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A great tool for those with a sense of adventure, from enforcing the law to hiking in the mountains, strobe flashlights are a great choice in a range of situations and endeavors.
But not all strobe flashlights are built the same. They come in various forms and each of which is suited to a particular purpose. So let’s examine these variations and see what makes each of the best strobe flashlights stand out.
In this article we’ll review the five best strobe flashlights:
What to Look for in Strobe Flashlights
There are several things to consider when buying new strobe flashlights. All of them depend on your needs and the task you expect the flashlight to fulfill.
Primarily, you should consider the flashlight’s purpose, its light output, beam distance, battery, and its water and impact resistance levels. Let’s go over each of those considerations now.
Purpose
Decide what you want to use your strobe flashlight for. Are you working in law enforcement and require it for tactical purposes? Or are you a person who likes to go out hiking and camping and require it for signaling purposes or, God forbid, an SOS? Such questions should be answered before you make any purchase.
Light Output
The light output for a strobing flashlight is measured in lumens, which is one way of measuring how bright a beam of light is. It’s one of the most important standards you need to weigh up when comparing different flashlights.
You don’t need to know too much about light and physics. Just remember, the higher the lumens, the higher the light output.
Our Lumens, Lux, and Candela article is a great resource to learn more about Lumens and light output
Beam Distance
This is a measure of how far the light coming out of your strobe flashlight travels before its brightness begins to diminish. Beam distance is also related to light output and whether the flashlight produces a wide or narrow beam. Some flashlights produce a mix of both.
Size and Weight
While these particular flashlight attributes ultimately depend upon personal preference, generally a heavier flashlight is better in terms of power.
Greater weight may indicate a longer run time since there is more room for batteries or a larger battery. However, it does not always mean that it has a higher output. A larger flashlight is also generally better since, accordingly, you get a larger beam of light to work with.
That said, there are plenty of compact models that offer excellent power for their diminutive size.
Impact Resistance
How good your flashlight maintains itself after being dropped on the ground is something to keep in mind. Usually, this is measured by dropping the flashlights on concrete from a specified height several times. The resulting measurement is displayed in meter units.
How durable is it? What does IPX6 mean? Read our Ultimate Guide to the ANSI/PLATO FL1 Standard symbols!
Water Resistance
It matters that you know how well your strobe flashlight will handle coming into contact with water, whether you spill liquid on it or it gets accidentally submerged. This is rated using the IPX system where a higher rating means more water resistance.
Battery Type and Life
The kind of battery your strobe flashlight will be using, as well as its capacity, is crucial. You should find out whether the batteries are rechargeable or disposable. A greater battery capacity is something to look out for, although, it’s not the only factor behind a longer run-time for your flashlight.
Learn everything you need to know about Batteries with our Ultimate Guide to Batteries!
The Best Strobe Flashlights
Now that we’ve gone over the most important criteria, let’s go through the best strobe flashlights on the market and see what makes them special.
Best Tactical Flashlight with Strobe
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An edition of the Fenix PD35 flashlight with a tactical mode, this product maintains its pocket-friendly size. Fashioned to be used by law enforcement or the military in addition to hikers, a user-friendly rear switch activates strobing and allows for adjustments.
It features a light output of up to 1,000 lumens, which is digitally regulated to stay constant when set. Additionally, its beam can reach a distance of up to 200 meters before fading. The flashlight is about 5.4 inches long and weighs 3.14 grams without the batteries.
The strobe flashlight can be powered up by a single rechargeable 18650 battery or two CR123A batteries, both of which are provided along with a battery charger. It also comes with protection against reversed polarity in case battery installment goes wrong.
It can withstand a fall of 1 meter and can maintain itself underwater to a depth of 2 meters. Furthermore, it comes with a low-voltage warning.
Pros
- Product is waterproof
- Suitable for both recreational and tactical use
- Contains a warning function for battery replacement
- Has reverse polarity protection
- Lightweight and can fit in your pocket
Cons
- Does not have a high impact resistance rating
Check out our article on What Makes a Flashlight ‘Tactical’
Best Weapon Flashlight with Strobe
Specially designed to be mounted on weapons, the TLR-1 HL flashlight comes with a rail grip clamp system that is easily attached or detached and the option of laser aim as an added feature.
