McGizmo's Record For Reliability

[jumpstat]

I currently own 3 McGizmos..

1. PD-S in HA Nat bought used in 06/2007
2. Ti Mule PD bought new directly from Don in 07/2007 and lastly
3. Haiku XP-G in BB version bought new directly from Don in 05/2011.

I have edc mostly the PD-S since I received it. I was so impress with the beam pattern that I purchased the Ti Mule PD. I was also impressed at that time and I have both wide and throw with both lights. No issues whatsoever and they are very reliable. They are my work tools which I can depend on. Cheap to run (rechargeable), small form factor. I have found my ideal lights and moved away from CPF till a couple months back where I acquired the Haiku direct from Don. Again no regrets.

 

[datiLED]

For over a year now I have been EDCing another very popular brand, known for toughness and reliability. While I love the UI on these lights, I have had a variety of issues with the ones I have. Warranty on them is great, but that doesn't help if it dies in a real situation. I'm kinda gun-shy with this brand now, and I don't know what to do.

I'm partial to the 1x123 form factor for EDC lights, and I want something I can grab every day without worry that today I may have issues with it. Will a McGizmo fulfill that purpose? How is the track record for reliability on Don's lights? Have there been many failures over the years? Feed me some data if you will.


If I do go with a Gizmo at some point, where's a good place to start? Haiku? Something else? Being that much of the older nomenclature predates my history here, I find it very confusing and wouldn't know what I was looking at if it popped up for sale.

Thanks for your help all. :thumbsup:

I modify a lot of the older McGizmo lights, and I have not seen a single light that has had reliability problems. I owned two of the McLux PD III's, and they were rock solid performers. But, they lost out to my black "oil can" AMC Mule, which is my go-to light for most chores. There is a reason that the McGizmo lights sell quickly, for close to the original price. They are well designed, well built, and hold up very well. In a word, they are reliable.

If you need simplicity and reliability, the PD would probably be an ideal light for you. They use a mechanical switching system (piston drive) to activate the low and high levels. There is no electrical switching to worry about, and the regulation is ruler flat. I prefer the aluminum variety, but the Ti version is indestructible. Keep an eye out on the CPF Custom & Modified Flashlight forum for something that piques your interest. Regardless of what you buy, you will not be disappointed.

 

[Roccomo]

Though I'm a bit late to this thread I'd like to add that I have carried and used my LS 20 every day since I got it direct from Don in the Fall of 2008. With **ZERO** issues. This while the light has been dropped a few times and even slammed to the ground twice. Each time I thought, 'That's it, it's destroyed'. Not so. Minor, fixable cosmetic rubs were all that ever happened to it. Prior to that my main light back to 2006 was the original aluminum PD. Same thing, perfect function every day till the LS20 came along and replaced it.

 

[nbp]

Something else I have been wondering about now that I've ended up with, err, three McGs in three months since I started this thread (hey I'm gonna sell one of them, Promise!):

How is it that these lights seem to hold up so well to drops? I understand Ti's ability to handle abrasion and dings and such and show little wear, but how about the electronics? Some light manufacturers float the cells between springs or put heavy o-rings in place or do other such things to deal with impacts and shock. The switch spring is the only real shock absorber in my Haiku and Mule. How is it that the batteries don't sustain damage or damage the LE or something like that when they impact the ground? Are the components just much more resilient than I imagine?

Don, have you ever considered putting an additional or heavier springs in for shock resistance or anything like that? Or is it kind of an unwarranted concern of mine?

Just thinking out loud here. :thinking:

 

[McGizmo]

nbp,
From what I can gather in normal use and abuse of these lights, the knocks and shocks are handled without a failure in components. Early on I threw a couple of them up in the air and across the tarmac and the only evidence was in nicked surface of the titanium. The converter itself is somewhat "sprung" on both sides by virtue of input and output lead wires. The battery chamber has the spring in the back and a solid bulkhead of the contact PCB in the front. I saw the lights go off for an instant when I threw them when the battery would bounce aft, compressing the spring and break contact momentarily from the front but the light would come right back on when the force of the spring prevailed once again. I am not aware of any design issues or short comings that need to be addressed.

 

[fyrstormer]

The only issue I've noticed is that a head-first drop onto a hard surface can cause the Haiku's reflector to slide forward, since it's held in-place by friction. It's not impossible to fix, but it does require removing the lense and carefully pushing the reflector back into place by its outer circumference.

 

[tino_ale]

Hi,
I have noticed the reflector in the Haiku head can shift as you describe, but it doesn't alter the beam one bit so I rather see it as a positive "feature" that prevents any significant compressive force on the emitter as opposed as if the lens/reflectof/emitter assembly was tight.

 

[fyrstormer]

It does allow the reflector to move so it can sit neatly on top of the LED, yes. I'm just noting that a sharp impact can knock it away from the emitter, requiring partial disassembly to readjust it. I have definitely noticed an improvement in beam quality from repositioning the reflector even when it's only a fraction of a millimeter away from the emitter.

 

[tino_ale]

Then, just smack it from the tail side in the palm of your hand to sit the reflector back in place. No need to disassemble the head!

 

[fyrstormer]

Sadly, applying the same force as a concrete sidewalk using my hand would break my hand, or at least severely bruise it. I'll just fix it when I get home, thanks.

I suppose in my mind an ideal solution would be if the reflector were screw-threaded, so it could be adjusted by the user without getting bumped out of position when dropped.

