Streamlight PT 1AA and 2AA Review

Streamlight ProTac 1AA and 2AA Review

LED-Resource has posted our review of the Streamlight ProTac 1AA and 2AA (formerly known as the PT 1AA and 2AA)! Click here to read our review.

​

Key Specifications

• Brightness (1AA): 50 lumens high, 6 lumens low, 50 lumens strobe
• Brightness (2AA): 120 lumens high, 14 lumens low, 120 lumens strobe
• Runtime (1AA): 1h 45m high, 22h low, 4h strobe
• Runtime (2AA): 1h 45m high, 21h low, 4h strobe
• Battery: 1AA: 1 x AA, 2AA: 2 x AA
• Length: 1AA: 3.97″, 2AA: 5.97″
• Diameter: 0.9″
• Weight with Batteries: 1AA: 2.3 oz., 2AA: 3.4 oz.
• Warranty: Limited Lifetime
• MSRP: $68 to $70
• Actual Pricing: ~$40

Thanks for the review, I am looking for a inexpensive 2AA light the Streamlight PT 2AA might be the one since its about $30

Update: Runtime tests posted.

Thanks for the very useful runtime graphs Robin24k.

Thanks for the info.

The 1AA high runtime on alkaline doesn't make sense with the 1.75h spec in the text. It was dead in 30min. It does seem to meet the ANSI spec, but...

I'm not too sure what's going on with the 1AA either, I repeated the alkaline test twice, once with Duracell MN1500 (2016-03) and once with Energizer E91 (2015-03). Both ended just past 30min, so I wonder if it's insufficient voltage?

I also ran the test for the 2AA twice with batteries from the same batch and both ended between 1h 30min and 1h 45min, so I don't think it's defective batteries.

Robin24k said:

I'm not too sure what's going on with the 1AA either, I repeated the alkaline test twice, once with Duracell MN1500 (2016-03) and once with Energizer E91 (2015-03). Both ended just past 30min, so I wonder if it's insufficient voltage?

Click to expand...

I'm thinking your 1AA is defective.

My PT1AA, purchased about a year ago, runs for about an hour and forty minutes on a fresh AA alkaline battery. In fact, the first thing I did after purchasing the light was to put the Energizer that it came with in it and turned it on. At the hour and 35 minute mark, it got noticeably dimmer and about 5 minutes later it shut off completely, flickering wildly just before going out.

I would call or e-mail Streamlight and tell them you are not getting anywhere near the advertised runtime for this light. SL's CS is top notch, so I'm sure they'll take care of you.

It seems to work fine on NiMH and L91 though...let me see if I can find a fresh alkaline with a 2016 or 2017 expiration and try it again.

Updated 1AA runtime graph and also posted LiFePO4 graph for the 1AA.

Great graphs, thanks! That's interesting that the run time with 1AA is almost as long as 2AA, even though the 2AA has higher output for longer. Do you know why that is?

With two cells, battery voltage is higher so the boost circuitry operates more efficiently (instead of having to boost 1V to 3V, it only needs to boost 2V to 3V).

Robin24k said:

Update: Runtime tests posted.

Click to expand...

i was wondering how durable they felt in hand and if the sidewall isnt too thin, i find many of 1xaaa glashlights have thin sidewall and dont take much tough abuse.

thanks for the great review btw.

itsjusttim said:

i was wondering how durable they felt in hand and if the sidewall isnt too thin, I find many of 1xaaa glashlights have thin sidewall and dont take much tough abuse.

Click to expand...

Quite a bit. I have a fairly beat up one that I still carry sometimes. The head and sidewalls seem to be thick enough. I know I have dropped it many many times on concrete floors and it still works fine.

Bumping this thread for a quick question:

Does the 2AA have a decent "moon mode" as the batteries run down, or is it more like an instant death shutoff?


I'm looking for a high-school graduation gift for a kid and the 2AA ProTac is at the top of a short list of 2AA lights.

Thanks!

Crap, I just found my answer in the linked review. Looks like it does do a "sudden death" shut-off at about 1v per cell.


Dang, that's a deal breaker right there!

They look like OK lights....for a few dollars more I think one could do much better. They want 40 bucks for type-II anodized aluminum ? If you could buy one for under $20 they might be worth a try.

Streamlight updated the Protac 1AA and 2AA since the time this review was posted. They now include Ten-Tap Programming, which gives you control over configuring the mode selections:

1.) high/strobe/low (factory default)
2.) high only
3.) low/high


Links:

http://www.streamlight.com/product/product.aspx?pid=199

http://www.streamlight.com/product/product.aspx?pid=201