Because of fluctuating Prime Day stuff, some models are different prices than shown: www.amazon.com/shop/torquetestchannel So double check. We've tested a bunch of different types and brands of lights like this, a list here: ruclips.net/p/PLYka5JBKPLHEfG1w1WC_bbN4vQglwyp5n The creator of this channel is working in product development for Astro Tools, who also make inspection lights but not flashlights like the ones shown here. Always a good idea to consider multiple sources when looking at a tool!
One light I think you might like is a coast HP550. 1,200 lumens and only two modes. High low. Takes a total of 9 AA batteries, but it was bought to replace a 2cell mag lite almost a decade ago. Adjustable beam with spot beam that has light around the spot and then it goes to a crisp flood. Good all purpose light
Have you heard of Sofirn? They're a Chinese company but I've got a couple of theirs and they're awesome. Would love to see some on here. I've got the sp10 pro and 2 headlamps.
SreamLight has KILLER Customer Service/Warranty... Emailed them for a 10 year old pen light of theirs that quit...no questions, no back and forth, no receipt, one picture, no sending out for repair or needing to waist resources sending back broken, just mailed me a brand new light in the same color on them. The light was back in my tool pouch within three days from failure. That to me is even more valuable then the impressive top performing figures they put up in this video.
I love my Streamlight Stinger 2020. all aluminum body and deeply recessed polycarbonate lens to prevent it from getting scratched or broken. 2 hours run time on High (2000 Lumens), 4 hours on med (850 Lumens), and a whopping 24 hours of runtime on low (100 lumens). dropped many many times from about shoulder height onto concrete floors and still runs perfect.
They are located near my work. They fix them free while you wait. My father mailed one to them and forgot to put any note with it. They fixed it and mailed it back using the return address on the envelope. I only buy streamlight.
The impact your channel and channels like it (Project Farm, etc) has made is evident in the recent round of updated tools. They can’t just print crap on boxes and expect anyone to take their word for it. Thank you!
Well, people DO by print on the box if they need something that day. Not many have time to look up channels like this researching products before they buy. So companies get away with *insanely* misleading statements because A: people can't test or don't test, especially knock-offs and B: people aren't going to spend the time to put up a negative review (1 out of maybe 10,000 purchasers) when something is egregiously bad.
If im spending money on something besides ham and eggs im doing my research. If im in the store anout to make the purchase or im planning on buying it 3 weeks later im looking at reviews and seeing if its good quality or or if its gonna end up in the trash. @@amzarnacht6710
The fact that your sphere and this product are within like half a percent is honestly very impressive! And kudos to that company for making that custom for y'all!
I don't know if their DIY sphere is just really that impeccable... or if measuring light with legitimately usable accuracy/consistency just isn't the most difficult task in the world... lol Maybe both?
Let's be honest, if these brands are getting better (which really means that their products are more closely matching their claims), it is because of independent testers like TTC putting in the work to keep them honest and hold them accountable to the consumer. I would much rather rely on the performance figures from Torque Test Channel and Project Farm, than those put out by corporate marketing. After a few years of being called on the carpet, it feels like we are seeing them finally match the claims they have been making. Thank you TTC for your hard work and dedication to accuracy, repeatability, and above all, honesty.
It’s both unbelievable and hilarious how tough that coast was. I’ve had a couple of their mini pen lights for work and they both started flickering and kicked the bucket after 2 drops from less than 5ft.
That's crazy to me... When I was doing inspections I used to exclusively use Coast lights because they were so durable... Granted I was never more than 8ft off the ground...
The little Coast I use at work has definitely seen better days. I pretty much always have to whack it against my machine to get it to turn on and the lens has unscrewed in my pocket more than once. I even had to superglue on the clip. I do really like the dual mode it has though.
I always have a bunch of G19 54 Coast inspection lights and I do not treat them very well. I have yet to actually break one. I've lost plenty of them but even after being dropped into drain pans, being run over, and being dropped more times than I can count, the most I've ever had to do was take one apart and spray everything with QD cleaner.
I have been using G25/26 lights for YEARS and have only had one die after driving over it with a D4H Dozer... I have dropped them from 20ft and yeah they dent or lens popps out....but they still work... I have many of their lights.... I have a G23 that the side flood light has been smashed (My Fault Drove over it w/F250), but the Inspection beam still works....
I’ve owned the same coast flashlight for probably over 2 years. I have like 15 flashlights, but I always reach for the coast. I’m a maintenance guy and it lasts me long enough to do my job for a few days. No complaints at all. Great video, Broskies!
I’m fine with high/low/off, particularly when high is pretty bright. Don’t always need that high light level. But I don’t want a “turbo” that only works for a couple minutes. I want true high that stays high, low that lasts longer, and off. No strobe, etc.
@@geoffstricklermy streamlight never advertised this, but it does have a high brightness mode if you double tap the button. next time you turn it off and back on, it will be back to standard brightness
My Protac HL-X on my AR has a strobe feature for dazzling and disorienting intruders, but it's also a bit more expensive than the model they tested at ~$140.
Adding battery type to the ranking sheet would be helpful for those of us wanting a flashlight that uses industry standard batteries. Sometimes that information isn't easily found for some brands
Not sure about this model, but my nitecore came with their proprietary battery, but also came with a sleeve to run standard cells. Since I only use the one battery, it's just nice knowing that I can use standard cells in 5+yrs time if they no longer make the proprietary one
At work, I always wished for a tiny flashlight that was like a camera flash. I was only checking if something was empty, but I was doing hundreds of times. That instant flash was more effective for me finding stuff than a flashlight that stayed on. Modern flashlights all seem to be made to not turn on until after the click and they have dozens of modes to click through just to turn it off :(
big clive did a video on a tiny rechargeable light that's only $8-10 on fleabay and the like that you may be interested in. I use one I keep on my keychain at work for inspections on < insert piece of industrial equipment here > where my headlamp doesn't cut it. it's got a momentary on if you hold the power button, and a set of side firing lights ranging from useful to silly.
if you go to a Cabela's/bass pro shop, they usually have a little flashlight/knife combo for like $10-15 that has a small flashlight. It's a click flashlight, but it's a single click in a small package.
Great video! One thing I would love to see added to these torch tests is a sound test because some torches buzz (More in low mode I find) and its really irritating! Thanks for the great video as always!
Since you seem to really like the candela and simplicity from the streamlight here, it would be cool to see a review with the new age “tactical” flashlights. Modlite, cloud defensive, and weltool all have lights with really clearly defined hot spots with a bit of flood around the central beam. Pretty cool stuff, although much more expensive than the already pricy streamlight. Might be cool to see how the numbers stack up though
I been waiting for them to test a REIN 3.0 or similar... hope their lux sensor goes to 100k+ lol (and that is absolutely mandatory when mounted to a fighting rifle)
I like the Streamlight as it reminds me of old Mag Lights with a bright spot and a dimmer outer area. So it just looks "correct" and works like a flashlight.
I think the fact that the Milwaukee recharges in 105 min vs others at 3600 or more minutes is a very important factor. I think it can easily overcome drop damage with a bit of DIY'ing in a couple areas, which I wouldn't mind because it's not an EDC at all so don't care if it's not easy in/out of my pants pocket. My Milwaukee 500 lumen rechargeable is really the perfect EDC in my opinion, it's size, great light color, and battery lasts forever it seems and recharge is very quick, and I like the button functions, weatherproof, nothing else comes close all others are very awkward shape/size in my pocket so it started my love for the Milwaukee flashlights. I also like Coast. EXCELLENT VIDEO! Doesn't get any better than that. Thank you!
