This is a fine flashlight. I purchased two of these 3C lights.
There are only 2 issues:
1. The button is very stiff. Takes more effort than I expected to push it. Both of my 3C's have this issue. I have a 4AA as well and it has a softer button that I think is perfect.
2. The flashlight will not stand up on its end due to the button. The 4AA light can stand up, due to having the body extend out past the button making for a flat surface to balance on.

All together this flashlight is fine but I think the 4AA model has a better design.

I am a Firefighter for the Dept of Defense and this Flashlite is wonderful. Its main purpose is to go into adverse area's such as gas filled rooms or other hazordous areas. I have used this flashlite for 5 years now and its great. Great in smoke filled rooms it is a flood lite not a spotlite but very bright none the less. I have droped it from a five story window and it still worked when I got back down to the grown.

I would strongly recommend this flashlite to anyone in the public safety career fields or Hazmat. I have given several of these out as gifts to friends and family.

The Fire Dept I work for now gives these out as standard gear.

I need a flashlight and this is the right one. It's very very bright. Very good price for this. Quick shipping.

great flashlight , never change bulbs, runs ten times longer than regular flashlights

Several people have complained about it not giving off enough light and/or not giving the same amount of light that the smaller 4AA version does and that is just not true. I bought the 4AA version a few months ago and was really pleased with the amount of light it gives off as well as battery life, which lead me to buy two of theses and I am glad I did!

The Streamlight 3C is an awesome flashlight and it does give off more light then the 4AA version. The belt clip is an awesome feature, much better then a cheap nylon lanyard. There really isn't anything I can complain about except maybe the price, but I picked these up on sale for $12 each... so I guess I really can't complain about the price either.

As for the UL listings and all of that, these are MSHA (Mine Safety and Health Administration) approved to be used in a methane-air mixture environment. Also they are UL Listed for Class I, Division 1; Class l, ll, Division 2; Class III and UL Listed to Canadian safety standards for Class I, II, Division 2; Class III.

Someone below mentioned that this flashlight is UL. That is correct, however, this doesn't mean that it can and should be used in a hazardous location. In the example with the leaking gas line in a home after an earthquake, the area would most likely be considered an Class 1, Division 2 area which would require that the flashlight housing be rated as explosion-proof. This is highly unlikely.

I recently purchased both 4aa and 3c streamlight propolymer LED flashlights. Comparing the build quality of both flashlights, they are the same - tough as a rock. Although I haven't tested the waterproofing of both flashlights, I'm pretty confident that I can take it under water.

It's also true what previous reviewers have cited -- that the 4aa model is brighter than the 3c model. In hindsight, I should have given more thought to my purchase... the 3c model offers no additional benefit against the 4aa model... it's pricier, bulkier and weaker.

I use this flashlight each duty day, as a firefighter/medic. Clip is great, as it will suspend light vertically off of radio pocket. I just leave it on at night during operations. Batteries last forever (so to speak).

I loved this led flashlight with daylight brightness. To turn it on, you push a button on the end of the handle that you can find in the dark. Bellieve it or not, I use it in my bedroom closet on dark mornings to make sure I'm getter the correct color matches.

A flashlight seems like a simple device and they are available in various qualities everywhere. I chose to pay 30+ dollars for a 10 LED flashlight that the reviews here would indicate was expensive but nearly indestructible and could be counted on in an emergency. I bought this Streamlight 3C LED flashlight to have available in emergency situation and it failed to operate properly in normal use within the first 4 months. After a couple months of non use I found the batteries to be dead. (the 3 C batteries were measured with a voltmeter and were at half their 1.5 full capacity voltage or less) (they were new and a solid 1.54 volts when they went in) It appears that either the electronics built into the 10 LED lamp assembly are defective or the switch on the end has a bad connection which never quite turns it all the way off.

Bottom line,,,,,,,,,,, I can not give this Streamlight Flashlight a good rating and took the time to come here and write this review so others can be aware that paying more doesn't necessarily get you more.

I'll be looking for a less expensive flashlight from a local store for something like this next time as it isn't worth my time to package and ship this off to the MFG and wonder if they will ever send me a replacement.

Life is too short,,, and in an emergency a light can mean your life!

**** Additional comments****
Streamlight "tech support" spontaneously responded to one of my many emails for support and sent me a new 3C flashlight to their credit. (I had written them I had given up and would buy a new light elsewhere) I was pleased! BUT,,,,,,,,,, I just went to use the new light that was fitted with new (voltage tested) batteries and placed in my toolkit, and you guessed it the batteries are dead and the light does not light. My guess is (now) there is some sort of defect in the 10 LED "bulb" component of the flashlight. As this is the identical problem as before it can be no coincidence and I would suspect that they may be aware of it but are still selling them, figuring 30+ dollars is too small an amount for anyone to hound them about. I won't be contacting them but once again took the time to write this so you won't waste your money on this particular light.

I purchased both the Streamlight ProPolymer 3C and 4AA flashlights. The 4AA is rated at 27 lumens and the 4C is rated at 40 lumens. I have tried different sets of batteries in both flashlights but the 3C never puts out more light than the 4AA. The 4AA is smaller and fits better in the hand and since it is just as bright and costs much less I can not recommend the 3C but am happy with the 4AA. One curious note about the 4AA: it seems to put out the most light using rechargable batteries which are a lower voltage than the regular alkaline batteries.

