Flashlight Reviews

Prometheus Lights Beta QR V2

Last Updated: August 3, 2019
Kickstarter projects – or rather, the resulting products – are rarely featured on this site. The lion’s share of responsibility for that lies with the Kickstarter crew itself: it wasn’t until 2015 that the prohibition on weapons was modified to allow knife-related projects on the platform, after all. That isn’t the only reason, however. Many projects are one-and-done affairs, and even a successful project doesn’t guarantee staying power.

Buy the Beta QR at BladeHQ

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One of those who stuck around is Jason Hui of Prometheus Lights. Now, saying that is a bit disingenuous, as he was in business before the advent of Kickstarter. He was (and is) known for making custom flashlights. His first Kickstarter project, the Prometheus Writes Alpha, was a huge success, and as that project was wrapping up, he launched another: the Beta QR. It was designed to be a keychain light that wasn’t shackled to your keys, and evidently it was a popular idea, as the project beat its $23,500 funding goal five times over. A year or two after that, he updated the design with a new quick-release mechanism, dubbing it the Beta QR V2. That light is the subject of this review.

A quick aside before getting into the meat of the review: I strongly recommend using rechargeable NiMH batteries. Not only will you save money in the long run, but you’ll get better performance along the way. Do not use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries in the Beta QR, and though you can use standard alkaline batteries, be warned that it may corrode the interior of the light over time. Disposable lithium batteries won’t damage the light, but aren’t cheap, either.

General Dimensions and Construction

The Prometheus Lights Beta QR V2 is 2.95” long (3.5” with the QR insert), has a diameter of .55”, and weighs 1.58 ounces including the battery. It’s a compact and pocketable flashlight, even if the brass makes it a bit heavier than one might expect.

Only the brass and copper versions have three output levels, but the real reason I purchased the pricier brass model was simple aesthetics, and the Beta QR has that in spades. Though it arrived with a brilliant polish, it has since developed a patina that looks right at home next to a well-used traditional knife. To put it another way: it wouldn’t look a whit out of place in my grandfather’s tool shed.

If Jason wasn’t very clear that he has this manufactured in China, I’m not sure I would have been able to figure it out on my own. That’s not to disparage his own machining capabilities, but the level of fit and finish on my Beta QR can only be described as immaculate. The threads are smooth, the beam is clean, and it doesn’t rattle or flex in any way. A bit of online research suggests that this is the rule, not the exception to it.

Output, Runtime, and UI

The Beta QR has three output levels: 1 lumen, 15 lumens, and 80 lumens. In an age where thumb-sized lights can put out 900 lumens those numbers may not look good, but bear in mind that the Beta QR runs on a single AAA battery, and most other lights in its battery format have similar output levels. For an everyday carry light, these numbers are fine. The low doesn’t wake up my girlfriend if I’m staying up reading, the high is bright enough for any “bump in the night” situations, and the medium can handle everything in between.

As is standard for a light this size, the beam pattern is all flood, losing brightness between 30 and 40 feet. Jason’s choice of the Nichia 219 emitter is much appreciated, as the warmer tones render color far more accurately than a standard blue-tinted emitter.

The runtimes on the Beta QR are respectable if not stellar. It can put out 1 lumen for 55 hours, 15 lumens for 4 hours, and 80 lumens for 45 minutes. Practically speaking, I swap out the battery once every few months, but that swap is often precipitated by an event where I’m using the highest setting for an extended period of time. It’s only died on me once while I was using it, but then I was running it on high when medium would have done just as well. I only wish hadn’t made that mistake while I was in the bathroom of a processing plant that lacked power.

The user interface on the Beta QR is simple: twist once for 1 lumen, twice for 15 lumens, and thrice for 80 lumens. Though not as intuitive as a staged twisty (where all output levels are accessible through a single, continuous twist), it’s easy to use and to explain to others.

Ergonomics and Carry

It shouldn’t come as a revelation that the Beta QR is great in the hand. There are no buttons, crenelations, or awkward pocket clips, and every facet has been debuffed to the point that the brass feels almost soft to the touch. For most people (myself included), it’s a three finger grip, as your middle and ring finger will hold the body tube while your index finger and thumb twist the head. It works just as well in a cigar grip or between the teeth. The scallops on the body aren’t just aesthetic, either: they improve the grip at least as well as knurling would, just with more flair. It tailstands like a champ, but also has a tendency to roll away if left on its side.

Of course, the real selling point of the Beta QR is the Quick Release. The original used a push button mechanism occasionally seen on keychains, but the V2 features a canted coil spring that significantly improves the design. Instead of a mechanism that needs to be fiddled with, all that’s required to separate the Beta QR from your keys is a firm pull.

