How does Maglite - today - keeps its reputation to non-englighted?

yellow

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really, this is a question I am thinking of, no bash-thinking at all ...

As You might (or might not) know, here in Europe there is pretty no understanding of flashlight-liking at all (or knife-liking, or ..).
Thats the reason, there are very few much makers, or just shops, here.

Also, I have used Mags for many years, like most of us, and still own some.
(and the Ds still offer the very good host for modding)

And I also understand, that when they were "invented", some XX years ago, and even possibly till about 10-20 years ago, there was nothing "better" in the low-to-medium price range.

But how do they keep to have ppl (who are not using lights) think the makes are the holy grail?
There is no advertising at all here, for all those 20-25 (?) years I am using flashlights now

Story behind:
lately a bunch of ppl met and one asked me about a cheap but good price-to-value-ratio handheld light to get.
As he needed no AA cells (= no GPS, no camera to feed), I showed him the 18650 Li-Ion route and thus the light I had with me - as an example for such a light.
He was/is interested, so I gave him links to Solarforce/DX/kaido, as they are fair enough in quality to start.
Also told that my "example" light of course is of a more expensive make, but at least the same size.
When handling the light, someone noted that this surely costs too much for what the guy might want to spend and that this "must be a Maglite" ...
:thinking:
it was a full overready Moddoolar natural HA diamondback 18650 host with nailbender XM-L insert.
How could any light of such a size just can be mistaken for a Maglite?
 
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Empire

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really, this is a question I am thinking of, no bash-thinking at all ...

As You might (or might not) know, here in Europe there is pretty no understanding of flashlight-liking at all (or knife-liking, or ..).
Thats the reason, there are very few much makers, or just shops, here.

Also, I have used Mags for many years, like most of us, and still own some.
(and the Ds still offer the very good host for modding)

And I also understand, that when they were "invented", some XX years ago, and even possibly till about 10-20 years ago, there was nothing "better" in the low-to-medium price range.

But how do they keep to have ppl (who are not using lights) think the makes are the holy grail?
There is no advertising at all here, for all those 20-25 (?) years I am using flashlights now

Story behind:
lately a bunch of ppl met and one asked me about a cheap but good price-to-value-ratio handheld light to get.
As he needed no AA cells (= no GPS, no camera to feed), I showed him the 18650 Li-Ion route and thus the light I had with me - as an example for such a light.
He was/is interested, so I gave him links to Solarforce/DX/kaido, as they are fair enough in quality to start.
Also told that my "example" light of course is of a more expensive make, but at least the same size.
When handling the light, someone noted that this surely costs too much for what the guy might want to spend and that this "must be a Maglite" ...
:thinking:
it was a full overready Moddoolar natural HA diamondback 18650 host with nailbender XM-L insert.
How could any light of such a size just can be mistaken for a Maglite?
Yet again we see more people not knowing anything about lights, Such a pity.
 

PCC

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I've seen TV commercials for MagLites here in the US.

I'm sure that a vast majority of their sales are based solely on brand recognition aalone. The unenlightened actually see MagLites as a premium brand. My coworkers kind of roll their eyes when I pull out a nice Surefire or other nice light, but, I get their attention when I pull out a modded Mag.
 

idleprocess

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In the US, up until about 5-6 years ago, Maglite was the only quality flashlight with a consistent retail presence in hardware, outdoor, and big-box stores. Yes, Maglite is not exactly what CPF considers "quality", but look at their competition - $0.99 Everready 2D flashlights with zero environmental resistance, "spotlights" running on 6V lantern batteries, and an array of near-throwaway forgetable cheap plastic lights. Relative to these, Maglites are quite durable, offer variable focus (not very good focusing, but variable nonetheless), and consistently priced below the $20 pain point most customers seem to throw at general-purpose flashlights.
 

TheExpert

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I can summarize like this, people who aren't looking for "the best" or anything will buy what is available at a store. Ex. do you research the best possible hair conditioner? I know I don't, I just want it clean that's it. People who just want something to work will not make the effort to find something better. I detail cars and I know some people that wouldn't have me detail their cars even if I cut the price by 75%.
 

enomosiki

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Maglite's quality is that of endurance and longevity.

