Your favorite / coolest / best flashlight of 2025?

Tankolai · December 3, 2025, 8:45am

I have only bought a few lights this year:

Armytek Wizard C2 Pro Nichia Warm 4500K (already had the green 3000k version, but wanted a spare because I really love my first one)

DW4K Lume X1 in 219B 4500K (before he started offering all the new buttons & PVD coated stuff)

Convoy M21A host (6V8A with XHP70.3 HI 4000K R70)

Convoy L7 SBT90.2

Skilhunt MiX-7 gen2

Jetbeam Jet-1 MK (haven’t emitter swapped yet).

Edit: forgot the blue FW1A pro, because it still hasn’t been delivered from 11/11, and the two Maeerxu XT3s. one brass triple in XPL-Hi 3000k, and one Single in SST40. has been swapped to 3000K SFT-40 with a convoy 3V8A driver.

I may be forgetting something, but most of my light-related purchases this year has been emitters, drivers, all kinds of spare parts and everything. I have parts for many lights that I need to get working again.

I have recently purchased a number of other lights, all of which have yet to be delivered:

Reylight Penlight Ti to go with my beloved copper one

Armytek Wizard C2 Pro Max (will likely swap with an FFL emitter) Killzone had a pretty good 20% off all lights sale, although most of their stock is Acebeam

Noctigon KR1AA, FFL5009R 3500K.

So far my favorite light that I purchased in 2025 is the L7, but the most used and second favorite would be the DW4K, then the Wizard. I use headlamps while working on vehicles, modding lights, sharpening knives, etc. DW4K I got red so I wouldn’t lose it (already lost it twice), and it has better light quality than the Armytek with 4500K. I like the 3000K wizard more.

Tankolai · December 3, 2025, 8:54am

I agree, I absolutely love my D3AA. it’s my most carried light for regular at work day to day carry. great size, great light quality with sw45k. I bought mine on release.

I went ahead and ordered a KR1AA from Jackson. I couldn’t resist. I’ve been wanting a tailswitch 14500 from Hank since before the D2 14500 released.

I do also really really wish the KR1AA was a throwier light, ala FW1AA. I’ve been asking Hank for a single emitter reflector thrower 14500 light for years. even though this year Hank’s been big on single emitter lights with big TIRs (like the DA1K which honestly doesn’t really interest me), I feel like his most recent lights and developments are more in competition to the FireFlyLite offerings. which is good. without competition, there isn’t really much innovation.

I am going to try every similarly sized light’s bezel on the KR1AA to see if any will fit.
even though I like tailswitch lights more, I feel as if a floody KR1AA is almost too similar to the D3AA. We definitely need one with (preferably) a reflector, or at least a more throw TIR lens, and 3V emitter options for better throw. I am going to email him again to ask if he has plans

Chris100575 · December 3, 2025, 9:59am

My favourite this year has been my DA1K, default clear TIR, SFT70 3000K. It throws well enough to be useful outdoors and the light is beautiful.

Tankolai · December 3, 2025, 12:23pm

IF I get a DA1/K, it’d have to be that SFT-70. I really like the emitter in my L21B, but that’s a dedicated thrower. it’s pretty much a less throwy more powerful 3000K SFT-40. I’ve just slowed down my light purchasing a bit, and don’t know how much I’d use it.

however, I have been wanting a light with a similar beam to my SFN60 DM11, except smaller and better tint. the DA1K might be that light? the DM11 beam is pretty wide, but is useable out past 100yd on high.

the 6500K SFT-70 I tried years ago was just downright awful. I mean it was powerful, but the nasty green tint it had was too much. I am SO glad that there is a nice looking 3000K version. its beam looks very nice in the L21B.

Chris100575 · December 3, 2025, 1:13pm

The DA1K’s hotspot is just slightly larger than the one from my L35 2.0 and the beam profile is quite similar if that helps? Given the spill from the TIR I find it to be a very useful general-use light that’s easily pocketable, but some people only like flooders for indoors.

