Streamlight PolyStinger $49.99

Hello everyone. I have been lurking around here for some time now and I'm finally making my first post. I was at ****'s Sporting Goods the other day and I found some PolyStingers in the clearance area for $49.99. I was wondering how good of a deal this is for this light. It comes with the charging gradle and all unopened package. Is this a light worth having, how does it compare to something like the Brinkman Maxfire? Thank you in advance for your advice.

If it's a full setup; light, battery, charger, then it's a great price. It's in a different class than a Maxfire, but of course it costs 2-3 times as much. The Stinger is a much more powerful light and is useful for short periods where a lot of light is required (e.g. substitute of an SL20 in law enforcement). The battery has about an hour run-time, though I've had it drop to less than 20 minutes in cold weather (not a good thing when you're in the middle of the street directing traffic). Overall, it's a great light, and the Poly Stinger is just a plastic version of the Stinger, everything in that line is great. Check the reflector before you get it, the older reflectors were polished and had more throw, the more recent ones are stippled and have a smoother beam. The newer reflectors are available as a replacement part and relatively cheap.

garageguy said:

Hello everyone. I have been lurking around here for some time now and I'm finally making my first post. I was at ****'s Sporting Goods the other day and I found some PolyStingers in the clearance area for $49.99. I was wondering how good of a deal this is for this light. It comes with the charging gradle and all unopened package. Is this a light worth having, how does it compare to something like the Brinkman Maxfire? Thank you in advance for your advice.

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How about "A picture's worth a thousand tired cliches?" (Dead silence.) Moving on, I hope this amuses you.

Beam 1: Stock Mag-Lite 3D, fresh batteries. Beam focused. Was $19.99 new.
Beam 2: Stock Streamlight Polystinger, fully charged. Beam focused. Was $74.99 new with charger.
Beam 3: Brinkmann Maxfire, fresh batteries. (Beam pre-focused.) Was $16.99 new at Target.



My Comment: Beam 2 appears to have brightest spot. Beam 3 appears to have greatest overall light output. Beam 1 stinks; but you don't see the bulb filament artifacts in this image, and it looks yellower in person.

Comments by Others: "Field" comparisons with four other Polystingers of varying vintages and condition (but fully charged) belonging to hard-nosed cynics, all elicited comments relating admiration and a preference for the beam of the Maxfire. In the field, The Maxfire throw easily matches the Polystinger, too. The four guys who helped out all admired the low cost of the Maxfire.

Images taken with a digital camera's emulation of f-stop +1 and 2/3.
Completely dark room, standard "big clock" shot, light source is 122 inches (10ft, 2in or 4.8m) from wall and clock. Light source and picture capture approximately 30 degree up angle from standing position.

Just for fun, I'll toss in this tidbit that really annoyed some guys (hee, hee!)

$49.99 is a good deal for a Polystinger and they're good, time-tested lights, a favorite with law enforcement because of their relative light weight and non-threateningness compared with a metal light.

You could also consider the newer and somewhat more expensive Strion, which is much smaller and uses a lithium ion battery that should be less affected by cold. Strions start around $80 or $90, I think.

Thank you for the pictures lightlust! I have a Maxfire and I'm very surprised at how well it did against the Stinger. Since you threw in the extra pictures of the ORB that is now on my list of lights to get. Are they still avalible? I thought that I read somewhere on here that they were no longer being produced.

paulr, I took a look at the Strion and I'm impressed with it(love the size and form factor).

Here is what I have decided: Get the PolyStinger since the price is right, put the Strion on my Xmas list, and save for and ORB. It figures, I come here asking about purchasing one light and am now going for three. Oh well, it's only money. A wallet full of Jacksons will do me little good in the dark anyways. Thank you everyone for your input.

Since you threw in the extra pictures of the ORB that is now on my list of lights to get. Are they still avalible? I thought that I read somewhere on here that they were no longer being produced.

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1) ORB Raw (on sale now at Orb's website)
2) Son of Raw (sign up list still looks open.) As bright or brighter than ORB Raw.

Nice comparison shots! I can't believe how bright the RAW is on high. Now I am really excited about getting a Son of Raw! I hope it will be as bright?

Thanks again lightlust for the links.