Flashlights are must-have tools that everybody should carry. With all the different categories and types of flashlights, it can be difficult to find the right one. People organize flashlights in a variety of different ways including size, utility, light source, etc. For this article, I’ll be organizing flashlights based on the power source. More specifically, I’ll be talking about the best 18650 flashlights on the market today.
Summary of Contents
Buying the Best 18650 Battery Flashlight
When buying a tactical flashlight, the two things you typically check first are the power and the battery life and both of these are connected to the type of battery the flashlight uses. There are tons of flashlights that use many different batteries. These batteries can be disposable or rechargeable, vary in size, vary in voltage, and even vary in type. When it comes to batteries for flashlights, my preference is 18650 batteries. In this flashlight review we’ll take at what makes this battery so great for tactical flashlights and we’ll take a look at some of my favorite 18650 flashlights that make full use of this powerful battery.
There are a few things you need to know about 18650 batteries. First, there are many flashlights that use high-drain versions of the classic 18650 battery. It’s important to notice what kind of 18650 battery a flashlight uses because some of these flashlights use high-drain IMR batteries in order to achieve the full power. In fact, one of the flashlights I’ll be talking about uses an IMR battery. If you were to equip a non-IMR battery the flashlight would probably not reach the advertised power.
Likewise, it’s important to know about the capacity as well. You’ll find 18650 batteries vary in capacity from 2600 – 3600mah or so. Capacity can affect the power and runtimes of the flashlight and that’s something to keep in mind. If you’re using an 18650 flashlight that’s equipped with a 3100mah battery and replace it with a 2600mah battery, you may see shorter runtimes.
Our Recommend Best 18650 flashlight – Klarus XT11GT details on AMAZON.COM
There is no better 2000 lumen handheld tactical flashlight that uses an 18650 battery than the Klarus XT11GT. The XT11GT is a tactical flashlight that combines the versatility of a handheld light with LED technology that delivers 2000 lumens. Many flashlights that deliver around 2000 lumens require two 18650 batteries, so it’s really impressive to see that the XT11GT delivers that power using a single cell. One of the reasons the XT11GT is able to do this is because it uses a high drain IMR 18650 battery, commonly found in vapes, that can handle the power it takes to reach that level.
Read Reviews & More Details about the Klarus XT11GT Flashlight
Our Recommend Top 3 Best 18650 Batteries
- Klarus 18650 3600mah Rechargeable Lithium Ion Batteries(Editorial Choice) Read Review on Amazon
- Klarus 18650 3100mah 3.7v Rechargeable Top Batteries Read Review Amazon
- 4 Samsung INR 18650 2500mAh 3.7v Rechargeable Flat Batteries Read Review Amazon
Why are Quality 18650 Batteries the Best?
I could go on and on here, but I’ll skip to the chase and talk about three main reasons – they pack a ton of power, they’re rechargeable, and super long-lasting. When I say they pack a lot of power I mean that a quality 18650 battery can pack the same amount of power as three normal disposable batteries! If you have a flashlight that you can equip with either an 18650 battery or two CR123 batteries, you might find decreased runtimes and sometimes even lower brightness levels with the CR123 batteries.
As I mentioned before, 18650 batteries are rechargeable batteries. If you purchased a rechargeable flashlight then you’re good to go! You don’t need to worry about replacing batteries, you can just plug your flashlight in and let it charge. If your flashlight isn’t rechargeable, you can purchase a separate battery charger. These chargers range in price, but you can find one for less than $10 pretty easily. Nevertheless, charging your batteries can be more convenient, less expensive, and all around better for the environment so it’s a win-win. We would recommend purchasing the same brand battery as the flashlight, for example, you would want to get Fenix batteries for a Fenix flashlight.
Finally, these are super long lasting batteries that are powered by lithium ion technology. They can be recharged up to 1000 times without compromising the capacity of the battery! Basically, your 18650 batteries will be used for a very long time before you need to worry about replacing them at all. So now you can see many benefits of using 18650 batteries and it’s time to check out some of the best 18650 flashlights.
Another Best 18650 Flashlight Review – FlashlightZ BEACON
If you keep up with my reviews you might have read my review over the FlashlightZ Beacon tactical flashlight. This is a flashlight that I love and use fairly frequently thanks to its versatility and easy user interface. You can use this flashlight in many different situations and it’s a great flashlight to have around the house. This particular flashlight is great because it’s not too terribly expensive, but provides you with a high-quality flashlight experience. So let’s take a look at some of the features of the FlashlightZ Beacon.
Powerful Flashlight
When you’re looking for a tactical flashlight, the first thing you look for is power and the Beacon delivers this and more. It’s a tactical flashlight that can meet your every illumination need. The Beacon is powered using a CREE XM L2 LED. For those of you who may not know, these CREE LEDs are meant to last for a long time. They use as little energy as possible while dishing out as much power as possible, making them incredibly durable and powerful.
