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Lighting is one of the fastest-evolving technologies in recent years. For decades incandescent lighting was the staple choice for mobile and fixed lighting. However, we’ve seen LED technology take over at a rapid pace, and we continue to witness older LED chips being replaced by more efficient and affordable models. Until the last couple of decades, the idea of a compact and easy-to-transport 1000-lumen flashlight would have been nothing more than a thought.
Nowadays, you can find super bright flashlights on the market that dwarf even a 1000-lumen light. 1000 Lumen lights remain popular for their compact size-to-light ratio. They are sufficient for most tactical and everyday applications without being bulky and heavy. Here’s a list of our current favorites on the market.
Ledlenser MT14
A great LED flashlight that offers USB recharging, focus shifting, and an impressive 7-year warranty.
Top Choice
Our top pick goes to the Ledlenser MT14, a versatile and powerful flashlight that will make a great tool for security, camping, or general use. The ability to toggle the focus between a broad and narrow beam is extremely useful, and the USB recharging means no more need to waste batteries.
Best Emergency Flashlight
The EASTSHINE‘s compact design and array of different modes make it great for emergency purposes. The strobe light feature is particularly good for emergency situations where you need to get noticed.
Best Budget Choice
The WdtPro flashlight provides a great budget choice, combining a well-built and reliable flashlight with a price point that makes it difficult to ignore. It’s fairly compact at just over 5 inches long and weighs comfortably 5oz.
What’s important to remember about flashlights is that much like any light source, it’s not as simple as more lumens equalling better quality light or being able to light up an area more effectively. While the strength of the flashlight is no doubt important, you should also understand that the positioning, design, and even quality of the reflector around the chip will be a determining factor in how the flashlight throws its light.
The way photons are dispersed will have a direct impact on the type of lighting you see. For instance, if you have no reflector, the photons will spread out to the sides, and you’ll find that your light source covers a larger distance but may not be that bright. On the other hand, if you channel the photons using a tight reflector to create a narrower beam of light, you’ll find that your coverage area may drop, but your beam will be brighter.
Why a 1000-lumen flashlight?
Suppose you’ve found yourself debating whether or not to opt for a 1000+ lumen flashlight over a regular low-powered flashlight. In that case, there are some very distinct advantages that these more powerful flashlights hold.
These more premium types of flashlights may offer the ability to recharge the batteries with a USB cable, meaning you don’t have to keep replacing batteries, which can become quite expensive. Not only that, but you’re doing the environment a favor by opting for a rechargeable option.
In addition, the materials used to construct the best flashlights over 1000 lumen tend to be of higher quality. This isn’t the case for every device, as there are certainly some well-made low-powered flashlights on the market, but in general, you can expect to see more rugged materials which are capable of taking a harder knock than a cheap plastic flashlight. The result is that if you choose your flashlight wisely, you can see it as an investment that will last you for several years.
And then last, but certainly not least is just the benefits that come with having a bright flashlight. When did you last think, “Man, this flashlight is too bright”? There are a few situations where you will find yourself wishing for a duller light source. The increase in brightness also increases its potential list of applications, from homestead security to camping safety when out in the wilderness. Even if you’re using it to light up the underside of your car when working on it, brighter is, in most cases – better.
Our Selection of the 9 Best 1000 Lumen Flashlights
Finding the best 1000 lumen flashlight can be quite a challenge. The market is flooded with flashlights capable of producing 1000 lumen, but they don’t all match the quality or traits that you’re looking for. We’ve done the hard work for you and run through dozens of flashlights capable of producing in excess of 1000 lumen, as well as detailing some of their features. This should make it easier to ensure that you don’t end up purchasing a low-quality light that doesn’t suit your needs.
1. Ledlenser MT14 Rechargeable 1000 Lumen Flashlight
Ledlenser has a rather wide variety of flashlights available to consumers, but for this list, we’ll be looking at the MT14. The MT14 is the company’s upper-mid tier model of their MT range. It features lumen output ranging from 10 to 1000, depending on what setting you choose. We were extremely impressed by the Ledlenser MT14, everything from the construction to the functionality and features.
While the MT14 isn’t the smallest 1000 lumen flashlight on our list, it is certainly one of the most unique. Battery life ranges from 9 hours on the most powerful setting, to 192 hours on the lowest using a single lithium-ion battery.