Hard to beat Wurkkos and Sofirn. Bought a Wurkkos FC13S for $20, and I can’t say enough great things about it. 3500 lumens on turbo if you need it, fantastic build quality, 5000K color temp, great button programming… It’s awesome.
You guys REALLY need to do the NEBO Slide King series... the new one is USB C, it comes on full blast and stays that way, dimming analog style (no noticeable stepping) via holding the button... with it gradually dimming, hitting bottom level, then gradually growing back in brightness. You can then hit the button once to turn it off, once to turn it back on full blast... or twice to return to your last used dimming level, at any point no less... it will remember that level forever. Takes standard 18650 type batteries, is waterproof, zooms to give whatever cone you desire, is something in the 10K+ realm of brightness (I'd love to see that tested)... but then also has the slide part of its namesake (which can also light up red, with sos as well if need be). Where you can slide the top portion up, and reveal a flat LED panel, for sticking it via its strong magnet to metal surfaces and illuminating an entire engine bay or the like, rather than just a spot. Honestly, better in all ways than literally every single light you have here, or have ever shown to date even... Again, I'd love to see it tested to see the numbers back that up, but I can surely say this in use case at least. Plus, it's like $40 on Amazon. . . But I promise you, the build quality, the functionality, and (likely) the light output... they'd all top your lists. It would easily smack the living crap out of all the big names and bigger prices here. With ease. Also, they don't break... not under normal use. I'd be surprised IF you were even able to spike it to death....
One thing that I look for in a flashlight is a zoom. Sometimes you want a bright wide pattern up close, and other times you need a spot to see far away. I don't recall you mentioning if any of these have a zoom on them.
I would like to note that the nitecore battery isn't exactly proprietary. its a normal 21600 cell, but with a charging/current protection cap on it that makes it a bit longer. I have used a normal 21600 cell with a small metal spacer with no issues with the nitecore E4K.
I know my comment will likely get smugged as I'm no edc tech expert. But as someone who uses a flashlight daily, and definitely abuses it in water, dust, heat, and dripping. I have had really good luck with Fenix. I have had the same one for about 10 years and even though it occasionally finds itself as a hammer replacement, it works the same as new. I do believe their 18650 batteries are flighty, I've had 2 that are as old as the light without really any diminish in capacity. But also 2 that crapped out within months. I may be the oddball, but I hate when a light defaults to high or Turbo, good way to temporarily blind yourself around dusk when you just need a little extra light to see something. I prefer it resuming whatever mode you left it. Great video!
Great video, nice to see some hardware store lights tested. You should get a Wurkkos TS22 to test, it's up to 5k lumens (lower with the 90 CRI or XHP70.3 models, closer to 4k), 21700, small, efficient driver. It's my go-to EDC and very well recommended on the flashlight subreddit. It maintains the highest lumens of any light its size supposedly, around 1400. It's similar to the olight seeker 4 pro or streamlight, just smaller, way cheaper, and 1 LED instead of 3 so its more efficient. I'd be especially interested to see how it performs in the drop test, as it performs similar to the streamlight for 1/3 the price. (the included 21700 isnt great so its usually best to buy it without a battery and get one separately, gets a few hundred more lumens)
I hope to see more light stuff! Especially headlamps. I really like the fact that the streamlight's button only turns out off and on. My ledlenser headlamp works the same way and everyone at work gets jealous when they see that.
So as the owner of the BRAUN flashlight, I was pleased to see how it compared to others in this test. Also, I have used it to light rooms (like a floor lamp) and though I never ran it dead, I have had many times run it for 2-3 hours with similar results. The two way charging feature on it (for charging your phone -\_0_/- I guess) does not seem to do well for running something like a USB fan.
Thanks again for another great video guys. I'm a professional mechanic as you've seen me comment before and I use Streamlight daily. I have one that I bought one that I inherited from a girlfriend and one that I found wedged under a hood on a car. I have found that they are pretty good flashlights in a professional setting though I was afraid that I was paying for a name and a good warranty but not necessarily great performance. Seeing the results of your testing with the investment in those flashlights. Keep up the good work and Torque test Channel forever.
Thanks so much for the drop tests.. I work in Aviation on large passenger jets and have dropped my Coast flashlight more than once from rather high, and it just keeps on going.. The only thing I don't like about the Coast is the quality of the light emitted could be better.. it's a bit "blue" for my liking.. my Coast headlamp emits the same color temperature.. on the other hand, I have a 2500 lumen Hart spotlight that is very white compared to the coast lights. It's kind of odd for a light that cost half what the Coast lights cost.
I've been using the bigger version of the Coast light you tested in this video as an EDC for a few months now, can confirm, it is quite bright, but it takes absolutely forever to charge.
What a great friggin video! I am a geek of many stripes-gun geek, custom knife geek, archaeology geek, etc-but I have slowly become a flashlight geek too! I have had numerous Surefire lights, starting at the turn of the millennium, many of which I paid embarrassingly high prices for-M4 Devastator-I’m talking about you-as well as O-Lights, and other brands I’ve probably forgotten about. My daughter and her fiancé gave me a Streamlight Pro Tac for Christmas a couple years back and I have carried ever since. Now, Streamlight can thank YOU for my purchasing a Pro Tac 2.0 about 18 minutes into your video! Thanks for sharing your information with all of us relatively new “light addicts!” Semper Fi 🫡👍🏼❤️
Definitely going to have to get my dad one of the stream lights, pretty impressive. I've had a coast XP11r now for about a year and it's been doing pretty good, glad to know you can throw it off a 4-story building.
THANK YOU for this review! I saw this video months ago and then began a local search for the Streamlight ProTac 2.0. (I avoid Amazon.) Finally found it at Bass Pro Shops and purchased one. This is an awesome light for tasks that require long runtime on high (2000 lumens)! It holds continuously without stepping down, which is a unique feature, and never requires gloves (not too hot). Streamlight has solved the problem of size vs. heat. The ProTac 2.0 is not large, produces high lumens continuously for a very long runtime, and never gets too hot.
Olight warrior is my jam. I’ve had problems with the first and second generations but now I have the 2nd Gen mini warrior and it’s been great. The battery lasts forever, and I’m a fan of the various output levels. Most of the time I only need a 2-300 lumen light. But if I need over a thousand lumens it has it.
as a farmer iv had 3 coast lights one inspection light that i loved/hate and 2 bigger lights that i had no complaints about. the inspection light was a great size for in the pocket and indestructible but never had any battery left when i needed it because i would bump the button on the back and turn it on without knowing i just kept an extra battery with me. i had all the black wore off before i lost it.
@@swecreations We've tested Wurkkos and Sofrin before. Even recommended the Wurkkos on this video. Emisar's website wont process through our channel paypal at the moment for some reason. So have to use Ebay to buy one, but havent had good luck finding one with the upgraded driver when doing these episodes.
@@TorqueTestChannelMy first modern flashlight was an Emisar D4. In turbo mode, it gets hot enough to cause a blister in 1-2 minutes. Literally. Took a couple days for it to go away.
