MS18 Flashlight Complete Review – Is it Worth it?

When it comes to flashlights, you would be hard-pressed to find any that match the brightness and power of Imalent’s MS18. We know it’s powerful, but is it really worth the price tag? What kinds of features does it have that divide it from all the other options out there?

The MS18 is the brightest flashlight that Imalent has ever produced. It has a maximum output of 100,000 lumens. To put that into perspective, the average LED headlamp only has an output of 50 to 100 lms. Additionally, the MS18 has multiple modes so users can get the exact amount of light they need. 

If you’re looking for a recommendation on a high-powered flashlight, we’ve got you covered. Below we will break down the features of the MS18 and provide you with our assessment on whether or not it is worth buying. We will also describe some of the most common uses of the flashlight, so you can get an idea of whether or not it would be useful for you as an individual.

The MS18 is the brightest powerful flashlight in the World.

Is the MS18 Flashlight Worth Buying?

In short, if you’ve found your way to this page, probably yes. That’s because if you’re reading a review like this, you’re likely in need of a high powered flashlight. There is none better than the MS18. Its brightness, lifespan of 50,000 hours, and its variety of levels and features make it dynamic and useful in any dark situation.  

What are the Primary Features of an MS18 Flashlight?

To understand what makes the MS18 so special in the world of flashlights you have to understand what it does. Therefore, we’ll start by listing the primary features of this unique flashlight and briefly explain how they might differ from similar devices. 

The MS18 Flashlight has Unparalleled Brightness

One of the most obvious features of the MS18 is its level of brightness. The MS18 boasts being the brightest Imalent flashlight on the market. But what exactly does that mean? What is an “Imalent flashlight,” and how bright can they get? 

Let’s start with the first question. Imalent is a company that performs high-level R&D (research and development) that culminates in some of the most cutting-edge LED technology available. They create everything from some of the brightest outdoor flashlights you’ll ever find to headlamps and batteries.  

As for the brightness, at 100,000 lumens the MS18 shines a light so bright that you can see just about everything in front of you on a dark night. Instead of one narrow beam, the light the MS18 provides can fill your entire field of vision and it has a beam distance of a whopping 1350m. That’s an impressive 50 times the brightness of your average car headlights. Of course this brightness can be adjusted to what you need for the given situation as it has 9 separate brightness settings.

MS18 rechargeable flashlight comes with 18pcs Cree XHP70 2nd high lumens LEDs, max output is up to 100,000 lumens, and the max beam distance is up to 1350 meters (Nearly 4429ft).

Equipped With Multiple Brightness Settings

Sometimes you need extra brightness, and other times you do not. Fortunately, with the MS18, you can get the best of both worlds, as it has multiple settings for brightness. In the table below, we have laid out the different brightness settings the MS18 provides, along with how bright they get and roughly how long their battery will last at each level.  

Levels	Low	Middle Low	Middle I	Middle II	High I	High II	High III	Turbo
Brightness/Lumens	700	2000	5000	10,000	22,000	25,000 – 30,000	25,000 – 60,000	25,000 – 100,000
Battery Life/Mins	892	555	410	220	67	63.8	56	53

In the table above, you may have noticed that on the last three levels there are two numbers that represent the lumens. For example, in the “Turbo” setting, it says both 25,000 lumens and 100,000 lumens. The reason for this is key to understanding what to expect when you use the MS18 at its highest levels. On the higher settings, it starts out at the larger number of lumens (that being 100,000 in the case of “Turbo”) and after one minute goes down to 25,000 lumens for the next 46 minutes or until the battery runs out. The downside to this is that it doesn’t sustain that highest level of brightness for long. However, the upside is that 25,000 lumens are incredibly bright on their own. It’ll still be one of the brightest lights you’ve ever seen. 

The MS18 Flashlight has Indicator Lights for Use in the Dark 

With the MS18, if the power goes out, you don’t have to grope around blindly to find your flashlight’s ON button. Instead, you can just look for the indicator light that tells you where the power button is. Though some might say this is a minor benefit, you’ll be glad you have it when you need it.  It also gives you a display that tells you how many lumens you’re using and indicates battery life. This is really useful in helping you gauge what amount of light is appropriate for what situation. 

