Tell me about the streamlight protac 1L-1aa

chrisw1

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So I have always admired the performance of cr123 lights however I tend to rely on aa lights because of battery availability especially in a situation where I need to rely on what I have prepped. I have carried the Felix e11 for quite a while. Two generations worth. I think it's been 5 years with this light in my pocket every day both the old and newer versions(not the e12 the old and newer e11.) maybe longer. Aside from the aa availability I use the low mode 99% of the time and 40ish lumens has been great for my needs. An available high mode is nice to have. Enter the streamlight protac 1L-1aa. Absolutely perfect user interface(when set to low/hi mode.) always comes on in low at 40 lumens which I like a lot and easily selectable to hi by a double tap. Add in that it will work on aa batteries but I can put cr123's for better performance on the daily carry. I couldn't have designed a better setup. I just bought and installed on my AR the weapon light version of this thing from a recent primary arms sale and I absolutely love it. I'm thinking of picking up a couple of these for daily carry and backup reasons. I tried to search for reviews but this site is overloaded with info and since I am a daily carrier of a light and not a true flashaholic I really get overwhelmed with the results. Questions are as follows.

1. any reviews? Do you guys like this light?
2. Any competitors with the features I like i.e. both batteries and two simple modes with low as the primary?
3. Where do I buy? I love primary arms. Those guys rock. That being said its not on their website yet even though they are a distributor. Anyone else have them?
4. Lastly this would likely be my edc for another half decade if it works as advertised and as reliable as my e11 has been through the abuse I put it through. Anyone else carry this thing or use it yet or any experience with this manufacturer? I love that I can abuse drop beat up yet stil, depend on my e11. Is the streamlight up to the glock/Fenix/toyotalike unkillabke reliability I have come to expect?


Thanks guys guys and gals for all input.
 

bykfixer

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Why did I click this thread?


Cannot speak from experience of this light. But can say "I want one" lol.

Streamlight makes good stuff.

Many-a policeman still carry lights from the 80's and 90's made by Streamlight.
I'm ashamed to say what my Microstream has been through, but will say it's a keeper.

Subwoofer may have reviewed this one. I know he did the "usb" version of the ProTac recently.
Check out his thread in the review section.
 

chrisw1

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Thanks for the reply. He does not seem to have a review on this light. It appears to be a brand new design. I'm also finding that my trusted retailers do not yet have it in stock. Amy help on who has it and any recommended trusted retailers would be great.
 

chrisw1

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Ok I just ordered one. Sure was tough to find a place that I trust that had it in stock. I'm guessing there are a unch of rules on this forum that prevent me from saying where I got it from but if anyone is interested just ask. Price was 41.99 plus shipping. The weapon light version that I already have works like a charm! Can't wait to get this one in even though there is nearly zero info out on the interwebs about this thing. If there is interest I will let you guys know what I think. Assuming it's the same as the weapon light but without the rail mount it is a great improvement over my trusted E11 as far as beam quality on low mode and of course brightness on high with both battery types.
 

Poppy

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Ok I just ordered one. Sure was tough to find a place that I trust that had it in stock. I'm guessing there are a unch of rules on this forum that prevent me from saying where I got it from but if anyone is interested just ask. Price was 41.99 plus shipping. The weapon light version that I already have works like a charm! Can't wait to get this one in even though there is nearly zero info out on the interwebs about this thing. If there is interest I will let you guys know what I think. Assuming it's the same as the weapon light but without the rail mount it is a great improvement over my trusted E11 as far as beam quality on low mode and of course brightness on high with both battery types.
Chris,
Absolutely let us know what you think once you have it in hand!
 

chrisw1

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I will do. I'm not good at comparing to other lights because I don't have a lot of others but I will let you know. I go to work for. Week starting tomorrow but when I am back in town it should be here waiting for me.
 

bykfixer

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You're allowed to say where you bought it from.

Posting a link or going on and on about how great the seller is because you date the owners daughter or that sorta thing...
That's what is forbidden.

Wouldn't be Brite Guy would it? They were real early in selling the ProTac HL4.
 

