Streamlight Stinger Review

Streamlight Stinger

Are you a police officer or a security guard taking your duty day or night all year round? Then you need a dependable and powerful flashlight. The Streamlight Stinger Review and flashlights have been on duty for years.
 The newest version with the Cree’s C4 LED chip features smart enhancements and it will help you in your daily assignments in a reliable manner.

Streamlight Stinger Review The Body

The dimensions of this Stinger flashlight are 8.85 inches (about 22.5 cm) long, 1.17 inches (about 3 cm) in diameter at the body, and 1.62 inches (about 4.1 cm) in diameter at the head. The weight is 12.8 ounces (364 grams).

Size is just right:

• It is not too big, not too small. Therefore it is easy to grasp securely, yet not too bulky to carry around. It is just the size to comfortably fit tucked under your arm. You can easily keep it in the patrol car. You can wear it on your duty belt and forget it there: it will be ready to shine every time it is needed.

The body is machined from a solid block of 6000 series aircraft-grade aluminum:

Aircraft-grade aluminum:

• 6000 series aluminum provides good corrosion resistance and good mechanical strength, excellent for field use under many circumstances.

• The simplified machining decreases the price of manufacturing. It maintains a structural integrity a lot better than if it were made from separate parts.

The flashlight benefits from a nonslip, rubberized grip:

Rubberized grip:

• It gives you an increased comfort and it sticks even to your sweaty hands when in a hurry or in the excitement of a tough action.

• An anti-roll rubber ring is placed on the head, so that it won’t roll off the table if you lay it down.

The front end of the Stinger flashlight is equipped with an unbreakable polycarbonate lens with scratch-resistant coating:

Polycarbonate lens:

• It is 10 times more impact resistant than plastic lenses. It is 35% lighter and thinner than standard plastic lenses. It is hard-coated for excellent durability and scratch resistance. These properties again are beneficial to the durability of your tool, increasing dramatically its usefulness in many circumstances.

A deep-dish parabolic reflector is used:

• It produces a concentrated, well-shaped center beam, almost laser-like while the surrounding peripheral light is adequate to illuminate large areas at night. This is great to walk in rough terrain while illuminating a distant target.

• You don’t have to focus or adjust anything; the permanent setting is just perfect. You don’t need to worry and to keep your hands busy with fancy adjustments.

The Streamlight Stinger Review will resist rough treatments:

• It was tested for a 1-meter impact resistance, enough to withstand a fall from a table or from the seat of your vehicle, even on a hard surface.

• It is IPX4-rated for water resistance: it is ready to withstand rain and splashing water but, please, do not submerge it for any lengthy time. If waterproofing is a requirement, you can find other lights more adequate than this one (IPX-8-rated).

An optional red lens can be fitted; this is ideal for a mission where you need low light output.

Light emitter, output and operation
This beautiful flashlight is equipped with the super-bright C4 Cree LED :

Streamlight Stinger C4 LED

C4 Cree LED:

• It runs much longer before the batteries need to be changed. It is impervious to shock and virtually unbreakable since the C4 LED has no glass or filament. The light is rugged enough so that in won’t break if dropped hard like a bulb light would do. It has an almost infinite life, around 50,000 hours. It generates less heat, and thus lasts a longer time than incandescent models.

• The brightness is up to 3 times more light intensity as compared with a regular LED. The emitted light is also purer and whiter than with conventional torches. You will be able to distinguish colors without distortion.

The Streamlight Stinger LED DS flashlight features four output modes:

Streamlight Stinger Specifications

Four output modes:

• High output mode: up to 2 hours, 350 lumens, effective range 310 m. This is a super bright output capable to illuminate a distant target.

• Medium output mode: up to 3:45 hours, 175 lumens, effective range 219 m. This is a bright output, still very capable of a long range reach and with an optimized battery life, perfect for long night patrols.

