Brinkmann Maxfire LX, or SF G2 for "car duty" light....

First off, let me state that i can't stand "ripoff" companies that steal the concepts and designs of other companies and pass it off as their own product (Taylor cutlery, Frost cutlery, and micro$oft spring immediately to mind....)

that said, since i've upgraded my SF G2 Nitrolon with a BOG 3W and a UCL glass lens, it's been seeing more use outside of the car, in fact, i've added it to my EDC setup....

so i need a powerful light to keep in the car, in addidion to the generic cranklight, the Inova 24/7, and Husky SLA Worklight already there

thing is, it makes no sense to me to spend $40 for a flashlight that'll end up living in the car and seeing intermittent use, so tossing another G2 in the car makes no financial sense

i was looking at the Brinkmann Maxfire LX, and it seems to be a decent high-output Xenon light, very similar to the G2, in fact, IIRC, it can even *use* SF lamp assemblies....

so the next question is....

is the Maxfire LX a "G2 Ripoff" light, it looks very similar to the G2, too similar for my tastes, if the MF-LX *IS* a ripoff of the G2, i'd prefer to not support Brinkmann with my hard-earned cash, i don't buy rip-off products, i buy the real thing....

OTOH, if the Maxfire LX *ISN'T* a G2 ripoff, it might be worth picking up as a cheap beater/car light....

ahh, screw it, i'll pick it up anyway, $20 for a beater car light is too good a deal to pass up...

Well, the Maxfire is extremely close to the G2... not sure if it's quite a ripoff, but it is certainly inspired by the G2. I don't personally have tremendous issues with similar lights such as the G2 and Maxfire. I've owned three G2s all of which I've sold and I had one 2x123 Maxfire that I sold and one rechargeable Maxfire that I sold. I currently have a Maxfire that I pretty much never use that came with a modded BOG module. I don't keep such a light in my car but if I did, I'd have no issues with it being the Maxfire.

To be perfectly frank, if you don't know and have to ask, then it's not really an issue. If it were an issue, I think you'd see some litigation between the two companies since they're both US based.

However, if it is for boasting purposes, or if you have concerns about the reliabilities of, or have issues with using products assembled from outside of the U.S., then you'll be better served getting a genuine G2. Or if the two lights look too much alike for your preferences, consider a US assembled product like the Streamlight Scorpion.

On the other hand, if you like the looks of your G2 and are looking for a similar sized light that will throw farther and output more light than your G2 and all of the Streamlight Scorpion/TL-2/NF-2 models, and cost less than half of what a G2 costs, then you might want to make a trip to your local Target store.

Brighteyez said:

To be perfectly frank, if you don't know and have to ask, then it's not really an issue. If it were an issue, I think you'd see some litigation between the two companies since they're both US based.

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good point, i have no beef with Brinkmann as a company, i just wanted to avoid any "Taylor Cutlery" style problems (Taylor makes poor quality ripoffs of reputable knifemakers designsm taylor is best known for their Smith and Wesson line of "knifelike-metal-objects")

Brighteyez said:

However, if it is for boasting purposes, or if you have concerns about the reliabilities of, or have issues with using products assembled from outside of the U.S., then you'll be better served getting a genuine G2. Or if the two lights look too much alike for your preferences, consider a US assembled product like the Streamlight Scorpion.

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no boasting issues, i have no problems with imported products, as long as the quality is high (i own and love a Fenix L1, we *all* know how great that little Shenzen-made light is), country of origin is a non-issue, as is reliability, this *is* a light that will be living in the car and won't see a whole lot of use...

Brighteyez said:

On the other hand, if you like the looks of your G2 and are looking for a similar sized light that will throw farther and output more light than your G2 and all of the Streamlight Scorpion/TL-2/NF-2 models, and cost less than half of what a G2 costs, then you might want to make a trip to your local Target store.

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Considering my "closest" Target is over an hour away in Concord, NH, going to Target is a non-option, although.... there have been posts on Bladeforums about sale prices on Leatherman multitools, maybe i should give them a ring first...

Sure they share a similar concept.

But the Maxfire is a GIANT next to a G2!

It does however have a pretty decent clickie....

That said, I have had a Maxfire with a P60 in my truck for some time now.

Also, Maxfire bulb replacements are something like $6 or $7, instead of about $28 for G2 bulb - you have to get them from Brinkman (check their web site).

You can get a Maxfire w/a sheath at T@rget for $17.

Then spend the extra 3 bucks and get it from Wal*Mart. The only problem is that the one from Wal*Mart cost more and doesn't come with a holster that the Target package has. I guess it's a matter of your personal prejudices. As far as I'm concerned, the Brinkmann LX is a higher performing version of the G2 suitable for everyday type use (like throwing into a glove box). If I were to use a light in a public safety employment situation, I'd probably continue to use my SL TL-2, but I'd have no qualms about using a Maxfire LX for just about anything else (including as a backup to the TL-2).