The redesign has led to the release of a pocket clip and a prototype flex arm, neither of which would work with the original. Sadly, I have to admit that as cool as the QR is, that’s not how I actually carry it. For the most part, I carry it in a leather slip or just toss it in my pocket. It was thrown on my keys a few times for the sake of due diligence, and there it did fine. Just not my cup of tea.

Prometheus Lights Beta QR – Final Thoughts

To recap: the Beta QR is a great light. Full stop. If I had to complain, I’d say that it’s not a terribly ambitious design, but that’s no sin. Judged in a vacuum, it’s practically flawless.

Its shortcomings only become apparent when compared to other 1xAAA lights. Three in particular stand out, the first of which is the SureFire Titan Plus. It boasts a significantly higher lumens count at 300, even if it lacks a true low setting and doesn’t feature a high CRI emitter. The Peak Eiger can get up to 200 lumens and has tons of customization options (plus a bit of cool tech), but is held back by a finicky UI and shorter runtimes. The third is, of course, the Lumintop Worm. Lumintop is likely the manufacturer Jason contracted to produce the Beta QR, and from what I can tell, the Worm predates the Beta QR. It’s not a rebrand: the Worm doesn’t have either iteration of the QR and doesn’t always have a Nichia 219 emitter, but if neither of those matter to you, the Worm might be something to look at.

That said, who would I recommend this light to? This may sound odd, but I think it’s for anyone who wants a 1xAAA light and doesn’t know what they’re looking for beyond that. The Beta QR has everything someone would (and should) expect out of a 1xAAA light, no clear flaws, and an innovative carry option that has tons of unexplored potential. The other options are good, and in some ways substantially better, but compromised in ways that require an informed opinion.

Next up: the Seiko Alpinist.

Prometheus Lights Beta QR – From $53.00
From: BladeHQ

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Prometheus Lights Beta Quick Release v2 Keychain Flashlight with Multiple Light Modes, High CRI Pocket Flashlight for EDC (Copper)

QUICK-RELEASE KEYCHAIN FLASHLIGHT. The intuitive design allows you to easily detach the flashlight from your keyring when you need light. Accidental disengagement is virtually impossible and engagement is verified by a solid click every time!
SUPERIOR LIGHT QUALITY. See colors as you would on a bright sunny day. Cheap LED flashlights have a limited color spectrum that washes out your subject with a harsh "hospital" light. Our flashlight delivers 92+ CRI - a clear, natural light.
PROFESSIONAL GRADE IN A COMPACT SIZE. Precision-engineered components from premium materials make this flashlight lightweight and reliable. Fits in the palm of your hand. Add the Beta to your keychain without adding bulk and weight. Perfect for EDC.
EVERY DAY CARRY FLASHLIGHT. The quick-release mechanism lets you effortlessly take it on and off your keyring. Adapts to all your needs, whether it's in the lab, office or home. Made for every day carry convenience.
THREE LIGHT MODES. Low/Medium High. Low: 1 Lumen. Medium: 15 Lumens at 19 meters. High: 80 Lumens at 30 meters. Easy to use Twist On/Off function and Mode Cycling.

I recommend buying the Prometheus Lights Beta QR at BladeHQ or Amazon. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Olight S1 Baton Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 13 Comments

Last Updated: September 16, 2019
With some pieces of gear appreciation takes a while. Advantages and charms are subtle, and only appear over a long period of use. With others, their positive qualities are immediate and obvious. Almost from the second you start using it, you understand and appreciate it.

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So it was, for me, with the Olight S1 Baton. As soon as I had it out of the packaging and put in a battery, I knew I loved it. This is a phenomenal light. It’s less a case of perfection than one of consistent excellence in nearly every category. The things that are bad are minor, and the things that are good are so good that, in some ways, I feel like they couldn’t be improved.

Foolish thoughts, of course, but any time a product inspires such thoughts I think it’s worth it to sit up and pay attention. The Olight S1 Baton is a top-tier piece of kit.

General Dimensions and Construction

The Olight S1 Baton is 2 3/8” long, and ¾” across as its widest point. With the battery in, it weighs 1.6 oz. Very light, but the weight distribution is such that there’s a pleasant heft to the S1 with the battery in. The S1 Baton is available in raw or rose gold copper, polished or bead blasted titanium, or, like mine, in standard black anodized aluminum. It uses a 1xCR123a battery.

The fit and finish of the S1 is thoroughly competent. The Type III anodization is clean, and seems to be more durable than the job on my Microstream. The threads all work smoothly without any drama or a break-in period. The blue accents give this otherwise extremely utilitarian-looking design a little character without being obtrusive or corny.