• Low output mode: up to 7:15 hours, 85 lumens, effective range 155 m. This output gives an excellent light without glare and with extended runtime. It can last a full shift.

• Strobe mode: up to 5:30 hours. This mode is very effective for disorienting bad guys and useful for signaling your position in case of an emergency.

This flashlight is equipped with DS Technology (DS stands for Dual-Switch):

Streamlight Stinger Dual Switch

Dual-Switch:

• This technology allows three variable lighting modes and one strobe mode via the tail cap switch or the head-mounted switch. Switches operate independently. This feature allows you to use it in “patrol mode” with the head switch or in “tactical mode” with the tail switch. You can also operate the light with soft press without clicking.

• The swithes have been tested to 1 million actuations. However, a few users have reported early failures.

Output is micro-chip regulated:

• This circuit provides consistent performance throughout the battery life.

• There is no “memory” function: the Stinger flashlight turns ON at full intensity.

Power supply
This Streamlight Stinger flashlight uses three rechargeable 3.6-volt sub-C batteries.

Streamlight Stinger ships with rechargeable batteries:

• Nickel cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries are standard equipment; optional Nickel-Metal Hydride (NI-MH) packs are available for European markets, mainly for environmental concerns. Use of nonstandard Streamlight-made batteries is compulsory due to the contact arrangement in the flashlight. This characteristic can be considered as a drawback.

• The batteries are rechargeable up to 1,000 times. No loss in performance is experienced when the batteries reach the end of their charge cycle.

• The flashlight may be stored in the charger when not in use, therefore compensating for the self-discharge current when the light is OFF. You can start your shift every time with a freshly charged light. There is an exception when the ambient temperature falls below 10°F (-12°C). Charging batteries at these low temperatures is not recommended. You have to pay attention to this characteristic if you are assigned to a remote location in cold weather.

The flashlight comes with an AC/DC charger for home or car; the latter feature will be handy if you need to charge on a long mission trip.

Streamlight Stinger Dual Switch

AC/DC charger for home or car:

• The charger comes with an indicator light which indicates when “charging” and “finished”. The steady charger will recharge the Stinger LED flashlight in 10 hours. An optional fast charger will do the job in 2.5 hours; this is valuable if you have to go out on short notice after returning from a previous mission.

• An optional Piggyback ® charger features a holder for a spare battery. This nice feature allows you to work continuously for extended periods of time. Just swap batteries and off you go again.

Warranty
A Streamlight’s Limited Lifetime Warranty is provided. It covers the user against manufacturing defects except batteries and bulbs, abuse and normal wear. Rechargeable batteries, chargers, switches and electronics have a 2-year warranty with proof of purchase.

General Streamlight Stinger Review

Overview:

• Constructed to be easily recharged at home or in your patrol car.

• Very easy to operate due to the dual switch feature.

• On this Streamlight Stinger reviews has been on the market for a while and has proved itself to be one of the best flashlights for everyday use.

• This light is adequately designed for law enforcement people for whom a freshly charged light every day at the beginning of their shift is of importance.

Best Tactical Flashlight For Military As Seen On TV

Military Flashlight

Among the worldwide users of flashlights for many different purposes, there is one category that has unique requirements: the armed forces. Actually, their needs and constraints are more stringent than for any other group of users in terms of functionality and dependability. We are going to examine a few of the key features that are required to make a best tactical flashlight for military.

Red light

Red Light Filter

One of the most noticeable differences with a standard flashlight is that a military flashlight needs to be able to output a beam of red light. The cone of red light preserves the night vision of the operator: if the soldier suddenly wants to look out into the darkness, he won’t see much if he was using a white light but this does not happen with a red light. The color is similar to that of a red chem light, much less likely to be seen from a distance.

Red light does not reflect as much as white light. And whatever amount is reflected is very hard to see. This characteristic is useful for the soldier who needs to read a map at night. Colors on the paper are designed to show well under red lighting and the soldier can see his map conveniently without the risk of being detected by an observer because reflection on the paper is low. Additionally, ambient light (side lighting that is out of the main beam) is very low as well.