CelticCross74

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Aug 30, 2014
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Fairfax Va
Dig into the Streamlight website. Find out which models are made at their factory in Pennsylvania and which ones are made in China. Far as I know all ProTacs are Chinese made. I did not have this specific ProTac but did have a "600" lumen ProTac that was one of the worst built lights I have ever seen next to the Utilitechs sold at Lowes. The one I had was not anodized it was painted black. It had a sh*tty Luminous emitter and for some reason a frosted lens. It got to hot to hold in about two minutes. Open up the tube and the black "anodization" terminated just inside the tube in brush strokes. Worst switch I have ever experienced on any light.

See if you can take a look at one out of the package. Unscrew the tube see if what color the light is terminates in brush strokes. Sounds like a cheap light just 1 AA? Go for it maybe you will get lucky and the Chinese factory raised its QC. Pennsylvania state police and lots of county cops there carry Pennsylvania made Streamlights as should something need fixing the factory is not far.
 

chrisw1

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Bykfixer, brite guy did have it in stock and for a dollar less than I paid, but optics planet is where I got mine. I usually buy as much stuff as I can from primary arms due their excellent customer service but they didn't have it in yet so optics planet was my second choice.

Celtic Cross there is none of these things out yet really so there is no way to see one out of the package. I choose very carefully where I buy these things from because if need be I can return them. The option to take both types of batteries and the low/high option is exactly what I want in a light so assuming it works as advertised this would be my go to EDC. My Fenix has been incredibly durable and I have abused it over the years. I hope that the stream light is just as tough. I am not gentle on my stuff. We will see. I will be home most likely on the 14th. I will likely tear the box open right away and check it out and try it out in both battery types. I've never done a YouTube video before but there are none on the thing so I may even give it a shot. We will see.
 

bykfixer

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Primary arms still toss in a sticker Chris?

Optics planet is ok as far as I know. They show up a lot on that giant warehouse site that starts with A (cough-amazon-cough).

Time will tell if Streamlights new line of duel fuel products is durable. But based on experience with their other products there's no reason to think they would be the garbage stated above.


I've got a little bit of experience with their products...
Not a bad one in the bunch.
 

chrisw1

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That is an impressive pile of lights. I don't have anything near that much. I buy a lot of gun stuff from primary arms. The streamlight weapon light was my first purchase of a light from them though. I have bought from opticsplanet before and I like them. Looks like you are a fan of streamlight from that pile. It's good to see that they make a good product and that you trust them. Durability in everything I own is a top priority.
 

bykfixer

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Only issue I've ever had with any Streamlights is that a few models fail to light with only a slight turn of the tailcap. They are ones with fairly loose threads. The only ProTac with that issue was the EMS light.

A bit of pipe thread tape solved it.

Lately Streamlight has used thicker o-rings to make it more difficult for the tailcap to move in all of their lights.
 

chrisw1

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Ok so quick update. I'm guessing this is a user error somewhere but I didn't see that when I ordered from optics planet that it wasn't actually in stock. I went back and looked and couldn't find out where this was said but after several days order status said waiting for the item to show up at the warehouse. I cancelled the order and called briteguy. They answered when I called. As in not a recording but a real person. I verified with them they do in fact have them in stock. Soon thereafter I had a real person call me back within 30 minutes of placing the online order(with free shipping mind you...) to verify some information. Assuming it ships inside of 24 hours big thumbs up to my first experience with them.
 

Tusk

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Ok so quick update. I'm guessing this is a user error somewhere but I didn't see that when I ordered from optics planet that it wasn't actually in stock. I went back and looked and couldn't find out where this was said but after several days order status said waiting for the item to show up at the warehouse. I cancelled the order and called briteguy. They answered when I called. As in not a recording but a real person. I verified with them they do in fact have them in stock. Soon thereafter I had a real person call me back within 30 minutes of placing the online order(with free shipping mind you...) to verify some information. Assuming it ships inside of 24 hours big thumbs up to my first experience with them.

I ordered mine from Briteguy on Tuesday and it arrived yesterday. I'll give you the honors of doing the review but I have to say I'm really liking this light.
 

Tusk

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Jan 21, 2009
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I don't use the clip on lights like this but I if I did, I'd want it just like this. There isn't a single sharp edge or point anywhere on it. Well done!

412586253.jpg
 

chrisw1

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I ordered mine from Briteguy on Tuesday and it arrived yesterday. I'll give you the honors of doing the review but I have to say I'm really liking this light.


No no please go for it! I'm not an expert here anyway. I've had the same light as an edc for 5 years so I won't have much to compare it to. Please share. I'm looking forward to it. I'm a fan of the low/high option.
 
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