The Beacon can put out an impressive amount of light at 1000 lumens which is bright enough to light up the area all around you. Not to mention that it can shoot a beam out up to 800 meters away which is jaw-dropping when you think about how compact the flashlight is. This is thanks to the adjustable beam on the flashlight itself. The Beacon features a zoomable head so you can pull it or push it to adjust the width of the beam. By pulling the bezel all the way the beam will be a pinpoint focused beam that can launch incredible far. By pushing the bezel back all the way you’ll get an impressive flood light allowing you to see all around you. Seriously, this flashlight is awesome and astoundingly bright. You definitely need to see it to believe it.
Awesome Optics Flashlight
Thanks to the adjustable beam on this flashlight, you can use it for whatever you need, giving you the best of both worlds when it comes to a floodier beam or a more focused beam. This makes it great for anything from upclose work to searching in the distance for nightlife. With the Beacon you can safely walk your dog at night, search for nightlife in the woods, search dark closets for missing items, and everything in between.
Multiple Versatile Modes of Operations
The Beacon features three brightness levels for you to choose from, giving you a great range. Whether you’re reading something in the dark or searching for something in your backyard, you can use the different modes to better help you. The low level is great for upclose work and provides a good amount of illumination if you’re fixing something on your car for example. The medium or low mode is perfect for walking streets at night and illuminating your path and more. Of course, the turbo mode with 1000 lumens is perfect for providing an excellent amount of light in the dark, allowing you to see clearly. Not to mention, the Beacon also comes with a flashing strobe mode for self-defense and an SOS mode for emergencies. With this variety of brightness levels and flashing modes, you’re always prepared for whatever the darkness throws at you.
Power Source
It’s no surprise given the nature of this article that the Beacon runs on 18650 batteries. You only need to use one 18560 rechargeable lithium ion battery and the good news is that it’s included when you buy the flashlight. If you’d like to, you can use a different 18650 battery which is always nice. If you prefer a specific brand of battery that has a higher capacity you can swap it and you’re ready to go. Also, this flashlight is USB rechargeable so you don’t need to worry about changing out the battery or buying a battery charger.
Other features of the FlashlightZ BEACON that we love:
- It’s compact and lightweight. With the pocket clip, it’s easy to carry with you and it weighs about 131 grams/4.6 ounces. It’s impressive to think that you have this powerful flashlight that’s so easy to carry with you.
- It’s compact and lightweight. With the pocket clip, it’s easy to carry with you and it weighs about 131 grams/4.6 ounces. It’s impressive to think that you have this powerful flashlight that’s so easy to carry with you.
- The flashlight features a convex lens allowing the light to be dispersed more evenly which is great for both the flood beam and spot beam.
- The single tail switch design allows you to easily learn the user interface. There’s no guesswork! It’s also very responsive making it easy to operate the flashlight
- Built from high-quality aluminum, this flashlight is durable and rugged. It’s shock, scratch, and water resistant.
Cons of the FlashlightZ BEACON
No flashlight is perfect and the Beacon has its flaws just like any other flashlight. While I like almost everything about the Beacon, there are certain things I’d like to change. First, when you zoom the flashlight out all the way you’ll notice that the beam is square. It’s not a huge deal, but I don’t prefer it. Second, it has a bit more battery drainage than some of my other lights. Once again, not a huge issue, but I’m not a fan of it. However, these small issues are easy to overlook when you consider the price of the Beacon. It’s definitely a great flashlight to have for the price that it is.
Our Recommend Other Top 3 Best Klarus 18650 Flashlights
- Klarus ST10 – Great general-use and everyday carry flashlight, 1100 lumens, rechargeable, and more. (Price: Medium). Read review
- Klarus XT30R – Big thrower, 1800 lumens, 820 meter beam throw, programmable modes, and more. (Price: High). Read review
- Klarus XT12S – Awesome tactical flashlight, magnetic charge port, 1600 lumens, 402 meter throw, and more. (Price: High). Read review
Final words
If you can’t tell yet, I love 18650 flashlights because they’re powerful, versatile, and provide you with a tool you can always rely on. So if you’re looking for a versatile flashlight that will give you a ton of power while remaining fairly compact, definitely look toward 18650 flashlights. Within this category I’d highly recommend either the Klarus XT11GT or the FlashlightZ Beacon simply because they are the best 18650 flashlights in my opinion. However, even if you go for a flashlight that isn’t on this list, I’d still recommend you check out any 18650 flashlight. They may be pricier, but you’ll definitely get your money’s worth. So what are you waiting for? Get your 18650 flashlight!
Resources:
https://www.flashlightz.com/
www.klaruslight.com