Latest Generation Maglites are nice!

Hi all, haven't posted here for ages, I was always more of a lurker anyway.

Recently been bit with the flashlight bug again (my gear obsession has been focused on bags for the last while). I was feeling nostalgic so I went looking for some of the newer offerings from Maglite. I bought the following:

-Mini-Maglite Pro
-ML300L (3 D-Cell)
-ML50 (2 C-Cell)
-Mag-Tac (this was an afterthought, they just happened to have it for a good price at home depot)

I also had a ML25 (3 C-Cell) but I returned it, didn't care for that particular form factor. And it seemed redundant after I got the other C-Cell one.


I think those are ones anyway, all the different models can be confusing. I'll check them when I get home.

I had issues with some of the earlier LED offerings from them so I was really pleasantly surprised with all these, they're all super bright and the quality seems on point (then again, build quality was never really an issue with Maglite). I especially like the C-Cell format, this is the first one I've owned, feels nice and hefty in the hand, without the bulk of the D-Cell versions.

I'm hoping that the issues with earlier MAG-LEDS have been resolved, I would hate if these lights crapped out on me.

So you posted this while still in the Home Depot parking lot?
That's what I call excited.

Many here will scoff at Maglite saying they lag or this n that. Their latest offerings are in no way meant to compete with all the latest gizmos and gadgets. Instead what they've done is updated an old favorite with Mag versions of performance in 2016 going forward. Forward with consumer friendly user interfaces and good old fashioned Maglite durability. Now who's to say if their 2016 offerings will last 20-30+ years like originals? But like days gone by, consumers still get a good value that's largely built in the good old USA.

There's a thread about newer Maglites in the budget section that started out as a ML50 thread. Stop in and say hi sometime.

Yeah the new Mags are great!

The ML50 and ML300 can be programmed to 4 different "function sets", use new electronic switches and a quick focus system. Decently bright with Cree XL-M2 LEDs and no worries about heat sink with these.


Mini Mag Pro - works like the old incan Mini-Mags but way brighter! There is also a Pro PLUS version with a added low mode.


I'm thinking your "Mag-Tac" is actually the 3AAA XL50 if you got it at home depot? If so, it is a cool little light with 3 modes, though personally I'm not a huge fan of this one or 3 AAA lights in general, but that's just me.


The ML25's really surprised me, they are the budget models of the ML series and I didn't have high expectations, but it turns out that I like them a lot. The ML25's are twisties that work just like the Mini Mags, and although their lumen count is lower than the Mini Mag Pro, they have a much brighter hot spot for greater throw and a huge spill beam that is great for up close. They also run great on AA Eneloops in simple home made adapters, giving them a "dual fuel" capability.

bykfixer- No I'm not THAT excited, I'm just posting this at work (time theft FTW!) so I dont have the lights on me!

xxo- Yeah I heard about that, but haven't figured out how to do it. Will have to check the instructions later. As for the Mini-Mag pro, I purposefully chose the the one without any goofy modes, I wanted it to be as close to an original mininmag as possible. I think this light is a really great bargain, its around 30 bucks or so in these parts and it packs some serious lumens.

No the Mag-Tac is indeed the 2xCR123 light, I was very surprised to see it at Home Depot myself and the price was only 59.99, everywhere I've ever seen them around here was selling them for a hundred bucks or so, so that's why I grabbed it. They only had the grey color with the plain bezel though, but its ok, everything else I own is pretty much black anyway, might as well change it up. I actually have an XL50 from a few years ago and I like it a lot, only sucky thing is that the new ones are putting out twice the lumens, so mine seems dinky by comparison.

The ML25 was ok and I actually really liked the tint of the beam, it was almost pure white. It just had a ridiculous amount of doughnut hole unless you focused it and the light seemed to rattle a lot compared to the other ones I bought. Plus I didnt really care for a twisty head in a light that size. If I end up missing it I can always buy another one I guess!

Cool! I didn't know HD was selling Mag Tacs. The Mag Tac is real nice too, I like the electronic switch, type 3 hard ano and the "fist grip" feel in hand.

xxo said:

Cool! I didn't know HD was selling Mag Tacs. The Mag Tac is real nice too, I like the electronic switch, type 3 hard ano and the "fist grip" feel in hand.

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Yeah I'm actually glad I picked it up, even though it wasn't something I was initially looking for. Nice tactical light without all the fins and things on it. Not that I dont like those things, but sometimes a simple design is refreshing. I wonder why they had them at Home Depot though, I've only ever seen them at tactical supply places or outdoor type stores, last place I saw them at was LeBaron, while they were still around, although they were around $99.99 I believe.

