Camping is survival of the fittest and a camper can’t be fit without a flashlight.
When camping, it is an absolute necessity to have the best camping flashlight there is on the market to ensure your safety, the safety of others, and know what’s happening outside the tent in the darkness.
Below is a review and comparison of the top five best camping flashlights to ensure that each camper is as fit for survival as possible.
COMPARISON CHART
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Fenix E12
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Streamlight 66318 MicroStream Ultra
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Maglite Mini PRO
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BINWO LED Tactical Flashlight
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BUYSIGHT Bright Rechargeable Searchlight Handheld LED Flashlight
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1. Fenix E12

Specification
Brand | Felix |
Color | Black |
Power source | Battery |
Wattage or Lumens | 130 lumens |
Size/weight | 3.2 ounces |
Bulb type | LED |
Batteries included? | Yes |
Average battery life | 40 hours |
Whether you are in a dark alley, hiking up the back of a mountain in the darkness, or hearing noises outside of your tent, this flashlight will light the way – literally. This flashlight uses just one AA battery and is full of fantastic features that make it one of the best camping flashlights on the market.
WHAT WE LIKE
What sets this flashlight apart from the competition is its size and durability. This compact 3.6 inch Fenix E12 flashlight is IPX8 waterproof (not just water resistant) which means it can be submerged in up to 2 meters of water for up to 30 minutes before it starts to damage.
Plus, the aircraft-grade aluminum material is finished with a type III anodizing. Essentially, that means it’s incredibly durable against corrosion, abrasions, and impacts.
WHAT WE DONT LIKE
Bad warranties are no fun and that’s the downfall of this Fenix E12 flashlight – the 5-year warranty isn’t very reliable.
PROS
- Compact
- IPX8 waterproof
- Impact resistant
- 3 modes
CONS
- Bad warranty
Specification
Brand | Streamlight |
Color | black |
Power | battery |
Wattage | 45 lumens, 18 watts |
Size | 3.6 inches/1.1 ounces |
Bulb type: | LED |
Batteries included? | Yes |
Average battery life: | 2.25 hours |
If small, ultra-compact, and extremely durable are what this camping trip requires, then this flashlight is perfect. It’s lightweight, has a combination pocket/hat clip for convenience, and shines on through the darkness.
WHAT WE LIKE
This small flashlight fits in the palm of the hand and has a push button tail switch to turn on and off.
The ultra-compact design requires only one battery (AAA) and is top of the line for its size in terms of run time for a light and price. Plus, it’s extremely durable with scratch-resistant polycarbonate lens, being IPX4 water-resistant (not waterproof) and is abrasion resistant, too.
The pocket clip (which comes with it) can also clip onto the brim of a hat for a hands-free option, too.
WHAT WE DONT LIKE
While they say size doesn’t matter, functionality does. This flashlight has a tendency to be unreliable in turning on, staying on, and sometimes just all together failing and not turning on at all.
PROS
- Requires only one AAA battery
- Durable
- Ultra-compact design
CONS
- Unreliable lighting
Specification
Brand | Maglite |
Color | black |
Power | battery |
Wattage | 272 lumens |
Size | 4.20 ounces |
Bulb type: | LED |
Batteries included? | Yes |
Average battery life: | 2 hours and 30 minutes |
If you’re looking for small and simple, yet durable, this is the flashlight for the occasion.
The Maglite Mini Pro flashlight puts out an optimum level of light performance and overall durability for any flashlight of its size currently on the market which makes it the ideal choice for someone wanting compact size, simple on/off power button, and high power (for its size) flashlight.
WHAT WE LIKE
There is beauty in simplicity and this flashlight is no exception. To turn it on and off, twist the head. Plus, this aluminum alloy flashlight can shine light up to 163 feet in the distance which makes it quite powerful for a flashlight of its size.
It’s water resistant (NOT waterproof) and drop resistant, too. The best part is this little flashlight comes with its own holster making it easy to clip on or attach to any belt or backpack.
