Mag-Lite ST3D016 3-D Cell LED Flashlight, Black

by MagLite

Product Description

Amazon.com

Like many other manufacturers, Mag Instrument has expanded its line of flashlights to include models featuring LED-type bulbs. Why? LEDs are virtually unbreakable, and they are far more efficient than incandescent bulbs. As the product name suggests, this Maglite runs on 3 D-type batteries, which will take a while to run out thanks not only to the LEDs but also to Mag Instrument's "Intelligent Energy Source Management," which balances high brightness against extended battery life. The bright, powerful beam adjusts from spot to flood simply by rotating the head. The case is made from a high-strength aluminum alloy that has been anodized inside and out, which gives you water- and shock-resistance in a lightweight package. High-quality O-rings at both openings keep water away from the batteries. In other words, this energy-efficient flashlight is almost indestructible--a good quality when it comes to the tools. Limited lifetime warranty. Batteries not included.--Josh Dettweiler

From the Manufacturer

Maglite brings LEDs into focus. The Maglite three D-battery LED flashlight, well known for its quality, durability, and reliability is now available with new MAG-LED technology. Designed for professional and consumer use, benefits include a powerful projecting beam that focuses simply by rotating the head, balanced optics combining a highly refined reflector with a quality LED for a brilliant adjustable beam, intelligent energy source management (patent pending) balancing high brightness with efficient power usage, and water and Shock resistance. It comes with a limited lifetime warranty.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 1.6 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000IXAJVY
• Item model number: ST3D016
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (272 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #335 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)
  • #68 in Home Improvement > Contractor Supply
  • #77 in Home Improvement > Power & Hand Tools > Hand Tools

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

282 of 286 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Maglite second-gen LED flashlight deserves a second chance, September 11, 2010

By 

NLee the Engineer (Nashua, NH) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 10 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Mag-Lite ST3D016 3-D Cell LED Flashlight, Black (Tools & Home Improvement)

[Remark on Nov 27, 2011]

Amazon has combined the 2-D and 3-D cell versions of Maglite LED flashlights into one product page. The following review was original written for the 3-D cell version. See my other review if you are looking for the 2-D Cell version.

==== Original Review follows ====

This Mag-Lite ST3D016 3-D Cell LED Flashlight features the second-generation LED technology by Maglite. You may be alarmed that many of the older Amazon reviews are highly critical about this product. However, please note that the 2nd-gen LED Maglite was not even available before May 2009. That means earlier reviews were all based on the inferior first-gen Maglite LED flashlight.

The 2nd-gen Maglite LED flashlight offers many improvements over the first-generation version:

1. Brighter LED:

The new Maglite uses a Luxeon 'Rebel ES' 3-Watt LED as light source (check my Customer Image to see how it looks like). This LED is significantly brighter, whiter and more energy-efficient than the previous 'Lux III' LED used in 1st-gen Maglite.

2. Improved Heat Sink:

The overheating problem found in 1st-gen LED modules has been solved. That is, the light no longer dims down after just a few minutes of operation.

3. Better Power Management:

The new Maglite maintains constant power consumption of 2W as long as battery voltage is above 3.5V. That means it produces the same brightness whether powered by 3x NiMH cells (3.75V), or 3x alkaline cells (4.5V). When battery voltage drops below 3.5V, the light dims down gradually to conserve power, instead of abruptly drops dead like in 1st-gen. (See my Customer Image for chart of Input Power vs. Battery Voltage)

4. Sharper Focusing:

The 'Spot' mode is now very tight, with hardly any spill over. The 'Wide' mode is more even, without an ugly black hole in the middle. (See my Customer Image for beam shots)

Some other observations:

- Light output of this Maglite 3-D LED flashlight is rated at '104-lumen'. I have no reason to doubt this number, because it is significantly brighter than the Maglite 2-AA mini LED, which is rated at 69-lumen. This claim is also consistent with the spec sheet of Luxeon Rebel ES LED, with the input power at 2W.

- The battery life is rated at '72-hour'. This number seems a bit optimistic to me. Based on energy calculation, a set of three alkaline D-cells should be able to power the light at full power (2W) for about 20 hours. After that, the light will start to dim down gradually over the course of next 30-40 hours.

