Streamlight 66318 MicroStream 45-Lumen Everyday Carry Pocket Flashlight with AAA Alkaline Battery, Black

This is the greatest pocket flashlight ever made. I have destroyed 3 of these lights over the past 5ish years of carrying them every day and am incredibly impressed by how robust they are. This is really a difficult thing to destroy, and every one has partially still worked despite my abuse. Reverse clip is perfect for use on a hat, which I always use in place of a headlamp which I find bulky and restrictive, there are no modes to deal with, just a pleasant, useful light level that isn't too bright for up close work in tight aircraft service compartments where I often find this level of light most useful. One AAA battery, easy to carry extras, and a good few hours of output per battery. I own a stinger 2020 and this light, and between work and home I never find myself asking for anything else. These lights really aren't that fancy or crazy like many of the Chinese brands with high output and hella modes, but damnit they just work

Great surpresa! It is small and has a potent bright light and several sets to use! Good material! Cheap to recharge!!

It's bright and the battery lasts plenty long; it's durable, and I don't worry about it's getting damaged. I have a canvas leatherman pouch I keep on my belt; it has loops on either side of the the leatherman tool holder itself. In one loop, I keep a ratcheting extender. In the other loop, I keep this flashlight. I can leave it in the loop and press the button when I need to illuminate things I can point at by moving the holder slightly. This happens fairly frequently as I help my elderly parents up and down the outside stairs and it's helpful to be able to light them up. It is very nice to have access to a bright light source all the time, and this flashlight makes that easy.

It's easy to carry everyday, has enough light for it to do what I want it to do. Works well and is holding up with no problems.

Why is it so hard to find a well-made, compact flashlight that simply turns on and provides a beam of light? Nowdays it seems like they all have multiple modes that you must click through before they behave like a flashlight. I've got some that strobe when I turn them on, then do an S-O-S thing on the next click, and only on the 3rd click can I get it to act like a frikking flashlight! This is NOT something I want to deal with when I hear the cat barfing in the middle of the night! I don't need to S-O-S a rescue plane while walking down the hall at 2-AM! Enter this little gem! The build quality is AWESOME! I have to depress the button with deliberate force which is good for preventing it from turning on by accident. I can also twist the column to disconnect the current. It's super tiny so it fits in any pocket without bulk. It comes with a convenient pocket clip, too. When I click it, all I get is a simple beam of light with a good throw pattern for something so small. Compact. Check! Built like a (tiny) tank. Check! Super simple. Check! I plan to get a few more for various rooms in my house and will give away the ones that strobe.

Ok my reason for buying the light was simple. I needed a quick replacement for my failed Inova X1 which I couldn't live without while its being replaced. First the light is smaller then my X1 and a lot brighter to boot as I have the version 2 of the X1 which would run on a single AA for over 10 hours, that was nice. Note the Stream Light Micro Stream is also very nice and as I said a lot brighter but also no where near the runtime but that's fine as it yields a beautiful bright clean beam, on this they did a great job. Burn time is usully a trade off for this brightness, but overall I like the light the build is very good but not great as I am picky, inova in my opin builds a better light top notch CNC machining on the inova lights in this price class so I'm deducting a star for this plus I do not feel the QC is being watched to close and I hope that someone from Stream Light sees my review as what they have done here is not acceptable in my opin, let me explain ... The light comes with a lanyard however you can't really use it as they do not or no longer provide the correct clip, many images on the net including the image on Amazon show that the light has a skeleton clip that allows you to attach a ring and or lanyard to it, but the light you get now, as of me buying it in 2010 has a standard solid clip no holes to attach the included lanyard, now to me in this price class someone is asleep at the wheel. They shouldn't send out this light with the wrong clip and it should be corrected I think I shall send them an e-mail as I want the correct clip I do not like this solid incorrect clip that they seem to be passing off. I hope others contact them so they send us or make the type of clip this should have. Actually as i am also a FL collector it would be quite slick and more useful if it came with a nice stainless skeleton clip to accent the black body of the light. As for the clip scratching the light while changing the battery, just slip a business card in between and it will be fine, yes that is a small design flaw but not a big deal breaker in my opin. Any way I really feel that the clip it is shown with all over the net is the clip we should get with the light, and I wanted others to know this before they buy, and as I said maybe call or shoot the company an email saying we are not happy with this change and or err on there part at all. Please feel free to comment.

Quick verdict: The MicroStream is a dependable pocket backup that just works. Perfect if you want a tough, single AAA light with a clean beam for everyday tasks. Context: Bought April 14, 2025 for $19.99. Lives in a backpack and sometimes a pocket. Clip rarely used. Running the included AAA alkaline. Tens of quick uses per month and it has not needed a battery swap yet. Wins: • Surprisingly bright, and the beam is clean with a usable hotspot, ideal for finding dropped screws or reading labels • Runtime feels strong for a single AAA, no sudden dimming on short tasks • Clip holds tight in a pocket and the light shrugs off drops onto hard floors Tradeoffs: • The clip is removable, but taking it off can scratch the paint at the contact points • Only one brightness level, which keeps it simple but limits flexibility Dealbreakers: If you need a true headlamp or multiple output levels, consider a 2 mode AAA or a small rechargeable with a moonlight setting. Tests and measurements: • Drop test from waist height to concrete, no functional issues, just tiny finish marks • Beam check on a white wall, round hotspot with soft spill, no ugly rings • Battery test in real use, short tasks over weeks on the included alkaline with no replacement yet Tips: If you plan to remove the clip, slide a thin layer of tape under the contact area to protect the finish. For hat brim use, keep the logo toward the bill to aim the hotspot downward. Alternatives considered: A USB rechargeable keychain light is brighter for bursts, yet needs charging and can get hot. A 2 AAA penlight gives longer runtime and a slimmer profile, but it is longer in the pocket. Durability check-ins: Month 1, finish looks good with small clip marks. Month 3, repeated pocket carry shows light scuffing only. Month 5, switch still crisp, no flicker, battery still fine for quick tasks. Bottom line: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Classic Streamlight reliability at a fair price. Not flashy, just a tough little light from a brand that has earned the crown for everyday carry. ↓ Please tap "Helpful" if this review was useful to you!

Best micro light I’ve had. Ordered a second one for the car. Light isn’t super bright, as expected from a pen light, but it’s perfect for closer uses. I carry this in my pocket every day and have endless uses for it. The clip is perfect for clipping to the brim of my hat for a head light. This flashlight is so durable. I’ve dropped this so many times with no issues. I put it through the wash and dryer accidentally, no issues.