The strobe flashlight produces a wide beam pattern, which is ideal for soldiers or police officers during tactical operations. Its light output is measured at a constant 800 lumens, with a beam distance of 245 meters. The flashlight can stay on for 1.75 hours.
It measures 3.39 inches in length and weighs 4.18 ounces including the batteries. Furthermore, due to its nature as a weapon mount, it is capable of working in very cold and hot temperatures.
Moreover, it can cope underwater up to a depth of 1 meter for 30 minutes, and its impact resistance is live-fire tested. Additionally, it comes with an easy switch set-up that is ambidextrous as well as a simple strobe mode activation method.
Pros
- Compatible with various weapon types
- Good impact resistance
- Easily controlled while handling the weapon
- Creates a wide beam pattern that gives a tactical advantage
Cons
- No rechargeable batteries
Best Dual Fuel Flashlight with Strobe
Designed to be superior to its predecessor, the P10GT flashlight comes with three operating modes: tactical, law enforcement, and general. This makes it a suitable flashlight for not just the military or the police, but also hunters and hikers.
It features a light output of 900 lumens and a beam distance of up to 283 meters. The conveniently designed dual-switch tailcap makes it easy to enable different modes, including strobe.
Measures 5.3 inches and weighing less than 3 ounces without the battery, this isn’t a heavy strobe flashlight. Additionally, it has an exceptional run-time of up to 17 hours. Accessories, including a gun mount, can be added.
This product is sturdy enough with an impact resistance of 1.5 meters and waterproofing that is effective up to a depth of 2 meters.
Pros
- Resistant to both impact and water.
- Suitable for use by hikers as well as the police and military
- Great beam distance
- Easy to use dual switches for different modes and strobe
- Displays remaining battery power
Cons
- No rechargeable batteries
Best 18650 Flashlight with Strobe
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A bright strobe flashlight, the DS31 is designed to cater to the needs of many including hunters, fishermen, campers, and more. It comes with various lighting modes include an SOS function. Soonfire has been clever and ensured a run-time of 36 hours in SOS mode.
In addition, this flashlight is also capable of storing modes in its memory so you can return easily to them.
Featuring a light output of 1050 lumens, it’s brighter than anything we have reviewed so far. Also, the USB charging system makes it super convenient.
The product comes with a temperature control system that monitors its produced heat. If the working temperature becomes too high, the flashlight automatically lowers the mode or brightness to protect itself from damage.
Moreover, the strobe flashlight performs well in freezing temperatures and is waterproof—submersible up to a depth of 2 meters. It measures 5.8 inches in length and weighs in lower than you’d expect for its power.
Pros
- Very lightweight
- Has an SOS mode for emergencies
- Temperature control for heat protection
- Can be charged via a USB cable
- Comes with a gift set of accessories
Cons
- Some issues were noted with charging
Best Budget Tactical Flashlight
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For a good combination of both tactical and general use, the wallet-friendly waterproof YCS flashlight comes with several modes including an SOS.
The flashlight has a light output of up to 1,100 lumens, making it the brightest of all the flashlights we’ve looked at. It also features a beam distance of up to 205 meters.
A central switch design makes it easy to use. We also like the USB charge functionality which does away with the need to remove the battery.
A unique feature of this strobe flashlight is its adjustable focus. You’re able to change the beam to make it wide and cover a larger area or narrow it for more focus. Moreover, it’s able to rapidly dissipate heat as well as resist impact.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s the longest and heaviest of our selection at 8.1 inches and weighing 5.4 ounces.
Pros
- You can focus or widen the beam
- Very bright flashlight
- It gets rid of heat easily
- Can be charged via USB
- Reliable in dire situations
Cons
- No tail switches
Conclusion
As we’ve seen, there are many options for strobe lights. The best strobe flashlights are the ones suited to your needs. Have a think about what matters most to you and then use our guide to make your selection.
Some are specialized yet still cover a wide range of uses. Others are more general and prove themselves versatile in many different situations.
Overall, all the strobe flashlights we reviewed are more than capable of any task you put them to and, if needed, they might just get you out of a tight situation.