What to Look for in an EDC Flashlight

Everyone could do with their own EDC flashlight. Manufacturers and brands continue to create powerful LED flashlights in these compact forms so that you can carry them with you wherever you go. For some, it may seem weird to carry a flashlight with you everywhere, but once you do you won't know how you dealt without it. In this blog we're going to take a look at some features to look for and pick between when choosing an EDC flashlight and we're going to talk about our top 3 best EDC flashlights.

Features of the Best EDC Flashlights

There are many factors to consider when searching for an EDC light. When you're shopping for a everyday carry flashlight you're going to want to decide how small you want the flashlight, how powerful you want the flashlight, and what battery type you'd like the flashlight to take. We’ll take a look at each of these categories.

Compact LED Flashlight

The first aspect that you're going to want to look at with an everyday carry flashlight is the size of it. EDC flashlights come in all sizes and the type of flashlight depends heavily on your needs. You can choose from anything in between a keychain flashlight and a flashlight that's almost 6 inches in length. If you don't want to carry a flashlight in your pocket because you're worried you'll continually forget it at home, then look into a keychain flashlight. These flashlights are tiny, usually no more than 2 inches. They're meant to be put on a keychain so that as long as you bring your keys you have your flashlight.

You can always go with a flashlight that's a little bit bigger but can easily fit into your pocket. Accurately named, these are often called pocket flashlights. They’re compact enough to easily fit in a pocket or even a small purse and tend to be less than 4 inches in length.

Finally, you can go with a flashlight that's a little bit bigger but can still fit in a pocket or a bag. The bigger the flashlight the more powerful it'll be and the longer run times it'll probably have. There are pros and cons to each size and it's up to you which one you'd feel most comfortable carrying around every day.

Powerful EDC Flashlight

Just as everyday carry flashlights range in size, they also range in power. You'll find everyday carry flashlights that range from 80 lumens to 2000 lumens and it's up to you to decide how much power you really need. If you are interested in the keychain flashlights, they tend to have a lumen power of around 130. For a pocket-sized flashlight you'd be looking at 300 to 700 lumens. Sometimes you can even find everyday carry flashlights that are pocket-sized and can reach a max of 1000 lumens. And, if you're wanting a larger everyday carry flashlight, then you'll find 1000 lumens or more. I always recommend the pocket size flashlight for an everyday carry flashlight because it is so small and lightweight but still delivers a lot of power. However, if you think you'd prefer the keychain flashlight because it's easier to carry around or if you prefer a more powerful flashlight then you can still find some amazing EDC flashlights.

Battery Type

Another aspect to consider with an everyday carry flashlight is what battery the flashlight will take. A keychain flashlight is going to typically take a 10180 lithium ion battery, although you will find some that may take an AAA battery. Typically the ones that feature the 10180 battery will be USB rechargeable which is nice.

Pocket flashlights typically take either a 16340 battery, a 14500 battery, a CR123A battery, or an AA battery. Depending on how much power you want and how much runtime you would like the flashlight to have, you'll have to pick which battery is best. Typically, you'll see more output and better runtimes with a lithium ion battery.

Finally, you have 18650 flashlights that can often be compact enough to be an everyday carry flashlights. 18650 flashlights are very powerful flashlights with great run times. If you're willing to get a larger everyday carry flashlight than I would recommend an LED flashlight that runs on an 18650 battery.

Best Everyday Carry Flashlights

Here's a list of our top three best everyday carry flashlights!

Klarus Mi7

The Klarus Mi7 is an excellent pocket flashlight. You can equip it with either an AA battery or a 14500 battery. Using a 14500 battery you'll see a maximum output of 700 lumens. Using an AA battery you'll see a maximum output of 330 lumens. Whichever battery you prefer to use, it's great to know that you do have options. The Mi7 is operated using a single side switch. You have five different outputs, immediate access to the low mode, immediate access to the high mode, a battery capacity indicator, and a lock out for that side switch. Not to mention, the Mi7 comes in a variety of fun colors to choose from. Check out the Klarus Mi7 everyday carry flashlight.

Klarus Mi1C

The Mi1C is another excellent pocket flashlight. It delivers 600 lumens and has a wonderfully broad beam, perfect for up-close work. It runs using a 16340 battery, but you can also use a CR123A battery if you'd like. With its battery capacity indicator, you can check to see the status of your battery at any time. It has a side switch for operation, features a lockout for the side switch, and has 6 total outputs with a built-in memory function. It also features a unique fade-on and fade-off function and a magnetic tail cap function. You can choose between the aluminum Mi1C, the titanium Mi1C, and the copper Mi1C. Check out the Klarus Mi1C 600 lumen flashlight.

Klarus G10

The last flashlight I want to talk about is a great larger EDC flashlight that klarus just released in the last few months. The G10 is an 18650 flashlight but it can also run on two CR123A batteries or two Klarus 16340 batteries. It delivers up to 1800 lumens and is less than 5 inches in length, so depending on how big your pocket is you could fit it in there. This LED flashlight has a unique user interface with a tail switch and a side switch that operate independently. With the switches you have access to a One-Touch Turbo, a One-Touch Low, and a built-in memory function. You also have 6 total outputs and a lockout function for both switches. And you have the cherry on top: the G10 is also a USB rechargeable flashlight. Check out the Klarus G10.

Concluding Remarks

So now you know what to look for in an everyday carry flashlight and you have a few suggestions to start off your search. If you have any other questions you can always reach out to us and we'd be happy to assist. When it comes to an everyday carry flashlight you want a flashlight you know you're going to carry with you comfortably.