Best MiniMag AA replacement

Xsavior

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Mar 4, 2005
Messages
40
Location
Vermont, US
I just joined, and i love all of the info here. I have been carrying a Solitare on my key cahin for quite a while (for lack of knowing better), and it just broke, so i'm going to try to track down an ArcAAA or go for a Peak Matterhorn 3 LED. But i'd also like something more efficient, or at least brighter than the MiniMag that i carry on my belt. Something about the same size would be perfect, and maybe keeping below the $70 range. LEDs would be my preference, but a nicer brighter incandescent would also be considered. Any suggestions... and would modifying work just as well.. or better?

Thanks
 

Hoghead

Flashaholic*
Joined
Jun 25, 2003
Messages
2,573
Location
Minnesota
I recommend a Sandwich with a mineral glass lens and a Kroll switch.

The Sandwich Shoppe seems to be out of the mineral glass lenses, but if you send Wayne a email he might have more. The purpose of the glass lens is that it doesn't scratch like the stock plastic lens.

These Sandwiches are much brighter than a stock MiniMag.

The MadMax Plus is the brightest with a runtime of about 90 minutes before it starts to dim.

The MadMax Lite is also much brighter than a stock MiniMag and it runs for about 3 hours before it starts to dim.

I prefer either with the TXOJ emitter because of color tint.

************************************************

Another option are the Brinkmann Nextstar bulbs. These are much brighter and whiter than the stock bulbs, but they are still not as bright as a Sandwich.

A Surefire E2e is a very nice incandescent light. This is a little shorter than a MiniMag and it will open up a whole new world of flashlights for you.

Here are Quickbeam's reviews of a Sandwich and the E2D or E2. There was no review of the E2e, so this was as close as I could come to the E2e. These are similar lights.

oldgrandpajack has some E2-BK for sale in B/S/T for $60.95. He is great to deal with.

PS: Welcome to CPF! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif
 

PhotonBoy

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 11, 2003
Messages
3,304
Location
Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia, Canada http://tinyu
untitled9ez.jpg


If you can wait for its introduction, consider the LRI Proton announced at the Shot Show 2005. Read about it at the bottom of this page. Also, read this CPF thread. Finally, check this page from Equipped to Survive.
 

Hoghead

Flashaholic*
Joined
Jun 25, 2003
Messages
2,573
Location
Minnesota
asdalton,

Thanks! I forgot about the Streamlight Junior Luxeon. It also has a warrantee and the Sandwiches don't. I still prefer the Sandwiches because I can choose tint, runtime and they have a high dome emitter, but the Streamlight is a good light and great deal.

Xsavior,
The differences between the Sandwiches and the Streamlight Jr Luxeon are real, but I'm nitpicking. If money is an issue (isn't it always) the Streamlight is a better deal. In actual use I don't think you would see much if any difference except in runtime. The MadMax Lite has a much longer runtime than the Streamlight. I've read that the Streamlight has much better runtime with rechargeable batteries than with alkaline batteries. I sold my Streamlight Jr Luxeon to a co-worker, so I can't say much more about it.

However with a MiniMag/Sandwich you can add a glass lens and if your light gets beat up you can buy a new MiniMag for about $7 or $8 and put the Sandwich and lens in it.
 

ob1

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Nov 11, 2004
Messages
125
The Streamlight Luxeon Jr Hands down. This flashlight was the gateway to flashoholicism for me. I love my Streamlight Lux Jr. Its one of my EDC's. I carry it on my belt in a leather MiniM*g holster. I just recently started running Energizer 2500mah nimh batteries in it and love it. It does get better run time on the rechargeables. I will stand by my Streamlight Lux Jr any day. I get compliments from people all the time on the brightness. For $30 you can't go wrong. Just don't go to http://www.streamlight-flashlights.com/ to buy one because they are not very nice people. The customer service sucks.

http://www.brightguy.com/detail_int.php?Sku=STR71500 Brightguy.com is great to deal with. Get a Streamlight Lux Jr. You won't be disappointed.
 

Roy

Farewell our Curmudgeon Administrator
Joined
Apr 14, 2002
Messages
4,465
Location
Granbury, Tx USA
Two years ago, if you wanted a small light with a Luxeon LS, you had to make your own. Take a AA MiniMag and a pill/sandwich of you choice and a clikie switch, and you had a nice flashlight that cost, today, in the $75.00-%80.00 range. Now you can get the Streamlight Jr LED for $30.00 that is equivalent to the modded MiniMags. Other than having the pride of owning a light that you modified yourself, I see no reason to NOT buying a JR.
 

coby1man

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Mar 21, 2004
Messages
39
Location
Westchester NY
how is the fit and finish of the streamlites? ha2?

also how moddable is the streamlite jr xenon? is the body different from the jr luxeon? (could I put in a Mad max lite in there? I assume that I can put in a MJ led in there though.
 

UnknownVT

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 27, 2002
Messages
3,671
[ QUOTE ]
Xsavior said: i'd also like something more efficient, or at least brighter than the MiniMag that i carry on my belt. Something about the same size would be perfect

[/ QUOTE ]

How about exactly the same size?

