Minimag 2AA LED now discontinued at local Wal-Marts

[Modern_Major_General]

Put in a better LED, an improved regulation board and a momentary on tailcap switch and I'll buy 2!

Amen to that

I think in the end, when you combine all the good points folks here have already made, the Mini-Mag LEDs are just sub-par lights.

Already available here

Touché MattK, touché.

 

[ViReN]

What's your theory? Is it just not a good light, or is it hard for the average joe justify $25 on a 2AA Minimag that just happens to use LED?

If we think highly optimistically, there is a chance that MiniMag 2AA LED Upgrade (Luxeon Rebel / K2 Rebel) is coming up.... like say Luxeon Rebel Version making the existing Luxeon III Version absolute.... so they discontinued???

 

[Burgess]

Same at my local Wal-Marts. All gone.


When they were available, the Mini-Mag 2AA "classic" was $8.78.

The Mini-Mag 2AA LED was $23.74. (that's what i paid for mine)


Now, while i would LIKE to believe that Mag Instrument is poised to introduce a fancy new updated version,
that possibility seems kinda' remote. :sigh:


My humble opinion is:

Everybody in the "Real World" (that is, non-CPF'ers)
would look at the 2AA Mini-Mags on display. Both models.


They both look the same (kinda')

This one is a bit smaller (a slight plus)

It also comes in several different Pretty Colors (a BIG plus)


-- and --


It costs Fifteen Dollars Less ! (the most important PLUS of ALL)


Sure, we know that the LED version is (according to FLR) about 5 times as bright
as the incand. version.


But this fact is NOT made obvious to the potential buyer.


As JoeAverage sees it:

"This one has a "ELL-EEE-DEE", so the bulb never burns out"


"and this one uses a regular bulb, but hey, there's a spare one in the tailcap"

"and look, they even include two EXTRA spare bulbs, also"


"Can't see the Fifteen Dollar advantage in buying the new version !"



And ya' know . . . .


Mag's "point-of-sale" info does absolutely NOTHING to dispute this logic.


Unless you can SEE the difference, why spend 2.7 times as much !




My humble opinion is:

The world's biggest retailer just dropped Mini-Mags.

And that's really gonna' hurt Mag Instrument.


_

 

[Toohotruk]

My humble opinion is:

The world's biggest retailer just dropped Mini-Mags.

And that's really gonna' hurt Mag Instrument.


_

I agree...too bad Mag doesn't pull their heads out.

 

[PegAir]

Wal-Mart doesn't like sleeper products (those that are not fast sellers, and big hits). Especially when there is competitive products that are (regardless of quality).

The Mag's really aren't that expensive. Do you guys recall how much they were in the 80's? I don't recall the exact price (maybe $30+ for the D's, and $15 for the AA's), only that I wanted one, but couldn't afford it at my $4/hr grocery bagging salary.

Adjusted for inflation the new MiniMag's are a bargain especially given their advance in technology over the old ones. However, China-Mart wants to give people the best "bang" for the buck, not necessarily the best value for your money.

Done right, Mag would sell out its older versions, and stock/sell only the new ones. People would slowly catch on via word of mouth, and advertising. Its my estimation Wal-Mart is not that patient.

One can hope Mag is coming out with a new light, but I suspect we'ld have heard rumors.

Incidentally, last weekend anyway, at my Wal-Mart the Mag's where at the regular prices. No deals to be found.

 

[andyr354]

My local super walmart has nothing but 2D and 3D incans on the rack. They closed out ALL of the mag LEDs of any type.

They have the new ROV AA, some S&W LEDs, an energizer LED rechargable I have yet to find info about here, and the normal simple lights.

Andy

 

[22hornet]

Already available here

This is my feeling as well: get something else and better. When first at this forum I bought the led upgrades for my Minimags 2AAA and 2AA. I got the TLE-20 and the TLE-5. They are brighter but not really bright and the provided reflectors are broken easily.:sigh:

Everything considered it would have been wiser to get a light like an Inova Bolt or a Fenix 2AA directly. I really like the small Inova Bolt 2AAA: small, nice switch and enough lumens for most tasks.:thumbsup:

The only Maglite led-kit I really like is the one for the little Solitaire: it is reasonably bright and well regulated and keeps the stock reflector.:thumbsup:


Kind regards,
Joris

 

[Pax et Lux]

I think this says more about Wal-Mart than it does about Maglite.

However, if anyone is going to make Mag change their ways, it's going to be Wallyworld.

