Best place to buy a Mag light?

[cmeisenzahl]

I'm looking for a solid general purpose flashlight for around the house.

Any other recommendations?

Thanks in advanec and happy new year!
Christopher

 

[Nerd]

Princeton Tec Surge
Streamlight 4AA 7LED
Underwater Kinetics 4AA Q40

 

[tkl]

just about anything would be better than a gag light for output and weight.

if you're set on one wal-mart or academy will have the best price. they should have combo packs cause of christmas as well.

i've been checking out the flashlight sections in various stores this christmas and noticed the gags have been popular with the masses. most spots for the gag were empty.

 

[Charles Bradshaw]

Welcome to CPF, Christopher!

Mag is something of a dirty word to many here, due to their litigous nature and unwillingness to listen to customers. (I put that as politely as possible.) Please, nobody else mention this, to avoid a flame war. Said once, is enough.

Never the less, I own a 2D Mag-Lite, though with a Versalux PR-2 LED bulb for better beam quality.

Actually, a Lightwave 3000 or 4000 would be better for around the house and in case of power outage, they keep going and going......

3000: 3C and 7 white LEDs

4000: 3D and 10 white LEDs

I have a 4000 and love it.

 

[Rothrandir]

if its for modding...go ahead.

if not...then something else might work better.

what is your price range? how big do you want it to be? what kind of batteries do you want it to eat? what kind of switching mechanism do you want? focusable or fixed? metal or other?

 

[notos&w]

chris, tried to email you but its disabled. i have a NIB 3D maglite you might be interested in should you decide to go w/ maglite.

PM or email me for details.

 

[pedalinbob]

well, if you want an incan, a princeton tec 40 is a fantastic light--lots of throw, and a very nice flood of light. it is as bright as a 3d #aglite.

do you need a lot of throw, or do you prefer a shorter and more flood-like beam?

but, for around the house, an LED light is amazing. LEDs have super long runtimes, are incredibly bright, and last nearly forever.
i love the beam of a good LED light: point it into a dark room, and the whole area just lights up--no rings! smooth and even.

as others have stated, something like a lightwave 3000 or 4000 would fill the need.

if you already have a mini-#ag, you could order a drop in led from opalec, inretech or datzip (?). the opalec and inretech will run for a very long time.

good luck,
Bob

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

What they said regarding M*9L!t&....

If you want to stay real cheap and use D Cells find a Rayovac Inustrial 3D at Lowes or? Around 8 bucks and even come with some batteries!

A few more bucks, a Sears 3D Rubber Tool Light. Or a Sears 4AA Rubber Tool Light. Both together around 20 bucks but you gotta supply batteries.

Small 4AA light, Princeton Tec 40 4AA. REI or Bass Pro Shops, less than 20 bucks.

All these lights have in common one feature. A textured reflector (orange peel in Tec 40 - fully faceted in the other lights).

My Tec 40 with slightly used Rayovac Max Alkys and a KPR103 3.6v Krypton bulb made my buddy who has a Streamlight sl35x (Mag 4D size light) say WOW!

I keep several Rayovac lights around the house near the front door, couch, my bed etc. because I know they will work and work well when I need them.

Now that I've totally screwed you up, well you already knew that one light just won't do right?

Somebodys sig says "go not to a flashaholic for advice for they will tell you to buy this AND that"... He ain't just whistlin' Dixie!

Happy New Year all!

 

[cmeisenzahl]

Thanks very much guys!

A few more points. I would prefer something that used C or D batteries. It doesn't need to focus. I would also like some level of water resistance but I don't plan on ever submerging it.

Don't care about metal vs. plastic, but would slightly prefer metal, or at least tough plastic.

LEDs sound like the way to to. What dealers have the best prices? I would like to spend under $40 if possible. Doesn't have to be super bright, just reasonably so.

The Lightwave 3000 seems interesting, does the manufacturer have a web site?

Any final recommendations?

Thanks very much again and happy new year!
Christopher Meisenzahl
[email protected]

 

[logicnerd411]

The Streamlight 3C 10LED sounds about right. Cheap and made of tough polycarbonate. I don't own it, but it sounds good for what you need.

 

[B@rt]

The Lightwave 3000 is a very sturdy flashlight, you can read reviews from The LED Museum and The Light Site

Hope this helps,

 

[Ratso]

The Streamlight 3C 10 LED is brighter, waterproof to 100+ ft, cheaper than the LW 3000, plus you can swap out the Xenon lamp assy. with the LED one. It is made of a tough Polymer and includes a pocket/belt clip. I highly recomend it.

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

I forgot about LEDs. I own a couple different LED lights you MIGHT consider...

Princeton Tec Attitude 4AAA... very small but not a whole bunch of reach. Works well around the house. Well dispersed light.

Brinkmann Rebel 2AA... around mini m*g size, focusing lense so it has some reach. Lightly blue hot spot, not much Corona.

Princeton Tec Impact 4AA... same size as TEC40 which is pretty compact. Has focusing lense. Reachs maybe around 50 feet usefull. Has a lightly blue hot spot surrounded by a small blue Corona.

The bulb from a Dorcy "cool blue" 4aa in a 4D M*g. Suffers from the M*g Black Hole deal if not focused tight.

In order of usefull brightness against an off white cabinet about 18 feet from where I sit...
1: Attitude (although it has a well dispersed and useful beam)
2: Rebel (makes it's hot spot around 3 - 3.5 ft wide at the cabinet - very little spill)
3: Impact (about the same size spot as rebel, a little spill around that spot)
4: M*g (brightest hot spot >12" wide - can get almost 24" with faint black hole)

I have no Streamlight or other LED lights to compare these to. Have read very good things about and desire 4AA and/or 3C LED Streamlights of my own.