Torches in a plastic case

Plastic

— lanterns, in the design of which plastic is used; most often this is the only case material, however, models are also produced where plastic is combined with metal.

By itself, this material has a low cost, relatively low weight and low thermal conductivity. The latter makes it suitable for low temperatures (in particular, a plastic flashlight "cools" the hand less when held). On the other hand, in terms of strength, it loses to metal, and it is less pleasant to the touch at normal temperatures. As a result, in its pure form, plastic is found mainly among flashlights designed for maximum weight reduction — in particular, headbands and tourist devices (see "Type")

As for the combination of metal with plastic, this is a rather rare option, used mainly in headlamps (or models that allow this option, among others). In such devices, at least a part of the lantern is usually made of metal, including a lamp and optics, and often the entire “head”; other hard parts (platform for attaching to belts, buckles on belts, etc.) are made of plastic. Another, rarer option is models for traditional carrying in hands (“compacts”, lamps, tourist, etc.); in them, the most critical parts are made of metal, requiring high strength and reliability, and the rest of the structure is made of plastic.

Anyway, the combination of two types of materials allows you to achieve greater strength than in all-plastic cases, at a lower weight and cost than in all-metal cases. On the other hand, such trade-offs rarely turn out to be the optimal choice in fact, for a number of reasons; that is why they are relatively rare.