Interesting to see if, assuming Mag are considering product changes, they are going for low price or increased quality.

 

[m1ruf]

The discountet prices you pay for a 2AA MM Led are just INSANE!

Hell, even the regular prices are very low!

In Germany you pay around 43 $ (when its a cheap offer) for a 2AA MM Led, some even sell them for over 60 $!:mecry:
Same goes for the regular MAGs, its just INSANE!

 

[etc]

Well, I got a Fenix 2AA lite for over $50....

In this context $23 IS a good deal,

but no competition lumen-wise too Cree.

 

[Firehose]

Dudes!

Wal-Mart changes out their selection every summer. Most likely Wal-Mart made new selections and needed to clear out as many flashlights as possible to make room for new stuff.

 

[pradeep1]

A few local Walmarts had the 2AA LED MiniMag for $15.00 on the clearance aisle about two months back. I picked up four. One for myself and the others as gifts to non-CPF members who need some flashlight love.

Not bad for a $15.00 flashlight.

 

[ColtFan]

The local Walmart here has plenty on the clearance rack, but only marked them down to $ 19.00.

I keep checking to see if they came down, but they've been at that price for about 2 months.

 

[Pellidon]

I think they got dumped for the Brinkmann 2AA LED. At $14 mine beats the Mag version. So what if it does not focus?

 

[carrot]

This makes a lot of sense to me. People will see the MagLED 2AA and the Krypton 2AA and naturally pick the cheaper one. After all, it uses the same amount of batteries, how could it be any better? The MagLED 3AA clearly demonstrates its "power" because it is longer (and bigger), uses an extra cell, and clearly has no competition on the rack. At least, that's how I see it.

 

[KentuckyMike]

My local super walmart has nothing but 2D and 3D incans on the rack. They closed out ALL of the mag LEDs of any type.

They have the new ROV AA, some S&W LEDs, an energizer LED rechargable I have yet to find info about here, and the normal simple lights.

Andy, my local Wal-Mart did the same thing. They DID, however, have a large selection of the MagLite-brand LED drop-in modules. I called a friend of mine that usually has the inside info. He said most of the stores are going to only incan Mag's to make room for the new lights from other brands because they move better than Mags.

He said they'll keep the incans and the LED modules in most stores, though, because when you buy them separately you pay more...and Walmart makes more. And he said if they went to MagLEd only on the racks, they knew a large portion of their clientele would just go somewhere else to get their fix of trusty incan Mags. This way they keep the old-school incan Mag guys happy, the LED guys happy, raise profits on the Mags, AND make room for faster moving product. Sounds pretty smart in the end...

 

[HorseFilms]

My local Shopko store was closing these out a few months back. They had them for $10, so I picked up the last two they had. At that price, I couldn't pass 'em up.

 

[watt4]

I think they got dumped for the Brinkmann 2AA LED. At $14 mine beats the Mag version.

I noticed my local walmart now has the 1-watt, 2xAA led brinkmann for $14, and the 3-watt, 2xD brinkmann for $20.

 

[Firehose]

Andy, my local Wal-Mart did the same thing. They DID, however, have a large selection of the MagLite-brand LED drop-in modules. I called a friend of mine that usually has the inside info. He said most of the stores are going to only incan Mag's to make room for the new lights from other brands because they move better than Mags.

He said they'll keep the incans and the LED modules in most stores, though, because when you buy them separately you pay more...and Walmart makes more. And he said if they went to MagLEd only on the racks, they knew a large portion of their clientele would just go somewhere else to get their fix of trusty incan Mags. This way they keep the old-school incan Mag guys happy, the LED guys happy, raise profits on the Mags, AND make room for faster moving product. Sounds pretty smart in the end...

I too have a "guy" on the inside and they are telling me that Wal-Mart is buying flashlights and displaying them like "carrots and mushrooms!" Cheapest on top and most expensive on the bottom. Great idea, huh? NOT!:laughing:
Someday they will figure it out..........like Lowe's did.:nana:

 

[Handlobraesing]

My local Wal-Mart now have Rayovac 1 and 3 watt, machined aluminum flashlights. The build quality is decent.

The switch is on the rear. Partial on = push with the rear piece slightly loosened. Steady on = tighten the cap all the way.

$20 for 1 watt, $25 for 3 watt. If Mag 2AA didn't sell too well, I'm not sure how they expect these to sell better :dunno:

Perhaps the margin is a lot better on these?