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Streamlight vs SureFire
The two American duty brands, with opposite answers to the same question: Streamlight publishes everything, SureFire removes everything.
By Scooter M. · Published · Updated
| # | Product | Best for | Output | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ![]() Streamlight ProTac HL-XTop pick1,300 lumens, 35,000 candela, 374 m, 1.5 hours, IP68, on either a rechargeable pack or two CR123A cells. Every figure published per mode. | Duty use, and the best-documented light on this site | 1,300 lm | |
| 2 | ![]() SureFire G2X Pro600 lumens, 8,700 candela, 1.5 hours, and two modes. The specification is modest; the point is that nothing on it can go wrong. | A simple two-mode light that will outlive you | 600 lm | |
| 3 | ![]() Streamlight Stinger 20202,000 lumens, 315 m, two hours on high, and a charger in the box. Built for a shift, not for a pocket. | A patrol light that lives in a charging cradle | 2,000 lm | |
| 4 | ![]() Streamlight PolyTac600 lumens, 214 m, 2.75 hours, IPX7 and 3 m impact resistance in a nylon polymer body. The one you leave in a truck. | A polymer duty light you will not worry about | 600 lm |
We earn a commission if you buy through the links on this page, at no extra cost to you. It does not change what we recommend or the order they appear in. Full disclosure. Prices checked October 16, 2026.

Both of these companies sell to people whose work depends on the light. They have arrived at genuinely different philosophies about how to earn that, and it is the most interesting comparison on this site.
The documentation difference
| Streamlight ProTac HL-X | SureFire G2X Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Output | 1,300 / 420 / 70 lm | 600 / 15 lm |
| Candela | 35,000 / 11,000 / 1,800 | 8,700 |
| Beam distance | 374 / 210 / 85 m | 187 m |
| Runtime | 1.5 / 3.75 / 25 h, and separate CR123A figures | 1.5 h high, 52 h low |
| Weight | 162 g with CR123A, 176 g with pack | 125 g |
| Ingress rating | IP68 | IPX7 |
| Impact resistance | 2 m | not published |
Streamlight publishes every ANSI FL 1 measurement, per mode, for both power options. SureFire publishes output, candela, beam distance, a runtime for each of its two modes, a weight and IPX7 — short of Streamlight on per-mode depth and on impact resistance, but a complete enough sheet that both of its beam figures can be checked against each other. On the test that runs through this site, Streamlight still wins, by less than this page used to claim.
SureFire's counter-argument
It is a real one and worth stating properly. SureFire's design philosophy is subtractive: fewer modes, fewer settings, no programming, nothing to configure and therefore nothing to misconfigure.
A G2X Pro has two modes. Low, then high. There is no sequence to remember, no mode memory that might have moved, and no strobe to land on. On a light you might reach for in a hurry after not touching it for a month, that is a genuine design position rather than a shortcoming.
Streamlight's answer is Ten-Tap programming, which lets you choose between three sequences and effectively remove the strobe. It solves the same problem by addition rather than subtraction, and it requires reading the manual once.
Power strategy
| Streamlight | SureFire | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary approach | SL-B26 rechargeable pack | CR123A lithium primaries |
| Alternative | 2 x CR123A on the ProTac HL-X | None |
| Shelf life | Months on the pack; about 10 years on primaries | About 10 years |
| Running cost | Near zero on the pack | Roughly two cells a month with regular use |
The ProTac HL-X accepting either is the strongest single feature in this comparison. It gives you the running cost of a rechargeable and the shelf life of a primary, and it removes the flat-battery failure entirely.
Beam philosophy
Which to buy
For most people, the Streamlight. The ProTac HL-X publishes everything, is IP68 with a 2-meter impact rating, runs on a pack or on primaries, and costs less than the SureFire.
The case for the SureFire is narrower and real: you want two modes and nothing else, you value a wide spill beam over reach, and you are buying a light that will sit unused. If that describes you, it is not a bad purchase, and neither is a Streamlight PolyTac at a fraction of the price.
Flashlights for police and duty covers the working context in more detail.
The picks, in full

Top pick · Duty use, and the best-documented light on this site
Streamlight ProTac HL-X
1,300 lumens, 35,000 candela, 374 m, 1.5 hours, IP68, on either a rechargeable pack or two CR123A cells. Every figure published per mode.
35,000 candela and 374 m reconcile exactly: the square root of 35,000 divided by 0.25 is 374.2 m. Streamlight's numbers are internally consistent across all three modes, which is the strongest signal of a maker publishing real measurements rather than marketing figures.
1.5 hours at 1,300 lumens implies roughly 6 to 7 watt-hours of usable energy — consistent with a single 18650-class pack and with the CR123A alternative.
IP68 with 2 m impact resistance is the toughest rating in this roundup, and the reason this light shows up on so many duty belts.
