The first type of situation that immediately presents itself is that of an emergency. In instances that anyone could find themselves in, such as

Having a flashlight that does not rely solely on battery-drawn power can make all of the difference. Travelers who keep hand crank dynamos in their cars are much safer than those who only have a battery-dependant flashlight or, worse yet, no flashlight at all. Vacationers and visitors to third-world countries or places where electricity is scarce or unreliable and disposable batteries are difficult, if not impossible to find, a hand crank flashlight is an absolute necessity.

How many times have you been in a situation around the house where you needed a flashlight, only to find out that the batteries in yours were dead? When you are home alone and hear a noise outside in the dark? When the power goes out and you need to check the breaker switches? When your car won't start and you need to find your jumper cables? A hand crank flashlight takes away that risk, as well as the frustration of trying to find fresh batteries in the dark or when you are in the middle of a task. Instead of hunting for new batteries, all you would have to do is crank the flashlight for a bit and you would have light. Cases of blown fuses, power outages, blown bulbs and other around-the-house circumstances present themselves on a regular basis, and having a hand crank light readily available without the aggravation of dead batteries just makes life simpler.

An additional situation in which hand crank lanterns are very helpful is that of those who love being in the outdoors. Those hikers, bikers, campers, hunters and fishermen among us who keep a flashlight with them for the unexpected scenarios that present themselves out of doors. Simply keeping a hand cranked flashlight in a pack along with other survival gear can save a person's life. Keeping a battery-operated flashlight along with fresh batteries that must be replaced regularly even if they are not used to guarantee their function when necessary is inconvenient, frustrating and undesirable as extra unnecessary items in such a pack make it heavier and more cumbersome to carry. Much more user-friendly is a single wind up lantern clipped inside the pack for lightweight, easy-to-access and dependable light; these make the perfect survival flashlight for every outdoor situation.

Hand powered flashlights come in all kinds of varieties, shapes and sizes. Some are even more than mere crank lights. As a matter of fact, a hand crank radio or hand crank siren is frequently included in the same device as the battery-free flashlight, giving the user a two-for one or even a three-for-one function in a single device. There are even configurations available for today's modern user in mind, with ports for USB devices such as iPods and others with ports for cell phones. This makes a muscle-powered multi-use rechargeable flashlight a necessity in vehicles, where adapters for such devices as phones and MP3 players can become quite costly quickly. Many have solar panels in case there is a problem with the device's cranking mechanism, or even transistor radio capabilities, making it easier to call for help when it is needed. This can be a lifesaver in situations where cell phones are out of range or have been damaged or lost.