rock jock
Member
Just thought I would throw out some info for those of you contemplating either of these fine flashlights.
I bought the Streamlight last year and opted for the plastic coated because of the reduced weight. The intended purpose was general around-the-house use, but also as a tactical light for IDPA night shoots. I have the rechargeable version which came with both a home and car fast-charger. ($105 before taxes from my local dealer). The first time I charged this light and turned it on outside my home (I live sort of in the country), I was amazed by the brilliance of the beam. When you see that nice tight column of light stretching into the sky, you know you have a powerful light. I was used to only getting that kind of output from one of those big cluncky 6-volt jobs that weight 2 lbs and are shaped like a fruit cake. The Polystinger is fairly small and can easily fit in your back pocket for extended treks into the night. It holds its charge for a good hour and will re-charge within 3-4 hours if memory serves me correct. The recharge part is nice since my 2 year old son loves to play with it. Afterward I can stick it back in its cradle and it's ready to go later that day. With a 1000+ recharges, I figure it will last me a good 10-20 years. I should also mention that the bulb recently went out on my Polystinger after only about 10 uses. I don't know if my son dropped it and that is the reason it went out so I haven't called Streamlight to complain, but I will watch the performance of the replacement bulb carefully - 10 uses is way too early for a bulb to go out on this expensive of a light.
While I think that the Polystinger could be a great tool for home security, it has a single downside that is a major flaw for tactical applications - the on/off button, which is on the side of the light up towards the front. It is not oversized and since it is also black and is flush with the frame it will require that you to turn the light over to find it, sometimes more than once. The only way to practically use the Polystinger with a handgun is to depress the button with your pinky. Using any other finger will leave the back part of your hand dangling over the reflector. This can be fairly difficult since the pinky finger does not have a lot of strength and it can be challenging maintaining a grip while continuing to hold the button down. In addition, I found that I was frequently losing the placement of my pinky while on the run in competitions. So, a replacement was in order.
I purchased the Surefire Z2 ($62 before shipping) based on the excellent reputation and great reviews. The standard Z2 comes with 2 3-volt batteries and a P60 bulb assembly. I also purchased the optional P61 bulb assembly, which effectively doubles the light output to 120 lumens. My first impression of this light was that it is well-deserved of its reputation. It is an amazing flashlight period, and made even more so by the diminutive package that it comes in. Ergonomically, I don't think you could ask for a better design. It is small enough to fit in your front shirt pocket, has a pressure switch on the tailcap and with the turn-down on the metal frame, allows for use of either the Rogers or Harris tactical method with handgun use. You can also turn the tailcap for constant on and lock it to off so the pressure switch won't inadvertantly engage when carried. The Z2 uses 3-volt batteries which are expensive. They are supposed to last 30 minutes on a P61 bulb and 60 minutes on a P60 bulb. When purchased in bulk, the batteries will cost you between $1.50-2.00 each. Expensive, but if the light is used as intended, i.e., for tactical applications, you will typically only turn it on for a few seconds or a minute or so at a time. In that case, the batteries should last several months.
In terms of light output, I would say that the Z2 is comparable in intensity to that of the Polystinger with the P61 lamp, meaning that it is blindingly bright. With the standard bulb assembly on the Z2, the Polystinger wins hands down. IMHO, the more light, the better, so my recommendation is that if you can afford a $60-70 flashlight, you should buy the P61 assembly also. There are also some difference between the type of produced beam from both lights. The Polystinger produces a very sharp beam with distinct edges that can be adjusted in width with a turn of the lens cover. When tighly focused, the reflector produces a small void in the beam (essentially, a dark point in the middle of the beam). This is largely unnoticeable to me, but may bother others. The Z2, OTOH, is fuzzy at the edges and cannot be adjusted. There is, however, no dark spot in the center.
All in all, both are excellent flashlights with clearly different applications. I had initially regretted buying the Polystinger because it could not be used for handgunning, but I'm glad I got it afterall since it has virtually replaced every other light in the house for general use, including the much overhyped Maglite.