I have had multiple Coast lights. When they work, they seem fine. But I have had 6 fail on me because of the button. ALL failed within a couple of months. Most of them were free but NEVER again! I now have the small Milwaukee light with the built-in laser pointer. So far, so good, and it's nice to be able to charge it while driving. I am a welding inspector and NTD technician, so I keep my light on me at all times and use it every day.
The 7k Braun actually does advertise runtimes for high and medium on the back of the package. Says 3 hours for high (7000lm) and 6 hours for medium (1750lm). Low (170lm) is where they get the 46 hour claim, though I'd personally prefer a low setting around 300-500 lumen to be a bit more useful.
Very cool! I'd like to see some spotlights on here too! I've been looking at the Streamlight Way Point 400 and I'm curious how it stacks up against other similar lights. I need it mostly at night to see what the heck is out there... Bears, mountain lions, foxes, ring tail cats, that sort of thing!
I'm certain I'm not the first to say this: You testing logic is on point! If you were venture out to other products, I think there is a real market for your insights. Epoxy, wood glue, laundry detergent, etc, etc.
I wanna see you test some maglites, both the LED and incandescent models. I'm mostly interested in how well they'd do in the durability test, since maglites are known for being tanks.
The only comment I can make is notations of battery size, Standard size verus proprietary. Much like any other battery tool we end up buying in to. If I have 8 batteries of one type I don't want to have to get more batteries of a different type. Thank you for all the work you do.
Thank you for this review. The other day I purchased a Feit 3k light that was on sale at Costco for about $20. It looks strikingly similar to the HF 7k that you tested. Only complaint I have is that you have to go through all 3 modes in order to turn it off. I may return it just because of that and check out one of the lights you tested. Thanks again
I have that coast flashlight, and i love it cause its durable and the battery seems to last FOREVER even on low battery, especially when you only use the light for 20min at a time. I've yet to have it actually die on me, i just get tires of it flashing red and finally charge it. But charging it takes forever so i usually do it overnight. Seeing that this data reflects exactly what my experience has been, i will be using this flashlight until the I burn the LED out. Love it Also, it has an adjustable beam, wish you would have concentrated it for the candela test. Its a pretty good spot/flood light
You should test weapon mounted lights! The pro tac is one that you can buy in a rail mount kit. There’s also the steam light hlx and the new hlx pro. Then there’s cloud with their rein 3.0. Modlite and surefire. Would love to see actual numbers on these lights as they’re quite pricey
I'd love to see yall compare the spectra from the different flashlights and maybe find a way to convert that to CRI. Because some flashlights might be bright but offer low CRI light which makes them less effective for certain things.
@@RyTrapp0 That kind of info does help mechanics since it allows you to see more of the colors that are there. In my opinion accurate color is an essential part of performing a visual inspection.
I was working in my RV’s engine bay last night with both a Harbor Freight hood light, and a Milwaukee Rover AA light. The higher CRI of the Milwaukee made it much easier to identify slight fluid leaks on hoses. The quality of light from the Milwaukee and my high CRI Emisar is so much better than the cheaper lights that I just can’t bring myself to get anything else unless I’m sure it’s got a comparable CRI.
You drop test these things from 16+ feet onto concrete, damn that is pretty thorough i drop my flashlights all the time from roughly 4 feet onto grass and rocks and usually never have a problem but its a good indicator of quality to go the extra well 15 or so feet, probably not a typical usage scenario but good to see.
As far as the coast flashlights, I have purchased many of them, they work very well and they all have the lifetime warranty. Coast has a warranty department that is second to none. Never have I had a problem getting one replaced that may have broke, stopped working and without no receipt as well. I had one that was so old they didn't even make that anymore, so they replaced it with one that was higher rated than the one that I had. Amazing, amazing warranty department, to me that makes this product even one step higher.
Zebralight makes some of the lightest, robust and efficient lights on the market. The UI is weird to get used to, which would throw a lot of people off, but they really are awesome.
I have bought lots of Coast flashlights for gifts for guys at the industrial construction site I work on. They all have lasted long and survived lots of falls from 12-20 feet.
RUclips people know their flashlights. I like how you got a Nitecore, that's my go to brand. I am a very tough cutomer. Windfire beats Streamlight for me, I have tested them extensively. I have broken more streamlights than the New York Fire Dept, a dumptruck full of broken flashlights. O-Light is sounding good people say, I have a baby one. Nitecore is a long term investment it might be a lifetime product. None of my Streamlights had the internals to last forever, but they were different than this design at work. I used a flashlight for hours per each day but they could not be metal. Metal is the only way to go, however. My Windfire looks like it survived a war, still working, it's a good Chinese flashlight. I have used it as a hammer, many times just to tap something down. The button are a little wonky, but they work. it's like 2000 lumens...good for it's day.
streamlights don’t mention this on packaging, but some of them do have a high brightness mode if you double tap the button. then turn off and back on, and you’re back in standard brightness. very simple and easy to use
As a mechanic who owned a Milwaukee and Coast light, this is spot on with my experience. Loved the Milwaukee color of light, but it broke after a few short falls after a couple months. The coast is indestructible for half the cost.
I've beat the crap out of my new milwaukee, dropped out in the field overnight stepped on and chewed by horses, dropped on concrete a lot ect its scratched to shit and the clip got chewed off but otherwise its fine even lit my coat on fire. I also have the older one that doesn't telescope kinda caved in when horse thought it was a cookie that still works too but i have lots of crap that takes the same batteries probably still take a 6-D maglight over them in the field at night more focused beam
That 7 hour runtime just sold the Coast for me. I recently had an unexpected all-night power failure, and went through several flashlights in a matter of hours. Sure, the Coast isn't bright for those 7 hours, but ANY light is great when you're stuck in pitch blackness!
I've had multiple Nitecore MT21Cs and multiple MT06MD and they're pretty good value for what you can get easily here in Australia and for what I use them for (very niche)
Interesting integrating sphere! I like that. Must be one of the most affordable ones. I wish they'd added a few features like: Max measurement.. or a timer, or logging :)
Have you considered grabbing an Opple in order to start measuring tint, colour temperature and CRI? Most of the off-the-shelf lights available in retail stores don't even advertise these specs. High CRI is very useful for a task light - helps with identifying fluids, wire insulation colours etc.
Got my streamlight protac HL 2 years ago, love it a lot. Ive used it as an ice scraper, hammer, flashlight (duh), and as a little punch with the ridges on the side of the glass. I've abused the hell out of the thing by dropping, sometimes on accident, throwing it, said previously but used it as a hammer, I can't get away from it. Its now my go to flashlight besides Modlite as a weapon light.
Love my coast light, put it through multiple fires, demo work. Even dropped from a 20+ foot sky trac and works without any issues! Haven’t even have to use the warranty yet lol
I've bought a few coast lights in the past and I've lost them before I broke them. I'm sure they're still working hard for some lucky person who's found them!
You guys should do a video on best, brightest, high CRI flashlights. I've heard that many prefer Nichia 519A LED's over other's. I have an Acebeam E70 mini and I enjoy using it! I would like to get something better one day and even a high CRI headlamp.
I have the xp9r and the 11r. Something you missed on the 11r is that the beam is adjustable and locks in place when done, twist the front pull in or out and tighten. The 11r is also rechargeable externally by usb-c, the battery also has usb-c charging. The front part isn't ment to be removed, you remove the battery from the rear. Love you guys!
