LIGHT& BRIGHT
Summer is officially here, and with it comes a natural variation in wardrobe. Warmer weather leads to lightweight clothing and increased physical activity, neither of which is conducive to pockets crammed full of gear. It’s for this reason that many of us pare down our everyday carry slightly for this season. Maybe that means you start carrying a single-stack subcompact handgun instead of a double-stack full-size, or a lightweight folding knife instead of something more robust. What it shouldn’t mean is that you start leaving behind the essentials. Murphy’s Law dictates the moment that happens is the moment you’ll need those items the most.
A flashlight is one such essential tool. The light in your pocket will help you figure out what the heck your dog keeps barking at in the backyard, find the pen that fell between the seats of your truck, and read the menu in your spouse’s favorite obnoxiously dim restaurant. And unlike a keychain light or the tiny LED on your cell phone, it can provide the focused illumination you need to clear your house if you come home to a door that’s unexpectedly ajar.
However, flashlights can get heavy and bulky, so we decided to compare seven models that can fit into even the smallest pockets. One key constraint was that each of these lights must run on a single CR123 battery. Most of our typical EDC lights are powered by two of these batteries, so we already have plenty of spares on hand, making the seasonal transition easier. If swapping gear out becomes a hassle, you’ll be more prone to leave it at home, so interchangeability is an important consideration.
Read on as we evaluate seven single-CR123 flashlights to