I don’t mind green tint in a dedicated thrower, in fact in a dedicated thrower I like the green Osrams, but for anything close to I want a neutral tint.

Perception · December 3, 2025, 3:02pm

Please report back on your experiments! I’d love it if we can find some options that make it a little throwier thank the D3AA.

jon_slider · December 3, 2025, 7:58pm

sent you a PM

Tankolai · December 4, 2025, 1:49am

Thanks for the comparison.

I myself will use TIR or reflector lights indoors as long as they aren’t pure throwers (even then I use those for fun sometimes). some of my most used lights lately are Eagtac D3A and D3C, and with their installed emitters they’re throwier than not. small hotspot.

I just can’t stand green tint in flooders really, but I love the green Osram emitters. I don’t know why but I find them to be completely different

Tankolai · December 4, 2025, 1:51am

surely there could be a TIR out there that would fit and increase throw, at least. considering its size relative to the D3AA I’m guessing the TIR is around 20mm, but probably shorter than ones you’d swap into a convoy S2+ for example

jon_slider · December 4, 2025, 4:42am

it seems the KR1AA IS less floody than D3AA.. pics here

Perception · December 4, 2025, 3:27pm

This is fantastic news!

vsynther · December 5, 2025, 12:19pm

I really liked the Nitecore UT27 MCt 2025, excellent lenses, high color rendering and the ability to adjust the light to the current weather, light weight.

horzuff · December 5, 2025, 1:15pm

Might be recency bias but the Wurkkos TS26, especially after dedoming the 519As.

If I didn’t go for a dual-channel KR4 (NTG+SFT25R) and just stuck with a single channel of the same NTGs + Lume X1 then that would probably win as I love the body and Anduril. It’s just that the SFTs are really ugly in comparison and don’t really throw noticeably better in this host and I’m kinda bummed out about the wasted channel and worse driver.

flashlight_intereste · December 7, 2025, 2:26pm

Here’s all the lights I got in 2025. The one I use most is the D3AA. But if I had to narrow it down to only buying one of them, it would be the Acebeam K1. Mainly because I have another D3AA, as well as a fair few other lights that could sub in. But I don’t have another Eneloop-powered cat toy. The UV is also pretty good on the K1, though I don’t really need it. And it’s not so useful when using an Eneloop. I don’t care for the cool white main light, nor the mode memory.

Both Convoy’s are 3500K. A 219b in the T4 and a B35AM in the M21A. I got them in part due to curiosity about the B35AM, and in part because I really like the 5000k de-domed 519a. And I tell myself I prefer more neutral emitters to ones below BBL. So I figured more neutral emitters in a similar temp would be ideal. I do like them but they are a bit yellow. If the T4 actually had a low moonlight it would be fine around the house in the middle of the night, but it’s a bit too bright as-is. It’s certainly suitable as a general purpose around-the-house light, but I have sooo many already (even just in 2AA format). The M21a is pleasant but a bit too tight for around the house stuff, and not really that bright (or, as a result, throwy) for outside stuff.

All of that tint discovery led me to get a colorful Ti D3AA with de-domed 5000K 519a’s. And I like it a lot. My first D3AA has 4500K 219b’s. If I wake up in the middle of the night and use it on low, the beam is pretty cool and also a bit purple. It’s certainly usable but not my favorite. It has to be on a bit higher level to turn into a really nice white beam. The de-domed 519a looks perfect on low in the middle of the night.

The KR1 is a 4200K NTG50. I love the KR1 form factor, and it has a very good outdoor beam for me. Still a bit wide with good spill but a decent amount of throw in a pinch.

Lumenizator · December 9, 2025, 3:02pm

My favorite tactical flashlight of 2025:

-Sofirn SK40

It’s a budget tactical flashlight with better performance than many expensive lights.