Best Camping Flashlights in 2023

There are many flashlights (compact, tactical, survival, spotlights, headlamps, etc.). However, camping flashlights must be suitable for that exact scope, aka, the camping. With our article and research for the best camping flashlights, we help you find the most suitable one among candidates for that rank.

Things like how many lumens are enough, weight, beam distance, durability, and battery life.

Camping may be part of a hiking trip where you camp in the wild or an organized camping ground with more available facilities, where you travel by your RV or camper car.

As such, some factors affect your choice. Here are the things you need to know for choosing the best camping flashlight, along with all the details of such flashlights.

We also select five options and what we choose as our best flashlight selection.

Comparison Chart

These are five handpicked camping flashlights, each with its unique features.

IMAGE	PRODUCT
	1. GearLight S2000 LED Flashlight Description 1 Description 2 Description 2	Check Price
	2. MagLite ML300LX LED 3-Cell D Flashlight Description 1 Description 2 Description 2	Check Price
	3. STANLEY FATMAX SL10LEDS Rechargeable 2200 Lumen Lithium Description 1 Description 2 Description 2	Check Price
	4. BUYSIGHT Bright Rechargeable Searchlight handheld LED Flashlight Tactical Flashlight Description 1 Description 2 Description 2	Check Price
	5. GEPROSMA Super Bright Handheld Led Spotlight Flashlight Description 1 Description 2 Description 2	Check Price

Best Camping Flashlight

1. GearLight S2000 LED Flashlight

What We Like

We love its durability. When it comes to camping flashlights, they need to be sturdy. The extensive range of its beam distance is fantastic for lighting larger camping areas. The lanyard is a plus.

What We Don’t Like

It would be best if it were less heavy, as its weight adds up to the whole carrying weight. Not sure you can call it a tactical flashlight for camping. Tactical flashlights have memory options for lighting modes.

2. MagLite ML300LX LED 3-Cell D Flashlight

What We Like

We love the preset activity-based function sets and their sturdy construction. Indeed a camping flashlight is an additional security tool by itself. The beam distance is fantastic due to that scope.

What We Don’t Like

It is not a dealbreaker and expected for camping flashlights of that size and durability, but the weight would be nice to be less.

3. STANLEY FATMAX SL10LEDS Rechargeable 2200 Lumen Lithium

What We Like

The power in/out is a good plus for a rechargeable flashlight for camping; if you need to power up any devices and you don’t have a power bank, it will drain the battery faster. However, when charged, the battery stays charged for up to 12 months without usage.

What We Don’t Like

The lighting options are only two, along with the scope of this camping flashlight. It is a bit bulky to carry around in a backpack. Better is to have it stored in the car.

4. BUYSIGHT Bright Rechargeable Searchlight handheld LED Flashlight Tactical Flashlight

What We Like

The shoulder strap is fantastic for carrying this camping spotlight around. The 9000mAh battery with charging protection is a plus and can give you a long outdoor time.

What We Don’t Like

It is quite a decision to get this camping spotlight due to its weight and size, but that depends on what usage you are after. The narrow “lightsaber-like” beam is super bright, but the other lacks intensity. An upgrade to a better USB wire would be best.

5. GEPROSMA Super Bright Handheld Led Spotlight Flashlight

What We Like

The high lumens are a plus, but consider if you need that much for a camping flashlight, along with the heavier construct. The tripod mount helps free your hands, and the USB charger for small devices. A handy option is turning it into a lantern with its side lighting. The beam distance coverage lights up huge areas, not just around your camping spot.

What We Don’t Like

It is rather heavy, and the very existence implies that indirectly. Maybe not the best option for a carry-around camping flashlight/spotlight.

Our Selection for the Top Camping Flashlight

With portability and weight in mind, along with lumens and a touch of having a durable flashlight that can be an item for protection, we find the GearLight S2000 LED Flashlight the best option.

All the options we examine here have many strengths, but we wouldn’t carry something heavy in our backpacks. So, the combination of a portable, durable flashlight with excellent beam distance and lots of lumens is ideal. Other options that come with a USB charger for small devices are -for sure- a plus, but ask yourself if you need all that in a flashlight.

What To Look For

Here is a series of factors to look for in a camping flashlight.

Brightness Levels

Lumens are the unit with which brightness is measured in camping flashlights (and not only). For a camping flashlight, a range of 200 to 1000 lumens is quite enough, as you will usually apply it to a given area.

