Aluminum or Plastic?

That's right, time for a new poll question.

FlashlightNews.org Bi-Monthly Poll

I appreciate the great response to my last question, with 109 votes cast. Hopefully this question will garner the same (or better) response.

And remember, I want to hear your views here too. I know one word answers, even to a simple question like this one, are limited. So tell me what you think about flashlight materials.


Myself, I'm partial to aluminum. Durable, nice weight in the hand (not too heavy, not too light), lends itself to hard anodize coatings...all in all pretty tough items, generally.

However, if I were a boater or perhaps an electrician, I'd probably favor plastics and polymers for their more forgiving nature when dropped and lack of possible conductivity.


How 'bout you?

Plastic is much better for many applications. If "plastic" also encompasses "synthetic composite", the range of good use becomes greater.

Tight, high voltage work environments.

* reduces risk of unwanted circuit completions.

Volatile gas, chemical and dust environments.

* reduces risk of unwanted combustion.

Underwater environments.

* naturally water resistant couplings.

High powered handheld spotlights.

* that Thor would be a booger to tote around if it had an aluminum body.

I don't like the feel of plastic. I like metal, wood and leather. Some synthetic composites feel alright and are just better at some jobs.

I would like to see PEU offer a snake-skin or shark-skin flashlight. If McGizmo ever offered a tungsten dive light the response might surprise him.

One reason I was motivated to vote in the poll was because they are bi-monthly. I can do that.

metalhed, your site seems more useful every time I visit. Great job.

Poll didn't work for me, but if you mean real "plastic" plastic, then I vote aluminium. If we're talking Nitrolon and other composite materials, well, then the game changes..

I voted aluminum, but what I'd REALLY prefer is stainless steel. For bigger lights I find aluminum or some other kind of metal to be absolutely necessary. For example, disregarding any of the electrical circuit issues, imagine a 3D Mag made out of plastic:

1.)Keep it the same size it is and make it out of plastic and it'll fall apart the first time it gets dropped.
2.)Make the plastic body tube thick enough to be as strong as the thinner aluminum light and it'll be the size of a sewer pipe.
3.)Use a plastic strong enough to keep the small size and maintain strength and you'll quintuple the cost.

For smaller lights I don't care so much. If a single light is available in both plastic and metal, I'll take the metal one. But as long as the quality is there, I'm not going to specifically disregard a light just because it's plastic.


Cheers. :buddies:

Don't mean to be difficult, but I "couldn't" vote. I like both metal and "plastic." Different applications/uses, different materials work better or are more suitable.

For example, I use the Eternalight quite often, but probably wouldn't if it were metal. On the other hand, I love my SureFire lights and EDC the E2e, and E1e with KL1 head--I don't know if I would carry these lights if they were "plastic."

Metal for flashlights and firearms. I know that polymer does just as good a job usually but I prefer the feel of an aluminum alloy or stainless steel. But to each his own, not really that much of a real world performance difference imho.

I voted aluminum but I like them both. 90% of my lights are aluminum. I really like the way aluminum feels -- as long as it's not cold out. As you said in the OP, when I was a sailor, it had to be plastic.

I know in my head that plastics are getting better every day but I can't help but prefer aluminum. I have two of the Lumaray FL-6-2006s on the short list for my next significant light purchase and they will be plastic.

I like both but perfer aluminum more. Plastic is good too, doesn't conduct electricity, durable, scratch resistant and often water proof like the Sl PP. But plastic doesn't conduct heat very well and traps it so you can't really have a very high output plastic light without cooking the insides. Aluminum , especially HAIII is very durable and more sturdy than plastic, also dissapates heat good.

Sorry folks, I should have added a "I like both equally", or some other option for you 'fence-sitters'.

So far, the majority of responses have been for aluminum.

So come on now, where are all the Nitrolon freaks?

It's kind of funny actually, but if you include all flashlights at all price levels (including children's and novelty lights), I'm going to guess that plastic dominates the marketplace. That is to say, there are probably more flashlights produced in plastic form, than metals like aluminum.

And most casual buyers, IMHO, purchase plastic lights because of lower cost than metal-bodied lights.

Yet the preference among torchophiles (is that a word...oh what the hell, now it is) is clearly for aluminum....okay, second to titanium, maybe.

my nephew is an engineer on a oil rig.

I showed him my flashlight, and he said that they were no allowed metal flashlight on the oil rig for safety reasons.

regards.