Why so much hype around Malkoff?

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ank

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I don't understand, I looked at the Malkoff site and I see some very expensive flashlights there, with low lumen output and using CR123A batteries. Ok price is subjective, but that still leaves 2 very big disadvantages compared to other flashlights that run on rechargeable 18650 and produce thousands of lumens!
 

archimedes

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Although Malkoff makes a variety of models (with differing battery requirements and options) ... most are designed to run on (1x - 2x) 18650 cell(s)

Some can also run on CR123A (of appropriate number / voltage) as alternative power source
 
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HotWire

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Malkoff lights come with legendary reliability. Customer service (should you ever have a problem) is excellent. Lumen numbers are accurate! Malkoff flashlights are built to be reliable tools that will get the job done. The Malkoff lights I have all use 18650 batteries....
 

KuroNekko

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I don't own a Malkoff, but seeing what people say about them, I think I know why people like them. These US-built flashlights are overbuilt. They are basically built to serve a lifetime and survive the most extreme use. Malkoff examined and researched the vulnerabilities of flashlights and designed his to be overbuilt so failure is less likely. Not surprisingly, he seems to offer a lifetime warranty on Malkoff products. Basically, the difference is the quality in which they are built. Sure, they aren't the top spec products for output, modes, etc. but they are made to work each and every time for basically a lifetime. While these qualities may not really be of the most importance to a regular owner or even the flashlight hobbyist, I think it resonates well with those who use flashlights for duty like military, police, security, inspectors, etc. Furthermore, US-made flashlights are often designed with firearm mounting in mind. This means they are built to withstand the recoil from thousands of shots.

So again, products like Malkoff, Elzetta, etc. are overbuilt to withstand and survive the harshest conditions a flashlight may encounter to offer top reliability. This means they need the best quality in parts, design, manufacturing, and after-service. Hence, the attention is on that instead of chasing the top specs in lumens, run times, modes, features, etc. Given many US-based flashlights cater to military and police clients, they are built with reliability as a life-or-death difference so their products are designed not to fail.
 

yellow

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just dont wonder.
Instead get a nice 18650 housing and a P60 led insert suiting your needs (f.e. from member nailbender)

PS: if shipping were REASONABLE, I would have tried from them at some time in the past ... but higher (calculated) shipping costs than the light/insert itself? No thanks
:thinking:
 

Eric242

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PS: if shipping were REASONABLE, I would have tried from them at some time in the past ...
Same reason for me not owning a Malkoff, apart from the fact that I don´t like their design aproach at all. To each his own......

Eric
 

Modernflame

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The above points have been well made. I would only add that with today's tech, flashlights that produce thousands of lumens run very hot and are normally designed to step down within a short period of time. Malkoff lights don't do that.

This may be a personal preference, but the Malkoff brand tends to attract customers who have higher priorities than dazzling ANSI specs. Malkoff devices are tools, not toys.
 

ank

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just dont wonder.
Instead get a nice 18650 housing and a P60 led insert suiting your needs (f.e. from member nailbender)

PS: if shipping were REASONABLE, I would have tried from them at some time in the past ... but higher (calculated) shipping costs than the light/insert itself? No thanks
:thinking:
Is P60 the same as M60 and M61 from the Malkoff's site?
 

NH Lumens

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Extremely durable build quality
Highest quality components
Clean, practical design
Simple, effective UI
Ability to Lego with their large assortment of bodies, drop-in modules, etc.
Made in the U.S.A.
Extreme customer service

I own a fair collection Surefire, Streamlight and Foursevens. Malkoff was the last brand I tried and are now the first lights I reach for.
 
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bykfixer

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I avoided Malkoff lights for a while. Someone suggested one of his drop ins for my first SureFire 6P. After that I tried out the MD2 with a hi/lo switch up front and it was easy to see what all the fuss was about.

Soon after I gave away a couple of drop in's to friends who were completely psyched. Later I gave away a couple of MD2's to folks who ended up locking them up in their gun safe saying "too nice to use, I'll ruin it", or "this is my kids inheritance someday". Whoda thunk a flashlight would be seen as an heirloom? If you ever buy one you'll understand.
 
