Is Mag-Lite planning to discontinue incans?

I noticed over the past couple weeks that at every Walmart I went into (4 or 5 of them) there were sales on combo packs of 2D and MiniMags for $15. Seems pretty cheap for both. Do you think Mag is trying to get rid of the incandescent 2D and MiniMags, so they'd only be selling the LED models?

Does anyone have any insight into this?

The packs you are seeing were a christmas special, and they didn't sell well. Every store I've been to has the same. It is rumored (terralux sales guy said it) that they are phasing-out incans though.

Incans are toast on low end flashlights...... it is quickly becoming a disposable market as folks learn more and more of LEDs. If you go in Walmart today vs 2 years ago the tables have flipped.... 2 years ago 80% of the display were incans.... now 80% are LED.

Lynx_Arc said:

Incans are toast on low end flashlights.....

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My GF does all the every day shopping for us...groceries etc...and she loves the dollar stores and since I've accompanied her on trips to the dollar store, I've noticed a wider range of leds offered at this market level.

It would make sense to me, on some level, if they went with the trend towards an all led lineup, but their past and current offerings are so rooted in the incan setup and widely available replacement PR bulbs that a true transition to led would take a long time.

Its my understanding that M@g has discontinued production of their led drop-ins. This might force current incan owners to purchase an entirely new light rather than an upgrade. Spending more than $18 might steer them to another manufacturer.

But I wonder, when a regular person goes into walmart and see the price of an incan. maglite and LED maglite, which are they more willing to buy? The LED maglites are still double the price of the incan. versions. Just what kind of sales are the LED and incan. maglites seeing? Which sell more?

I am inclined to think that Mag will continue to produce the incan models but it does sound like they will be releasing some new LED models this year so it is hard to know for sure.
At any rate, I posed the question through the Maglite websites feedback and will report the answer I get if one.Maglite has responded to feedback in the past but they certainly have a right not to reveal their business plans so I don't know if I will get an answer.

I don't see the incan mag going away any time soon. There are still TONS of people that think maglite is the best available thing on the market. Mag could drop their output 20% and still sell the same number of lights that they do now.

I think they are as they are California based and if I'm not mistaken, California will have an incan ban (2012? (don't know/think it involves flashlights)) and it seems to me that once they roll out all of their new led products (if 2012 is right I'd assume they'd gradually release the new products up to then), they may stop making incans so more people will buy the led products and also take out other makers who make led dropins for Mags. Going green to the public while quite effectively taking out led aftermarket competition. Check?

JamisonM said:

But I wonder, when a regular person goes into walmart and see the price of an incan. maglite and LED maglite, which are they more willing to buy? The LED maglites are still double the price of the incan. versions. Just what kind of sales are the LED and incan. maglites seeing? Which sell more?

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Seiko said:

I don't see the incan mag going away any time soon. There are still TONS of people that think maglite is the best available thing on the market. Mag could drop their output 20% and still sell the same number of lights that they do now.

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2 good reasons why the incandescent Mag lights will not be going away soon. If anything it gives the consumers more choices.

According to the Terralux guy who started a thread here, he said Mag will be discontinuing their Incan models soon. I would think that to be credible information seeing how Terralux has been making Maglite upgrades for a long time.

In Australia there is only one shop still selling Mag incans.

ace0001a said:

According to the Terralux guy who started a thread here, he said Mag will be discontinuing their Incan models soon. I would think that to be credible information seeing how Terralux has been making Maglite upgrades for a long time.

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Still, I'd like someone closer to maglite to backup that information. If they are planing on phasing out their incan lights, what will be left? The rebel, luxeon III , or both? If all we're left with are the rebels, I think you can consider the drop-in market gone. The only thing I can see then is switch assembly upgrades.

One of the reasons I don't like the new rebel maglites is because you just can't do anything with them except use them as is or cut the switch down. This means $35 for a host either way. I also wonder what will happen to the 5D and 6D maglites? Will production of them stop seeing as there aren't any LED version of these lights?

I'm sorry, I just can't believe it right now. They may start focusing more on their LED lights, but I don't think they will ever completely stop making their incan. maglites. I think we will see incan maglites right next to their LED maglties for years to come, if not decades.

Whether or not they discontinue the incans... they should discontinue their European prices! Their battons are freakin' expensive all over Europe :thumbsdow

Twinkle-Plank said:

In Australia there is only one shop still selling Mag incans.

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You can buy incan mags everywhere in australia these days, from camping shops to the local Coles supermarket. The incan mags wont be going anywere, to many people think that there the best torch. But i love at work, when people come in asking for a maglight or the "new mag LED" and i show them, then compare with something from Led Lensers new line or something from inova, and they are blown away, but there still the top choice for security guards and truck drivers for the "smack you up the side of the head factor".

JamisonM said:

If all we're left with are the rebels, I think you can consider the drop-in market gone.

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I assure you this breaks Mag's heart. These lights weren't designed for CPF people, they are for the average Joe. With the economy as is, eliminating alternatives by making sure people buy their led and not their incan model now then someone else's led dropin later is rather wise on Mag's behalf. Also no more Walmart returns with incan bulbs swapped for the led.

Checkmate.

Twinkle-Plank said:

In Australia there is only one shop still selling Mag incans.

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LOL. Around where I live, k-mart sells them, numerous disposal stores sell them, security stores sell them, gift shops sell them and hardware stores sell them, and electronic stores. Where you got your info from I do not know.

Mag may drop incan for the AA and 2 D type lights, but the 3D+ lights, I think, will be around awhile. As someone said earlier, the "Up side the head" factor.

But cheap, very bright, aluminum body, very bright, LED lights, 2D and 3AAA at Home Depot. Husky. 2D for $25 and 3AAA for $21 and they are far superior to anything Mag puts out.

Twinkle-Plank said:

In Australia there is only one shop still selling Mag incans.

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K-Mart and Coles? :shrug:

defloyd77 said:

I think they are as they are California based and if I'm not mistaken, California will have an incan ban (2012? (don't know/think it involves flashlights)) and it seems to me that once they roll out all of their new led products (if 2012 is right I'd assume they'd gradually release the new products up to then), they may stop making incans so more people will buy the led products and also take out other makers who make led dropins for Mags. Going green to the public while quite effectively taking out led aftermarket competition. Check?

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It involves only regular light bulbs in the hope that they will be replaced by compact fluorescents (CFLs). I don't know if this passed or not.

I e-mailed them and:

Thank you for your interest in Maglite products. Presently, we have no intentions of discontinuing our incandescent product line.

Pretty interesting.