Another characteristic is that you can’t see the red beam in the dark between the source and the target. If you look at the target you will see it illuminated. If you look into the source, right in front of it, you will see the luminous spot. But in between, the beam is unnoticeable from the side thus the soldier holding the light is very difficult to detect.

Red light does not travel very far. The beam fades out sooner than white light. The soldier can still illuminate things around him, however not very far away, while still remaining undetected.

Red light:

• Military flashlight must emit red light or have a red light filter (integrated or attachable).

• Red light allows eyes to remain adapted to the dark.

• Red light makes most colors more visible than other colored lights.

• Red light reflects from surfaces less than other colors and it is a lot harder to see reflected red light.

• Red color light travels only short distances.

• On the opposite, green lights are not as useful because they kill night vision and are not as good for color rendering.

Infrared light

Infrared light is an electromagnetic radiation with wavelength longer than visible light. It is not visible to the naked eye. It produce non visible, glare free light. It is useful to illuminate objects that can then be seen through night vision devices which produce clear and bright vision of the environment. It can also be used for other purposes beyond the scope of this paper.

Infrared light:

• Infrared light is not visible to the naked eye.

• This is a feature you should consider if your plan to use it with an active type of night vision device.

Angle head Flashlights On Best Tactical Flashlight For Military

Military Anglehead Flashlight

A well known design for Best tactical flashlight for military, angle head flashlight design allows hands-free use. It is designed with a crooked shape so that it can illuminate forward while the body is maintained in an upright position. It is provided with a side clip so that you can wear your light on your tactical belt and still use it to light up the area in front of you. It is also frequently fitted with a D-shaped ring on the base, making it easy to hang the angle head flashlight from a support.

The light source will preferably be made with an LED component rather than a more traditional bulb. LEDs shine up to 50,000 working hours, even more in some cases. Said otherwise, it has a lifetime duration.

Angle Head Flashlight:

• Angle head flashlights have a crookneck design.

• It has a belt clip on the side and enables hands-free use.

• The LED design means that there is no need to carry extra bulbs.

Dependability
One of the most important requirements for a military flashlight is that it must work reliably under any conditions or circumstances. The body, most of the times, must be made of aerospace grade aluminum with hard anodized coating or, in some instances, of very tough rubber. It must be temperature resistant as well as water and shock resistant, as rough treatment and even abuse will be just normal for this tool.

Dependability:

• Reliability is just the top requirement for military flashlight.

• It must work under high and low temperatures.

• It must be water resistant. This is achieved with the case design and o-ring seals on all openings.

• It must also be shock resistant, achieved with the hard body design and use of LED source.

Conclusion: What Makes A Good Best Tactical Flashlight For Military?

Conclusion:

• Red color for a military flashlight is a must.

• Angle head flashlight has been a standard feature for military flashlight for years.

• Dependability and durability are the most desired characteristics as seen on TV.

Fenix Flashlight Review

In this Fenix Flashlight Review, Founded in 2004, Fenixlights Limited specialized in producing high-end, high quality illumination instruments, from the smallest keychain flashlight to the most sophisticated high output torch.
The range of Fenix flashlights developed so far is quite extensive, ranging from simple to sophisticated flashlights, adapted to various kinds of circumstances and various levels of power and sizes, headlamps, bike lights with dual output feature.

Across the years they have been awarded many prizes, including a number of “five-star awards” from the American Flashlight Review Authority as well as “Best of Flashlights” awarded by the International Flashlight Review website.

Fenix is a Chinese company. They were the first one to introduce compliance with ANSI standards in China. They are quality conscious and tend to build their lighting tools with the best of the current technology. Quality checks are present along the whole manufacturing process in their dedicated factory. They are so confident in their quality control that they provide warranty for all of their products in three steps: 15 days free replacement, 24 months free repair and limited lifetime warranty (they will charge for spare parts however).

