace. The flexibility of the illumination head doesn’t extend to the thumb switch, however, and it still uses the same “single press for high, double for low” control scheme that’s often led me to accidentally engage one when I needed the other. Finally, when you compare this to options like the Streamlight Scribe, it’s significantly wider, owing to the adjustable head and increased lumen output, which matters in a family of lights that’s known for being compact and concealable.

Penlights are extremely popular police flashlights, and the Coast HP3R is one of the best duty lights on the market in this category. It has the brightness, durability, and flexibility that professional users need, no matter if they’re law enforcement, first responders, or ordinary people who want a compact and concealable small flashlight.

The Cloud Defensive Rein is my personal weapon-mounted light for my rifle because it features a good blend of beam throw distance, beam width, and other features that made it stand out above other top-rated tactical flashlights like the SureFire Scout light and Streamlight HLX. A weapon-mounted light is an essential accessory for any self-defense or duty set up to ensure proper target identification. This is one that will fit most of your needs because it’s durable, reasonably priced, and even reasonably waterproof.

The Cloud Defensive Rein makes a great mounted light for a self-defense weapon, but several users pointed out that it’s one of the best police tactical flashlights because it combines a healthy brightness of 1,300 lumens with a longer throw distance, making it a great choice for identifying things like armed individuals at intermediate distances in low light situations. A 1,300-lumen beam is also a handy tool for startling or dazzling a target in a defensive situation, giving you a split-second advantage to identify your target, owing to the fact that this flashlight is an eye-scorcher. Yes, I tested it on myself. Finally, unlike a lot of other tactical flashlights meant for use on a rifle, this one includes a pressure plate, which means that you can put the switches wherever it’s comfortable, rather than having to pay extra as with brands like SureFire.

The biggest issue with including a pressure plate is that you’re somewhat limited in terms of other attachments for your rifle or long gun because you’re locked into using the included switch, which isn’t great in terms of usability, especially with gloves. The switches are small, and for users who might want to use an IR aiming laser like a PEQ, DBAL, or MAWL, they’ll often use a combination switch that connects to both the laser and their light, with a pair of switches that controls either one. That’s not an option with the Rein. The battery also runs down while sitting idle, meaning that I take my battery out once a month to put a fresh charge on it with the charger, which is sold separately. Finally, the beam is a little wider than that of the SureFire Scout Light, which on my 10.3-inch barrel DDM4V7 PDW, caused the muzzle gasses to obscure my vision while engaging targets at the range during testing, even while using a SureFire Warden.

This is a fantastic, bright, and sturdy rechargeable tactical flashlight for your rifle, as long as you’re ready to go all-in with the Rein. As a duty flashlight or self-defense flashlight, it’s a great choice, but you have to make sure it works with your rifle setup, or modify your setup to work with this light.