# My Quick Streamlight MicroStream Review



## this_is_nascar (Dec 19, 2007)

Although my data collection is still in progress, I wanted to get this review started. I received my (3) units from BrightGuy. I purchased these lights because of the recent good things I've heard about them in various CPF threads. From what I read, you could expect about 1.5 hours of regulated light from these. I'm really a sucker for AAA-based lights, so these sounded to be right up my alley. I really like the physical looks of these lights. They feel good in the hand, appear and feel to be well built too. I've read some concerns about the clicky switches, but I don't have any issues with the switches on any of my units. One switch needs a tiny bit more pressure to activate, but nothing to be concerned about. Thank you SL for a forward-clicky. I wish others would take your lead. If you can design a proper switch in a $15/$20 light, I'm not sure why others can't. Time will tell how well these switches hold up to the rigors of day-to-day usage.

I really like the looks of the light, even the pocket-clip. It's functional and strong. I have no worries in actually using the clip. The neck lanyard was a very nice addition. As with every LED light I've ever seen in my last 5-years of doing this, there are tint differences between units, although I'd not classify any of them as being "bad". Keeping in mind we're talking about a $15.00 light, the beam was pretty nice. In the deepest center of the hot-spot, the tint has a slight yellow color to it. As you move to the outside if the hot-stop, it gets a bit blue tint to it. Out in the corona, it's very nice, without any harsh blue or yellow.

As mentioned earlier, I one of the big purchasing factors for me was the 1.5 hours of regulated runtime. I'm not sure how people were determining this, but on alkaline cells, this light does not appear to be regulated. I say that based on the fact that during my testing on alkaline cells (Duracell), there was not a single time where brightness from one minute to the next was equal. I consider a regulated light to be one that shows some period of duration where output does not drop, especially in over the course of a minute or two. These lights dropped, although slightly, every single minute throughout my testing. On 2 of the 3 lights, I didn't get the 1.5 hours of light at all. I did notice that will all the lights, once they powered off, turning off the switch and waiting for a few minutes would allow the lights to come back on. I've not yet performed any additional testing as to how long they stay on after getting this second wind. I do know that at the initial shut-off, the Duracells yielded about 1.2 volts, which was a bit disappointing.

I am now repeating my runtime tests on all lights with new Energizer E2 Lithium cells. As the old-timers of CPF know, these are my favorite and most used cells. What they'll do in performance to an AAA-based light is amazing. I expect to have the testing completed sometime tomorrow, but I will tell you it's looking very promising using these cells in the MicroStream.


Edit #1: I wasn't going to post any runtime data or charts until I have all (3) units measured with both Duracell alkaline and Energizer E2 lithiums, however the completed results on the 1st light is just so amazing, I had to post it now. As you can see, the (3) units are pretty inconsistent on the alkaline cells. In addition, I see nothing that I'd call regulated-output. As a matter of fact, the output drops with each and every 1-minute sample. The results with the E2's on the other hard are simply amazing in comparison. I don't think I've ever seen a light show that big of a difference between alkalines and lithiums in the AAA format. I have no knowledge as to whether the E2's will cause damage to the light or not, but at $15 bucks, I'm not losing any sleep over it.








Edit #2: Here's the completed runtime data, comparing each of the (3) units with both Duracell Alkaline and Energizer E2 Lithium cells. I've said it a couple times already, but I don't remember ever seeing a light perform so much differently with the E2 cells. Usually, you'll see a bit more steady runtime or possibly a bit more brightness with a little bit of extended runtime, however these lights really make a difference with the lithium cells.






Overall, I have a pretty high-opinion of this light. Price vs. Performance is as about as good as it gets. If it get lost or broken, its easily replaceable and not the end of the world. The tint has a bit more yellow in the center of the hot-spot than I'd like, but it's not a deal breaker for a $15/$20 light. As with every other AAA-based light I own, I intend to power it with the E2 lithium cells. Whether they damage the MicroStream in the long-term is something we'll have to wait and see, but I'd be doing this light an injustice by not running the better cells.


----------



## lumenal (Dec 20, 2007)

Great info, thanks.

It seems this light will run good on NiMH, and, according to your findings, great on L92s! Here is another review of the MicroStream:

http://lightreviews.info/streamlight_microstream/review.html

As far as runtime on alkalines.

Personally, barring an emergency, I can't see myself clicking on this light and running it 1.5 hours straight.