Being a welder have to inspect my work all the time. I've had coast energizer etc and last me 4 months or less either I break them from dropping or grinding dust gets into the buttons and stop working. Have had my milwaukee for over a year and still kicking
I bought a "sofirn" a while ago from your tests, not the same model but i'm really happy with it. I'm using it as a bike light and it does a great job illuminating my path! Usually using it on medium on my bike and on highest("turbo") in dark area with no one ahead of me. (The spec on paper is Eco; 5lm, Low; 50lm, Medium; 160lm, High; 500lm, "Turbo"; 1200)
Bought Mikuwakee a year a go for 75$ in Home depot and so far im very satisfied with runnig time and durability. It fell from diferent hights in my semi truck and still running like out of the box. In my defence i prefer dewalt tools howerer after this expirience i would rather pull a bandage and buy expencive one rather then buying 2-4 cheep ones a year that would die when i need them. Hope you guys find this useful. Only con is iodising layer or paint it chips off quite fast. It might be due to usage and envieroment in my case.
I would have liked to see a Streamlight LED Stinger. Used to use them all the time at work. After losing a couple, I didnt want to spend the $$$ on another one i swapped over to a Astro Pneumatic LED light. Works great for abwork light.
I have the coast flashlight and I bought it used and was able to compare it next to the Milwaukee (also used) but the coast was definitely brighter, and I like the smaller size and the lock it has on the beam adjustment
I have a streamlight protac 2L-x with a ten tap switch that I have used for the last couple years on a daily basis. It was $80 2 or 3 years ago, and while there are brighter lights, this thing has been a serious workhorse that has held up to a lot of abuse. Being able to program the switch to just turn on/off straight to bright, and not needing to cycle through modes to turn it on or off is a must for me.
Definitely would recommend the Coast. I've been carrying this same model for a year and a half at work and it works great. The three output modes are well spaced and, combined with the focus mechanism for the lens it covers what I need, plus occasionally kicking on the turbo to see what's sneaking up on me has been useful. I've not attempted to beat the piss out of mine, but happy to see it tested well in that regard.
As a delivery driver I have tested dozens of pen style flashlights that I keep in my pocket and the Sofrin sf15 is by far the best I have tried. Ruvvyon stream light all the others don't compare. And it has a UV light to check money. It claims 300 lumens and I believe them.
I’m glad you specified what the Milwaukee light is good for. Mechanics need bright even spread light but not so bright it washes out what you’re looking at. We are fortunate to have a really good selection of flashlights for specific purposes these days. It’s actually quite incredible how far flashlight technology has progressed along with the rechargeable lithium batteries. The batteries are much lighter and last much longer than the old alkaline batteries and when they run low we can just charge them back up instead of tossing them in the trash. And they don’t leak and ruin your electronics devices!!!
The drop test is nice, however in my experience the real problem is just when the flashlight goes through a few charging cycles and the switches start getting glitches. They'll usually flicker a bit or fail to start the light at all. Sometimes taking the batteries out and scuffing the contacts a little helps in the short term, but the problem soon surfaces again. Any info on that specific nuisance would be greatly appreciated. Now on to my big gripe. What the hell are we even paying the government to do? Isn't it illegal to lie in advertising? There's got to be a division of something that is supposed to regulate the claims that manufacturers make about their products. Don't get me wrong, I really appreciate what you folks are doing and I wouldn't buy anything without checking your site first, but for as much as we all pay in taxes this problem shouldn't really exist. Oh well, if everything were the way it should be you wouldn't really have anything to debunk. Thanks for your testing, it does help a lot of people.
I've used two Streamlights long-term: the Protac HL-X 1.0 handheld and the same weapon-mountable model. Bought them both new in 2015. These flashlights have worked great long-term under light duty use but I don't recommend them for heavy duty use because 5% of the time they fail to turn on for some reason. I have to shake them or take the batteries out and swap them to get the light to work when it's being fussy. I've only used Streamlight brand 18650's as well this whole time, so not sure whether it's the light or the batteries which is the issue. Sadly, the Streamlight batteries are becoming harder and harder to find. These batteries also get VERY HOT when charging them from a desktop powered Streamlight USB cable which makes me nervous. The Protac HL-X is still my go-to setup because it's the only way I've found so far to mount essentially the same flashlight on my home defense shotgun as the handheld light I use on a daily basis. I believe Streamlight punches above its weight on all quality metrics because Streamlight uses technology from NASA, which Streamlight has worked with closely in the past.
Because of fluctuating Prime Day stuff, some models are different prices than shown: www.amazon.com/shop/torquetestchannel So double check.
We've tested a bunch of different types and brands of lights like this, a list here: ruclips.net/p/PLYka5JBKPLHEfG1w1WC_bbN4vQglwyp5n
The creator of this channel is working in product development for Astro Tools, who also make inspection lights but not flashlights like the ones shown here. Always a good idea to consider multiple sources when looking at a tool!
I have milwaukee headlamp, you should test them as well
@@costavong6018 We have
One light I think you might like is a coast HP550. 1,200 lumens and only two modes. High low. Takes a total of 9 AA batteries, but it was bought to replace a 2cell mag lite almost a decade ago. Adjustable beam with spot beam that has light around the spot and then it goes to a crisp flood. Good all purpose light
Have you heard of Sofirn? They're a Chinese company but I've got a couple of theirs and they're awesome. Would love to see some on here. I've got the sp10 pro and 2 headlamps.
@@duncanhall1743 I believe we've included sofirn at least twice, yes sir
SreamLight has KILLER Customer Service/Warranty... Emailed them for a 10 year old pen light of theirs that quit...no questions, no back and forth, no receipt, one picture, no sending out for repair or needing to waist resources sending back broken, just mailed me a brand new light in the same color on them. The light was back in my tool pouch within three days from failure. That to me is even more valuable then the impressive top performing figures they put up in this video.
I love my Streamlight Stinger 2020. all aluminum body and deeply recessed polycarbonate lens to prevent it from getting scratched or broken. 2 hours run time on High (2000 Lumens), 4 hours on med (850 Lumens), and a whopping 24 hours of runtime on low (100 lumens). dropped many many times from about shoulder height onto concrete floors and still runs perfect.
When I was on the fire department I quickly noticed that the ONLY brand you'd see on guys helmet was streamlight. And for good reason!
Even more valuable is grammar and spelling.
They are located near my work. They fix them free while you wait. My father mailed one to them and forgot to put any note with it. They fixed it and mailed it back using the return address on the envelope. I only buy streamlight.
Done the same with Coast.
The impact your channel and channels like it (Project Farm, etc) has made is evident in the recent round of updated tools. They can’t just print crap on boxes and expect anyone to take their word for it.
Thank you!
Well, people DO by print on the box if they need something that day.
Not many have time to look up channels like this researching products before they buy.
So companies get away with *insanely* misleading statements because A: people can't test or don't test, especially knock-offs and B: people aren't going to spend the time to put up a negative review (1 out of maybe 10,000 purchasers) when something is egregiously bad.
If im spending money on something besides ham and eggs im doing my research. If im in the store anout to make the purchase or im planning on buying it 3 weeks later im looking at reviews and seeing if its good quality or or if its gonna end up in the trash. @@amzarnacht6710
@@amzarnacht6710 I have watched your videos in the store before buying so thanks
@@benbraceletspurple9108 That'd be quite the feat, since I've never made any.