The S1 Baton is so-called because it features a magnet in the tail cap that allows you to stick it to something for hands free use (like a…baton? I don’t really get the naming convention). The magnet is removable, and before I got it I thought it was something I was going to get rid of, but I ended up really liking it. I keep it stuck to my nightstand lamp so it’s always in the same place if I go looking for it in the middle of the night. A surprisingly handy feature.

The S1’s clip is a friction fit clip. The clip is oriented for ‘tip up’ carry, if you will. Situated the way it is, you can clip it to a hat brim for hands-free operation without the need of an S-style clip. It runs almost the length of the light and is made of surprisingly thick steel.

Instead of a standard reflector, the S1 utilizes a TIR optic. TIR stands for Total Internal Reflection. As a journeyman flashoholic I don’t understand all the attendant TIR arcana, but I do know that it is supposed to produce clean, even beams. I’ll discuss the performance below, but note here that you might be surprised at how the S1’s optic looks – I know I was. It’s concave, made from some sort of polycarbonate, with a raised piece in the center. Not bad, just unusual.

Output, Runtime, and UI

The S1’s specs feel very current, even months after its release. The high of 500 lumens is shocking to see, flaring out of a light this small. I don’t know how practical it is. I haven’t used it all that much for anything other than showing off, but it’s nice to know that it’s there if I ever need it.

Much more useful is are medium and low at 80 and 8 lumens, respectively. The medium setting, for me, is ideal for illuminating the path during night walks. The 8 lumen low is deceptively bright, more than enough for checking under couches or searching for dropped keys in a parking lot. I was a little hesitant at the disparity between each of the modes, but Olight clearly knew what it was doing: these are thoughtful demarcations, each with their own uses.

The .5 lumen moonlight low is great. It’s bright enough to read by, but dim enough to be easy on your eyes and not bother a sleeping partner or freak out the cats. Moonlight lows seem like they are becoming more or less standard features on flashlights, and I can see why. Once you try it, it’s hard to go back.

The only other light I’ve used with a TIR was an Armytek Partner C1, and its beam pattern was oddly textured and spotty. Thankfully, the S1’s pattern is nice and clean, even and white. Much more flood than throw, obviously, but that’s what you want in an EDC light most of the time.

Runtimes are pretty great. You get 1.5 hours on high, 6 hours on medium, 40 hours on low, and 25 days on moonlight low. I’m surprised that the medium runtime isn’t a little higher, but it isn’t dismal and I don’t use the medium often enough to care.

I think clickies are the best UI. They facilitate one-handed operation better than twisties and, when executed well, are equally as intuitive. The S1’s side button clicky is executed very well. One click turns the light on in the last mode used. Holding it down cycles through the levels. Clicking the button three times while on turns on strobe. You access moonlight by holding the button down while the light is off. Similarly, you can jump right to high by double pressing the button while the light is off. Simple.

There are two hidden timer modes, one for three minutes and one for nine minutes, that can be accessed. I’ve never used them, and never will. I find these hidden modes to be more or less useless on any light, but if they’re sufficiently hidden I have no problem with them being around.

Ergonomics and Carry

The S1 isn’t so much small as it is short. This is a short, short light. It is almost hard to hold on to: the checkered texturing on the aluminum isn’t grippy, nor is the anodization. The aforementioned weightiness keeps the S1 more or less in place, and the flats of the hex-bolt collar give you a place to pinch it. It achieves decent grippiness through balance rather than texturing.

I had heard bad things about the clip before I picked up the S1. I was determined to come to it with an open mind. This clip is really bad. I mentioned above that it’s thick. It’s also tight. I had to fight this thing to get it clipped to my jeans, and when I did the rotund S1 occupied a surprisingly large amount of pocket space. Retrieval is a whole other chore. The retention notch and the angle at which the clip loops it over itself makes pulling this light out feel like you’re wrestling with a misaligned zipper. Terrible, terrible clip. Thank God it’s removable.

Without the clip, the S1 is manageable. It is short, which is nice, but chunky, which is not. Pocket carry is doable, coin pocket carry too, but nothing felt ideal. I do wish it were thinner, but I think its rotundity is a function of the type of battery it takes, and I’m just spoiled from the svelte AAA lights I’ve carried up until now.

Olight S1 Baton Review – Final Thoughts

I don’t buy a lot of flashlights. I average one a year. The S1 may very well slow down the pace even more. It gets the important stuff right. It’s a good representation of the best that the current generation of flashlight technology has to offer, maybe the best representation, and I have a hard time imagining why I would ever need another light.