Strictly intermittent use here. A short burst here, a short burst there. While off, the batteries will recover. 

So in that sense, runtime charts can be somewhat misleading when compared to real world use. And different folks use their lights in different ways in the real world.

The included Panasonic Industrial alkaline cell lasted about 3 weeks after I bought my MicroStream with nightly, intermittent use.

All the hard work and info are greatly appreciated :thumbsup: on this fine little light!

EDIT: I checked that Panasonic cell with my DMM when I thought I noticed a slight dimming. The DMM read 1.165v and the light was still going strong. Way below the 1.2 volts you reported, whats up with that?


----------



## this_is_nascar (Dec 20, 2007)

It could be the cell had a chance to recover, as I didn't measure it as soon as the light went off. It could have sat there for upwards of an hour before I measured it with my voltmeter. I agree with your assessment on how most would use this light, click-on, use it a bit, click-off. Most will not be running the thing for the constant time.


----------



## pedalinbob (Dec 20, 2007)

Ok, that lithium plot is damn impressive!

I'll be finally ordering a Microstream (or 2) today.


----------



## this_is_nascar (Dec 20, 2007)

Sure is. The last one is on the meter now. I'll be able to post the chart with all lights later today. I can say that all (3) of these lights benefit greatly by using the E2's. As I indicated earlier, I have no idea if it's OK for the light or not, but this is how I intend to power my MicroStreams. I really can't remember when a light has shown such a huge difference between cell-types.


----------



## this_is_nascar (Dec 20, 2007)

Post #1 has been updated with the final runtime data and my final thoughts and comments.


----------



## lumenal (Dec 20, 2007)

Wow, t i n , after rechecking your info and lithium runtime charts, I think I'll pick up another MicroStream (or 2, like Bob ) and load 'em up with an L92 (Energizer AAA lithium) and toss one in the car.

Seems it would make a great cold weather glovebox light... with monster runtime from a tiny AAA lithium cell.

Time will tell how the circuitry handles the lithium cell.

And for what you get at this $15-$20 price-point, you can't go wrong!


----------



## PJD (Dec 20, 2007)

Ray...I completely agree with your assessment of he MicroStream. I've had mine for a little over a month now, and in that time it's seen a LOT of use, all exclusively on L92 lithium cells. Up to this point, the lithiums have had no adverse effects, and the performance on them is outstanding! GREAT little "bang for the buck" light, and I think the forward clicky switch is excellent...I wish more manufacturers would follow suit. BTW, your run-time plots are EXCELLENT!

PJD


----------



## PlayboyJoeShmoe (Dec 20, 2007)

Now you need to try Hybrid or Eneloop AAAs!

I've almost always found a more "regulated" run out of NimH compared to Alkalines.

The Lithium runtimes are fantastic!!!


----------



## srvctec (Dec 20, 2007)

Great review and awesome runtime on lithium! It looks like a light I'd love to have, except the clicky switch. I *love* clickies (forward) and want them on all my lights, *except* my keychain light. When I put my keys in my pocket, I want absolutely *no* possibility the light will come on while smashing up against all the stuff in my pocket as well as the keys themselves. The only type of light this is possible with is a twisty (either that or a lockout tailcap, which isn't the best solution, IMO). If they had this in a twisty, I'd order one immediately.


----------



## this_is_nascar (Dec 21, 2007)

srvctec said:


> Great review and awesome runtime on lithium! It looks like a light I'd love to have, except the clicky switch. I *love* clickies (forward) and want them on all my lights, *except* my keychain light. When I put my keys in my pocket, I want absolutely *no* possibility the light will come on while smashing up against all the stuff in my pocket as well as the keys themselves. The only type of light this is possible with is a twisty (either that or a lockout tailcap, which isn't the best solution, IMO). If they had this in a twisty, I'd order one immediately.



Thanks for all the kind words everyone. It really is a great little light. As far as your concern srvctec, I'm pretty sure you'd have nothing to worry about. While it doesn't take much pressure to momentarily activate the light, actually clicking the switch to remain on constant on, requires quite a bit more force. I could possibly seeing the light come on in a pocket for a second or two, but I don't see it ever actually engaging the switch.


----------



## srvctec (Dec 21, 2007)

this_is_nascar said:


> Thanks for all the kind words everyone. It really is a great little light. As far as your concern srvctec, I'm pretty sure you'd have nothing to worry about. While it doesn't take much pressure to momentarily activate the light, actually clicking the switch to remain on constant on, requires quite a bit more force. I could possibly seeing the light come on in a pocket for a second or two, but I don't see it ever actually engaging the switch.