For many people, Maglites are not just flashlights--they are symbols that define what flashlights are in their minds. The basic designs have been around for decades and their shapes are drilled into their memories.

Many brick and mortar shops have the Maglites on prominent displays. Unless you have the eyesight of a blind bat, they are really, really hard to miss, especially since most people remember what Maglites look like when they watched their parents using them when they were younger.

Most people have been to retail stores at least once in their lifetime, and passed by the flashlight section where Maglites are hanging on the racks. Thus, when the need for a flashlight rises, people will instinctively remember that they can get a Maglite at the stores.

Another fact that most people don't really do any sort of research before going to the store and purchasing one. Many retail stores, unless they are highly specialized (e.g. - survival, surplus, outdoors, etc.), have very limited variety of different flashlight brands on display. Aside from Maglites, the only other lights that I have occassionally seen are Dorcy, Rayovac, Eveready, Garrity and Coast/LED Lenser. As a result, most people are not aware of the fact that there are countless flashlight brands available out there.

So, as the result of the limited choices offered by retailers and the fact that people are used to seeing Maglites since childhood, it's quite obvious that Maglites are still selling.
 

TheExpert

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Maglite's quality is that of endurance and longevity.

For many people, Maglites are not just flashlights--they are symbols that define what flashlights are in their minds. The basic designs have been around for decades and their shapes are drilled into their memories.

Many brick and mortar shops have the Maglites on prominent displays. Unless you have the eyesight of a blind bat, they are really, really hard to miss, especially since most people remember what Maglites look like when they watched their parents using them when they were younger.

Most people have been to retail stores at least once in their lifetime, and passed by the flashlight section where Maglites are hanging on the racks. Thus, when the need for a flashlight rises, people will instinctively remember that they can get a Maglite at the stores.

Another fact that most people don't really do any sort of research before going to the store and purchasing one. Many retail stores, unless they are highly specialized (e.g. - survival, surplus, outdoors, etc.), have very limited variety of different flashlight brands on display. Aside from Maglites, the only other lights that I have occassionally seen are Dorcy, Rayovac, Eveready, Garrity and Coast/LED Lenser. As a result, most people are not aware of the fact that there are countless flashlight brands available out there.

So, as the result of the limited choices offered by retailers and the fact that people are used to seeing Maglites since childhood, it's quite obvious that Maglites are still selling.

I think that is the best explanation we can get. spot on. And I gotta say my first flashlight was a 2d mag that got me into all this and they are not bad really just different.
 
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Chicken Drumstick

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it was a full overready Moddoolar natural HA diamondback 18650 host with nailbender XM-L insert.
How could any light of such a size just can be mistaken for a Maglite?

Many people struggle to tell a Mini from a Rolls Royce, despite the fairly obvious differences. Flashlights and torches are somewhat more sublte. To many they are just plastic or metal tube, often black and have a bulb and nothing more.

In the UK unless you are really into such things you simply won't have heard or know of anything other than MagLite. And even then it's only likely to be luck they even know MagLite as a brand. Pop into most hardware stores in the UK or supermarkets and you might find something being passed off as torches, but they'll be cheapy EverReady or Duracell plastic jobbies with an incan bulb. Or at best some unbranded 9 LED 3 AAA light.
 

novice

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I think that a lot of the name brand recognition for Maglites comes from their relatively common exposure in hardware stores, and the fact that they have a history of use with LE. If you go into any of a number of B&M stores today, you will probably find Maglites, and cheap 2-3 D plastic lights, and cheap led lites hanging on pegboards (that are not very impressive). Every time I go to the dentist; while I am waiting, I flip through their past issues of 'Outdoors' magazine (which most people have never seen), and the only flashlight ads I have ever seen are for Fenix, and - quite specifically - the Surefire E2LAA Outdoorsman. I am not entirely sure how other decent flashlight companies 'advertise'. Malkoff, for example, has a cult following, a relatively small output, but it's reputation, and it's website, is enough, so far as I am aware, to make the sales. Nailbender is probably known only through CPF(???). I'm not quite sure how Fenix, or Olight, or Eagletac, or ITP, or Thrunite (and yes, there are myriad other decent makers), gets the word out, aside from the types of websites, which, I think, mostly CPF'ers know about. I really don't know. I was in Brazil not too long ago, and left a Franken-lego there with an old friend of my S.O., who was one of our hosts. That was one of my three flashlights for the trip (including my keychain light), so gifting it was cutting redundancy dangerously close. This was a man who had a small IT business (his), who was not unfamiliar with modern technology, but the 2xAA flashlight I left with him left him almost comically baffled. It was definitely not part of his techno-awareness (What was sort-of-unspoken was, "Why would you normally have this bright 2-stage flashlight with you?" Then, "How much did it cost? NO.") I don't know how it works in Asia or Europe, but in this country, I think that the light brand either has to be commonly seen in chain-stores, or commonly advertised, and you don't see that happening for most flashlight brands.
 

redking79

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Good marketing and product placement. If you give your flashlights to cop shows on TV and to Hollywood movies, they'll show up where millions of people can see them. Once they're associated with a certain type of occupation like law enforcement, it's smooth sailing from there.
 

idleprocess

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Maglite's quality is that of endurance and longevity.

For many people, Maglites are not just flashlights--they are symbols that define what flashlights are in their minds. The basic designs have been around for decades and their shapes are drilled into their memories.

Many brick and mortar shops have the Maglites on prominent displays. Unless you have the eyesight of a blind bat, they are really, really hard to miss, especially since most people remember what Maglites look like when they watched their parents using them when they were younger.

Most people have been to retail stores at least once in their lifetime, and passed by the flashlight section where Maglites are hanging on the racks. Thus, when the need for a flashlight rises, people will instinctively remember that they can get a Maglite at the stores.

Another fact that most people don't really do any sort of research before going to the store and purchasing one. Many retail stores, unless they are highly specialized (e.g. - survival, surplus, outdoors, etc.), have very limited variety of different flashlight brands on display. Aside from Maglites, the only other lights that I have occassionally seen are Dorcy, Rayovac, Eveready, Garrity and Coast/LED Lenser. As a result, most people are not aware of the fact that there are countless flashlight brands available out there.

So, as the result of the limited choices offered by retailers and the fact that people are used to seeing Maglites since childhood, it's quite obvious that Maglites are still selling.

A flashlight purchase is a "low involvement" decision for most consumers. They want to go somewhere and pick something off the shelf without much thought. If it's something familiar, all the better. It's similar to how people buy convenience items like razors ... they will usually stick to what they know and will only pay a modest premium for what they perceive to be a superior good.
 

Gunner12

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Another reason might be that Maglites can be pretty pricy outside of the US. So many people probably also associate the higher price with higher brightness and quality.
 

Roger Sully

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I've actually found that people tend to associate things in their mind and there's nothing you can do to change it. They may have gotten a Maglight when they first came out and they have been impressed ever since.
I gave a neighbor a light a few months ago (Novatac Storm) and he still refers to it as his "little maglight"....
I have also known people who constantly refers any 4-wheel drive vehicle as a Jeep....
 

Swedpat

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How could any light of such a size just can be mistaken for a Maglite?

"Normal people" have no concept about flashlights. Many know Maglite and still think they are the top brand. They have no concept of what is a good or bright flashlight. Demonstrating a stock 6D pretty often gives some WOW! while demonstrating a 1AA LED light often doesn't make any attention. And that despite that the 1AA light can be brighter. They have no concept.

I know people who don't even own a flashlight!

Me too! :D
 

127.0.0.1

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Maglite's quality is that of endurance and longevity.

For many people, Maglites are not just flashlights--they are symbols that define what flashlights are in their minds. The basic designs have been around for decades and their shapes are drilled into their memories.

Many brick and mortar shops have the Maglites on prominent displays. Unless you have the eyesight of a blind bat, they are really, really hard to miss, especially since most people remember what Maglites look like when they watched their parents using them when they were younger.