Why choose Fenix flashlights?

• Fenix Flashlight Review does not trade off performance while at the same time being always compliant with ANSI standards.

• I don’t really care where my Fenix flashlight is made as long as it delivers what was advertised, is fairly priced and is top quality.

• I have heard that Fenix takes their manufacturing processes very seriously and has even built a dedicated factory.

• Fenix is very serious when it comes to quality control. Their products are very consistent in quality and performance.

• Your Fenix flashlight is backed by a limited lifetime warranty.

Technical Fenix Flashlight Review


One of the major concerns for a flashlight user is to be able to balance the highest output possible for the particular application with the battery energy consumption so as to have a run time as extended as possible. This power management is an important feature to look after when choosing a flashlight. In this respect, an electronic regulation is a tool used in all Fenix flashlights which allows for a more efficient use of the energy available while at the same time providing a high quality and stable output.
Another item of interest is the ergonomic design. Your Fenix flashlight will be more comfortable to use if you can hold it securely and comfortably in hand. This includes adequate shaping of the body, non-slip surface and anti-roll device such as a hex ring on the head for example which will prevent the light from rolling off the table when you lay it down. The ergonomic design also includes the number, position and ease of use of the controls. You need at least an ON-OFF power switch and, as the case may be, a means to switch between operating modes when several of them are available. This function can be achieved either with a combined switch or with a separate function switch.

Good quality flashlights are built with LED chips as light sources. These components are much more reliable than old-fashioned incandescent bulbs or even more recent xenon bulbs. Fenix purchases their LEDs from specialized manufacturers. One of the key characteristics of these components is the color temperature which governs the color of the emitted light is: yellowish at one end, more or less white in the middle and bluish at the other end of the range. I’ve had more than a couple of Fenix flashlights over the years. There were instances that I’ve had a couple of the same model. It appears that their LEDs are not always consistent in their color temperature for one specific model.

Quality:

• Power management. Fenix flashlight design is known for balancing out output power and run times very well.

• All of their lights are microchip regulated. They use power more efficiently and keep LED brightness at the same level through the lifetime of a battery.

• Fenix flashlights are always ergonomically designed. Their controls are always intuitive and easy to operate.

• I will overstate by saying that Fenix flashlights always deliver brightness (lumens) as was advertised.

• There is one area they need to improve. It is the consistency in their color temperature. This is an issue they need to resolve with their LED suppliers.

Conclusion:

Conclusion about Fenix Flashlight Review:

• Fenixlights Ltd. is a great manufacturer of flashlights making dependable instruments.

• I’ve had more than a couple of their flashlights and they have never disappointed me.

• There are some minor issues I would like them to fix in some of their models but all in all Fenix is a very solid manufacturer.

18650 Battery Flashlight Review

This 18650 battery flashlight it's Independent energy sources for portable devices have always been a matter of research and discussion. It all depends on the particular application the source will be used in. Requirements will not be the same for motors, lighting – whether stationary or mobile – low current drain devices, appliances permanently ON or frequently switched ON-OFF, etc. For use in flashlights, it appears that the most desirable features are the energy density that can be stored, the capacity of outputting high current, the size and weight.

Today there is a wide range of battery cells available.

Main categories of battery cells:

• Disposable cells, also called primary cells: saline/alkaline, Lithium (Li),

• Rechargeable cells, also called secondary cells: Ni-Cd or Ni-MH, Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) and other less common lithium-derived components.

• Arguments for selecting the most adequate type of battery are beyond the scope of this paper. We shall focus on the particular 18650 battery which is of the Li-Ion rechargeable cell type.

A word on terminology. Strictly speaking, a cell is a single element which outputs its natural voltage (e.g. 1.5V for an alkaline primary cell). A battery is an assembly of several cells allowing for a higher voltage (series connection) or higher current and capacity (parallel connection) or a combination of both. However, in common language, it is usual that a cell used as a finished element be referred to as a single-cell battery or just a battery for short.