MacTech said:

Considering my "closest" Target is over an hour away in Concord, NH, going to Target is a non-option, although.... there have been posts on Bladeforums about sale prices on Leatherman multitools, maybe i should give them a ring first...

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A colleague here has a G2 and I just compared it to the Maxfire. There's not that much of a difference though the G2 is thinner. If anything the Maxfire has a much more tacky rubber feel to it. or you could say that the G2 has more of a harder plastic feel to it.

And of course, there's that clickie.

PlayboyJoeShmoe said:

But the Maxfire is a GIANT next to a G2!
It does however have a pretty decent clickie....

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Go to OpticsHQ and get the G2 for $28. I just did. For the $8 difference in price it's a no brainer imo.

I have both the G2 and the MaxFire LX, and though I've got nothing against the G2, gotta say that the MaxFire is IMHO an impressive product, especially given the price! The outside is sheathed in a medium-hard rubber that's easy to grip and cushions against drops... the clickie feels GREAT and inspires confidence... the reflector is aluminum with a nice, clean beam pattern... and everything fits together nicely. I've not doubt that the MaxFire LX could survive a dunk in a puddle without the slightest problem, and it should last a good long time bouncing around in a car or truck.

Actually, I modded mine to replace the bulb itself with a LuxIII, 27mm smooth reflector, and DB400 regulation circuit. The resulting light rides proudly in the storage bin under the armrest of my car, and pumps out a great beam! Used it while helping a friend jump start his car a few weeks ago and it did its job nicely.

As for my G2... well, sadly it gets mostly shelf duty, not because there's anything wrong with it, just that I find myself using other lights most of the time and I'm really not much of an incandescent guy. Oh well!

MacTech said:

i was looking at the Brinkmann Maxfire LX, and it seems to be a decent high-output Xenon light, very similar to the G2, in fact, IIRC, it can even *use* SF lamp assemblies....

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THIS I did not know! When looking for a higher output/backup light for my trucks, I bought G2's because of the P61 LA. If the Maxfire can use them, is less hassle to buy with no shipping, AND has a clickie...........well, it's not a Surefire, but definitely worth a closer look. I just loaned a G2 to a friend and doubt I'll get it back, so I'm in the market for a replacement. Thank you, MacTech!

Cheers! :buddies:

I have the utmost respect for PlayboyJoeShmoe and he's long been one of my very favorite CPFers, but I've never fully understood his feelings that the Maxfire dwarfs the G2...

As I said, I've sold all my G2s so can't do a comparison photo, but I've held them both in my hands at the same time and, while the G2 does feel light a higher quality piece, size-wise, in my estimation, there isn't a tremendous difference. I'd prefer the Maxfire with gloved hands though. Also, both rubber pieces easily slip off of the Maxfire.

Overall, it's a toss up... I'd rather have a Surefire product than a Brinkmann product, but both have treated me well. I'd rather have a glass lens than lexan though I've never had a problem with either. I'd rather have a clickie than the tactical type switch, but I'd prefer a LOTC. Plus I mainly use Xenon lights as momentary anyway.

Overall, I prefer the Dorcy Spyder, the Pelican M6 and the Streamlight TL-2 to either the G2 or the Maxfire.

For a truck or car light, I'd just go for the Maxfire.

What kind of self-respecting Flashaholic would i be if i passed up the opportunity for *another* flashlight, right?

i decided to give the Maxfire LX a chance....

overall, it's a good, basic light, fit and finish are not comprable to the G2, the plastic parts feel....well...cheap and plasticky, the bulb is a seperate component from the reflector and is mounted in a plastic base with a large ring contact at the base, the reflector is aluminum, has a LOP texture, and is held in with a black plastic spacer that is removable, removing the retainer ring allows you to remove the reflector, removing the reflector will permit installation of a G&P 3W Luxeon assembly, or the SureFire P60 or P61 lamp assemblies

the rubber grip sections allow good, solid grip on the light, and the clickie has both a momentary mode and click on/off, however it has a rather long throw to click on or off

as far as the actual illumination performance goes, it's a decent enough light, no it can't compete with a P60 or P61 lamp assembly, but it's good enough for a car light/beater

it produces a relatively tight hotspot, but mine is an off center oval-ish hotspot, and strangely enough, even though it has a LOP finish, there are artifacts and rings in the beam, they're not bad, probably not noticable in everyday use, but definitely visible when white wall hunting...

the actual beam produced is slightly dimmer than the SF P60 assembly, but that should translate into slightly longer runtime, replacement bulbs may be hard to find, they weren't available at my wally-world, however, since the Maxfire LX can use SureFire lamp assemblies (after you remove the reflector), i'll simply use the stock bulb until it burns out, then replace it with my spare P60 left over from the G2 i upgraded with the G&P 3W drop-in, and get a SureFire quality beam in a cheap beater light

here's some pics;


Maxfire on the right, P60 on the left;

Maxfire beamshot, note the rings and artifacts, and the oval shaped hotspot, 1 foot from wall;

and for comparison purposes, the SureFire P60, 1 foot from wall;

Actually that might just translate to "it might not be putting out as much light as it should for the amount of battery that it's comsuming". It really should be brighter and throw farther than a G2.

