Mag
Lite Flashlights vs LED
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The Inova may be a "fetish" thing.
But the Mag lite flashlight is a piece of history. And as with most things in history revival is not clear cut, even LEDs certainly require a kind of revival for this national treasure.
Pic above shows rechargeable Mag model with alu
contact multi-position rings -- yamm. ... Oh the glory of the past ...
| Flashback
before
looking forward to LED (Compare many of them to other leading brands)
Less-known fancy Mag My #1 tip for choosing Related Articles, Resources |
(And no, you don't find any of this at MAG's site. I am also about to COMPARE them to others. Ouch.)
Since 1955 - the birth of the first successful Mag prototype - it sure had time to evolve into a sophisticated beast. While some considered MAG outdated, in fairness it did remain a great workhorse. And then, with the introduction of the MAG-LED family they jumped back in the game again ... BUT not all models and not all at the same level. Not yet ...
Mag lite flashlights - the origins ... and then some
The C and D cell
The C and D Mag-Lites series were developed back in 1979 mainly for police use. But roughly the mid-late eighties mainstream police has switched to even brighter (about 5x as bright) rechargable lights. The largest maker here is still Streamlight, (Streamlight Stinger for example is firearms grade and quite expensive) second however is still Mag.
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The mini AA and AAA
The two mini MAGs (AA and AAA series requiring - as the name suggest - two or three AA alkaline batteries) were also introduced in the 1980s. One past down-side was that ... I investigate the Mini Mag Lite and its relationship to LED here.
Actually, LED upgrade started on with converting minis of course. Because the body of the mini (was and is) quite durable - arguably the most durable in the market - owners took to converting them with kits from 3rd parties. That is until recently. I investigate LED conversions and upgrades for all Mag lite flashlight classes on a separate page here.
Mag Solitaire
Many say that the MAG Solitaire series is possibly the only class where MAG is definitely no longer in the leading pack. Honestly, I didn't have a solitaire so I'd say if you are interested in one, then may be you should try it. As for me, I am waiting with bated breath to see if MAG will come out here with something whizbang.
Xenon bulb class
Another class where MAG is simply not present is the field of the very high output high-pressure xenon bulb models. These are the ones often labelled with the name "tactical." Tactical flashlights use very powerful camera grade lithium batteries. Here Pelican, Surefire and Streamlight are the clear market leaders. But this is a somewhat more pricey class.
But in all fairness to MAG does sell conversion kits to xenon bulb, but only for the C and D cell series. The point to note about this bulbs that they are basic, NOT high pressure ones.
To have an idea how these compare: A G2 or 6P Surefire is about as bright as a 6D cell Mag-Lite with a xenon bulb or a Streamlight Scorpion or Tl-2 that runs on 2 lithium cells.
Rechargeable category
The first dedicated rechargable flashlight came out in the late 1980s . It was the Magcharger. Before that you could have Streamlight and lesser known brand called Pro-Light - these two were the big guns in the rechargable class. But with the Magcharger Mag has been firmly on the rechargeable flashlight market ever since with the Mag Charger Rechargeable Flashlight System. I investigate this class and its ability to upgrade to LED on a separate page here.
Summing up
this flashback on the origins of the Mag lite flashlights:
In general of course, it is good to know the origings and the features as they compared then and now to other brands.
But for the home flashlight person wanting not too expensive and very durable MAGs are probably the best. They certainly are the most popular in the reliable category. And for the average person demanding quality, durability and reasonable prices Mag lite flashlight is pretty much top of the line - in class, in style and in feature.
But the hegemony of the Mags is not unchallenged and is certainly not even across all classes.
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Durability, but more so resilience
is one strong point
for MAGs in general
I regard this as MAGs strongest points. There are countless stories you can read on the web about Mag lite flashlights being lost and found in water tanks or mud ditches some time later and still working. Law enforcement folks swear that a MAG rechargeable is still working after 25 years with the original battery. My point is that in the durability per dollar department MAG is still the market leader after more than half a century in the business.
Yet it is overwhelmingly Mags resilience that should be key in keeping it ahead in the race for LED light glory.
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Less known Mag light flashlights, features
While I was doing this page I jumped on the MAG Site - as you would - and went through every single offering available. You could do this too, but I found the design and navigation there a bit tedious to follow. (The LED part it seems they only stiched up recently.) So just in case you don't want to spend much time there trying to figure out what's where and then waiting for all the flashes to play, here I collected good summaries of those fancy functions.
Even Mag lite enthusiasts don't know because it is not directly apparent, but there is a MAG that also provides a candle function. And I kid you not as usual.
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My tip for choosing a Mag lite flashlight ... ?
... For general use - just grab the most versatile.And the most versatile Mag lite is clearly the mini class - the AA-AAA cell models - hands down. Why you ask?
Most folks want a flashlight for multiple purposes. And that is certainly possible with a Mag lite flashlight. Actually, the Mag mini is packed
with some neat functions.
Trademark Note: All Mag brands and their derivatives are trademarks and the property of the respective owners.
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Mailing address: PO Box 2718 Mount Waverley VIC 3149 Australia.
