Fenix LD20 (2-AA) holster suggestions

[Locoboy5150]

The nylon holster that came with my Fenix LD20 isn't going to last much longer after four months of continuous daily use from me. The main problem with it is that the one inch wide velcro is starting to wear out pretty badly and I'm worried about the light falling out. (Keep in mind that I'm a roller coaster enthusiast so my EDC lights like my LD20 must be secured *very* well.)

Thus, I'm looking for a new holster that has the following requirements and I'm welcome to any and all suggestions:

1. Made from black nylon - leather is too heavy.

2. Must have a flap that goes over the top of the light. It must be secure when it goes through batwings, cobra rolls, zero-g rolls, dive loops, Immelmans, airtime hills, double downs, Stengel Dives, etcetera.

3. Must completely cover both ends of the light - no simple open ended holsters where the end of the light is exposed to damage.

4. Must attach onto a 1.5 inch wide belt.

5. This is the tricky one so it's optional. The flap listed in item two ideally should be secured with a snap or belt clip so it won't wear out quickly. If it only comes with velcro, then the velcro must be more than one inch wide, like what comes with the Fenix holster.

My Fenix LD20 is almost identical in size to a 2 AA Mini-Maglite so any holster made for the Minimag will fit the LD20. I already have a Maglite nylon holster for my Mini-Maglite shown here:

http://www.maglite.com/product_acc.asp?id=263537459837548&plc=AACELL&psc=2AACELL

It works well for my use and an LD20 will fit inside, but it has a velcro secured flap. This "ballistic" one from Maglite looks like it will work too, aside from the velcro, but does anyone know anything about it:

http://www.maglite.com/product_acc.asp?id=093264598327454&plc=AACELL&psc=2AACELL

Thanks in advance for any help you might have. 🙂

 

[deKatt]

I'd be tempted to use the Mini Maglite holster, and just add a secondary fastener to it. You could simply attach a small black button to the front of the holster, and add a loop of black nylon paracord (or something similar) to the end of the flap. Then, you'd have the option of simply closing the flap with the velcro, or additionally buttoning it when you need more security.

 

[LightWalker]

I use this one.
http://ripoffs.com/datasheets/co10/co10.html

 

[McAllan]

Incan Mini Mag holster is what I use for mine - and it fits perfectly.

Just have an eye on the sewing for the belt attachment. Or just sew it properly in advance then there would be nothing to worry about.
I too like the way it surrounds the light entirely in contrast to the one that was with the LD20.

 

[skyfire]

i love my quark 123-2 holster, the velcro is still strong after 5 months of daily use during work. it stays tight against my belt, and will not crumble like the fenix holsters, so slipping the light in is very hassle-free.

the quark AA-2 holster should fit your LD20 nicely. my pd30 worked much better with the quark 123-2 holster.

if you havent tried it out, at $8 plus free shipping, i think its well worth it.

 

[luke_DF]

I feel your pain, original holster sucks. I really like the light, but the holster has got design flaws and the material used is too thin.

but fear not, for I present you with the solution: quark 2AA holster.

(I got one by posting in WTB marketplace section, actually donated for free by a fellow member. lovecpf)

 

[BigBen]

I'm having the same issues with my TK20 Yellow.
The Velcro is almost non-existent now, and there's a hole in the bottom of the holster.
This is after only approximately 2 months of daily use! :thumbsdow

Will the suggested holsters above also fit the TK20?

Thank You Again,
BigBen

 

[Locoboy5150]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Please keep them coming! 🙂

I suddenly stumbled across this holster from Rothco:

http://www.rothco.com/general/index...367/prodid/103/subcat/112/from/search/Rothco/

Does anyone know anything about it? It looks like it might fit my requirements list, particularly since it has a snap and not velcro closure. Does anyone have any opinions regarding Rothco products in general? I've never used anything from them before.

 

[LightWalker]

I'm having the same issues with my TK20 Yellow.
The Velcro is almost non-existent now, and there's a hole in the bottom of the holster.
This is after only approximately 2 months of daily use! :thumbsdow

Will the suggested holsters above also fit the TK20?

Thank You Again,
BigBen

The TK20 will not fit the co10 but it should fit these:
http://ripoffs.com/datasheets/co185/co185.html

http://ripoffs.com/datasheets/co181/co181.html

 

[BigBen]

Thanks for the ideas LightWalker.

 

[LightWalker]

Here are some photos for comparison.

I have trimmed the flap on my co10 so it will fit 2x123 lights also.

The co10 can be used with lights like the the P3D, Quark 2x123 etc. if you trim the flap a little.

 

[Locoboy5150]

Thank you for the great photos Lightwalker. Those 4Sevens holsters are really nice. I may just have to take a look at those up close.

I just contacted Rothco about the Mini-Maglite holster, part number 20542, that I mentioned before. Here are some questions that I asked and their answers (in red) in case anyone else is considering that model.

