Why the maglite hate?

Lumenshroom · Feb 20, 2010

It just comes off as a bit of bandwagoning to me. Maglites are sturdy, simple lights that run off of easy-to-find batteries and I find myself using them in certain situations where a "higher-end" light wouldn't fare as well.

Plus Mr. Malkoff's dropins are amazing.

Kiessling · Feb 20, 2010

It has nothing to do with the lights, and neither with Mr. Malkoff.

It is their business practices.

If this hatred is justified or not and if it is expressed in an adequate manner, I leave to you to decide for yourself.

The lights themselves are highly regarded as "modder fodder" and laughed at for the old tech in stock form.

bernie

tk40 · Feb 20, 2010

Probably because Maglite is like a car that gets you from point A to B while constantly reminding you that it could go faster, if only...(fill in the blanks)

JaguarDave-in-Oz · Feb 20, 2010

Who hates Maglites? I've still got my first 4D from 1981. Don't use it much now because I prefer cool white of my leds but I'd never ever get rid of it. We've been through too much together.

flashfiend · Feb 20, 2010

Just bought a couple of customized Mags. As an output junkie, I'd never keep them in stock form though.

kramer5150 · Feb 20, 2010

Great for mods, but stock they stink.

mcnair55 · Feb 20, 2010

I do not hate Maglites as my first decent torch was a Maglite and cost me about £25 in the early 1980,s a lot of money in those days for a torch but would never buy one these days as they are living in the past and far better out there for the £/$.

Bit like Woolworth in the UK either keep up with the times or time will see the demise of certain brands who live on past success.

Imagine if Maglite restyled the body work and banged a really decent chip in there we would be knocking the door down to own one.I was given one this last week as a gift,I would have refused it but no way wanted to hurt the feelings of the giver and it was given because I collect but I have placed it in a drawer as I will never use it.

joshconsulting · Feb 20, 2010

Because they are dim, poorly built, poorly finished and easily broken with short runtime and horrible beam patterns.

angelofwar · Feb 20, 2010

No hate here...just don't like them (nearly) as much as my SF's. I have 6 or 7 mags, but my favourite is my Woodland Camo 3-D with soda lime lens and a mag led...still want too get a malkoff. They make great tire checkers too...:naughty:. If mag had only designed some kind of anti-roll mechanism into there lights (not the slip-on one), they would have gotten it right. Great lights in general, as long as you don't have the stcok krypton bulbs.

LEDninja · Feb 20, 2010

Maglite has this nasty habit of suing any new flashlight company that comes along putting them out of business. This includes many respected CPF members companies including the original Arc.

They sued Arc not on any patent infringement but on copyright - Arc had put 'Arc' on the back of the head. Maglite had copyrighted 'flashlight company name on the flashlight head'.
Maglite also copyrighted the shape of the back of the head follows the shape of the reflector.
Notice how flashlight names/models are usually on the body and the back of the head of most flashlights are not curved?
Patents expire. Copyrights do not.

Maglite will sue even if they have no grounds, figuring the small startups have no funds for lawyers and will fold rather than go bankrupt.

tk40 · Feb 20, 2010

LEDninja said:
Maglite has this nasty habit of suing any new flashlight company that comes along putting them out of business. This includes many respected CPF members companies including the original Arc.

They sued Arc not on any patent infringement but on copyright - Arc had put 'Arc' on the back of the head. Maglite had copyrighted 'flashlight company name on the flashlight head'.
Maglite also copyrighted the shape of the back of the head follows the shape of the reflector.
Notice how flashlight names/models are usually on the body and the back of the head of most flashlights are not curved?
Patents expire. Copyrights do not.

Maglite will sue even if they have no grounds, figuring the small startups have no funds for lawyers and will fold rather than go bankrupt.

Wow, excellent point. I wasn't aware. Thanks for the info....I now have to reconsider how I think of Maglite :sick2: (and below is a pic illustrating my thoughts on your argument)

Olef · Feb 20, 2010

LEDninja said:
Maglite has this nasty habit of suing any new flashlight company that comes along putting them out of business. This includes many respected CPF members companies including the original Arc.