WHAT WE DONT LIKE
With all of the great benefits this flashlight offers, it only does it for a short time. This flashlight design, in particular, is known to not last too long. What’s worse is that the manufacturer doesn’t accept returns on failed items so be aware of that before purchasing.
PROS
- Simple operation
- Water and drop resistant
- Comes with holster
CONS
- Short lifespan
- No returns (on faulty items)
Specification
Brand | Binwo |
Color | black |
Power | battery |
Wattage | 2,000 lumens |
Size | 5.29 ounces |
Bulb type: | LED |
Batteries included? | No |
Average battery life: | 50,000 hours |
This BINWO LED Tactical Flashlight is a great everyday, emergency, general purpose, and, of course, camping flashlight. It’s lightweight, resistant, and strong design will be there when the daylight fades and the dark sets in.
WHAT WE LIKE
Made from aluminum, this long-lasting, lightweight flashlight has adjustable focus and 5 light modes: high, medium, low, strobe, and SOS.
Plus, it’s weather, water and shock resistant. Furthermore, it can see up to 656 feet in the distance which is really great if you’re out camping and hear noises in the dark.
WHAT WE DONT LIKE
While this flashlight can see for a long distance, it is small (mini-size) and therefore doesn’t offer a wide scope of light. While the advertisement does say that the BINWO LED Tactical Flashlight is 2,000 lumens, it comes out looking more like 200 or 300 lumens. Therefore, it’s better as an indoor flashlight than an outdoor, camping flashlight.
PROS
- 5 light modes
- Weather, water and shock resistant
CONS
- Weaker light than advertised
- Better for indoors than outdoors
Specification
Brand | Buysight |
Color | black |
Power | battery |
Wattage | 6,000 lumens |
Size | 14.9 ounces |
Bulb type: | LED |
Batteries included? | Yes |
Average battery life: | 20 hours |
Coming with a large-capacity rechargeable battery of over 20-hours of power as well as an emergency portable power supply is sturdy with impact-proof and waterproof technology. These features make it ideal as an outdoor flashlight and therefore one of the best camping flashlights around.
WHAT WE LIKE
Made of ABS, this flashlight is water-resistant, meaning it can be exposed to water, but not submerged. Which is fine considering this flightlight probably won’t be used in scuba diving. Plus, it’s long-lasting – in full brightness mode it lasts for over 20 hours.
The best part is that the company has a “No Worries Guarantee” which states that if a buyer receives a defective product, they contact the company and get a replacement for free – no return of the faulty required.
WHAT WE DONT LIKE
The beam cast is not adjustable and has a bright center with a slightly less bright wider beam making it not as bright as advertised. Furthermore, the material feels like a cheaper plastic, and flimsy and breakable.
PROS
- Long-lasting
- IPX 6 waterproof
- No Worries guarantee
CONS
- Not as bright as advertised
- Flimsy material
FINAL VERDICT
Although all of the flashlights on this list are some of the best camping flashlights on the market – each for a different reason with a particular individual forte – the overall best camping flashlight is the Fenix E12 (the first on the list) for a few reasons: modes, waterproof rating, and durability.
First, it has three modes, each will save a certain amount of energy, too. The lowest mode, at 8 lumens, is great to read a map without blinding yourself from bright light. The medium 50-lumen mode is good for cooking and hiking since it doesn’t cause a blinding glare from the surrounding rocks. The 130 lumen high mode is great to scan the forest for firewood since every twig and log can be seen. These modes also provide battery flexibility with the flashlight lasting 6 hours and 30 minutes on medium and 40 hours on the low mode.
This Fenix E12 flashlight is rated as IPX8 which means that it’s not only water resistant, but also waterproof – the only waterproof flashlight on this list. It can be submerged in up to 2 meters of water for 30 minutes which means it can withstand any rainfall, muddy hike, and most flooding.
It is also an incredibly durable flashlight with its impact resistance and aircraft-grade aluminum body. It’s finished with a premium type III hard-anodized anti-abrasive which makes it resistant to even the worst fall.