This is a great light, however it's not as bright as the Streamlight 4 AA battery light. This 3 C Battery is more like a floodlight type. It IS brighter than regular flashlights! And naturally it's a bit heavier (due to the batteries) than the 4 AA light.

The button is great, a heavy rubber covering that's webbed to prevent sweat from having our fingers roll over it. There's a thick plastic clip that allows you to clip onto your belt or pants. And a ring comes with it ath you can slip through the top to put on a holder or such.

All in all this is a great light, but again if you want a pinpoint bright light go with the 4 AAA streamlight LED.

The beam of light this thing generates is awesome. Just received it so I can't speak to the durability or battery use. The reflector around the LEDs was chipping when I opened it to install the batteries so that is why I've rated it a 4 star. Nice size and it comes with a clip for your belt. A key chain loop is included too.

This is a great flashlight. The light is bright and clear, the bulbs last, basically, forever, and, because there is no waste heat, the batteries last a long time. LED flashlights are a little more expensive than a standard flashlight. They are, however, so functionally superior that I will never again buy a non-LED flashlight. This particular light is first-rate. It is small enough to not get in the way, but produces more light than a standard flashlight. Its bright yellow case makes it hard to misplace. It is also comfortable in the hand. All-in-all, a good choice.

This LED flashlight is just OK. It's not as bright as I expected, nor as bright as a compact LED flashlight with a SINGLE 1W LED.

I bought one of these lights to work underwater and the seals failed filling the battery compartment with water. Streamlight replaced it, but when dropped from 4 feet to a carpeted floor it failed..replacement LED is 37.95 with shipping and replacement Streamlight 3C LED can be had for $39.00 so...I am tossing the Streamlight 3C LED in trash can and taking the loss...Sorry, but this item is not reliable, durable, or dependable..such a surprise for a company with such a good rep

This thing puts out an amazing amount of light and the batteries last forever. I keep one in the trunk of every car I own (3).

Everything said about this flashlight is spot on except for the fact that after using underwater in less than 10 feet, the battery compartment leaked and the batteries turned to rusted mush. So much for the claims of being waterproof!!! Otherwise a really nice flashlight but not the rugged competitor it claims to be...
So far have not heard from the manufacturer about servicing the warranty...will let you know

Very nice product for what it does, but it takes some getting used to. First the good. Appears very durable and has a nice feel to it when carrying. Excellent for inside a house, such as during a power outage. The white light is very diffuse and wide angle illuminating a large area or an entire room.

Now for the not-so-good. The on switch in at the end of unit - inconvenient. The LED light is very different from the traditional flashlights and may not be what you expect. The light is not focused. Used outdoors, the diffuse light will illuminate I found relatively good up to only about 30 feet. The beam cannot be focused from a diffuse pattern to a sharp compact beam. My mag light is definitely better for outdoors.

Overall, nice product but it serves a niche. Definitely not the only flashlight I would want - or need - to own.

Contrary to what a previous reviewer said about being able to throw it against a wall without breaking it, this flashlight did not survive a 2 foot fall from my young childs hand onto the street this Halloween evening.

It is broken and no longer working. I had it a week. Update 11/14/03-after several emails back and forth, the company did send a free replacement LED bulb unit. The flashlight works again. Only thing now is that they sent blue LED lights instead of the white ones I had originall purchased. I've raised the ranking one more star for their response, albeit flawed.

Be careful it is fragile despite it's looks. Don't be fooled by claims by other reviewers who have not put it through a simple test by a child dropping it.

As long as I don't misplace it, this will probably be the last flashlight I'll have to buy for many years. This isn't a flimsy, plastic toy. By loading the batteries, clipping it on your belt, or simply switching it on, you can tell that it's built to some pretty fine tolerances. You could toss it against the wall and not worry about breaking it. The light from the LEDs is kind of a cool white with a hint of blue. It's more of a flood light that illuminates a wider area instead of a pinpoint light that shines on a single object. I've had other flashlights before -- such as the popular metal one that we've all bought -- but this one beats them all. It would be ideal for emergencies, performing work, or walking at night. I've seen other LED flashlights that were slightly less expensive, but none of them had 10 LEDs with such a quality casing.

Streamlight obviously put some thought into this light; the overall design and quality of materials are excellent. It provides bright (although diffuse) light, uses standard "C" batteries (unlike products from some other manufacturers, notably Coast Cutlery), has a waterproof body made out of high-impact plastic, and is comfortable in the hand.

The only thing I don't like about it is that the on-off button is located on the end of the light instead of the side. This is not only inconvenient, but makes it impossible to stand the light on end during power outages, an obvious use for LED lights. This problem seems to be endemic to most LED lights, so this one is no exception.

Don't expect a light with a focused beam. LED lights emit diffuse light, the difference is similar to that between a shotgun and a rifle. This light is good for lighting up the area about 50 feet in front of you. It will, however, be visible to others at a great distance, an attractive safety feature for those who take it along on evening walks.

The LEDs themselves are incredibly bright, you should not look at them diectly.

All in all, an excellent product, although the price substantially exceeds the cost of manufacture which is probably no more than five dollars. If you can wait two years, comparable lights should become available at about half to a third of the price, although probably not of the same quality.