* I see that it has a snap closure, which is what I really need for my 2 AA Maglite holder. Is there some sort of fabric covering the metal back side of the snap so that it does not rub against the Maglite and damage its finish?No

* Does the 20542 fit onto a 1.5 inch wide belt?Has 2 ¼" belt strap

* Is the 20542 padded inside to protect the Maglite from bumps?Yes

I don't like the idea of the back side of the snap galling my light so maybe I'll have to reconsider my not wanting velcro closure.

I also closely inspected my Fenix LD20 holster today and there is a small hole developing at the bottom. Thus, I will definitely have to replace it soon with something better. Others have mentioned before about how bad the Fenix holsters are and now I also am not a fan of them. Mine only lasted about four months before it started to fall apart. 🙁

 

[LightWalker]

Thank you for the great photos Lightwalker. Those 4Sevens holsters are really nice. I may just have to take a look at those up close.

I just contacted Rothco about the Mini-Maglite holster, part number 20542, that I mentioned before. Here are some questions that I asked and their answers (in red) in case anyone else is considering that model.

* I see that it has a snap closure, which is what I really need for my 2 AA Maglite holder. Is there some sort of fabric covering the metal back side of the snap so that it does not rub against the Maglite and damage its finish?No

* Does the 20542 fit onto a 1.5 inch wide belt?Has 2 ¼" belt strap

* Is the 20542 padded inside to protect the Maglite from bumps?Yes

I don't like the idea of the back side of the snap galling my light so maybe I'll have to reconsider my not wanting velcro closure.

I also closely inspected my Fenix LD20 holster today and there is a small hole developing at the bottom. Thus, I will definitely have to replace it soon with something better. Others have mentioned before about how bad the Fenix holsters are and now I also am not a fan of them. Mine only lasted about four months before it started to fall apart. 🙁

I agree that the 4Sevens holsters are really nice. What I like about the Ripoffs holsters with the clip is that you can quickly remove it without undoing your belt. A snap closure would be nice but the velcro works in non tactical situations.

Perhaps a little duct tape on the back side of the snap would prevent any marring.

 

[dirtybore]

I use the following. It's built like a tank. Velcro holds tighter than Rosie O'Donnell at an all you can eat buffet on a fork.

It's bomb proof.

http://www.batteryjunction.com/ma5tushforin.html

 

[LightWalker]

I use the following. It's built like a tank. Velcro holds tighter than Rosie O'Donnell at an all you can eat buffet on a fork.

It's bomb proof.

http://www.batteryjunction.com/ma5tushforin.html

Those are nice, but I wish they had clips for quick on/off.

 

[Locoboy5150]

I was doing some research into the ballistic Mini-Maglite holster, part number AM2A426. It's the one that I mentioned in my first post in this thread and shown on the Maglite website here:

http://www.maglite.com/product_acc.asp?id=093264598327454&plc=AACELL&psc=2AACELL

Based on what was posted in a thread on the Maglite XL100 in the LED flashlight forum by a CPF member that is deeply involved with Maglite holster production, it turns out that Mag Instrument does not actually make their Mini-Maglite holsters. They contract them out to other holster manufacturers. I did some digging around and it sure looks like the Mini-Maglite AM2A426 ballistic holster is the same as the Bianchi 7310 mini-light holster, shown here on the Bianchi website:

http://www.bianchi-intl.com/product/Prod.php?TxtModelID=7310

At least it sure looks like it to my eyes because the Mag Instrument website page uses the exact same trademarked terminology that also appears on the Bianchi website.

I've been having a tough time trying to find a vendor that has the Mini-Maglite AM2A426 in stock. I suspect that it might have been discontinued. The Bianchi 7310 is more expensive, but at least it's another option. It also comes with either velcro or snap closure, which is a nice option. I'll contact Bianchi directly and find out if the back of the snap is protected from rubbing against the light inside the holster, which was my main problem with the Rothco one that I mentioned before.

That Maxpedition one is very nice too. Thank you Dirtybore for the heads up! Have you tried fitting a typical 2 AA sized light like a Mini-Maglite, Quark AA^2, or Fenix LD20 in it? If so, was it bouncing around loose in there?

 

[Locoboy5150]

I've been having a tough time trying to find a vendor that has the Mini-Maglite AM2A426 in stock. I suspect that it might have been discontinued.

My suspicions were correct. Today I wrote the following letter to Mag Instrument via their website asking about the status of the ballistic holster.

I have been having a hard time finding your ballistic holster for the 2 AA Mini-Maglite, part number AM2A426. It seems that several vendors have them backordered but none of them have them in stock currently. Has the AM2A426 ballistic holster been discontinued and thus no longer available?

Later today I received the following letter from a customer service representative at Mag Instrument.

Thank you for choosing Maglite products. The ballistic holsters were dicontinued just over three years ago and stock was depleted at that time. We regret that we were unable to assist you.Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.

