Why your flashlight grip is so important – The experts explain

Grips on your flashlight are important. Think of it this way, when is a flashlight the most handy? In situations when the lights go out, when you’re looking for something in the dark, you’re lost or you’re under the hood of your car on a dark road. One of the things about stress is that it can make your hands sweaty. This can make it hard to hold smooth objects – like a cheap flashlight!

Tactical flashlights come with a variety of grips designed to help the user keep a firm hold on the tool:

Ridged – This grip is an oldie, but it’s a goodie! It involves tooling concentric ridges along the metal tube portion of the flashlight. The ridged grip allows you to have a firm hold on the flashlight at all times. However, it does have its limitations, if the flashlight needs to be twisted to turn it on or switch modes then a ridged grip can cause problems when you twist – especially if your hands are wet.

Knurled – This grip is one step up from the ridged grip. Rather than ridges, a knurled grip has a crosshatch pattern directly in the metal. A knurled grip eliminates the problem of the flashlight slipping when twisted. However, some people say that the grip is a bit rough on their hands.

Rubberised – Rubberised grips have been around for a long time. They come in a variety of different patterns and they work quite well. They are especially good in cold climates, you definitely don’t want to grab onto a metal tube in freezing weather! But, the problem with rubberized grips is that they wear out over time, especially when they’re exposed to heat and cold.

Grip Tape – The last grip option is to just apply grip tape to the flashlight. Obviously this will work no matter what the underlying grip is. There are a wide range of grip tapes in different patterns, from smooth to knurled. While it is effective in providing grip and insulation, many people don’t like it because it throws off the aesthetic of the flashlight.

So, these are your grip options. Each has its positives and its negatives. Which grip do you prefer? You can find a variety of tactical flashlights with different grips in our store, simply visit Klarus Light and take a look!