The 2 C-Cell Mag is a great light and nice value too. Terrific runtimes. Perfect light for around the house where size is not a concern.

I ordered an LED mod kit for my older 3D unit from Malkoff so it's getting a very nice upgrade, just like my Surefire G2.

I hear ya. Been telling friends about Maglites new offerings as well. Recently grabbed an ML50L 2c and have been impressed. Not a fan of the new pineapple looking tactical grip so went with the classic knurling. Being able to drop output and save your batteries is pretty awesome and the output and throw is awesome on these. Running it off of some nimh c cells and all good so far. I still like the feel of the old school mag switch but maybe the new one will grow on me. Doesn't feel cheap or bad just different.

Old switch-Much more pronounced. The old full size C and D cell Mags more pronounced switch cover did not actually seal that well. They had sloppy tactile feel compared to the new as of 2016 Next Gen XML2 C and D cell Mag switches. Old Switch you had to press down twice as far as you do on the new switch. New switch seals out debris and moisture much better as well.

Multi-Mode!! The Next Gen XML2's are actually multi-mode just like any other industry leading light manufacturer's prime offerings! Strobe, yes STROBE can be activated and deactivated. Think of the Fenix TAC 35. How the TAC has two specific user interfaces to choose from? The new XML2 Mags have 3 or 4(lost the included manuals)different functioning user interfaces all through that one new nice switch. You have to read the included directions carefully in order to get the process that changes the function features between the preset UI's. The strobe out of any of them is amazing and runs for days.

Right out of any package the new XML2 Next Gens you click the switch once for on from off. Or click twice for what I think is half max output. Click the switch 3 times and either the output will drop even lower or if you set up one of the other UI's programmed into them you will activate an awesome strobe at max output that in the case of my new 6 D ML300L will run for a month(I think?).

Quarter-turn ONLY reflector head to change focus from awesome XML2 full size Mag magnificence, to not as horrid a "flood beam" as any of the old big Mags but still not good at all. I leave all mine on about as perfectly focused as I can. It is SO much easier to turn the reflector head now than the old big Mags endless 360 degree rotating slop. I can easily turn the reflector head on the Next Gens with the same hand I hold any of them with. Try that with the old Mags.

I have 4 MLXXXLX Next Gen XML2 Mags in both C cell and D cell variants. The "LX" variants have a thicker aluminum body, an awesome "grenade grip" texture pattern along the body on top of the anodization being matt flat in their respective colors but this anodization is much thicker than on the usual MLXXXL.

These are some of the greatest value LED lights I have ever seen. As long as one can handle the size of the big C and D cell Mags then these things are perfect. Averaging 50 bucks(!!!)for the ML300L to 65 for the awesome "up armored" MLXXLX cannot be beat by literally anything. The driver Mag designed for the New Gen's is amazing. Run time's for near all of them cannot be beat by anything that does not have some huge battery pack(as far as I know).

It is a darn shame my 6 D cell ML300L does not come in the LX treatment. Oh well. The new 6 D to my eyes looks far over 700 lumens. If people did not somehow steal every electronic tool I get I would have taken measurements long ago(expensive looking is more than enough it seems). I am NOT going to buy another light meter etc.

Unless Mag finally stopped making their Mag-Tac's with plastic reflector heads, plastic lenses, CR123 only etc then they are still just project host bodies to me. My 10+ yo PD32 does what the Mag Tac does much better. Unless things have changed there as well?

gurdygurds said:

I hear ya. Been telling friends about Maglites new offerings as well. Recently grabbed an ML50L 2c and have been impressed. Not a fan of the new pineapple looking tactical grip so went with the classic knurling. Being able to drop output and save your batteries is pretty awesome and the output and throw is awesome on these. Running it off of some nimh c cells and all good so far. I still like the feel of the old school mag switch but maybe the new one will grow on me. Doesn't feel cheap or bad just different.

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Whats the difference between the old and new switch? I never owned a full size mag back in the day.

glimmer - Your right about run times, I think the main benefit of a "full size" flashlight these days is the run time. You can get almost the same power out of a small CR123 powered light, but a C or D cell light will run like eight or nine times as long. Really cool.

On another note, I think C-Cell is my new favorite format for a light, I'd like to see a four or five cell model, but I don't know if that will happen, doesn't seem like they want to go more the 3 cells these days. It would be perfect for working security (alternate uses and all that).

I too have the ML50XL and ML300 lights. Great lights and they are very brite, though not as brute as my full led lights (NiWalkers, Olights etc).
With Ni-Mh cells they are my main truck lights, long lasting and good light.

