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Detailed
Information:
The first thing I noticed when I picked up the Stinger
was that it felt extremely solid. Almost like it was
machined out of a single piece of metal with no moving
parts. It just feels good in the hand.
The anodized aluminum body is textured for grip, as
is the bezel focus ring. The battery stick can be replaced
by removing the tailcap. There are chargers available
that can charge an additional battery stick for quick
changes when needed. The chargers are designed to be
mounted on a surface and the spring loaded arms grip
the flashlight very well.
The kit received for evaluation included
both the household current charger and the automotive
charger. Streamlight recommends that the auto charger
be used in an unswitched manner so that the light is
always receiving power. This will help guarantee that
it is always topped off.
The textured reflector does a pretty good job of reducing
the beam artifacts that come along with a focusing flashlight.
The wide focus does have the typical central hole in
the beam, but just before that point the beam spreads
out very nicely without any artifacts.
Light output is very bright. A spare bulb is in the
base of the light in case of failure. The lamp is accessed
by unscrewing the focus ring all the way until the bezel
cover, lens, and reflector come out.
Runtime Plot: Runtime is right in line with manufacturer
statements - about 1 hour of good output.
More
information on runtime plots is available HERE.
The switch is on the side of the head and is a simple
click switch protected by a rubber cover. Depress partially
for momentary on, press until it clicks for constant
on. Runtime on a 10 hour charge is about 1 hour.
The light also has UL listings for use in various hazardous
environments. Charging, however, should only be done
in a safe environment.
What I Liked: Water resistant,
tough, and has a very solid feel. Extremely bright and
has a good beam. It's not too big, but not too small
in size - it just fits in the hand well. Can be left
on the charger until needed. Includes chargers for home
and auto use. Fast chargers are available.
What I Didn't Like: Not a thing.
Other Things I Noticed: Short run
time means it's not for everybody. Should be great for
fire/police/rescue applications where it can be plopped
back into a fast charger in the vehicle.
Conclusions: I really like this
light. It's a quality piece of work with a very bright
beam. Its output is easily comparable to lithium 123A
battery lights. Since it's rechargeable, over the long
term it's a lot less expensive to run than disposable
battery lights. I'm granting 4½ Stars to this
one for the quality of construction, output, UL hazardous
environment ratings, and accessories that come with
it.
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