The fact that your sphere and this product are within like half a percent is honestly very impressive! And kudos to that company for making that custom for y'all!
I don't know if their DIY sphere is just really that impeccable... or if measuring light with legitimately usable accuracy/consistency just isn't the most difficult task in the world... lol
Maybe both?
@@RyTrapp0 I'ma go with dumb luck on our part
@@TorqueTestChannel Nope. Y'all are doing a HELL of a lot better than pretty much everyone else I've seen as far as practical testing goes.....
@52Ford agreed, between project farm and TTC, nobody is safe
AvE! Cant forget AvE.
Just in time, 2 days after I buy a light...
This is why I always check Project Farm and TTC for any potential buys ha ha
Lol
You can't go wrong with Sofrin for the money IMO.
@stevejuststeve9929 na has to be the ts11 from wurkkos for me far better its tiny but the beam can reach 400meters
Within the return period, still good lol
Let's be honest, if these brands are getting better (which really means that their products are more closely matching their claims), it is because of independent testers like TTC putting in the work to keep them honest and hold them accountable to the consumer. I would much rather rely on the performance figures from Torque Test Channel and Project Farm, than those put out by corporate marketing. After a few years of being called on the carpet, it feels like we are seeing them finally match the claims they have been making. Thank you TTC for your hard work and dedication to accuracy, repeatability, and above all, honesty.
It’s both unbelievable and hilarious how tough that coast was. I’ve had a couple of their mini pen lights for work and they both started flickering and kicked the bucket after 2 drops from less than 5ft.
That's crazy to me... When I was doing inspections I used to exclusively use Coast lights because they were so durable... Granted I was never more than 8ft off the ground...
The little Coast I use at work has definitely seen better days. I pretty much always have to whack it against my machine to get it to turn on and the lens has unscrewed in my pocket more than once. I even had to superglue on the clip. I do really like the dual mode it has though.
@@hornetf18I have had the exact same issues with Coast. They never last!
I always have a bunch of G19 54 Coast inspection lights and I do not treat them very well. I have yet to actually break one. I've lost plenty of them but even after being dropped into drain pans, being run over, and being dropped more times than I can count, the most I've ever had to do was take one apart and spray everything with QD cleaner.
I have been using G25/26 lights for YEARS and have only had one die after driving over it with a D4H Dozer... I have dropped them from 20ft and yeah they dent or lens popps out....but they still work... I have many of their lights.... I have a G23 that the side flood light has been smashed (My Fault Drove over it w/F250), but the Inspection beam still works....
I’ve owned the same coast flashlight for probably over 2 years. I have like 15 flashlights, but I always reach for the coast. I’m a maintenance guy and it lasts me long enough to do my job for a few days. No complaints at all. Great video, Broskies!
Thank you, I added the Streamlight to my wish list. We need more flashlights that are on or off. I don't need high, medium, low, SOS, strobe, etc...
I’m fine with high/low/off, particularly when high is pretty bright. Don’t always need that high light level. But I don’t want a “turbo” that only works for a couple minutes. I want true high that stays high, low that lasts longer, and off. No strobe, etc.
@@geoffstricklermy streamlight never advertised this, but it does have a high brightness mode if you double tap the button. next time you turn it off and back on, it will be back to standard brightness
Streamlight does it best with their tiny edc one. Clicks to high right away or double click to get low. Always resets to high again. No stupid strobe
My Protac HL-X on my AR has a strobe feature for dazzling and disorienting intruders, but it's also a bit more expensive than the model they tested at ~$140.
Please test some Nebo when u get a chance. Never see anyone test them. Use the RC Blast and have non idea how it stacks up.
Adding battery type to the ranking sheet would be helpful for those of us wanting a flashlight that uses industry standard batteries. Sometimes that information isn't easily found for some brands
Completely agreed
Not sure about this model, but my nitecore came with their proprietary battery, but also came with a sleeve to run standard cells. Since I only use the one battery, it's just nice knowing that I can use standard cells in 5+yrs time if they no longer make the proprietary one
At work, I always wished for a tiny flashlight that was like a camera flash. I was only checking if something was empty, but I was doing hundreds of times. That instant flash was more effective for me finding stuff than a flashlight that stayed on. Modern flashlights all seem to be made to not turn on until after the click and they have dozens of modes to click through just to turn it off :(
I hate clicking through modes, I REALLY want one that just has a selector switch
Any Anduril light will do that in momentary mode
big clive did a video on a tiny rechargeable light that's only $8-10 on fleabay and the like that you may be interested in. I use one I keep on my keychain at work for inspections on < insert piece of industrial equipment here > where my headlamp doesn't cut it. it's got a momentary on if you hold the power button, and a set of side firing lights ranging from useful to silly.
Thanks for the tips
if you go to a Cabela's/bass pro shop, they usually have a little flashlight/knife combo for like $10-15 that has a small flashlight. It's a click flashlight, but it's a single click in a small package.
This content is so friggin awesome. Thank you for empowering consumers!
Great video! One thing I would love to see added to these torch tests is a sound test because some torches buzz (More in low mode I find) and its really irritating! Thanks for the great video as always!
Hi, humble video idea: hearing/ear protection adveritsed noise reduction vs actual performance. Seeing some pretty high DB reduction claims out there.
I wish you'd tested the Coast in it's different beam configurations, but overall, great testing as always! Love the new meter!
Since you seem to really like the candela and simplicity from the streamlight here, it would be cool to see a review with the new age “tactical” flashlights. Modlite, cloud defensive, and weltool all have lights with really clearly defined hot spots with a bit of flood around the central beam. Pretty cool stuff, although much more expensive than the already pricy streamlight. Might be cool to see how the numbers stack up though
I been waiting for them to test a REIN 3.0 or similar... hope their lux sensor goes to 100k+ lol (and that is absolutely mandatory when mounted to a fighting rifle)
Can’t mention tactical lights without throwing out surefire.
I like the Streamlight as it reminds me of old Mag Lights with a bright spot and a dimmer outer area. So it just looks "correct" and works like a flashlight.
I think the fact that the Milwaukee recharges in 105 min vs others at 3600 or more minutes is a very important factor. I think it can easily overcome drop damage with a bit of DIY'ing in a couple areas, which I wouldn't mind because it's not an EDC at all so don't care if it's not easy in/out of my pants pocket. My Milwaukee 500 lumen rechargeable is really the perfect EDC in my opinion, it's size, great light color, and battery lasts forever it seems and recharge is very quick, and I like the button functions, weatherproof, nothing else comes close all others are very awkward shape/size in my pocket so it started my love for the Milwaukee flashlights. I also like Coast. EXCELLENT VIDEO! Doesn't get any better than that. Thank you!
Hard to beat Wurkkos and Sofirn. Bought a Wurkkos FC13S for $20, and I can’t say enough great things about it. 3500 lumens on turbo if you need it, fantastic build quality, 5000K color temp, great button programming… It’s awesome.
The wurrkos ts11 is the best out of them all as a edc flashlight
I used a coast flashlight when crawling through attics. It has survived numerous drops from roofs and still works.
man it's painful watching good tools get destroyed, but it's genuinely useful information when you're in the market for something. thanks ttc!