What works
- Full ANSI FL1 table published per mode, and it reconciles
- Runs on a rechargeable pack or on shelf-stable CR123A lithium cells
- IP68 and 2 m impact rating
What does not
- The programming interface takes reading the manual to understand
- 162 to 176 g is heavy for pocket carry
- CR123A cells are expensive if you use it hard
Skip this ifyou want a pocket light. It is a duty-belt tool and the weight and length are built for a holster.
Published specification
- Output
- 1,300 lmHigh. Medium 420 lm, low 70 lm.Streamlight ProTac HL-X — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
- Peak intensity
- 35,000 cdHigh. 11,000 cd medium, 1,800 cd low.Streamlight ProTac HL-X — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
- Beam distance
- 374 mHigh. 210 m medium, 85 m low.Streamlight ProTac HL-X — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
- Runtime
- 1.5 h high / 3.75 h medium / 25 h lowOn the SL-B26 pack. On CR123A: 1.25 h / 3 h / 20 h.Streamlight ProTac HL-X — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
- Battery
- SL-B26 rechargeable Li-ion pack, or 2 x CR123A lithiumStreamlight ProTac HL-X — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
- Weight
- 162 g with CR123A, 176 g with the packStreamlight ProTac HL-X — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
- Ingress
- IP68Dust tight, waterproof to 2 m; 2 m impact resistance testedStreamlight ProTac HL-X — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
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Pick 2 · A simple two-mode light that will outlive you
SureFire G2X Pro
600 lumens, 8,700 candela, 1.5 hours, and two modes. The specification is modest; the point is that nothing on it can go wrong.
SureFire publishes both 8,700 candela and a 187 m beam distance, and the two reconcile: the square root of 8,700 divided by 0.25 is 186.5 m. That makes this the only light on this site outside Streamlight and Maglite whose two beam figures can be checked against each other. It is still well short of the ProTac's 374 m on similar output, because SureFire deliberately builds a wider beam with more usable spill.
Two modes, low then high, with no strobe and no programming. On a light you might need in a hurry, that is a feature.
CR123A primaries hold their charge for a decade on a shelf. For a light that lives in a drawer against the worst night of your life, that matters more than rechargeability.
What works
- Two modes, no menu, nothing to misconfigure
- CR123A lithium cells with a ten-year shelf life
- The most durable reputation in the category, earned over decades
What does not
- 600 lumens and 8,700 candela are modest for the price in 2026
- IPX7 is immersion-only - no dust digit - and SureFire states no impact rating
- CR123A cells cost real money to run
Skip this ifyou buy on specification. Almost everything here beats it on paper; you are paying for reliability and simplicity instead.
Published specification
- Output
- 600 lmHigh. Low is 15 lm.SureFire G2X Pro — manufacturer spec page (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Peak intensity
- 8,700 cdSureFire G2X Pro — manufacturer spec page (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Beam distance
- 187 mPublished, and it reconciles with the 8,700 cd figure.SureFire G2X Pro — manufacturer spec page (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Runtime
- 1.5 h on highLow is 52 h.SureFire G2X Pro — manufacturer spec page (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Battery
- 2 x CR123A lithiumSureFire G2X Pro — manufacturer spec page (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Weight
- 125 g4.4 oz, cells installed.SureFire G2X Pro — manufacturer spec page (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- Ingress
- IPX7No dust digit; no impact rating stated.SureFire G2X Pro — manufacturer spec page (retrieved October 6, 2026)
#ad · how this is funded · price as of October 16, 2026

Pick 3 · A patrol light that lives in a charging cradle
Streamlight Stinger 2020
2,000 lumens, 315 m, two hours on high, and a charger in the box. Built for a shift, not for a pocket.
Two hours at 2,000 lumens is the standout number: that is a whole traffic stop at full output rather than the ninety-second burst most 2,000-lumen lights give you.
350 grams is heavy in the hand and irrelevant on a belt. This light is designed around a duty rig and a vehicle charger, and the mass buys the runtime.
Streamlight publishes 25,000 candela alongside the 315 m, and they reconcile: the square root of 25,000 divided by 0.25 is 316.2 m. That is 12.5 candela per lumen — a broader beam than the ProTac's 27, which is the right call for searching a room rather than a treeline.
What works
- Two hours at full 2,000 lumens, which almost nothing else here can claim
- Full per-mode output, candela, distance and runtime table published, and the candela and distance figures check each other
- Ships with a charger designed for a vehicle cradle
What does not
- 350 g, so pocket carry is out
- IPX7 rather than the ProTac's IP68
- Proprietary battery pack, and no capacity published in mAh or watt-hours
Skip this ifyou carry a light rather than wear one. At 350 g it is a duty-belt and vehicle tool, and the ProTac HL-X does most of the same job at half the weight with a CR123A fallback.