Why 18650 Battery Flashlight?

Before flashlights adopted them, 18650 battery flashlight cells were industrial parts mostly used as components making up larger battery assemblies (e.g. laptop batteries). Then flashlight manufacturers adopted them in view of their characteristics which make them very suitable for that particular use.

Physical properties of 18650 Battery Flashlight

These batteries are called 18650 because of their (approximate) dimensions: 18.6 mm in diameter × 65.2mm in length. This style of denomination has become a sort of standard in the industry. For example, we can find 14500 cells (14×50 mm), the size of an AA alkaline battery.

• But watch out: some brands are slightly bigger than others with the same denomination so you’d better check for compatibility with your flashlight before investing your money.

Most of the flashlights that take two CR123s will take one 18650. The difference in voltages is taken care of by the electronic circuitry of the flashlight.

Electrical properties of 18650 Battery Flashlight

18650 batteries flashlight are lithium so they pack extremely high energy density. Output voltages vary from 3.7V to 4.2V and the power to weight and size ratio is better than with other technologies. They usually have a very low self-discharge rate and no memory effect. 18650s usually can be recharged up to 600-1000 times, depending on the brand.

18650 Batteries Flashlight Properties:

• One 18650 has about as much power as three Ni-MH standard AAs.

• Using 18650 instead of two CR123s is recommended because 18650 will last longer.

• The shelf life is extended allowing for long time storage.

• They don’t need to be fully discharged before recharge.

• They give a very good mileage for what you pay.

Safety
Due to their chemical content, batteries in general are potentially dangerous parts. Usually, any 18650 battery has a protection against over temperature (PTC) and over pressure (CID).

There was a time when 18650 cells were reputed to be prone to explode but this was changed with the addition of a Protective Circuit Board (PCB). Such batteries are called Protected 18650s. The PCB is inserted at the bottom of the cell. The protection works against over current (short circuit), over charge and over discharge. A protected 18650 is slightly longer and bigger than an unprotected one. They should be named by the proper designation: 19670 (19mm x 67mm) although for historic reasons, most people including manufacturers keep using the incorrect designation: protected 18650.

Safety tips:

• Use a protected 18650 as it will shut down if one of the monitored conditions is met.

• You must check for size compatibility with your particular flashlight. In case of a tight fit, you can try the R17670 which has approximately 70% of the capacity of the standard R19670 (~18650); this should be adequate for most applications and you can always carry a charged spare battery in case you work on extended night shifts.

• Lithium batteries in general can be dangerous if handled carelessly. 18650 battery is no exception. Do not overheat, incinerate, reverse polarity, mix voltages and do not use damaged ones.

Best batteries to choose from

We present two brands of 18650 batteries. Both are PCB protected. They are top quality and very durable. Both get top review marks from multiple reviewers.

Best batteries to choose:

• High capacity: Panasonic NCR18650A 3400 mAh but also high proced:

• Tenergy 18650 2600mAh Protected Battery

• Tenergy 18650 2600mAh Protected Battery

More affordable price: Tenergy 18650 2600mAh Protected Battery (If a little bit lower quality is not an issue get two of these instead of one of the above).

Conclusion:

Why is 18650 battery adequate for a tactical flashlight:

• This cell benefits from high capacity and power density. It is a power house in a small package.

• Use of unprotected cells is not recommended or extreme caution must be exercised not to overcharge or over discharge them.

• It has no memory effect therefore it does not need to be discharged before recharging.

• The cost of ownership is very low despite the initial purchase price.

Best CR123a Rechargeable Battery

CR123A Rechargeable Battery

Many modern flashlights are fitted with Best Cr123a Rechargeable Lithium batteries as their power source. These batteries are disposable, also known as primary batteries. In view of the replacement cost of these batteries, users have been looking for a rechargeable substitute. Today, many battery manufacturers do offer a solution to this search: the CR123A rechargeable cell.

