In search of, and finding, a very good flashlight

Flashlights have undergone a revolution thanks to the LED technology that is also changing household light bulbs.

The result is much brighter light with the same size of batteries. It does not make sense to buy non-LED flashlights unless you like the warmer, but dimmer, glow of the old incandescent.

Flashlights come in an enormous range of shapes and sizes, from ones that easily fit in a pants pocket to ones that can be swung as weapons.

If you’ve ever been interested in the mini kind, which you can whip out from your pocket at the least provocation along with headlamps to make illicit night-time lawn watering easier!

Some models running on a single AAA battery can pump out 100 lumens, enough to light up a couple dozen metres. An old style flashlight of similar size might offer 10 lumens, and barely illuminate a couple of metres.

For an affordable, durable mini flashlight, you may want to check out the Klarus Light XTQ1, which has a life span of up to 50 000 hours. It is waterproof for up to 2 metres and actually proves quite reliable, despite only having a lumen output of 800.

You can spend enormous sums on a flashlight. BUT a better idea would be to find one that is both cheap and trustworthy and rather buy that instead. Browse through Klarus Light’s website and you’ll be sure to find a flashlight that suites your needs.

Review - Klarus XT2C

The Klarus XT2C flashlight itself feels high quality, with no sharp edges and good balance and utility. The interface is also much more intuitive than a lot of the tactical flashlights and it seems like this feature puts the XT2C above a lot of others. Like many other high end flashlights, this one is designed for an 18650 li-ion battery or two CR123 camera batteries. You may want to order your flashlight with the batteries and charger from the Klarus Light website; there you’ll find a wide range of durable, affordable and innovative tactical torches.

The switch interface on this flashlight is spot on for the intended application. Mode-less operation means that actions are always the same. A light press on the main button pulls the flashlight up on high, whereas a harder press clicks it down to stay on. That by itself isn’t fantastic; it’s how the flashlight incorporates the strobe functionality that is really usable.

Strobing flashlights are supposed to confuse and disorient targets, but incorporating another mode into a flashlight in an intuitive way is difficult. Most flashlight interfaces are somewhat confusing to use. However, with the Klarus XT2C you can press the “Mode” button to get straight to a momentary full brightness strobe!

With all the buttons on the back and a compact body, this flashlight would be a great candidate for mounting on a pistol or rifle.

The light beam on the XT2C could be described as “floody” and very wide. The reflector is fairly small and uses an “orange peel” style texture rather than a smooth one. When you point it at something, it floods the whole area with light instead of focusing tightly where you aim it. This is perfect for the intended use as a weapon mounted flashlight.

You probably wouldn’t drop your flashlight into a glass of water, but it’s nice knowing that it can handle some water without any problem at all. The flashlight is spec’d at fully waterproof to 2 metres because the o-rings on both sides stop the water from getting past. This light is also impact resistant to a certain height.

All in all, the Klarus XT2C is great value for money. The Cree XM-L is a great LED and really pumps out the lumens in this small flashlight.

Review – Klarus AR10

Flashlights are important, aren’t they? Small and large, piercing the darkness like a searchlight or dimly preserving our tactical night vision, we love them all. The AR10 rechargeable flashlight is a pretty straightforward torch, at first glance, but there are hidden superpowers within.

Would you like to purchase the AR10 flashlight? Take a look on Klarus Light's website and you'll find a wide range of durable, affordable flashlights. 

The AR10 is a single-LED, single-focus flashlight, powered by a single 2600mAh Lithium 18650 cell. Illumination comes from a CREE XM-L2 U2 LED. The light meets IPX8 spec, which means it is waterproof to 2 meters, as well as being impact resistant from 1 metre. The battery is easily changeable and reverse-protected (You can’t put it in wrong!), accessed through a screw-on end cap, sealed with a single O-ring below the threads. There is a single push-button switch that activates both the on/off function as well as the four levels of light the LED can emit (Turbo, High, Medium, and Low). These are 1080, 450, 150, and 10 lumens, respectively.