Published specification
- Output
- 2,000 lmHigh. Medium 850 lm, low 100 lm.Streamlight Stinger 2020 — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
- Peak intensity
- 25,000 cdHigh. Medium 10,000 cd, low 1,200 cd. Each reconciles with the published beam distance for its mode.Streamlight Stinger 2020 — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 22, 2026)
- Beam distance
- 315 mHigh. 200 m medium, 70 m low.Streamlight Stinger 2020 — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
- Runtime
- 2 h high / 4 h medium / 24 h lowStreamlight Stinger 2020 — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
- Battery
- 2 x SL-B26 rechargeable Li-ion packStreamlight publishes a quantity of 2, so the spare is in the box. Charges with existing Stinger chargers, a USB cord, or the SL-B26 bank charger. Capacity is not published in mAh or watt-hours.Streamlight Stinger 2020 — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
- Weight
- 350 g (12.3 oz)Streamlight Stinger 2020 — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
- Ingress
- IPX7Waterproof; 2 m impact resistance testedStreamlight Stinger 2020 — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
#ad · how this is funded · price as of October 16, 2026

Pick 4 · A polymer duty light you will not worry about
Streamlight PolyTac
600 lumens, 214 m, 2.75 hours, IPX7 and 3 m impact resistance in a nylon polymer body. The one you leave in a truck.
2.75 hours at 600 lumens from two CR123A cells is a very efficient result — that is roughly 6 watt-hours doing real work rather than being thrown away as heat.
3 m of impact resistance is the highest figure in this roundup. Polymer absorbs a drop that would dent an aluminum body.
119 g with cells installed makes this the lightest full-size duty light here.
What works
- Full per-mode table published, all three modes
- 3 m impact resistance and IPX7
- 119 g, with a ten-year shelf life on its cells
What does not
- 600 lumens is modest against the rechargeable competition
- CR123A running costs add up
- We could not pin a current ASIN for it, so the buy link is a tagged Amazon search
Skip this ifyou use a light daily. CR123A primaries are the wrong economics for frequent use; buy a rechargeable instead.
Published specification
- Output
- 600 lmHigh. Medium 260 lm, low 35 lm.Streamlight PolyTac — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
- Peak intensity
- 11,500 cdHigh. Medium 4,900 cd, low 675 cd. Each reconciles with the published distance for its mode.Streamlight PolyTac — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 27, 2026)
- Beam distance
- 214 mHigh. 140 m medium, 52 m low.Streamlight PolyTac — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
- Runtime
- 2.75 h high / 5.5 h medium / 34 h lowStreamlight PolyTac — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
- Battery
- 2 x CR123A lithium (included)Streamlight PolyTac — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
- Weight
- 119 g (4.2 oz) with batteriesStreamlight PolyTac — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
- Ingress
- IPX7Waterproof to 1 m for 30 minutes; 3 m impact resistance testedStreamlight PolyTac — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
#ad · how this is funded · price as of October 16, 2026
Questions people actually ask
Is Streamlight or SureFire better?
Streamlight, for most buyers: the ProTac HL-X publishes a complete per-mode ANSI table, is IP68 with a 2-meter impact rating, runs on either a rechargeable pack or CR123A primaries, and costs less. SureFire's case is simplicity and a wider spill beam.
Why is SureFire more expensive with lower specifications?
Because the design priorities differ. SureFire builds subtractively — two modes, nothing to configure, nothing to misconfigure — and around primaries with a decade of shelf life. That is a genuine position rather than a shortcoming, but it is not a specification advantage.
Which has the better interface?
A real preference. SureFire gives you two modes and no options. Streamlight gives you Ten-Tap programming with three selectable sequences, which lets you remove the strobe entirely — the same goal reached by addition rather than subtraction.
Which is more durable?
We can only say what is published. Streamlight publishes IP68 and 2 meters of impact resistance on the ProTac HL-X, and 3 meters on the polymer PolyTac. SureFire publishes neither figure for the G2X Pro.
Should I use rechargeable or CR123A batteries?
Rechargeable for daily use, primaries for a light that waits. The ProTac HL-X accepts both, which is the strongest single feature in this comparison and removes the choice.
Why does the SureFire throw so much less?
Deliberately. Its 8,700 candela from 600 lumens is 15 candela per lumen against the ProTac's 27, meaning a wider beam with more usable spill. Better for close-range work indoors, clearly worse in open ground.
Sources
Every figure on this page came from one of the documents below, read on the date shown. We do not cite other review sites, forum posts or video reviews as sources of fact.
- Streamlight ProTac HL-X — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
- Streamlight Stinger 2020 — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
- Streamlight PolyTac — manufacturer spec page (retrieved September 1, 2026)
- SureFire G2X Pro — manufacturer spec page (retrieved October 6, 2026)
- ANSI/PLATO FL 1 flashlight performance standard — definitions of lumens, peak beam intensity, beam distance, runtime, impact and water resistance
- IEC 60529 — the IP (ingress protection) rating system
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