I have noticed that most of the HD's in the North East have pulled Mags and Rayovacs - some stores have put them on the clearance racks and others just seem to have pulled them altogether. Does anyone know anything about this? Apparently they are still sold on HD's site and site to store, but it sucks when the best HD lights (Mags and Rayovac Indestructibles) are no longer sold off the selves in the stores.
Maglites & Rayovacs pulled from NE Home Depots?
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My local HD in the mid atlantic hasn't had any Rayovacs for a couple of years now and after the ML25 came out they seemed to stop adding Maglite inventory. I'm supposing they just didn't renew contracts with either company.
My local HD doesn't even carry Defiant anymore. Only some Coasts, some Millwalkees, a few Energizers (but no Hardcase) and what Maglite stock remains. It's as if they have abandoned selling flashlights at all.
My local Wal Mart used to have a giant flashlight section and it's now like 3 shelves about 8 feet long and perhaps 5 feet high. It's like trying to find a film camera or VHS tape player lately. That one and my local Target have more vinyl albums than they do flashlights.
My local HD doesn't even carry Defiant anymore. Only some Coasts, some Millwalkees, a few Energizers (but no Hardcase) and what Maglite stock remains. It's as if they have abandoned selling flashlights at all.
My local Wal Mart used to have a giant flashlight section and it's now like 3 shelves about 8 feet long and perhaps 5 feet high. It's like trying to find a film camera or VHS tape player lately. That one and my local Target have more vinyl albums than they do flashlights.
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My local HD did have a few Rayovacs AAs by the check out but I think they are gone now.They were still carrying Mags last I checked but I don't know if any of them are new inventory,I might take a look today if I get the chance.
Walmart still carries Mags but the PivotPlus Hardcase AA is gone from the hardware section where all the lights are now an off brand on some sort. The Mags are in the regular flashlight section and probably the best of the lot.They do have the Energizer Vision headlamps at least.
I rarely bother with Target anymore but they don't seem to have much these days either. Some years ago Target used to carry a nice selection of INOVA lights and a better selection of Maglites.
Energizer having the Hardcase & Vision HD lights and Rayovac having the Indestructable line,there are some decent choices for consumers.Most retailers are still selling some sort of Maglites but it seems it that they are dropping Energizer and Rayovac.Maybe the profit margins are just too low compared to what they can get from off or house brand flashlights.
Walmart still carries Mags but the PivotPlus Hardcase AA is gone from the hardware section where all the lights are now an off brand on some sort. The Mags are in the regular flashlight section and probably the best of the lot.They do have the Energizer Vision headlamps at least.
I rarely bother with Target anymore but they don't seem to have much these days either. Some years ago Target used to carry a nice selection of INOVA lights and a better selection of Maglites.
Energizer having the Hardcase & Vision HD lights and Rayovac having the Indestructable line,there are some decent choices for consumers.Most retailers are still selling some sort of Maglites but it seems it that they are dropping Energizer and Rayovac.Maybe the profit margins are just too low compared to what they can get from off or house brand flashlights.
I think it's only in the northeast region, so far. The strange thing is that they didn't replace them with anything, just left the spaces empty in their flashlight section; though there's a bunch of coast lights in with the black Friday/Christmas stuff, which may move in there after the holidays?. They seem to be keeping the energizers that they had along with their own husky brand, some defiants too (another HD store brand).
Didn't make it to HD today, hopefully tomorrow. I did find a NOS Rayovac 2D Indestructible at Walmart but that seemed to be the sole survivor of the Indestructible series at the store.
Did finally make it to HD and they had the Indestructable 2AA back in the flashlight section. Appeared to be newer stock ,I noticed the lights have a yellow tail switch now. They also had the Energizer 1300 lumen Vision light for under $20 but it was out with the Christmas display in the front so I don't know if it will be offered once that is gone.
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!
The newest 2AA indestructibles are rated for 350 lumens, they are a bit brighter than the 300 lumen models with a bit larger, but slightly less intense hot spot making them bit less throwy. These also have the yellow tail caps.
WalkIntoTheLight
Flashlight Enthusiast
Around here (in Canada), mags were pulled off most shelves years ago. Too expensive (perhaps they're more reasonable in the US), and underpowered compared to cheaper alternatives. Mag dominated the incandescent market in the 90's, but never successfully made the transition to LED. They seemed to just want to stick with their old design, and tried to shoe-horn in an LED. They're better now, but still years behind brands that are popular on this site. Places like Home Depot are pulling them, because they're not selling.
The newer Maglites are not outdated at all – they are far better than anything HD sells. Mags might not be able to send out SOS in 57 languages or have 441 different sub lumen moon modes or need a manual and a flow chart work them, but that doesn't mean that they don't have up to date technology. What is behind the times to me, are cheaply made, poorly machined lights with substandard designs like HD's house brand husky and defiant lights….that goes for Coast lights as well, they may look better on the outside than huskys and defiants, but they are still cheaply made and poorly designed. I am sure these light are more profitable then Mags, since they generally sell for almost as much as Mags and they are obviously much cheaper to have made in China than to have made in the USA like Mag are.