I mean, I’m sure I will get other lights at some point. The Paramilitary 2 may be all the knife I’ll ever need, but I’ll be damned if I’m not going to keep buying and carrying other knives as well. But, just like with the PM2, I’m sure the S1 will remain in my collection. It’s too good not to have around. Whether it’s your first light or your fiftieth, the S1 is immediately, obviously excellent.

Sale

OLIGHT S1 500 Lumen Cree XM-L2 CW Compact EDC LED Flashlight

Cree XM-L2 CW LED. Maximum light output up to 500 lumens
PMMA TIR lens with a 90% light transmittance rate.
3 standard modes: 8 lumens, 80 lumens and 500 lumens.
2 special modes: 0.5 lumen moonlight mode and a 10Hz strobe mode.
Runs on: 1x CR123A or 1x RCR123(Battery not included).

I recommend buying the Olight S1 Baton at Amazon. Thank you for reading.

Zebralight H52w Review

by Grayson Parker 12 Comments

Last Updated: August 30, 2019
I’m going to say this up-front so that everyone knows where I stand. In my opinion, the Zebralight H52w is the best light released in the last few years. Other lights surpass singular aspects of its performance. It doesn’t have the best runtimes, the highest lumens count, nor is it the smallest light available. The user interface can be a pain. Despite that, it performs so well across the board that I often wonder if I need another flashlight. Some compromised designs are flawed because they do nothing well. Fortunately, that’s not the case here.

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Of course, this isn’t a controversial opinion among gear geeks. When the Zebralight SC52 debuted, it received effusive praise from the community. It was (and still is) something of a dream light. It manages to cram stellar runtimes and high output into a compact package fueled by a simple AA battery. Great as that light is, it doesn’t have the trait I wanted most: the ability to wear it as a headlamp.

Some background: I used to be in the Boy Scouts. We’d traipse all over any kind of terrain you could care to name, and I used a light on those trips on a regular basis. While most of the scouts in my troop (and some of the leaders) started out with mini Maglites, we had all switched to headlamps within a year. Headlamps let us keep our hands free while we were hiking in or setting up camp. Even at home, the various flashlights tucked away in odd nooks and crannies were gradually replaced by headlamps.

Sadly, most headlamps aren’t suitable for pocket carry. They often require multiple batteries, and though lightweight they’re often bulky. You could get away with keeping one in a backpack or messenger bag, but you’d look like a bit of a goober breaking it out.

All of that is a roundabout way of saying that the Zebralight H52w neatly solves the unstated dilemma. Whether clipped to the pocket or riding on the forehead, this light offers the best of both worlds. I’ll go into more detail below.

General Dimensions and Construction

The Zebralight H52w measures in at 3” long, .86” wide (at the widest point), and weighs 2 oz. with the battery. That this light is considered medium size astounds me, but such is the state of the market today. For a flashlight in the 1xAA format it’s quite lean; if it were any smaller I’d worry about the durability of the light itself. Zebralight typically goes with a natural HAIII coating and I applaud the choice. I haven’t seen any undue wear, and the grey/green is subdued without being “tacticool.” Overall, the quality of construction is top notch. For someone with a reputation for being
finicky, I can’t register a single complaint with regards to construction.

Some may find the appearance of the H52w odd. The angled flashlight design hasn’t been mainstream for decades, and people have become unaccustomed to it. Personally, I love the aesthetics of this light. It’s not just that the angled lens harkens back to the 1940s and 1950s, though that is part of the appeal. Moreover, between the heat sinking on the back of the lens and the scallops of the body, this light feels like the art deco inheritor of those earlier models. I could see this as a gadget for Batman in the 1990s animated show or clipped to the suit of the Rocketeer. Maybe I’ve gone off the deep end, but check out what the H52w looks like once polished and tell me it doesn’t look like a vintage ray-gun.

Output, Runtime, and UI

To be perfectly honest, I stopped paying attention to the lumens arm race after purchasing this pocket spotlight. The 280 lumen high is outpaced by plenty of offerings from competitors, but the differences aren’t enough to turn me off. I’ve used it to bike home in the dark, and the high mode lights up the path ahead brilliantly. The medium and moonlit low are very useful, the low in particular. I use Sanyo Eneloop AA’s in this light. Zebralight recommends them, and rechargeable batteries are cheaper in the long run.

When this light was released, the true selling point was a moonlit low that lasted 3 months. Granted, that low only provides .01 lumens, but it’s enough light to read by in the dark. The runtimes on high and medium are also pretty impressive: 280 lumens for .9 hours, and 50 lumens for 7.5 hours. I find myself using the medium setting surprisingly often. Black widows are everywhere in my hometown, and the low doesn’t offer quite enough light to spot their little red hourglasses. 50 lumens is more than enough to notice them without competing with the headlights of passing cars.