MacTech said:

the actual beam produced is slightly dimmer than the SF P60 assembly

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Contrary to what some might think, the world does not revolve around Bentonville AR or Wal*Mart. You can get the replacement bulbs directly from Brinkmann postpaid. But if you want, you can of course use Surefire light assemblies as well.

MacTech said:

replacement bulbs may be hard to find, they weren't available at my wally-world

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Brighteyez said:

Actually that might just translate to "it might not be putting out as much light as it should for the amount of battery that it's comsuming". It really should be brighter and throw farther than a G2.

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looks like i'll have to do a "real world" throw test tomorrow evening, i'll stand at the entrance to our 40 foot long driveway and illuminate the back of my car, see which light throws further

Brighteyez said:

Contrary to what some might think, the world does not revolve around Bentonville AR or Wal*Mart. You can get the replacement bulbs directly from Brinkmann postpaid. But if you want, you can of course use Surefire light assemblies as well.

Click to expand...

you're preaching to the choir here, i *hate* wally-world with every fiber of my being, and try to avoid making purchases there unless i really *have* to, that said, i already have a spare P60 that's gathering dust, so when the time comes to put a new bulb in the Maxfire, i have a choice of ordering the bulbs from Brinkmann and waiting for them to ship, *OR* pop out the reflector from the Maxfire and drop in the P60 that i already own, and get a nice rubber-grip Brinkman Maxfire that's putting out a SureFire quality beam *and* has a glass lens and a clickie tailcap, it's a win-win situation....

until i break down again and order that yellow G2 from Lighthound i have my eye on.... once i get that G2, i'll do a lens swap, pop the Maxfire's glass lens into the G2, and the G2's Lexan lens into the Maxfire

In the past 2 months I've acquired all my lights. The Maxfire XL was one of the 1st, and immediately went to car duty. It was replaced by a G2 and now sits on my wife's bedside drawer as an emergency light, along with the Dorcy Metal Gear. I have since bought 2 more G2's, a P61 lamp, and today got a new G2 & the B&G 3 watt drop in LED.

The Maxfire was a good starter light, but for me, the G2 is built more like a tank. The G2 is a little brighter and looks better in my opinion. My car has a G2 in the driver's door and might get the G2 with G&P LED instead. Of all these different lights I've bought, I even gave my Dad a G2. It's worth the extra $, in my opinion, over the Maxfire.

I really don't think the Maxfire is a "knockoff" of the G2 or any other light. It is what it is, a very bright, very affordable light that rivals the performance of lights costing much more. I have two Maxfires, a Legend LX and a G2 and although I'll concede that the G2 is a better light, the Maxfires are damn close in most respects. I applaude Brinkmann for producing lights of this caliber at such a reasonable price.

And I didn't really mean the size difference is THAT big...

But the LX is about 1/2" longer and a bit over a smidge fatter than the G2.

It has a porky hunk of rubber at the rear of the head that is more than a smidge fatter.

Still a remarkable light for fairly little dough!

I like the Maxfire LX quite a bit. Price is right... the inner metal sleeve with hard plastic around it and a heavy duty rubber sleeve around THAT is a bit strange, but IMHO not all that cheap-feeling... seems like the light will hold up well over time. Reflector is indeed aluminum with LOP. Polycarbonate lens. True tactical clicky on the tail end with a rather stiff action, which I actually like because it means less chance of accidentally activating the light.

Seems plenty bright, actually comparable to a G2 or E2E... thing is, it's tuned for more sidespill, so it won't throw quite as far... but I think the overall output is about the same, if not a bit better.

I do have a G2 as well and to be honest, I'm a little underwhelmed. The housing can be tough to grip if one's hands are a bit wet or slippery... lamp assembly is $$$ to replace... but for me, my biggest gripe is that IT'S NOT WEATHERPROOF. The momentary action of the tailswitch has no rubber boot whatsoever... in fact, the innards can fall right out when the tailcap's removed... the Maxfire LX on the other hand IS nicely weatherproof. For me that seals the deal. (Hmm... pun not intended!)

Heck, they're both fine lights. If you already have either one there's no reason to cry about it. If you're buying fresh, my suggestion would be either go for the Maxfire LX, or step up to the E-series SureFire lights, where you can benefit from markedly smaller size, hard anodized aluminum body, good knurling, decent pocket clip, true weatherproofing, and more.

milkyspit, the tailcap button on the G2 falls out only on the older version. I was playing with the older version and found the older tailcap to be an interesting oddity. The newer LOTC G2 has a rubber boot and the innards won't fall out.