My only concern would be when I wind up sitting down for a couple of hours at a time and it gets smashed on, not enough to click the switch, but enough for momentary on. If I don't reposition enough to release the pressure on the switch (something I don't want to have to think about all the time), it will remain on for the entire 2 hours. A few times doing this and the L92 will be dead.

My Peak Matterhorn single AAA 3 LED (a twisty) running on an L92 still has the same battery I put in it over a year and a half ago- and it still has almost a full charge (don't use it much- mostly for backup to my EDC), since it never comes on in my pocket for even a second.

I _would_ just clip the Microstream to my pants pocket, but my L1D-CE is there already (soon to be replaced by a Nitecore DI) and my other pocket always has a knife clipped to it- so no room for another light and no shirt pockets.


----------



## geepondy (Dec 22, 2007)

Guys, is the clip removable?


----------



## Lite_me (Dec 22, 2007)

Sure, I took mine off. Someone else said they did too.


----------



## this_is_nascar (Dec 22, 2007)

Yes, it is, although I'm not sure why you'd want to. It's actually a great little clip.


----------



## geepondy (Dec 22, 2007)

Thanks, because it would reside at the bottom of my pocket amongst my coins and other items. I may try it with the clip but generally speaking I'd rather have it loose in my pocket.


----------



## lumenal (Dec 23, 2007)

this_is_nascar said:


> Yes, it is, although I'm not sure why you'd want to. It's actually a great little clip.


 
I agree, this clip is small, yet strong and works well. 

Plus, at least for me, it helps with the grip of the light, and aids in the anti-roll aspect.


----------



## Lite_me (Dec 23, 2007)

I agree guys. I like the clip. Geepondy just ask if it would come off. Actually, I put an L0D clip back on the MicroStream and put the nice MicroStream clip on an L0D. :thinking: :shrug: :laughing: I do weird stuff like that.


----------



## Mr. Blue (Dec 23, 2007)

Ray,,,question about your graphs...is comparative output equalized for all your testing? In other words is the Microstream really kicking out more light for longer than the Pro Photon?


----------



## this_is_nascar (Dec 23, 2007)

Mr. Blue said:


> Ray,,,question about your graphs...is comparative output equalized for all your testing? In other words is the Microstream really kicking out more light for longer than the Pro Photon?



NO, absolutely not. To properly measure the brighter lights and keep the readings below the max of the light meter, I sometimes use an additional spacer between the light sensor and the light itself, as in the case with the Pro.


----------



## Mr. Blue (Dec 23, 2007)

this_is_nascar said:


> NO, absolutely not. To properly measure the brighter lights and keep the readings below the max of the light meter, I sometimes use an additional spacer between the light sensor and the light itself, as in the case with the Pro.



thanks....and Good Morning!


----------



## __philippe (Dec 23, 2007)

Saw a couple of Streamlight Microstream currently on eBay for USD 15.95 each

(Ref: Streamlight Microstream LED-DEL NIB # 66318)

Cheers,

__philippe


----------



## geepondy (Dec 26, 2007)

Thank you, that's just where I bought mine, 15.95 and 3.95 US first class mail.

Ray, I bought this light because of your review just like I'm not buying the Photon REX because of your review. Thanks again.



__philippe said:


> Saw a couple of Streamlight Microstream currently on eBay for USD 15.95 each
> 
> (Ref: Streamlight Microstream LED-DEL NIB # 66318)
> 
> ...


----------



## this_is_nascar (Dec 26, 2007)

geepondy said:


> Thank you, that's just where I bought mine, 15.95 and 3.95 US first class mail.
> 
> Ray, I bought this light because of your review just like I'm not buying the Photon REX because of your review. Thanks again.



Oh nooooooooo.  Too much pressure you're putting on me.


----------



## geepondy (Dec 27, 2007)

Oh this light is a no-brainer and I was iffy on the Rex to begin with.



this_is_nascar said:


> Oh nooooooooo.  Too much pressure you're putting on me.


----------



## Minjin (Dec 27, 2007)

What does the beam and brightness compare to? Is it a focused beam like the old Inova X1s? Is it as bright as the newest LRI Freedoms?