9 hours of battery life on the high setting is impressive, to say the least, while we see a number of flashlights capable of producing longer battery life on lower settings, the lengthy period of battery life on the high setting speaks to the efficiency of the lighting technology. On the MT10, you find similar features, except that the battery life is better than that of the MT14 by a good 30%. There is a slight trade-off here though, as the MT10 is considerably lighter and also more compact.
The fact that this flashlight comes with a rechargeable battery that uses USB was an excellent addition. In our buyer’s guide, we go over our thoughts on rechargeable 1000 lumen flashlights and why we prefer them. Having this feature built into the MT14 makes it a solid choice for those going camping, or even just those of you who prefer the ease of a USB recharge over having to remove batteries and charge them in their own separate device.
An IPX rating of 4 ensures that the flashlight is protected from splashes of water and in turn should work just fine for outdoor conditions. This water protection isn’t as high as some of the other devices, so if having extensive water protection is vital for you, there are alternatives that better suit that need.
When it comes to the design, the MT14 weighs in at just 253g. This weight places it on the lighter side, but it doesn’t suffer from feeling cheap and plastic in any way.
Another stand-out feature was the rapid focus, which allows you to quickly and easily adjust the focus of the beam. That is to say, if you’re looking for a larger spread of light you can achieve that, and if you’d like to then quickly switch to a further throwing, more concentrated beam you can do so with a single hand.
This feature is great for surveying your homestead and being able to quickly adjust your flashlight to focus on a wider swath closer to you or pinpoint it to a noise in the distance. And by distance, we really mean distance. The MT14 is capable of throwing light over 1000 feet when concentrated.
The cherry on the cake though has to be the extremely extensive 7-year guarantee that comes with this flashlight. We normally never see such thorough guarantees on flashlights. The company will also replace any product that is defective in material or workmanship.
While one is able to move between brightness modes, the fact that there aren’t any SOS modes available makes us hesitant to recommend this as an emergency flashlight. However, it can do almost everything else you need.
Included are a carry bag, USB charging cable, and battery.
Pros
Focus Adjustment
USB-Rechargeable
7-Year Guarantee
Cons
No SOS mode
Only IPX4
2. Fenix PD35 TAC Flashlight
The Fenix PD35 TAC Flashlight is a minimalist and compact flashlight that measures only 5 inches long and does not even weigh 100 grams, making it extremely useful for travel or camping. You can easily fit this little guy into your backpack, tackle box, or even right in your pants pocket, too. It comes with a holster so that you can attach it right to your belt loop, plus it’s so light that you will barely notice it being there at all.
What’s particularly useful about the Fenix PD35 TAC Flashlight is that it has various different modes, allowing you to adjust it to your needs. There is a switch on the side that lets you instantly toggle between tactical and outdoor lighting modes. The tactical mode allows you to engage in 3 different light modes: turbo, low, and strobe. The outdoor mode allows for turbo, high, medium, low, eco, and strobe light modes.
The turbo mode puts out a full 1000 lumens of light, the high mode puts out 500 lumens, and the low puts out 200 lumens. If you’re looking to extend battery life and only require a very minimal output, you can use the eco mode, which only puts out 8 lumens.
As you can see, the Fenix PD35 TAC Flashlight is perfect for everything from a power outage where you need a little bit of light to camping trips where you need a whole lot of illumination. On turbo mode, the Fenix PD35 TAC Flashlight will illuminate your path up to 656 feet ahead of you.
We like how this flashlight comes with a smart memory circuit that remembers the last light mode and automatically turns back to it the next time you turn the Fenix PD35 TAC Flashlight on.
Related to this is the battery life of the Fenix PD35 TAC Flashlight. When it comes to the battery life, on turbo mode, this flashlight will last for 1 hour and 10 minutes; on high, it will last for 2 hours and 55 minutes. And on the low mode, it will last for over 29 hours.
Now, while the battery life on turbo and high modes might not be very high, you will rarely actually need that much light. A highlight of this flashlight is that you can choose between a 18650 rechargeable Li-ion battery or two 3V CR123A Lithium batteries to operate the Fenix PD35 TAC Flashlight, thus allowing for some choice.
You might like how this flashlight comes with a low-voltage reminder to tell you when the battery is low. The Fenix PD35 TAC Flashlight also features a reverse polarity protection system to protect from damage caused by improper battery installation.