Rechargeable and has a Sturdy Design

The MS18 is fully rechargeable, so you don’t have to keep buying batteries and it can hold far more power. Plus, the rechargeable batteries actually come with the flashlight, so it isn’t an extra expense you have to factor in. On top of that, it has a body crafted with aluminum alloy. It is made to be as close to indestructible as possible. If you accidentally drop it, it’s probably not going to break.

The MS18 Flashlight is Self-Cooling 

The MS18 flashlight boasts being the first of its kind to have a heat pipe cooling system installed in it. You can think of these as the normal cooling fans in your computer adjusted for the design of a flashlight. The reason this is important is that it expands the overall life of the flashlight, how long you can keep it in the higher settings, and allows for better overall performance. 

Comes With a 5 Year Warranty and Customer Support

On the topic of practical considerations, Imalent has proven over the years that they are truly dedicated to making sure the experience consumers have with them is always positive. With any and all products, there is always a chance of defects. Fortunately, if you run into problems with your particular model, Imalent offers you a five year warranty. This should ease any apprehensions you have about making such a large investment in their products. 

On top of that, they also offer great customer service. If you have any questions about the product you’ve purchased, they have numbers you can call, as well as email addresses linked on their “About Us” page. On the page itself they make it clear that they are ready to answer any and all questions you have about flashlights. Plus, they maintain a blog on their website full of reviews and ideas you can take advantage of if you’re looking for more uses of your product.  

Ultra wide beam effortlessly illuminates a whole room or backyard. It is 50 times brighter than car lights.

Is the Imalent MS18 Flashlight Waterproof? 

This is a tricky question. The answer is yes but only to an extent. It is not, and I repeat, NOT fully submersible. Please never drop one of these in the water as you will have likely wasted a considerable amount of money. 

Still, you don’t have to worry too much about rain or other splashing waters because it does have a certain degree of water resistance. Its waterproof ranking is 1P56. According to Fantech, this means that it is resistant to “water from heavy seas or water projected from jets.” 

That essentially means waves going over it briefly or projectile water, are unlikely to permanently damage the device. Still, you’ll want to take the proper precautions and try to keep it away from water as much as possible. 

What is the MS18 Primarily Used For?

So now that we know the basic features of an MS18 Imalent flashlight let’s explore how they can be put to use. A comprehensive list of an MS18 flashlight’s uses would probably stretch out to infinity if we thought about it long enough. Instead, in the list below, we will focus on the most common uses of the MS18 and describe why they are preferable to an ordinary flashlight. 

Just remember if you have another idea of how to put this flashlight to use that is not listed below, that doesn’t mean your idea is bad. There are just so many ways to use technology like this that it is too limiting to think these are the only reasons to have one.  

The Uses of an MS18 Flashlight in Hunting 

We can’t stress enough how important it is to use a flashlight when you’re night hunting. Not just because it helps you see the animals you’re hunting for, but also because it allows others who might be hunting in the same area to become aware of your presence. Firing guns in the dark is dangerous even way out in the middle of nowhere. 

On it’s lower settings, the MS18 is comparable (though a little brighter) than your average high quality hunting flashlight. However, with this one, you can also turn the brightness up and down when necessary, making you more adaptable to various situations.

Having the brighter settings can allow you to more easily:

• Read maps and signs meant to guide hunters in the daytime
• Easily find a path into the woods and another to take the game you have already gotten out when you’re finished 
• Keep you from getting turned around and lost due to the lack of visual stimuli 
• Dress an animal right after having killed it 
• Practice firearm safety and ensure less accidents as a result of being able to see better

The Uses of an MS18 Flashlight in Power Outages 

Power outages always seem to happen at the most inconvenient times. Particularly when it is dark outside but not time to go to bed. If you have the MS18, however, getting “the lights back on” is as easy as the click of a button. Plus, that button has an indicator light that will make sure it’s easy to find. 

The lights in MS18 are so bright that they can fill a room. If you need to see to make it to that circuit breaker, you won’t have to awkwardly hold a standard flashlight while you try to open the panel and flip the switch. Instead you can prop up your MS18 (preferably on a tripod or a safe surface that isn’t flammable) and have all the light you need to finish the job. 

