The following article was originally published by our sister publication RECOIL. It appears here in its entirety with permission. For more articles on guns, training, and gear, go to RECOILweb.com.

We always love a good sequel. The SureFire Stiletto Pro fits the bill.

If you are familiar with the original Stiletto, and a fan of the product, you will love this one. The Stiletto Pro is basically the standard Stiletto on steroids. The new version includes a number of new features and upgrades. We asked SureFire Public Relations Manager Andrew Wright about the product, and he said, “The Stiletto Pro is the big brother to the standard Stiletto. Still maintaining the awesome profile for EDC, the Pro has an aluminum body for increased durability and heat transfer. The Pro has 1,000 lumens and a new reflector, giving far greater candela and output than the standard Stiletto.” We were excited to receive a sample to walk through a side-by-side comparison.

Output

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Let's be honest, the most critical feature of a personal light is output. With output, in lumens, we are concerned about battery life and also the ability to switch between different modes. If you are using a light for work, a lower mode is applicable for map reading or tasks in front of you, while a high mode is preferred for targeting a person or object at distance. The Stiletto Pro has both, and is an upgrade in energy from the Stiletto.

Most importantly, the Pro utilizes SureFire’s proprietary MaxVision Beam reflector. As Wright describes, Maxvision is “created by a special faceted reflector that shapes the LED’s light into a smooth, seamless wall of light that’s perfect for close-range applications and maintaining situational awareness.” What you receive is a very clear light that exposes every detail for a variety of applications.

The Stiletto Pro has three modes of high, medium, low, at lumens of 1,000, 300, and 25, respectively. A 1,000 lumens is a lot of light. As a comparison, the popular SureFire Scout light for rifles has a max output of 1,500 lumens. The Pro offers an output close to the Scout, but in a much smaller form factor. Below you can see the difference between the two models in both output, and battery life.

Stiletto

• High: 650 Lumens/1.75 Hours
• Medium: 250 Lumens/2 Hours
• Low: 5 Lumens/30 Hours

Stiletto Pro

• High: 1,000 Lumens/1 Hour
• Medium: 300 Lumens/1.5 Hours
• Low: 25 Lumens/23.5 Hours

Form Factor

Weight and size are critical components of any light for on-duty use. If you think back to the days of a police officer carrying a foot-long Maglite on their duty belt, you'll understand how far we've come. SureFire has driven home the concept of smaller, easier-to-use lights without sacrificing performance.

The Stiletto Pro weighs approximately 4.0 ounces, compared to the Stiletto's 2.8 ounces. You will notice the slight weight difference if you are doing a side by side comparison, but with that weight comes enhanced durability. The Stiletto Pro is 4.5 inches long compared to the Stilleto with 4.45 inches.

The Stiletto Pro boasts an all-new aerospace aluminum body and mil-spec hard anodized for tremendous durability. The original Stiletto was composed of a lightweight polymer with only an anodized tip. While the Stiletto is still very durable, the Pro is next-level.

The form factor allows the user to fit the product in most pockets, and be drawn like a knife. Its Melonite-coated clip steel clip is reversible, while the standard Stiletto was not. The ability to switch the steel clip is a great option. Right-handed, I deployed the standard Stiletto and have to rotate the light to enter my natural grip. With the Stiletto Pro, I adjusted the clip so that the deployment is one motion.

The ease of deployment makes a difference when performing under duress or even movement. Both models have a similar light activation mechanism that matches the anatomy in our hand. With a natural grip, the activation buttons are extremely easy to access and manipulate. Both models also have an additional ‘tactical tail switch' that deploys the high mode– perfect for using in short bursts to disorient an attacker or move a crowd.

Both models use a micro-USB port for easy recharging. But if you don't like a light that requires recharging instead of replaceable batteries, a Stiletto isn't for you. There is a difference in price between the two models. The Stiletto Pro is $229.00 MSRP and the standard Stiletto is $109.00 MSRP.

Conclusion

As a professional end-user, I would recommend the Stiletto Pro due to its durability, output options, and clip functionality. While the standard Stiletto is still a great option for recreational needs, the power and ruggedness of the Pro are exceptional. The Stiletto Pro is a great reminder of why SureFire is still viewed by many as the gold standard in terms of tactical lights.

For more information on this flashlight, visit SureFire.com.

Written by Drew Wallace