Most people have been to retail stores at least once in their lifetime, and passed by the flashlight section where Maglites are hanging on the racks. Thus, when the need for a flashlight rises, people will instinctively remember that they can get a Maglite at the stores.

Another fact that most people don't really do any sort of research before going to the store and purchasing one. Many retail stores, unless they are highly specialized (e.g. - survival, surplus, outdoors, etc.), have very limited variety of different flashlight brands on display. Aside from Maglites, the only other lights that I have occassionally seen are Dorcy, Rayovac, Eveready, Garrity and Coast/LED Lenser. As a result, most people are not aware of the fact that there are countless flashlight brands available out there.

So, as the result of the limited choices offered by retailers and the fact that people are used to seeing Maglites since childhood, it's quite obvious that Maglites are still selling.


This ^^^^^

a) supply one decent flashlight, the Maglite, at your store

b) supply CRAP flashlights as all the alternatives (yes all rayovac, everyready, and garrity, dorcy are still crap that fails as a given)

bingo. Maglite still the king.

and you still cannot beat a Maglite '3 or more D' flashlight as a home self-defense baton. good for the 'ol aluminum shampoo
 
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yliu

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Actually I think the LedLenser is the most dominant flashlight brand. I see that many stores have a bunch of those light in stock, with fancy displays and stuff. While Maglites are next to other cheaper lights, and they only stock a few of them.
 

bushmattster

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In my town it's the best light available for purchase. It's available at the Walmart. Hell, most people I know won't even spend the money to buy a Maglite! Most of them have some cheap $5 led piece of crap they picked up off the counter while standing in line to check out, or they just have nothing at all. They don't see a need for a decent flashlight.
 

ScaryFatKidGT

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I've actually found that people tend to associate things in their mind and there's nothing you can do to change it. They may have gotten a Maglight when they first came out and they have been impressed ever since.
I gave a neighbor a light a few months ago (Novatac Storm) and he still refers to it as his "little maglight"....
I have also known people who constantly refers any 4-wheel drive vehicle as a Jeep....
LOL exactly

"Normal people" have no concept about flashlights. Many know Maglite and still think they are the top brand. They have no concept of what is a good or bright flashlight. Demonstrating a stock 6D pretty often gives some WOW! while demonstrating a 1AA LED light often doesn't make any attention. And that despite that the 1AA light can be brighter. They have no concept.
That's when you need a TK41 (basically a 2D size) or if that doesn't work a VaraPower Turbo :) Just don't tell them it costs $400.

Y do people call all MP3 players iPods? And all tablets iPads? And I have noticed any smartphone being called a iPhone by older people too although less common. Also at least here people commonly call all tissues "Kleenex's" and moist towlets "Wet-naps's" which I think use to be a brand or still is.

Unlike the previous examples Mag was the first and AT THE RIGHT PRICE CHEAP! (relatively) for only about double the price of other lights you got a light that came with an extra bulb and always worked.

Why its taken everyone so long to realize there is better stuff idk I think it has something to do with the human brain and how society works and lack of demand, people don't think about flashlights till they need one and then most don't know any better and people keep spreading the word that Mag's are the best flashlight.

Most law enforcement and emergency crews still have no idea what Surefire (let alone any other brand) is but even if they did they would chose Mag because of price and availability of batteries until someone pulled one out and showed it to them in the dark.
 
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LEDninja

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The 3AAA 9LED lights are slowly replacing the 2D/2AA plastic incan flashlight.
What else of higher quality is available at a drugstore, discount store, department store or hardware store but Mags. Try find a Fenix or Foursevens at a local hardware or department store. Let alone an Olight or Sunwayman or Zebralight. Or Surefire.

When the non-englighted want light they want light. Not have to figure out a complicated UI before they get light.

Quark Tactical is 2 modes 206 lumens on max $57.00 (the latest is 280 lumens $78.00).
Mag 2AA MiniMag Pro+ is 2 modes 245 lumens on max. $28.99.
Tell me another company that can match the MiniMag Pro+ in QUALITY AND PRICE.
 
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