The fine folks at Streamlight have introduced another illumination device that I’ve had the pleasure of using for a while now. The Streamlight Macrostream USB is a handy little pocket flashlight that throws serious brightness. I’ll explain more in this Streamlight Macrostream review!

The weight of the light is 2.2 ounces with a battery, the length is 4.5 inches, and the body of the light is constructed of aluminum. Battery type: Lithium-ion. It carries nicely in the pocket, given its very lightweight and diminutive size.

The Macrostream is a not-too-big brother to the Streamlight Microstream and Microstream USB. It’s fairly compact and fits nicely in a pocket. Large enough to get a good purchase but not so big that it’s a pain to carry. Small tool, high lumens, good candela.

Add to that the fact that there is a brilliant pocket clip that allows bezel up or down carry and also allows the user to clip the light to the brim of a hat, and we have as many mounting options as a user could wish for.

The pocket clip offers tip up or down carry, and can attach to the brim of a hat for hands free use. More excellent features in an everyday carry flashlight. You can do the same thing with a Streamlight Protac, but there’s a good chance it will pull your hat down into your eyes.

Lumens!

So what else makes this light versatile? It’s performance! The Macrostream has two light levels: High, which throws a 500 lumen 90m beam for a duration of two hours. On the low setting, the output is 50 lumens out to 30 yards for a total of eight hours. That gives a pretty healthy run time.

The Streamlight Macrostream has outstanding beam quality, too, with a core that is focused and reaches out nicely. Additionally, there is a wide flood portion, which illuminates a very wide area. You get the best of both worlds with the beam. On the high setting, it lights up a room effectively. 500 lumens is definitely enough to disrupt an attacker’s vision at close range, so it’s good for tactical applications.

The treeline is about 40 yards away. The focused beam and wide throw are obvious. The 500 lumens of this pocket light get it done! It’s an excellent amount of light for such a compact design – yet another reason it’s become my go-to EDC flashlight.

The Low setting is useful for navigating around an area or looking for various objects when you don’t want to run the battery down quickly. For probably over half of the time that I need a light, the low setting suffices rather well.

50 lumens lights up a shed that is about 15 yards away. This beam distance shows the low setting. Streamlight describes the Macrostream as a “super bright small LED flashlight,” and they’re not lying.

Push the tailcap once and you get 500 lumens. Push it again immediately and you get 50 lumens. Nice and simple! In either mode, if the operator pushes the tailcap switch in all the way, it clicks and the light stays on in that mode. A light touch ensures that the light goes out as soon as the finger is off the switch.

The tail cap worked perfectly, with positive clicks when turning on/off. This would actually make a good addition to someone’s duty gear (law enforcement, security, paramedic, etc.) as a backup light. You could probably tuck it down into your body armor, especially if you wear an outer vest.

Streamlight Macrostream for sale

• See what’s in stock and compare prices at Gun.Deals
• At GunMag Warehouse
• At Palmetto State Armory

More Streamlight Macrostream Features

Now on to one of my favorite aspects of the light — it is rechargeable! The battery takes up to four hours to recharge when empty, according to the manufacturer. Personally, I enjoy a light a lot more when I know I don’t have to replace expensive batteries often. A rechargeable flashlight puts a smile on my face.

Charging is accomplished via a USB cable, which is included with the light. One accomplishes this procedure by grasping the bezel of the flashlight, exerting pressure forward, and sliding the bezel forward to expose the micro USB port. Once the protective metal sleeve is out of the way, plug the business end of the USB cord into the port and commence charging. Watch the charge indicator in the charge port. A red light will activate, and a green light shows when the charge is complete.

Is it durable?

The Streamlight Macrostream is resistant to water and drop-tested to one meter (I suspect it would take a good deal more abuse than that, it’s a well-put-together light). The lens is made from polycarbonate, which is virtually indestructible. This is reassuring since the light could be useful for defensive strikes against attackers, making it even more versatile.

The business end is durable, with a polycarbonate lens. Useful as a defensive weapon if necessary.

Streamlight sells this light for around fifty bucks at the time of this writing. Undoubtedly, dealers will offer it for even less, representing a particularly good value for what we’re getting.

Thus far, I honestly cannot find anything about this light to criticize. I don’t know that I’d gush about its “unparalleled performance” the way the press releases did, but it’s definitely an excellent light.It’s lightweight, bright, and offers realistic levels of useful light without being overly complex. It covers the bases of an EDC light, could be used for uniformed duty, and might serve as a defensive tool (in a pinch).

Bright enough for tactical use (as well as everyday carry), the Streamlight Macrostream USB flashlight makes a wonderful addition to your kit. Shown with Glock 19X with Nightstick WML and Emerson CQC-6. Streamlight makes weapon lights too, but I’m currently evaluating this one.

It’s such a small and lightweight personal light that the user can forget he’s even carrying it until he needs it (ask me how I know). The price is reasonable enough that anyone can afford it easily. The fact that it is rechargeable puts the cherry on top of the sundae. Overall, this light gets high marks because of its versatility, performance, and size/weight (or lack thereof).

Now I’m looking forward to trying out the Streamlight Microstream USB next. Pro tip: keep a portable USB charger in your vehicle and/or day bag, not just for the USB rechargeable Macrostream, but for your other gadgets too.

You will be pleasantly surprised.

SPECS AND FEATURE SUMMARY

• High and low modes (double bump the tail switch to change modes):
  • High: 500 lumens; 90m beam; runs 2 hours
  • Low: 50 lumens; 30m beam; runs 8 hours
• Lithium-ion battery charges in-product in 4 hours
• Durable, anodized machined aluminum construction; scratch-resistant polycarbonate lens
• Metal sleeve protects charge port; slide sleeve forward to reveal charge port with charge indicator:
  • Red – charging
  • Green – fully charged
• Removable pocket clip also clips onto the brim of the hat for hands-free use
  IPX4 water-resistant; 1m impact resistance tested
  Includes USB cord
• Compact design fits in the palm of your hand, comfortably fits in your pocket
• 4.5″ (114.3mm); 2.2 oz (62.4g)
• Charges with Streamlight’s EPU-5200™ portable USB charger #22600 (sold separately)
• Limited lifetime warranty