Streamlight vs. $5 Chinese knock-off

Jayne

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Just swapping fresh rechargeable into my EDC lights tonight and was telling @Sneakymedic how much brighter the $5 Chinese knock-off light seemed than my actual streamlight.

Unofficial, but here are side-by-side patterns from the two, both with freshly charged batteries. Both run on a single AAA. I'm guessing the streamlight runs longer? Gotta be something to justify the price other than a nicer clip and smoother finish (before it wore off from daily carry). The cheapie has a better and protected switch.

The streamlight is carried M-F and it bangs against my M-F knife the way I carry it. The cheapy is weekends only and the weekend knife rides elsewhere.

$5 on the left, streamlight on the right. Yes, the wall is brown, blame the wife, she picked all the colors in the house.

IMG_1163.jpg IMG_1164.jpg
 
Just swapping fresh rechargeable into my EDC lights tonight and was telling
Unofficial, but here are side-by-side patterns from the two, both with freshly charged batteries. Both run on a single AAA. I'm guessing the streamlight runs longer? Gotta be something to justify the price other than a nicer clip and smoother finish (before it wore off from daily carry). The cheapie has a better and protected switch.

Link to the $5 model?
 
For some reason Streamlight doesn't want to do a 100 lumen micro light, the Chinese don't care. My eyes are old I need the lumens. I have been through a few of the cheapies though but at $20 a pop I can replace them.
 
I have been through a few of the cheapies though but at $20 a pop I can replace them.


Same here. They way my wife and kids "borrow" my lights all the time, I'm a big believer in the cheap stuff. Same reason I carry a Kershaw instead of a microtech.
 
I bought a case of twelve of the Chinese 300 lumens lights three or four years ago, down to my last five, they do well for a while then the pressure switch starts to malfunction, they're great for pocket carry but I always keep a spare close by, have a couple in my bugout bag, but there's also a sure fire in there just in case
 
With good quality LED lights available dirt cheap, there's really no reason whatsoever that cheap Chinese lights shouldn't also be bright as all get-out.

LED lights in flashlights (and other illuminating devices) are the best thing since pre-sliced bread. Bright, cheap, and batteries last a whole h*ll of a lot longer than they used to.
 
For the love of St Jude post a link man!
 
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012G1OOA2

Looks like the price changed, they're now 5 for $22.

Some batches really do say "enjoydeals" on the side, but I don't think they're actually 1000 lumen lights. 1000 Chinese lumens is probably 150 with the exchange rate.
Maybe it's the total lumens for the package? Lol
 
Talk about brilliant. I think I'm gonna buy 5, duct tape 'em together and that way I'll have 5000 lumens for $22. I should be able to start fires from across the street.
 
Talk about brilliant. I think I'm gonna buy 5, duct tape 'em together and that way I'll have 5000 lumens for $22. I should be able to start fires from across the street.
Lol

Chinese death ray.

Watch you don't give someone a sunburn!
 
Let's see those compared 30 or so yards across a dark back yard
 
Never had any luck with cheap chinese lights. Every single one I have ever paid for revealed them selves to be utter pieces of shit.

Bought two streamlight stylus pros............and awesome. Both have been through the wash several times. I gave my old one to @Slappy McTrigger, who still uses it daily I believe. Mine gets tossed around and beat daily. PLENTY bright.

My buddy once said something that has stuck with me: I can't afford to buy cheap crap.
 
any emergency light that in my bag or weapon is stream light or surfire. the ones lying around the house when the power goes out or I need to see in a dark space is cheap cause kids get a hold of them and trash them. so theres usually a bunch of those around
 
Around the house as a secondary fine but in my pocket, tool box or such where when I need a light I want to know it will work I'll pay a little more. My favorite little light to count on is a $35 Streamlight ProTac 1L-1-AA. Being able to use either 1 CR123 battery for 350 lumen or 1 AA battery (which I can always find in a pinch) for 150 lumen is a big plus. I set the "program" to the simplest OFF - ON HIGH and don't go for the other stuff ... I like the KISS principle. People at work try to "borrow" it permanently ... my wife carried one clipped to her wallet ... my son is even starting to carry one. When you need light ... you need light! The cost savings for many of the compact lights is the electronics that control and regulate the current ... cheap innards basically. Also the reflector and lense quality which helps produce a smoother more uniform beam. I also like the customer service from the better non-Chinese companies like Streamlight, Fenix, Surefire, etc ... I have had a couple replacement clips and even a full switch replacement on a Streamlight that I snapped off when I caught it on my sling. Chinese lights do have their place but I want better reliability for certain applications.
 
