Choosing LED Hunting Flashlights
LED hunting flashlights are essential for locating and stalking prey after the sun goes down.
We’ve put together a list of key points to consider below to help you choose the best hunting flashlight for your needs.
Types Of LED Hunting Flashlights
Hunting flashlights are made for spotting prey at night and are typically either used by the shooters themselves or by a companion spotter who illuminates the prey for the shooter.
Depending on how you intend to use your hunting flashlight, you’ll have three main types to consider: Long-throw, headlamps, and compact hunting lights.
Long Throw hunting flashlights are the largest models in our store. They are characterized by their large sizes, powerful reflectors, as well as their incredible (!!!) throw distances. These torches will often throw as far as 1000 meters, sometimes more. Yes, you read that right.
Headlamps are a popular alternative to hand-held or weapon-mounted lights because they free up the hunter’s hands and provide steady illumination in the direction the hunter is looking or aiming.
Compact flashlights are another popular option for their size and versatility. These lights will act as EDC (everyday carry) flashlights day-to-day, but can also be attached to a weapon through a separate mount when it’s time to go hunting.
Why Do You Need An LED Hunting Flashlight?
Most customers buy an LED hunting flashlight because their typical EDC or utility flashlight of choice doesn’t provide the distance or other hunting-friendly features they need.
These are also popular torches to use as search and rescue flashlights due to their long throw distances and powerful peak outputs.
How Bright Should An LED Hunting Flashlight Be?
A good hunting flashlight should reach at least 300 lumens and throw to a minimum of 100 meters to maximize its efficiency while hunting/sweeping.
Because night hunting often requires a light to be left on for long periods, you should be more concerned with the medium settings rather than the maximum outputs. That’s mainly because if a light has to run at 1000 lumens to break the 100-meter throw distance, it may only be able to run for a short time before it loses its usefulness, and that’s not what you want. Try focusing your search on a light that can provide the output, runtime, and distance you want, without having to put the light on its highest mode(s).
What Size Should An LED Hunting Flashlight Be?
The size of a hunting flashlight is often dictated by the amount of power a customer needs, cause these lights can get pretty big.
If your light will be mounted to a firearm, make sure that the size of the reflector, as well as the length of the light, is compatible with the weapon you’ll be using.
If you’re leaning toward a more compact flashlight, you’ll want to make sure it’s small enough to carry on you, either in a holster or inside your pocket, the preference is yours.
What Else Should You Look For?
The option of having a red and green light is certainly something to look for. These color light options, or sometimes in the form of added color filters, are a popular feature for hunting flashlights because different animals have different sensitivity to various colors of light and when using a red or green light, it reduces the chance of spooking the targeted prey and improves your chances of night hunting success.
The other main feature to consider is weapon compatibility. Many of our hunting flashlights are sold as kits with weapon mounts included, so make sure to take measurements of your firearm or rail system beforehand to ensure your light fits your weapon.