Take a look at Old Lumen's Video tear down of the 3rd gen Mags:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-Tear-Down-of-the-3rd-GEN-Maglite-Flashlights
Take a look at Old Lumen's Video tear down of the 3rd gen Mags:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-Tear-Down-of-the-3rd-GEN-Maglite-Flashlights
I do not know Home Depot's motivation for removing Maglite's from their shelves, if that is what they are doing, but they are better than the Husky's HD sells, regardless of the lumen output. I own a few Husky lights and they are good for what they are, but a notch below Maglites. Maglites are not my favorite brand, and maybe their design is a bit dated, but I would bet they outsell all of the more expensive brands on this forum in the US here by leaps and bounds. Maglite is a household name brand. Try to find any of the known brands of lights on this forum in a retail store visited by millions of people a year. I have seen a few in outdoors shops like REI, but they are hard to find. They are also not overpriced like some lights I have seen mentioned here. Flashlights are simple devices made of aluminum, glass, plastic, and rubber for the most part. I think Maglite does a good job of making lights for what they are designed to do, and they are priced accordingly. They are also not advertised to be a weapon, tactical, have a million useless features most people will never use, and have a user interface that requires dozens of clicks of a switch to operate. They are also a good example that we can still manufacture items in the US for a reasonable price. Just my two cents! 
The 2x aa Indestructable used to fly off the shelves at my local HD, which is why I surmized it was a contract thing. Same with Maglites.
I also surmize that both HD and Wal Mart have reduced the number of flashlights they stock and some bean counter picked what they still do sell.
Heck, it could be somebody near the top at HD decided to up the required cash donation at contract time so Ray and Mag said "screw you pal"……
But unfortunately the general masses think all you need is a celphone. So unless it was under. $10 and over 1000 lumens they are not interested.
Another issue Maglite faces is repeat buyers. Make something that doesn't break and eventually nobody needs another one. It happened with vcr's in the 80's and laptops in the 90's. DVD players in the early 2000's and LED flashlights after 2010.
I also surmize that both HD and Wal Mart have reduced the number of flashlights they stock and some bean counter picked what they still do sell.
Heck, it could be somebody near the top at HD decided to up the required cash donation at contract time so Ray and Mag said "screw you pal"……
But unfortunately the general masses think all you need is a celphone. So unless it was under. $10 and over 1000 lumens they are not interested.
Another issue Maglite faces is repeat buyers. Make something that doesn't break and eventually nobody needs another one. It happened with vcr's in the 80's and laptops in the 90's. DVD players in the early 2000's and LED flashlights after 2010.
Thatz my guess.
Falcon9h
Newly Enlightened
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- Dec 29, 2019
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New here... I was active years ago, early 2000's. How things have changed!
Just wanted to mention I have a couple of the 1300 lm. Visions. No-brainer... I really like mine, especially at that price. Far cry from the days of the Luxeon tint lottery. 🙄
Local WM here in central Pa. had a good flashlight section, now it's stripped down to one set of shelves with Coasts, Mags, Bushnells and the store brand.
was at one of the HDs that had pulled the lights without replacing anything - now they have all the Mags and what's left of the indestuctibles plus a few energizers out on clearance at around 25% off. Their spaces in the flashlight section have been filled with huskys and coasts.....looks like the Mags and ROV's will be gone for good once they are cleared out in this store.
HD pulled all maglite stuff from their normal shelves and moved them to the "clearance" endcap in the back of the store here in connecticut last month. I travel all over the state for work and stopped in a bunch of HD's. All the same. And it wasn't just 2 or 3 on the shelves, they had boxes of them.
I picked up a few pro AA and AAA LED's just to keep on hand for future. I gave out LED solitaires and the 100 lum AAA's as gifts this christmas.
The flashlight section seems to be all "COAST" and a few low end everreadys.
I picked up a few pro AA and AAA LED's just to keep on hand for future. I gave out LED solitaires and the 100 lum AAA's as gifts this christmas.
The flashlight section seems to be all "COAST" and a few low end everreadys.
My local Wal Mart.
The hole used to have Maglites.
maglite mike
Enlightened
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- Apr 6, 2014
- Messages
- 330
I think they are going all online marketing , website, amazon etc. no reason to compete in the big box stores against the chinese junk lights.
I have no knowledge what's happening to the Maglites, but I may know what happened to the Rayovac's.
I live under 20 miles away from the WI plant. I have family that works there.
A year or two ago, Spectrum Brands sold Rayovac to Energizer holdings.
Since then, a lot of things have changed...not exactly for the better.
I live under 20 miles away from the WI plant. I have family that works there.
A year or two ago, Spectrum Brands sold Rayovac to Energizer holdings.
Since then, a lot of things have changed...not exactly for the better.
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