An incomplete treatise on Mag\'s existence
How's that for a dynamic title? Various angles on Mag-Lite seem to be a hot topic now, so I thought I'd start a separate thread of my views on the thing. If you have any thoughts try to keep away from the "Mags suck! No, they don't!" tear.
Anyway...Everything needs to be seen in perspective with regard to Mag's design. Let's think about it for a moment:
There will always be a market for lights that use C/D-cells, 'cause they're cheap and run for a long time. You also use PR bulbs for best cost/output ratio. I can't see any revolutions soon in this regard, unless someone comes out with a $5 Lux. Unless you really love flashlights, or have specific requirements, or lots of disposable income, the average person will not pay a lot (say, over $15-25) for a "house" light.
Within those requirements how much leeway do you really have? I don't think that basic light format can be advanced any farther. Mag gives you a sturdy body, a good switch (it's clever when you see the inner workings--think click pen), and a bulbholder/reflector that is versatile and bright although at the expense of absolute beam quality.
To say that the Mag-Lite is outdated is like saying the same thing about a hammer. A nail gun is faster and better, but you can't revolutionize the hammer, or replace it. The original Mag design (somewhat like the later old Streamlights, too much in fact in legal regards) came out in 1979. The current one we all know has its roots in the early '80s. That was the golden age of C/D-cell incan light development from all companies and I think its day is past. All flashlight advances since then have been with alternate technology, or in very different formats (like diving or fire lights).
In an aside to the above ideas, I should say that I think the Solitaire has no reason to exist in its current form, and the two Mini-Mags will be close in the future, as the LED thing gets refined.
Also, please note that Surefire and Mag-Lite do not, and have never overlapped in target markets. The comparison is moot. Mag's core thing was police/patrol, SF was tactical/military. If you want to pull out a major company as Mag's competitor, I'd venture to say Streamlight. SL has, in fact, come out on top in the LEO battle as Mag seems to have left the Magcharger as their lone modern LEO model as they concentrate on their mass-market shares. Streamlight hasn't gotten into mass stuff much, preferring to make its secondary market tag after the Surefire people.
And as far as the Magcharger, it's still a great light any way you slice it. IMHO the best of the range in quality and versatility. Not much else out there (TigerLight and Streamlight SL come to mind, anything else) and nothing with new light technology.
Thought two is on the legal aspect, and of course I won't get into that much. Everything they've done is within legal bounds, and I'd say that at least most are within moral boundaries. What's left...well, seems to spring from a deep-seated fear on Maglica's part that he'll be ruined by other people using his ideas, although his perception of what they are could be too broad. I wouldn't be down on them too much, afterall other flashlight companies have had issues (see Brand A).
Thought three is on the new factory deal. I don't know much about what's actually going on, so I'll come out and say I can't even fathom a guess. I will, however, say that I doubt you can read too much into it. You probably can't say they WILL be making new products, or WILL be tooling up to make their stuff cheaper. The truth is probably in between somewhere. The current lights could be improved in technology without much in the way of new machines. You also probably can only make them only so quickly or cheaply. I bet that you'll see some new stuff in the future but at the moment it'll be cheaper lights or higher profit margins.
Mag hasn't had a new patent in years, at least easily identifiable as being from them. The ones that weren't made (AAAA focusable penlight, 3-cell rechargeable Mini-Mag, as a couple examples) are old enough I figure they have no chance. Anything new that comes down the pipe will be interesting to see.
I guess I'll also say that if Mag DOES embrace a new technology (Luxeons maybe) it'll be a mammoth boost to the industry. They have tremendous buying and manufacturing power. If they wanted to produce the old-style Surefire 6P, without the bulb/LA you'd be looking at a $10-15 flashlight. Whether that says more about Mag or Surefire is up to you to decide, by the way.
Oh yeah, thought four. The advertising hypes the product too much and is basically full of it. Note to Mag: You haven't been a major player in most professional user catagories in quite a while and the lights aren't high-tech when compared to the industry as a whole. Stop playing on peoples' name recognition.
Finally, I want to make clear that I'm not a Mag apologist, or even a big fan. I don't even regularly use any of their alkaline offerings. I just feel that there's a lot of unreasonable dislike thrown at them. Seems to be a social thing, and/or something for younger people to latch onto as an angle. When was the last time guys were complaining that Rayovac or Everready were no longer relevent? You don't, even though they are dead to the serious user. And to the few folks (I don't have any one person in mind, before someone complains) who bash Mag all-out but view old names like Kel-Lite or Bianchi with mystical reverence, even though you're not really familiar with them: Get over it. You want a historical object or a weird collection? Then by all means buy one. You want a flashlight in that style? Buy a Mag. All the pioneering brands were heavy, mostly poorly-machined, and surprisingly fragile or unreliable in some ways.
OK, so that's what I have to say. Not claming it's right or even sane, but there it is. Feel free to comment in a civil manner if you have something to say about the issue.