These settings may not be to your liking. Fortunately, Zebralight’s user interface allows for a certain amount of customization. Here’s the catch: accessing these extra modes requires using the advanced UI. This is the worst part of the light. I’m not going to bother explaining the advanced UI here – it’s that complex – so just go look at their website. It’s not impossible, but it does require some trial and error. As for the normal interface, I have no complaints. To turn it on in high, simply press the button and release it quickly; medium, double-click; low, press and hold for .6 seconds and release. If you want to bug your friends triple click for the strobe feature. I really appreciate that you can access the high and the low without cycling through multiple modes.

Ergonomics and Carry

Ergonomics on the H52w are solid. It doesn’t have enough length to get more than three fingers on the light, but the scallops on the body tube aid the grip enough that I’ve never had cause for worry. The clip isn’t my favorite but doesn’t negatively impact the grip. I prefer the angled body ever so slightly in terms of ergonomics: it just feels more natural to have my hand up (as if I were holding a hammer) than down (as if I were holding a garden hose). When the H52w is strapped to your skull, it’s about as comfortable as a headlamp gets. It’s not heavy enough to pull down on the strap, and the cloth itself is fairly soft. It even pairs well with a bicycle helmet.

Both the strap and the pocket clip are well made. Some folks dislike the clip – it’s a friction clip, so in theory it can slide around – but I’ve never experienced that problem. The clip seems to be made of a spring steel, and can be attached to either end of the light. It’s worth noting that between the high tension of the clip and the grip scallops, I worry about shredding my pocket edges. That situation has never come up, but I’d be on the lookout. Luckily it carries beautifully without a clip, sliding into most coin pockets with ease.

Zebralight H52w Final Thoughts

Go buy this light (if you can, Zebralight has availability issues early in the year because of Chinese New Year… no, really). There is no situation I’ve run into where the H52w was insufficient: be it housework, monkey business, or just getting around in the dark. The only people I’d not tell to buy an H52w are people who already own one. If I had to ask for a change, I’d appreciate something other than a button activated light. Selector rings are much easier to operate in general.

Ultimately, that complaint can’t hold this product back. If you want a flashlight that is just at home navigating dark forest trails as it is illuminating a book (without waking up your partner), this is it. It’s a rare sort of product even years after its debut. Typically they can be had for around $64.00.

The best recommendation I can give is this: I haven’t bought a light since I purchased it, and if it was lost or damaged, I’d immediately order a replacement. Sure, it doesn’t always end up in my pockets. But like the Alox Cadet or the Paramilitary 2, I couldn’t fathom not having one for long.

Zebralight H502 L2 AA Flood Headlamp

Record breaking 278 ANSI from one AA Eneloop (more output with Energizer L91 lithium)
Record breaking 3 months runtime at min output (longer runtime with Energizer L91 lithium)
All levels are current regulated. Low battery alert when the light is switched Off (LED flashes every 80 seconds if the battery voltage is below 1.06V).
Battery capacity indicator (LED flashes 1-4 times. 4 short clicks to start)
Waterproof to IPX8 (2 meters, 30 minutes).

I recommend purchasing the Zebralight H52w at Amazon. Thank you for reading.

Foursevens Preon 2 Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 7 Comments

Last Updated: September 7, 2019
I chose the Streamlight Microstream for my first flashlight review because I felt like it would establish a good ‘control’ for whatever I decided to review next. It was simple, straightforward, unadorned: an appealingly plain little light.

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But I also chose it because it wasn’t an enthusiast product, in the sense that something like the Prometheus QR and the Peak Eiger are enthusiast products. These are designed for people who want to read the spec sheets, who know the names, pros, and cons of different emitters like knife guys know the quirks of different steels. In the gear world, there tends to be a pretty clear distinction between what’s made for the enthusiast, and what’s made for the everyman.

Which is a regrettable state of affairs, because I think that each side has a lot to learn from the other: non-enthusiast companies can learn about the importance of smart, purposeful design choices, and the enthusiast companies can learn about value and respecting the user’s investment in concrete ways.

There are a handful of pieces of gear that I feel represent this comingling of enthusiast and everyman sensibilities: crossover designs, if you will. In the knife world, the Kershaw Leek is the premier crossover design. In the world of flashlights, we have the 47s Preon 2. This is a light designed by enthusiasts, but seemingly geared towards an everyman user. As such it seems like a logical next step after the Microstream. The question is, is it a step worth taking?

