The Best Tactical Flashlights for Law Enforcement and Security

We often receive questions from flashlight users asking which flashlight we recommend for law enforcement, security, military, or tactical use. Truth be told, we can suggest a ton of great tactical flashlights, but it really does depend on what you’re looking for. We’ve narrowed our choices down to three of the best tactical flashlights in our opinion and we talk about them below. So if you’re looking for one of the best tactical flashlights then keep on reading.

Tactical Flashlight Features

First, we want to talk about what any tactical flashlight should have and what all the tactical flashlights in this list feature. If you’re needing a flashlight for safety then it’s important to make sure what you’re buying has the right features to keep you safe. While there are multiple features that tactical flashlights can have, we narrowed it down to the essentials that you should have in any tactical flashlight.

Powerful Tactical Flashlight

Before anything else, the flashlight you choose needs to be powerful. While 1000 lumens is more than sufficient for self-defense, you can now purchase compact, handheld flashlights that deliver 1500 or more lumens. The more lumens it delivers, the brighter the flashlight will be so that if you have to shine the flashlight at somebody who wants to do you harm, it will hinder them and temporarily blind them.

It’s also important to have a flashlight with a strike bezel attached to it. While you hope you never have to use it, the strike bezel adds an extra layer of protection and allows you to use the flashlight as a nonlethal weapon. If someone began to attack you, you have the option of using that strike bezel to defend yourself.

Momentary-On and Immediate Turbo

With any tactical flashlight, you’ll want a tail switch operation. The way your hand is positioned on the flashlight with a tail switch allows you to more easily use the flashlight for self-defense if necessary. It also makes operating the flashlight a little faster since you won’t need to fumble around for a side switch.

Along with a tail switch design, your tactical flashlight should have a momentary-on as well as an immediate strobe. The momentary-on gives you that extra half second to illuminate the darkness. This is essential when it comes to safety and where every second counts. The immediate strobe ensures that you’re prepared and ready to go should you need to defend yourself.

The Best Tactical Flashlights

As I said before, all the flashlights we talk about in this blog share the features we discussed above. So with each of these tactical flashlights you can expect power, a strike bezel, a tail switch design, a momentary-on, and an immediate strobe. However, each of these flashlights is still unique in its own way and depending on what you need can alter which flashlight looks the most appealing. Let’s get started.

Klarus XT11X

This is a very powerful and reliable tactical flashlight that will help you out in a pinch. The XT11X delivers 3200 lumens which is insanely bright. It features a wide and diffused beam that illuminates the entire area in front of you. The XT11X flashlight has a triple switch design that includes a side switch and dual tail switches. You’re able to use the side switch and dual tail switches separately and you’re able to lock out the switches to prevent accidental illumination. With the dual tail switches you’ll have access to a momentary-on, One-Touch Turbo, and One-Touch Strobe or One-Touch Low. With the side switch you get a built-in memory function and a One-Touch Low. Since we’re talking about tactical use, we’ll focus on the tail switches. The tail switches feature a round main switch and a secondary paddle switch so it’s easy to differentiate the two in the dark.

Along with these excellent features, the XT11X is also USB rechargeable, is compatible with a single 18650 battery and two CR123A batteries, and is extremely durable. The XT11X is impact resistant up to 1 meter and waterproof up to IPX8 standards. It features multiple brightness outputs as well as two programmable settings to allow for more versatility in your flashlight. It’s compact and comes with a holster so it’s easy to carry on duty. The textured design on the aluminum alloy body prevents your fingers from slipping when using the flashlight. Learn more about the Klarus XT11X tactical flashlight.

Klarus 360X3

The Klarus 360X3 tactical flashlight has a truly innovative omni-directional tail switch design. With this design you're able to operate the flashlight from any angle. The main center switch gives you access to a momentary-on and One-Touch Turbo while the secondary switch, which is a ring around that main switch, gives you access to either the One-Touch Turbo or One-Touch Low. Just like the XT11X, it does feature a triple switch design with a side switch that functions the same way as the XT11X side switch. The 360X3 also features multiple outputs and two programmable settings as well.

The 360X3 delivers 3200 lumens and features the same wide and diffused beam that the XT11X features. A major difference between these two flashlights is in the body design. The 360X3 features a rubber coating around the body and the tail cap ensuring an extremely firm grip on the flashlight. The 360X3 is also USB rechargeable and is compatible with an 18650 battery, two CR123A batteries, or two Klarus 16340 batteries. If you are wanting the ultimate tactical flashlight, check out the Klarus 360X3.

Klarus 360X1

The Klarus 360X1 is the little brother of the Klarus 360X3. It has a lot of the same features but is a little more scaled down, a little more straightforward, and a little more compact. First of all, it delivers 1800 lumens and features a more focused beam. It also has the omni-directional tail switch design that allows you to operate the flashlight from any angle. Unlike the 360X3, the 360X1 does not feature a side switch and only features these tail switches.

The 360X1 tactical flashlight also has the two programmable settings that allow you to use the flashlight in more situations. It is USB rechargeable and is compatible with a single 18650 battery, two CR123A batteries, or two Klarus 16340 batteries. Just like the 360X3, the 360X1 features the same rubber coating along the body and the tail cap so that your grip remains strong no matter what. If you're interested in a more compact tactical flashlight make sure to check out the Klarus 360X1.

Concluding Remarks

So for now, these tactical flashlights are the ones we pick for the best tactical flashlights for law enforcement, security, and general tactical use. While excellent flashlights continue to keep coming I'm sure this list will change and alter as time goes by. Already we’re awaiting the Klarus XT21X that delivers 4,000 lumens. It's possible that in a matter of time this powerful flashlight will also be added to the list. All of the flashlights in this list are excellent, reliable, durable, and have a lot of great features. So peruse the list and pick your favorite.