Maglite 2d pro vs 2d with malkoff
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StorminMatt
Flashlight Enthusiast
Malkoff, BY FAR! Because Mag has retained the cammed focusing system (a relic from their incandescents) in their LED lights, the emitter needs to be able to move. This means it can't be fixed to a proper heatsink, which means the light has to power back to prevent overheating of the emitter. Simply put, with the Pro, you only get those 270 lumens for a short time before brightness has to drop. On the other hand, with the Malkoff, you get full brightness for as long as your batteries can support it. The Malkoff unit does still allow some degree of focusing, but it's not nearly as slick as on the stock Mag. However, I'm gladly willing to pay that price (and the increased price of the light + drop-in) for a good, bright light.
StorminMatt
Flashlight Enthusiast
You can certainly focus away the donut hole with the Malkoff drop-in. You may just have to turn the head more. Remember that with the Malkoff, the LED can't slide in and out (which is a GOOD thing). Therefore, the only movement of the reflector with respect to the LED is due to the threads of the head itself. But the threads certainly allow the head to move a great deal.
If you want a better beam quality, you can get an orange peel reflector. Kaidomain sells these for about $10. And they work REALLY well. I would HIGHLY recommend it (and a glass lens as well). That's actually another advantage to going Malkoff rather than getting the Mag Pro - you can't get an orange peel reflector for the Mag Pro.
StorminMatt
Flashlight Enthusiast
Maglite 4D with Malkoff M61W, the best combination. I just finished putting them together and couldn't be happier...
Just curious. Given the fact that this is going to be more difficult to install, output is going to be less than their XP-G2 drop-ins for Mags, and price is almost as high as their XM-L2 drop-in (which is AWESOME), what advantage is there to going this route?
I have several incan Mag 2D, 3D, 4D. In the other hand, I have bought bunch of Malkoff drop-ins M31, M61, and M361. It would be nice if I could take a drop in in a SF host (when batteries run out) and put it in a Mag 3D or 4D and run it with D batteries.
With drop-in specifically made for Mags, I can't take it to put it in a SF host
.StorminMatt
Flashlight Enthusiast
I think the Pro uses an XP-G. But I'm not completely sure. The standard Mag LED uses an XP-E. In any case, the Malkoff uses an XP-G2.
StarHalo
Flashaholic
The Malkoff has potted electronics (the entire circuitboard is entombed in epoxy, ultra shock-proof.) But anything D-cell is so large that ~300 lumens will seem a bit tepid for the size of the flashlight - I'd rather shell out the extra dough for the Malkoff XM-L.
StorminMatt
Flashlight Enthusiast
The 'problem' with the XM-L2 drop-in is that it requires 3-4 cells. So you couldn't run it in a 2D unless you used some nonstandard battery configuration (like 3 C cells, one 32650, etc). Another option is to get the XM-L2 drop-in for the 3-4C rather than the D cell drop-in. This way, you don't need to make modifications to a 2D to fit 3 C cells. You also get an XM-L2 in a light that is only a little longer than the 2D and, at least in my opinion, MUCH nicer to handle.
StarHalo
Flashaholic
Eh, it'd be worth cutting the spring for rechargeable cells..
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StarHalo
Flashaholic
The website implies that the XM-L has more throw, kind of a given with more than twice the lumens.
Jash
Flashlight Enthusiast
Malkoff 3-6 D cell dropin inside 2D running 2x18650. This is the only way to run a Malkoff Maglite dropin.
Really wish the XM-L dropin could handle 9v.
Really wish the XM-L dropin could handle 9v.
StarHalo
Flashaholic
It is more floody, but the brute force of lumens wins out. It's a win-win though, more throw and more flood..
StorminMatt
Flashlight Enthusiast
Why, when you can just get a 3C and use the XM-L2 drop-in for that light with no fuss? It's not like the 2D is THAT special of a light. I actually find it MUCH less ergonomic.
StarHalo
Flashaholic
Just personal preference, different strokes; the 2D will take all manner of battery holders, and it can have a taillight:
