Best Lights 2023
State of the Union
Enthusiast-grade, production lights are in a terrible spot, perhaps the worst they have been since the advent of LEDs. There is a bunch of junk out there. Flashlight companies seem hellbent on making stuff that is fundamentally not useful with vexing UIs, misleading output numbers, and runtimes that stink. Legacy brands are moribund. Streamlight and Surefire may as well not exist when it comes to enthusiast production lights. Neither has released anything innovative or interesting in at least 8 years. A few updates would do wonders to reinvigorate these brands. I again strongly recommend that Surefire drop an updated emitter into the original Surefire Titan with its potentiometer UI. That would get some eyeballs considering that I regularly search eBay for one even though the cheapest listings are in the $400. Fenix is in the same boat—give us something new in the EDC space. Olight continues to chug along and make decent lights, but once you have had one you kind of get what it is they do and you don’t need or want another.
There are some highlights. Jason at FourSevens/Prometheus Lights continues to make superior lighting tools for enthusiasts. While he doesn’t pump out a ton of stuff, pretty much everything he releases is worth a look. Reylight is also an excellent source for lighting tools. Getting the Mini Pineapple’s output up to 500 lumens is a gamechanger that I have noted in recent reviews. If you can get that many lumens out of a flashlight that all but disappears in the pocket is exceedingly difficult to justify carrying a torch with a larger battery format, even if that “larger” battery is a CR123a. As a result, you will notice a reduction scores for lights that are bigger than a 1xAAA light. As technology changes, so to should the scoring system’s understanding of what average is.
Custom and small batch lights, on the other hand, look great. Lau Lima continues to release amazing lights in the Hoku line. Overready has updated and improved the BOSS line up to the point where they are really platforms and not individual torches. When our lights are computers, expect firmware updates that offer marked improvements. Lux RC has released a few uber priced gems. Kemmenes is also releasing jewel-like torches. One company deserving of a special shout out is Focusworks. The F2 and F3 are just fundamentally great lights. The F2 is my absolute favorite light to give to a torch muggle—its bright, intuitive to use, and impossible to fall into some hidden mode. In naked aluminum my F2 looks great. There are also a bevy of sweet details to nerd out over on these lights. A review is coming soon.
I think we might have turned the page on widespread innovation in production flashlights. That, it seems, was a thing of the past. When LEDs first arrived we had year after year of improved designs, outputs, and runtimes. Now, more than a decade on, we are in the incremental improvement phase of the technology. As a result, torch companies have resorted to stupid gimmicks to continuously get us to open our wallets. That is fundamentally a bad business model, as there only so many times you can convince consumers to spend money on the same product with a different coat of paint. But there are bright spots, pun intended, if you know where to look. Here is a good place to start.
Ten Best
Best EDC Twisty: 47 Mini Mk. III Turbo in Titanium
I know that some people cannot stand twisties because they are fiddly and require two hands to use, but the reality is they are pretty excellent torches given their footprint v. output. The Mini Mk. III Turbo in Ti is truly the best light for EDC for most people. With a tiny size and a great reflector, this is a light that can do it all for a reasonable price. The titanium body gives it a bit of an upscale feel compared to the previous model’s aluminum tube (let me be clear—aluminum is perfectly fine, but titanium makes these lights feel like the high end tools they are). I bought the tuxedo version with the blue collar and it is worn in nicely, as you can see above.
Best EDC Clicky: Vosteed x Reylight Rook
There are a lot of good clicky lights out there. Lots. But most have one of two problems—either they are prohibitive large or they have some stupid UI that seems designed for pro Starcraft players that measure success in APMs (actions per minute; the record is 818), not folks that need light in a weather emergency. Filtering out a bunch of lights leaves surprisingly few candidates and of those the Rook is by a large margin, the best. This is a light that is fully capable, has a good body tube, runs forever on low, and cripples people’s vision on high. Its a BOSS 35 in many ways for significantly less cash.