I bought the Streamlight last year and opted for the plastic coated because of the reduced weight. The intended purpose was general around-the-house use, but also as a tactical light for IDPA night shoots. I have the rechargeable version which came with both a home and car fast-charger. ($105 before taxes from my local dealer). The first time I charged this light and turned it on outside my home (I live sort of in the country), I was amazed by the brilliance of the beam. When you see that nice tight column of light stretching into the sky, you know you have a powerful light. I was used to only getting that kind of output from one of those big cluncky 6-volt jobs that weight 2 lbs and are shaped like a fruit cake. The Polystinger is fairly small and can easily fit in your back pocket for extended treks into the night. It holds its charge for a good hour and will re-charge within 3-4 hours if memory serves me correct. The recharge part is nice since my 2 year old son loves to play with it. Afterward I can stick it back in its cradle and it's ready to go later that day. With a 1000+ recharges, I figure it will last me a good 10-20 years. I should also mention that the bulb recently went out on my Polystinger after only about 10 uses. I don't know if my son dropped it and that is the reason it went out so I haven't called Streamlight to complain, but I will watch the performance of the replacement bulb carefully - 10 uses is way too early for a bulb to go out on this expensive of a light.
While I think that the Polystinger could be a great tool for home security, it has a single downside that is a major flaw for tactical applications - the on/off button, which is on the side of the light up towards the front. It is not oversized and since it is also black and is flush with the frame it will require that you to turn the light over to find it, sometimes more than once. The only way to practically use the Polystinger with a handgun is to depress the button with your pinky. Using any other finger will leave the back part of your hand dangling over the reflector. This can be fairly difficult since the pinky finger does not have a lot of strength and it can be challenging maintaining a grip while continuing to hold the button down. In addition, I found that I was frequently losing the placement of my pinky while on the run in competitions. So, a replacement was in order.
I purchased the Surefire Z2 ($62 before shipping) based on the excellent reputation and great reviews. The standard Z2 comes with 2 3-volt batteries and a P60 bulb assembly. I also purchased the optional P61 bulb assembly, which effectively doubles the light output to 120 lumens. My first impression of this light was that it is well-deserved of its reputation. It is an amazing flashlight period, and made even more so by the diminutive package that it comes in. Ergonomically, I don't think you could ask for a better design. It is small enough to fit in your front shirt pocket, has a pressure switch on the tailcap and with the turn-down on the metal frame, allows for use of either the Rogers or Harris tactical method with handgun use. You can also turn the tailcap for constant on and lock it to off so the pressure switch won't inadvertantly engage when carried. The Z2 uses 3-volt batteries which are expensive. They are supposed to last 30 minutes on a P61 bulb and 60 minutes on a P60 bulb. When purchased in bulk, the batteries will cost you between $1.50-2.00 each. Expensive, but if the light is used as intended, i.e., for tactical applications, you will typically only turn it on for a few seconds or a minute or so at a time. In that case, the batteries should last several months.
In terms of light output, I would say that the Z2 is comparable in intensity to that of the Polystinger with the P61 lamp, meaning that it is blindingly bright. With the standard bulb assembly on the Z2, the Polystinger wins hands down. IMHO, the more light, the better, so my recommendation is that if you can afford a $60-70 flashlight, you should buy the P61 assembly also. There are also some difference between the type of produced beam from both lights. The Polystinger produces a very sharp beam with distinct edges that can be adjusted in width with a turn of the lens cover. When tighly focused, the reflector produces a small void in the beam (essentially, a dark point in the middle of the beam). This is largely unnoticeable to me, but may bother others. The Z2, OTOH, is fuzzy at the edges and cannot be adjusted. There is, however, no dark spot in the center.
All in all, both are excellent flashlights with clearly different applications. I had initially regretted buying the Polystinger because it could not be used for handgunning, but I'm glad I got it afterall since it has virtually replaced every other light in the house for general use, including the much overhyped Maglite.
