Camping Panda
Star gazing and camping go hand in hand, but even a full moon won’t be able to properly illuminate your campsite when night falls. A camping flashlight, thus, is a must-have in your adventure kit.Â
The main difference between a handheld flashlight and the camping kind is the size, with the latter usually being bigger and more powerful. That said, you could successfully use a tactical torch, too. Wondering which to get? Check out our rundown to find the best flashlight for camping for you.
Beam Distance
Is it adjustable?
Lumens
Is it bright enough?
Battery Life
Is it long lasting?
Waterproof
Is it well protected?
Impact-Resistant
Is it shock-absorbent?
Portability
Is it easy to carry?
Lifespan
Is it build for years to come?
Durability
Is it sturdy enough?
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Hours Researched
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Products Evaluated
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Reviews Considered
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A torch and lantern in one, the LE is the best camping flashlight for your outdoor adventures. Its dual design consists of a powerful front spotlight as well as a side lantern that can either illuminate the road for a night walk or keep your campsite bright after the dusk.
An ergonomic design and oversized handle are other highlights. Furthermore, the unit comes with a shoulder strap. We also like that it features both white and red light, while a battery indicator at the rear will let you know when it’s the time to recharge. Versatile and durable, this is a great choice for car camping and tailgating.
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If you’re looking for a compact flashlight to use for both camping and backpacking, the Outlite S1000 might be it. This tactical torch impresses with high lumens and great range. It is also light and ergonomic, easy to carry and equally easy to operate.
A zoom function lets you pick from a shorter range and wider beam or long range and narrow beam. Five modes include three brightness settings as well as SOS and strobe. The torch comes in a pack of two and is made from military-grade aluminum. Water-resistant and durable, it’s perfect for hikers.
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If you want an ultimate quality camping flashlight and don’t mind dropping some bucks, the OLIGHT Warrior could be the right one for you. Not only it delivers day-like brightness to your campsite; the tactical construction also makes it perfect to use outdoors in all weather conditions.
In-between our best overall and best value, it boasts a rechargeable battery and standard torch design. It resists both water and impacts, and comes with a metallic clip you can use to attach it to a belt or backpack. Long lifespan and plenty of features make it worth every dime.
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Coleman stands out with its Guard LED Flashlight, a torch developed to illuminate a wide area despite its lower lumen output. Indeed, the beam range is impressive, allowing you to see at a distance of over 400 meters.
Working with disposable, AA batteries and boasting up to 200 hours of runtime, it’s a great choice for longer trips. We also like the heavy-duty build, as well as its water resistance. Easy to operate, this is one of the best camping flashlights for most purposes.
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The GEPROSMA Super Bright is similar to our best overall up to an extent. It is a large, handheld spotlight that can also be used freestanding, as a lantern. Its greatest strength is the super-bright beam that can reach 800 yards.
Various light modes also enhance versatility. The unit presents a front searchlight with two intensities, as well as a lateral lantern with both white and colored light capabilities. Particularly useful is the red-blue strobe mode, that works like a charm in case of emergencies. Ideal for illuminating the path or your tent, this camping flashlight is undeniably a worthy investment.
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Revolutionizing the camping flashlight industry, the RovyVon Aurora is one of the lightest, smallest, and most capable flashlights on the market. This fully waterproof model withstands whatever you’re throwing at it, making a perfect addition to your camping or survival kit.
Despite its super-small dimension, it boasts high lumen output. The beam range isn’t exactly jaw-dropping, but it will still illuminate up to 150 meters. We also like the titanium body, which is virtually indestructible. Sure, you’ll have to pay for all these features, but if you want a flashlight able to survive all camping situations, this one might be it.
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The SOS Solarlight flashlight comes as an alternative for the eco-savvy campers who are tired of filling their backpacks with batteries. Like its name suggests, it works with solar power, and you can use nearly any other light source to recharge it.
If you’re considering taking it on longer trips, also know that it works with a rechargeable lithium battery. The flashlight also boasts a rugged construction and a solar panel that keeps the charge for up to 3 years. Just what you need for camping or your emergency kit.
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Another rugged flashlight that has made it to our list is the Dorcy 55. Advertised as a floating flashlight, it impresses with a fully waterproof construction and buoyancy features. It doesn’t have the highest range or lumen output, but provides it’s brighter than the SOS Solarlight.
The Dorcy doesn’t have as many bells and whistles as other camping flashlights. Nevertheless, it’s a reliable choice for most camping situations.
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More than a flashlight, this camping lantern comes as an alternative to the standard torch. It is majorly designed to use inside the tent, but it comes with a handle that turns it into a flashlight, too, and even has an SOS mode.
The multifunctional lantern comes with a built-in polymer battery that recharges via USB. At the same time, the unit acts as a power bank for your electronics, provided that you use it with your own cable.Â
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Last on our list, the Wsky camping flashlight appeals to the avid car campers and tailgaters who like to spend lenghts of time on the road. Its battery won’t last for too long, but you can use any USB or car outlet to recharge it.Â
Similar to our best overall, it features both a front spotlight and side lantern. We particularly like the 360-degree lantern design that makes it more than suitable to place on a camping table or hang in your tent. As you can expect, the flashlight is also water-resistant and made to withstand all camping conditions.
