Questions:Usefulness of Mag85.Powerful flashlight.

Is a Mag85 useful flashlight, or it is something more to impress ? I'm asking because I'm looking for very bright flashlight, which put out plenty of light. I want something I can put inside my backpack, and from times to times use it briefly (few minutes). Is Mag85 reliable enough ? If not, maybe I should step down a bit in terms of brightness, and try different mod, or maybe just normal production flashlight ? I don't want to spend more than $100 on it. Recently I've ordered Streamlight Strion, but I want something more powerful. Increase in lumen output over Strion must justify money I'am going to spend.

So, to clear things a bit, I'm looking for a flashlight or a mod, that:

1. Will be MUCH brighter than Strion. It should be really bright. 500 lumens is ok.
2. Will be in $100, or less price range. Price range is flexible, so if something terrific cost little more I may consider it.
3. Will be reliable enough to be useful. I want to use it, not just admire it's power, but it won't be heavy use, maybe 10 min./week.
4. Won't be too heavy or big to carry it comfortably in small backpack during mountain trip. Thor or heavy 2MCP lead-acid searchlights are too big and heavy.
5. Have a runtime 20 min. or more.

Thank's in advance.


Edit: I placed this post in Incandescent forum, but it doesn't have to be incandescent flashlight. Administrator or moderator may move it to General Flashlight Discussion forum.

The Mag85 (Mag 3D version) is dependable when run with the recommended cells. (Nine consumer grade AA's or 8 high current AA's).

Under those conditions, very few premature, if any, lamp failures have occurred.

They can be found, without cells, for less than $100.

Runtime is dependant upon which cells you use, but generally in the neighborhood of 30 minutes. If you want a smaller package, than the 2D Maglite running 6 AA's and the 1111 bulb will put out more than 500 lumens and is also dependable.

Bill

Re: Questions:Usefulness of Mag85.Powerful flashli

I'd say the 3D Mag is way too heavy to take on a hiking trip. Have you ever carried one for more than a few minutes? Try it sometime. It's sort of reasonable as a car light, but it's not something you'd want in your backpack. A Tigerlight is much closer to reasonable (Jim Sexton offers an 01185 upgrade for it) but even that's too heavy for my tastes. If you want something brighter than a Strion to take hiking, I'd go for a Streamlight TL3 or something along those lines, or maybe a Surefire 9P (etc.) with a P91 lamp. The latter would be around 200 lumens (vs. about 60 for the Strion) while not weighing much more than the Strion. It will also use up three SF123 cells in 20 minutes.

Re: Questions:Usefulness of Mag85.Powerful flashli

I also vote for hiking that you get something that takes 3 lithium cells if more lumens is what you want. The Mag85 would be extremely impractical considering its weight, size, runtime, and possibility of instaflash. Like paulr said, take a look at the TL3, PT Surge, or a SF 3 cell light. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Re: Questions:Usefulness of Mag85.Powerful flashli

If you really want 500 lumens in a small light, you're options are pretty limited.

You're looking at a Tiger11 or Tiger85 or SF M6 or SF 10X dominator,

or if you need even smaller and lighter than these lights, the only mod I know of is to take a SL Stinger and convert it to a 5 cell pack and use the Welch Allyn 1160. I'm told you have to bend the pins to make it work. This is a mod I've been wanting to investigate for sometime now, but I haven't yet.

Oh, and also, I hear tell that some people bore out their SF M4's to accept 18650 Li-ion cells and then run the MN21 M6 HOLA. I think you have to choose the 18650's carefully. Not sure which ones you need. Also be very careful when charging these bad boys. Li-ions can be dangerous. Like flame and explosion kind of dangerous.

If you want to step down in lumens, the SF M4 running the HOLA is 350 lumens and is small and light.

That's all I can think of at the moment.

Re: Questions:Usefulness of Mag85.Powerful flashli

[ QUOTE ]
js said:
If you really want 500 lumens in a small light, you're options are pretty limited.

You're looking at a Tiger11 or Tiger85 or SF M6 or SF 10X dominator,

or if you need even smaller and lighter than these lights, the only mod I know of is to take a SL Stinger and convert it to a 5 cell pack and use the Welch Allyn 1160. I'm told you have to bend the pins to make it work. This is a mod I've been wanting to investigate for sometime now, but I haven't yet.


[/ QUOTE ]

Fivemega have a great mod for the SL Stinger:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=groupbuy&Number=814972&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

Using the CA1499 bulb you should be getting 350 lumens for an hour.

