Best EDC Flashlights
We recently did a blog about the best law enforcement flashlights and this blog will be similar, but instead we’ll be talking about everyday carry flashlights. The greatest thing about everyday carry flashlights is it really depends on the user and what kind of flashlight they want. As LED technology progresses, flashlight manufacturers seem to be blending the categories of flashlights more and more. So now you can find a compact everyday carry tactical flashlight really easily. You can also find flashlights that can easily fit in your pocket, on your keyring, or that you can just keep in a bag if hat’s what you’d prefer.
Why Choose an EDC Flashlight
There are a ton of reasons to have an edc flashlight. It’s similar to a pocket knife where once you start carrying it you have no idea how you went without it. Just the other day I was at a party and the power went out. Guess whose everyday carry flashlight suddenly become essential? That’s right, my awesome Klarus Mi7 become the lght of the party (did you get the play on words there?) until the power came back.
Here’s another little edc flashlight story for you. I went to a friend’s house and somewhere between my car and their house I must’ve dropped my keys. However, I didn’t notice my keys weren’t with me until several hours later. When I went outside and shined my flashlight to look for my keys, I found them almost instantly thanks to the reflection of the metal. Without my flashlight who knows how long I’d be searching on that cold night.
So I have two recent events that made my flashlight an incredibly valuable tool. Of course, we could have just dealt with the black out at the party and I probably would have found my keys eventually without a flashlight. However, situations like this happen often where you’re stuck in the dark and now I think I’d be lost without my Mi7.
What to Look for in an EDC Flashlight
What to look for in an edc flashlight can vary from person to person, but I think there are some basics to keep in mind for sure.
Lightweight and Compact - There are several different sizes of edc flashlights and we’ll discuss that a little more later in this blog. However, almost all users prefer a lightweight and compact edc flashlight. Preferably, something that easily fits in a pocket or purse without adding too much bulk to it. You’d be surprised by how bright small LED flashlights can be! I can’t vouch for non-LED flashlights, but LED flashlights can be surprisingly bright. For example, the Fenix E12 delivers 130 lumens which doesn’t sound like much, but when you’re outside using it that flashlight really makes the most of those lumens.
Lock-Out Function - One major concern with edc flashlights is turning on in your pocket or bag accidentally. There are a variety of ways to make sure this doesn’t happen and having a lock-out function for the switch is just one of them. The lock out function is a really nice feature to have, but some users get annoyed that they have to lock and unlock the switch because it’s more time consuming than just pulling out your flashlight and turning it on. Some edc flashlights have a twist switch where you actually have to twist the head of the flashlight to turn it on like the MecArmy Illuminex-1. Some users really like that twist switch and find it useful. The Fenix E12 has a tail cap switch that’s nearly impossible to turn on accidentally. In the end, it’s whatever feels the most comfortable in your hand.
Rechargeable/Batteries - Many flashlights, especially LED, require special kinds of batteries such as lithium-ion batteries. So an edc flashlight should be able to be equipped with standard AA or AAA batteries that are easy to come by or the flashlight should be rechargeable. This way if the battery runs out you don’t have to order a special battery online and wait for it to get there before using your flashlight again.
Does Size Matter?
When it comes to edc flashlights, YES size does matter. Thankfully, manufacturers have given us multiple options for edc flashlights. You can choose a flashlight that’s slender and small and easily fits in your pocket. Some of these even have pocket clips like the Klarus XT1C so you can easily and quickly pull them out of your pocket. You can choose a keychain flashlight so you don’t have to worry about grabbing a flashlight on your way out the door. You just have them on your keychain and keep it with you.
You can also find flashlights like the MecArmy PT16 that are considered bigger keychain flashlights. They’re large enough that you probably won’t lose them very easily but small enough that you could put them on a keychain if you wanted to. Keychain flashlights can be problematic because they are so small and easy to lose if you don’t have them on your keyring.
Awesome EDC Flashlights
The SGN3 is an amazing tiny flashlight because it is small enough that it can fit on a keyring, but it has a lot of different functions. It features 3 LEDs: a primary white LED, a red LED, and a UV or blue LED. The red LED is excellent for keeping your night vision whereas the primary LED will disrupt it. So if you need to read a map outside then the red LED would be a good choice. The UV light is grea for displaying fluids like blood.
It also features three different brightness modes for the primary LED that you can choose from. If you feel like you don’t need to us 160 lumens at that moment than you can decrease it to the 50 lumens or the moonlight mode. The SGN3 is also USB rechargeable and features a charging indicator so you know when the battery is full. The body is made from die cast alloy so your keys won’t scratch it up easily.
Another awesome thing about the SGN3 is the color options! You have a lot of great colors to choose from. We just recently got in that stone-washed color which is my favorite at the moment.
If you couldn’t already tell from my stories before, the Klarus Mi7 is an excellent edc flashlight. It’s a little bit bigger than a keychain flashlight. It’s less than 4 inches in length and can deliver up to 700 lumens on its highest brightness level! It features a side switch and has a lock out function so it won’t accidentally turn on in your pocket. It has three brightness levels to choose from and has an orange peel reflector so the spill is pretty impressive.
You can immediately access the moonlight and high brightness levels. Having instant access to the moonlight mode is a really nice feature of an edc light. The moonlight mode won’t use up too much of the battery and it’s often enough light to do most things like search through your car for something you dropped. The Mi7 also features a battery power indicator so you can know what charge the battery is at and plan the usage accordingly. The Mi7 already comes with a AA battery which is nice. However, if you want the full power of the 700 lumens you’ll need to get a 14500 battery.
What else is awesome about the Mi7? The colors! There are so many colors to choose from that these edc flashlights make great gifts!