Customer Reviews

Streamlight 51006 Task-Light 3-AA LED Flashlight, Black

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Although it is not as bright as Scorpion, it is still very bright flashlight. Also, this one doesn't get very hot while Scorpion emits extreme heat when it is turned on for a while. Batteries are also easy-to-find and cheaper AAs.

The light has a decent throw, it has as spot of about 10 ft around at 50 ft. After 50 ft the led just doesn't give alot of light. The Luxeon LED falls about halfway between a high powered Xenon and a regular LED. It still has a little bit of blue mudiness in the light. A little clunky with the 3AA length. If you buy it for the battery saving capabilities, then you have the right flashlight. If you need perfect white, and distance, go with a Xenon. This light is perfect for any close-range use, indoor use, camping, etc. I would buy another one.

This is a quirky flashlight suitable for niche applications, rather than a general purpose task light. It runs on 3-AA batteries and has a deep reflector bowl. Consequently, it's shaped like a stick. Mechanically excellent. Aesthetically a work of modern art. Solid metal construction. Balance is spot on. Fit and finish is first class. Except for a few decorative grooves, the entire barrel is knurled. Texture is just right...not too slippery, not too sharp. Sturdy lanyard hook.

What I really like is the positive on/off switch (rubber covered) on the side of the head. I like this arrangement better than twisting the head or tailcap. And I don't like on/off tailcap switches. Switch requires a firm push...won't accidentally come on. With the larger Maglites (with switches), you can depress the switch partly for momentary on or use it for signalling. With this light, there is no momentary on. One push turns it on. Once it is on, you can signal by depressing the switch part way (momentary off). The Maglite arrangement is better if you just want to take a quick peek in the dark without having to turn it full on.

The model I just got has their latest C4 LED. It is very bright. No focus (such as Maglites). But has a bright center with evenly distributed field from close-up to far away. No annoying dark spots or halos. I have an unlit Stop Sign just about 500 ft from my house. This flashlight easily lit it up. At the same token, that's why it's not suitable for a general purpose tasklight. Unlike the smaller AA task lights in this series, there is only one power setting (full on). If you use it closer than 3 ft or so, it's so bright it hurts your eyes. This is not a light for peering into engine compartments or computer chassis or looking at the wiring in back of your TV. If you want a bright flashlight in the home, where size doesn't matter, a 2-D cell light (I have a Maglite) is cheaper and the larger batteries will last longer. Where this light is handy is in the glove compartment of your car. It's not as bulky as a 2-D cell, but just as bright. If you're lost in a dark area, this is perfect if you are hunting for a street sign or house number...or if your car breaks down, and you need to walk. But it's not the right light for checking out your engine compartment or changing a flat. As discussed above, it's too bright close up, and you can't prop it up easily, given the stick geometry. That's why I keep a Streamlight headlamp (3 intensities) in the glove compartment too. Backpackers may also like this light. Solid, bright, long reach, easy to hold, not too bulky or heavy.

Blister pack is horrible. I scratched the paint a bit with the sharp plastic edges when I was unpacking it. Fortunately, easy to cover up with a black felt tip marker.

Once the Streamlight Junior started showing up in my shop, I was amazed at how much brighter it was than my old 3-AA Luxeon Tasklight. Then I read that the Tasklight had been updated with the C4 bulb, and it is supposed to be almost twice as bright as the Junior (95 lumens to 55 lumens), I had to update. I was surprised that the new C4 Tasklight was way dimmer than the new Junior. After reading some reviews, I found that I could install the old lens from my Luxeon Tasklight, and it improved the brightness and spot light quality to almost as good as the Junior. I E-Mailed Streamlight twice, with no response. Until they work this out, the Junior is a better value.

A few years ago we bought these flashlights for our maintenance people. I was initially impressed by the quality of the flashlight and the brightness of it's beam. A few months after our initial purchase these flashlights started being returned because the batteries had corroded in them to the point that the end caps could not be removed without using a pipe wrench(and sometimes this would not remove them). Of course Streamlight does not warrant battery failure. I should add that we use duracell procell industrial alkaline batteries exclusively. At first I attributed this failure to the hard life any tool experiences in a maintenance operation. I changed my mind after our director returned two of these with battery failure. He had left them in a tool box in the trunk of his car. They had never been turned on and literally looked brand new. Both still lit and neither could be opened by any means. By contrast, the flashlight in my desk drawer works perfectly and shows no sign of battery failure. I think the aluminum body combined with fluxuating temperatures causes the batteries to expand slightly and then corrode. This flashlight works great when left indoors. If you plan on keeping it in your vehicle permanently I suggest not buying this flashlight.

I have been using this flashlight now for about a year. I don't know that I could be more pleased with a compact flashlight. Maybe a focus for the beam, but that said the beam that comes off the light is very good. Because I enjoy using the light, I pick it up all the time, rather that a bigger Flashlight. I would recommend this to a friend or give it as a gift.

The flash light is great. I did have it modified to a 3 watt LED.

I also had a problem with this flashlight corroding inside. In fact, I had this 3-AA model as well as a Maglite 3-AA model, and both are now useless as the batteries completely corroded and sealed themselves inside. I have numerous 2-AA Maglites as well as other brands, and never had such a problem, only with the 3-AA models. I only kept and used them indoors, and so I'm convinced it has nothing to do with outside elements. Both this and the Maglite I used a handful of times, maybe 10 times over a period of around 6 months, and kept them in a drawer, and now useless. I'm led to believe there is something not quite right with the 3-AA models. Though with millions out there, that would likely be tough to prove. Just wanted to share my very disappointing experience, as I had very high hopes for this light, I liked everything else about it.