We do also like how the Fenix PD35 TAC Flashlight has an excellent build. It is made of ultra-strong aircraft-grade aluminum and features a premium Type III hard-anodized anti-abrasive finish. In other words, this little guy is built tough and built to last for years to come. It is highly impacted scratch and shock-resistant.
Even better is that the Fenix PD35 TAC Flashlight has an IPX-8 waterproof rating, which means that it can be submerged underwater at 6.5 feet for up to 30 minutes without fear of breaking. The flashlight body has an anti-slip and anti-roll design, so it stays exactly where it is supposed to at all times.
Pros
Durable
Compact
Impressive weather-proofing
Cons
Battery life at higher brightness could be improved
3. Streamlight 88065 Professional Tactical Flashlight
The Streamlight 88065 Professional Tactical Flashlight has 4 different light settings that you can choose from. This particular flashlight features a high mode, a medium mode, a low mode, and a strobe mode. At the highest setting, the Streamlight 88065 Professional Tactical Flashlight puts out 1000 lumens with a beam distance of 330 meters (roughly 1000 feet).
In the medium setting, it produces 400 lumens with a beam distance of 200 meters. Then, on the lowest setting, the Streamlight 88065 Professional Tactical Flashlight puts out 65 lumens with a beam distance of 80 meters.
This is rather impressive for such a small flashlight. The high beam is particularly useful for camping or even homestead security.
The Streamlight 88065 Professional Tactical Flashlight has the ability to take various batteries, which is always a welcome feature to have. You can use CR123A batteries, which are disposable, which is convenient for those times when your rechargeable batteries run out of power and you have nowhere to charge them. Using the disposable batteries, when on high mode, the Streamlight 88065 Professional Tactical Flashlight will last for 1.25 hours and 20 hours on low mode.
However, if you use better rechargeable batteries, the Streamlight 88065 Professional Tactical Flashlight will last for 1.5 hours on high mode and 23 hours on low mode.
The Streamlight 88065 Professional Tactical Flashlight uses C4 LED technology. The bulbs themselves have a lifespan of 50,000 hours. This isn’t the newest series of LED chips by any means, but they are tried and true. It produces a really balanced beam where most of the light is concentrated in the middle to cut through the darkness while some light is used for peripheral lighting. This makes the Streamlight 88065 Professional Tactical Flashlight a great choice for tactical purposes, hunting, camping, hiking, and much more.
This flashlight is also built to last for years to come. It features an anodized aluminum body with an anodized finish for maximum durability. You can drop it from fairly high up without fear of it breaking or scratching. It is also extremely impact- and scratch-resistant, plus shock-resistant. Furthermore, the Streamlight 88065 Professional Tactical Flashlight also has a waterproof rating of IPX-7, which means that you can submerge it in 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes without fear of it suffering water damage.
The other thing that stands out about the Streamlight 88065 Professional Tactical Flashlight is that it is very convenient to have on your person. It is a compact flashlight that is no longer than your hand, making it easy to fit in any camping backpack or even in your jacket or pants pocket. The low weight of this flashlight makes it easy to carry around. When you go outdoors, you probably have enough gear with you, but a good flashlight like this one is essential, so not adding too much weight to your pack is useful, no doubt.
Included is a holster so you can attach it to your belt loops. At the same time, this flashlight can also be mounted on a Fits Stream light 69100 Rail Mount. Finally, every single flashlight has its own serial number.
Pros
Variable Modes
Multi-Battery Option
IPX7
Lightweight
Cons
Battery life could be better
4. Raybek Outdoor Tactical Police Flashlight
Perhaps the best part about the Raybek Outdoor Tactical Police Flashlight, is that it comes with a special battery/power extension, which can be extremely useful for camping where you may not be able to buy replacement batteries but can always use a power bank to charge the device. Unfortunately, the batteries are not included, however.
This flashlight has several light modes, with high, medium, low, and strobe modes. The high mode is great for illuminating and locating targets, as well as blinding them. It also comes in handy when trying to make your way across rough terrain in the dark.
The medium and low modes also have their own uses if you require more traditional lighting strength. The strobe mode is more than ideal for blinding targets, disorienting them, or signaling your buddies too.
When on high mode, the Raybek Outdoor Tactical Police Flashlight can throw a 1000 lumen beam over 300 meters (980) feet. The medium and low modes put out fewer lumens, respectively. That being said, you are not always going to need the brightest setting.