I'm happy that they replied so quickly even though it pretty much eliminated another one of my holster options. Maybe I can find an old one somewhere collecting dust.

 

[Locoboy5150]

I called Bianchi's customer service department and asked them if their Mini-Maglite holster with the snap closure had some sort of covering or protection on the back of the snap to prevent it from scratching the side of the light. The representative said that it did not. Later I wrote the following letter to Bianchi to double check on that.

I was looking at your AccuMold holder for AA Mini-Maglite flashlights with the hidden snap closure, part number 18206. It is shown here on the Bianchi website:

http://www.bianchi-intl.com/product/Prod.php?TxtModelID=7310

I see that it has a snap closure, which is what I have been looking for in a 2 AA Mini-Maglite holder. Is there some sort of fabric covering the metal back side of the snap so that it does not rub against the Maglite and damage its finish?

They replied with the following the next day.

From what I can remember, the reciever portion of the snap does not go through to the actual flashlight. So there is no cover on the back, but metal is not touching the flashlight anyways. Thanks!

Take that for what it's worth.

 

[Locoboy5150]

Well, I bit the bullet and I bought one of these Maglite balistic holsters.

http://www.maglite.com/product_acc.asp?id=093264598327454&plc=AACELL&psc=2AACELL

Even though it was discontinued, I somehow managed to find a vendor that still had a few in stock.

I liked the construction because it completely covers up the light entirely, something that I didn't like about the 4Sevens holsters where the bottom of the holster is open. I suppose that's to allow water to drain out of the holster, but that isn't a requirement for my daily use.

The Maglite ballistic holster is extremely durable and its molded construction is very nice. The nylon is very high quality and it's the most durable feeling holster that I have had so far.

There are some problems with it though. First it is too snug. It cannot accommodate any light larger in diameter than a Mini-Maglite. The body of the light also must have a constant outer diameter like that of a Mini-Maglite. The tailcap of the LD20 is just a little bit larger in diameter (about a millimeter) than the body of a Mini-Maglite and its body does not have a constant outer diameter so it's very hard to insert and remove from the holster. Those previously simple operations became two handed operations. That's definitely not good.

The second problem is that the flap is not long enough for it to close over the light and stick onto the velcro on the body of the holster. It just *barely* engages with the velcro, but it's not strong enough to lock together securely. The velcro strip is also only 0.75 inch wide so, even with full engagement when the holster is empty, it's not very strongly held together. Remember that I need my lights to go everywhere with me, even upside down. The flap opening all the time is not good at all.

When will holster makers wake up and realize that velcro that is one inch or less in width is useless because it wears out quickly? The velcro on my Fenix holster is also only 0.75 inch wide and it wore out after only about four months of use. That's the problem that originally got me started in this new holster search.

So, the Mini-Maglite ballistic holster is a no-go for a Fenix LD20 in my opinion. I tried using it for my Mini-Maglite instead, but once again the flap was not long enough for the velcro to get a good "bite." The Terralux drop-in does make my Mini-Maglite a little longer than a stock one, but only by about 0.125 inch. Even with the drop-in completely removed and my Mini-Maglite's head screwed all the way down, the flap on the ballistic holster is not long enough for secure engagement of the velcro. That may explain why it was discontinued by Mag Instrument a few years ago.

So, the ballistic holster, as nice looking as it is, will just sit in my drawer until I find another light that will work with it. This all brings me back to the exact same place where I started on this LD20 holster journey. I ended up just buying another one of my existing holsters, the regular Mini-Maglite model.

http://www.maglite.com/product_acc.asp?id=263537459837548&plc=AACELL&psc=2AACELL

It doesn't look anywhere nearly as nice as the fancy ballistic model, but it is a lot more durable than the Fenix LD20 one. It uses 1.5 inch wide velcro and after a year of use toting my mini-Maglite everywhere, the velcro on my old one is still nice and strong, unlike the velcro on my Fenix holster. It also is plenty large enough for my LD20 and its unusually shaped body. I can *finally* carry it in the bezel down position, something that I always wanted to do but never could because the original Fenix holster was too small to fit around its head. The bezel down configuration makes getting the light out and turned on a *lot* easier and faster.

The regular Mini-Maglite holster is also made from much thicker nylon than the Fenix one, so it is a lot more durable. My Fenix holster has a small hole in the bottom of it and it's starting to grow. The regular Mini-Maglite holster is not as thick as the ballistic model, but it is lighter and that's a nice bonus.

So, thanks for all your help guys! :thumbsup: Now I'm *finally* happy...even though I went through a long and crazy journey just to end up back in the same small town that I started out in! 😀

 

[parnass]

Locoboy5150, I observed the same shortcomings that you did with the (discontinued) ballistic nylon Mini Maglite holster. 🙁

Even the stock incan Mini Maglite is a tight fit. The holster cover flap isn't secure. The belt loop is located so the flashlight rides too high above the belt.

I might cut off the top portion of this holster someday and see whether it works better for a 1AA flashlight.