 

[nbp]

Hi Don,

Thanks for popping in here with your observations on this topic. Although you had been quiet thus far (understandably so) I figured that was an objective enough question that you could post your feelings. Glad to know that they hold up well even to sudden impacts. I will continue to use them without concern. I haven't dropped one yet, but I'm sure it will happen as I do EDC them. If I have a problem, worst case scenario is I have to hire you to fix a LE for me.

 

[McGizmo]

....

I suppose in my mind an ideal solution would be if the reflector were screw-threaded, so it could be adjusted by the user without getting bumped out of position when dropped.

But that would be an infringement on Mag! :nana:
I considered at one point a semi-permanent potting or bonding of the reflector in place but I prefer the ability to easily disassemble the light, as far as possible and avoid any "wet" material in the assembly. :shrug:

 

[pjandyho]

I used to think the same thing. But then I realized I owned six $150 lights. I sold three of them and bought a McGizmo. In the long run I think I will end up saving money.

I also realized that the less lights / knives I own, the more I can use the ones I have. I guess what I am trying to say is that I get enjoyment from using the light, not having it sitting in the safe. By having less lights in the safe I can afford to have a nicer one in my pocket.

I just started reading this thread today as pointed out to me by nbp and noticed your post which I couldn't help but agree 100%

As of today, I officially paypal my hard earned cash (which was meant for a lens purchase) to McGizmo just to earn the rights to own one of his Haiku XM-L and Mule high CRI. I have always been a firm believer of buy once right than buy tens of not so right or wrong. I don't understand why it took me so many years to come to this decision to get a McGizmo. I am quite sure I will come to love Don's creation. Now I am thinking of selling away the other lights in my collection just to fund for more of McGizmo's creation.

 

[bmcgators98]

I just started reading this thread today as pointed out to me by nbp and noticed your post which I couldn't help but agree 100%

As of today, I officially paypal my hard earned cash (which was meant for a lens purchase) to McGizmo just to earn the rights to own one of his Haiku XM-L and Mule high CRI. I have always been a firm believer of buy once right than buy tens of not so right or wrong. I don't understand why it took me so many years to come to this decision to get a McGizmo. I am quite sure I will come to love Don's creation. Now I am thinking of selling away the other lights in my collection just to fund for more of McGizmo's creation.

I have sold all my flashlights but a select few. Currently two of the three flashlights I own are the Haiku High CRI and Haiku XM-L. I had the High CRI Mule but found I like the focused beam more. I have owned about 4 McGizmos at once, but these two best fit my needs.

These two are for me the perfect pair. The XM-L is great for when I want a lot of light and has an really nice beam with a great combination of both flood and throw and the High CRI is the best EDC light ever. It gives off a great nice white beam (I don't like yellow) but still has amazing CRI. It is only about 90 lumens but you will be impressed with the amount of usable light.

You will really enjoy this pair. Great selections for your first McGizmos!

Here are mine

 

[pjandyho]

I have sold all my flashlights but a select few. Currently two of the three flashlights I own are the Haiku High CRI and Haiku XM-L. I had the High CRI Mule but found I like the focused beam more. I have owned about 4 McGizmos at once, but these two best fit my needs.

These two are for me the perfect pair. The XM-L is great for when I want a lot of light and has an really nice beam with a great combination of both flood and throw and the High CRI is the best EDC light ever. It gives off a great nice white beam (I don't like yellow) but still has amazing CRI. It is only about 90 lumens but you will be impressed with the amount of usable light.

You will really enjoy this pair. Great selections for your first McGizmos!

Here are mine

Nice looking pair you have there. I believe the darker one was heat treated? I don't suppose you are the one that Don tried to salvage the Haiku after the fire? Anyway, I was deliberating for a few weeks on whether I should get the high CRI emitter for the Haiku. I ended up getting the XM-L but am still thinking if I might be better served with the high CRI. I figured I could always come back to get the high CRI head alone.

 

[bmcgators98]

Nice looking pair you have there. I believe the darker one was heat treated? I don't suppose you are the one that Don tried to salvage the Haiku after the fire? Anyway, I was deliberating for a few weeks on whether I should get the high CRI emitter for the Haiku. I ended up getting the XM-L but am still thinking if I might be better served with the high CRI. I figured I could always come back to get the high CRI head alone.

The darker one has a Altin coating. If you like photography the Mule is the correct choice. For anything else I like the Haiku.

The High CRI LE is the same reflector as the XP-G, it wont work with the reflector it the XM-L. If there was a High CRI XM-L with 4500 temp and about 150 lumens that would be the best of all worlds, High CRI, Flood like the Mule and brightness.

 

[pjandyho]

Thanks for the info. I guess I would have to order the entire head with the high CRI LE later just so I could swap it around.

 

[bmcgators98]

Thanks for the info. I guess I would have to order the entire head with the high CRI LE later just so I could swap it around.

Having followed some of your post and beam shots for a while. I am looking forward to seeing what you can do with a McGizmos. Looking forward to your posts!

 

[pjandyho]

Having followed some of your post and beam shots for a while. I am looking forward to seeing what you can do with a McGizmos. Looking forward to your posts!

Wow! What an encouragement and motivation for me to do something. That just reminded me that I have procrastinated and have yet to embark on any new project shooting newer beam shots.

 

[fyrstormer]

But that would be an infringement on Mag! :nana:
I considered at one point a semi-permanent potting or bonding of the reflector in place but I prefer the ability to easily disassemble the light, as far as possible and avoid any "wet" material in the assembly. :shrug:

Maglites have screw-threaded reflectors? I thought the reflectors dropped into place and the entire head was screw-threaded instead.