Love Maglite

The ones were a soft squishy clicky button and the new one are more of a firm short travel click. Guess it was a necessary change due to the new UI. Again my preference is prob nostalgia.

Oh yeah, old mags were just on and off with no modes.

CelticCross74 said:

These new Gen full size C and D cell Mags are the best full size C and D cell Mags ever. The only thing I changed about my 5 Next Gen XML2 Mags was remove the still chintzy plastic lens and switched them out with brand new optical quality borofloat glass lenses (NO Anti-Reflective coating). These XML2 Mags are still the best LED value there is in my opinion. Heck I even dropped the coin on the new 6 D cell XML2 Next Gen Mag. All are beyond worth it. They all are specifically designed to run best off cheap alkalines to boot!

I have 4 MLXXXLX Next Gen XML2 Mags in both C cell and D cell variants. The "LX" variants have a thicker aluminum body, an awesome "grenade grip" texture pattern along the body on top of the anodization being matt flat in their respective colors but this anodization is much thicker than on the usual MLXXXL.

These are some of the greatest value LED lights I have ever seen. As long as one can handle the size of the big C and D cell Mags then these things are perfect. Averaging 50 bucks(!!!)for the ML300L to 65 for the awesome "up armored" MLXXLX cannot be beat by literally anything. The driver Mag designed for the New Gen's is amazing. Run time's for near all of them cannot be beat by anything that does not have some huge battery pack(as far as I know).

It is a darn shame my 6 D cell ML300L does not come in the LX treatment. Oh well. The new 6 D to my eyes looks far over 700 lumens. If people did not somehow steal every electronic tool I get I would have taken measurements long ago(expensive looking is more than enough it seems). I am NOT going to buy another light meter etc.

Unless Mag finally stopped making their Mag-Tac's with plastic reflector heads, plastic lenses, CR123 only etc then they are still just project host bodies to me. My 10+ yo PD32 does what the Mag Tac does much better. Unless things have changed there as well?

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Do they have glass retrofit lenses for the earlier 3D units also (circa 2010) ? That would be something I am interested in since I'm doing an upgrade on mine.

Source?

Thanks!

I still love the old style of Maglites. Yes they're big and bulky. Yes their technology is a bit simple compared to newer lights but my Maglites always turn on when I click the button and stay on if I drop them on the ground. My Maglite loop isn't coming off my belt for a while yet!

Malkoff makes uotra clear glass lenses for Mags. Check them out.

blueridgeman said:

Do they have glass retrofit lenses for the earlier 3D units also (circa 2010) ? That would be something I am interested in since I'm doing an upgrade on mine.

Source?

Thanks!

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Not sure if the Malkoff glass will actually fit the new gen XML2's or not. I go to(mods I think posting the link is okay I have done it here many times before but remove if deemed inappropriate)flashlightlens.com

I have gotten Mag glass from several different sources over the years. The source I just posted has the highest quality product overall. The way they ship these extremely nice new lenses is very professional. Even though that retailer also offers Mag glass with an above average quality anti-reflective coating I stick with whatever best optical quality(yes legitimate optic grade glass)non AR glass they have. Not expensive either. Just make sure what is offered also fit's the new XML2's. They should have them I think that is where I got all my awesome new glass for all my XML2 Mags.

AR coated lenses are a PIA to keep clean. The big Mags are still big Mags. They come with a lot of lens area. The non glare coated stuff is far more scratch resistant anyways.

[digidude] said:

Whats the difference between the old and new switch? I never owned a full size mag back in the day.

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Like said old Mag switches were squishy, had longer travel for ability to momentary and the rubber 'bulb' protruded out farther.
New swiches are more precise in a button push for the rapid press mode change, no longer momentary and don't protrude out as far. It's a worthwhile trade off once you get used to it.

blueridgeman said:

Do they have glass retrofit lenses for the earlier 3D units also (circa 2010) ? That would be something I am interested in since I'm doing an upgrade on mine.

Source?

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Flashlight lens dot com has glass for all size Maglites. Also hard coat plastic, ultraclear plastic and a slightly difused plastic that really cleans up those older model beams.

About 2 weeks ago I discovered my 4D that was 30 years old had a cell spring a leak. I consider myself lucky seeing it went that long with no leaks. Was so bad the cap wouldn't even come off.

So so I figured I'd get the 2 C cell twist on and use spacers with AA NiMH. It has such a tight hot spot that them sub 200 lumens really throw with minimal flood to blast back in your face. Great throw to size to battery life ratio. No stepping down or all that high tech Jazz.

Im sad to see the old Work horse go bye bye, but it's replacement is fine. I guess I'll get another 30 years or so from it. Feels just like the original.

Was Energizer D cells if anyone was going to ask.