Best Tactical Flashlights Under $100

Can you get a quality tactical flashlight for less than $100? 

Yes, and we found several!

Since tactical flashlights can mean different things to different people, I covered the bases with a variety of features and intended uses.

Let's break down the options in terms of lumens, candela, durability, and features to find the best affordable tactical flashlight for you.

Tactical Flashlight Comparison Chart

How We Tested the Best Tactical Flashlights Under $100

I started this test by rounding up some of the most popular sub-$100 flashlights out there. Some of these came from brands I’ve known and trusted for years; others were new to me.

Size and weight were primary considerations, since you’re likely planning on carrying your next tactical flashlight in your pocket, in a CCW bag, or on a plate carrier. There are lots of ways to use a tactical flashlight, though, so I kept an open mind and included one particularly large option – that decision will make more sense in a minute.

We can compare lumens and candela until we’re blue in the face, but it’s more helpful to see how these tactical lights perform in the field. I took them all to a remote area one night to get an apples-to-apples comparison of how well they light up the night.

Durability testing included a 30-second spray from the garden hose and a drop onto concrete from waist height. I don’t expect flashlights to be indestructible at this price, but that seems like a reasonable standard.

Battery run time is so dependent on mode selection and external factors like temperature that it's hard to provide a true representation. I listed manufacturer-provided run times for comparison.

Best Tactical Flashlights Under $100

1. NexTorch TA21 - Best Overall

Best Overall

Nextorch TA21

$95

at Amazon

Prices accurate at time of writing

$95 at Amazon

DEGuns (see price)

Specs

• Maximum Output: 1,300 lumens
• Maximum Intensity: 6,400 candela
• Modes: White, red, momentary white, strobe
• Battery: 16340 (USB-C) / CR123A
• Dimensions: 3.85” x 1.26” x 0.91”
• Weight: 5 oz
• Comes With: FR-1 tactical ring, charging cable, lanyard, manual
• Country of Origin: China

The NexTorch TA21 won me over with several modes, physical control over settings, and a compact size that’s easy to carry everyday. It’s the most well-rounded tactical flashlight here, and it impressed me during testing. 

This little powerhouse is fairly thick, and it gets a little bulky with the ring attachment (though I think it’s worth the tradeoff). Still, it’s short and lightweight enough that I enjoyed carrying it in my front pocket. 

It comes with a rechargeable 16340 battery, and the flashlight is marked so you’ll know which way to orient the positive and negative terminals. I recommend picking up extras so you can always have some that are fully charged.

The TA21’s beam has a defined bright spot in the center with smooth falloff into a wide peripheral throw. The beam’s progressive edge provides a natural transition from light to dark that I think contributes to situational awareness by discouraging tunnel vision.

During testing, the brightest white light mode didn’t punch quite as far into the dark as some of the other lights here but it’s certainly adequate for all indoor and most outdoor uses. Multiple levels of red light make this a standout in the tactical arena, as does the physical collar that rotates to select red, duty, tactical, or lockout modes. 

Red and lockout are self-explanatory. Duty mode is what you’d use most of the time: multiple brightness levels of white light. Tactical mode opens up the brightest white light setting and the strobe function.

The TA21 kept on trucking through my water test, and it showed no signs of damage – even cosmetic – after my drop test. It helps that there are three glass breakers on the bezel to absorb a lens-down fall.

2. Nitecore EDC23 - Best Pocket Light

Best Pocket Light

Nitecore EDC23

$74

at Amazon

Prices accurate at time of writing

$74 at Amazon

OpticsPlanet (see price)

Specs

• Maximum Output: 2,500 lumens
• Maximum Intensity: 20,720 candela
• Modes: White, momentary, strobe
• Battery: Rechargeable (USB-C)
• Dimensions: 4” x 1.33” x 0.88”
• Weight: 3 oz
• Comes With: Lanyard, charging cable, manual
• Country of Origin: China

The positively miniscule Nitecore EDC23 is small enough to disappear in your pocket, making it an easy winner for anyone looking for a pocket-carry tactical flashlight. The brightest modes deploy hilarious power at the touch of a button. The OLED display and manual lockout aren’t gimmicks, either; they’re serious value-adding features.

This is by far the slimmest flashlight of the bunch. It’s less than an inch thick – and that includes the pocket clip. At the same time, the stainless steel body makes it feel substantial and high-quality in the hand.

The USB-C port and safety switch sit on either side, with the OLED display in the middle. I can’t overstate how nice it is to see which setting a flashlight is in before turning it on, not to mention checking the remaining run time and battery level in real time.

The EDC23’s beam is very crisp, with a sharply defined hot spot in the center and harsh falloff at the outer perimeter. It’s extremely effective, but it did encourage me to forget about everything outside the beam during testing.