----------



## this_is_nascar (Dec 27, 2007)

Minjin said:


> What does the beam and brightness compare to? Is it a focused beam like the old Inova X1s? Is it as bright as the newest LRI Freedoms?



Never had an X1. Much brighter than the freedom. Not even in the same league for brightness.


----------



## Hoghead (Dec 29, 2007)

Ray,

Thank you very much for the review and runtime charts.

It looks like I'll have to pick up a few of these. I think they'll make great gifts.

I see Bright Guy has these for $16.50.


----------



## this_is_nascar (Dec 29, 2007)

You won't be sorry. The only negative I'm heard so far is that someone had an issue that questions how well these deal with getting dunked. If I'm not mistaken he/she had fogging in the lens after wearing it in the shower. I'm thinking that more of a cold to hot to cold condensation issure more then anything else. I'd feel comfortable if these took a dunk in a puddle for a couple minutes. Bright Guy is great to deal with. Greg and Tina are top-notch.


----------



## srvctec (Dec 29, 2007)

Hoghead said:


> I see Bright Guy has these for $16.50.



Lighthound has them for even less and John is awesome to do business with.

edit: Just noticed your post above mine t_i_n, and my post was _*not*_ to knock Bright Guy, but to just mention that these can be had for a little less somewhere else. I've done business with *both* Bright Guy and Lighthound- both places are great to do business with.


----------



## geepondy (Dec 29, 2007)

Craig will have to dunk it in his toilet.



this_is_nascar said:


> You won't be sorry. The only negative I'm heard so far is that someone had an issue that questions how well these deal with getting dunked. If I'm not mistaken he/she had fogging in the lens after wearing it in the shower. I'm thinking that more of a cold to hot to cold condensation issure more then anything else. I'd feel comfortable if these took a dunk in a puddle for a couple minutes. Bright Guy is great to deal with. Greg and Tina are top-notch.


----------



## geepondy (Dec 31, 2007)

Got mine today. Nice light as posted but I do wish the switch activated a bit easier. Takes quite a bit of pressure and throw, almost have to use two hands.


----------



## this_is_nascar (Dec 31, 2007)

geepondy said:


> Got mine today. Nice light as posted but I do wish the switch activated a bit easier. Takes quite a bit of pressure and throw, almost have to use two hands.



Sorry to hear that. I tend to use the end portion of my thumb when activating my switch to click on. More times than not, I'm using it for momentary light, so I never click the switch.


----------



## dim (Jan 1, 2008)

I picked up a few Streamlight Stylus Pros, the 2AAA version of the Microstream for non-flashaholics this past season. What a fine flashlight! And while Streamlight, like most flashlight manufacturers, tend to exaggerate output, I belive the Stylus Pro to be the 24 lumens that Streamlight claims.

One, of course, was the pick of the litter, the best of five. And, regrettably, one was underpowered and dimmer than the rest. Despite any subtle differences between my examples, there was a consistency to them all....BRIGHT and WHITE with a smallish, throwy, AAA flashie type of spot and quite bright and fair sized spill.

I've read somewhere, either, here, on CPF, or elsewhere on a review site that the Stylus PRO should get about 7.5 hours of runtime. As I've not done runtime tests I cannot confirm this.

With all of the flashaholic purchases that I've made this holiday season, I neglected to order a Stylus Pro for myself so I won't be able to give a long term report.

Upon initial testing and inspection, I would say that the Stylus Pro is a stylish, well made, NICE, EDCable, inexpensive flashlight that is excellent for flashaholics and non-flashaholics alike.

Yeah, they all had stiff clickies.....
They came with sheaths


73
dim


----------



## Derek Dean (Jan 1, 2008)

Both the MicroStream and Stylus Pro look like nice lights. I've been looking for a small light to keep in my front shirt pocket along with the pen that is usually there. 

I had hoped the Lumapower Avenger would fill that slot, and while it's a very cool little light, and very bright, it's a bit to heavy, and when clipped to the pocket causes it to sag considerably.

So, does anybody have any thoughts about which light, the MicroStream or the Stylus Pro, would be more suitable for that purpose?

Personally, I like the longer body of the Stylus Pro and initially thought it might fit better in the pocket, but I would happily use the MicroStream if that would be more suitable by virtue of it's lighter weight.


