What is the Best Pocket Flashlight?
Pocket flashlights are a handy tool to carry when you need just a little bit of light to find your keys or light up the path. These days many people use their phone lights, but this can drain your battery. If you’re looking for a flashlight and you’re unsure what to look for, you can find our detailed recommendation for the best pocket flashlight in this article.
The best pocket light should be versatile, offering a range of features. These features include a bright LED light, rechargeable battery, multiple lighting modes, user-friendly design, and weather resistance. The FLEXIT Pocket Light offers all of these and comes in either a 400 or 650-lumen option.
I’ll go into more detail about what features you should be looking for in a pocket flashlight and why we think the FLEXIT Pocket Light is the best choice. I’ll also outline several different ways you can use this light.
What is the Best Pocket Flashlight?
Pocket flashlights are also known as EDC lights or ‘everyday carry’ lights. These flashlights are designed to be small enough to carry with you wherever you go.
Our recommendation for a quality pocket flashlight is the FLEXIT Pocket Light. This comes in two varieties, either the FLEXIT Pocket Light 4.0 or the FLEXIT Pocket Light 6.5. Both feature the same design features, except the 4.0 offers a total output of 400 lumens, whereas the 6.5 offers 650 lumens.
Below is a brief outline of the key features of these pocket lights, which I will cover in more detail below.
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FLEXIT Pocket Light |
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400 (4.0) or 650 (6.5) Lumens |
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Replaceable 18650 Lithium Battery |
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USB Type-C Quick Charge |
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Spot/Flood Lighting |
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Red Night Vision |
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Dimmable |
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Magnetic |
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Dual Pivot Pocket Clip |
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Nested Hang Hook |
10 Things to Look For in a Pocket Flashlight
1. Lumens and Beam Distance
The key thing to look for in a flashlight is the light output. This is measured in lumens. As a reference, a general-use flashlight will usually emit between 160-200 lumens. This is enough to go outside to check your electricity box or rummage through your bag.
For any bigger tasks, such as hunting or fishing, you will need between 200-500 lumens. This will allow you to see further in front of you or light up a larger area.
The FLEXIT Pocket Light 4.0 and 6.5 both offer more than enough illumination for an EDC light, offering 400 and 650 lumens respectively.
Both lights are dimmable, so you can adjust the brightness to suit your needs. If you only need a small amount of light, you can dim the flashlight down to 10 lumens. If you need maximum power to light up a larger area, you can easily adjust the flashlight back to 400 or 650 lumens.
Beam distance is another feature to look for in a pocket flashlight. This will determine how close you need to be to an object to light it up. Having a flashlight that can see further into the darkness can be helpful in situations where you need to assess for danger or hazards. Generally, a flashlight with a larger output will have a greater beam distance.
This is one key benefit of the FLEXIT Pocket Light 6.5. The 650 lumens allow the light to reach up to 120m. The FLEXIT Pocket Light 4.0, although emitting 400 lumens, will still illuminate up to 90m in front of you.
2. LED Lights
Some flashlights will use a light source that produces heat over time. The last thing you’d want after using your flashlight is for it to be too hot to go back in your pocket.
This is why LED technology has become much more popular in the light industry. LEDs, or ‘light-emitting diodes’, do not heat up with use, allowing you to safely touch the bulb after hours of usage. This means you can put the flashlight straight into your pocket so it doesn’t get lost.
Both FLEXIT Pocket lights use LED technology and are therefore very safe to use. The LEDs also use CREE technology, which is particularly known for its longevity. CREE LEDs are said to last for 30,000 hours, which equates to over 27 years.
In saying that, LEDs still require what is called a heat sink, which dissipates the heat where the light is produced. This is why most flashlights, including the FLEXIT Pocket Lights, are encased in aluminum.
3. Rechargeable Batteries
Many flashlights are battery-operated and require you to regularly replace the batteries. For an average flashlight, this may be anywhere between 2 to 12 hours of use. So, depending on how often you use your flashlight, you might find yourself spending more money on batteries than the flashlight is worth.