The great thing is that the Raybek Outdoor Tactical Police Flashlight has great battery life. When on high mode, the Raybek Outdoor Tactical Police Flashlight can last for 1.5 hours, and on low mode, it can last for 50 hours, which is more than most other flashlights can muster.
The Raybek Outdoor Tactical Police Flashlight can last for 3 hours on high mode and 97 hours on low mode when you use the extended version.
If you need a good flashlight with excellent battery life, the Raybek Outdoor Tactical Police Flashlight is an option to keep in mind. This flashlight runs on 1 18650 Li-ion rechargeable battery or 2 CR123A lithium batteries when in standard configuration. When in the extended configuration, it uses two 18650 button-top and protected Li-ion rechargeable batteries.
As you can see, this flashlight is a handy tool to have with you whether you need to find a deer or a criminal, whether you lost your fishing hook, or if you need to cook dinner around the campfire. It also comes in handy for trekking through the dark.
Something else that stands out about the Raybek Outdoor Tactical Police Flashlight is that it is extremely durable and built to last. This particular flashlight’s design consists of a body made of durable aircraft-grade aluminum and finished with a premium Type III hard-anodized anti-abrasive coating. This makes the Raybek Outdoor Tactical Police Flashlight so strong that it can easily withstand a 5-foot drop without damage, not so much as a scratch.
At the same time, this flashlight has a waterproof rating of IPX-8, which means that it can be submerged in over 6 feet of water without fear of suffering from water damage. Even better is the fact that the high-quality LED bulbs used in the Raybek Outdoor Tactical Police Flashlight can last for up to 100,000 hours, which is more than most other tactical flashlights out there can boast.
To make things a little easier for you, not only is this flashlight small, lightweight, and compact, but it also comes with a pocket clip, holster, and O-ring for easy mounting on your pants, belt, coat, or pack.
Pros
Variable Modes
Impressive weather-proofing
Lifetime Warranty
Good battery life
Cons
Fairly Heavy
5. EASTSHINE Professional Tactical Flashlight
The EASTSHINE Professional Tactical Flashlight comes with 2 main modes: the tactical mode and the outdoor mode. It features a tail switch for momentary and constant illumination, which is important for tactical purposes.
When it comes to the outdoor mode, the EASTSHINE Professional Tactical Flashlight has a switch on the side so you can control the brightness. Using the side switch is still a 1 handed operation, but the rear switch makes things easier for law enforcement, armed forces, and security.
This flashlight offers as many as 5 different modes. These modes include high, medium, low, moonlight, and strobe. The strobe light is often useful for an emergency. The moonlight mode is great for adding a little light to the mix without exposing your location, whether to a criminal or a deer, plus, it comes in handy for little tasks around the campfire too.
On the other hand, the high beam is excellent for finding your way through the woods and illuminating criminals hiding in dark places. What is pretty cool is that the EASTSHINE Professional Tactical Flashlight has an intelligent memory that always remembers your preferred light setting.
The high lighting level on the EASTSHINE Professional Tactical Flashlight puts out 1000 lumens of light energy with a beam distance of 350 yards. The high mode does not have all that much battery life, a couple of hours at most, but on the low mode, the EASTSHINE Professional Tactical Flashlight can last for up to 520 hours on a single charge.
The 520-hour battery life, even when for a low mode, is very impressive.
What is really neat about the EASTSHINE Professional Tactical Flashlight is its great lithium-ion rechargeable battery. However, unlike many other models out there, this one comes with a USB charging cord. This means that you can plug the whole flashlight into any external power source, whether a portable battery charger, a carport, a computer, or a wall charger.
The charging time is not very long, which is also another bonus. This flashlight does have a battery indicator to let you know how much power it has left. It also comes with temperature regulation technology, so it does not overheat and suffer from heat damage.
It features a durable aluminum body with a special coating. This makes this flashlight extremely impact-resistant, scratch-resistant, and dustproof, and it is actually waterproof, too. You can submerge the EASTSHINE Professional Tactical Flashlight in over 6 feet of water for a limited time without fear of it breaking.
No, it will not do for a diving flashlight, but a bit of water won’t kill it.