General Dimension and Construction

The Preon 2 is in a different size class than the Microstream. It is almost exactly 5” long, and about 1/2” across at its widest point. With batteries in, it weighs 1.8 oz. with the batteries in. It’s a 2xAAA light.

The Preon 2 is a pen light. The pen light is a proven, recognizable shape. People like it. I can see the appeal, but find it less appealing than the compact, 1xAAA format of the Microstream – or, for that matter, the Preon 1. As a gear enthusiast, I carry a lot of stuff in my pockets: a knife, a pen, a flashlight, a phone, maybe a notebook. If all I carried was a flashlight, I wouldn’t really care. But because I carry it along with so much else, I notice the size and do not appreciate it – and, as we’ll discuss below, the extra length doesn’t really offer any particular performance benefits.

The Preon 2 is made of type-III hard anodized aluminum. Not particularly original, but everything is put together tightly and well. This is Dan’s personal Preon 2. He’s had it for a while, and while there is some wear around the bevel and the clip, I feel safe saying that the anodization seems to be holding up better than the quickly-flaky job on my Microstream. The batteries rattle a little in the body tube but other than that the fit and finish is above-average.

The Preon 2’s washer-style clip is good. Not great: to my eye it looks a little goofy and it’s definitely too short for the length of the light. It does seem a little thin, and I would worry about bending it out of shape over time, but that’s all theorizing: in the moment, it is adequate if not excellent.

Output, Runtime, and UI

Here’s where the Preon 2 reveals its enthusiast design elements, with much higher outputs, way better runtimes, and a much more cerebral UI than the, er, streamlined Microstream.

The Preon 2 is a clicky, my favorite UI by a country mile. It has three basic modes: a moonlight low at 2 lumens, a medium of 22 lumens, and a high of 160 lumens, accessed in that order. It runs at moonlight for 23 hours, 6 hours at medium, and .8 hours at high. My review sample is a first generation model. The second generation has a different emitter and higher outputs. There is a third generation out now that makes more significant changes, but I’ll discuss that below.

Let’s talk about the good stuff first: I like the output options a lot. 47s made a name for itself with its moonlight lows: they give you enough light to navigate, say, a dark room, but won’t affect your night vision. This is my first experience with a 47s product and that low low is really nice to have. The medium and high are nice too. For close- and medium-range tasks there isn’t much difference between them, but I could see the high being useful over long distances or outdoors. The beam pattern is also significantly better than the Microstream’s: less artifacting, a cleaner, even color – a different league altogether.

Where the Preon 2 loses points with me, is in the execution of the hidden modes: strobe, SOS, High Beacon and Low Beacon. Basically, you cycle through the regular modes twice within three seconds, and that shunts you into the first of the four hidden modes. You then proceed through the four hidden modes as you would the three standard ones, before being shunted back into the regular configuration.

For some reason, I found it easy to accidentally flip into the hidden modes when I didn’t want to; it occurred multiple times during regular use of the flashlight. I guess it isn’t a big deal, and generally options are good, but in this case I’d simply prefer not to have them. It reminded me of one of those pens you see with like three different colors of ink and a pencil tip all in one barrel: it’s just an level of geekery I’m not interested in in my tools, and it adds fiddliness to something that should be intuitive in its simple role.

Ergonomics and Carry

The Preon 2 is comfortable in hand. Not too thin, not too thick, the clip doesn’t get in the way – all good news. It is, however, slick. Really slick. Like, there are very few knives or flashlights that I worry will slip out of my hands, but the Preon 2 is one of them. Everything is smooth; even the angles near the emitter and the clicky are soft, offering no purchase. If the anodizing was just a little rougher, like what we have on the Microstream, the problem would be fixed.

I’ve already discussed the issues I have with the pen light form factor in general, but here I’ll add that the slickness of the Preon 2, combined with the shortness of the clip, cause it to slide around a lot in my pocket, which I don’t appreciate. Is this, in the grand scheme of things, a big deal? Of course not. But over time these little issues build up and cohere into something more irritating than its constituent parts. Particularly when you consider how right the Microstream got its carry, it’s hard not to feel a little disappointed here.

Preon 2 Review – Final Thoughts

I find the Preon 2, with its enthusiast design cues and everyman price and purpose, to be an interesting light. You get a good selection of outputs, a big boy emitter, and even some geeky hidden mode stuff all for about $40 – more than twice the price of the Microstream, it’s true, but still not exorbitant.

