Dark Is Creepy. More Flashlights.

Streamlight ProTac 2AAA

I think that deep down we all have some fear of darkness. How many scary movies have you seen where it is bright and sunny out? Even when we talk about evil it is dark, witches wear black, storms darken the sky and black represents death and sadness. Is this is why so many people like flashlights so much? It is ironic that most of them are also black? Maybe we think they can chase away sadness and fear? Maybe they are just legit and it is a lot easier to do things in the dark with one even if you are not fighting evil or if you are the Streamlight ProTac 2AAA is your tool.

When people talk about everyday carry (EDC) they often have a flashlight as one of the items in their list. I would say up until a few years ago I just assumed that the flashlight on my cell phone was sufficient and carrying a holster with a flashlight just doesn't appeal to me. There are very few things you can attach to your waist without people making fun of you. Then I found the Streamlight ProTac 2AAA. I actually bought it to try for EDC because so many people mentioned having one and I felt left out...and I wanted to buy another flashlight...maybe there is a chance I would need it to fight off evil spirits.

As I was researching some of the flashlights folks recommended I kept running into a few major considerations. Yes people, I said major considerations. This could save you from tripping and falling over an alligator.

Space

I carry around enough junk and adding a bulky flashlight wasn't going to be an option. I also didn't want to attach it to my belt so that wasn't an option. In fact the only place it could fit was alongside my cellphone in my front pocket so it also had to be skinny. I quickly directed my search to the various pen lights available out there. I will say I didn't want to spend a fortune either as I assumed like all other flashlights this would end up in my drawer.

Operation

The other factor was a lot of the smaller flashlights require you to rotate the front of the flashlight to turn them on and off. One hand operation for me was a must so I narrowed the search to those with a clickable tail switch and found the Streamlight ProTac 2AAA. The positive reviews didn't hurt it either. Many of the higher lumen flashlights also burn through batteries pretty quickly so I also wanted to make sure it had both a high and low setting and didn't need to have special batteries to operate it. I do have their 2AA version as well and while it is crazy bright it is too big to carry everyday in my opinion.

Quick Draw

The other thing I considered is I wanted to be able to pull it out of my pocket without using a pocket clip or needing to use both hands. A pocket clip has been responsible for scratching my truck more than once and my children too while playing so I try to avoid them. Since I needed to be able to get to it without the clip it had to stand up high enough in my pocket to be able to grab it with my fingers. Also when you are super scared do you really want to fumble in your pocket to realize that you were traumatized by a pair of pants hanging on the chair?

Batteries

You can get higher output flashlights with lithium batteries but for an EDC light I wanted to go with something I could find anywhere. I mean when the zombies are running rampant do you really want to hope that Amazon is still shipping the batteries you need? There are some that accept both battery types which is cool but I didn't find another pen light that met all the criteria listed above.

Power

To be honest I really didn't focus a lot of my attention on lumens. While I wanted it to be bright I have rarely been in a situation where any light wasn't sufficient. This light I will say is more than adequate. The Streamlight ProTac 2AAA is sufficiently bright with new batteries to the point that doing close up work with it will force you to shift too low. The strobe effect also uses high and while it wouldn't bring a bad guy down it certainly does disorient a bit if you aim for the eyes. (Yes, I have tested this with friends).

So the real test is how long did I carry it. I know a lot of reviews rely on a few weeks of "testing" which to be honest I guess you can get a fair idea pretty quickly of how well you like a product. That said I have been carrying this light daily since April 28th of 2017 which is a little more than 2 years.

Why do I still carry it, the positives:

1. It is lightweight and I don't ever even notice I have it in most pants. In some shorts it will tip over in my pocket and I have to adjust it.

2. I don't like using my 1k phone as a flashlight while I am in the rain, mud or snow. I have also used it to talk and walk in the dark at the same time which is easier with a flashlight.

3. I have dropped it a lot of times and never had any issues beyond some small dents.

4. I can bring it on the plane with me and it isn't scary or overly tactical like some of the lights out there. I have read that the TSA will snag some flashlights if they have an aggressive bezel.

5. I use it all the time. Literally at least once per day. When I have forgotten it just like I do when traveling without a pocket knife I find myself reaching for it automatically then realizing I don't have it.

There are some negatives:

1. It is all black. I will never understand why flashlights are almost always black. When you take a flashlight out of your pocket is the time when you are going to drop it. If it is black and the light isn't on how are you going to find it in the dark on the ground? I guess pull out the cell phone light.

2. The batteries while convenient to find don't last that long. That said you are usually using it only for a few minutes. If you switch from high to low mode you can get a lot more out of it too but it is also easy to throw some extra batteries in your bag or truck so I don't really think it is that big of a deal.

3. This is my fault but I managed to lose the case for it and so did my buddy who I bought the light for. No clue where to find them either so I now use an old case from another light. It does help it to stay upright in your pocket if you are not using the clip and it helps slow any wear on your jeans.

PRODUCT

Streamlight ProTac 2AAA

PRICE

Around $28 USD

FEATURES

High, strobe and low modes. Click button operation which is easy with one hand. Clip and carrying case. Standard 3AAA batteries (2x). 130 lumens.

DIMENSIONS

5.62" long x .50" diameter

WEIGHT

2 ounces with batteries

CARE

Other than being careful to not lose the case you don't need to worry about anything but batteries.