Bet High End Carry: Laulima Hoku
Having had the Micro Arcadian, I can now say with certainty that this is the best high end, small batch torch for EDC. The BOSS 35 is still a wonder, but in shorts or on hot days I prefer a carry smaller than what the 1x CR123a format offers. In that case the Hoku does it all. It tailstands beautifully. It has buttery smooth threads. The clip is simple, sturdy, and doesn’t interfere with the functioning of the light. With an output of 650 lumens it is plenty bright. While the BOSS 35 is a programming feat to behold, the Hoku eschews all of that wizardry for a simple light executed to perfection.
Best Keychain Light: Sofrin SC01
Wait…what?! This is a STAGED twisty? When I bought this light I just assumed it would be a cute little torch with a lot of output. Only later when I got it did I realize that it had a STAGED twisty, which, if you are unaware, is the same UI as on the late, great Aeon Mk. II. A staged twisty is the best UI on the market as it is both simple to use and easy to explain—twist more for more light. The light has two levels and both are good, the low is nice for close up work and the high, 330 lumens provides a real kick. The stainless steel body means that it will not wear through as fast on a keychain as an aluminum light would. All this for $16. Yes please. Seriously, you should go buy this light. If it goes out of production, you will be kicking yourself.
Best Light in an Emergency: 47s MXS Malestrom
While I wish the heads were swappable, either of these two lights makes a great torch, but the MXS with its instant-on charging stand leads the way. This is the best light for an emergency bar none. In fact, during the two power outages we had this year, the first move was to get the MXS and then get everyone situated. Unless you have a truly massive house, the light from the torch once power is lost is enough to navigate the last few hundred feet.
Best Lantern: Fenix CL30R
This isn’t really the best lantern, but really the only lantern I know of that has features I consider essential. First, it can run on a host of different batteries in a bunch of different configurations because the three slots run in parallel. So you can do the following: 3x 18650, 2x 18650, 1x 18650, or 6xCR123a, 4x CR123a, 2x CR123a. This flexibility means that you should be able to cobble something that works together. The lantern can also charge batteries internally via a Micro-USB (I’d prefer a USB-C) or it can output power to charge other devices. There is a metal attachment point to hang the light and a tripod attachment on the bottom. I picked the CL30R because it is only light I know with all these features, making it an exceptionally compelling package. Just don’t forget to factor in the 3x 18650 cells in the purchase price. If you want a latern for camping or power outages that can also give your phone some juice, this is must buy.
Best Compact Carry: Prometheus Lights Beta Ti
Its not bright. Its not particularly fancy. But the Beta in Ti with the tailstand pill and the stock click is just an ideal everyday carry flashlight. Its got decent runtimes and sufficient output, but it also disappears in your pocket thanks to the very compact 1xAAA form factor. I know this is not everyone’s cup of tea, but for me this is a comfort food light, like delicious fried chicken—its something familiar done really well.
Best Runtime Champ: Muyshondt Aeon Mk. 3
This is a permanent addition to the list apparently. Sipping batteries at a rate that seems below most other lights’ rate of parasitic drain, the Aeon Mk 3 is still one of my favorite torches ever made. It is a clicky the size of the aforementioned Mini Turbo Mk III above. The clip is pretty good too. I am not sure what all the marketing speak means on the Muyshondt website, and I seem to not be alone in that regard, but this is a great light.
Best Dual Fuel Light: Zebralight SC05 Mk. II LE
More than a decade of iteration leads to this light, the best light available that can run on straight alkalines. I like it over the dual battery Streamlight because of its ability to tailstand and the fact that it is much more compact. Not much bigger than the smallest 1xCR123a clicky, the Zebralight carries well and has a nice beam pattern thanks to a REAL reflector. If you like the sideswitch design this is the best I have ever seen it implemented. Also, it has insane months long runtimes on low.
Best Light to Loan to a Flashlight Muggle: Focusworks F2
If you want something amazingly robust and well made that will tickle your flashoholic heart but can also be loaned out to a torch Muggle, the Focusworks F2 is it. It is a bit long for the battery format but in a way that helps it hit is design goal of being useful to everyone. The clicky is crisp and has only three modes—low, medium, and high. The low is a bit brighter than I like, but not by a lot and the high will illuminate my entire backyard. There a lots of little touches like the softened edges on the clip or the micro-chamfer on the places where the two tubes screw together, but its really the simplicity of this entire light that I appreciate.
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