Using the MS18 Flashlight for Camping

The MS18 is a great flashlight to have with you on a camping trip. It can light the entire area you’re staying in or be used more like a regular flashlight in its lower settings when you need it. Either way, it will be brighter than just about any alternative. Just remember to make sure that you have something to charge it with or charge it ahead of time and conserve the battery with the proper settings. 

Using the MS18 Flashlight on Fishing Trips

Fishermen and women have been using lights for night fishing for a long time. In fact, many will recommend that if you’re night fishing and you don’t have your own light, you’ll have more luck fishing near a dock light. The reason for this is because fish are phototactic, meaning they are drawn to the stimulus of light. When you shine a flashlight on the water, you can draw the fish close enough that it then notices your bait. Even with an ordinary flashlight you can expand the area in which fish will be drawn to. With one like the MS18 however, you can cover a much larger portion of the water. 

Using the MS18 Flashlight in Cave Exploration

This one is a biggie. When you’re deep enough into a cave, all sources of light go out the window. If you only have an ordinary flashlight, your field of vision will be extraordinarily small since you have to point the thing directly at whatever you’re looking at.

With the MS18 on the other hand, you can illuminate the entire part of the cavern you’re exploring and see everything. This not only means that you can navigate more easily, but you’ll have more opportunities to see incredible sights and get cool photos of the caves’ beautiful, natural structures. Plus, you can identify dangers before they’re right in front of you. 

Using the MS18 Flashlight for Hiking at Night 

Whether you’re hiking in the boundary waters of the northern US and southern Canada, the Appalachian trail, or just a nature reserve right down the road from you, the MS18 will help. Like with cave exploration and hunting, having a light that spreads over an entire area rather than a narrow beam can be critical in ensuring you never get lost. 

Furthermore, if you’re hiking a trail that has multiple paths with signs to mark them, you’ll never miss noticing the sign simply because you didn’t shine your flashlight directly at it. This is perhaps why night time hiking is one of the most popular uses of high powered flashlights.

This MS18 powerful flashlight is rechargeable, made of high performance aluminum alloy, sturdy and durable,designed to be virtually indestructible.

How Does the MS18 Flashlight Stack Up Against Similar Products?

Knowing that the MS18 is not the only ultra bright Imalent flashlight on the market, how exactly does it stack up against its competition? Is there some other flashlight that would make for a better investment? 

While the answer to these questions is somewhat subjective, we can compare the specs of other previous models and see how the MS18 holds up. Below we briefly compare the MS18 to three other models you might also consider based on three basic criteria–brightness, design, and price. 

Of course, there are many more nitty gritty aspects to each of these, so we encourage you to check them all out before you make your final decision. 

MS18 vs. MS12 – How Has the MS Series Improved Itself? 

A good place to start here would be to compare this MS model to the previous one. Before the MS18, the MS12 was nicknamed “the king of light” because of just how powerful it was compared to other flashlights when it came out. This is the model that led to the creation of the MS18 as an updated version later, however, you can still find it used. 

We’ve compared the following key features so that you can see just how much the new model has improved the MS series. 

• Brightness: The max brightness of the MS12 comes in at 53,000 lumens–almost half that of the MS18. As gloriously bright as the older model could get, it doesn’t hold a candle to how bright the newer one can get. No pun intended.  
• Design: These are both highly durable flashlights. The MS12 is smaller however the MS18 comes with more features, such as the brighter lighting and indicator lights. 
• Price: The MS18 is about 70 dollars more than what the MS12 went for, however with all the extra features it’s well worth it.

MS18 vs. DX80 – Which is Better?  

The Imalent DX80 is an ultra bright flashlight that is made with convenience in mind. It has a small, easy to understand design perfect for tactical uses such as fishing or hunting. Switching between modes is as easy as holding down a button for a second. 