The only 'shortcoming' of this 3xD-cell Maglite is its size and weight. It is true that you can find other LED flashlights that also advertise '100-lumen', but powered by just 2xAA or even 3xAAA cells. However, the total energy stored in each D-size alkaline cell is about 7x greater than that in one AA cell. So by using three D-cells instead of two AA cells, this Maglite is able to burn at full brightness for 10 times longer. Most other LED flashlights only provide full brightness initially, when batteries are fresh. Physics don't lie. Marketing people do.

Bottom line:

Don't be discouraged by outdated negative reviews! This 2nd-gen Maglite LED flashlight is a very capable, rugged workhorse. Of course, if you need a more compact unit, then consider the MAGLITE 2-AA Cell Mini-Maglite LED Flashlight instead. It offers the 2nd-gen LED technology, too.

[Update on Feb 23, 2011]

I did a comparison between this 3-D Maglite and its 2-D cousin (ST2D096), and found them to be identical in terms of brightness and beam shape. The only difference is in runtime (about 20 hours for 3-D, 12 hours for 2-D). So just pick one depending on your preference in size.

[Update on Oct 26, 2011]

A reader informed me that the latest 3-D Maglite is using 3rd-generation LED, possibly Cree XP-E. I just confirmed this at my local Costco. The new package says '131 lumens' (previous one says '104 lumens'), and the LED inside has a square green base (previous one has a rectangular white base).

110 of 119 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this flashlight, May 27, 2007

By 

DCode "Prog" - See all my reviews

This review is from: MAGLITE ST2D016 2-D Cell LED Flashlight, Black (Tools & Home Improvement)

LED BASICS: A regular "incandescent" bulb produces light via a thin filament of wire (actually a tiny coil) that glows white hot at thousands of degrees Fahrenheit. LEDs are solid-state devices--a cousin of the transistor--that produce light as a byproduct of electrons "dropping" orbital levels.

LED VS. INCANDESCENT: I can think of 5 reasons to buy an LED flashlight over a regular incandescent flashlight:

1) An LED will usually last for tens-of-thousands of hours. In regular use, it shouldn't burn out.

2) White LEDs are so "white" that they make incandescent bulbs look dull yellow by comparison.

3) LEDs tend to be more rugged than incandescent bulbs,

4) LEDs don't eat batteries quite as fast as equivalent-light incandescent bulbs

5) LED flashlights tend to stay bright until they abruptly die

Their only disadvantage is that they cost more.

Whiter-than-White--our eyes perceive white light with a slight blue tinge as being whiter than true white. White LEDs tend to cater to this bias, so we see their light as being REALLY white. The end result is that LED bulbs make incandescent bulbs look dull yellow by comparison.

Ruggedness--Some LEDs employ two thin wires that connect their substrate to the leads, but the LED's plastic body holds these wires immobile. Common sense would indicate that these two wires are probably less prone to damage than the thin, unsupported coiled filament in a regular incandescent bulb that glows at 3000+ degrees Fahrenheit. I have never managed to break a Maglite LED bulb, though I've dropped one several times on grass, carpet, and concrete. Finally, LED bulbs are used in "tactical lights" that are attached to handguns without the rubber buffering rings that incandescent bulbs required.

Battery Duration--When I first bought this flashlight, I put fresh Duracells in it and also in a regular Maglite and turned them both on. Technically, both lasted for 24 hours, but at the end of that period the regular Maglite's beam was an unusable dull orange glow while the LED flashlight still produced a beam you could read by. Furthermore, after letting the batteries rest for a day, I turned the LED flashlight back on and it burned for another 6 hours!

Maglite's Competition--These days, you can buy small LED flashlights that are smaller than a roll of quarters that put out more light than this Maglite. I own several of them myself. However, these flashlights tend to be powered by photo or AAA batteries, so they typically don't last more than an hour or two between battery changes. Only the expensive units tend to match Maglite's lifetime warranty. Finally, many of the small LED flashlights don't have adjustable beams. You can adjust this Maglite's beam to see a wide area close up or a small object in the distance by rotating its head.