You guys REALLY need to do the NEBO Slide King series... the new one is USB C, it comes on full blast and stays that way, dimming analog style (no noticeable stepping) via holding the button... with it gradually dimming, hitting bottom level, then gradually growing back in brightness. You can then hit the button once to turn it off, once to turn it back on full blast... or twice to return to your last used dimming level, at any point no less... it will remember that level forever. Takes standard 18650 type batteries, is waterproof, zooms to give whatever cone you desire, is something in the 10K+ realm of brightness (I'd love to see that tested)... but then also has the slide part of its namesake (which can also light up red, with sos as well if need be). Where you can slide the top portion up, and reveal a flat LED panel, for sticking it via its strong magnet to metal surfaces and illuminating an entire engine bay or the like, rather than just a spot. Honestly, better in all ways than literally every single light you have here, or have ever shown to date even... Again, I'd love to see it tested to see the numbers back that up, but I can surely say this in use case at least. Plus, it's like $40 on Amazon. . . But I promise you, the build quality, the functionality, and (likely) the light output... they'd all top your lists. It would easily smack the living crap out of all the big names and bigger prices here. With ease.
Also, they don't break... not under normal use. I'd be surprised IF you were even able to spike it to death....
One thing that I look for in a flashlight is a zoom. Sometimes you want a bright wide pattern up close, and other times you need a spot to see far away. I don't recall you mentioning if any of these have a zoom on them.
The coast DEFINITELY has a zoom function. Those are what were issued at work so I’m intimately familiar with them
I have the XP11R and I know it has the "Slide Focus" -- IDK about the others as far as "Zoom"
I would like to note that the nitecore battery isn't exactly proprietary. its a normal 21600 cell, but with a charging/current protection cap on it that makes it a bit longer. I have used a normal 21600 cell with a small metal spacer with no issues with the nitecore E4K.
I have a coast light for at least 10 years ago and it’s an absolute tank. I guess they still are. Awesome
I know my comment will likely get smugged as I'm no edc tech expert. But as someone who uses a flashlight daily, and definitely abuses it in water, dust, heat, and dripping. I have had really good luck with Fenix. I have had the same one for about 10 years and even though it occasionally finds itself as a hammer replacement, it works the same as new. I do believe their 18650 batteries are flighty, I've had 2 that are as old as the light without really any diminish in capacity. But also 2 that crapped out within months.
I may be the oddball, but I hate when a light defaults to high or Turbo, good way to temporarily blind yourself around dusk when you just need a little extra light to see something. I prefer it resuming whatever mode you left it.
Great video!
Great video, nice to see some hardware store lights tested. You should get a Wurkkos TS22 to test, it's up to 5k lumens (lower with the 90 CRI or XHP70.3 models, closer to 4k), 21700, small, efficient driver. It's my go-to EDC and very well recommended on the flashlight subreddit. It maintains the highest lumens of any light its size supposedly, around 1400. It's similar to the olight seeker 4 pro or streamlight, just smaller, way cheaper, and 1 LED instead of 3 so its more efficient. I'd be especially interested to see how it performs in the drop test, as it performs similar to the streamlight for 1/3 the price. (the included 21700 isnt great so its usually best to buy it without a battery and get one separately, gets a few hundred more lumens)
I've got that one and the TS11 in my Amazon cart right now and I can't decide.
I hope to see more light stuff! Especially headlamps. I really like the fact that the streamlight's button only turns out off and on. My ledlenser headlamp works the same way and everyone at work gets jealous when they see that.
So as the owner of the BRAUN flashlight, I was pleased to see how it compared to others in this test. Also, I have used it to light rooms (like a floor lamp) and though I never ran it dead, I have had many times run it for 2-3 hours with similar results.
The two way charging feature on it (for charging your phone -\_0_/- I guess) does not seem to do well for running something like a USB fan.
Thank you for all the testing. Personally, I'm staying away from anything with proprietary batteries.
you need to get some Wuben lights up in here!
Thanks again for another great video guys. I'm a professional mechanic as you've seen me comment before and I use Streamlight daily. I have one that I bought one that I inherited from a girlfriend and one that I found wedged under a hood on a car. I have found that they are pretty good flashlights in a professional setting though I was afraid that I was paying for a name and a good warranty but not necessarily great performance. Seeing the results of your testing with the investment in those flashlights. Keep up the good work and Torque test Channel forever.
Thats what an unprofessional mechanic would say
And that's why almost every mechanic I work with has a streamlight. Hmm you might wanna change unprofessional to cheapskate.
@@malkierie well heck, I've heard unprofessional mechanics say that too!
Streamlight will always be my go to! Great lights at great prices, and the customer service is second to none.
Thanks so much for the drop tests.. I work in Aviation on large passenger jets and have dropped my Coast flashlight more than once from rather high, and it just keeps on going.. The only thing I don't like about the Coast is the quality of the light emitted could be better.. it's a bit "blue" for my liking.. my Coast headlamp emits the same color temperature.. on the other hand, I have a 2500 lumen Hart spotlight that is very white compared to the coast lights. It's kind of odd for a light that cost half what the Coast lights cost.
I've been using the bigger version of the Coast light you tested in this video as an EDC for a few months now, can confirm, it is quite bright, but it takes absolutely forever to charge.
What a great friggin video! I am a geek of many stripes-gun geek, custom knife geek, archaeology geek, etc-but I have slowly become a flashlight geek too! I have had numerous Surefire lights, starting at the turn of the millennium, many of which I paid embarrassingly high prices for-M4 Devastator-I’m talking about you-as well as O-Lights, and other brands I’ve probably forgotten about. My daughter and her fiancé gave me a Streamlight Pro Tac for Christmas a couple years back and I have carried ever since. Now, Streamlight can thank YOU for my purchasing a Pro Tac 2.0 about 18 minutes into your video! Thanks for sharing your information with all of us relatively new “light addicts!” Semper Fi 🫡👍🏼❤️
Definitely going to have to get my dad one of the stream lights, pretty impressive. I've had a coast XP11r now for about a year and it's been doing pretty good, glad to know you can throw it off a 4-story building.
THANK YOU for this review! I saw this video months ago and then began a local search for the Streamlight ProTac 2.0. (I avoid Amazon.) Finally found it at Bass Pro Shops and purchased one. This is an awesome light for tasks that require long runtime on high (2000 lumens)! It holds continuously without stepping down, which is a unique feature, and never requires gloves (not too hot). Streamlight has solved the problem of size vs. heat. The ProTac 2.0 is not large, produces high lumens continuously for a very long runtime, and never gets too hot.
Olight warrior is my jam. I’ve had problems with the first and second generations but now I have the 2nd Gen mini warrior and it’s been great. The battery lasts forever, and I’m a fan of the various output levels. Most of the time I only need a 2-300 lumen light. But if I need over a thousand lumens it has it.
as a farmer iv had 3 coast lights one inspection light that i loved/hate and 2 bigger lights that i had no complaints about. the inspection light was a great size for in the pocket and indestructible but never had any battery left when i needed it because i would bump the button on the back and turn it on without knowing i just kept an extra battery with me. i had all the black wore off before i lost it.
Would like to see how an Emisar flashlight stacks up. Something like a D4V2 or even the D18 would probably surprise you with their performance.
If they do they'll have to supply their own battery and better follow the directions of using a flat top unprotected high drain cell.
@@swecreations to be fair almost no average Joe is going to jump through the hoops to get an Emisar.
@@swecreations We've tested Wurkkos and Sofrin before. Even recommended the Wurkkos on this video. Emisar's website wont process through our channel paypal at the moment for some reason. So have to use Ebay to buy one, but havent had good luck finding one with the upgraded driver when doing these episodes.