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scout24

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The current Malkoff Junkie thread, (Part two, mind you.) one of several Malkoff threads that are routinely on the front page of LED Flashlights, is 5 1/2 years and going, 412 pages, 12,357 posts and over a million views. If their products weren't worthy, this would not be the case. 'Nuff said.
 

terjee

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About Malkoff and lumens...
Even in a physically well built light, you can still burn out a LED by overdriving it. If I want a "woooow, coooool"-type lumen output, I can always get it in a cheaper Chinese overdriven light. With a rugged and reliable light on the other hand, I want the LED to be pampered by the electronics, hoping for a long life of the LED itself. Probably one of the reasons why they're not front runners in the lumen race. They'd have to compromise the reliability of the light to compete, and that's be the exact opposite of what their target audience would want.

(Not currently a Malkoff owner, but I'm considering it)
 

glimmer

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I don't understand, I looked at the Malkoff site and I see some very expensive flashlights there, with low lumen output and using CR123A batteries. Ok price is subjective, but that still leaves 2 very big disadvantages compared to other flashlights that run on rechargeable 18650 and produce thousands of lumens!

Great responses above. I'll just add that I didn't "get it" either at first. The more I learned about, and used, Malkoff's, the more I appreciated what they offer.

BTW, there are several 18650 options available from Malkoff if you dig a little deeper.

There are only a few brands I even consider now. Malkoff is one of them.
 

bykfixer

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Another virtue of the Malkoff is the future proof design, which yes... allows you to upgrade the drop in easily.

They have a barrel large enough for 18650's but Gene mails them with 123 cells and all of his stated specs are around those cells he provides. (Battery Station cells)
Now his supplied modules are able to handle a wide range of voltage so output for 2x 123's for example is about the same with an 18650, but runtimes change with voltages, storage capacity and stuff like that.

My comments are based around the MD2 lights I own. Others can elaborate on other models.
 

Modernflame

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i'm tempted too, just to see what the fuss is all about.
So if I get a Malkoff flashlight, can I later change the dropin with one from somewhere else, that provides more lumens? like this one here:
http://www.mtnelectronics.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=86&product_id=804

I don't have experience with this particular drop in, but Malkoff drop ins are designed to make contact with a retention or high/low ring inside the bezel. Whether or not a drop in works will depend on the exact diameter of the drop in at the rear, near the spring.

I'm sure there are non-Malkoff drop ins that fit, but I'm not sure we can safely say that any P60 style module will work.
 

archimedes

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In general, in terms of fitment ...

• ... Malkoff dropins are P60 host compatible (although occasionally may need minor adjustments for contact issues in certain hosts)

• ... P60 dropins are not Malkoff host compatible (as they tend to be too large to fit inside the MDX bezel)
 

tech25

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Yes, malkoff dropins are underpowered compared to some other companies. But they are durable and put out the lumens they are supposed to for the amount of time advertised. They are out the front lumens, not emitter lumens which drop drastically once you take into account heat, lens and other factors.

Look at flashlight guides comparison of the elzetta Charlie AVS vs. the surefire 3 cell. The surefire is initially brighter but drops down rapidly while the Charlie keeps its lower lumens for the advertised time. The surefire would be better for short bursts while the elzetta keeps going at that level for a longer time. The same holds true with Malkoff dropins.

There are other lights out there that are brighter, but companies like Malkoff, Elzetta, HDS are meant to keep going when others fail.

It really depends on your needs and usage. If you want "wow" factor get a quad, triple or any other powerful light.
My edc is an Okluma DC1, I like having the turbo available even though most of my use is approx the same level as my M61N or less. But for work I use my M61N on an 18650- I know how long it will run and the level of light it puts out.
I would like to see an XPL-Hi version of the M61, that has a bigger hotspot with longer runtime....
 

Modernflame

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In general, in terms of fitment ...

• ... Malkoff dropins are P60 host compatible (although occasionally may need minor adjustments for contact issues in certain hosts)

• ... P60 dropins are not Malkoff host compatible (as they tend to be too large to fit inside the MDX bezel)

Thank you for clearly articulating the point. I am only vaguely familiar with non-Malkoff drop ins. One would need, for example, to wrap a Malkoff drop-in if it were to fit inside a Solarforce host, but this is no guarantee that a foreign P60 drop in would fit into a Malkoff Bezel.
 
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