This article is intended to discuss PROs and CONs about these batteries with a word of caution about their use.

Properties

The CR123A rechargeable cell is also known as RCR123A.

RCR123A cells are typically about 1mm longer than is standard CR123A.

RCR123A cells are designed as replacement to the standard CR123A, but keep in mind that sometimes RCR123A can output a higher voltage than standard 3V for CR123A. Actually, it has been found that there are two classes of RCR123A cells: one is giving an output voltage of 3.0 to 3.2 V whereas the other class is outputting 3.7 to 4.2 V for a fully charged cell.

Compared with the primary CR123A battery, the CR123A rechargeable battery has a lower capacity. On the positive side, they do not suffer from the well-known memory problem which is a serious drawback on Ni-Cd batteries.

A number of flashlights are designed to work with two RCR123A. Many of them can also be powered with one 18650 rechargeable battery. The latter can store more electricity (has more ampere hours (Ah)) than two RCR123A cells.

Best Cr123a Rechargeable Battery:

• Due to the physical differences, don’t forget to check the physical compatibility of the desired cell with your particular flashlight.
• Consult your flashlight manual to make sure that internal regulator chip can handle the higher voltage delivered by the CR123A rechargeable, especially if you plan to use the higher output type.
• When you use a regulated flashlight at high output mode, it will step down to the next lower mode when the battery reaches a certain voltage. This will happen earlier with the RCR123A.
• RCR123A batteries can be recharged when only partially depleted without adverse effect.
• If your flashlight uses two CR123A cells, I would recommend getting one 18650 instead of two RCR123A’s. They turn out to be cheaper in the long run due to their higher storage capacity.

Safety

As these batteries are Li-Ion they may explode when overheated, overcharged or over discharged. Most rechargeable cells are equipped with a minimum safety feature protecting them against over temperature in the form of an auto-resettable fuse (PTC) and an over pressure protection (CID).

An additional safety feature is found in high-end batteries. It is an electronic circuitry which safeguards batteries from over charge, over discharge and over current drain. It is called a Protective Circuit Board (PCB). This board is placed at the bottom of the battery (negative end). A battery equipped with such a board is slightly bigger and longer than a standard battery.

• One of the most important things when choosing a battery is to check if it is fitted with a Protective Circuit Board (PCB).
• Check if your flashlight can receive the protected cell in terms of size.
• However you should know that the PCB brings a small reduction in the high power performance of your flashlight.

Alternative technology

There are best Cr123a Rechargeable Battery that are made with LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate). They offer a longer life cycle than other lithium-ion and higher current or peak-power ratings. However, their energy density is 14% lower. LiFePO4 batteries tend to be a little bit bigger than Li-Ion.

On another hand, they have a slower rate of capacity loss (greater shelf life) than standard lithium-ion batteries.

• Caution is advised when choosing a LiFePO4 cell. Make sure it fits into your flashlight.
• Batteries don’t cost a fortune so Li-Ion may still be preferable because of their higher energy density. On the other hand they have a shorter life cycle. It’s your choice to assess the balance between them.
• LiFePO4 cells are supposed to be intrinsically safer than other Li-Ion cells therefore they can be unregulated.

Conclusion:

Best Cr123a Rechargeable Battery are called RCR123A’s.

They are an economical alternative to primary (non-rechargeable) CR123 cells 

One can choose between LiFePO4 and Li-Ion technologies.

•  Li-Ion has more energy density.

• LiFePO4 has greater cycle life.

• LiFePO4 has higher current capability.

For a safe use of Li-Ion batteries it is recommended to choose a model fitted with a Protective Circuit Board (PCB).Avoid cheap brands that do not present the same high characteristics in terms of performance and safety (presence of a PCB but also chemical content). It is wise to rely on well known manufacturers.