When it comes to flashlights, the pricing generally reflects the performance you can expect from them. In a recent testing, all flashlights experienced some decline, but the output, consistency, and longevity increased in relation to the pricing of the units. For example, the Gearlight LED Flashlight and Rayovac Value Bright 75 Lumen Floating Lantern scored low marks for light output and consistency but remain Amazon bestsellers due to their affordable price points. On the other hand, the Olight Warrior X Pro challenged the impressive performance of the Fenix flashlight, surpassing it in some categories. However, it grew unreasonably hot within minutes of activation, making it difficult to operate without gloves.
The Maglite ML300LX LED 3 Cell flashlight is a bulkier option, reminiscent of the flashlights seen in old movies pulled out by police officers. It has strong light output and impressive consistency over an hour of testing, making it an excellent choice for those who prefer a larger flashlight. The Infinity X1 2500 and 1500 flashlights offer rechargeable or replaceable battery packs, which is a perk, but their price tags do not match up with their outputs. Moving on to smaller baton-style lights, the Streamlight ProTac 2L-X had a decent initial output but dropped to zero after just 20 minutes. The larger Alifa Rechargeable LED had better output and consistency, along with an adjustable beam, but weighed more than any other non-lantern light tested.
In terms of performance, the Olight Warrior X Pro was the only flashlight to rival the Fenix’s impressive numbers, even surpassing it in some categories. However, it quickly grew excessively hot to the point where it would be unrealistic to operate without gloves, despite its high performance. On the other hand, the Maglite ML300LX LED 3 Cell provided a strong light output and impressive consistency over an hour of testing, making it a great choice for those who prefer bulkier flashlights. Similarly, the Infinity X1 2500 and 1500 flashlights offered rechargeable or replaceable battery packs but fell short in terms of pricing compared to their outputs.
Among the smaller baton-style lights tested, the Streamlight ProTac 2L-X had a decent initial output but dropped to zero after just 20 minutes, while the Alifa Rechargeable LED had better output and consistency but was heavier than other lights tested. Furthermore, the Alifa flashlight claimed an output of 200,000 lumens, an unlikely number as 4,000 lumens would have been sufficient to claim the highest output in the testing. Overall, pricing and performance were closely correlated in the flashlight testing, with some models offering impressive performance but facing drawbacks such as overheating, while others, though more affordable, lacked in key areas.
