The Flashlight Standard

Camping gear is eternal, what worked for your grandfather still works today.  In fact, because much of camping, and outdoor exploration is linked in with conservation, some of your grandfather's camping gear is probably still around.  My own personal inventory still includes tents that are old enough to order a beer.  And while technology and the pursuit of ever-lighter materials is a driving force in the manufacture of all outdoor gear, flashlights have certainly made dramatic improvements in recent history and continue to do so.

As an industry, recreational camping has always been closely tied to the military; and the development of the WW2 TL-122 flashlight and its Vietnam era replacement the MX-991 flashlights made them very popular for camping.  Eveready even made one for the Boy Scouts.

Image: http://www.flashlightmuseum.com

Advancements in technology and materials led to the aluminum bodied Kel-Lite and the Oreos to Kel-Lite's Hydrox, MagLite.  The aluminum-tube flashlight was the next generation of technology, using space-age metals that are lighter weight and don't corrode.

MagLite

While angle-head flashlights have become scarce, and MagLites are still plentiful; technology marches on.  Today, LED technology means smaller more durable lighting with better battery life.  Unfortunately for the consumer, the technology is also inexpensive to manufacture which means there are many manufacturers.  A quick Amazon search for "LED headlamp" shows 11 headlamps by manufacturers that I've never heard of before the 12th result branded an Energizer.  The first "big" name flashlight branded headlamp, a Streamlight, shows up on page 2.  How is anyone supposed to make an informed decision?

An Amazon's Choice: Foxelli headlamp.  I've never heard of them.

Before we go about reviewing every flashlight on the planet, know that it's a daunting proposition to people who know their stuff.  A lot of the "professionals" will pick a name brand and find features they like in a model that's offered for a flashlight reviews.  We won't be doing that, it's likely that the big name brands are already being reviewed by the big guys in the outdoor world.  We're going to find the hidden gems, the underdogs.  We're going to focus on a few select factors: physical features, performance and cost.