Which flashlight is the better one? Better value?

[itchrelief]

Originally Posted By: hate2work
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Definatly get the LED lights. The difference between the LED and regular bulbs is amazing.

PS. The LED lights do come with regular bulbs on the bottom for an emergency.


Just picked one up at Costco, but the darn thing didn't have the extra bulb in the end That feature might have been lost in the price/feature negotiations.

Love the light though, it's much better than the standard version, no black spot at all when it's focused right.


LED versions don't come with replacements, as the LED has much longer life and durability than the standard krypton/xenon incandescent bulbs.

The price of the LED module is such that it doesn't make financial sense to include a spare. I would guess you'd be paying 25-50% additional MSRP to protect against a very rare occurrence.

edit: also, I believe the AA LED versions aren't even designed to have the LED replaced, at least the first versions released a couple years ago. It can be done, but it's much more involved than a simple screw-out, screw-in replacement.

 

[97f150]

Originally Posted By: paulo57509


Anyway, the one thing that I've noticed with Mag LED's is that when I use them when working on the car, it seems like I cannot get them to illuminate the work properly. It seems like there's a dark spot in the beam. I know it isn't there, but it bugs me just the same. I end up waving the light around all over the place trying to get a bright picture. Yes, I know about the focused beam feature.


This is the same problem I have with Mag lights, with either regular or LED bulbs. I stick with my SabreLites and never see myself going back. I have 1 with regular bulb and 1 with LED. The old Mag light I had now stays in my truck on weapon duty, which I beleive is all it was good for from the start.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: itchrelief






LED versions don't come with replacements, as the LED has much longer life and durability than the standard krypton/xenon incandescent bulbs.

Maybe they are cheaping out? I have bought 2 LED Maglights in the last 6 months and both have a spare bulb wrapped in foam in the end cap.

In fact I just went out to my jeep and got one to make sure that I wasn't going crazy. Here is what I found.

The LED is easily removed and replaced with the buld in the end cap.

 

[ThirdeYe]

I really like my LED Black & Decker, the batteries last forever and a day. I'm still on my original 3 AA batteries that I put in it over a year ago. 2 settings, one uses half of the bulbs and one uses all of the bulbs. The only beef I have with it, is the little hook broke off the top of it shortly after I got it. Rigged it back on with a twist-tie.

 

[hate2work]

Yeah, all my previous Maglites had a spare bulb in the endcap as well, but neither the 2AA or the 3D torches from Costco have them. Like I said earlier, this is prolly because the price was negotiated to not include them, oh well.

 

[ekpolk]

Only real complaint I have about my "fleet" of MAG lights is that they're so darned durable that I can't justify replacing them with the clearly-more-desirable LED versions. Oh well. I've got one that's well over 25 years old, and still works just fine.

I'd also note one outlier. I have a plastic body 3D Eveready flashlight that has proven totally indestructible. I bought it in March, 1993, days before my daughter, who is now 17, was born. My wife was due, there was a hurricane coming, and I wanted an extra just in case. That "extra" is still in my garage, working fine. The click button still feels like new.

 

[ThirdeYe]

Originally Posted By: ThirdeYe
I really like my LED Black & Decker, the batteries last forever and a day. I'm still on my original 3 AA batteries that I put in it over a year ago. 2 settings, one uses half of the bulbs and one uses all of the bulbs. The only beef I have with it, is the little hook broke off the top of it shortly after I got it. Rigged it back on with a twist-tie.

More on topic with my original post... I have a little MagLite Solitaire that I got as a Christmas gift ~5 years ago or more, and it works, but quickly drains batteries. They're bright for the first 30 minutes or so, then they become quite dim. I believe it's probably because it's not an LED light.

 

[bigmike]

I must be a maglite addict as well. In my current stash, I have 2 solitaires, a 2C, a 6D, a 4D, a 3D, and I don't know how many Minis. I never recall changing the batteries in them. Maybe I have too many and they never wear down?

I've contemplated getting a XL100 - any comments?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWCaYAZJ7cM

 

[itchrelief]

Originally Posted By: Chris142

Maybe they are cheaping out? I have bought 2 LED Maglights in the last 6 months and both have a spare bulb wrapped in foam in the end cap.

In fact I just went out to my jeep and got one to make sure that I wasn't going crazy. Here is what I found.


The LED is easily removed and replaced with the buld in the end cap.


Guess I'm wrong. I may have gotten the C/D and the AA versions confused.

 

[hate2work]

OK, I found this on Amazon, it should clear up the mystery of the missing spare bulb. Evidently there are two generations of Maglite LEDs.

===============================================================

"DL" models. "DL" does NOT indicate non-US models. Turns out there are two generations of LED models. The first gen ("D" models) have a replaceable LED. It has a spare krypton bulb in the tail cap. The second gen ("DL" models) have a non-replaceable LED and therefore does NOT have a spare bulb in the cap.

(4) Brightness. Maglite says there is no difference in brightness between first gen and second gen. However, if you Google "Maglite LED DL", you will find different information. Turns out there are geeky forums and blogs dedicated to flashlights. They call themselves "flashaholics". According to a couple of detailed posts, the second gen LED is much brighter than the first gen LED. In fact, there are a couple of posts that says a second gen light running on 2-D cell batteries (Sorry about all these D's, but bear with me. I'll also refrain from making wisecracks about DD's ) is much brighter than a first gen light running on 3-D cell batteries. Besides the improved LED, the reflector bowl has been redesigned. I can personally vouch for this. I was impressed enough with this light that I decided to order another. Amazon was selling the 3-D cell model for $6 less than the 2-D cell model, so I bought the larger one. Surprise, surprise, it's dimmer. Turns out it's a first gen model. Maglite says this should NOT be dimmer, and, if I mail it to them, they will check it out. But I need to pay to ship it out. There's no point in paying almost $10 to ship out a $21 unit.

==============================================================


The entire review can be seen here..

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000IXFNQ0/a4uat-20

 

[mikeg5]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
candlepowerforums.com

Think outside the box, many flashlights better than the mag for the same $.


no doubt ill never buy another maglite until they start producing better up to date lights..

fenix, quark (made by fenix) are the 2 i love most for the $$.. great lights and great quality. not to mention great run times