The new Harbor Freight TLR1-HL clone (we’ll call it the TLR1-HF, see what I did there?) hasn’t been out for 48 hours yet and the Reddit/GunTube meta is already pulsing with claims that it’s “literally the same thing made on the same assembly line” and it’s “just as good”. Let’s go ahead and put that claim to bed right now. That is definitively not the case. It’s a good clone, but nothing more. Same as all the other halfway decent TLR1 clones that you can get on Alibaba, probably with slightly better QC.
TL;DR: It’s probably fine but it certainly won’t be the new budget flashlight meta. I wouldn’t put it on my HD or CCW gun, and would try and get a used Streamlight instead, if it was a matter of cost.
I ran out last night and grabbed one from my nearest Harbor Freight. They weren’t even out yet on the floor, but the manager took pity on me and my hour-long drive to go fetch one from the back. I broadly like HF and appreciate being able to grab decent quality tools for cheap when I need to wrench on some weird thing like twice a year. But I’m not trusting my life to an HF weapon light without tearing it apart first. And it turns out I’m not trusting my life to it after tearing it apart, either.
Starting on the outside, the Streamlight has a slightly more matte finish that feels nicer to the touch, but this is a very nominal difference. I confirmed that the Harbor Freight clone does not have any unexpected IR signature under NODs, just to check.
The switch on the HF clone feels like plastic, whereas the Streamlight feels more like a polymer (think, Magpul furniture) with slightly more texture. The serrations are also slightly more prominent on the Streamlight.
The momentary switches on both lights have similar tactile qualities but there’s a slight difference in that the Streamlight requires more travel before it engages, but that travel is lighter/smoother. The HF clone engages sooner but requires a bit more pressure and is “spongier”.
A big difference I found is with the steady-on switch. The HF clone requires more force to engage and is substantially louder. Like, noticeably “clicky” compared to the relatively quiet engagement of the Streamlight.
The mounting screw on the Streamlight has better knurling and is much smoother to screw in/unscrew. The HF clone is “grittier”. The spring behind the mounting screw is different, with the Streamlight having noticeably better spring tension.
That “grittiness” can be felt on the threading on the lens assembly, as well. The HF clone threads were less polished.
The lens assembly is slightly different between the two, as well. The HF clone has a clear ring that mates to the reflector, whereas the Streamlight’s is white. This might play a role in the halo effect in the beam shots you’ll see later. both have a clear polycarbonate cover over the reflector but the O-ring on the Streamlight is fixed in place and on both sides of the cover creating a gap between the cover and the reflector. The HF clone has a loose O-ring that fits in a channel on the inside of the cap, but with nothing between the cover and reflector. Any dust intrusion would therefore potentially cause scratching on the reflector as the cover rubs against it, but this is probably a pretty minor concern.
Looking at the emitters themselves, they are clearly different and the most distinct difference is the quality of the soldering. The Streamlight has large copper solder pads with ~6mm of wire contact with the pad. The HF clone has small ~2mm balls of solder instead. Unfortunately I could not get the emitter assembly out to look at the driver, which is where I think we’d be able to see some serious differences in quality. Streamlight really doesn’t want you taking that assembly out. The first allen screw came out with substantial force to break it free, the other wouldn’t budge. The cheap Phillips screws in the HF clone removed without any resistance.
In terms of LED performance, I did not perform a rundown test nor do I have the appropriate gear to take accurate measurements for candela/lumens, but both lights are fairly similar in terms of both throw and spill. The HF clone has a tighter hotspot and probably edges the Streamlight out on throw, but it also has a very unfortunate halo effect at the edge of the spill. The Streamlight has a much smoother transition from its hotspot outward and has a notably warmer color temperature, as well. The outdoor beamshots show a small but perceptible difference in CRI, with the Streamlight winning out.
The tree below is at just over 75yds away (~230ft). The chicken coop is at approximately 25yd. Yes, I’m aware the roof of the run is collapsed. No, no chickens were harmed. Photos taken with a Samsung S22U on Auto, no Night Mode. I played with doing some fixed ISO/shutter speed settings but honestly this seemed to be the most accurate representation of what I was seeing.
In summary, it’s absolutely not the same light and definitely not “just as good”. The fact that it costs $50 (with batteries, even) is enticing, and the general quality is better than I expected for the price. It’d be great for use on an airsoft training replica or maybe even to put on a gun you don’t use for home defense or carry/duty.
Whether or not it ends up being a decent clone that can withstand some abuse and the effects of long-term exposure to recoil remains to be seen. I’m not going to go piss $200 in ammo testing a $50 light, so I’ll leave that to someone else who cares more about proving this light. For me? The TLR1-HL (and now the new TLR1-HL-X) will remain my go-to recommendation for anyone looking for a full-size WML for their handgun.