A Review of the Top 8 Best IR Illuminators for Hunting in 2023

I created this review of the best IR illuminators for hunting, targeting folks like me who hunt at night or have other nocturnal hobbies. I plan to illuminate the path for you and make the hunt for your own best IR illuminator for night vision a breeze.

The products included on this list result from detailed personal research from when I was also in the market for my very own infrared flashlight. I studied various products across different budget brackets, brands, and models and came up with this list of the top 8 best IR illuminators for hunting. 

Note that this list is not exhaustive, as there may be great products that I missed while making my findings—hence the “buyers’ guide” section. 

Top 8 Best IR Illuminators for Hunting in 2023

1. UniqueFire 1504

This lightweight and long-range IR flashlight are packed with features, from its waterproof and shockproof exterior to up to three lighting modes: high, medium, or low. This allows you to control the level of IR radiation that your lamp emits.

The IR lamp also includes a zoom feature that allows you to adjust the range, the maximum of about 200M. The wavelength of the beam is 850nm, which is the ideal wavelength for hunting IR illuminators.

It is powered by a single rechargeable 3.7V-4.5V 18650 battery that makes carrying a replacement a breeze and not bulky. The battery life varies depending on the brightness mode and the extent of use.

Pros

Cons

2. WAYLLSHINE (E6)

This is my next best IR illuminator, and it’s not just because of the super affordable price tag. It has a shockproof and waterproof external construction that also offers maximum comfort, as it fits snugly into your palm and reduces the chances of slipping.

When combined with the appropriate regular gear, its 850nm beam of IR light can cover large distances of >200M—more than sufficient for hunting. This maximum range is also adjustable using the focus (zoom in and zoom out) feature, depending on your preference.

The emitter is powered by a single 18650 rechargeable battery or three replaceable AAA batteries. This versatile source of power greatly reduces the chances of getting stranded due to a low battery.

Pros

Cons

3. Streamlight 88704

Next on the list is this beauty from Streamlight—the 88704. It’s a battery-powered, high-performance IR lamp and is one of the most advanced IR illuminators you can find on the market as of 2021.

Its premium build quality is reflected by its shockproof and IPX7 waterproof aluminum external casing, demonstrating its durability even when exposed to physical trauma and in moist to wet environments. 

Two rechargeable 3V lithium batteries power it, so you can always keep an extra pair on you. In real-life scenarios, these batteries give an average of 3–3.5 hours of runtime, which can serve a full night of hunting.

The Streamlight 88704 produces a beam with a wavelength of 850nm, making it ideal for hunting, as it’s not so bright as to alert the targets and not so dim that you need super advanced gear to see the IR rays. Its beam is long-range, with an average maximum range of up to 350 meters!

Pros

Cons

4. WAYLLSHINE (A100)

As is the case with the other Wayllshine product on this list, this device is packed with features, but this one has a more budget-friendly price tag.

It has a waterproof and shockproof exterior like its E6 counterpart, providing maximum durability. It also has the ideal 850nm wavelength beam that makes it perfect for staking out and efficiently observing the target.

The beam’s focus can easily be adjusted by sliding the head of the flashlight back and forth, changing the focus from a floodlight to a spot beam. This can be useful depending on your distance from the target.

Like the E6, it also has two options for battery power: the single 3.7V–4.5V 18650 battery and the three-AAA battery option, reflecting versatility. The battery life will depend on the focus mode in use.

Pros

Cons

5. Skysted S20

The Skysted S20 is another low-budget flashlight with enough features to make you wonder if it’s too good to be true. Well, it’s true. 

The 850nm IR LED light on this lamp is powered by a 5W 3.7V rechargeable lithium battery, with the battery life ultimately depending on the focus (zoom in and out) levels. The life span of the LED bulbs is estimated at a whopping 100,000 hours!

The focus level also pretty much determines whether the maximum range of 150M can be attained. It can be reached if the focus is set to a spot beam rather than the alternative floodlight option.

Pros

Cons

6. WindFire Mini IR Lamp

Just so you don’t feel left out, I included this product for the extremely low-budget buyers. It has a very low price tag, and even though the features aren’t as magnificent as the previous products, it’s easy to look past that fact given the price tag.

The external build is the typical shockproof and waterproof aluminum exterior that makes hunting in the rain possible. Just don’t completely immerse the item into bodies of water for prolonged periods.

The 5W 850nm IR LED lamp is powered by a single 1.2V–1.5V AA battery that provides anywhere from 1.5–5.5 hours of use depending on the zoom mode and extent of use. The life span of the LED bulbs is set at 10,000 hours, sufficient to last as long as you want while you save up for a higher-end replacement.

Pros

Cons

7. GaiGaiMall 850nm IR Flashlight

This is a generic IR lamp from the GaiGaiMall IR gear manufacturers. It caught my eye because of the build quality; then, the affordability and features finally drew me in and made me stay. 

The IR flashlight has an IPX65-rated waterproof external casing, which is more reliable under even heavy rains, but total immersion should be avoided. The external aluminum casing is also shockproof, protecting from external physical trauma.

It can be powered by either a single rechargeable 3.7V 18650 battery or three replaceable AAA batteries, depending on your preference and convenience. The battery life strongly depends on the age of the battery and the extent of use.

The IR LED bulb has an adjustable zoom function, which would determine the maximum range.

Pros

Cons

8. UltraFire 850nm IR illuminator

This product from UltraFire literally cannot be overhyped. It offers a premium-quality build and additional features, all accompanied by reasonable pricing.

