Streamlight 75014 Stinger Rechargeable Flashlight with Charger, Black

I just got this light and could not wait to test it against another very popular rechargeable flashlight I own that sounds like NAG light. The Stinger is less than half its size, weight and the Stinger is much brighter and gives a more directed beam. I compared them the other night in the rain behind my house in the woods and it is now my favorite light.

As an automotive tech this is a must addition to have in your tool box. It is as bright as anything out there in the market and the best part is you cannot over charge the battery. When not in use just hang it in its charger that can be mounted anywhere near an electrical outlet. Mine is mounted on the side of my tool box near a surge protector mounted for all my electrical devices.

THIS IS THE SAME FLASHLIGHT THAT THEY ISSUE TO POLICE OFFICERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IT IS COMPACT, RECHARGABLE AND IT IS BRIGHT

Tuesday, February 26th, 2008

With a blinding 15,000 candlepower (125 Lumens), this flashlight will not leave you disappointed, especially if brightness is what you're looking for. The Streamlight Stinger is compact and reliable, so it should be of no surprise that many law enforcement companies pick this model as their flashlight.

To visualize it's brightness picture this. If you stand in front of your house on the street, you can shine your Stinger and you can see it's light beam traveling several blocks ahead (you can see the stop signs and rear/front lights of cars shinning). If you shine the Stinger upwards towards the sky, you can see its light beam traveling up, similar to shinning a spotlight into the sky.

Although the Stinger is rated at 15,000 candlepower, it's super-bright bulb managed to outshine my 1,000,000 candlepower portable Coleman spotlight. The Stinger's light was simply brighter, whiter, and the light was purer. You can easily use this flashlight to find home addresses in the dark, find people sneaking around dark areas, and illuminate a whole room.

The head of the Stinger allows you to shift between a far-traveling spotlight, or a wide-covering floodlight. You can arrange it as needed. The light switch is near the head of the flashlight, not at the tail of the flashlight, as is the case of many tactical lights. So if you'll be uncomfortable with the light switch being at this location you might want to consider a different flashlight. However, the light switch can be slightly pressed for temporary illumination, of fully depressed for continuous illumination. Keep in mind that the Stinger will only run for approximately 1 hour, and using it without recharging until the battery is drained of energy will largely decrease the life expectancy of the rechargeable battery. To fully recharge a depleted battery, it'll take about 10 hours, unless you have the rapid 2.5 hour charger.

The Stinger comes with 1 battery, a replacement bulb at the tail of the flashlight, and 2 chargers (one for the house and one for the car). You can then purchase a rapid charger, colored lenses, additional batteries, and an upgrade (which increases candlepower to 40,000) separately).

I would recommend this product mostly to law enforcement officials, security guards, and anybody who constantly works in the dark. The price for this flashlight might be too steep if you're looking for an everyday-use light. However, let me tell you that every dollar you spend on this light is definitely worth it. This flashlight might one day save your life, especially if your line of work involves dangerous situations.

When purchasing the Stinger, my recommendation would be to buy it directly from Amazon. It will come out to about $84 and they will do free shipping through DHL and USPS (they work together to deliver your flashlight). Amazon also provides tracking information, which will come in handy so you know exactly when you expect your flashlight to arrive. After all, the Stinger is too expensive to have it arrive while you're not home and have somebody steal it from your doorstep. If you purchase from other sellers, they will most likely have an outrageous shipping price that will be way over $84 bucks.

Oh, something else. If you're planning to carry the Stinger on you, and you're purchasing from Amazon, look for the offer that allows you to purchase the Stinger AND the Holster together for $96. This means the holster comes out to about $12 and it gets sent to you with the free shipping. If you're want the holster but do not purchase it together with the Stinger, you'll find that most good holsters are over $12, and with shipping you'll be paying over $20 on them. So it's better to just buy both things together.

I hope this review helps. The Stinger will not disappoint you. Happy shopping!

bought as a gift for my husband. he had one as a cop and loved it. he is very happy with this one.