How to choose a torchlight to use outdoors (Tip: Brighter isn’t always better)

Walking in the pitch dark, having a torchlight with 3,000 lumens capacity is like holding daylight in your hands.

When buying a torchlight, one of the most important considerations is the brightness of its beam.

Measured in lumens (“lu” as in “Lucy”, “men” as in “women”), a lumen is a unit of measurement for the amount of light emitted by the torchlight.

Brighter is not necessarily better.

Turn on a 4,000-lumen torchlight at full blast inside a tent in pitch darkness and you will temporarily blind yourself and all your friends sharing the tent will scream at you.

Experienced campers tuck themselves in for the night with a little torchlight that emits a beam as low as one or even half a lumen for when they wake up in the middle of the night and want to look for something in the tent, maybe their bottle of water.

Some models can even emit a weak red light, which lets them see in pitch black darkness without causing eye discomfort or alarming the nocturnal animals.

When you need to find your way around your home during a power outage, 100 to 200 lumens will provide enough brightness.

For hiking or camping, 500 to 1,000 lumens is typically enough to navigate through the wilderness or set up camp in the dark (if you are forced to) without it being so bright that you disturb the natural environment and your mates.

When shopping for torchlights, you might find those that emit 2,000, 4,000 or even more lumens.

Those are meant for professionals in search and rescue, law enforcement or those who expect to operate in dark, stormy weather or any other environment with extremely poor visibility.

These powerful light tools provide enough brightness to illuminate a large area and identify potential dangers.

Law enforcers and peacekeepers sometimes shine 4,000 lumens and above at potential criminals and assailants to disorient and temporarily blind them to arrest them without causing grievous harm.

One thing, though: the brighter the torchlight, the larger and heavier it will be.

When weight is a concern, such as backpacking or mountain climbing, it may be necessary to compromise on the number of lumens you love by having a torchlight that is lightweight and compact.

The other limitation is battery life. The brighter it is, the more power your tool will suck out of the battery. So for long-haul adventures like camping, long battery life is more important than having thousands of lumens in your hand.

Finally, additional features such as waterproofing, durability, and the type of bulb in the torchlight are worth considering.

If you expect to face harsh environments, something that is shockproof, dustproof and even crushproof may be needed.

When looking for a torchlight for use in the wilderness, always buy from a reputable seller for an accurately rated beam and resist the urge to buy cheap options, advertised with a high number of lumens.