Amonra said:
Maverick / WNG : Even though a minimag may not mean much to you it seems to me that it is pretty famous and well regarded around the world including these forums, if maglights were so crappy why would the US police use them and why do a large number of modders most of which being well respected use them ? why would they even have a lifetime guarantee ?
In response to your comments, my view of the miniMag is based on comparison of current offerings in the US domestic market. I have 3 miniMags, one of which is approx. 20 years old, a black model. Compared to newer versions, the old one was made to a higher level of quality. The thread tolerances tighter, finish more durable, and overall, 'feels' heftier. The two newer versions have loosely fitting heads which interfere with getting a consistant focus on the stock beam. The end cap can be troublesome to install, and I've had one switch fall apart.
We can find the miniMag for ~$7.00 here in most stores. Given the cost to bring a stock one up to acceptable standards, ie. modding with LEDs. The cost becomes unjustifiable imho. For example...a new miniMag is $7.00, add a NiteEyez mod: $10.00....or sandwich drop-in ~$15-30. Total cost $17-$37.
You are now into a price range which can yield some LED products which outperforms the miniMag mod considerably.
You get a light engineered from the beginning as a LED based light.
You say, why would US police departments use them? Well, that's because some of them don't know what's really out there, and that there are better alternatives. Your proof is only valid to someone who puts a lot of value in our domestic police departments. I'm not one of them. They may have budget constraints.
I think the biggest reason for my argument is the fact that your experience with the Malta police showed their evaluation did not result in selecting a miniMag.
Why so many modders use them?
Well, if they were so great, no one would need to mod a stock miniMag.
I see this as a contradiction of your argument.
Another reason, it's the standard of incandescent AA lights. Parts easily available. It's a cheap basis for modding. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice product. But not worth it to mod it with a sandwich drop-in only to spend as much for an Elecrolumens XM-3 for $34.95.
As for a lifetime warranty.....
warranties can be a tasking ordeal to get fulfilled. Ie. you must register products within a given timeframe, must store original receipts for a lifetime, follow their RMA procedures, and packing and shipping rules. And only if certain defects qualify for warranty service. Plus, the warranty may not be transferable, only for the original purchaser.
If it was an unconditional warranty, to any holder of a Mag Instruments product. Then I'd be impressed.
Value is relative. At some point in time, they were nice enough for me to purchase several. Not anymore.