The best is not to go under 300 lumens, but sometimes it depends on the lens technology. The price differences are not that big, so the best is to get more than less, but -for camping- going over 1200 is usually meaningless.

If you choose a bright camping flashlight, you may see nothing or not see details. Flashlights with several thousands of lumens in a small area are not usually practical.

Camping flashlights come with different lighting options, whereas the beam distance changes. The lighting angle changes too.

It would be best if you used the appropriate lighting options per case. There is no need to turn blind or drain your battery.

Red Light Mode

The red light option or an extra red light filter on your camping flashlight helps your eyes get far less tired when you need your flashlight for things like reading or watching something closely for long.

However, it is not a huge plus. You can always get a flashlight with the “low dim” or “firefly” option and use that.

There are also green flashlights. That means flashlights where the beam is green. They protect your night vision and avoid eye strain. Green LED flashlights can be seen up to a mile away.

Strobe Mode

The strobe mode (panic or flash mode) protects you when in the wild.

When camping in an organized campground, that may not be necessary, but it may sometimes work in the wild.

Strobe mode blinds the person or animal looking at the flashlight, which is quite a feature for an emergency. Strobe can help signal as the light pulse is seen from afar.

Weight & Size

The purpose of a camping flashlight is to be easy to use; otherwise, it is a burden even if it is as bright as the sun. The bigger the flashlight, the heavier it is, and it gets heavier if you walk with it with straps. Torches are with a moderate weight.

If you plan to carry one in your backpack, it should be lightweight enough as you take more. If you want it to be stored in your car, weight doesn’t matter much.

Types & Number of Batteries Required

Rechargeable battery-powered flashlights are a good option if you plan to use them out in the wild or on a campground. Such flashlights can be charged with power banks; charge them via USB or power adapter anywhere, even with solar panels. But you can’t find power plus in the woods.

Battery-powered flashlights (not rechargeable) are usually what most select. People prefer to carry extra batteries since it may be difficult to charge a flashlight in the woods or there is not enough sun. Taking lots of batteries comes with excess weight, but the best is to use your torch.

You usually need over 3-4 batteries.

Run Time

Running a flashlight in its brightest mode drains the battery for many hours. The good thing is that some indicators show the remaining power but don’t depend on that.

The time it takes for the battery to drain down to 10% is known as “runtime.” Give some slack to that length since these numbers vary as you shift through different modes or depending on the current temperature. A torch with a longer runtime is better, but -as said- that is primarily influenced by the usage in a given timeframe. So use your flashlight wisely. Most good flashlights come with a guide that shows their runtime per lighting mode. Give some slack to that length since these numbers vary as you shift through different modes or depending on the current temperature.

If you want to use your flashlight for many things, including reading, it may be best to have an additional LED headlamp.

Waterproof

There are water-resistant camping flashlights and waterproof ones. The indicator that shows how much water may penetrate the flashlight (there is one for dust, too) is the IPX. IPX comes from Ingress Protection (or International Protection) and ranges from zero to 8 (i.e., IPX-1, etc.). Here is a detailed article.

Beam Distance

It measures how far away the flashlight will usefully light up an object when its beam is optimally focused (sometimes called “Throw”).

In short, there is the FL1 factor (Flashlight Basic Performance Standard). The FL1 Standard defines four categories of flashlight performance, prescribes test equipment and procedures, and prescribes a set of logos for reporting the numbers on product packaging and elsewhere. The Beam Distance is one of the four factors.

According to the FL1 standard, a flashlight’s “Beam Distance” is the maximum distance (in meters) at which it will produce “0.25 lux of light.” As the standard explains, that is “approximately the equivalent of the light emitted from the full moon ‘on a clear night in an open field.’

Look specifically for the beam distance you need. The bigger the length, the better. However, remember that the Light Output factor (seen in many flashlights) doesn’t mean the beam distance is more significant.

Other Ways to Use a Camping Flashlight

A durable flashlight can have a couple more uses.

As a defense tool

A bright torch or strobe mode can blind an opponent or an animal that attacks you temporarily. Its exact weight means that you can use it as a defense rode.

Instead of a “hammer”

In some cases, you may need to break something and have nothing else than your torch. If it is durable enough (yet it still may get damaged), you can break some glass or ice or even crack various types of nuts.

If you liked this article about the best camping flashlight, consider checking out our other reviews below:

• Best Tactical Flashlight
• Best EDC Flashlights
• Best Survival Lighter 2022: How to Choose
• 15 Best Outdoor Survival Gear
• Best Travel Shoes For Europe