Pros
Variable Modes
IPX-8
Rechargeable
Impressive battery life
Compact
Cons
A bit less bright compared to others in this space
6. WdtPro Super Bright LED Tactical Flashlight
Like all good tactical flashlights, the WdtPro Super Bright LED Tactical Flashlight has a tactical on/off and a mode selection button located on the rear. This lets you easily use this flashlight with one hand while switching through the various modes if need be. This particular flashlight has 5 different modes, including high, medium, low, strobe, and SOS. We always appreciate these different modes because they help make any flashlight much more versatile.
The highest mode puts out 1000 lumens, plus it can send a beam up to 1150 feet, which is a very nice distance for such a compact flashlight.
What is also pretty neat about the WdtPro Super Bright LED Tactical Flashlight is its zoom function. In other words, you can change the density and concentration of the light beam. You can switch to the concentrated mode, which features a single concentrated beam of light, or you can expand the beam to be less bright but cover more area. As you can see, the WdtPro Super Bright LED Tactical Flashlight is very versatile for camping, hunting, or tactical purposes.
The SOS function is beneficial for fishermen, hikers, campers, and mountaineers. If you get into trouble out in the wild, using the SOS function can help you in getting rescued. In terms of battery life, the WdtPro Super Bright LED Tactical Flashlight is mostly standard for a flashlight in its price range.
Speaking of that, the charging time for this flashlight is around 5 hours, which is not bad but not particularly outstanding either. The WdtPro Super Bright LED Tactical Flashlight runs on a 18650 Rechargeable Battery, plus it comes with the charger included. When charging, the charger will let you know when the battery is fully loaded. The WdtPro Super Bright LED Tactical Flashlight also features overcharge protection and surge protection to protect the battery’s integrity and extend its life as much as possible.
The WdtPro Super Bright LED Tactical Flashlight is also built to be tough and long-lasting. The LED bulbs used here have up to 100,000 of a lifetime, which is a long time indeed. On that same note, the WdtPro Super Bright LED Tactical Flashlight is built with high-quality aluminum alloy to make it as strong as possible. It has a high level of impact, shock, and scratch resistance. It is actually so durable that a car can drive over it without fear of breaking.
This flashlight is also very water-resistant. It will do fine in a rainstorm or even if you drop it in a puddle momentarily.
We do also like how the WdtPro Super Bright LED Tactical Flashlight is very small and compact. It is the perfect choice for armed forces, police, security guards, hunters, campers, and hikers alike. The small and compact design allows you to easily fit it into a vest, a pack, or even your pockets.
Pros
Variable Modes
Good Build Quality
Affordable
Cons
Quite Heavy
No IPX rating noted by manufacturer
7. Wasing 10 Watt LED Spotlight
They are trusted for their high quality and long-lasting designs, both things which are definitely true of the Wasing 10 Watt LED Spotlight. This is actually a very simple spotlight, easy to use yet versatile enough to use in various situations. It has quite a few features that make it very convenient, useful, and durable at the same time. When it comes down to it, this is a spotlight, and it is best used to illuminate large swaths of an area.
The Wasing 10 Watt LED Spotlight comes with four different modes for various purposes. It has a strong light mode which is great for maximum illumination of whatever is in front of you. In this mode, the Wasing 10 Watt LED Spotlight puts out 1000 lumens of light power and can light up several hundred feet far and wide. Remember, this is a spotlight, so the beam is not all that concentrated. However, in the strong light mode, the beam is more concentrated than in other modes.
There is also an economical light mode, which is not as bright or far-reaching as the strong light mode, but it does use less battery power.
The Wasing 10 Watt LED Spotlight also features a flashlight mode for normal flashlight purposes, whether walking through the woods or down your stairs during a power outage. Finally, the Wasing 10 Watt LED Spotlight also comes with an emergency lantern mode, best suited for camping situations or for those times when you have an extended power outage in your home.
The battery life of the Wasing 10 Watt LED Spotlight is fairly good. On the strongest mode, the strong light mode, this flashlight can provide you with up to 3 hours of use. On the normal flashlight mode, you will get around 6 hours of use. When using the emergency lantern, you will get up to 30 hours of use, which is great when you have long-lasting power outages.
The really cool part about the Wasing 10 Watt LED Spotlight is that it is totally rechargeable. It comes with its own charging cable that is attached directly to the flashlight itself. The only drawback is that it can take up to 10 hours to charge this lumen flashlight completely, which is a fair amount of time. It comes with an AC adaptor and a car charger, so you can charge this bad boy virtually anywhere you go.