----------



## this_is_nascar (Jan 1, 2008)

Derek Dean said:


> Both the MicroStream and Stylus Pro look like nice lights. I've been looking for a small light to keep in my front shirt pocket along with the pen that is usually there.
> 
> I had hoped the Lumapower Avenger would fill that slot, and while it's a very cool little light, and very bright, it's a bit to heavy, and when clipped to the pocket causes it to sag considerably.
> 
> ...



I can comment on the Stylus Pro, since I've never seen one. The MicroStream is lite enough with an E2 and short (it's still a rather long 1xAAA light) enough to fit nicely in a shirt pocket. My fear with the Stylus is it may be a bit too long and bottom out in the pocket and stick up rather high.


----------



## 22hornet (Jan 3, 2008)

Derek Dean said:


> Both the MicroStream and Stylus Pro look like nice lights. I've been looking for a small light to keep in my front shirt pocket along with the pen that is usually there.
> 
> I had hoped the Lumapower Avenger would fill that slot, and while it's a very cool little light, and very bright, it's a bit to heavy, and when clipped to the pocket causes it to sag considerably.
> 
> ...


 
Hello,
Both the Microstream and the Stylus Pro have about the same output, but the runtime of the 2AAA variant is a lot longer.
I fit my Stylus Pro 2AAA with the head of my Fenix L0D CE and the output is amazing. WHen comparing it to my Fenix L2D RB100, I guess the output to be somewhat like 80 lumens. Very spectacular.

Kind regards,
Joris


----------



## Derek Dean (Jan 15, 2008)

I received my Microstream tonight. I purchased it largely because of all the positive reviews and comments I've read, and I had hoped it would work as an always available shirt pocket light. 

I must admit that it appears from my evenings use and testing to be just as nice a light as has been reported. Fit and finish is excellent, threads smooth and clean, LED perfectly centered in the deep smooth reflector, and while it does require a firm push to lock it in the on position, I didn't find it unduly difficult or the least bit annoying, and the forward clicky responds as a momentary with just the right amount of pressure, so I'm happy with the way the clicky operates. 

I knew exactly how bright it would be because I had set my NovaTac 120P to level 17 (21 lumens) before purchasing the Microstream to see what that looked like..... and actually, the Microstream seems to be just a tad bit brighter compared to the NovaTac on level 17 in my initial ceiling bounce tests. 20 lumens is a very nice amount of light, and I can see this light being quite useful for most around the house applications. 

I was especially pleased to find how nice the beam is on this little light. A bit cooler compared to the NovaTac, and with a slight hint of yellow in the area just outside the hotspot, but overall....... a VERY nice beam that has good flood, but also compares quite favorably with the NovaTac in it's ability to throw ..... and when viewed on it's own it appears quite white. Very nice indeed. 

The bonus is that it virtually disappears in my shirt pocket to the point that it's easy to forget it's there, and the rugged little clip seems perfectly suited for that duty. 

I just finished a runtime test using a freshly charged (2 days ago) Sanyo Eneloop 750 mAh AAA cell. My Gossen Luna Pro light meter showed near perfect regulation for 1.5 hours, then it dropped slightly (not visible, but it showed about -1/8 stop on the meter) where it stayed for the next 15 minutes and then it began dropping rapidly so I terminated the test. 

The only negatives that I could find are:
1. The clip is attached to the clicky, and when you unscrew that to change batteries, the clip rotates on the body, and I'm sure at some point that will cause a mark around the battery tube. I guess you could lift the end while you turn, but I don't think I will. Not a big deal to me.
2. Polycarbonate front window. I'd rather have a UCL in there.

But heck, for $16 this is a great little light. I'll be interested to see how it holds up to daily use. 

Here is a side by side comparison beamshot. Unfortunately I forgot to lock the white balance on daylight, so that is auto, but it's pretty close and does show the relative color between the two lights very well. Microstream is always on the left, with the NovaTac (set to level 17, 21 lumens) on the right. Both lights 3 feet from the wall, camera 5 feet. 


Microstream on the left -------------------- NovaTac (level 17) on the right






-1 EV





-2 EV





-5 EV





I'm strongly considering purchasing the Stylus Pro. I think it will also be a nice fit for a shirt pocket, and the increased runtime is appealing.


----------



## this_is_nascar (Jan 15, 2008)

Nice report. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## 22hornet (Jan 16, 2008)

Hello,

If you have a Streamlight Stylus Pro, do the following:devil::
- unscrew the head
- fit the head of a Fenix L0D CE

Result: WOW :twothumbs

I use it with Eneloops and the output should be about 80 lumens or more on highest setting. Very much fun...

