By Cody – The Flashlight Guy
For 15 years, I’ve watched portable lighting evolve through clear, defining catalysts. Each one permanently changed the structure of the category.
If you understand those shifts, you can see what’s coming next.
And right now, we’re entering another one.
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atalyst #1: The LED Breakthrough
When I started in 2011, LEDs existed — but they weren’t dominant. Flashlights were still built around old incandescent architecture: tube bodies, reflectors, fragile filaments.
LED maturation changed everything.
It gave us:
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Higher efficiency
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Greater durability
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Smaller form factors
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True electronic driver systems
The flashlight stopped being a mechanical device and became an engineered electronic system. That unlocked new shapes, new output strategies, and new performance expectations.
That was the first modern catalyst.
Catalyst #2: COB and Surface Illumination
Next came COB (Chip-On-Board) LEDs.
Instead of a focused beam, we could now create wide, uniform light panels. That allowed:
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Multi-angle work lights
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Side-light configurations
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Magnetic task lights
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Fold-out lighting systems
Lighting shifted from “point and shoot” to environmental control. COB expanded the category beyond traditional flashlights and into jobsite and utility ecosystems.
That was catalyst number two.
Catalyst #3: The Lumen Acceleration
Then came the lumen race.
When I started, 200 lumens was strong.
Then 1,000 lumens hit.
Then 2,000. 5,000. 10,000. 20,000.
Driver technology improved. Lithium-ion batteries matured. Thermal management advanced. Brightness became the headline.
For years, the market was defined by one word:
More.
But eventually, the question becomes — more for what?
Beyond a certain point, output alone doesn’t create value.
That’s where the next shift begins.
Catalyst #4: Everyday Carry (EDC)
The new catalyst isn’t bigger.
It’s smarter.
Everyday Carry represents a behavioral shift. Consumers want compact, powerful tools that integrate seamlessly into daily life.
EDC is about:
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Pocket-ready durability
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Efficient lumen deployment
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Intelligent UI
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Practical battery systems
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Real-world usability
Right now, most EDC products fall into two extremes: legacy brands or high-priced enthusiast labels. Millions of dollars are exchanged monthly in this space — often at inflated price points.
Here’s the opportunity:
Engineer to enthusiast standards.
Price for the everyday consumer.
Enthusiasts want quality.
Everyday buyers want value.
If you deliver both, you don’t compete for 20% of the market — you expand it.
Kodiak’s Move
At Kodiak, we’ve built our business around recognizing catalysts early and scaling them intelligently.
We embraced LED integration early.
We pushed COB into mainstream retail.
We scaled high-lumen performance into accessible price tiers.
Now we’re doing the same with EDC.
Our Everyday Carry platform is engineered for serious performance — but priced for real people.
Not inflated.
Not gimmicky.
Not niche-only.
This is about disciplined engineering meeting disciplined value.
The Shift Is Underway
Lighting has moved through three major waves over the past decade and a half:
LED integration.
COB expansion.
High-lumen acceleration.
EDC is the fourth.
It’s not about chasing bigger numbers.
It’s about intelligent carry and scalable accessibility.
Kodiak isn’t stepping into this space quietly.
We’re building it to lead.
Pay attention.
The next standard in portable lighting won’t be defined by excess.
It will be defined by purpose.
And we’re just getting started.