The best everyday carry gear for dads

For years, I was on the fence about whether I really needed to carry a flashlight around every day. But after one too many instances of fumbling around in the dark, I started looking for options and I landed on the Olight Arkflex. Despite a super sleek body that measures just 0.67 inches thick and 4.25 inches long, this tiny device has a max output of up to 1,000 lumens, which is way better than the 15-year-old Maglite that I normally keep around for emergencies. If you just need a little illumination while you’re out on a walk, it can push a constant 100 lumens for nearly seven hours on a single charge. But the coolest thing about the Arkflex is that it’s the world’s first flashlight with a 90-degree articulating head. This means you can flip it down, tie it onto a backpack strap and it will still shine light ahead. Or by using its reversible clip, you can attach it to the brim of a hat and use it like a floodlight.

The only downside is that the Arkflex uses a proprietary magnetic charging puck. But don’t worry, because for anyone who prefers something with a USB-C port, it’s worth checking out either the Streamlight Wedge/Wedge XT or the Nitecore EDC25, which have similar specs and dimensions (albeit without the handy flip-down head) but with universal power input.