Well, one obvious reason is that you are comparing a light rated for 45 lumens that came out 14 years ago to a new LED rated (erroneously I am sure) for 1,000 lumens.
 
I ordered the 5 pack. I'm a sucker. They're so small. Hell, I might actually EDC a flashlight for once.
 
Weird thing on the $5 light (or should I say $4.39 light?). I tried 3 times to take a picture of the just the $5 light up close and the iphone camera would not focus, they all came out blurry. Wonder what sort of odd light it's throwing out to confuse the AF on the camera? Or maybe it's oscillating at some strange frequency? Or aliens, might be aliens.

IMG_1172.jpg

The AAA streamlight had no such issue:

IMG_1171.jpg
 
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Aliens, most definitely alien technology. It's the only explanation for such inexpensive, high quality merchandise.
 
Cosmoline on the lens from the factory? Maybe new Chinese lights require an initial cleaning and some dry firing?

:)
 
They might be brighter, but just like a gun, would you trust them in a life and death situation?
 
They might be brighter, but just like a gun, would you trust them in a life and death situation?

I've had 1 of my 2 streamlight AAAs fail on me, and have yet to have one of the 6 cheapies fail (I was given 1 as a gift, then had to get a 5 pack for myself). Of course the cheapies don't get beaten around as much, other than the 1 that gets carried on the weekends the rest just lay around on desks, in cars, etc.

That said, all of my "real" lights are streamlight or surefire, and while one of the cheapies is great for "where is the cat hiding?" type duties, no one says you can't carry a second light for when things get more serious...

IMG_1177.jpg
 
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I've had 1 of my 2 streamlight AAAs fail on me, and have yet to have one of the 6 cheapies fail (I was given 1 as a gift, then had to get a 5 pack for myself). Of course the cheapies don't get beaten around as much, other than the 1 that gets carried on the weekends the rest just lay around on desks, in cars, etc.

That said, all of my "real" lights are streamlight or surefire, and while one of the cheapies is great for "where is the cat hiding?" type duties, no one says you can't carry a second light for when things get more serious...

View attachment 17789
No, I'm with you on carrying a second light and I do also, and I know that anything can fail at a critical time, but why tempt fate? Luck luck has been for crap! If it can go wrong, it's went wrong with ME! :D
 
I've had 1 of my 2 streamlight AAAs fail on me, and have yet to have one of the 6 cheapies fail (I was given 1 as a gift, then had to get a 5 pack for myself). Of course the cheapies don't get beaten around as much, other than the 1 that gets carried on the weekends the rest just lay around on desks, in cars, etc.

That said, all of my "real" lights are streamlight or surefire, and while one of the cheapies is great for "where is the cat hiding?" type duties, no one says you can't carry a second light for when things get more serious...

View attachment 17789
No, I'm with you on carrying a second light and I do also, and I know that anything can fail at a critical time, but why tempt fate? My luck has been for crap! If it can go wrong, it's went wrong with ME! :D
 
I ordered some of the lights and they came today. I carry a Streamlight ProTac 2L during every day and a 1L while at home. I just came in from outside and while these lights are not Streamlights, they ain't bad. If they hold up and battery life is decent, I'll be impressed.
 
Mine came yesterday. I can't complain so far. We'll see how they hold up. I put one in the motorcycle, EDC one, one in the nightstand. The others two are spares, which I'll probably need at some point. I'm a realist and understand that these are $5 lights.
 
The beauty of the streamlight is if you do break it you can walk into Lawman's and they'll swap it out for a new one... I only carry streamlight these days. I use them for weapon lights and pocket lights.
 
The beauty of the streamlight is if you do break it you can walk into Lawman's and they'll swap it out for a new one... I only carry streamlight these days. I use them for weapon lights and pocket lights.

Only if you're a LEO/ first responder.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The beauty of the streamlight is if you do break it you can walk into Lawman's and they'll swap it out for a new one... I only carry streamlight these days. I use them for weapon lights and pocket lights.
Amazon has a pretty bangin return policy...
 
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