Why Carry a Penlight?

There are so many kinds of EDC flashlights that you can find on the market today. When you're looking for a compact flashlight that you can carry it can be tough to find the right one for you. When you're first looking for an EDC flashlight I would suggest you consider what body style you want. Since you're considering carrying this flashlight on you it's important to decide what design would work out the best for you. Some people prefer a more tactical design whereas others may prefer a baton style. Some may prefer that their EDC lights are shorter but wider while others prefer their lights to be longer and thinner. It's all about preference and what you would feel most comfortable carrying.

Today we're going to talk about penlights. Penlights are really excellent for a variety of tasks that go beyond everyday carry. They are truly versatile lights and something I would recommend to anyone looking to carry a flashlight on their person. It's common for people to carry pens on them so carrying a penlight is going to be almost second nature.

What is a Penlight?

A penlight is exactly what the name implies. It is a flashlight that is generally small enough and has the body style of a pen. Sometimes penlights actually function as both a pen and a light whereas some are just the light by itself. You’ll see doctors carrying these penlights around or sometimes you may see people in other professions using them such as engineers, electricians, or handymen. Penlights are common and beloved and it's not difficult to see why. They are so compact and lightweight; it is similar to carrying just a pen in your pocket. It's easy to put in a bag or keep in your car so that you can always pull it out to use it when needed.

The Benefits of a Penlight

Of course one of the first benefits to a penlight is the size. You'll find EDC flashlights in all different sizes including keychain lights that are less than two inches in length. You'll often find everyday carry flashlights that range in size but are still compact and easy to carry. A penlight is also considered an everyday carry light. It's really a terrific light to use for any daily tasks. So let's talk about some other benefits of a penlight.

Penlights are versatile and are great flashlights for just about anybody. Whether you're looking for something for your job or you just need a light to have in your car or in your bag, a penlight is the way to go. Generally penlights have very easy user interfaces and you can find really great penlights that are not super expensive.

Pen lights are great for reading in the dark or looking in dark spaces. There are times I dropped something behind my desk and my Klarus P20 really comes in handy for that. We'll talk more about the Klarus P20 later. The point is, a penlight is always easy to grab, easy to find, and does a great job in helping with daily tasks.

The Klarus P20 Penlight

The Klarus P20 is one of the best penlights you'll find and we'll talk about some of the features it has to offer. First and foremost, this penlight is lightweight and compact. It's a bit thicker than your average pen, but it's still easy to clip onto your pocket and forget about it until you need it. This is exactly what you would want in a flashlight you're going to be carrying with you. The body has a really nice feel to it and feels very comfortable and natural in your hands. You can operate it using the tail switch and the user interface is very easy to pick up on.

We'll talk about more about that in a moment. First I'd like to talk about the power of the P20. It features a NIchia High CRI LED and this LED delivers softer light that simulates natural lighting. So the light that comes out of the P20 is very soft on the eyes and not overwhelming at all. The lens is textured which helps to diffuse the light allowing you to see better up close.

This penlight features three outputs ranging from 4 lumens to 230 lumens. The great thing is that 230 lumens is a good amount of light for everyday carry. Thanks to the softness of the LED that low 4 lumens is such a soft light that it can actually be used to examine eyes safely without any damage. This makes the P20 great for any doctors, nurses, or even parents. It also has a built-in memory function so it will remember the last brightness level you used. This function comes in handy because it can conserve the battery and it will ensure that you always turn it on to the brightness level you want. As I mentioned before it does have a tail switch to operate the light and you can fully press the tail switch to cycle through the brightness levels or you can turn it on and do half presses to cycle through the brightness levels. So it's a very very easy user interface since all you're doing is clicking a single button and cycling through three different outputs.

The P20 runs on two AAA batteries which is great because AAA batteries are incredibly easy to come by and very inexpensive. Often you'll find everyday carry flashlights that require more expensive and less common batteries. However, the P20 requires just the two AAA batteries which most people have in their house. With two fully charged AAA batteries the P20 can run for up to 193 hours on that lowest brightness level. So if you want to conserve your battery and get the most out of it you can keep it in that low brightness level and switch it to the brighter levels as it is necessary.

With any Klarus flashlight you can expect high durability and the P20 is no different. It's crafted from aluminum and has a hard anodized finish giving it a really sleek feel and a beautiful matte look. With that textured body you can be sure the flashlight will not slip in your hands but in case it does, the P20 is shock resistant up to one and a half meters. So even if you accidentally drop it it'll still function. It's also IPX8 waterproof which means that you can take it out in the rain and have no issues at all.

So penlights truly are magnificent EDC lights and our featured penlight is the Klarus P20. If you're looking for a new pen light or a new EDC light then definitely check out the Klarus P20. It's a great flashlights to carry on you and it's a flashlight that won't let you down.