As it stands, though, the myriad little issues I have with the Preon 2 add up, and I don’t think I would recommend it over the Microstream for most purposes. The low and high modes are awesome but not strictly necessary, and the ergonomics are objectively worse. There’s a lot to like about the Preon 2, but they don’t add up to something I like more than other, cheaper everyman options, or slightly-pricier enthusiast offerings.

But here’s the thing: the Preon 2 I reviewed was the first generation. Big changes came with the newest Preon: even better outputs, with an option to configure it in such a way as to hide the hidden modes, a way better clip, and a textured body to help with grip – these changes address every issue I had with the Preon 2 apart from its pen light size, which I’m not penalizing it for unconditionally because that is a personal preference (and the Preon 1 exists for those who want the 1xAAA format). This new Preon 2 goes for $50 and looks pretty great. I haven’t handled one so I can’t say it’s worth it for sure but, if you’re interested in this light, this is the version to get.

Sale

Foursevens Preon P2 MKIII Flashlight, Bright and Compact EDC Pocket Flashlight with 6 Configurable Modes: Low, Med, High, Strobe, SOS, Beacon (Black Anodized)

SUPERIOR LIGHT QUALITY. See colors as you would on a bright sunny day. Cheap LED flashlights have a limited color spectrum that washes out your subject with a harsh "hospital" light. Our flashlight delivers 92+ CRI - a clear, natural light.
SECURE ERGONOMIC CLIP. Our flashlight uses the legendary stainless steel Prometheus Lights pocket clip. It is engineered to hold tight to your pocket and last through bumps and drops. Won't rust or corrode. Designed for style, built for durability.
CONFIGURABLE MODES. Configure our pocket flashlight to serve you best. Choose from 6 modes that cycle through various lighting functions: Low - Med - High - Strobe - SOS - Beacon. Mode Memory allows you to set modes for a range of every day uses.
COMPACT SIZE. Lightweight and fits in the palm of your hand. Keep this powerful flashlight in your pocket as an every day carry. It doesn't add bulk and weight to your pocket and leaves room for your keys.
PROFESSIONAL GRADE. Precision engineered mil-spec components that are fit for medical and aerospace applications. Built to last and designed to be your every day carry flashlight. For those who insist on uncompromising quality.

You can get the second and third generations of the Preon 2 through Amazon.com. Thanks for reading.

Editor’s Note: As Ben mentioned, this is my personal Preon 2. I have carried it for years now and greatly enjoy this flashlight. A couple years ago I swapped the Preon 2 out for an even smaller light (the Foursevens Mini ML), but the light was so small I ended up misplacing it and going back the P2. So while I may prefer a smaller light, there is something to be said for this form factor.

Streamlight Microstream Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 13 Comments

Last Updated: August 3, 2019
It’s been my experience that the deeper my understanding of something goes, the less things of that something I like. To use my perennial dead horse as an example, years ago when I first started carrying and using knives, I thought the Delica was wonderful. However, over time as I filled my head with more and more minutiae about knives, and as my opinions about design and use became more developed, the Delica fell further and further in my esteem. As our taste gets better, it gets more and more specific (non-enthusiasts call this phenomenon ‘snobbery’).

Buy on Amazon

I’ve always considered myself a passionate layman when it comes to flashlights. They’re a very useful part of an EDC setup, something that I don’t like to go without, but my taste in flashlights hasn’t reached the rarefied air that my knife-sense has. Whereas with knives I’ve gone from “Does it cut?” to “Does it cut well?,” when I’m looking at flashlights I’m still just asking “Does it light up?”

So you’ll have to take my recommendation of the Streamlight Microstream with the proverbial grain of salt. And I do recommend it. Although it has been around for years with little real evolution, and although even a mediocre enthusiast flashlight smokes it in most categories, for what it is – and, to be fair, for what it costs – the Microstream is a perfectly adequate and charming little light.

General Dimensions and Construction

Whatever its other faults, the Microstream is just about the ideal size, for me, for EDC. It’s about 3 7/16” long, and, at its widest point, is about half an inch across. Streamlight lists the weight with battery as 1.04 oz., although by my scale I was getting 1.3 oz. or so – not a world-shattering difference by any means. It takes one AAA battery.

The Microstream has a by-the-books Type II anodization job. It looks clean and consistent out of the box, but in the testing period for my Microstream it started to show wear quickly. Nothing egregious, just a scratch here and there, but quicker than my Peak Eiger began to show wear.

Less conventional is the Microstream’s clip. First, it is a friction-fit clip. Folks tend not to like friction-fit clips because they can get loose or knocked off during carry. I can tell you that the clip on my Microstream is extremely snug – so snug, in fact, that for a long time I thought it was actually part of the body and just looked like a friction-fit clip. The clip itself is made of a fairly thin leaf of spring steel, folded twice over to create an S shape, so that you can clip it either to your pocket as you would a knife, or to the brim of a hat or something for hands-free operation. I’ve never used this feature, but it is unobtrusive, and I like to think that extra fold of steel gives the clip some added durability.

