Have you ever tried working with bright white light in the dark? Can you recall what it felt like once the light was put off?
Most people have reported going blind for a brief moment once the white light was removed. I guess you might have experienced same. Hunters, stargazers, and military personnel have affection for the red LED flashlights; this is especially true when they have to hunt, star gaze, and conduct military operations at night respectively.
IN A NUTSHELL – BEST RED LED FLASHLIGHTS
What is it about red led flashlights that work in darkness?
Well, to answer that, let’s first look at how white flashbulbs work. The light produced by regular LEDs or bulbs contain all the wavelength of the visible light; that is wavelengths from 100nm to 700nm are present in the light.
The implication is a blindingly bright light that is unsuitable for discreet work in the dark.
Remember, a hunter needs to be discreet to avoid spooking the animal they’re hunting; a stargazer needs to prevent light pollution to spot stars; while service members may need to remain undetectable as a carry out dangerous ops in the dark.
Here’s where Red LED flashlights come in handy. By nature, red lights are undetectable from a distance, don’t introduce light pollution, and they don’t spook animals.
They are an excellent tool when trying to preserve night vision – you don’t have to adjust your night vision when using them; also your field of view includes the peripheral areas that fall off the red light beam.
Also, map reading becomes a lot easier since the light provides greater contrast; hence, enabling you to see far more details than a white light would have highlighted.
Red LED flashlights are not only used in the dark; they can also be used to send signals and will serve you well in extreme conditions like dry camping.
Deciding on the type of red led flashlight to purchase is quite tricky since there are so many products on the market. So to help you, I’ve done the legwork for you by listing out the best red LED flashlights.
If you’re in the market for a reliable hunting red led flashlight; then you might consider getting this WAYLLHINE Zoomable red flashlight. The red flashlight is explicitly designed for night hunting.
If you enjoy the tracking, stalking and targeting of games, then this is a must-have for you. This Zoomable red flashlight produces a serious beam that can hit targets 150 yards away; it’s also designed to mount comfortably on certain rifles, shotguns, and pistols.
The powerful red light lit up the game without spooking them so you can target and hit them. Suitable when hunting games like a coyote, hogs, fox or other varmints.
Features
- Built with a sturdy metal case that can withstand the beating of heavy use.
- A waterproof casing that protects it even under wet conditions.
- Zoomable scalable LED that enables you target games 150 yards away
- Pure Red LED light that doesn’t spook games
- Designed with 3 switch modes – High, low and strobe for the best experience.
- Can be mounted on certain rifles, shotguns, or pistols.
- Has a LED maximum output of 200 lumens with 10,000-hours lifespan.
Versatile, multipurpose, and innovative are apt terms that describe this hunting flashlight. The Fenix TK25 tactical hunting flashlight features multiple lights (red and blue) plus white output that is suited for tactical use.
This flashlight is equipped with a CREE LED that emits white light and two LEDs for Blue and Red respectively.
The powerful light beam produces up to 1000 lumen of brightness that reaches 700 feet. With a full 3 switch mode high/low/ and strobe, you can quickly switch between a high lumen bright beam, or a dimmer low lumen, or even changing to the tactical strobe mode.
Features
- Military-grade aluminum casing with a hard-anodized finish for improved durability
- Tough ultra-clear glass with anti-reflective finishing.
- Switch between colored and white light by rotating head
- Quick-release belt clip
- Maximum 1000 lumen strobe white light
- 150-lumen red light, 60-lumen blue light
- 3 switch mode for tactical use
- Comes with Lanyard, Holster, removable pocket clip, and spare-O-ring.
- Requires a single 18650 or a pair of CR123A batteries.
LingsFire Zoomable scalable red LED flashlights are designed to be used both indoors and for the outdoors. Whether you’re heading out for a hike, camping full time, backpacking, or whatever outdoor activity, this sturdy flashlight is built to withstand adverse weather conditions without a dip in performance.
The 5 switch modes provide a range of tactical uses; switch between the High, Medium, Low, SOS and strobe modes depending on the activity at the moment.
Features
- Aluminum casing to protect the flashlight from harsh conditions
- Intense CREE LED bulbs
- Suitable for the outdoors
- 5 switch mode for every situation
- Rechargeable lithium battery with a capacity of 3600mAH
- Comes with 2x 18650 cell with a double channel charger
- Designed with a bronze reflective bowl
- Waterproofed hard-anodized finishing
This compact, lightweight keychain red led flashlights packs a surprisingly bright red light that allows users to retain night vision without stressing the pupils. It’s ideally suited for map reading in the dark, star gazing, and navigation.
NiteCore Tube comes with an internal Li-ion battery that utilizes a USB to charge, has a 13 lumens output, and a battery runtime of 1 hour for continuous use.
Features
- An integrated indicator blue light to indicate when the battery is charging.
- An in-built Li-ion battery with a runtime of 1 hour
- A micro-USB port and cable for charging
- Outer case of long-lasting polycarbonate material
- Easy to use with a single switch button
- A lockout/unlock feature to prevent unintended switch-on.
- Comes with a key ring, tube keychain light.
The VITCHELO V800 Headlamp is designed with the athletes in mind. This headlamp is the perfect companion to the runner who prefers working out in the wee hours of the day. Light, reliable, versatile, and simple to use – all you have to do is wear the headband, and you’re all set for your jog.
It can fit perfectly into the hectic and harsh life of an outdoor junkie whether it’s for a backpacking trip, hiking, or camping.
With an output of 168 lumens of brightness, this headlamp emits light powerful enough to guide you navigate through trails, stay on course while biking, keep you visible to on-coming vehicles while jogging and help you find your way home in the dark.
Features
- A powerful and bright output that illuminates approximately 360 square feet.
- Easy to use with two buttons for different light color output. Switch between white and red depending on the situation.
- Comes with an adjustable elastic band to hold firm the lamp on your head
- Adjust the angle of the lamp to provide greater light.
- Water resistant and perform optimally under the rain.
- Comes with a pair of batteries
- Have 3 settings to control how bright the light is.
This 9 Red LED bulbs flashlight is designed for the star enthusiast to ease the transition between reading the star maps and actually gazing at them. It helps preserve the night visions which eliminate the temporary blindness associated with bright white light.
Carson RedSight Red LED flashlights are also suitable for those late night walks to the toilet, or when you’re finding your way in the dark to the telescope. It is built to be compact, light and ergonomic with a glowing green hand grip.
The flashlight comes with a lanyard that enables you to clip it to your pants or backpack.
Features
- Compact, sturdy and light
- Ideal for stargazing
- 9 red LED bulb for a powerful output
- Uses 3 AAA batteries
Wrapping it up
Red Lights are an excellent light source to light your path in the dark without losing your night vision. They’re great for night hunting, star gazing, and during military ops.
There’re several red-LED flashlights on the market, and we hope our list will guide you to make the best purchasing decision that fits your needs.