Kind regards,
Joris


----------



## xevious (Jan 17, 2008)

22hornet said:


> Hello,
> 
> If you have a Streamlight Stylus Pro, do the following:devil::
> - unscrew the head
> ...


Neat idea. I couldn't get my Stylus Pro head off with my bare hands--too narrow. I'll have to try strap wrenches or rubber sheeting.

I picked mine up for $15 along with an order of a few other things, so shipping cost was negligible. It's really bright! Streamlight claims 24 lumens, but I'd venture to say it's a little brighter than that.

For an SMO reflector, this is really smooth. At first I thought it was OP judging by the beam pattern. The form factor is appealing. The body is really thin, with it tapering outward to accommodate a useful reflector diameter.

The switch does take an unreasonable amount of pressure to activate, when you try it flat thumbed. But if you use the tip of your thumb, it's fine. It's a nice long travel so you don't have to worry about accidentally turning it on. Also, it's a forward clicky with good momentary-on function.

Surface is HA-II... nice and matte feeling, so it has better grip than an Olight (rather slippering HA-III). I don't get the impression this is super durable as Streamlight claims, but I'd say it's more of an indoor task light anyway. This is a perfect auxiliary car cabin light that could easily clip to a visor.

The Streamlight Stylus Pro beats the pants off a Fenix L2S, with brighter beam and longer runtime, too. For only $15 (Botach*), how can you go wrong? 

(Footnote: Yeah, I took a chance and placed an order with Botach. I did get an e-mail alert letting me know what items would ship--some fell off due to no inventory of discontinued items--but I did get what they told me I would, despite the somewhat slow shipping. And I was only charged for what I got. It's a crap shoot with these guys.)


----------



## Gene (Jan 17, 2008)

I did the LOD-CE head on the MicroStream body and couldn't be happier as I love clickies and the MS clip is far superior to the Fenix clip not to mention the LOD UI is easier to access with the clicky. 

I put the MicroStream head on the LOD body and yes, the MS has a nice beam but mine still has a slight touch of the dreaded, (to me), blue/purple tint. It's not bad but I can still see it.

As Ray, I was running it with a E2 lithium cell. Several days ago I dropped a 10440 cell in it and wow! The blue went away and it's much brighter and so far, it's working as advertised. For short to medium bursts, it's the ticket!


----------



## Timothybil (Jan 18, 2008)

xevious said:


> (Footnote: Yeah, I took a chance and placed an order with Botach. I did get an e-mail alert letting me know what items would ship--some fell off due to no inventory of discontinued items--but I did get what they told me I would, despite the somewhat slow shipping. And I was only charged for what I got. It's a crap shoot with these guys.)



I have ordered at least a half-dozen times from them over the years and have never had a problem. It does seem like things disappear for a while and them show up again at times - especially the SureFire stuff.

My last order with them was for my two Microstreams at $13.50 each. I noticed a couple of days later the price went up to $16.00. Guess that means they are popular enough to jack the price!


----------



## woodrow (Jan 21, 2008)

this_is_nascar... Thanks for the great review. I normally do not buy AAA lights, but my Olight T20 was kind of big to always have in my front pocket, so I sold it.

I was looking for a little light to ALWAYS have on me. Your review convinced me (thanks to your lithium AAA runtime graphs) to pick one up at Sportsman's Warehouse today. Wow, what a cool little light. Kind of looks like a Polarion HID...just reeally shrunk down.

Thanks for helping me find a cool little edc light for a verry cheap price.


----------



## this_is_nascar (Jan 23, 2008)

Glad you like it. I forget who actually brought the MicroStream to CPF. I was looking for something else one day and happened to come across a mention of the light. What I had read forced me to order a few from BrightGuy. The are really nice lights in my opinion. Up until knowing about the MS, I held the Dorcy 1xAAA in high regards for a good 1xAAA light. It's still a good light, but I like the MS better.


----------



## Ty_Bower (Feb 14, 2008)

I'm just throwing in my two cents. I received a Microstream today. I'll agree with just about everything that everyone said above. The fit and finish is very good. The switch is just about right. The clip seems useful. It's much brighter than I expected.

I wish it had a tailstanding cap, but I'll recognize that's impossible with the clicky switch. The yellow spot in the center of spot with the bluish ring around it is a little distracting. Other than that, I can't say much bad about this light.


