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Reviewer's
Impressions:
The Streamlight Key-Mate has got to be the absolute cutest
light I have ever seen. It looks just light its bigger brothers,
but it's so tiny!
Fit and finish are very good for a keychain light. The anodize
is even and smooth, the threads are clean, the O-ring makes
a positive seal, and the keychain and pocket clip are surprisingly
durable. The lens is unbreakable Polycarbonate.
Construction seems to be almost exactly like what you would
expect from a larger professional aluminum flashlight, simply
on a smaller scale.
Output is good for a keychain light. Since the light uses
button cells, the output diminishes rapidly, decreasing to
50% of its original output in about 1 to 2 hours. After the
initial drop, the brightness slowly decreases. This type of
output curve is typical of all lights using alkaline batteries,
except that LED lights maintain usable brightness for a much
longer period of time than incandescent lights.
It should be noted that there is a plastic cover that surrounds
the batteries to keep them from touching the sides of the
light. When you change the batteries, don't lose that little
piece of plastic. Slip it back into the light and then drop
in the replacement batteries.
Beam quality is good, casting a smooth directional flood
of light more than sufficient for finding keyholes, dropped
articles, and any other close-up work in the dark. Output
on new batteries was surprisingly good.
The light is water resistant, being in the "dunkable"
category. I would not recommend operating the switch underwater.
If it's dropped in a puddle, shake it off and keep on going.
I wish there was more to say about this light, but there
really isn't. It's a really cute little pocket or keychain
light that is made with the same quality and attention to
detail as Streamlights' larger lights. Very cute and very
usable.
+ + + Pluses: Water resistant, Tough,
Bright initially, Easy battery change, Lightweight
- - - Minuses: Dims rapidly over life
of batteries/no regulation, Batteries not the most common
type, but generally readily available
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