Maglites

[gafftaper]

The LED Mag I had was the same one mentioned earlier in the thread....died 3 months after I bought it. Basically the little pressure point that turns it on and off when you screw the lens up an down gave out. Not a fan.

Grog I've had the same problem with my LED Mag. You have to fiddle with the twist back and forth to get it to turn on. It may be a common problem.

I just went to Mag's website and found this FAQ... I'm going to have to mess around and see what I can do.

 

[Grog12]

I'll have to take a look at mine when I get home...thanks Gaff!

 

[gafftapegreenia]

I really want to try this 100 lumen LED retrofit for my minimag.

OR

Nite-ize makes a blue LED retrofit. Do want.

OR

Land planes with your mini mag

 

[Lightingguy32]

Ah yes, someone else has fallen into that "100 lumen" trap. That is 100 lumens of initial light from the LED itself, due to inefficient optics, the output drops to only about 60 usuable lumens after it goes through a plastic reflector and a plastic window (lens). Take a look at surefire flashlights at www.surefire.com
Try their G2 LED ($65.00 retail) or 6P LED ($85.00 retail). Don't get me wrong on this, the G2 is a polymer body flashlight, but it is very durable polymer unlike that of a cheap plastic light from the dollar store (it is a very well made polymer that has a glass fiber imbedded within it and a metal aluminum tube that is imbedded on the inner most layer for electric conduction and stability)

 

[gafftapegreenia]

Yea but when I lose that $85 flashlight, or someone walks off with it, I'll be upset.

Mini mag with a LED is still about half the cost of a Surefire.

The light also technically goes off of the reflector.

I'm sure I'll break down but I love my old skool maglite.

 

[gafftaper]

I'll have to take a look at mine when I get home...thanks Gaff!

I got so frustrated with mine I tossed it aside somewhere. I've spent the last few days trying to find it to see if I can fix it. Still haven't found it.

I really want to try this 100 lumen LED retrofit for my minimag.

I've been looking at that upgrade kit too. It's very tempting. I'm totally with your gaff-brother on the not spending $80 on a flash light. I'm a flash light nut but they disappear. Plus I don't want to deal with the batteries they cost significantly more and you can't find them everywhere.

 

[Lightingguy32]

Just FYI, don't be underwhelmed when the "100 lumen" drop in only outputs about 60 or so lumens out the front, the LED may be emitting 100 lumens, but some of that light gets eaten up by being absorbed by the polycarbonate window (lens) and some of it is also gobbled up by the inefficient reflector. You may want to look at the Streamlight Jr. Luxeon, it is the same size as the minimag LED but it has a better output and a much more even beam (not to mention it uses a push button tailcap instead of pressure contacts which wear out a lot faster)

 

[gafftapegreenia]

That streamlight is interesting, but I think that when I stray from the Maglite cult its going to be for a Surefire G2.

 

[Lightingguy32]

gafftapegrenia- I am with you in that "surefire cult" (well not really a cult, just a group of "surefire people" as they call them). I own a surefire L7 and a KT5 turbo head.