----------



## Lite_me (Feb 14, 2008)

Ty_Bower said:


> The yellow spot in the center of spot with the bluish ring around it is a little distracting. Other than that, I can't say much bad about this light.


Agreed. Yeah, I've had 3 of these pass through my hands. Two of them had the yellow spot with the blue ring. The other wasn't as bad but it was also much dimmer than the other two. Guess it's a trade off.


----------



## geepondy (Feb 15, 2008)

Too add my two cents after posting of time of purchase on Dec. 31, this has become my every day work EDC. Previously I had used two Huntlight's I believe FT-A2 (the single AA model) and neither survived a drop to the floor as I use it on a work bench and occasionally knock it off. The Microstream has survived drops to the floor and not only that, it is still going strong on it's original lithium AAA and I use it at least a little bit every work day.


----------



## lumenal (Feb 15, 2008)

Ty_Bower said:


> The yellow spot in the center of spot with the bluish ring around it is a little distracting.


 
I noticed other folks have said this; I checked my MicroStream, and couldn't see *any* sign of yellow in the hotspot, or anywhere else in the beam.

Just a white center, with a very light *hint* of a purple ring, hard to notice unless looking for it.

Just a tint variation among the thousands of emitters used in this model of light.


----------



## Lite_me (Feb 16, 2008)

Hmmm....Here's one of my 2 with the yellow center. I do find it distracting when using it for close-up work. Anything out to about 10ft or so. It's still a nice light tho. 
I'm not sure how well the pic will show it here..







Edit: It's a little worse than what the pic shows.


----------



## PlayboyJoeShmoe (Feb 16, 2008)

I was at Carter Country on Treshwieg Rd in north Harris County and they had some neat stuff.

But no Microstream so I still don't have one.

Man O man, did they have a BUNCH of NICE guns!


----------



## bltkmt (Mar 8, 2008)

I finally bit the bullet and got a Microstream off of EBay (less than $15 shipped)...what a great little light! I am not a fan of clips, so I took it off and wrapped the entire light in GITD Tommy Tape...very nice, durable EDC light. I white-wall compared the beam of it to my last-generation L0D-CE (50 lumen) and don't see a huge difference...in fact the hotspot on the Microstream seems brighter. I can't get the head off mine to do the head swap trick...not into boiling it just yet either.

Anyway, great light for $15 (or more even).


----------



## PlayboyJoeShmoe (Mar 8, 2008)

Got the Snap On man to see about getting me a Microstream and a 2AAA (whatever it's called).

It'll cost more that way but what do I care?


----------



## Robocop (Mar 10, 2008)

Every year it seems we have one maker who brings a great product to the table that is simply a fantastic deal for the cost and performance....maybe this year it will be Streamlight who wows us with this little light. I very much appreciate the review and yes I am placing my order as I type this....thanks again for the information.


----------



## Mr. Blue (Mar 12, 2008)

are these water resistant at all?
my 6 yr old likes to shower with a flash light on!


----------



## RobertM (Mar 16, 2008)

Could anyone who has a Microstream post a picture of it with the included lanyard? How about a picture of the packaging it comes in too (I might give some a gifts)?

Thanks,
Robert


----------



## geepondy (Mar 16, 2008)

I should add that after the original lithium AAA died, I replaced it with an alkaline as that is what the company has and it's free for me. I know the alkaline run curve is not too great but I have found in intermittent use, it's holding up pretty well.



geepondy said:


> Too add my two cents after posting of time of purchase on Dec. 31, this has become my every day work EDC. Previously I had used two Huntlight's I believe FT-A2 (the single AA model) and neither survived a drop to the floor as I use it on a work bench and occasionally knock it off. The Microstream has survived drops to the floor and not only that, it is still going strong on it's original lithium AAA and I use it at least a little bit every work day.


----------



## AFAustin (Apr 20, 2008)

I took advantage of the very nice CPF Special that Fox had (maybe still has) going in order to to try out a Microstream: http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=176391
I confess this is the first Streamlight product I've bought in a while---SL seems to have lagged behind as far as all the new emitters, UIs, etc., we've seen recently.

After a flickering problem with the 1st MS I received, and a good RMA experience with Fox, I've now been playing with the new MS for several days. I've got to say that I really like this little light. Very decent output, handy bezel down clip, forward/momentary clickie, and very small overall size/wt. A bonus for me is that the beam on my replacement unit is also better than that on the original one: the yellow tint in the center of the hotspot is still there but is less prominent.

