The Smallest Tactical flashlights?
1lumen selects and reviews products personally. We may earn affiliate commissions through our links, which help support our testing.
You can jump right into the meaty stuff by selecting 1 of the following categories
Don’t get fooled by Google!
Our mission:
Stop relying on Amazon reviews, top 10 websites, or manufacturer’s specs.
We test flashlights to separate the wheat from the chaff.
We currently reviewed 630 flashlights!
In case you are interested in the best tactical or military flashlights, check out our best tactical flashlights guide here.
Smallest Tactical Flashlight
Small Tactical AA Flashlight
NEXTORCH TA20
| Specification: | Highlights: |
|---|---|
| Max output | 1,000 lumens (and we measured it) |
| Max beam intensity | 11,028cd (we measured 11,450 cd) |
| Battery | 16340 (included) |
| Dimensions | Length: 100mm / 3.9 in |
When I opened the box of the TA20 I was positively surprised. It looked and felt much better than I had anticipated. The magnetic control ring, located on the head, makes you switch between Lock mode, Tac mode and Duty mode in a blink of an eye.
The battery they included is a pretty small 16340 type battery with a capacity of 800mAh and USB-C port. They also added a USB-C charging cable, so you can charge it anywhere and everywhere.
During our test, we tested the highest output over 1,000 lumens at turn on, and still over 1,000 lumens after 30 seconds. Low mode ran for over 24 hours.
Another great feature is the Tac mode, that has High mode, and Strobe mode at your fingertips.
This is why we can recommend the NEXTORCH TA20
- Likely the smallest real Tactical flashlight currently available
- Magnetic control ring on the flashlights’s head operates easy and smoothly
- Flashlight includes a battery and charging cable so you are ready to go
- Has 2 separate mode menus, TAC and DUTY.
Small Tactical 18650 Flashlight
Olight Warrior Mini 3
| Specification: | Highlights: |
|---|---|
| Max output | 1,700 lumens (we measured 1643 lumens) |
| Max beam distance: | We measured 237 meters / 259 yards |
| Battery | 18650 (Olight ORB186C35 rechargeable 18650 battery included) |
| Dimensions | Length: 111mm / 4.4 in |
The Olight Warrior Mini 3 is one of the shortest tactical 18650 flashlights on the market. The main light source is the powerful Luminus SFT40 LED with 1643 lumens.
One of the special features of some Olight flashlights is the different colors of anodization they offer. Mine is a special edition, but they are also available in black, and other colors.
During our test, we noticed that the runtimes of the Warrior Mini 3 are pretty impressive. In medium mode, it runs for over 19 hours. Turbo mode and High mode lasted about 4 hours each. Turbo has a maximum output of 1750 lumens, but we measured 1643 lumens at turn on.
Low and Moon mode are specced at 165 hours and 100 days respectively. We haven’t tested those 2 modes, but I would believe them!
The included 18650 battery should be inside the flashlight, but you can also use a normal lithium-ion charger with a trick. If you want to read all the details about the flashlight, we have a very in-depth review for you. Please find out more about the Olight Warrior Mini 3 here.
This is why we can recommend the Olight Warrior mini 3
- Includes a battery and charging cable so you are ready to go
- The built-in proximity sensor improved and only works at turn-on
- The tailswitch has 2 different mode configuration
- The runtimes in Low and Moon are crazy long
If you want to buy the Warrior Mini 3, you can get 10% off at Olightstore with our exclusive coupon code: 1lumen
FAQ:
What is the smallest tactical flashlight?
The smallest tactical light is the Klarus XT1C. It’s a 16340 (CR123A) flashlight with 1,000 lumens. Please don’t trust Google or Amazon when you search for the smallest tactical flashlights, because the ones they show are NOT tactical.
Why should you not trust Google or Amazon when looking for flashlights?
Google uses an algorithm that doesn’t know anything about flashlights. The websites they often show, should be regarded as untrustworthy. The smallest tactical lights they recommend aren’t considered tactical at all. And don’t trust Amazon reviews, because those people don’t test flashlights, and are only anecdotal.
What’s the smallest 18650 tactical light?
The smallest tactical 18650 flashlight we reviewed is the Olight Warrior Mini. It’s a very powerful flashlight reaching 1,500 lumens (and we tested that) and has some nice runtimes. Don’t forget to check out the list with the brightest tactical flashlights we reviewed.
1lumen selects and reviews products personally. We may earn affiliate commissions through our links, which help support our testing.