Streamlight 66318 MicroStream 45-Lumen Everyday Carry Pocket Flashlight with AAA Alkaline Battery, Black

Well.. Wow. I do not know why it took me so long to order one of these, given their reputation. But I was only doing myself a disservice. I regularly carry a Fenix PD35 2014 Edition 965 Lumen 2xCR123A light in my left pants pocket, but it is both a drain on the pricey batteries and incredibly overpowered for your standard "I dropped something in the dark" kind of a thing, so I also always carry something else in the 9o'clock-most corner of my left rear pocket. After trying 2 and 1 AA lights I found the barrel diameter sufficient to be annoying, and moved to 2-AAA penlights. After trying several and chipping a tooth doing something with one in my mouth and something falling on the light, one with a hat clip became ideal. Enter the MicroStream, the pocket clip is excellently designed (most others rip off rather soon for me, this one has yet to even have the finish scratched) and does in fact work extremely well. Ontop of that, the momentary and constant on capabilities are done with a touch of quality one expects out of any Streamlight, Surefire, Fenix etc. without compromise from the lights size. Additionally, it is so light that I genuinely do not notice it's either in my pocket or clipped to my hat, even the HAT suffers no noticeable weight variation nor does the clip dig in to you. To top it all off, it's bright enough to shine at the ceiling and illuminate a dark room well enough to get dressed, shave, tie your tie, and be out the door. I did just that this weekend with no problems. The battery life is surprisingly long, and best of all its powered by ONE AAA (Duracell Procell for me) which makes more/spare batteries as easy and cheap as can be. I've also dropped it from about 6 feet onto a curb and then asphalt, on accident, and it didn't even scratch the finish much less affect functionality. For the price point, the fit finish and function being unsurpassed, and the assurance of StreamLight customer service, if you don't own one and are looking for a light of this species, stop looking. Don't waste your money on anything less than the Streamlight Microstream.

Why is it so hard to find a well-made, compact flashlight that simply turns on and provides a beam of light? Nowdays it seems like they all have multiple modes that you must click through before they behave like a flashlight. I've got some that strobe when I turn them on, then do an S-O-S thing on the next click, and only on the 3rd click can I get it to act like a frikking flashlight! This is NOT something I want to deal with when I hear the cat barfing in the middle of the night! I don't need to S-O-S a rescue plane while walking down the hall at 2-AM!Enter this little gem! The build quality is AWESOME! I have to depress the button with deliberate force which is good for preventing it from turning on by accident. I can also twist the column to disconnect the current. It's super tiny so it fits in any pocket without bulk. It comes with a convenient pocket clip, too.When I click it, all I get is a simple beam of light with a good throw pattern for something so small.Compact. Check!Built like a (tiny) tank. Check!Super simple. Check!I plan to get a few more for various rooms in my house and will give away the ones that strobe.

Quick review: Great focused flashlight for tight quarters. Single AAA battery keeps it small but won't give you more than 2 hours of light. Perfect for electronics work, engine work, keeping in your glove box, taking out the trash, or any other area where you want a lot of light without a lot of fuss.Long review: I love this flashlight over any other I've ever owned. The 20 lumens of output is intensely bright in a concentrated cone shaped beam (I can see the beam at night it's that bright!). At about 8 feet away the main brunt of the light is about a foot or so wide. Furthermore, this light gives out a large dim ring around the center (8 feet wide at 8 feet away). This secondary ring not only makes this light good as a general flood light around the house in the dark; but for close quarters work where 20 lumens is just too much, you can aim a bit to the side and enjoy a more mild 3-5 lumens. In terms of how far away you can use this light, it depends. The beam is very focused so it does carry some light for quite a distance, but because it's only a single small LED don't expect that much. I'd say that at night it remains good for up to about 20-30 feet and still useful with some squinting at about 50 feet.The light color is 80% white with tinges of blue and yellow mixed in. The build quality is top notch with a sturdy clip and anodized finish. I have scuffed the finish up a bit but the flashlight almost "self heals" and keeps them hidden. I also get the feeling I could run this over a few times with a car and it would keep on going. For a gauge of how big it is, it's about the exact size and thickness of my middle finger (male). I have no problems carrying it in a shirt pocket or side pocket of my pants as though it were a pen, and it doesn't fall out at the drop of a hat.The only obvious downside to a light like this is the size vs battery trade off. Streamlight says that the light will only last about an hour and a half on a single AAA battery. From my experience that's about accurate as well, although I usually change the battery out at the hour mark just to be safe. For me however, I prefer the smaller size over a longer battery life.In summary, this light is easily worth the $20 price tag if you want to take a step up from lesser mini mag lites. It's very comfortable to use and grip, and it seems like it'll provide many years of service. As long as you don't mind using up a few AAA batteries, especially if you're a heavy user, you can't go wrong with this flashlight either for yourself or as a gift for others.