For this reason, it is good to find a flashlight that has rechargeable batteries. If you can recharge the battery, you can charge them as frequently as required and have the peace of mind that your flashlight will be working when you need it.
The FLEXIT Pocket Lights both come with a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery and a micro-USB cable that plugs directly into the flashlight. Micro-USB technology allows the flashlight to be fully charged within a 2-hour period. There is also a battery level indicator on the side of the light so you know exactly when it’s running low.
Once the rechargeable battery has reached the end of its life, it can be easily removed and replaced. For lithium-ion batteries, this is usually after 2-3 years. Therefore you should get many recharge cycles out of the battery that comes with the FLEXIT Pocket Lights.
Another benefit of having LED technology in these lights is that it makes them very energy efficient. So, depending on how bright you have the flashlight, it can give you anywhere between 2-50 hours of use.
4. Multiple Lighting Modes
Some people might be satisfied with a flashlight that simply turns on and off, but it is much better to have multiple lighting modes. This will allow you to use your flashlight in multiple situations.
Any light between 160 and 200 lumens will be good for general use, but some things require either a lower or higher output. For example, a 500 lumen light might be too much to sneak into your baby’s nursery at night, or a 160 lumen light might not be enough to see all the way to the backyard fence.
This is why the FLEXIT Pocket Lights have been designed with 4 lighting modes and can also be dimmed in each mode. The 4 modes available are below.
- Spotlight + flood light
- Spotlight only
- Floodlight only
- Red flood light
Having the floodlight will increase your peripheral vision, whereas the spotlight will focus the light to a specific area in front of you. Having both the floodlight and spotlight can allow you to illuminate a large area and see further in front of you. If you do not want too much light, you can dim the spotlight. That is where the FLEXIT Pocket Lights are unique as they feature a unique aluminum LED head that house both FLOOD and SPOT LEDs. Use them individually or at the same time for maximum illumination.
The red floodlight is available for situations where you may want to preserve your night vision. For example, red light is common among safety officials and astronomers that need the light, but also need to see into the darkness. For everyday use, this will benefit you if you need light in the middle of the night. In this case, the red light won’t affect your ability to fall asleep again.
5. Weight and Durability
The weight and durability of the flashlight is determined by the materials used. There are many different materials used in flashlights, each with its own benefits. So the best thing to look out for is the impact resistance and weight of the flashlight.
Impact resistance refers to the ability of the flashlight to withstand intense force or shock. Basically, this refers to the energy required to break the flashlight in two or more pieces or for it to stop working.
The FLEXIT Pocket Lights are both made of three materials to make them lightweight and durable. The light itself is housed in an aluminum casing, as I mentioned earlier. The main body is made of ABS plastic and the flexible head is durable rubber. Below is a table outlining the benefits of these materials.
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Aluminium |
ABS Plastic |
Rubber |
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Durable Light-weight Strong Corrosion-resistant Thermal efficiency |
Impact-resistant Chemical Resistant Strong Electrical compatibility |
Abrasion-resistant Chemical-resistant Light-weight Low weathering Strong Electrical compatibility |
These materials, as well as the electronics, give the FLEXIT Pocket Light a weight of 6.5oz (185g). This is lighter than the average smartphone, which means most people should be used to carrying that weight in their pocket.
In terms of impact resistance, you can safely drop the FLEXIT Pocket Light from a height of 1m. So if it falls out of your pocket or it slips out of your hands, these materials will help protect the electronics within. As a bonus, they are also scratch-resistant.
6. Water Resistance
Many flashlights will provide you with an IP (‘Ingress Protection’) rating on the packet, which indicates the quality of an electrical product’s seal against debris (dirt) and moisture.
When talking about water resistance, the IP rating will contain an ‘X’ followed by a number, such as IPX5. Similarly, when talking about debris resistance, the ‘X’ will follow the number, such as IP5X. Sometimes the rating will contain both numbers if both factors are relevant to the product.
