Streamlight Stinger DS LED w/C4 or Pelican 7060

Hi there, I'm looking for some advice. I'm looking to upgrade to a different flashlight. For 10 years I carried the same stinger flashlight, but it died recently.

I'm trying to decide between the Streamlight Stinger DS LED C4 or the Pelican 7060.

I want a dual switch flashlight that recharges on a cradle. I like the fact that the Streamlight has a 3 light levels, but it seems the Pelican may be brighter.

There's no problem getting streamlight chargers and batteries at work, because the Stinger is the issue flashlight. Compatability is a big plus with me.

Can anyone give any advice to help me make my choice? Does anyone have any beamshot comparisons of the two lights?

Thanks,

Al

I have the lights, but no beamshots, the Streamlight has a little bit warmer light. The Pelican has in my opinion little bit more throw.
The SL looks more high grade. But the SL has a Nickel Cadmium Battery, the 7060 a LiIo Battery, SL and the 7060 are very good lights, you must know what is better for you.

I my self have wondered about the Stinger Ds especially since they have a new one putting out around 185 lumens.

276 said:

I my self have wondered about the Stinger Ds especially since they have a new one putting out around 185 lumens.

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Yes i think you mean the Olystiger with the 185 Lumen, i dont know the difference between the Stinger C4 and the Polystinger C4 (is there a new driver in it ? or a different LED ?), in my opinion the Stinger C4 has much more than 135 Lumen, when i compare to other lights.

maxilux said:

Yes i think you mean the Olystiger with the 185 Lumen, i dont know the difference between the Stinger C4 and the Polystinger C4 (is there a new driver in it ? or a different LED ?), in my opinion the Stinger C4 has much more than 135 Lumen, when i compare to other lights.

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Oops....thank you. I meant to say the polystinger.

I have a Stinger DS C4 LED, and it's a flamethrower! I can't compare it to a Pelican, but I have seen it side by side with a PolyStinger LED, and It's brightness is comparable. The catalog states the poly versions output is higher than the alum C4, but mine has the same cree 4-bond-wire emitter as the poly version. Other C4 alum stinger's I've sold have had a K2 emitter, so that may account for the difference in the output rating. I can say however that the latest alum C4's are shipping with the cree emitters. You should note that "C4" is mainly a marketing term Streamlight uses to insulate itself from the rapidly changing technology of LED development. It's expensive to print catalogs, and by the time you get your '09 catalog out to the masses, you're already at least a generation behind. It's much easier to call it a "C4" no matter what's in there rather than handicap it by specifically naming the emitter and opening yourself up to technological obsolescense. The poly version is newer, thus made it to press with the "updated" lumen output figures, while there's still a bunch of alum C4's on store shelves with the K2, not to mention pre-C4 versions still available new.

Oh, look at that... I'm now "enlightened" Right on!

It can be, the Stinger C4 i had, have an other LED as on your picture.

Where did you buy your Stinger LED C4 with the Cree? I want one!!!:naughty:


Mike

Sounds like you sell them since you say "Other C4 alum stinger's I've sold have had a K2 emitter" unless you sold them personally.

276 said:

Sounds like you sell them since you say "Other C4 alum stinger's I've sold have had a K2 emitter" unless you sold them personally.

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I do sell them... I work for a wholesale outfit, Streamlight is one of our lines. I'm working the west coast Ag shows going on now, and Streamlight is one of the lines I brought out to promote and sell. I've sold several Stinger C4 led's recently, they've all been K2's. Mine came directly from Streamlight as a demo sample, which I arranged to buy from the jobber I'm working with. The K2 versions I've been selling look very nearly as bright, throw just as well, and the beam is a bit less "cree-like" i.e. not as ringy. It'll likely be a little while before the online retailers deplete their stock, and start receiving and selling the newest version. But I could be wrong about that. The easiest way to find out is to ask one of them. I'm sure someone like BrightGuy would be happy to look for you. The demand and subsequent "technological obsolescense" of the previous versions is exactly what Streamlight hopes to avoid by naming all their products that use a "power" LED, a C4. That's my theory anyway...

I was just curious when i read that part last night. I have been checking with bright guy, just waiting on an email from streamlight on availability for the Model #76816 that i say in a dealer catalog.

I went through this decision-making process a couple of months ago. I carried a Steamlight SL-20XP and two Poly Stingers for more than 10 years. After joining this forum, I realized that I needed to catch up with the times.

I looked hard at the Stinger LED, but the main problem is it still uses a ni-cad battery. I wanted a Li-ion battery. My main beef with ni-cad or Nimh is the high self-discharge rate. Li-ion has dramatically less self-discharge.

I thought a lot about getting a multi-level light, and I realized that it's not for me. I'm an intermittant flashlight user. What I mean is that I tend to use a light for a few seconds to light something up, then turn it off, rather than turn the light on and use it for 10 or more minutes. When using a multi-level light, you never know what level you'll turn on next. Also, my flashlight usage means that when I turn on my flashlight, I want it BRIGHT, and with THROW. However, I can see if you're a more constant user, you may enjoy and appreciate different brightness levels.

