Ever since the movie theater shootings and other random acts of violence began, I’ve been rethinking my safety in those venues. Having a quality flashlight will give you the ability to stun and disorient a threat, and give you a window of time to either escape or engage. I’ve carried a Surefire 6PX Defender in the past, but wanted something a little smaller and easier to carry, yet still bright enough to get the job done. With those demands in mind, I settled on the Streamlight ProTac 2L as my everyday carry light.
Specifications
Weight: 2.8 ounces with batteries installed
Length: 4.68 inches
Power source: Includes two 3V CR123A lithium batteries
Lens:Â Tempered glass and O-ring sealed.
Runtime:
- High – 260 lumens, runs for three hours
- Low – 13 lumens, runs for 50 hours
- Strobe – runs for six hours
Light: The ProTac’s tailswitch activation allows for three modes: high, strobe, and low (in that order). The low setting puts out only 13 lumens, and the high setting puts out 180 lumens. What I like about this light is having the highest setting as the first mode, followed by the strobe. In a situation where you may need to defend yourself, you don’t want to have to cycle through different modes to get to the high or strobe setting.
Beam distance: 126 meters on the high setting and 35 meters on the low setting
Impact resistance: Two-meter drop onto a hard surface—tested and proven.
Water resistance: IPX7 waterproof to one meter for 30 minutes—tested and proven.
MSRP: $39.24 or less from Amazon.
Bottom line
The Streamlight ProTac 2L is an extremely durable light: It’s waterproof, features an impact-resistant tempered lens, unbreakable pocket clip, and is constructed of anodized aluminum. There’s just not a whole lot on this light that could go wrong or break.