This is the clear distance champion of the group. Nitecore claims a maximum range of 306 yards. During testing, I spotted glowing frog eyes at 300 yards and felt confident that I could see a person or larger animal out to at least 400 yards. It’s seriously impressive how much power this tiny flashlight contains.

The OLED screen makes it easy to cycle through the light’s modes and check remaining battery run time. The physical safety switch prevents negligent discharges. Access normal settings with the power button; activate maximum power and strobe with the secondary button.

Despite having two buttons, a sliding switch, and a digital screen, no water found its way into the EDC23 and it worked flawlessly after a ride through the splash zone. 

The compact lens isn’t recessed very far, but it showed no signs of damage after a face-first fall onto concrete.

What do you think of Nitecore? Rate it below!

3. Coast G60R - Best Budget

Best Budget

Coast G60R Two-Pack

$39

at Amazon

Prices accurate at time of writing

$39 at Amazon

Specs

• Maximum Output: 1,000 lumens
• Maximum Intensity: N/A
• Modes: White
• Battery: Rechargeable (USB-C)
• Battery Run Time: 2 hrs 30 min (high), 6 hrs 15 min (medium), 14 hrs (low)
• Dimensions: 6.7” x 1.54” x 1.54”
• Weight: 8 oz
• Comes With: Two charging cables, manual
• Country of Origin: China

Being prepared is tactical, and one way to do that is to have a few Coast G60R flashlights staged around your house so you never have to fumble around in the dark when you need one. At less than $40 for two, this is the most economical way to stay prepared without sacrificing quality. I recommend picking up something else from this list as your primary light, then adding these as backups.

The G60R is the biggest and heaviest flashlight here. I wouldn’t want to carry it without at least a sling bag or fanny pack. But, like I said, this flashlight is for staging ahead of time; it’s not an everyday carry flashlight. 

The rechargeable battery is convenient. If your prepper gear includes some kind of solar generator (and it should), you’re in business. I appreciate the metal ring that slides over the charging port to protect it – it’ll last much longer than a flip-out rubber cover.

The G60R lets you adjust the beam depending on what you need. At one end of the spectrum, it doesn’t have a bright spot in the middle; it’s consistent from edge to edge, with linear falloff. The lens shroud twists to let you change that and focus the light’s power in the center. That’s a unique feature in this group, and the analog approach keeps costs down.

Distance is good but unremarkable in this company. The power button also cycles through the three power modes, which range from soft reading light to full-power searchlight.

This is the flashlight I was most concerned about going into my durability test. Surprisingly, the sliding charging port cover held up to water, and the lens didn’t break during my drop test. 

The bezel suffered superficial dings, but nothing that affects the flashlight’s ability to function. I still wouldn’t advise being too rough with it.

4. Fenix TK16 V2.0 - Best Weapon Light

Best Weapon Light

Fenix TK16 V2.0

$99

at Amazon

Prices accurate at time of writing

$99 at Amazon

Fenix (see price)

Blade HQ (see price)

Scheels (see price)

Specs

• Maximum Output: 3,100 lumens
• Maximum Intensity: 36,100 candela
• Modes: Turbo, high, medium, low, eco, strobe
• Battery: 21700 (USB-C)
• Dimensions: 5.63” x 1.34” x 1”
• Weight: 4 oz
• Comes With: charging cable, lanyard, holster, spare O-ring, manual
• Country of Origin: China

The Fenix TK16 V2.0 is a handy tactical light on its own. If you dip into the Fenix accessory catalog, it also works as a weapon light. I recommend picking up a Fenix ALG-16 M-LOK mount and adding it to your AR-15 or tactical shotgun. That will put you over the $100 budget, but you can always run the light as-is and add the mount later.

The TK16 V2.0 is average in terms of size. It’ll fill up my hand but still fit in a pocket if need be (though a bag is better). It’s perfect for the nightstand or center console of your car, especially since the bezel features three glass-breakers for quick escapes. 

The massive 21700 battery needs quite a while to charge from empty, then a few minutes once a week or so to top it off. It is removable, so keeping a fully charged spare is an option.

The TK16 V2.0’s beam has a soft transition from hot center to the rest of the pattern, with a harsh drop into darkness from there.

The power button is straightforward. Once the light is on, tapping the small mode button cycles through the power levels. Holding the mode button down activates the strobe at max power regardless of which setting you’re in at the time. It’s a simple, user-friendly setup with both buttons on the endcap.

I was impressed with this light’s performance in my distance test. If you want power, it’s between this and the Nitecore EDC23. The EDC23 is better for pocket carry; this one is better as a weapon light. 

Water from a garden hose didn’t bother the TK16 V2.0 one bit. I’m sure it can take much harsher abuse.

The glass-breakers protected it from a direct hit when I dropped it onto concrete, and it emerged unscathed.

