Four Super Bright Flashlights That Turn Night into Day

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The flashlight I use most often is built into my phone and it’s around 50 lumens. It works fine up close, but there are pocket-sized flashlights that can illuminate an entire football field. There are also flashlights that use a laser to generate white light and can shoot an intensely bright beam beyond 500 yards. They make my convenient, but weak, phone light look like ancient technology.

If those powerful flashlights interest you, then here are four of the best super bright flashlights available. 

Laser-Powered Flashlight: Nitecore P35i 

Specs

• Price: $280
• Lumen, 10, 70, 300, 1000, and 3,000 lumens
• LCD display shows current lumen setting and max run time 
• True Class 1 LEP flashlight with LED flood beam
• Battery included 
• Weight: 10.46 ounces
• Rechargeable with USB-C
• Max Battery Life: 60 hours at 10 lumens or 45 mins at 3,000 lumens

As you delve into the world of super bright flashlights, there are two important specs you’ll have to learn: lumens and candela. A lumen is a measurement of total light output. Candela is a measurement of the intensity of a light source. So you can have a light with a lot of lumens but relatively low candela, it would cover a wide area and not project very far. On the flip side, you can have lower lumens and more candela for a beam that’s narrow, but projects a far distance. It’s like the difference between throwing a piece of paper and crumpling it up and throwing it. 

The Nitecore P35i is a crumpled up piece of paper thrown by Roger Clemons. It uses a laser to send 3,000 lumens of intense white light to ridiculous distances. I shined it at an object 165 yards away and it lit it up like a 1,000 lumen light did at 20 yards. The beam was only 12 feet wide at that distance. I also found that at the max setting, you can shine the P35i at something 500 yards away and clearly see it. 

The main downside is that the LEP mode has a 30 second time constraint. That auto shut off keeps the light from overheating. You can jump right back into the LEP mode after the initial 30 second burst, but at a reduced 420-lumen output. 

The P35i is more than just a laser beam flashlight though. It also has LEDs that create a wide beam with variable lumen output. So you can use it as a normal flashlight or as a handheld spotlight. 

Read Next: Best Flashlights 

Budget Retina Burner: Wurkkos FC13

Specs

• Price: $40
• Lumens: 0.5, 5, 20, 57, 150, 420, 1080, 3500 
• Two way clip 
• LCD Display 
• Rechargeable with USB-C
• Can be used as a power bank 
• Water Resistance: IP68
• Button lights up 

Flashlights can get pricey quickly, especially super bright ones. But the Wurkkos FC13 has a max output of 3,500 lumens and only costs $40. It has eight brightness settings that are easy to navigate with a push and hold of the button — double tap for max brightness. Wurkkos sidestepped the traditional tailcap and went for a button on the flashlight’s head. You’ll hold it in a TV remote grip, which is more ergonomic than a standard tailcap. 

The beam is well balanced between throw and flood. On the FC13’s brightest setting you can easily illuminate an area that’s 40 yards wide by 40 yards deep. The lower settings are great for up-close tasks or conserving battery life. 

Pocket Thrower: Modlite PLHV2 and OKW

Specs

• Weight: 4.5 ounces
• Rechargeable 
• Made in the USA
• Multi-Mode
• Fueled by 1x 18350 battery
• 680 Lumens 
• 69,000 Candela
• Price: $309

I own a PLHv2 and an OKW (weapon mounted) and they’re among my favorite powerful flashlights. They’re ultra durable and punch out a ton of light for their size. The Modlite OKW head is designed for throw — projecting light a long distance. And the PLHv2 is designed for flood — lighting a wide area. The OKW will project its 680 lumens to 300 yards with authority. Its greatest asset is its ability to outcompete surrounding light sources. So let’s say you need to see something in the shadows of a dimly lit parking garage. Most flashlights wouldn’t be able to out compete the 60w bulbs, but the OKW can do that and illuminate the shadows. 

Read Next: Best Tactical Flashlights 

6,500 Lumen EDC Flashlight: Nitecore EDC 29

Specs

• Price: $110
• Lumens: 15, 100, 400, 1,200, and 3,000, 6,500 (momentary on only)
• Rechargeable with USB-C
• Can lock to prevent accidentally turning the light on 
• IP54 splash proof 
• LCD screen that displays mode and remaining run time
• Pocket clip  
• Run Time: 2 hours at 1,200 lumens
• Weight: 5.6 ounces 

The EDC 29 is nearly perfect in regard to being simple for daily use with premium technology. When I turn on the 6,500 lumen mode it literally turns my pitch-dark, half-acre backyard into daylight. It has a bright center spot, which helps the beam project farther. The surrounding emitted light covers a wide area and is slightly less bright than the center spot. Just keep in mind that you can only run the 6,500 mode for 7 seconds before the light automatically steps down in output. That time limit keeps the light from getting scalding hot. 

One of the best features of the EDC 29 is its LCD screen that shows you the mode you’re on and the remaining run time for that specific mode. So let’s say you’ve run out of daylight on a hike and have 15 minutes before you hit the trail head. You can find the setting that will give you the most light output, but still run long enough for you to get to your vehicle. 

Read Next: Best EDC Flashlights 

Quick Guide to Lumens and Candela 

One of the biggest decisions you’ll need to make is if you prefer a bright light with a wide beam or one that projects its light a long distance. Generally, lights that project their light farther (more candela) have fewer lumens. And lights that cast a wide, even beam can be high in lumens but lower in candela. The question then is how many lumens make for a bright light and how much candela pushes light to far distances. Below is a guide that will help you decipher specs. 

Lumens

• Weak: 50-200
• Mid: 300 to 500
• Bright: 1,000 to 1,500
• Super Bright: 2,000 to 6,000
• Insanely Bright: 10,000 +

Candela 

• Weak: 50 to 500
• Flood: 1,000 to 10,000
• Thrower: 70,000 to 400,000 
• Super Thrower: 600,000 +

FAQs

The Upshot

You can see well beyond your surroundings with the help of one of the above super bright flashlights. Just keep in mind that their max settings will only be usable in short spurts due to the extreme heat they produce and power usage. When choosing a flashlight, you’ll need to strike the delicate balance between power and practicality. 

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