Sigbjoern

Re: Questions:Usefulness of Mag85.Powerful flashli

[ QUOTE ]
paulr said:
I'd say the 3D Mag is way too heavy to take on a hiking trip. Have you ever carried one for more than a few minutes? Try it sometime.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have carried it for 6 hours++, but my arm hurt the next day. For short trips, the weight is not such a big problem, but it is alway smart to go as light as possible. However, there is no way I would bring it on a multiple day hiking trip. But I'm probably not the right person to listen to since my back pack usually weighs 20 lbs (I went on a 4 day trip last summer with a 45 lbs back pack, never again!).

Sigbjoern

Re: Questions:Usefulness of Mag85.Powerful flashli

I still think a 2 D size mag running 6 AA's and the 1111 or 1274 (well the 1274 isn't quite 500, but close) is a good compromise. More than 500 lumens, not terribly heavy or space problematical.

Bill

Re: Questions:Usefulness of Mag85.Powerful flashli

I think the Streamlight TL-3 is great for backpack use. It has good throw although I would guess that the Mag85 would work better for real long distance spotting. But then the TL-3 is a whole lot smaller and lighter than the Mag85.

I have some big Mags and I'm collecting parts for my own Mag85 and Mag18, but more for showing off around the house than for actually carrying and using.

Re: Questions:Usefulness of Mag85.Powerful flashli

I vote for a Mag74.

2D form factor on your back isn't a weight issue at all. 3D isn't either in a backpack but size becomes a main concern. If you're wearing a backpack and hiking around, you're plenty more than strong enough to tote a 2D or 3D light for quite a while without feeling the effects of the weight of a little object.

He mentioned that he only will use it for minutes at a time. Not hard on the hand at all. Of course if you were going to carry it in your hand the whole time that would be another story.

When I go hiking around, I carry one of these....


Now if we could get water to weight less, that would be helpful.

Re: Questions:Usefulness of Mag85.Powerful flashli

I think it boils down to balancing these three things - brightness vs. weight vs. runtime. To gain in one area, you give up something in the other area(s).

When I go traipsing across my in-laws fields at night, I like a smaller, less heavy form factor and willingly give up some brightness in exchange for reduced weight. I have the QIII clipped to my visor and use a brighter light to check for coyotes & other critters.

Usually I'll pull out the M@g 3C with the Carley 820 (at spec 213 lumens) running on 4x123. I get at least 1.5 hours use before a battery reload. At 8 watts, I don't need a metal reflector, just put some Scotch Magic tape across the lens to remove the ugly artifacts and smooth out the beam.

My in-laws were very surprised with the throw - especially out on the lake coming back from watching the July 4th fireworks last year. we could easily recognize islands & shoreline landmarks on the 15 minute water ride back home.

Re: Questions:Usefulness of Mag85.Powerful flashli

I see my superbulb lights as toys or show off things.

The brightest thing I have so far is a 3D M*g with a 9AA-3D FM adapter with 7AA and a dummie double I made driving a Bi-Pin WA01174.

It's NICE!

But if you could hack the cost of some pilas and a charger, or can afford to feed 123s to it, something based on the 2C M*g would be WAY easier to carry!

Also worth consideration would be driving a M*gcharger bulb with 6AA in a 2D M*g.

Re: Questions:Usefulness of Mag85.Powerful flashli

When investigating that bump in the night? All the power I can get would be great, sometimes you do need everything that you can get. EDC? Heck no!

Just one little point, a 'refitted' Mag like these will weigh a lot less than normal Mags because AA cells are so much lighter than D cells. The Mag85 is surprisingly light compared to a fully loaded alkaline Mag3D.

Re: Questions:Usefulness of Mag85.Powerful flashli

I think its impractical to carry it on hiking trips, probably you will feel that LED serve better for hikes. If you need something of that class, perhaps Surefire M6, a lot smaller and lighter.

Re: Questions:Usefulness of Mag85.Powerful flashli

2c with pilas and gh24. Awesome light! Would be just over your $100. It is not as bright as my mag85, but it still throws like crazy. Next to my lionheart, it is definetly my favorite light.

Re: Questions:Usefulness of Mag85.Powerful flashli

If you want to cook a turkey in 10 minutes than an '85 is the way to go.
I'll have to agree with Xpit, go with a '74................ you can fit it in a 2D mag and has a tighter beam.

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