OUTEQ FL9 outdoor flashlight

The front optic consists of eight 5 W high-power LEDs arranged in a ring around a single 10 W central source. The ring of eight LEDs produces a wide flood beam of up to 4,200 lumens that lights up the whole area in front of the flashlight at once, while the central source concentrates light into a narrow cone for looking into the distance. Combining the two source types solves the situation where one flashlight has to cover close-up work and checking a distant spot alike, for instance on a night patrol of a property or searching in the field. The light has a cool white tint, which raises contrast at long range but looks colder than warmer light when working up close.

Power comes from a single 21700 Li-ion cell with a declared capacity of 3,000 mAh (3.7 V, 11.1 Wh), included in the box. The battery is not sealed into the body, so after years of charge cycles you replace the cell itself and the flashlight keeps serving. For a longer trip without access to electricity you can take a charged spare cell and swap it in the field within moments, which is not possible with flashlights that have a permanently built-in battery. The difference shows mainly with regular use, as cell capacity gradually drops after hundreds of charge cycles.

The body is 6063 aluminium alloy with ribbing behind the head, which draws heat away from the LEDs and gives the flashlight stiffness for outdoor use. At 138.4 mm long, with a 50 mm head diameter and a weight of 196 g including the battery, the flashlight is operated one-handed and fits into a jacket pocket or the side pocket of a backpack. The IPX4 rating covers splashing water from any direction, so the flashlight handles rain and wet terrain. It is not protection against submersion, however, and the letter X in the rating means dust protection is not assessed at this level – worth bearing in mind for longer work in heavily dusty environments.