Can no longer trust StreamLight products with my life!

[S&WM&P40]

As much as I wanted to like their products(price point)sadly I can not do so. I have owned three Streamlight flashlights(mirco stream,TLR-3, PT 1AA.) All have failed me with in weeks to months after buying them! Luckily they all failed during normal day to day use(Walking to the car at night/early am,dark rooms,reading map in car etc..Not talking about the weapon mounted light)

The Mirco Stream was picked up as a EDC small pocket flashlight and worked outstandingly for the first few weeks. Then it was all down hill, every time you turned it on it would flicker in and out(almost like a strobe light.) To get it to stop flickering and work right I would have to shake it and or smack it off something. Thinking it was a battery problem I changed it out, no such luck it was still acting up. Stream Light said they would replace it for free if I sent it back(Did not feel like sending it back, needed a light.) They said that model had a know problem with it's tail switch and they are working on replacing them. Two months after buying it the light was dead all together. Having only been used lightly for EDC type stuff! I ended up cutting it up and throwing it away($20 dollars in the trash!)


The TLR-3 weapon light was the same old song and dance, worked outstandingly for a few months and then started to act up. You could hear something rattling around on the inside of the light.


Having notched the two above lights off as bad luck I purchased yet another Stream Light product (PT-1AA). Yet again(two weeks after getting it) the light started to act up. It was doing the same flickering that the Mirco stream did, I had to shake/tap if off something to get it to work right again.
I called Stream Light again and talked with a Customer service agent who then sent me to a tech support agent. She told me the model light I have has a known problem with the tail switch. She took my information and mailed me out a new tail switch.
I was jumping for joy when the package came with the new switch, I ran up stairs and ripped it open. I installed the new switch and everything seemed to be fine. I placed the light back into my EDC bag(Maxpedition EDC jumbo.) I reached into my bag the other night and took the light out to light the way to the car. I pushed the tail cap down and the light came on(I was jumping for joy), but then it started to flicker on and off again. At this point I was PISSED!!!

Long story short I spent close to 150-160 on all three items and lost all of it! Had I needed any of the above items when my life was on the line. I shutter to think about what would have happened when they FAILED ME!

Last night I ordered myself a new SureFire G2X Pro Dual-Output LED as my new EDC light. I went with Stream light products over SureFire because I was being cheap. I didn't want to spend the money on a SureFire. The stream light PT-1AA will stay as a backup light.

Save all the comments of "Stream Light has never failed me" "I have never had a problem with any of my Stream light products."

I'm sharing my story in the hopes that others in the market will not end up wasting money, while trying to save money by not buying a surefire or other high end light. If you have never had a problem with your Stream Light gear, good grand wonderful! I hope it stays that way and you never have any problems.

I'll let you know how the surefire works out(I have never owned a surefire.)

I may try Stream light again, if they get the QC under control! One bad product I can live with, three products that are faulty is just unacceptable in my book!

I'll fix spelling and grammar later, internet spelling/grammar police don't issue me a ticket.

 

[tbell6]

EDC Light Recomendation

I've bought over a dozen different EDC lights, but for the last year I've carried a Fenix PD30 with two Tenergy RCR123A 3.0V rechagable LI-ION batteries. Small enough that it is always in my pocket. With multiple output up to 230 lumins it does all I ever need. The only drawback is not, Made in USA.

 

[walther380]

I don't know if I'd really trust any flashlight with my life in the first place. Maybe you could blind them to death with it. I don't get it I guess. In what SD situation could a flashlight save your life? I can see it helping make a bad SD situation go better but not actually saving your life.

 

[tbell6]

SD / Flashlight

My other pocket has a LPC. I want to see the threat in shadows or after power is out. Thats why I carry Fenix PD30. I suppose using the stobe @ 230 lumens might be disabling I want the LPC380 in my right hand

 

[tbell6]

I EDC a Fenix PD30 in my left front pocket next to wallet. I EDC a LPC 380 in my right front pocket. If I want to see a threat in a shadow or after loss of power, I use the Fenix PD30. "Sudden Death" situation would involve LPC 380 which I also would have retrieved to review threat.

 

[Treo]

I have a Streamlight scorpion and a Streamlight Stinger XT that I've never had a problem with. As far as I know Streamlight products have a lifetime warranty (excludes batteries and bulbs for obviois reasons) maybe you should give them a call

 

[S&WM&P40]

I have a Streamlight scorpion and a Streamlight Stinger XT that I've never had a problem with. As far as I know Streamlight products have a lifetime warranty (excludes batteries and bulbs for obviois reasons) maybe you should give them a call

I have called them, the issue is not with their warranty it's with their products and QC. I buy an item to have it with me, does me no good to buy an item just so I can send the item back to their factory to be worked on or replaced over and over again.

 

[S&WM&P40]

I don't know if I'd really trust any flashlight with my life in the first place. Maybe you could blind them to death with it. I don't get it I guess. In what SD situation could a flashlight save your life? I can see it helping make a bad SD situation go better but not actually saving your life.

Really, you would not trust you life to a flashlight? People trust their life's to them everyday. As for how in a SD a flashlight could save your life, I would say FOFI(Friend or Foe identification.) If you can't see your target your kinda at a tactical Disadvantage. Need some kind of white light to see your target, one shot that kills a none BGWW(Bad guy with weapon) and your life is over for a few years.