When it’s first turned on, the LED shines at the intensity of the previous use. If a different intensity is desired, the user only has to click a few more times and the unit cycles through them all. Turning the device off is as simple as holding down the switch for a few seconds.

Two more modes are available as well. When the light is on in any mode, a triple press will activate strobe mode at Turbo intensity. Another triple press moves it to SOS mode, which is at Medium intensity. There is also a locking feature, which prevents the unit from accidentally being activated by children or from within a pack or suitcase.

When the light is first turned on, an indicator glows slightly in the centre of the switch. This is the battery power meter. (Centre button LED power indicator is above.) It will glow green for 70-100% charge, orange for 30-70%, and red for less than 30%. If it gets down to 10% or less, it will flash red.

The unit itself is about 14cm long. The flat end cap is magnetized, so that it will stay attached in an upright or vertical position, or hang from a metal shelf or rack. This is where the AR10’s hidden superpower comes in – you can rotate the head as much as 90°! There is a 45° joint that allows about the top inch to swivel down into a right angle to the main body. The light can stay on throughout the action, and will stay at whatever angle you place it at. With the magnetic tail piece, you can direct a steady beam of light in virtually any direction.

Below the end cap joint is a nicely knurled section. At that point, there is a groove around the entire torch with a chromed metal clip attached, which can spin around fully. The clip is very tight, and may be removable. The next three inches moving up to the inset tempered glass lens is mostly smooth, with a few deep designs machined in. Opposite the rubberized push button switch is a gasket-covered port for a microUSB charging cable.

The torch can be recharged without removing the battery. A weather-protected miniUSB port opposite the power button allows you to connect to any powered USB port to grab power and refresh the battery.

At 149 grams with a battery installed it’s not going to weigh anyone’s pack or belt too much. The whole flashlight has a nice heft to it, and you don’t have to worry about damaging it if you drop it. 

The AR10 is rated at a high output of 1080 lumens, with a rated runtime of “as long as” 220 hours on a full charge. While Lithium 18650 cells are not everywhere or particularly cheap, they are dependable and long-lasting and can take repeat charges for years. Since they can recharge in place, you may never find you need to replace it, but it’s nice to know it’s pretty standard if you do.

The flashlight trick that will produce smoke!

This flashlight trick will teach you how to produce smoke (actually pressurized oxygen) from your mouth. This is fun to do when you're bored at a campfire with your friends or family

You will need for this mighty trick:

-- A flashlight (so you can see it better)
-- Hands (yours)
-- A mouth (yours)
-- Lungs (yours)

Step 1: Hold your breath

The key to doing this effectively is to hold your breath the whole time you’re doing the trick. It may sound stupid, but don't breathe, since like I said, the smoke is actually pressurized oxygen. This is also the time to put the flashlight on your chin. NEVER blow out your nose while you do this, since it will ruin the smoke and make it travel all the way back to your lungs.

Step 2: Click your tongue

Yes, close your mouth and while still holding your breath, click your tongue 10 times. The way that you're supposed to click your tongue is to put your tongue at the tip of your mouth.

Step 3: Put your fist to your mouth

Put your fist to your mouth and puff your cheeks out. Don't puff them out too hard since you obviously don't want exploding cheeks. This should take about 3-5 seconds to do this. Don’t breathe yet!

Step 4: Open your mouth

Open your mouth. But do not exhale out your nose as already said since it will ruin the smoke. Just open your mouth and the smoke will come out. Also, you know what they say: practice makes perfect! It takes a while to get the hang of it!

Do you know any cool flashlight tricks? Let us know!

Need a reliable affordable flashlight? Don't go for the cheap flashlight that'll last a few weeks - visit Klarus Light's website and browse through the wide range of tactical, durable flashlights that will last you a life time!