Maglite availability

[Lightboy21]

Hi. I bought a silver Mini Maglite today. I have wanted to buy one ever since my last ones got batteries stuck in them. I've always loved the candle mode. Do the big Maglites do this? Also, I've noticed that Maglites seem to be getting hard to find. Walmart and Bass Pro don't have them. Ace Hardware and Buchheit's do. Is it just people wanting cheaper flashlights?

 

[Realtore!!!]

Hi. I bought a silver Mini Maglite today. I have wanted to buy one ever since my last ones got batteries stuck in them. I've always loved the candle mode. Do the big Maglites do this? Also, I've noticed that Maglites seem to be getting hard to find. Walmart and Bass Pro don't have them. Ace Hardware and Buchheit's do. Is it just people wanting cheaper flashlights?

I do believe it's only the "twist to turn on" models that do cancel mode. That would be the solitaire, mini mags, and the ml25 line.

 

[xxo]

Maglites are getting scarce (particularly the incan variety) in box stores – I suppose they make more profit selling their own store brand lights.

The only big Mag that does candle mode is the C cell ML25's (highly recommended!). I have 3d printed some stands/defusers to turn some of my Mags into lanterns and it works pretty well. If you are interested, I have a thread about this here:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?473755-Maglite-Lantern

You can prevent destroying your light by not using alkaline batteries – use use Japanese eneloop/fujitsu NiMH's or energizer ultimate lithiums instead, they will run better and they won't leak.

 

[bykfixer]

You can remove the head from the big Maglite incan and tailstand it like a candle, but the cam on the reflector does not allow the body to be inserted into the head for a wider base like you can with the minimag and ML25.

You may notice the shelf space for all flashlights is shrinking in box stores. Other brands are also disappearing minus remaining stock. A few years back the flashlight world went LED so like when households went from VCR to DVD the flashlight market was pretty big. Nowadays most who want an LED flashlight have one. Combine that with home delivered products via internet sales only adds to the decline in demand for them in box stores.
So Maglite is now largely sold at places like eBay, Amazon and their own website.

 

[Scotty321]

IIRC, Wmt, Menards, Ace, HD, and maybe Lowe's should have a couple models for sale.

 

[bykfixer]

My local home depot cleared out Maglites in 019. Some nearby Lowes still have some 3 cell ML50's and solitaires.