Lots of good info here! Thanks much Lite_me for the great pics. I just received the Streamlight Microstream from LightHound today. As many others have stated, the clicky on my example, was super hard to activate.
The problem is the rubber boot or should I say, the lack of a proper one! It's a paper thin piece of junk that came off with the slightest tug. Once off, the clicky works as it should.
I used a small strap wrench, (SMALL STRAP WRENCH is the key!), on the head with the body in a padded vise and the head cracked open with a loud "snap".
There was a lot of epoxy residue in and on the threads and removing it was much harder than getting the head off!
I installed the LOP-CE head and WOW! This is what I've always wanted. A tiny AAA light with a clicky and also a clicky that controls the interface. The LOD-CE head's beam and brightness literally blows away the blue, sickly Microstream head's beam but that goes without saying. To be fair, the MS beam isn't as bad as most China lights we've put up with in the past but it's not that much better. Mine was BLUE!
I put a tiny, flat o-ring in the stock tailcap's boot that would have worked to take up the extra slack except the tailcap boot is way too flimsy. I tried very, very carefully to tuck it back in around the clicky button but it ripped no matter how carefully I tried. Grezuki, you are a much better or more patient person than I after you successfully tucked yours back in!
The boot on my example was almost as thin as cigarette paper and just about as delicate and would rip at the slightest touch. NO, make that the slightest LOOK!
Well, the do all and end all is Flashlike's idea. How you came up with this is amazing and I congratulate you for it. Your "aftermarket boot" made from a black eye dropper bulb is as good as it gets!
Luckily, I had a dropper bottle lying around. The rubber bulb is as least 5 times thicker than the cheap rubber boot that came with the light. I might not have cut mine as precisely as flashlike did but it looks good and works great! It's a far better seal than the cheap, stock boot, elliviates the super hard activation and it will last years longer. Not to mention it's even shorter overall than with the stock switch cover! Kudo's to your idea Flashlike!
One last thing. DON'T LUBE the cut rubber bulb's insides or the metal with anything to make it easier to stretch over the MicroStream's tail. Push it on without any lubricants even though it might be somewhat hard to do. This will prevent it from ever slipping back up in the future.
THE LAST thing is thanks again to our friend from France, cbubu who came up with this brilliant idea in the first place.
