Streamlight Inc. announced a new handheld flashlight that is said to throw 2,200 lumens. The new light, called the Protac HL4, is an extension of the company’s existing Protac line that includes a wide range of “tactical” light options including a USB rechargeable and a tiny AAA flashlight.

The new HL4 is rated to put out 2,200 lumens. As many readers know, a lumen is a measure of total light output. By itself, it doesn’t give you a sense of what the beam is like or how far it projects the light. Other measurements help define these areas.

According to Streamlight, the unit is rated at 30,000 candela. This is a measure of peak beam intensity – or how “hot” the center of the light’s beam is. Based on my experience, 30k candela with a 600 lumen light gives a fairly tight beam with a small amount of spill for periphery illumination. I would assume that the HL4 would therefore have a relatively less defined center spot and an increased amount of spill illumination. The beam distance is rated at 346 meters.

The light is designed to run off of CR123 batteries (90 minutes on high) and 18650 rechargeable batteries (105 minutes on high). The unit is also stated to be impact resistant to one meter and waterproof (submersible) to one meter for 30 minutes. The MSRP is $175.

Streamlight Website

We also have one these lights on the way for review.