Beyond these specifics, the fit and finish of the Microstream is more than adequate: the emitter is centered, the lens is free from blemishes, and the threads come apart and together without any dramatics.

Output, Runtime, and UI

It is in the fields of output and runtime that we really see the difference between the Microstream and current, higher-priced enthusiast products.

The Microstream has an out-the-front output of 28 lumens. The Foursevens Preon 2 can throw out 84, the Olight i3 gives you 80, the L3 Illumination L10C; the recently-released Olight S1 Baton goes all the way up to 500 lumens.

The Microstream is totally obliterated by its competition in terms of output, but beyond that it also doesn’t have different modes like most lights today: it’s either on at 28 or it’s off. Runtime is equally underwhelming at 2.25 hours. This wasn’t blowing wind up anybody’s skirt five years ago, and time has only increased the gap between the Microstream and its competition.

I’m going to say something, and I’m going to risk sounding reductive when I say it, but: 28 lumens is plenty good enough for most EDC situations, isn’t it? This is my dog-walking flashlight, as well as what I use when something rolls under the bed or a chair, and in these roles I get all the light I need – and I’ll go so far as to say that, for being only 28 lumens, it is a very bright 28, and has a good bit of throw for as small of a light as this is. The beam pattern isn’t all that it could be, though: a lot of artifacts and rings.

It helps that I like the UI. I prefer clickies generally; I find they are easier to operate with one hand. The Microstream’s clicky has a fairly tough plunger, and takes a bit more force than you would expect to switch on, but this is mitigated by a momentary-on feature that turns the Microstream on temporarily, for however long you keep the clicky semi-depressed. This is the way I use the Microstream most of the time, and I like it a lot.

Ergonomics and Carry

The ergonomics of the Microstream, like the light in general, are pleasingly adequate. Not totally stellar: the anodizing doesn’t afford quite as much traction as I would like, but it works. The ‘cigar grip’ puts your thumb comfortable over the clicky, and the Microstream’s length is such that holding it in your fist doesn’t occlude the light at all.

The Microstream carries quite well. I don’t know how you guys like to roll, but clipped to the front of my pocket, the Microstream is easily accessible, doesn’t mess with my pocket knife, and doesn’t impede my hand when I go into my pocket for something else. Most pocket flashlights are too rotund for me to want to have them clipped to my pocket (I’m thinking of the HDS Rotary or the Olight S1 here), so they get carried loose, which is not ideal. The Microstream, with as small and slim as it is, carries just about perfectly clipped to my pocket.

If you prefer to carry your lights loose, however, I think you’ll find the Microstream to be a well-behaved passenger. It fits into a watch pocket if you want to keep it somewhere away from coins and other riff-raff.

Streamlight Microstream Review – Final Thoughts

There are a lot of areas in which the Microstream could be improved. That being said, I find it remarkable that in a world in which things like the S1 Baton or the L10C (or, my personal favorite, the Peak Eiger) exist, there is still merit in a product like the Microstream.

A lot of that merit comes from its agreeable price: while there are a lot of awesome lights to be had at the $30 – 50 range, there isn’t any light that I know of that costs as little as the Microstream, and that is as good. If there be such a thing as a ‘beater light,’ than the Microstream is it; it gets the job done, soaks up abuse, and doesn’t offend in any part of its design.

I know this is a hard sell for enthusiasts, but if you’re looking for something simple to tide you over between flashier (ha ha) purchases, the Microstream is worth a look. For somebody looking for a good first flashlight, something with dignity, but that isn’t prohibitively expensive, the Microstream should be on their shortlist.

I own strictly better flashlights than this and still like to carry the Microstream every once and while. It is simple, functional, and affordable, and I recommend it.

Sale

Streamlight MicroStream Ultra-compact Aluminum body with AAA alkaline battery, 3.5 Inch - 1.04 oz - 45 Lumens - 66318

Type II MIL-SPEC abrasion and corrosion-resistant anodized aircraft aluminum construction with unbreakable, scratch-resistant polycarbonate lens.

I recommend buying the Streamight Microstream at Amazon.

Editor’s Note: Well, it only took 200 or so posts, but we have finally reviewed something besides a knife. I think it’s a nice change of pace, and Ben and I agreed that the Microstream is a good starting point for a library of flashlight reviews. Expect more flashlight reviews (and reviews of other pieces of gear) in the not so distant future.