How's that for a dynamic title? Various angles on Mag-Lite seem to be a hot topic now, so I thought I'd start a separate thread of my views on the thing. If you have any thoughts try to keep away from the "Mags suck! No, they don't!" tear.
Anyway...Everything needs to be seen in perspective with regard to Mag's design. Let's think about it for a moment:
There will always be a market for lights that use C/D-cells, 'cause they're cheap and run for a long time. You also use PR bulbs for best cost/output ratio. I can't see any revolutions soon in this regard, unless someone comes out with a $5 Lux. Unless you really love flashlights, or have specific requirements, or lots of disposable income, the average person will not pay a lot (say, over $15-25) for a "house" light.
Within those requirements how much leeway do you really have? I don't think that basic light format can be advanced any farther. Mag gives you a sturdy body, a good switch (it's clever when you see the inner workings--think click pen), and a bulbholder/reflector that is versatile and bright although at the expense of absolute beam quality.
To say that the Mag-Lite is outdated is like saying the same thing about a hammer. A nail gun is faster and better, but you can't revolutionize the hammer, or replace it. The original Mag design (somewhat like the later old Streamlights, too much in fact in legal regards) came out in 1979. The current one we all know has its roots in the early '80s. That was the golden age of C/D-cell incan light development from all companies and I think its day is past. All flashlight advances since then have been with alternate technology, or in very different formats (like diving or fire lights).
In an aside to the above ideas, I should say that I think the Solitaire has no reason to exist in its current form, and the two Mini-Mags will be close in the future, as the LED thing gets refined.
Also, please note that Surefire and Mag-Lite do not, and have never overlapped in target markets. The comparison is moot. Mag's core thing was police/patrol, SF was tactical/military. If you want to pull out a major company as Mag's competitor, I'd venture to say Streamlight. SL has, in fact, come out on top in the LEO battle as Mag seems to have left the Magcharger as their lone modern LEO model as they concentrate on their mass-market shares. Streamlight hasn't gotten into mass stuff much, preferring to make its secondary market tag after the Surefire people.
And as far as the Magcharger, it's still a great light any way you slice it. IMHO the best of the range in quality and versatility. Not much else out there (TigerLight and Streamlight SL come to mind, anything else) and nothing with new light technology.
Thought two is on the legal aspect, and of course I won't get into that much. Everything they've done is within legal bounds, and I'd say that at least most are within moral boundaries. What's left...well, seems to spring from a deep-seated fear on Maglica's part that he'll be ruined by other people using his ideas, although his perception of what they are could be too broad. I wouldn't be down on them too much, afterall other flashlight companies have had issues (see Brand A).
Thought three is on the new factory deal. I don't know much about what's actually going on, so I'll come out and say I can't even fathom a guess. I will, however, say that I doubt you can read too much into it. You probably can't say they WILL be making new products, or WILL be tooling up to make their stuff cheaper. The truth is probably in between somewhere. The current lights could be improved in technology without much in the way of new machines. You also probably can only make them only so quickly or cheaply. I bet that you'll see some new stuff in the future but at the moment it'll be cheaper lights or higher profit margins.
Mag hasn't had a new patent in years, at least easily identifiable as being from them. The ones that weren't made (AAAA focusable penlight, 3-cell rechargeable Mini-Mag, as a couple examples) are old enough I figure they have no chance. Anything new that comes down the pipe will be interesting to see.
I guess I'll also say that if Mag DOES embrace a new technology (Luxeons maybe) it'll be a mammoth boost to the industry. They have tremendous buying and manufacturing power. If they wanted to produce the old-style Surefire 6P, without the bulb/LA you'd be looking at a $10-15 flashlight. Whether that says more about Mag or Surefire is up to you to decide, by the way.
Oh yeah, thought four. The advertising hypes the product too much and is basically full of it. Note to Mag: You haven't been a major player in most professional user catagories in quite a while and the lights aren't high-tech when compared to the industry as a whole. Stop playing on peoples' name recognition.
Finally, I want to make clear that I'm not a Mag apologist, or even a big fan. I don't even regularly use any of their alkaline offerings. I just feel that there's a lot of unreasonable dislike thrown at them. Seems to be a social thing, and/or something for younger people to latch onto as an angle. When was the last time guys were complaining that Rayovac or Everready were no longer relevent? You don't, even though they are dead to the serious user. And to the few folks (I don't have any one person in mind, before someone complains) who bash Mag all-out but view old names like Kel-Lite or Bianchi with mystical reverence, even though you're not really familiar with them: Get over it. You want a historical object or a weird collection? Then by all means buy one. You want a flashlight in that style? Buy a Mag. All the pioneering brands were heavy, mostly poorly-machined, and surprisingly fragile or unreliable in some ways.
OK, so that's what I have to say. Not claming it's right or even sane, but there it is. Feel free to comment in a civil manner if you have something to say about the issue.