The Wasing 10 Watt LED Spotlight does come with a nifty little adjustable handle, making it easy to hold. This handle can also be used as a prop or stand so you can constantly direct light in one direction without actually having to hold the flashlight. Moreover, the fact that the Wasing 10 Watt LED Spotlight has heat deflection aluminum inserts helps to increase the already very long lifespan of this flashlight greatly. It also comes with overcharge and discharge protection to make it last for as long as it can.
Pros
Variable Modes
Good Build Quality
Uses XML2-U2 Diodes
Lightweight
Cons
No IPX rating noted by the manufacturer
The Technology
Historically, the same technology has been used in most flashlights. Still, since the increased popularity and availability of LED-based lighting, you can now find various flashlight types on offer. Chances are, when you think of a flashlight, the mental picture you conjure is still that of an incandescent light bulb-based flashlight with large batteries and heavyweight. The reality is that we are on the final breath of incandescent flashlight technology. In the future, it’s unlikely that the next generation will know anything other than the now-popular LED flashlight.
Even LED flashlights have their own technological differences, which you can find in various models. Incandescent lighting was quite set in its design, and we didn’t really see too much advancement of that technology over time; with LED flashlights, the technology is constantly evolving at a rapid pace, and even the LED types used a few years ago are being replaced by more efficient and effective methods. The most commonly found LED type in flashlights is Cree chips.
The compact form of the Cree makes it an excellent choice for flashlights, with most of the 1000-lumen flashlights using some form of Cree technology. You’ll still find the XM-L version in many of the flashlights, though recently, this has been replaced in some newer models by the XM-L2 or the XP-L, and that change is now starting to filter down into the market. You can find a whole lot of XP-L flashlights on Amazon, for example.
When it comes to the evolution of Cree chips, the most noticeable change over the years, as with a lot of LED tech, is that the size will become smaller while still maintaining or even increasing the efficiency and subsequent output of the chip.
But what exactly is the difference between these chips, and are they worth paying attention to when buying a flashlight?
XM-L vs XM-L2 vs XP-L vs XH-P
XM-L is now considered older technology, and while many breeders may make claims to these chips running over 1000 lumens, the maximum output for XM-L falls short of this. While XM-L is still viable for budget products and can still suit most flashlight uses, this is typically the older of the chips you’ll find in modern LED flashlights.
XM-L2 was the next upgrade to the Cree chips, and it saw a decent boost in output, now officially clocking in at over 1000 lumens. In fact, this chip saw a 20% increase in efficiency. You will find the XM-L2 variant used in several 1000 lumen flashlights on the marketplace today.
XP-L came out in 2014, meaning that this is still far from the latest Cree technology; however, you will still find these chips in many flashlights on the market. While the die itself remained the same size as the XM-L2, the board it was placed on became smaller. These chips see just over 1000 lumen output. An XP-L HI variant was released, which boosted the lumen output further.
XH-P is truly the latest range of Cree chips and has thus far been released in three iterations, the initial XH-P35, which was followed by the XH-P50, and the most recent XH-P70. If you’re truly looking for some powerful technology, it’s worth looking at the XH-P range flashlights. Given that this tech is quite new, it’s not yet been readily adopted into a lot of flashlights, but there are a few which really shine (excuse the pun)! The XH-P50 can produce twice the amount of lumens as the popular XM-L2.
Visual Chip Comparisons
Buyers’ Guide
Before you go out and spend any amount of money on any 1000 lumen flashlight, there are a few things to keep in mind. Let’s go over the main considerations to think about before you purchase any high-lumen flashlight.
Concentration & Distance
The first important thing to note is the concentration of the light emitted by the flashlight and the effective distance. This more or less comes down to the difference between a searchlight and a spotlight. Now, all of the lumen flashlights we have looked at here today put out 1000 lumens of light energy. However, the degree of beam concentration will make a big difference in terms of how far the beam of light can reach. A more concentrated beam of light, or one that is thinner, will be able to reach much farther. This is great for finding things in the distance.
However, a light that is more like a searchlight or food light, with a not-so-concentrated beam, will not go as far. Beams of less concentrated light are better for illuminating shorter distances but in a more widespread manner. There are a few models up top that feature a zoom function. This means that you can choose the degree of light concentration. You can zoom in to form a narrowly concentrated beam of light, or you can zoom out to form a wider and less concentrated beam of light.