@@TorqueTestChannelMy first modern flashlight was an Emisar D4. In turbo mode, it gets hot enough to cause a blister in 1-2 minutes. Literally. Took a couple days for it to go away.
Awesome vid as always. And yes, please test HID and specifically LED direct replacements for HID lamps. (LED with D1S D3S sockets etc)
These are the types of videos we ALL need. Something truly useful, saving us ⏳️ and 💰!
Thanks y'all!
Great stuff!
Any chance there's headlamp content in the pipeline?
I have had multiple Coast lights. When they work, they seem fine. But I have had 6 fail on me because of the button. ALL failed within a couple of months. Most of them were free but NEVER again! I now have the small Milwaukee light with the built-in laser pointer. So far, so good, and it's nice to be able to charge it while driving. I am a welding inspector and NTD technician, so I keep my light on me at all times and use it every day.
Harbor Freight Cashier: “Great, here comes that guy that’s always returning shit completely destroyed after just 2 days”
I’m glad you included Nitecore. They’ve been my go-to flashlight brand for years!!
I've carried Streamlight Protac 1L and 2L models for years and they have been absolutely great.
The 7k Braun actually does advertise runtimes for high and medium on the back of the package. Says 3 hours for high (7000lm) and 6 hours for medium (1750lm). Low (170lm) is where they get the 46 hour claim, though I'd personally prefer a low setting around 300-500 lumen to be a bit more useful.
The correct run times are noted in the video.
Very cool! I'd like to see some spotlights on here too! I've been looking at the Streamlight Way Point 400 and I'm curious how it stacks up against other similar lights. I need it mostly at night to see what the heck is out there... Bears, mountain lions, foxes, ring tail cats, that sort of thing!
I'm certain I'm not the first to say this:
You testing logic is on point!
If you were venture out to other products, I think there is a real market for your insights. Epoxy, wood glue, laundry detergent, etc, etc.
I wanna see you test some maglites, both the LED and incandescent models. I'm mostly interested in how well they'd do in the durability test, since maglites are known for being tanks.
The only comment I can make is notations of battery size, Standard size verus proprietary. Much like any other battery tool we end up buying in to. If I have 8 batteries of one type I don't want to have to get more batteries of a different type. Thank you for all the work you do.
I’ve had the stream light in my truck for about a year now. IT IS BRIGHT! Built like a tank, my favorite light I own.
Thank you for this review. The other day I purchased a Feit 3k light that was on sale at Costco for about $20. It looks strikingly similar to the HF 7k that you tested. Only complaint I have is that you have to go through all 3 modes in order to turn it off. I may return it just because of that and check out one of the lights you tested. Thanks again
I own a NEBO 3500 ,I keep it in my jeep. I am curious how it does under testing and comparison. it has served me well but I am just simply curious.
I have that coast flashlight, and i love it cause its durable and the battery seems to last FOREVER even on low battery, especially when you only use the light for 20min at a time. I've yet to have it actually die on me, i just get tires of it flashing red and finally charge it. But charging it takes forever so i usually do it overnight.
Seeing that this data reflects exactly what my experience has been, i will be using this flashlight until the I burn the LED out. Love it
Also, it has an adjustable beam, wish you would have concentrated it for the candela test. Its a pretty good spot/flood light
You should test weapon mounted lights! The pro tac is one that you can buy in a rail mount kit. There’s also the steam light hlx and the new hlx pro. Then there’s cloud with their rein 3.0. Modlite and surefire. Would love to see actual numbers on these lights as they’re quite pricey
I love it when a flashlight has a moonlight light level as well as a light blaster mode.
I'd love to see yall compare the spectra from the different flashlights and maybe find a way to convert that to CRI. Because some flashlights might be bright but offer low CRI light which makes them less effective for certain things.
I'm not against more testing detail like that, but keep in mind that their testing is generally speaking mechanic-oriented.
@@RyTrapp0 That kind of info does help mechanics since it allows you to see more of the colors that are there. In my opinion accurate color is an essential part of performing a visual inspection.
I was working in my RV’s engine bay last night with both a Harbor Freight hood light, and a Milwaukee Rover AA light.
The higher CRI of the Milwaukee made it much easier to identify slight fluid leaks on hoses.
The quality of light from the Milwaukee and my high CRI Emisar is so much better than the cheaper lights that I just can’t bring myself to get anything else unless I’m sure it’s got a comparable CRI.
You drop test these things from 16+ feet onto concrete, damn that is pretty thorough i drop my flashlights all the time from roughly 4 feet onto grass and rocks and usually never have a problem but its a good indicator of quality to go the extra well 15 or so feet, probably not a typical usage scenario but good to see.
As far as the coast flashlights, I have purchased many of them, they work very well and they all have the lifetime warranty. Coast has a warranty department that is second to none. Never have I had a problem getting one replaced that may have broke, stopped working and without no receipt as well. I had one that was so old they didn't even make that anymore, so they replaced it with one that was higher rated than the one that I had.
Amazing, amazing warranty department, to me that makes this product even one step higher.
I'd love to see the warm led maglite tested
I HATE switchable modes that uses the button to cycle. Give me a selector switch!
On that HF 7k it has an adjustable focal length by twisting the lense in and out. Its very handy
Zebralight makes some of the lightest, robust and efficient lights on the market. The UI is weird to get used to, which would throw a lot of people off, but they really are awesome.
I have bought lots of Coast flashlights for gifts for guys at the industrial construction site I work on. They all have lasted long and survived lots of falls from 12-20 feet.
RUclips people know their flashlights. I like how you got a Nitecore, that's my go to brand. I am a very tough cutomer.
Windfire beats Streamlight for me, I have tested them extensively. I have broken more streamlights than the New York Fire Dept, a dumptruck full of broken flashlights.
O-Light is sounding good people say, I have a baby one. Nitecore is a long term investment it might be a lifetime product. None of my Streamlights had the internals to last forever, but they were different than this design at work. I used a flashlight for hours per each day but they could not be metal. Metal is the only way to go, however. My Windfire looks like it survived a war, still working, it's a good Chinese flashlight. I have used it as a hammer, many times just to tap something down. The button are a little wonky, but they work. it's like 2000 lumens...good for it's day.
streamlights don’t mention this on packaging, but some of them do have a high brightness mode if you double tap the button. then turn off and back on, and you’re back in standard brightness. very simple and easy to use
Depends on the model, some are the opposite and default to high and double click for low
As a mechanic who owned a Milwaukee and Coast light, this is spot on with my experience. Loved the Milwaukee color of light, but it broke after a few short falls after a couple months. The coast is indestructible for half the cost.
I've beat the crap out of my new milwaukee, dropped out in the field overnight stepped on and chewed by horses, dropped on concrete a lot ect its scratched to shit and the clip got chewed off but otherwise its fine even lit my coat on fire. I also have the older one that doesn't telescope kinda caved in when horse thought it was a cookie that still works too but i have lots of crap that takes the same batteries probably still take a 6-D maglight over them in the field at night more focused beam
That 7 hour runtime just sold the Coast for me. I recently had an unexpected all-night power failure, and went through several flashlights in a matter of hours. Sure, the Coast isn't bright for those 7 hours, but ANY light is great when you're stuck in pitch blackness!
