What kind of flashlight can you get at this price point? A really good one, that's what kind. This seemed to be promising too much for the dollar amount, but I gave it a try and I'm glad I did.
Firstly, though, about that 180 lumen rating -- she's bright, but 180 seems a little, um, optimistic.... My very informal and very unscientific assessment would be around 120 or so, which is still pretty darn bright. Throw is decent, and the beam is a good balance between spot and fill. Very useful.
The best part is the switching system. You switch between modes using just the pushbutton on/off click switch in the tailcap (as usual, a little pressure gives you momentary on, push in further to click it to constant on). Press once, and you've got high beam. Press twice within .4 seconds, you've got strobe. Press three times within .8 seconds and you cycle to low beam. I like the feel of the switch; there's quite a bit of travel before you hit the constant-on click. The strobe would certainly be disorienting to an attacker, and the bezel and tailcap have the mandatory crennelations (relief cuts) in case you want to, you know, strike somebody in the head or something. Hey, it is a TACTICAL light, right?
Check the dimensions: at 4.68 inches long, 0.90 inch at its largest diameter, and weighing less than 3 ounces with batteries (I'm going by Streamlight's data here, as I don't have a postal scale handy, but that feels about right), this is one small, lightweight flashlight. The head diameter is barely larger than the body, making it sleek and easy to draw from a pocket. The pocket clip seems pretty sturdy, and a nylon holster is included if you prefer that method of carry. Build quality is adequately rugged, and you've got a lifetime guarantee (excluding abuse and batteries).
Quibbles? Well, the anti-roll flats on the side of the head are mighty subtle, and not very effective on even a slight incline; thankfully the pocket clip stops a roll. The batteries rattle a bit in the body, which I can't stand, but wrapping a piece of adhesive tape around each battery will help to quiet that (not too much, you need to be able to get the batteries back out). And if you like a lanyard, you'll have to improvise, as there's no loop for attaching one. Other than that, I can't find anything to gripe about. There's a lot to like here, especially the switching system. It's so light and slim that I'm not even aware of it clipped in my left rear pocket. Great value, my friends. I'm gonna order a couple more!
I have the Surfire Backup to compare this to, and for price buy the Streamlight 88031. If you have to have a heavier feel with a blinding white light get the Surefire Backup (I use it in my job).
Surfire is the Caddy
Streamlight is the dependable Chevy.
Cons with the 88031 as others have said, the strobe should be the third press to the tailcap not the second, but it sure does mess with someone coming at you. I am in the Marines and we tried this out as a warning or to distract someone coming at you. All those we tested the strobe on in the dark hated the disorienting flash. That being said I use the plain bright white light or the dim light much more than a strobe.
Bottom line I'm buying another to put in the car to use a a safety and back up light.
Buy it for work and play. Easy to carry and lots of light.
With their recent price drops for LED lights and the addition of the C4 LED, I ordered a number of Streamlights to do my own comparison. This and the Streamlight Nightfighter are my favorites so far. For comparison, I ordered the below Streamlights-they're listed in order of decreasing PERCEIVED light:
Streamlight 88005 Night Fighter NF, C4 LED Tactical Flashlight, Black (2 CR123) 120 lumens
Designed (with removable doughnut) for use with sidearms/2-handed hold-very comfortable grip.
Seems to be brighter than the higher rated PT-2L, but probably because it has a larger reflector.
Simpler switch design (to eliminate mistakes under stress)-no strobe/various outputs-just push for momentary on-twist the end cap for constant on.
PT-2L (2 CR123) 180/10 lumens
Darn close in output to the Nightfighter, but is slimmer since the head is the size of the body.
For those with larger hands or slight carpal tunnel, the Nightfighter may be more comfortable while holding with a fist grip?
PT-2AA (2 AA) 120/14 lumens
The AA version of the PT-2L if you prefer AA over CR123 batteries, but it's not quite as bright.
Streamlight JR (2 AA) 55 lumens
'Bout the size of a mini Maglite, but an inch? longer-not bad, but I might have preferred it be an inch shorter?
The below are a step below in output and do not have the newer C4 LED.
They're not bad for pocket lights, but they're not really for serious work.
Streamlight Stylus Pro (2 AAA) 24 lumens
Streamlight Microstream (1 AAA) 20 lumens
I have a 2 D-Cell Maglite that I installed the Maglite LED bulb in-the PT-2L puts it to shame!
The LED drop-in for the Maglite was a big improvement, but the beam is tightly focused-if you twist the focusing head, you get more light on the edges, but you have a big dark spot in the middle. The PT-2L puts out more center light than the Maglite with LED (but it's pretty close), but the PT-2L has much better light at the edges-it tends to light up a much bigger area.
I have a few Nightfighters for use with a 2-handed hold of firearms, but ordered some more of the PT-2L to use a glove box lights in all my vehicles. Tough call between it and the Nightfighter, but since I got the PT-2L for around 2/3 (or less) the price of the Nightfighter, and they're going to be in vehicle glove boxes, I opted for more PT-2L models.
This would make a great SERIOUS light for women (or a larger pocket light)-it takes up very little space, but is blindingly bright!
Prices vary-shop around!
EDIT: I've started wearing one of these on my belt at all times, using the included nylon pouch. As stated in my review, the Nightfighter may be slightly brighter, but the PT-2L is smaller/slimmer and in its pouch, it is about the same length as my cell phone belt case.
I found someone with a 3 D-cell LED Maglite for comparison-I wondered if the LED Maglites worked better than mine with the drop-in LED (by Maglite). It appears they made no changes to the reflector/focusing on the LED models vs. my upgraded one-the 3 D-cell LED Maglite seems identical to my 2 D-cell upgraded one for both light output and rendering the focusing head pretty much useless. Maglite really needs to work on their reflector with the LEDs! They throw a decent, but extremely tight beam-if you try to broaden the light with the focusing ring, you get a black hole in the middle with very little light at the edges-the PT-2L puts both of 'em to shame. - Led Flashlight - Flashlight - Tactical - Strobe'
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