Lighting company Streamlight is coming out with their TLR lights in Flat Dark Earth as opposed to the usual black that they and many other light companies have usually coated their lights with. Specifically this will be on their TLR-1 HL lights, and their TLR-6 which is for the Glock 42, and 43 model handguns. There will also be two different coatings, a traditional Flat Dark Earth, and a Flat Dark Earth Brown. The Brown color almost seems to give off a little more glare than the FDE version, but it might actually be darker. It is hard to tell from pictures. The purpose behind this move appears to be from consumer demand, which I can only fathom that customers want lights to match their FDE handguns. I think the reason why light companies have taken so long to get around to this is that there isn’t really a tactical advantage with having a colored light. If the purpose of a light is to be using it in the dark, then before the actuation of the light, having it black would make it blend in with the night better, whereas any other lighter color might give the position of the shooter away. The original PEQ devices were all black, but then they switched to FDE in the later versions of the AN/PEQ15, and all of the AN/PEQ16 series. Either way, I’m interested to see if this trend takes off, as I personally favor Streamlight handgun lights over Surefire ones for their ruggedness, even stopping a .38 round in one instance.

Streamlight^® Inc., a leading provider of high-performance lighting and weapon light/laser sighting devices, has introduced Flat Dark Earth and Flat Dark Earth Brown colors for select TLR^® weapon-mounted lights, in response to consumer demand for these color choices in weapons and accessories.

The Streamlight TLR-1 HL^® light is now available in both of the new colors. Additionally, the Streamlight TLR-6^® is available in Flat Dark Earth Brown (model designed for use with Glock^® 42 and Glock^® 43 handguns only).

“We’re offering these additional colors in response to the growing consumer trend to customize weapons and accessories using these colors,” said Streamlight President and Chief Executive Officer Ray Sharrah. “As a leading provider of weapon lights, we want to be responsive to this need.”