I am fascinated by the Streamlight Scorpion from the 90s.

Other Types of Lights Non-LED Lanterns, Incandescent, and HID Lights
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Before buying my first LED flashlight in 2014 (Nitecore P12 MK1), I had no contact with proper flashlights since I was a kid in the 90s (Romania, we just got out of communism back then) and everyone was still using soviet era cheap flashlights, that, from what I remember, could produce what I see now as 10 lumens at max . But these flashlights were still around here in the 90s, and even early 2000s, before we started having proper contact with western tech.

About one year ago I’ve watched the movie Cast Away (2000) where the stranded main character finds a flashlight that looked pretty modern. Looking around the web, I found it: Streamlight Scorpion (Xenon) from the mid 90s.
Never heard of it before, but looking into it, I realized that I have skipped a whole generation of flashlights, I had no idea Xenon bulb flashlights existed in the 90s.

So I looked for info regarding this online and it blew my mind to see that in the 90s there was an aluminium (anodized even) flashlight of that size, ergonomic design, came with a holster, and producing almost 80 lumens. Compared to what I used to see those days… after 6 months from seeing that movie, I still can’t get this flashlight out of my head.

Here are the details I found regarding the flashlight. I got them from their website and manual.

Streamlight Scorpion
78 lumens
7900cd
Adjustable focus
5.1 inches / 13cm
4.5 oz / 127g
2xCR123 = 1.3hours runtime
Xenon bulb that survives 3 to 5 battery sets, so 4-6 hours (it came with a spare xenon bulb in the box)
Comes with holster.

From the manual
“The Xenon bi-pin bulb is designed to last through three (3) to five (5) sets of batteries in continuous use. Intermittent use may produce less bulb life (due to repeated start up shock and higher voltage spikes).”
It sounds like the lifespan was the bulb was actually pretty low.

This model came to market in '92? The movie started filming in January '99.

I am curious how much would have costed one bulb + 6 pieces of CR123 back in the 90s in US, these would barely keep the flashlight running for around 4 hours.

I am fascinated by both the difference between Eastern Europe and US flashlights of that time, and also by the evolution from 90s to current era where you can buy a 1000+ lumens reliable flashlight for around $20 and also includes a cell lasting for 500 cycles. And still, 9 out of 10 people around me don’t own a proper flashlight.

If one of you has this model, I’d be happy to see a photo of it.

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By the way, this is my collection now, I might add one small Streamlight just for the sake of having a flashlight from this brand, maybe the Microstream.

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I had one of those, but a bit later than the 1990s. It had impressive performance for the era, but the running cost was pretty extreme. Retail for CR123As was about $5/cell, and I don’t remember what the bulbs cost. 1.3 hours sounds optimistic to me - I remember getting about 1.

Build quality also wouldn’t impress anybody today. I remember the threads being not great, and the rubber sleeve on the grip had a tendency to slip.

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Just FYI, a Streamlight Scorpion wasn’t really a normal US flashlight then, or at least not to my recollection. I mainly remember those plastic 2D or maybe 2C Ray-O-Vac (or other brand) lights that have the large chunky plastic switch that’s shaped like a Lego brick. That would be in the junk drawer in the kitchen and the batteries were usually fairly dead. We were more likely to use candles in a power outage than a flashlight. I don’t recall any friends or neighbors or family having any particularly better flashlights.

By the time I was aware of Maglites as a young adult, I do recall someone showing me their Surefire (probably a 6P but I don’t know for certain). It was pretty amazing, but they mentioned it’s pretty impractical. Going through two $5 batteries every hour and one $20 bulb every 5 battery changes. So I stuck with Maglites. I also wouldn’t have afforded a Surefire even if the cost to keep it running wasn’t that high. I never got the colored filter kit version of a Mini-mag because it basically doubled the cost.

Mini-mags and such never seemed very impressive, they were just better than darkness. You had to go up to about a 4D light before it seemed reasonably bright or could see roughly as far as car headlights would shine (which were also much worse back then). I don’t think D-cell batteries were much cheaper than a CR123, but the light lasted longer.

It probably wouldn’t be a big seller, but if Maglite rolled out a new halogen Magcharger, maybe a shorter body more like a 2-cell, NiMH or LFP batteries, and a soft-start (maybe regulated?) I would buy one right away. Something that gives you that old-school experience but without the constant battery and bulb purchase.

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Nice to see a realistic perspective on this.
Man I was not expecting it to be that expensive to use! $5 for a CR123 in the 90s? Would be more than $10 today adjusted to inflation I think.
Simon sells great 18650 cells for under $5 when you buy a flashlight.
Maybe we live the peak life as flashlight enthusiasts now :smiley:

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I remember back when I started buying Li-Ion lights that the improvements were so rapid and the prices kept dropping that it was easy to justify buying more lights. Now people need to rationalize a new purchase.

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Hmm, maybe that’s why I say that I’m all flashlighted out…

Strewth, new lights are often just variations on a theme. Slightly lower CT, slightly better CRI, 10% more lemons, slight tweak to the UI, etc. Rarely anything earthshattering.

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I’m at the stage where I really don’t need much that can be out in a box and wrapped up anymore. And when I get something new I try and get rid of something to keep from becoming a hoarder.

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That could be why I stopped coming here years ago. I’d accumulated enough lights to saturate my night vision along with the batteries and chargers needed to use them and lost interest.

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The zenon was one step behind the halogen. I had a Sigma Sport bicycle light that took 5AA batteries. The halogen from Radio Shack was rated at 5.6 V .83 A and 25 hours. I also had a lantern light with a Radio Shack lead acid battery also with a 6 cell halogen bulb. Running them with rechargable batteries gave a lower start up voltage so the bulbs would last longer.

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I’m sure there were cheaper sources for CR123As, especially in bulk. They were $5 from retail stores in packages of one or two. I didn’t seek out cheaper sources though; I just didn’t use the flashlight much.

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I recently published a flashlight of the year post in which a major factor for the winner was running 19.3% longer in a medium-high mode than a previous version.

That’s kind of boring in one sense, but flashlight and battery tech hitting the point where I’m happy going out in the dark of winter with only a 1x14500 light is pretty cool.

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In the 10 or so years I was gone from here things improved to a point where an under $20 14500 powered light would give similar performance to an 18650 powered light of before. I don’t remember what I paid for most of my other lights, but I’m sure it would be more than $20 adjusted for inflation.

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Even if a 14500 flashlight doesn’t have the same sustained output, Indeed there is progress and the landscape changed a lot, the variety is incredible these days compared to 10 years ago.

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Back in ancient history, Target’s house brand, River Rock, came out with a 1AA light, and 2C light. Both were quite decent. No modes, just on/off, cool but not arctic, etc.

The 2C light used an XR-E, started nice and bright and would gradually dim as you ran it down.

The AA was a constant current boost driver! Rock solid output until it’d just totally croke! Thought it busted, but after “resting” it’d fire up again for a while, then croke. Rinse, repeat. Once I figured it out, though, I thought it was fantastic. No dimming as the cell ran down, just constant output of pure white light. Not even a hint of Angry Blue, Hateful Purple, or Nauseating Green.

I gotta find those little beasties again…

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I’ve still got a Terralux 220 something light from back before I started using Li-Ion batteries. I think it may outlive me and served as a helmet light for a few years. Under the right conditions it could serve as the only light I needed.

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