Maglite Flashlights

timsclips

timsclips

Joined
Nov 27, 2007
Messages
610
Back in the day these were considered the best, used by law enforcement almost exclusively. Things change and I was just wondering if they are still considered one of the better brands or at least a good buy for the buck.

I have yet to invest in a good quality LED flashlight. I am trying to avoid the poorly made ones and do not want to buy the highest priced as it will be just used when power is out around the house.

An example of what I am looking at is the Browning LED lights listed at cdnninvestments.com. For a few dollars more I can find a Maglite LED flashlight or perhaps a Streamlight.

Anyone have some input?
 
MAG Lights are still a good flashlight in the sense that they are indestructible. I used a 2-AA for almost 20 years. Yes, the same light. I upgraded it to an LED with the Nite-Ize set from Home Depot a few years ago.

My 3-D cell is about 15 years old. Still running fine.

Here's a story for Ripley - My neighbor is on the Detroit Police Dive Team. He does search and rescue all over the area. He found a 3-D mag light at the bottom of the Detroit river. It had been there so long the anodizing was gone. The reflector wasn't chrome any more and the batteries were pretty much welded to the inside. He cleaned up all the contacts, put a bulb and new batteries in it and it still worked. It needed O-rings and a reflector and lens and was more-or-less an "I wonder if it still works" project.

If you get a MAG, don't expect the output that some of the modern SureFire like flashlights put out. The bright side is (pun intended) Mag Lights can be upgraded with some pretty impressive bulbs for very little money. One can upgrade a 3-D for about $20 and have an LED version putting out close to 200 lumens.

HTH,
Chris
 
For what you require a light for, there is nothing wrong with a 2AA Mag LED light. They are still well made and have a good warranty. If you shop around, they can be found for a very reasonable cost.
 
I still have an old multicell Maglite I keep in my truck, but only in case I run into anything that needs to be whacked. For lighting I picked up a Fenix TK11, ultrafire batteries, and charger last year for right at a 100 American Dollars. While that is about 5 times what the Maglite ran me, I don't figure I'll ever buy another light or battery. It is extremely bright and efficient. If you are into doing the conversion to an LED light, that might be a way to go. There are several flashlight forums out there and some collect lights just like some collect knives.
all da best,
rats...
 
I have two Mini Maglites that don't work. I haven't messed with them to find out why. I use Surefire G2s with LEDs for just about everything.

The Mini Maglites were state of the art 20 + years ago, but the bulbs were and are a PITA. They would fail often and were delicate. I guess that the newer ones with LEDs would solve that problem, but there are much better lights now that don't cost much more. Just MHO.
 
SSC P7 mod to a 3d mag, cheap, easy, and stupid bright.
 
They are quality construction no doubt. For what they cost you can get a light that is either smaller, lighter, longer run time, brighter, or all of the above. I would check out the Surefire G2, any Fenix, ITP, O-light, Maratac, and a few others that are all reasonably priced and never look back.
 
I've used Maglights for years, they're tough lights and I've never had one crap out on me. I'll be lucky if other flashlights last me a year but I've got a 10 year old maglight that still works great, and I've only changed the bulb once; although, it started out black and is now almost silver.
 
UffDa said:
...but there are much better lights now that don't cost much more. Just MHO.
Click to expand...


That about sums it up. Check out 4Sevens for some ideas. Specifically the 4sevens-brand Quark line (Quark Mini) as well as the Fenix E01.

Been using the same Fenix L1Tv2 as a helmet light for mountain biking and commuting for about two years now and its seen all types of abuse. Smacking tree branches over my helmet, rain/snow/freezing rain, drops... Really has held up fantastic! I just wish I could get the same light with a little brighter LED like the R5 thats out now, but I digress...
 
We have a couple of Maglites around the house and I've always liked the heft and solid feel of even the 2AA model. Like everyone has said, they were state of the art not that long ago, and I like to stick with products that were the best of the best once and still perform well.
BUT, I recently got myself a Streamlight Stylus Pro from OpticsPlanet for about $20 after watching a review on the light from nutnfancy.com.
The reviewer is a cop who compared the new Stylus Pro with an older Streamlight he's used for awhile, and he did a pretty thorough job.
I really like this light. It's a 2AAA, slim and lighter than my little Maglite, comes with a good pocket clip and a basic belt pouch. It is at least as bright as the Maglite and more convenient because the Streamlight can be actuated with one hand with a push button at the rear of the light. It is becoming EDC for me unlike the Mag which was more often in the glove box or in a pocket of my daily kit bag.
The cop had it right; no matter...gun, knife or flashlight the best one is the one you have on you when you need it.
Great little light for the price. You might want to check one out.

