5 Of The Best Rechargeable Flashlights For Your Next Camping Or Hiking Trip

Camping or hiking can be a great way to catch a break, but you'll want to ensure you're adequately prepared for the wilderness by carrying a few essentials with you. People may differ on what these essentials should be, but most will agree that a flashlight is a must-have gadget while camping or hiking. If you've so far relied on your phone's flashlight for your outdoor adventures, this is a good time to upgrade to an actual flashlight. A rechargeable flashlight is an even better choice, since all you need to do is plug it into your power bank or another power source to recharge it when the need arises.

The good news is that there are numerous flashlight brands out there, each offering products across price ranges with varying capabilities and features. However, sorting through these options to find a flashlight that's reliable, user-friendly, and a good fit for your needs can get tricky. To make this process easy for you, we evaluated dozens of options that are available online based on features and user reviews to give you the best rechargeable flashlights for your next adventure. A more detailed explanation of our selection methodology can be found at the end of this list.

The Energizer TacR-1000 LED Tactical Flashlight, as the name suggests, emits a 1,000-lumen beam and has a four-hour runtime when you use it on the high setting. If you only use it on the low setting (in which it produces a 250-lumen beam), the run time increases to 15 hours. Its brightness makes it versatile, given that you can use it outdoors while camping or hiking, or even carry it in your car for emergencies.

The body of the flashlight is made of aircraft-grade aluminum, and the lens is shatterproof. Energizer also claims the flashlight is impact-resistant up to one meter, which means you can count on it to function despite a few falls. Apart from the regular lighting modes, you can also use this flashlight in strobe mode. This can come in handy if you're out and need to signal an emergency to passersby. Additionally, this flashlight is water-resistant, so you don't have to worry about it getting damaged if it catches a few droplets of water when you're stuck in the rain. 

Another highlight of this product is that, apart from being rechargeable in the traditional sense, it also has a USB port-out that helps you use the flashlight to charge other devices. The flashlight is currently available on Amazon for $28 and at The Home Depot for $27.97. It's well-received by customers on both sites, as evidenced by the 4.5 out of five rating on Amazon and 4.7 out of five rating on The Home Depot.

The ThruNite EDC Mini Flashlight is smaller than a Sharpie at 3.2 inches long, so it's perfect to stow away in your backpack or even your pocket, given that it barely takes up any space. Despite its small size, it delivers a 405-lumen beam up to 285 feet, making it ideal for both everyday use and during camping or hiking. The flashlight has a pretty nifty feature — the tail switch, which can help you quickly switch between brightness modes (high, low, or strobe).

The flashlight also has a built-in battery that can be charged using a standard Type-C USB cable, so you won't have to worry about carrying additional batteries. A feature worth highlighting is that you can clip this flashlight onto a backpack strap, belt, or even your cap, allowing you to use it without actually holding it in your hand.

The flashlight is priced at $19.99 and is available for purchase on Amazon. On the website, you can choose between a few different color options, including black, white, red, blue, green, orange, and gray. It's received an overall rating of 4.4 out of five on Amazon, and buyers have indicated that they like the brightness, size, and portability of this device. A few reviews note that the battery life could be better; however, if you carry a power bank with you, recharging it should be fairly easy.

If you're camping or hiking with just the most basic essentials and want to avoid carrying a bulky flashlight, the Nitecore TINI 2 Ultra Compact Keychain Flashlight is a solid option. Weighing under 1 ounce, this is the smallest flashlight on this list. But despite its compact size, this keychain flashlight delivers a 500-lumen beam, which is bright enough for outdoor and everyday use.

One of the highlights of the Nitecore TINI 2 flashlight is that it has a built-in battery that supports USB-C fast charging. So, as long as you have a power source to connect to, you won't have to wait too long between charges. There's also an OLED display, which indicates real-time data about the brightness level and runtime, among other things, helping you plan how long you can go before you need to plug in the flashlight for a quick charge. The product also features a dual switch to turn the flashlight on and off as well as to adjust the brightness. Additionally, you can also press down on the power button to switch from the regular flashlight mode to ultra-low or turbo modes, based on the situation you're in.

The Nitecore TINI 2 Ultra flashlight is available for purchase on Amazon, where it costs $39.95. Stainless steel and titanium versions of this flashlight are priced at $44.95. While it's one of the more expensive options on this list, it's well-received by buyers on Amazon. It has an overall user rating of 4.5 out of five on the platform, and buyers have praised its quality, size, and charging capability.

If you prefer a larger and more robust flashlight, the COAST XP11R flashlight is a product that's worth considering. It has multiple modes, including a flood beam mode, bulls-eye spot mode, and turbo mode, to name a few. Switching between these modes is easy, and the transition is seamless. You also have three brightness settings: high, medium, and low. If you switch it to the lowest brightness, you can expect an impressive 37-hour runtime.

Another handy feature of this flashlight is that it is powered by rechargeable batteries, but is also compatible with alkaline batteries. So, if you're looking to camp for a few days at a time, you can carry disposable batteries as a precautionary measure. The flashlight also has a real-time power indicator, which lets you know when it's time to plug it in for charging, so you can plan your charges accordingly. The flashlight is IP54-rated, which means it offers some degree of water resistance. The brand also claims that the flashlight's durable body is impact-resistant up to 1 meter.

If you'd like to add this flashlight to your camping or hiking supplies kit, you can purchase it on Amazon at a discounted price of $56, (the product originally costs $69.99). It's received over 1,000 ratings on Amazon and has an overall user score of 4.6 out of five. In multiple reviews, customers have praised its brightness, battery life, ease of charging, and quality.

This tactical flashlight from PeakPlus comes as part of a complete set, which includes the flashlight itself, a rechargeable battery and sleeve, a USB battery charger, and one AAA battery holder. So, you can use either the rechargeable battery or AAA batteries to power the device. It can produce a 1,000-lumen beam on the highest setting, but you can use it on the medium-brightness, low-brightness, strobe, or SOS modes as well. The flashlight also features an adjustable zoom focus setting that you can use to easily switch between the floodlight and spotlight modes.

It has a water-resistant, skid-proof, and anti-abrasive finish, making it great to use outdoors in less-than-ideal conditions. The flashlight is currently priced at a discount of $17.99 on Amazon (originally priced at $26.99), so it offers good value. It's rated favorably by buyers, as evidenced by a user score of 4.6 out of five, which is based on a total of 15,837 ratings. Customers who purchased this product note that it performs as expected and is lightweight and easy to use.

The above-mentioned products were evaluated and selected based on their features, like the presence of multiple lighting modes and brightness settings, as well as the ratings and reviews of previous buyers. Each of these flashlights had an overall user score above four, with numerous five-star ratings and positive reviews, which indicates that they've met most people's expectations.