Choosing a flashlight is no easy task – especially when choosing an outdoor flashlight for a specific function like camping, hunting, or tactical operations. There are various questions that you ask and some that you don’t but should. There are various terms that might seem alien to you but are essential to determining the right flashlight for you. This guide aims to help you understand the specifics of outdoor flashlights better to help you make an informed decision when you buy an outdoor flashlight.

The first thing you need to decide is the basic use that you would employ your flashlight for. As with any device these days, flashlights are also manufactured in a way that there are specific models for specific tasks. Will it be used around the house if the power goes out? Is it supposed to be handy and small enough to fit in the glove box of your car? Do you want a head mounted one? Do you want that can be attached to a rifle? Once you have decided on the basic use of the outdoor flashlight that you aim to buy, you need to figure out the specifications that you want your flashlight to have. This includes a few tricky terms that you should get to know:

• Candlepower: measurement of the brightest spot in a beam
• Lumen: measurement of entire output of light of a bulb
• Reflector: the area around the bulb that is used to focus the beam
• Run-time: the life of the battery

Once you understand these terms, it is easier to move forward and consider other specifications. One such specification is the kind of bulb you want in your flashlight – with each type having its own pros:

• Incandescent bulbs – this is the traditional bulb used in flashlights, it gives a strong light that has a lot of range but burn out very fast and need to be changed frequently.
• LEDs – these are extremely durable bulbs with a long life and are great for close viewing and give off a soft light as compared to incandescent bulbs.
• HIDs – very bright as compared to incandescent bulbs and burning more than twice as long, these are great for when you need a high power beam.

After deciding on the right bulb, you have to decide the brightness that you would require your flashlight to have. This can be done easily by checking for candlepower or lumens mentioned in the specifications for the model. You can also decide on the colour of the beam that you want – with coloured LEDs being very in with hunters these days. Different colours have different uses but they are all easier on the eyes as compared to the traditional white light.

The most important thing to decide is the size of your flashlight – and they come in all shapes and sizes. To carry on camping trips, hunting expeditions or to keep in your car’s glove box, you need one that is lightweight, compact but provides good light, so choose accordingly. These basics will help you pick out the right outdoor flashlight for your specific purpose.