Maglites have enjoyed a well-deserved reputation as being quality-built flashlights. There are more expensive gee-whiz flashlights out there like the amazing 4Sevens Quark, but the Maglite is generally recognized as your basic, solid "working man's" flashlight. Keep fresh batteries in it and it'll never let you down. It also makes a comforting club if need be.

178 of 201 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Classic Light Leaves Much to Wish For, January 2, 2009

By 

Menace915 "Menace915" (El Paso) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Mag-Lite ST3D016 3-D Cell LED Flashlight, Black (Tools & Home Improvement)

****REFER TO THE CUSTOMER IMAGE I UPLOADED****

The 3-D LED Maglite is indeed an improvement from the traditional krypton Maglites that were used by police in the past. Nowadays police prefer xenon or LED models, especially the Streamlight Stinger or Pelican 7060, especially after allegations that these lights were being used with excessive force.

However, the LED Maglite left much to wish for, especially when compared to other LED lights.

PROs:

*Much brighter than the krypton Maglites

*Has spare krypton bulb in the tailcap should you ever manage to break the LED module, something that rarely happens.

*The focus ability of this light allow you to decide whether you want to use a lot of "sidespill" to light up the room, or to focus all the light into a tight beam to get a lot of "throw." Unfortunately the "throw" only allows you to see things up to 2-3 blocks away.

*Solid construction, the flashlight looks nice in any color, and it is a good self-defense tool. You can either blind an aggressor and if that is not enough it is a nice impact weapon. You do not need the 4 cell, or 6 cell Maglite to defend yourself, a 6 inch light will do if you know how to use it.

*Runs on 3 D cells, which are relatively cheap, and easy to find as opposed to CR123A's. The big batteries do add to the weight and strength of the light if you ever need to use it as an impact weapon.

*You can purchase a separate "Bust A Cap" device to attach to the tailcap of the flashlight. This little device will allow you to break car windows in case you need to get yourself or anyone else out of a vehicle during an emergency. Without the device, you will struggle to break the window, and you might damage your flashlight.

*The LED drains batteries slower than incandescent models.

*The 3-D Cell Maglite IS the BEST of all the other Maglites (2-D cell, 4-D cell, 6-D cells, etc) because it is the brightest and lasts the longest time on a fresh set of batteries.

*Momentary on, or constant on click-switch on the neck of the light. Some folks might prefer a "tactical switch" on the tailcap of their light, so if this is an issue, this light is not for you.

Now that I reviewed the PROs you might be wondering why I only gave it 3 stars. Here is the why: I expected more out of this light now than it has been promoted to LED status, especially since it is a Maglite. However, it failed in the following areas:

*POOR REFLECTOR. Maglite allows us to focus our light by rotating the head, but in doing so, it sacrifices the smooth beam that characterizes other LED flashlights. As a result you are left with "dark spots" and a "black hole" in the middle of the beam. These areas of darkness prevent you from seeing thins you need to see in the dark.

*The LED itself is not as bright as you would expect. I've seen many more LED lights, and my cheap Dorcy 3AAA 80 lumen light valued at $17 is WAY brighter. I am being fair in using a Dorcy within the same price range, you can't say I'm comparing the Maglite to a Surefire or Pelican.

*The LED has a "purplish" tint to it. Other LEDs offer a very white light. Others emit a somewhat bluish tint. This one emits a purple tint, and although it is bright, the weird tint is somewhat disturbing.

*The flashlight DOES get a bit dimmer as the batteries die down. Then it suddenly dies on you. This means if you intend on using this light for emergency preparedness, you better have fresh batteries so you won't be left with a dead light.

It's good that Maglite finally realized that LED is the future of flashlights, but they still have a lot to improve so that their products are high quality. The problem is not with the body of the light, all they need to fix is the reflector and the LED module. Police departments throughout the nation have seen these weaknesses in Maglite flashlights, so they have switched to Streamlight, Pelican, Inova, and Surefire. In order for Maglite to keep up, they need to work on their small blemishes.

The only exception is the AA LED Maglite, which is perhaps the best light they've made. The LED is smooth, with no dark rings around it.