5. SureFire G2X Pro - Best Durability

Best Durability

SureFire G2X Pro

$85

at Amazon

Prices accurate at time of writing

$85 at Amazon

Optics Force (see price)

GunMag Warehouse (see price)

Kygunco (see price)

Show all prices

Specs

• Maximum Output: 600 lumens
• Maximum Intensity: 8,700 candela
• Modes: High, low
• Battery: 2 x CR123A
• Dimensions: 5.3” x 1.35” x 1.35”
• Weight: 5 oz
• Comes With: Manual
• Country of Origin: USA

I was kind of surprised to see the SureFire G2X Pro sneak under my $100 cap. This rugged tactical flashlight may not have the power or features you get from the company’s premium flashlights, but it’s also a fraction of the price. Enjoy the instant street cred that comes with pulling out a SureFire – the price can be our little secret.

The G2X Pro is similar in size and weight to the Fenix TK16 V2.0 (and most other tactical flashlights). With no pocket clip, this light isn’t set up for pocket carry but it’ll do great in your car, a tactical backpack, or a bug-out bag.

The G2X Pro has a warmer hue than the other lights here, which range from neutral white to slightly cool. The beam has a pleasant bright spot, outer throw, and falloff.

This is the least powerful flashlight of the test and test performance reflects that. While I couldn’t illuminate the surrounding countryside with the G2X Pro, it’s adequate for routine tasks and the single-button operation makes life easy. There are only two settings, and they alternate every time you turn the flashlight on.

Like the other contenders, the G2X Pro passed my water test. Given its lack of moving parts and external mating surfaces, I’d trust this one the most if I went for an unexpected swim.

It didn't sustain any damage from my drop test, either. It may not be the brightest but it’s the light I recommend if you’re hard on gear.

How to Pick the Best Tactical Flashlight Under $100

There’s more to picking the best tactical flashlight than price and power. Here are a few considerations to guide your decision.

Intended Use

Tactical can mean a lot of different things. That’s certainly true of tactical flashlights.

In this case, I focused on lights you’d use freehand. You can keep them in your pocket, on the nightstand, or in your center console. They’re still packed with features that leave normal flashlights in the dust.

There are times when you might want to use your tactical flashlight as a weapon light. Fenix makes Picatinny, M-LOK, and magazine tube mounting systems for the TK16 V2.0.

Prepping presents its own challenges because it typically involves a significant financial investment. If that’s what you’re into, it’s nice to have a reliable option that keeps costs to a minimum. Two effective but inexpensive flashlights might be better than a single fancy one.

Light Colors & Modes

Most of the time, white light is the most effective option because it takes advantage of the full color spectrum. There are times when another color can be useful, though.

Red light does a better job of preserving night vision and minimizing your light signature. If that’s something you care about, the NexTorch TA21 is a solid choice.

Some tactical flashlights offer multiple modes and power levels. If you’re willing to learn to navigate features with button presses, it can be really nice to have everything from a soft reading light to a powerful searchlight in one tool.

Strobe functions are useful in defensive scenarios – not a magic wand, mind you, but a good less-lethal option.

Battery Type

There are two schools of thought when it comes to tactical flashlight and weapon light batteries, and both have valid points.

Disposable batteries are relatively inexpensive and readily available. You can replace them in seconds, which minimizes downtime.

Rechargeable flashlights cost more, and they go out of commission for extended periods of time for charging. The advantage is never needing to carry spares; just pack a charging cable and find a power source.

Some rechargeable batteries come out of the flashlight for charging. This is the sweet spot, if you ask me, because you can keep a fully charged backup on standby for hot-swaps without stockpiling disposable batteries.

Meet the Experts

Editing this article is Scott Murdock. Scott is a Marine Corps veteran who competed and qualified as a rifle and pistol expert while in service. In addition to shooting, Scott has written for a variety of publications, testing, researching, and evaluating guns and gear. He brings that knowledge and skillset to this article, editing and fact-checking for accuracy.

Editor-in-Chief Jacki Billings runs our experienced team of reviewers. She is a National Rifle Association Basic Pistol Instructor as well as a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, ACES: Society for Editing, and the Professional Outdoor Media Association. Jacki has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and has worked as a media professional for close to 20 years, specializing in gun media for almost 10 years. With 2,000+ articles to her name, she uses her professional journalism and editing experience to set testing protocols and editorial standards for Pew Pew Tactical.

Final Thoughts

If I could only pick one of these tactical flashlights, I’d have to take the NexTorch TA21. It’s not the best at everything, but it’s the most versatile, and I value having a red light option.

If your needs call for something else, any one of these picks will serve you well. If you’re like us, you’ll probably end up with more than one, so don’t put pressure on yourself to find your forever flashlight.

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