Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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83 of 86 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A good product overall, but not quite as good as I was expecting., September 29, 2006
I'll admit, I love LED flashlights - the pure, white light, the extended battery life, the look on the faces of my friends when they point the flashlight into their eyes upon examination... so when I read that Mag had released an LED flashlight, I immediately went in pursuit of one, and I'm finding it to be a mixed bag.
From a build quality standpoint, Mag still makes a solid product. The barrel and head are made from aluminum, rubber washers are used for a water resistant seal, and they can take being dropped off a workbench. One thing I'm wondering why they left out, however, was a hook for a lanyard - the bottom cap of this flashlight is flat.
One of the main things the Mag has going for it over other LED flashlight designs however is that the beam can be focused - and this is due to the deeper reflector design and the shape of the LED. Focusing the beam does increase its intensity - a bit, but nothing like the old incandescent Mag lites - I found myself using it about halfway between just on and fully focused, as it proved the most practical.
Now though, for the disappointing part: I own a 1-watt Luxeon-based LED flashlight (that cost approximately the same as the Mag), and a 5-watt LED flashlight from SureFire (which cost... considerably more). The Luxeon LED puts out approximately 20 lumens, and the SureFire puts out a blinding 100 lumens, so at 3-watts, it would be safe to assume that this Mag Lite would be about halfway between the two, right? Wrong. The beam is about the same intensity as the 1-watt Luxeon (which is pretty bright by itself); ever so slightly brighter when completely focused, but then the Luxeon spreads its light more smoothly than the Mag. The Mag has slightly longer full-output battery life due to the fact that it uses AA batteries instead of AAA's, but if you already have a good Luxeon or other high-output LED flashlight, I'd certainly say try to get a demo of one of these before you buy one. Don't get me wrong, it's definately a cut above the $10 ones you see in the waiting lines at shopping centers, but I'm wondering if Mag getting into the LED market now is too little, too late?
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36 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A whole lot of flashlight, October 17, 2006
I have the 2 cell AA LED Mini Maglite, and I love it. But let's clear up some misconceptions about what this little gem is and isn't. In the dark, this is a bright, capable flashlight that illuminates a wide area. Unlike Maglites you may be used to, the beam can't really be focused. Yes, if you point it towards the ground at your feet, you can see the beam converge. At five yards out, it doesn't really matter, it's an area light no matter what.
If you are looking for a solid area light that doesn't take up a lot of room and has long-lasting battery life - wait no more, this is your flashlight! Go buy it right now.
If you are looking for something to replace a SureFire or StreamLight, keep looking. This flashlight just isn't in the same league of brightness. Yes, it's rough and tough and for a small flashlight it is very bright for close tasks. If you are looking to light up chunks of real estate at night, then you are better off with a SureFire.
A couple of words of warning about this light compared to the "regular" halogen - it is a larger flashlight. In diameter it is the same, but in length it is about one inch longer. And since the LED is supposed to be indestructible, there is no spare in the cap.
I carry this on my belt with the included holster, though I pray to God Maglite wakes up and gives us a holster that LOCKS closed. Would it kill ya to give us six inches of nylon and velcro to hold the blessed thing in place, Maglite?
BOTTOM LINE : A solid, dependable light that is excellent for small areas or enclosed spaces. After all, it is a Maglite. Only six inches of fabric and velcro keeps this from being the best LED flashlight for any amount of money.
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
In a word, excellent, September 21, 2007
The construction and quality is what you'd expect from a Maglite with a solid and durable aluminum body and rubber gaskets inside to keep out dirt and water. The grip is also nicely textured to keep the flashlight from slipping out of your hand.
Light output is excellent with a bright, white beam and good throw distance. The reflector has been redesigned from the 2AA incandescent model and eliminates the infamous Maglite "hole" (a dark spot in the middle of the beam) when the flashlight is on full flood. Adjusting to spot isn't a dramatic difference, but it definitely puts more light in the center of the beam which can be useful in certain situations.
Batteries last a long, long time, and unlike the older incandescent model, the light output doesn't decrease to unusable levels long before the batteries are dead but rather stays clear and bright until the batteries are exhausted. The LED is also considerably more durable than an incandescent bulb, and my LED Maglite has survived knocks and drops that would have required a bulb replacement in my old incan model. And while the LED version is about an inch longer than the old model, the flashlight is still small and light enough to carry everywhere (I always keep mine on my belt so it's always handy when I need it, which is more often than you'd expect!).
I have only one caveat: the flashlight does not have reverse polarity protection meaning that if you accidentally install the batteries backwards, you'll smoke the LED and you'll have to buy a new flashlight. Just be careful when installing the batteries and you'll be fine.
It might seem a little pricey, but it's worth every penny.
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Edit: A year later and this little flashlight is still going strong. It never leaves my side.
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