It has a typical IR LED with an 850nm wavelength beam and adjustable zoom. The adjustable zoom gives two main modes: the floodlight mode, with a maximum range of 90M, and the spot beam mode, with a maximum range of up to 220M!

The external build quality is high, made with high-quality aluminum. Its exterior casing is properly shockproof and waterproof, with an IP rating of IPX65. This can be used under even heavy rains, but as usual, you should avoid total immersion.

The IR LED bulb is powered by either a single rechargeable 3.7V 18650 battery or three AAA batteries. And as usual, the battery life would be determined by the extent of the batteries’ use and age.

Pros

Cons

The final choice on which of these IR illuminators to purchase would depend on your needs and budget. 

What to Consider Before Purchasing the Best IR Illuminator for Hunting — A Buyers’ Guide

In this section, I will include criteria you should be on the lookout for when purchasing your best infrared flashlight. Regardless of your budget, you should make sure that whatever product you finally go with should satisfy these criteria to a large extent.

During this guide’s course, I’m also going to be explaining the meaning of some of the more technical terms for the first-timers. It is essential to know what these terms mean and how they influence your ultimate choice of an IR illuminator to ensure that you get your money’s worth.

*All the products included in the list above passed these criteria with flying colors—hence their inclusion.

Consider the following factors:

What is the Range?

This is definitely one of the more critical factors to be considered, not only when purchasing IR flashlights but also when buying any lighting equipment. It is simply the distance the light produced by your flashlight can cover while giving you the maximum possible clarity.

This particular factor draws a line between the average to good and the spectacular infrared lights. Since hunting is the primary purpose for the purchase, you should look for the best long-range IR illuminator (not less than a couple hundred meters) that your budget can secure.

Making use of a scope on your rifle or crossbow increases your range of sight. 

What is the Wavelength?

This might be a bit more difficult to grasp for a beginner than the concept of range, but I’ll do my best to explain it as quickly as possible. 

Even though we cannot see it, light travels in wave cycles, like the ripples seen in a lake disturbed by a pebble. A beam of light is a combination of billions of individual waves invisible to the natural eye.

Each individual light wave cycle has a crest (the highest point) and a trough (the lowest point). The distance between two consecutive crests is the wavelength of the light wave and is measured in nanometers (1 billionth of a meter).

Humans generally respond to light between 380 and 850 nanometers. Anything above or below this range is usually invisible to the human eye. Most IR illuminators have a wavelength of 720 to 950 nanometers. 

For hunting, we recommend that you go with a wavelength of 850nm, as anything above it would be virtually invisible to you and would need a more sensitive and advanced tech to detect it. And anything below the 850nm benchmark would be too bright and may startle the target. 

Note that IR lamps do not emit visible light like regular white LED flashlights. In fact, most times, you can only tell that it’s turned on when the LED chip red light is flashing.  

Hence, to make the best out of your IR illuminator, you need gear to detect IR light and a rifle scope, so you don’t get too close to the target. 

Is it Durable Enough?

Two main durability factors are considered:

Waterproof

As much as we hunting enthusiasts would love to control the weather, we simply can’t. So, you should purchase an IR flashlight with waterproof packaging for protection from damage during those rainy nights or when your handheld device falls into a puddle.

Waterproofing (or more appropriately, water resistance) of electrical devices like phones, watches, and IR illuminators is graded using the IP grading system. You can study the meaning of the IP number attached to your IP illuminator on an IP chart.

As a general rule, the higher the IP number, the longer the illuminator can stay underwater and for higher depths. For instance, an IPX2-rated device offers more water resistance than an IPX1 device.

Since you don’t intend to go scuba diving with your IR illuminator, a simple drip- (IPX1 and IPX2) or splash- (IPX4) resistant device would do for light drizzles to moderate downpours.

Shockproof

Shockproofing means that your device would survive a fall from a greater height onto a hard surface than a non-shockproof device. This is particularly important for handheld devices. 

Just because your IR illuminator is shockproof doesn’t mean you shouldn’t handle it with care, as there are always limits to shockproofing.

How Long is the Life Span?

All light sources’ life span is finite (even military-grade devices), and LEDs are no exception to this rule. Your choice of IR illuminator should offer at least 50,000 hours of illumination before dying out. 

To put that in perspective, that is approximately five and a half years of continuous use! And that is more than enough for whatever purpose it was intended.

What is the Battery Life? 

Most, if not all, handheld IR illuminators are battery powered. They are powered by rechargeable and/or replaceable batteries, so it is difficult to judge an IR illuminator based on this criterion alone. 

As a rule, you shouldn’t go out for a night of hunting without a fully charged battery and a replacement. This makes you better prepared and relaxed, as you don’t have to work always against the clock before your single battery runs out.

FAQs

What is the best IR illuminator?

There are many options on the market depending on your needs or preferences, but if I had to pick just one, I’d go with the UniqueFire 1504, which I personally own.

Can deer see infrared light?

Deer cannot see the light in the infrared (IR) spectrum but can see the light in the green-blue spectrum and ultraviolet light.

What is the acceptable range for an IR illuminator used for hunting?

There’s really no consensus on the best long range IR illuminators. It is best to select one with the longest possible range you can, as this enables you to keep a greater distance between you and your hunting target. Using a scope can increase the distance between you and the target, so you don’t have to get too close. 

Conclusion

Since we would love to get the fanciest and best IR illuminator for hunting, budget constraints can be a limiter. However, there are great IR illuminators across all budget brackets. So, you can rest easy knowing that whatever your budget is, there is an IR illuminator for you that fulfills all the purchase criteria—durability, wavelength, battery life, range, and life span.