Flashlights have become such a staple in our world today that we barely give them a second thought. After decades of improving technologies and innovation, the variety of flashlights available to consumers today is staggering. It would be difficult to even list the many different kinds, but a few of the main varieties are the basic cylindrical flashlight, penlights and pocket lights, tactical flashlights, headlamps, underwater or dive lights, and rechargeable lights. Each variety has advantages specific to it.
The basic cylindrical flashlight is what is typically thought of when someone pictures a flashlight. This is hand held, cylindrical in shape, and emits a light from one end. Incandescent lights were first used, but LED bulbs are becoming increasingly popular as well.
Penlights and pocket lights are very small versions of the basic flashlight. They can fit in the pocket, and therefore, they can be conveniently carried around all the time. The penlight variety looks very similar to an actual pen, and it requires either AAA or AA batteries to operate. Other pocket-sized lights can have other shapes. Some are used as key chains.
A tactical flashlight is often carried by military and law enforcement officers. It is compact, but not as small as pocket varieties, but just small enough to be firmly gripped in one hand. These are often used while holding a weapon of some sort in the other hand. Other features include durability and extreme brightness, which is used as a tool to shine in the eyes of suspects to produce a momentary stunning effect.
The headlamp is intended to be used when a flashlight is needed but hands are also needed. It is strapped onto the top of the head, with a light facing forward and a battery pack also attached. Versions exist that employ both incandescent light and LED lighting. Spelunkers, divers, rescuers, miners, and many other types of people use these.
Underwater lights are used mostly by divers. There are headlamp, hand held, and penlight versions. These lights are waterproof, so they will not be damaged when submerged. They are also typically quite bright, designed to shine even through murky waters.
Almost all of these different types of flashlights also have rechargeable models. A few different methods are used to recharge. Some come with rechargeable battery kits intended to be used with the flashlight. Some use solar power to recharge their batteries. Shake lights are another kind of rechargeable flashlight. In order to stay lit, these must be shaken every few hours, and they are usually not very bright. Requiring neither batteries or solar power, however, they can be very useful in some situations. LED bulbs are popularly used in rechargeable models because they can last up to 100,000 hours, whereas incandescent bulbs have relatively short lifespans.
All of these different types of flashlights are ideal for different situations. The typical household has at least a couple of these around. There are few inventions that have proved quite as useful and enduring.
Pelican’s wide range of products include pelican cases and pelican flashlights. They are quality products that are backed by Pelican‘s lifetime guarantee.