Like much of the gear we carry every day, tactical flashlights have come a long way. Today’s lights are better than ever: slimmer, lighter, brighter and more functional than their older siblings. I’ve used several over 20-plus years of civilian concealed carry, and the newer lights are impressive, no question. But a couple of older lights still have a place in my EDC.
Why Carry a Pocket Tactical Flashlight?
Being able to provide light to see or be seen is a basic life need and even more important when we get into self-defense matters. Knowing your target is first a matter of being able to see your target. And, in order to see, you need light.
Thankfully, carrying a flashlight on your person has become easier than ever. You can find any number of keychain lights and simple mini flashlights to 12V-powered flood or spotlights you keep in your vehicle. Our emphasis here, though, is the pocket tactical flashlight.
Besides lighting up a potential target, a blast of high-output light can disorient an attacker and buy you a moment to react. It can also double as a strike weapon when the situation doesn’t call for a gun or knife.
A quick look at the features of these four purposefully designed lights, from a long-runtime workhorse to a very bright multitasker, may help you decide which one belongs in your pocket. No matter what I carry, I always carry it in my weak side front pocket, as my gun and knife are always on my strong side.
Whatever you carry on your person for self-defense, know your limitations and get professional instruction.
Brite-Strike EPLI: Best Lightweight Backup Flashlight
The EPLI, short for Executive Precision Lighting Instrument, is the oldest design here, and it looks the part. It’s a slim penlight with 160 lumens on high, 80 on low and a strobe mode. It runs on two AAA batteries, so replacements are easy to find.
It’s also the dimmest and shortest-running of the four. Expect 30 minutes on high, 6 hours on low and 45 minutes on strobe. Don’t plan on it as your only light for a long night.
But the EPLI has its strengths. It measures 5.4 inches long and weighs just 2 ounces with batteries. It’s skinny enough to slip into a shirt pocket alongside a pen without much notice, and it looks like nothing more than a writing instrument.
It can also serve as a strike weapon. Held in a fist, the narrow, solid aluminum body makes a decent impact tool in a pinch, much like a tactical pen.
The EPLI isn’t the brightest or the longest-running light you can carry. But it’s lightweight, discreet and affordable, making it a good entry point for anyone who wants a backup light that stays out of the way.
Strengths: super skinny and lightweight
Streamlight ProTac 2L-X: Best for Runtime and Reliability
The ProTac 2L-X is the workhorse of this group. It puts out 500 lumens with a 165-meter beam and 6,800 candela, which is plenty for lighting up a room, a yard or a threat. On high, it runs 2.75 hours on CR123A cells or 3.25 hours on the optional rechargeable SL-B26 pack. Drop to the 40-lumen low setting (a simple push of the thumb button), and you get 30 hours. It’s unlikely you’ll ever run the light that long in either mode, but it’s helpful to know.
The multi-fuel flexibility can be a real advantage. You can run two CR123A cells or one USB-rechargeable Lithium-ion pack, so you’re covered whether you’re plugged in or off the grid. I’ve had the USB-rechargeable pack in it from the day I got it (years ago). I’ve, of course, recharged it several times, but the power lasts so long I can’t remember the last time I recharged it.
The ProTac measures 5.14 inches long and weighs 3.9 ounces with CR123A batteries and 4.4 ounces with the rechargeable pack. It’s rated IPX7 waterproof and tested to withstand a 2-meter impact. Streamlight’s Ten-Tap system lets you program the mode sequence to suit how you use the light, whether that’s high only, high/strobe/low or low/high.
The two-way clip lets you carry it in a pocket, bezel up or down, or on a strap. It’s not the lightest weight light here, but it’s the one I’d trust for longer outings and hard use.
Strengths: proven design and the best choice for anyone who values runtime and flexibility
Streamlight Wedge XT: Best Slim EDC Flashlight
The relatively new Wedge XT takes a different approach from its older Streamlight sibling. It’s flat, slim and short, built for clean pocket carry, and still delivers 500 lumens with an 87-meter beam and 1,900 candela. High runs for 2 hours. The 50-lumen low setting lasts 11 hours.
Power comes from a 950 mAh lithium-polymer cell, charged through a USB-C port in about 6 hours. No batteries to hunt for or replace. Plug it in and it’s ready.
At 4.25 inches long and 2.62 ounces, it’s the shortest and lightest of the three rechargeable lights here, and it can disappear in a pocket (a strength and a weakness). Despite the size, it’s rated IPX7 and survives a 1-meter drop.
A robust pocket clip with an attached pull cord helps with deployment. It lets you get the light out faster, which matters when seconds count. The tail switch keeps operation simple with one hand.
The trade-offs are runtime and range. Two hours on high is the shortest of the group, and the beam doesn’t reach as far as the ProTac’s. But if you want a bright, capable light you’ll actually carry every day, the Wedge XT is hard to beat for sheer slimness.
Strengths: slimmest, shortest, easy everyday carry
Olight ArkPro Ultra: Best for Brightness and Versatility
The ArkPro Ultra goes well beyond a standard flashlight. It’s a 3-in-1 tool combining white light, 365nm UV and a green laser. The white light alone offers flood and spot options, and the UV is handy for checking documents or finding things that glow.
Output is the highest here. Turbo flood starts at 1,700 lumens and steps down to 520, running 3 minutes at peak and 140 minutes after the step-down. Turbo spot runs 800 down to 400 lumens, and the beam reaches 205 meters. Medium is 100 lumens for 13 hours, low is 15 lumens for 72 hours, and Moon mode stretches to 14 days. The maximum-output runtimes are limited by heat, not the battery.
A built-in 2000mAh battery charges via USB-C or the magnetic cable, an easy-to-use means of recharging. The light measures 4.88 inches and weighs 4.23 ounces. A two-way clip keeps it secure in a pocket or on a strap.
It’s the heaviest and most complex light in this group — the power button is located near the bulbs as opposed to on the tail — so there’s a learning curve. But if you want one light that does nearly everything, the ArkPro Ultra is the one.
Strengths: brightest and most versatile
Which Pocket Tactical Flashlight Is Right for You?
| Flashlight | Maximum Output | Main Strength |
| Brite-Strike EPLI | 160 lumens | Lightweight backup |
| Streamlight ProTac 2L-X | 500 lumens | Runtime and flexibility |
| Streamlight Wedge XT | 500 lumens | Slim pocket carry |
| Olight ArkPro Ultra | 1,700 lumens | Brightness and versatility |
These four pocket tactical flashlights offer different strengths in a growing EDC flashlight market. Practically or minimally, all are capable lights. Tactically, any of them could be the tool you have with you when you can’t have a gun or knife.
For a skinny backup light that doubles as a strike tool, that’s the EPLI. If runtime and flexibility matter most, go with the ProTac. If you want the slimmest and shortest, choose the Wedge XT. For raw brightness and versatility, the ArkPro Ultra delivers.