So it came down to the Pelican 7060 or the Strion. The Strion LED is coming out in a couple of months. I went with the Pelican because I wanted a plastic light. The pelican is awesome! I just wish I had done this 18 months ago, when the Pelican first came out!

So for me, the choice was/is Pelican.

-John

I've been reading all of the pro's and con's that people have listed for these two flashlights. I've been a police officer for just about 3 years now, and I've been using the Streamlight DS LED for about 7 months. It's been working great. But I was hearing some hype about the Pelican 7060 so I went out and purchased one. So I now own both flashlights. I've had a few problems with the Pelican in the early going. First off, its odd shape made it almost impossible to find a case for it. Though they are about the same length, the Pelican is a bit thicker than the streamlight so it didn't fit in the case I had. Second, a charge last's me only a day while I could use my streamlight for 2-3 days before needing a recharge. Third, after 15-20 minutes of constant use, the Pelican's heat sinks get a bit too hot. In plain English, the Streamlight kicks the Pelican's ***. The streamlight has all of the features of the Pelican and some. It's actually a little brighter putting out 140 lumens versus Pelican's 131. I also think the light emitted from the Streamlight has a nicer color to it. It run's longer on full power and has variable lighting modes with far longer run time than the Pelican(runtime: up to 1.75 hrs high; up to 3.5 hrs medium; up to 6.75 hrs low; up to 5.5 hrs strobe). Streamlight's fast charger charges the DS LED in a just over two hours compared to five hours for the Pelican 7060. Also, it's far easier to get accessories (cases, batteries, etc…) for the Streamlight. And for those of you who do like the Polymer construction of the 7060, Streamlight's new Polystinger DS LED is available and put's out a blinding 185 Lumens of light (with 2 hrs run time), far brighter than the Pelican 7060. Sorry Pelican fans, but Streamlight has got you beat.

New Guy;

I can't fault you for your observations; I think the matter comes down to style. I don't wear the Pelican on my belt, although it came with a belt holster. The Pelican was designed with input by the LAPD, and if you know anything about LAPD uniforms, they still have a sap pocket on each thigh. Many west coast agencies use LAPD style uniforms. The Pelican was probably designed to fit in a sap pocket, since it fits perfectly. The stinger always bugged me because it was too short, it fell too deeply in the pocket.

Also, I was always taught to have my light in my off hand after dark. When driving, it's between my legs so I can grab it quickly when exiting the car. If I have to write something, it's under my arm, maybe in my sap pocket. I don't even have the belt holster on my belt. I carry a surefire G2 with a Malkoff on my belt for a backup.

My experience with the Stinger LED is that the Pelican is brighter with more throw, but again, I can't dispute your findings.

One question: when you're handcuffing someone after dark, and you have your flashlight out, do you put it in a holster, or do you do something else with it?

Thanks,

-John

Honestly, it depends on the situation. If I'm dealing with a passive guy, I'll probably take the time to throw it in my holster. However, if I think there's a chance the guy will fight with me, I throw it in whatever pocket is available and put my hands on the guy. Hope my answer helped.

The newest C4 generation of the Polystinger and Stinger are using the Cree LED. I picked up the Stinger (non poly) that was from late 2009. .95 amps pushing through the circuit, so if it's a high bin Cree, it's cranking out north of 200 lumens.

Reflector design has also changed. Wider opening near the LED and the reflector is a pebbled/textured design. Works quite well.

Older LED stingers were using the Luxeon. I compared it with a friends 7060 and the 7060 out threw the old version. New Cree version vs the 7060, the new cree version is noticeably brighter.

Used to carry the old Stinger but the Ni-cad batteries kept on wearing out too quickly...i.e. wouldn't keep a charge for long. I'm sure Streamlight has improved their batteries since then, but their still using Ni-Cad or NiMH technology, so I'm a +1 for the Pelican 7060 with the Li-ion battery.

I've had the Pelican for over a year now and it's been pretty rock solid. Nice beam, good throw and Pelican's warranty is hard to beat.

Go to your local cop shop and compare both of them side-by-side for both feel, weight, switch locs, beams, etc...it's hard to make the choice by looking at them online...but one of them will probably stand out to you in-person.

Just my 2 cents.

I have the polystinger c4 and it is bright....200L otf should be realistic. Warm tint. The three levels would be nice if it was not for the VERY noticible pwm on low and noticible on med. That being said, it is brighter than the 7060 with a wider spill. (have had a 7060) Of the two though...I still like having a lithium batt vs. a nicad, so the 7060 might still be the light I would choose. Both are very good lights though.

I have the stinger and I love it. It has a decent throw and if it matters to you at all it also has a strobe function along with the three brightness levels