The FLEXIT Pocket Light has an IPX5 rating, which means that the electrical components are still watertight if exposed to water jets. Therefore the Pocket Light will be fine even if you’re in the rain or the flashlight gets splashed by water.
7. Size
A pocket light, as the name suggests, needs to be small enough to fit it in your pocket. Some regular flashlights are simply too big or an awkward shape and fall out easily. This is okay if you choose to carry it in your bag, but that means you have to take a bag with you wherever you go.
The FLEXIT Pocket Light is 6.3”x1.8”x1.25” (160x45x32mm) in size, which can easily fit into your average 9-inch back pocket. However, if you don’t want it in your pocket, you can also use the clip on the back or the hanging hook to attach it to your clothes.
8. Usability
You might find that some pocket lights are easier to use than others. It may go without saying, but flashlights are used in the dark. You won’t necessarily be able to see any buttons, so having too many can be a disadvantage.
It is also best if you can easily operate the flashlight with one hand so that your other hand is free to do what you need to do.
This is why the FLEXIT Pocket Lights have been designed with only one ergonomically placed button. This button is easy to feel when in the dark and you can cycle through all 4 settings, as well as dim the light, using the same button.
More importantly, It can easily be used with one hand, or no hands at all! It can be hung, clipped, or magnetized to a nearby surface to free up both hands. The flexible head means you don’t have to think about how you are going to aim your flashlight at your project. Just mount the FLEXIT Pocket Light and flex the aluminum LED head exactly where you need it. You can hang, hook or clip the light anywhere and adjust the angle of the head to compensate.
9. Price
Finally, you can buy a “copy” flashlight cheap...and that is what you will get, a cheap flashlight that may or may not work when you need it. A good flashlight will have quality components at a decent price range, but generally, you will need to spend at least $30 to get quality light from a quality brand.
The FLEXIT line of Flexible Pocket Lights really hits the mark with price point, quality, and performance. Set your budget, determine your specification needs, and pick between the 4.0 and the 6.5. You will get a top-performing and extremely useful hands-free pocket light!
10. Versatility
I’ve mentioned many examples of what you can use a flashlight for. Versatility in a pocket light is important because you’ll be carrying it around every day, and it wouldn’t be worth it if you could only use it occasionally.
The versatility of a pocket light is determined by all the features I mentioned above. Combining all these features into one means you can use it in any situation you find yourself in. This is why we believe the FLEXIT Pocket Light is the best pocket light. I will explain more about the different uses for this light below.
Other Uses for the FLEXIT Pocket Light
The FLEXIT Pocket Light is an incredibly versatile light. This is primarily because the rubber head is designed to be flexible, which allows the angle of the light to be adjusted 180 degrees. Here are a number of ways you could use the Pocket Light, making it the best option for an EDC light.
D.I.Y. and General Use
The FLEXIT Pocket Light can be used as a regular hand-held flashlight, kept on you at all times. This could be useful if the power goes out, if you take the dog for a walk in the dark, or if you can’t find your keys in your bag.
Camping
While camping, you could use this light to light up a trail as you start to lose the sun or it could be hung to light up the campsite. You may also encounter dangerous animals and need to use the light as self-defense. The brightness could be used to try to disorient wild animals or attract the attention of others for help.
Automotive
The FLEXIT Pocket Light is particularly great for working on a broken-down car because you can hang it from the hood or magnetize it to any metal panel. If it’s not an engine issue, you can rest it on the ground to light up the tire as you change it.
Red Night Vision
As I mentioned earlier, the red light mode will allow you to have enough light to see in the darkness without upsetting your night vision This is very common in submarines and military, but also in photo developing areas and night-time wildlife tours. Regardless, if you want to be able to see into the darkness as well as illuminate your path, the red light will help.
Overall, I hope this article has helped you understand what makes a great pocket light and why we think the FLEXIT Pocket Light is the best option for you.