They sued Arc not on any patent infringement but on copyright - Arc had put 'Arc' on the back of the head. Maglite had copyrighted 'flashlight company name on the flashlight head'.
Maglite also copyrighted the shape of the back of the head follows the shape of the reflector.
Notice how flashlight names/models are usually on the body and the back of the head of most flashlights are not curved?
Patents expire. Copyrights do not.

Maglite will sue even if they have no grounds, figuring the small startups have no funds for lawyers and will fold rather than go bankrupt.

That's outrageous. Certainly changes my view of the company. :shakehead

Olef

tk40 · Feb 20, 2010

Olef said:
That's outrageous. Certainly changes my view of the company. :shakehead

Olef

Here's what I'd like to add. Maglite's products are not the same as Maglite "the company", or Maglite "the lawyers" (corporate lawyers like to preserve their jobs by proving their vigilance).

I like Maglite lights. If I ever buy another one from Radioshack I'll remember to talk to the salesman about Maglite's patent trolls (which is what LEDninja was pointing out). But hating a product is akin to hating its engineers.

Ragiska · Feb 20, 2010

tk40 said:
Here's what I'd like to add. Maglite's products are not the same as Maglite "the company", or Maglite "the lawyers" (corporate lawyers like to preserve their jobs by proving their vigilance).

I like Maglite lights. If I ever buy another one from Radioshack I'll remember to talk to the salesman about Maglite's patent trolls (which is what LEDninja was pointing out). But hating a product is akin to hating its engineers.

but supporting a company is supporting how the company operates, including any unethical business practices which the company employs to increase sales of it's products.

if al quada hired the best engineers to manufacture a magnificent flashlight and sold it for an unbelievably good price, would you purchase the flashlight anyhow "because al quads's products are not the same as al quada "the company"?

andyw513 · Feb 20, 2010

I'm not exactly sure where I will stand on this issue. I like my Mags, I own three, but I think that they are sort of "low tech" from an electronic standpoint. I still find myself using them quite regular, however, as far as fixing leaks and water lines go, I keep them under the bed quite a bit.

LEDninja made a point that I was unaware of, and, if ethics enter the picture, it's almost tempting to cease future purchases of the light. All this time I thought the company was a simple business, and not an intricate network of suits that fault-find for their paychecks.

Olef · Feb 20, 2010

I too like Maglites and have several. But buying a product supports the company that makes it - not just its engineers - and it pays for its lawyers. If they behave badly then the easiest way to stop them is to 'vote with your feet' and stop buying from them. I will certainly look into this further before handing them any more of my hard earned.

Compared to the quality of lights out there now they are only fit for mod hosts anyway

Olef

sabre7 · Feb 20, 2010

Mag couldn't care less about what anybody associated with CPF thinks, and even less about whether anybody here ever buys their flashlights.

They do not need or want opinions or business from this comparatively tiny niche market. They also know they will continue to sell a gazillion lights regardless of whether anyone here likes them or not.

Larbo · Feb 20, 2010

I would not say I hate mine but...

I cant believe at one time I thought this thing was bright
The beam looks terrible

, and the warm color is enough to make me sick

, this happened a few months ago after I blew the dust off them and fired em up.
Back to the corner they go. :thumbsdow

tk40 · Feb 20, 2010

Ragiska said:
if al quada hired the best engineers to manufacture a magnificent flashlight and sold it for an unbelievably good price, would you purchase the flashlight anyhow "because al quads's products are not the same as al quada "the company"?

You are using an unrealistic example to make an argument. If I play your game maybe I should bring to your attention that Al Queda was funded by US and Arab money. Maybe you should cease to live in the US altogether? Or how about not paying taxes anymore because they are being used to sponsor a war on innocent people? When people say stuff like "It begs the question" or have a propensity to bring irrelevant examples into play it makes me cringe.

the.Mtn.Man · Feb 20, 2010

Lumenshroom said:
It just comes off as a bit of bandwagoning to me. Maglites are sturdy, simple lights that run off of easy-to-find batteries and I find myself using them in certain situations where a "higher-end" light wouldn't fare as well.

I don't think Maglites are hated around here so much as it's readily acknowledged that other manufacturers have left Maglite in the dust in terms of technology and features, but they have gotten a lot of respect for the Mini Maglite LED Multimode and the new XL100.

Also, can't find anything about Maglite suing Arc in a Google search. Anybody have any information?

Why the maglite hate?

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