CP
 
No, they are not good lights, I cannot believe that they still sell the old fashioned ones.

They are even selling the AAA solataire still, it sucked when it first came out, now it is just laughable, I still have one that I use for comparisons occasionally. Compare it to a Fenix EO1, in fact, compare the MiniMag two AA to the EO1 using a single AAA battery and an unbreakable LED. The EO1 gives you perfect, regulated light for 10 hours and then 11 more hours of lesser light as the battery loses juice, with no bulb to wear out, or break from abuse.

For all that, it is almost twice as bright as the minimag.
 
Although bulky, I grew up with a Mag as the "nice" torch, so I still use them outta respect. Malkoff dropin's really bring old Mags up to date, check em out.
 
i decided to get one of those malkoff drop-ins for my old 2D maglite...it's a nasty raygun now...it will put an eye out...
 
timsclips said:
Back in the day these were considered the best, used by law enforcement almost exclusively. Things change and I was just wondering if they are still considered one of the better brands or at least a good buy for the buck.

I have yet to invest in a good quality LED flashlight. I am trying to avoid the poorly made ones and do not want to buy the highest priced as it will be just used when power is out around the house.

An example of what I am looking at is the Browning LED lights listed at cdnninvestments.com. For a few dollars more I can find a Maglite LED flashlight or perhaps a Streamlight.

Anyone have some input?
Click to expand...

I would highly recommend the Surefire G2L. Not cheap but very bright, great throw, and built like a tank. Also lithium batteries have a very long shelf life. Don't touch the thing for five years or more then pull it out and turn it on, no prob.

-DT
 
I still have a few Maglites floating around. They're not crazy bright but they're pretty much bomb proof. The Solitare is pretty weak but the 2AA and the D cells are decent lights that are likely to still work a decade or two from now.

Frank
 
check out Candlepowerforums. There is a *whole* world of flashlights out there, all ranging from different uses, leds, form etc. Also, if you want to keep w/ Maglites there are plenty of custom makers for those and then there is this man, Gene Malkoff. He sells dropin for Maglites. If you don't want to spend the money, make sure you get the Rebel Led Maglite instead of the Terralux(sp?) bulbs which are the older version.

Now this is purely based on popular opinion but probably the *best* lights or manf. out there in no particular order:

Surefire
Quark
Ra
McGizmo (custom maker-pricey but very good)


There are quite a few members on here that are flashaholics (powernoodle comes to mind) and I only have a few quality lights myself.

McGizmo Haiku XP-G
Ra Twisty 100 & Ra Clicky
Quark Tactical Neutral 2AA
Quark Mini cr123
Milky Candle (for emergecies- 2 cr123 that can run ~30days str8)
 
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If you require a good quality no nonsense, non bell and whistles flashlight, then the Mag lineup will do just fine. Some of us here are "into" flashlights. Myself included. But if you need light for utilitarian purposes, the current generation of LED Maglights are a very good choice. The standard LED AA models include a 2 batt version and a 3 batt version. Both of these 3 watters are quite bright and have excellent run time. The multi mode 2 AA version has high/ low/ strobe/ SOS capability. AA batts are quite cheap and widely available. The C and D cell models are also available in LED. These 3 watters are super bright and has blinding capability. Just for comparison, the 2 D cell model has a beam that surppasses the Terra-Lux drop ins both in terms of throw and intensity. I have either a D or a C cell Mag in every room in the house. And a AA cell model in many of my tool boxes/ bags and often times on my person (when potential loss risk is high). MagLights are the only stock flashlights I use regularly. And I have no fears of lending them out. Prices are very fair. More so if you shop around at some popular big name home centers. :)

N.

www.dozierknives.com/forum
 
a big reason i will always love aa maglites is candle mode...i have used both incan and led aa maglites as electric candles, and it's nice to have in camp
 
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