Before the firearm comes out the flashlight can let you know if the person is armed. As you said it can blind the BG for just a second or two and that could be all it takes.

The ways we trust our life's to flashlights in normal life and in SD are endless.

 

[SGB]

I carried a SL-20 for years on the street, have 4 stingers that do house duty and a TLR1 mounted on a 1911 that does night duty. Never have had any more problems with Streamlight products than with any other.

 

[Purple]

I've got Streamlights all over the place here and on several weapons. Never had an issue with anyone of them. I've had two in extreme duty for 5+years on my helmet (firefighter). They have seen heavy smoke, high heat and loads of water and never failed to light the way for me.

 

[Safebustr]

I gave the Micro Stream to about 15 people for Christmas presents last Christmas and have not had a single report of anyone having a problem. I also carry one every day as a pocket light and have for about a year with no problem.
You must have gotten a lemon times 3.

 

[S&WM&P40]

I gave the Micro Stream to about 15 people for Christmas presents last Christmas and have not had a single report of anyone having a problem. I also carry one every day as a pocket light and have for about a year with no problem.
You must have gotten a lemon times 3.

A lemon three times? Even if that was true that still leads back to POOR QC. There are large reports of people having the same problem. You know it's not just "Getting a lemon 3 times" when you call the company and they tell you that line has problems. Lets say I did just happen to buy the only three lights in the world that had a problem, would you keep buying from a company that sells stuff that does not work? Three times is enough money for me. I have had cheap gas station flash lights hold up better then the StreamLight items I had. If the SureFire has problems I'll be the first to say something.

 

[S&WM&P40]

I've got Streamlights all over the place here and on several weapons. Never had an issue with anyone of them. I've had two in extreme duty for 5+years on my helmet (firefighter). They have seen heavy smoke, high heat and loads of water and never failed to light the way for me.

Our city's fire department uses them as well. From what I hear they are made to a higher standard then the "tactical" or "tacticool" line of lights.

 

[S&WM&P40]

I carried a SL-20 for years on the street, have 4 stingers that do house duty and a TLR1 mounted on a 1911 that does night duty. Never have had any more problems with Streamlight products than with any other.

My choice of light has never had any problems and I have been using them since childhood. I even use them as hammers/clubs and they still work great. Mag Lights are built like tanks and it shows. But you can't carry around a D cell Mag light(could but it would suck.) I have two 19 dollar 75 lum Coleman lights I got from Wal-Mart that have never acted up(have had them about two years now.) Never owned a SureFire,they have always seemed extremely over priced! We shall see if the price and the name live up to it.

 

[rudiepop]

Man I don't use that product but just a little tip that may help.
I take a small amount of the anti corrosion elecrto lube you get for battery terminals on your car and treat the batteries and all contacts with it (just a small amount) It really does a good job keeping continuity in the electrical current. They will usually give you a little packet of it at Autozone if you ask. I put it on all my lights seems to really help.

 

[JakeG23]

Can't go wrong with a Surefire! I got the Executive Defender, awesome light.

 

[Itstjs]

I carry a Rayovac flashlight for my pocket, and a 18 inch Streamlight DS LED light in my back pocket, then again, I work Private Policing, I need a good Flashlight, no issues with my stream light as of yet. Good light.

 

[Iteach4U]

Let's see here, and yes I'm going to throw you under the bus.

You chose to smack your light off something instead of trouble-shooting it. Once Streamlight offered to make it right and said you had to ship it, you should have negotiated that they eat the shipping both ways or they contact the area rep to get a prompt replacement in your hands.

So a looming question is did you buy these from the internet or from an official dealer? If you got them from an official dealer, did you make the effort of taking them to that dealer to let them make it right?

Something I teach in class: Safety devices can and do fail. Well you're light is a safety device, any light could fail at any juncture without notice.

You should have taken the company up on the opportunity to make things right with you instead of pitching the product in the trash. The least you could have done was get replacements and sell them on the web or to someone local, if this had been done properly Streamlight would be out the cost instead of you. It's impossible for them to trouble shoot any of their products if customers aren't willing to get the bad products back to them.

Call it lesson learned on your part. Perhaps you'll put that into practice the next time you have a bad experience with another company. If they pony up to make things right, take them up on it, especially if you can get them to eat all of the costs of correcting the problem. You can always dump the replacement product off on the market.

 

[fudo]

I have and use Surefire and Pelican lights. Ever since I became an EMT, in 1981, I've had a fetish about being able to see in the dark. I am a real big fan of the Pelican lights.They work well, have an excellent warranty, and the prices are reasonable.

 

[FN1910]

I've bought over a dozen different EDC lights, but for the last year I've carried a Fenix PD30 with two Tenergy RCR123A 3.0V rechagable LI-ION batteries. Small enough that it is always in my pocket. With multiple output up to 230 lumins it does all I ever need. The only drawback is not, Made in USA.

On a lark I picked up a PD30 at a gun show a good while back and it was a mistake. It led to me having to purchase a PD10 and a PD20. I don't have a lot of experience with surefire's or other tacticool lights but I am very happy with the Fenix lights. Before I bought the first one I thought I had some good lights but I was mistaken. The Fenix lights are about half the price of a surefire of comparable performance.