strion, scorpion, stinger

jayhackett03

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Joined
Oct 14, 2006
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369
Location
Kansas
whats the difference. i know the strion runs on lithium, i've done the comparison chart on streamlight.com but, just coming from a person's view, whats the difference?
 
Well, the Scorpion is a general use xenon light, the Strion, other than being rechargeable which I think is the intended selling point, has outstanding throw for its size and the Stinger is quite a bit larger than the other two. The Strion has a noticably more narrow hotspot than the Scorpion.

I've owned two Strions and a Scorpion and while they were both quality products, I wasn't overly taken with either of them. The Strion was my favorite incand light for quite a while until the 2x17500 option became popoular with the TL-3. In about the same size category, I just really like the TL-3 a lot more, esp on the rechargeables. Feels more comfortable and balanced in the hand than the Strion, a bit more throw and is whiter.
 
The Scorpion is a good $25 flashlight. I've got one but to be honest it's not overly impressive. But it's very durable. I dont know how often you intend to use the light so I dont know if rechargables are the absolute right answer. But If you just need a tough little light to keep for emergencies then the Scorpion is fine. If you're going to use it a lot better look into something that uses rechargables because at $1 each you dont want to be feeding a light batteries all the time.

Shane
 
I have a Stinger. Cheap and you get what you pay for. Uses 123's so the batteries aren't super cheap. Bulb will last a while, but it still burns pretty hot. Mine has a rubber sleave over the entire flashlight body that doesn't seem super durable. However, if you want an inexpensive light to leave in a glove box, tool box or backpack, it's okay for that.

I have a Stinger. Much bigger, think of a 2-C cell light with narrower batteries. I like it, but it's long and top heavy so it doesn't like to stay in a pocket for instance. You need the belt ring or holster to carry it around. Given it's size, it's probably not a good everyday light except if you have a job where it makes sense to carry a duty light. Uses NiCad batteries, but they seem to have a fair amount of capacity. I wish they had a NiMH replacement.

The Strion is newer than the other two. It puts out more light than the standard Stinger but is a third the size. However, it uses Li-Ion batteries and you have to be somewhat careful about charging them (no memory issues, but they definitely have a finite number of charges and shelf life, think iPod). There is also a weapon mount version of this light. My friend has one of these and I think it's pretty nice. If I had to buy one of the three, this is the one I'd probably get because it's the compromise between the other two in terms of size and output. However, I think it might be better to decide what you need the light for and pick the best fit rather than buy a $100 light and later wish you'd purchased an $60 light, a $25 light and a 4 pack of LED lights from Costco instead.
 
What are you going to use the light for? With what frequency? That may be a better criteria determining what would best serve your needs.

In terms of cost in ascending order, it would be Scorpion, Stinger, Strion
In terms of throw, in ascending order, it would be Scorpion, Strion, Stinger
In terms of size, Scorpion and Stinger are about the same size, Stinger is larger.
In terms of cost of operation, a reasonable guesstimate, again in ascending order would probably be Stinger, Strion, Scorpion.

jayhackett03 said:
whats the difference. i know the strion runs on lithium, i've done the comparison chart on streamlight.com but, just coming from a person's view, whats the difference?
 
As others have noted, your intended use makes a big difference in which light to get.

All three lights are great, but for me, the Scorpion is a sentimental favorite--one of my first "high power" lights. The Strion is great, too, but the rubberized grip of the Scorpion works better for me.

I purchased a PolyStinger as a gift, and tested it before wrapping--it is a nice light, but larger (size to output ratio) than I generally like for my personal use.
 
and just too expand, whats everyones thoughts on the Stinger HP? alot brighter? worth the bigger head? more throw?
 
The Stinger and Stinger HP have essentially the same output. The HP will appear brighter due to the tighter focus, and more throw as a result. I personally think the head and body proportions feel a bit weird on the HP, protruding so far from the rest of the light. If you get the regular Stinger, you can always upgrade it to an HP later (you'll have to buy the kit), but if you prefer throw, HP may be what you're looking for.
 
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