For smaller home security, a broader light could offer you more general coverage around your yard, but if you are on a large farm, it could be beneficial to have a light with more throw, allowing you to monitor the perimeter of your fencing from afar and not just the immediate area around your home.
Tactical vs Outdoors
This is a fine distinction that you may not be all that aware of. However, when an LED flashlight is referred to as tactical, it usually has a power button on the rear, which is easily accessible. It should have several lighting modes, which are mainly good for locating criminals and targets in dark areas. In essence, tactical LED flashlights are small and compact, have easy access buttons, and are very bright with several different lighting modes.
On the other hand, flashlights classified for outdoor use usually have the power and mode selection switch located on the side. Outdoor flashlights are usually very similar to normal commercial and indoor flashlights, except being more rugged and usually weatherproofed. They are still easy to use, but they are usually not considered tactical due to the button placement. That being said, there are some flashlights, like some of the models we looked at above, which are 2 in 1 outdoor and tactical flashlights. In all reality, tactical flashlights tend to have more options, making them better choices for outdoor enthusiasts.
Batteries
Yet another thing that you need to keep in mind when buying a high-lumen flashlight is the battery life. Most of the above options we reviewed have different modes and levels of power. Obviously, the higher the power of the light, the more battery is being used. When it comes to a 1000 lumen flashlight, you should look for a model that can last for at least 1.25 hours on the highest setting.
Some of the flashlights we looked at above can last for as long as 3 hours on the highest setting and several hundred hours on the lowest setting. Also, looking for a high-lumen flashlight that is rechargeable, or better yet, one that can use rechargeable and disposable batteries is always a good idea. If you don’t have anywhere to charge the light, at least you can use disposable batteries until you come across a power source.
Light Modes
Simply put, you won’t always need a 1000 lumen flashlight for the same purpose, so having different light modes and power levels to choose from is always useful. Just because you own a Ferrari doesn’t mean you always need to drive it at its full capacity. Similarly, with flashlights, you can rest easy knowing you have the power under the hood when you need it, but you also need to know that it’s good for a long, slow drive.
Sure, having a really bright and high-powered lumen flashlight is nice, but more light means more battery power is being drained. You want to match the level of light being put out to the task or situation at hand. This is why a high-lumen flashlight with different light settings like turbo, high, medium, low, and extra-low is always more convenient than one that just blasts out 1000 lumens constantly.
If you use the flashlight for hunting or tactical purposes, having a strobe mode is always nice. It helps to blind and disorient your prey. At the same time, if you are going boating, hiking, camping, or mountaineering, having a high-lumen flashlight with an SOS function is always useful. This will send an SOS signal into the sky for rescue crews so they can easily locate you when you are in distress.
Rechargeable
While a rechargeable feature isn’t of importance to all users, we are huge fans of the ability to recharge flashlights. Not only for the simple fact that it is convenient, but it also helps prevent excessive waste by constantly throwing out batteries.
Some 1000 lumen flashlights will even state that they cannot be used with rechargeable batteries, meaning you’re going to have to swap out your old ones for new ones fairly regularly – depending on how you use your flashlight.
There are a few different types of rechargeable flashlights, though. Some simply allow you to use standard rechargeable batteries in them, while others come with their own stand-alone charge for the batteries. Our favorites are those that use a USB charger built into the flashlight in order to quickly and easily charge your 1000 lumen flashlight. You can even use a USB charger in your car’s cigarette port to charge on the go.
Durability
The next thing to look out for is how durable the 1000 lumen flashlight is. Some aluminum or titanium shell with an anodized finish is highly recommended. This is especially true if you are outdoors or using the 1000 lumen flashlight for tactical purposes. Having a flashlight that is impact, shock, and scratch-resistant is a good idea. On that same note, if you are going to be outside a lot, an LED flashlight with a high waterproof rating is going to be really helpful, too. You don’t want to drop your flashlight in a puddle on the first day and be rendered without light for the rest of your camping trip.
Conclusion
When it comes to the best 1000 lumen flashlight, we’ve done our best to narrow down your choices to some of the best options on the market. Whether you’re looking to purchase for tactical usage, camping, or an emergency flashlight – you should be able to find what you need from the list above.