Use a drop-in mod.....

MJLED - Brighter and noticably better/smoother beam than the regular MiniMag, and runtime in the region of 30+ hours on plain Alkalines! and for about $6 (or $10 for a kit when available)....

"best" is always in the eye of the beholder - but for now this IS "best" for me.

here's a current thread - with lots of feedback/comments (including that runtime) and comparative beamshots:

MJLED drop-in for MiniMag 2AA


MJLED_mMag.jpg


As others have said here and on that thread add a Kroll clickie switch at about $5 to make the light even better....

MJ Cutdown High-power 5mm LED

Kroll clickie tailcap switch
both from the Sandwich Shoppe

Installation instructions from Lambda
 

The_virus

Enlightened
Joined
May 13, 2004
Messages
252
Location
Ottawa, ON, Canada
I'm in the same boat as you Xsavior, I used to carry a MiniMag AA on my belt, but after collecting flashlights for a while...it makes no sense for me to be carrying one of my worst flashlights with me everywhere! I stopped carrying the Solitaire long ago.

FlashlightReviews.com is where I go all the time to look for recommendations. I'm looking for a Luxeon LED specifically simply because of better brightness, and I think I'll end up getting a Streamlight Luxeon JR...sure there are brighter lights out there, but I'm trying to stick to a light that:

A) uses AA batteries, due to cost, availability, size, and longer runtime per cell (than AAA)

B) uses a Luxeon LED bulb due to durability, "lifetime" runtime (of the bulb), and brighter light output than standard LEDs.

C) is fairly conservative size-wise...I plan on carrying this everyday so nothing too bulky, wide, or long.

If you don't mind 123 Lithium batteries yourself (order online, save your money!) then the Nuwai QIII seems like a good choice. I'm thinking of getting one myself, but 123 batteries are such a pain in my opinion. It uses only one 123 battery so it's quite small, and it comes with a belt sheath and your first battery.

Currently I carry my Impact II with me all the time as a temporary replacement for the MiniMag AA. It's waterproof, uses easy to find batteries that are cheap, and provides 75 hours of useable light on one set. The pocket clip is really nice, it's not overly tight, but has a lot of surface area gripping the pocket so it's sturdy. It's a twist cap (as most dive-capable lights are) and provides a really clean spot, looks like a full moon. It's not terribly bright because it's only a standard LED, but it's still more reliable and has a better quality spot than a MiniMag AA.

Just to provide some other possible candidates that I looked at, Streamlight also has a great line they call TaskLights that run on Luxeon LEDs. I have the TaskLight 3AA and am very pleased with it. Nice clean "full moon" spot similar, but brighter than the Impact II. The only thing preventing me from carrying it everyday is the length. There are TaskLights that are shorter, using 123 batteries, but they are wider! Plus my feud to 123 batteries.

I've pretty much settled on the Streamlight Luxeon JR, now I just have to try and find one locally if possible!
 

Xsavior

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Mar 4, 2005
Messages
40
Location
Vermont, US
That sounds awesome, but the site says that they are sold out, and there nothing like it on ebay either... any ideas where i could find one now? (refering to the MJLED)
 

UnknownVT

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 27, 2002
Messages
3,671
[ QUOTE ]
Xsavior said: That sounds awesome, but the site says that they are sold out, and there nothing like it on ebay either... any ideas where i could find one now? (refering to the MJLED)

[/ QUOTE ]

yes....

please take a look at the link near the bottom of my previous post.

repeated HERE for your convenience....
 

Xsavior

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Mar 4, 2005
Messages
40
Location
Vermont, US
thanks, my mistake. Well, since i have decided to fully give into the addiction, maybe i'll get one of those, and a streamlight!!!
 

83Venture

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 21, 2003
Messages
623
Night Ize is coming out with a kit that has a multi LED head and a clickie tail cap kit to modify the AA MiniMag. There is a thread on it in the LED forum.
 

UnknownVT

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 27, 2002
Messages
3,671
[ QUOTE ]
Xsavior said: since i have decided to fully give into the addiction, maybe i'll get one of those, and a streamlight!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Spoken like a true flashaholic /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Please let us know how you think they compare....

I suspect that the MJLED although comparable in brightness - is not as bright on alkalines and will be a little more green than a real 1watt Luxeon - but the lesser qualities are far, far outweighed by the much better runtime of circa 30+hours vs. 1.5hours of the Streamlight......

That's why I am so enthusiastic - since we have nearly the same (OK slightly lesser) quality but something like 20x the runtime, or some 28 hours more..........
one of the MAJOR adavantage points of the LED to me /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Compared to 1watt Luxeon (1x CR123)
MJLED_S1801.jpg
 

bjn70

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 25, 2004
Messages
1,097
Location
DFW, TX
In the minimag size, there are the Streamlight Jr's and the Gerber Trio. The Streamlight Jr's have more throw and relatively short battery life. The Gerber Trio is more of a flood light and has long battery life. It depends on the use of the light. Some people use their to look into equipment cabinets and so forth in which case flood is probably better. If you need to look up at the roof inside a warehouse then you need something with good throw.
 
Top