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Although headlamps are also a good source of light in camps, there is no denying that flashlights remain a go-to whenever a handheld light is preferred especially during the following instances; when precision on the light movement is crucial or you would want a stronger portable beam.
Flashlights a few years ago are these heavy and bulky gears that add too much weight to your gears. However advances in the different areas of technology like LED technology and a more efficient battery have resulted in a lightweight, smaller but still powerful source of light. This buying guide will provide needed information for consideration in choosing the best flashlight for camping.Â
Lanterns are the go-to choice of vehicle campers. Vehicle campers don’t necessarily need a high beam light as they are usually in a campsite that is well lit compared to backpackers that are usually tucked away in the mountains. They prefer lanterns because it does not put too much light in just one direction but rather provides light around creating a picturesque setting.
We picked LE Rechargeable LED Camping Lantern as the overall choice of its dual functionality – it can be a torch or a lantern. The side LEDS provide a scattered powerful light as expected from a lantern. While the front LED functions as a normal torch flashlight.Â
This is the type of flashlight that you first think of when asked about a flashlight. This is the common type that can be seen in a household or camp setting. These portable flashlights provide a precise beam with a simple move of the hand. One downside in using a handheld flashlight is you’ll have one hand occupied in holding the flashlight.
We recommend OLIGHT Warrior Camping Flashlight for your ultimate camping flashlight. This is a handheld flashlight that can light up the camp with its 2,000 lumen output regardless of the different weather conditions.Â
Headlamps are the most common between the three to backpackers. This is because they are compact and lightweight and you have both of your hands free.Â
Head on over to Camping Panda’s separate article for the best camping headlamps to check out the one for you.
Battery type needs to be considered to ensure that you will not lose light source while outdoors. These are the types of batteries you can choose from for your camping flashlight:
Disposable: There is a wide range of disposable batteries used in camping flashlights.
One good thing if you are using disposable camping flashlights is you will never run out of light as long as you have extra. Take for example the Outlite S1000 Flashlight, that uses three AAA batteries, it is compact and lightweight at just 6.2 oz, even the spare batteries are not that heavy and spares can be brought on the trip without adding too much weight.
Alternative power source light: Can either be solar-powered or rechargeable models. The SOS Solarlight Solar Flashlight though will never face the dilemma of running out of light source. It is dual powered meaning it can be recharged via solar and it can use batteries as a power source.
The smaller and lighter the camping flashlight is, the better but will cost you more. In the advent of ultralight backpacking, advanced flashlights for camping are usually made from lightweight materials like the RovyVon Aurora A24 Titanium LED Flashlight made from titanium, it weights 2.2 oz. It is very light and small but does not skimp on power with its 1,000 lumen output.
There are a few exceptions of course- camping flashlights that pack weight. But these flashlights that may have a little more weight, are usually also packed with additional features. Take for example the 1.2 lb weight of the GEPROSMA Super Bright Handheld Searchlight that can be used as a torch and a lantern and comes with various light modes for versatility.
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Beam type will be dependent on how you will mainly use your camping flashlight. However it would be best to pick a camping flashlight that has a different beam type. Advanced camping flashlights that are released recently usually have at least two or three of the different beam types.
Fixed or flood: It is a single beam. All the light is directed toward one location and is found in your everyday flashlights and most headlamps. This type can be used for general tasks in camp or while walking. We like the fixed beam mode of Coleman Battery Guard LED Flashlight with the beam distance of 425 meters, it can support daily camp or household activities.
Spotlight or focused: An intensely single focused beam of light, usually used for finding a route at long distances or other fast-paced activity.Â
Wide or adjustable: A larger area of light is produced with a wide beam. Beam width ranges from wide to focused, or any point in-between. We especially like Wsky Rechargeable Camping Flashlight due to its 360 degree lantern design and the 6 light modes to choose from.
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Different light modes vary depending on what your camping flashlight has to offer. But the most common modes involved support different beam types, red or white light and some even offer SOS light for emergency purposes.
We liked the SOS mode in the Lighting EVER LED Camping Lantern. This is a lantern type of camping flashlight that is also dual functioned as it can be used as a handheld too. What’s unique about this is the unit can act as a powerbank for your other electronics.
RovyVon Aurora A24 Titanium LED Flashlight has the most light modes (7 in total) among the camping flashlights on the list which also includes emergency settings.
The LE Rechargeable LED Camping Lantern is the best camping flashlight on the market. A versatile design gives you the possibility to use it as spotlight or lantern. It is water and shock-resistant, has a wide range and great battery life. All in all, one of your best bets for car camping, tailgating, and other outdoor applications.
With 6,000 lumens, the GEPROSMA Super Bright Handheld Searchlight is one of the highest lumen flashlights on the market.
Prices vary widely, for under $10 for the basic models to $100 or more for tactical flashlights that can resist water, shocks, and that have multiple light modes.
The RovyVon Aurora is undeniably the best mini flashlight for camping or emergency situations. Despite its small size, it incorporates a wide range of features, it is fully waterproof, and almost indestructible. Well worth the money despite its higher price point.
Lighting EVER (LE), Coleman, and OLIGHT are some of the companies that make the best flashlights for camping.