I've had multiple Nitecore MT21Cs and multiple MT06MD and they're pretty good value for what you can get easily here in Australia and for what I use them for (very niche)
Interesting integrating sphere! I like that. Must be one of the most affordable ones. I wish they'd added a few features like: Max measurement.. or a timer, or logging :)
Have you considered grabbing an Opple in order to start measuring tint, colour temperature and CRI?
Most of the off-the-shelf lights available in retail stores don't even advertise these specs.
High CRI is very useful for a task light - helps with identifying fluids, wire insulation colours etc.
Got my streamlight protac HL 2 years ago, love it a lot. Ive used it as an ice scraper, hammer, flashlight (duh), and as a little punch with the ridges on the side of the glass. I've abused the hell out of the thing by dropping, sometimes on accident, throwing it, said previously but used it as a hammer, I can't get away from it. Its now my go to flashlight besides Modlite as a weapon light.
Love my coast light, put it through multiple fires, demo work. Even dropped from a 20+ foot sky trac and works without any issues! Haven’t even have to use the warranty yet lol
I've bought a few coast lights in the past and I've lost them before I broke them. I'm sure they're still working hard for some lucky person who's found them!
Coast flashlights are absolutely amazing, I have found them to always be true to their advertised descriptions.
You guys should do a video on best, brightest, high CRI flashlights. I've heard that many prefer Nichia 519A LED's over other's. I have an Acebeam E70 mini and I enjoy using it! I would like to get something better one day and even a high CRI headlamp.
I've used a ProTac HL for a while iI aerospace.
usually have it on low for 4-6 hours a day.
I have the xp9r and the 11r.
Something you missed on the 11r is that the beam is adjustable and locks in place when done, twist the front pull in or out and tighten.
The 11r is also rechargeable externally by usb-c, the battery also has usb-c charging.
The front part isn't ment to be removed, you remove the battery from the rear.
Love you guys!
This!!
Being a welder have to inspect my work all the time. I've had coast energizer etc and last me 4 months or less either I break them from dropping or grinding dust gets into the buttons and stop working. Have had my milwaukee for over a year and still kicking
Would you mind doing a husky light in the future. I’ve seen some impressive looking rechargeable lights from them for a cheap price.
I bought a "sofirn" a while ago from your tests, not the same model but i'm really happy with it. I'm using it as a bike light and it does a great job illuminating my path!
Usually using it on medium on my bike and on highest("turbo") in dark area with no one ahead of me. (The spec on paper is Eco; 5lm, Low; 50lm, Medium; 160lm, High; 500lm, "Turbo"; 1200)
Bought Mikuwakee a year a go for 75$ in Home depot and so far im very satisfied with runnig time and durability. It fell from diferent hights in my semi truck and still running like out of the box. In my defence i prefer dewalt tools howerer after this expirience i would rather pull a bandage and buy expencive one rather then buying 2-4 cheep ones a year that would die when i need them. Hope you guys find this useful. Only con is iodising layer or paint it chips off quite fast. It might be due to usage and envieroment in my case.
I would have liked to see a Streamlight LED Stinger. Used to use them all the time at work. After losing a couple, I didnt want to spend the $$$ on another one i swapped over to a Astro Pneumatic LED light. Works great for abwork light.
We've done the astro and stinger!
I have a ProTac 2.0 and love it. About to get my step dad who is a pilot and has to do pre flights in the dark one for Xmas!
You need to test the new flat style coast flash light. Thing is amazing, and comes with a lifetime warranty 😊
I have the coast flashlight and I bought it used and was able to compare it next to the Milwaukee (also used) but the coast was definitely brighter, and I like the smaller size and the lock it has on the beam adjustment
Have you measured the candela of the Fenix pd36r? This episode really put into perspective it's important.
Fenix has the best overall flashlights by far! No proprietary bull & awesome build quality.
I have a streamlight protac 2L-x with a ten tap switch that I have used for the last couple years on a daily basis. It was $80 2 or 3 years ago, and while there are brighter lights, this thing has been a serious workhorse that has held up to a lot of abuse. Being able to program the switch to just turn on/off straight to bright, and not needing to cycle through modes to turn it on or off is a must for me.
It’s nice to see someone shed some light on these
Definitely would recommend the Coast. I've been carrying this same model for a year and a half at work and it works great. The three output modes are well spaced and, combined with the focus mechanism for the lens it covers what I need, plus occasionally kicking on the turbo to see what's sneaking up on me has been useful. I've not attempted to beat the piss out of mine, but happy to see it tested well in that regard.
That's wild because every coast I've ever bought was done within a year, one gave up in less than 6 months. I gave up on the brand entirely.
As a delivery driver I have tested dozens of pen style flashlights that I keep in my pocket and the Sofrin sf15 is by far the best I have tried. Ruvvyon stream light all the others don't compare. And it has a UV light to check money. It claims 300 lumens and I believe them.
Can confirm the coast lights are durable.I bought some generic 18650s for mine and they work like a champ.
I’m glad you specified what the Milwaukee light is good for. Mechanics need bright even spread light but not so bright it washes out what you’re looking at. We are fortunate to have a really good selection of flashlights for specific purposes these days. It’s actually quite incredible how far flashlight technology has progressed along with the rechargeable lithium batteries. The batteries are much lighter and last much longer than the old alkaline batteries and when they run low we can just charge them back up instead of tossing them in the trash. And they don’t leak and ruin your electronics devices!!!
Sometimes I hate how much of a nerd I am for TTC videos, but that new integrating sphere is dope! I can’t wait to see what you guys do with it!
This makes me so glad I've been recommending Streamlight as a much more affordable option to SureFire flashlights to everyone.
Dudes,,,,, you have no idea how much i have spent on these doggone things!! i just love you guys!
The drop test is nice, however in my experience the real problem is just when the flashlight goes through a few charging cycles and the switches start getting glitches. They'll usually flicker a bit or fail to start the light at all. Sometimes taking the batteries out and scuffing the contacts a little helps in the short term, but the problem soon surfaces again. Any info on that specific nuisance would be greatly appreciated.
Now on to my big gripe.
What the hell are we even paying the government to do? Isn't it illegal to lie in advertising? There's got to be a division of something that is supposed to regulate the claims that manufacturers make about their products.
Don't get me wrong, I really appreciate what you folks are doing and I wouldn't buy anything without checking your site first, but for as much as we all pay in taxes this problem shouldn't really exist. Oh well, if everything were the way it should be you wouldn't really have anything to debunk.
Thanks for your testing, it does help a lot of people.
I've used two Streamlights long-term: the Protac HL-X 1.0 handheld and the same weapon-mountable model. Bought them both new in 2015.
These flashlights have worked great long-term under light duty use but I don't recommend them for heavy duty use because 5% of the time they fail to turn on for some reason. I have to shake them or take the batteries out and swap them to get the light to work when it's being fussy.
I've only used Streamlight brand 18650's as well this whole time, so not sure whether it's the light or the batteries which is the issue. Sadly, the Streamlight batteries are becoming harder and harder to find. These batteries also get VERY HOT when charging them from a desktop powered Streamlight USB cable which makes me nervous.
The Protac HL-X is still my go-to setup because it's the only way I've found so far to mount essentially the same flashlight on my home defense shotgun as the handheld light I use on a daily basis.
I believe Streamlight punches above its weight on all quality metrics because Streamlight uses technology from NASA, which Streamlight has worked with closely in the past.