Below you’ll find our comparison of some key features of the MS18 and the DX80:

• Brightness: The DX80 has a maximum output of 32,000 lumens. Though that is extraordinarily bright, it is nowhere near as bright as MS18’s 100,000 max.
• Design: The DX80 is crafted from aluminum alloy so that it is as durable as possible and has a waterproof rating of IPX8. Keep in mind that while it is perhaps slightly more durable than the MS18, it is also performing less functions. It’s a trade off you’ll want to consider based on how you plan to use it. 
• Price: Coming in at $379.99, the DX80 is almost half the price of the MS18. At the same time, you’re trading out awesome features like the self-cooling system and extreme brightness in order to save a buck.

MS18 vs. R90C – What are Some Key Differences

The Imalent R90C is another fantastic flashlight model with a sleek design and multiple features. But how exactly does it stack up against the MS18?

Below we’ll compare three key features of the MS18 and the R90C so you can begin to make up your mind. 

• Brightness: The R90C’s brightest setting is at 20,000 lumens. While that is extraordinarily bright compared to a standard flashlight, it’s a drop in the bucket compared to the MS18 100,000. 
• Design: This R90C is about as durable as all of the others when it comes to drops, being that it is made with the same aluminum alloy. However, like the MS18 it is not 100% waterproof. Instead it is water resistant. 
• Price: The price of the R90C comes in at around 435.95 or 409.95. For just a couple hundred dollars more, you get increased brightness, more features and roughly the same lifespan. Still, you’ll want to compare these features with your needs to find out which is right for you. 

What are the Drawbacks of the MS18 Flashlight?

Everything has its pros and cons. High powered flashlights are no different. Below we will explore potential problems you could run into when using the MS18 flashlight and briefly describe our recommendations for how you can mitigate them and get back to enjoying that glorious illumination. 

The Clasp on the Case it Comes With is Easy to Break

The MS18 flashlight comes with a suitcase style carrying case that is held shut by a metal clasp. Unfortunately, this clasp is relatively easy to break. It’s not so bad that it’s doomed to break right after its first use. Still, you will want to make sure you’re gentle with it, so it still works after a long period of time. 

This is a relatively minor problem, but it’s important to know so that you can get the longest life out of your case or find another place you think is more secure to house it in when you’re not using it. 

There are Some Safety Concerns if you Have Children

This flashlight gets hot. So hot you can find Youtube videos of people frying eggs on it. This leads to the possibility that a child might think it’s safe to touch like a normal flashlight and find out the hard way that it isn’t. There are other reasons however, why you’ll want to keep this out of the reach of kids. Children–even if they know not to touch the end of it–might set it down in a place that is flammable and inadvertently start a fire.

Fortunately mitigating these issues shouldnt be too difficult. To avoid children picking it up without supervision, you can simply put it in its case and somewhere out of reach. If you’re going to let your kids near it, make sure you take an opportunity to tell them how hot it gets and the risk of fire if they set it in the wrong place.

The Battery Life Goes Down the Higher the Setting 

Firstly, let’s make it clear that the MS18 flashlight has a long battery life for a high powered flashlight. That being said, high powered flashlights in general tend to have a shorter battery life on their higher settings. To get around this, you should pay close attention to the average battery life at a given level and plan accordingly. 

Its Lowest Setting is Still Really Bright

This could actually be a benefit depending on what your needs are and how you approach them. Still, the minimum amount of lumens projected by the MS18 is 700. That is considerably brighter than your average flashlight, which sits at around 100. This means if you need a duller light–perhaps so you don’t spook an animal–you’ll have to bring along another, more standard flashlight. Still, if you’ve found your way to this page, it’s unlikely that too much brightness is your problem and standard flashlights aren’t exactly hard to come by when you need them. 

So, is an MS18 Flashlight Really Worth It?

If you’re looking for a high powered flashlight, you really can’t go wrong with the MS18. The sheer variety of uses, along with an incredible degree of power, make the MS18 well worth having in anyone’s arsenal of tools. With a maxim of 100,000 lumens, the MS18 allows you to no longer rely on one narrow beam of light to see during nighttime activities–be that camping, hunting or just hiking. Instead, you have an adjustable amount of light which spreads out over an entire given area and can be adjusted to exactly that which you need. You won’t find a better flashlight of this kind on the market.