I know all the AAA buzz at the moment is over the Fenix EO1 (and I've got a 3-pk. of those on order myself!), but I really feel that the MS deserves a bit more attention. For ~$15 shipped, I believe I got a heckuva bargain. :thumbsup:


----------



## this_is_nascar (Apr 20, 2008)

AFAustin said:


> I took advantage of the very nice CPF Special that Fox had (maybe still has) going in order to to try out a Microstream: http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=176391
> I confess this is the first Streamlight product I've bought in a while---SL seems to have lagged behind as far as all the new emitters, UIs, etc., we've seen recently.
> 
> After a flickering problem with the 1st MS I received, and a good RMA experience with Fox, I've now been playing with the new MS for several days. I've got to say that I really like this little light. Very decent output, handy bezel down clip, forward/momentary clickie, and very small overall size/wt. A bonus for me is that the beam on my replacement unit is also better than that on the original one: the yellow tint in the center of the hotspot is still there but is less prominent.
> ...



I agree. The MS is great, as long as you feed it with lithium E2 cells. It's not too impressive, runtime wise, with alkalines. That's where I'm thinking the E01 will find its home. We'll see much more runtime from the E01, however at a lesser brightness, as well as with a different beam type. The LEDS of both lights are completely different, so that would be expected. In my opinion, until the E01 can prove itself, the MS has been a real sleeper and is probably one of the best as it relates to brightness/runtime vs. cost.


----------



## AFAustin (Apr 20, 2008)

Ray, I've been running my MS on an eneloop, and, though I haven't done any runtime tests, etc., it seems to perform well. Your charts of the MS on an E2 were attention getting to say the least, and I'm going to keep an eye out for a good sale on them (CPFers probably drove CVS to the brink of bankruptcy during their last Energizer coupon deal!).

Cheers,

Andrew


----------



## 22hornet (Apr 21, 2008)

Mr. Blue said:


> are these water resistant at all?
> my 6 yr old likes to shower with a flash light on!


 
Hello,

Sorry for this somewhat late reply.
No, they do not seem shower-proof. Both my microstream and my stylus pro get their lenses fogged after the shower 
... but they are great lights :thumbsup:

Kind regards,
Joris


----------



## DHart (Mar 25, 2009)

I know this is an old thread, but I'm a new Microstream owner. Old news to most of you, but to those who are new to this, the Microstream is everything those here say it is. Great little light! I got mine at Sportsman's Warehouse yesterday. (Ghost town of a store yesterday!)

In a dark house, it's plenty of light to get around and do things. Not so great at any distance outdoors, but we have other lights for that! I'm thinking about getting some Eneloops and a charger. Are there any brightness differences between alkaline vs. lithium vs. eneloops?

The Streamlight Microstream is a goodie. Thanks for the tips.


----------



## this_is_nascar (Oct 1, 2013)

Does anyone have a new Microstream C4 runtime info that they could add to this thread?


----------



## Timothybil (Oct 2, 2013)

Go out to the Streamlight website, find the Microstream page, and look at the ANSI chart. It will have all the info you want.


----------



## this_is_nascar (Oct 2, 2013)

OK, thanks. I was hoping for an independent runtime test, as vendors typically exaggerate their findings. I'll take as look though in the meantime. Thanks.


----------



## this_is_nascar (Oct 2, 2013)

I just looked at that chart. It tells me nothing really. It doesn't tell me if that's regulated runtime or runtime with alkaline cell or with a lithium cell or runtime of total brightness, runtime till exhaustion, etc. I do appreciate the response though.


----------



## mau91 (Oct 2, 2013)

Led-resource did a review on the C4 Microstream and in it there's a graph with alkaline, NiMH and lithium primary cell run times. There's a steep dropoff for all three cell types, so the light appears to be regulated.


----------



## this_is_nascar (Oct 3, 2013)

mau91 said:


> Led-resource did a review on the C4 Microstream and in it there's a graph with alkaline, NiMH and lithium primary cell run times. There's a steep dropoff for all three cell types, so the light appears to be regulated.



Can you provide me a link to the review please?


----------



## treek13 (Oct 3, 2013)

Streamlight MicroStream Review on Robin24k's website.


----------



## this_is_nascar (Oct 3, 2013)

Thanks.


----------

