Streamlight just announced the ProTac HL6. The HL-6 is the newest and brightest addition to their ProTac series of tactical lights. It has a whopping 5,300 lumens and impressive beam reach, as well as a using rechargeable batteries.
The ProTac HL-6
Streamlight’s ProTac HL-6 is made from 6000 series machined aircraft aluminum with an anodized finish and has an anti-roll face cap and a sure-grip rubber sleeve. The glass lens has a gasket-seal and an anti-reflective coating. It’s rated IPX7, making it waterproof to one meter for 30 minutes and impact resistance tested to one meter. Streamlight is billing it as a light that can fill many roles. They’re suggesting it for first responders, outdoor enthusiasts, industrial technicians and other users.
The ProTac HL 6 has a multi-function, easy-access head switch located in the traditional position. It allows for one-handed operation of the light’s momentary, variable intensity or strobe modes. On the high setting, the HL-6 delivers an eye melting 5,300 lumens and 80,000 candela out to over 566 meters. On medium, it offers 1,500 lumens, 23,000 candela and a 303-meter beam distance. On low, the light provides 450 lumens and 6,700 candela over 164 meters. Run time ranges from 12 hours and 30 minutes on low to two hours on high; in strobe mode, the light runs for four hours. Both the light output in all three modes and run times are impressive.
The HL-6 uses Streamlight’s TEN-TAP programming, which let’s you pick from three programs, so you can set the light how how it works best for you. You can set it for high/strobe/low (factory default); high only; or low/medium/high. I’m not a fan of cycling through to get to the setting I want, so it’s nice that you have choices with the HL-6.
The light is powered by two included 5000mAh SL-B48 protected Li-Ion USB-C rechargeable battery packs. They’re rechargeable up to 500 times so should give you years of use before the need replaced. The batteries have a USB charging slot located on the battery itself so no separate charger is needed, just a standard USB charging cable.
The ProTac HL 6 is 10.5 inches long and weighs 1.3 pounds with batteries installed. This isn’t a pocket light, but it also outperforms just about anything you could easily pocket too. The HL-6 is available in black and comes in two models, the ProTac HL 6 with a 120V USB adapter with an MSRP of $265, or the ProTac HL 6 without an adapter for $248. Both lights come with two SL-B48 Li-Ion battery packs, a USB-C “Y” charging cord and a lanyard. Like all of Steamlight’s products, they also come with Streamlight’s Limited Lifetime Warranty.
Always carrying a flashlight. You don’t need an expensive one. And make sure it has a tall on off button. They are much easier to use one handed.
meh….
I put LED modules in my bigger Maglites. Those things last forever if you take care of them. Even the 4-cell isn’t headlight bright though, so these others may have an advantage if you need that.
hawkeye,
Last year my child shot a huge white-tailed deer buck just before dark. By the time I arrived to assist, it was completely dark outside. Thanks to the muzzleloader’s large plume of smoke and the particular environment, my child had absolutely no idea which way it ran after the shot. We had to search almost everywhere in a very large circle. Maglites with LED bulbs were not sufficient for that task. After that event, I purchased a light with a much brighter and, more importantly, much more uniform wide-angle flood light profile. I wish Maglite made such lights.
Dollar General has little flashlights called Open Trails.
Made in China too.
I can’t remember price but they are not over $8.
They use AA batteries.
Good enough for me.
Money saved is money spent on bullets, and canned Spam( expiration date 2335)
XEO… Hormel only puts “expiration dates” on Spam (Scientifically Processed Artificial Meat) to meet DOD specifications. It is widely believed that it should be classified as a “Forever Chemical”. I suppose it’s probably as safe as eating irradiated Mutant Zombie Tree Squirrels.
I have a few weapon mounted Streamlights. They give good service. All my freehand stuff is Surefire, but I have no doubt this is a good light.
Comparing a Streamlight to a discount dollar store flashlight is like comparing a Maglite to a plastic Eveready in the 1980s’. Two different purposes and outputs. What the Streamlite does point out is how far Maglite has fallen – they became the Glock of the industry, same boring product, no innovation. They were pushed into LED conversions by innovators like Streamlite and are considered a “granny kitchen drawer” grade answer to making night turn into day. Having had a 6 C cell and comparing it to the first Surefire G2 I owned, I knew they were challenged – and never responded. Streamlite did and continues to keep up with products for mainstream users who don’t need or want to buy a new leading edge light every year. Just buy the Streamlite sized for your needs and in five years, it’s still doing quite well, without the hoopla or continued expense of incremental changes in a few candelas.
You could do far worse, a dollar store light isn’t comparable to a professional grade light, but if it’s all you need, then be happy. You could have big, heavy, underpowered ancient Maglite in the kitchen drawer, but most of us moved on 25 years ago.