MAG LED's - What's the deal with MAG Light?

Ok, so I'm a newbie to this group, so I may have missed this. What is the deal with MAG Instruments? I mean, "back in the day", they WERE the flashlight to have. Cutting edge. Man, I remember when the Solitaire first came out! I could hardly wait to get my hands on one. I still carry a 6D in the car, and a Solitaire in my pocket at work, now with its black anodizing rubbed off. I think MAG was really the tops. But now, in the past several years, I don't see anything coming from them as far as R&D and new (LED?) products. It seems they would have more capital ($) than almost any other flashlight manufacturers, but still the same old stuff – not that I don't think their current / old stuff isn't nice. Sure Fire, ORB, etc., etc., are much more advanced. Is it a patent thing? With MAG's manufacturing abilities, you'd think you would see 1 & 2 AA (and AAA) LED lights with high power LED's for like $20 from them.



Just thinking out loud I guess.

Actually, I think Mag is still a great brand. They are "yesterday's technology" sure enough, but you still get a super good product for $20. Lasts all night on a fresh set of batteries, you can tell when it is going dead (there's something to be said for that), you always have a spare bulb with you, you can beat it to H-E-double-toothpicks, and it still has among the best throw. I wouldn't want any other $20 light but a Mag.

About the LEDs, my guess is that they are waiting until the technology settles down. For one thing, a hallmark of Mag is the focusable beam. You can't really do that with LED light sources yet.

Scott

Here's a link to the biggest thread I've seen on it in my brief time here.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/90702&highlight=maglite+article+leds

Mags still make great mod hosts, though!

Thanks for the link TorchMan, some good reading and thinking there. Beezaur, I agree with you 100%. I just hope they [MAG] can prototype, test, produce, market and sell something at a mass production level before someone else does!

When I emailed them about it about three years ago, they claimed to be working on new products that would blow us all away. I'm still waiting.

At the very least, the Solitaire, the AAA, and AA MiniMags should become LED's. They are perfect candidates.

Unicorn said:

When I emailed them about it about three years ago, they claimed to be working on new products that would blow us all away. I'm still waiting.

At the very least, the Solitaire, the AAA, and AA MiniMags should become LED's. They are perfect candidates.

Click to expand...

Naaa... I'll just stick to doing the mods. It's more fun that way.

TorchMan said:

Here's a link to the biggest thread I've seen on it in my brief time here.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/90702&highlight=maglite+article+leds

Click to expand...

+1

That thread says about there is to be said on the subject.

joema said:

Mag has advantages in manufacturing and scale, so in theory they can enter the LED market late and still take over. However they've waited a long, long time, and are getting crowded off retail shelf space.

Click to expand...

I agree. And it's got to be at least a little embarrassing for them that Nite-Ize came up with an LED Mag retrofit before they did themselves.

For me, focusability isn't nearly as important as knowing that the light will still WORK after being dropped! If the bulb goes out, focusability doesn't mean a damn thing.

Mag is $200M anal sales (vs ~$50M for SF.) (And it wasn't a typo. ) 98+% of "John Q" considers Gags to be the Cadillac/Rolls of flashlights. The $3 Evereadys and Rayovacs at the "impulse buy" racks at the grocery store checkouts are perceived as more than adaquate to "Mrs. John Q." If "Mrs. John Q's" hubby is a gear head, Mags are the are tops! Flashaholics, including me, are "sick people!" Sometimes, I find myself proslytizing my daily friends. Fortunately, most of them have a sense of humor!

Larry

I'll keep beating a dead horse here,too . I work in a very large factory, in the skilled trades. The resistance to new flashlight technology is just totally baffling to me. Out of all the tradesmen I work with, I am the ONLY one I know of to be carrying a Surefire (G2), and using it in my daily work. I would say at least 80% of them use the cheap plastic 2-D light the company provides for free,with the balance having a MiniMaglite in their back pocket. I've seen just a couple of Dorcy 2AA LEDs in here-those are the only other lights I've seen other guys using. We often work in teams, and when I see someone working inside a dark machine or panel box with one of those miserable "issue" lights,and having to hold it about 8 " away from the work to see what he is doing, I break out the G2 and throw a brilliant beam from 8 feet away that lights up the whole work area. The other guys are amazed, and want to know what it is. I always tell them what it is,how much it is,and where to get them,but they continue to use the same old POS lights. They even come and get me for a job, and say "bring that flashlight of yours-we can't see where the leak is" These are technologically sophisticated guys, walking around with Nextels and Razrs on their belt,but they just won't step up to a clearly superior flashlight,even after it is demonstrated to them time and again. This is the sort of thing MAG is up against.

Yep, I'm a newbe, but I believe I can make a contribution to this tread. I wanted to buy "something" to start learning about LED's, so when I was at WalMart, I spotted a L.E.D. UPGRADE KIT for the Mini Maglite "AA", my most used flashlight!. It is sold by NITE IZE Flashlight Accessories, it cost $4.98. It is a 3 Bright White unit. Took it home, installed it and WOW, what an improvement. The light is totally white, no dark rings anymore and they claim the batteries may last up to 4 times longer. It has a flood pattern, and of coarse the beam is not adjustable, but it does not matter, it does'ent need to be, it is that much of an improvement!. Well, I am off to a good start, I am thinking on ordering 2 Surefire G2's, 1 for me and 1 for my father, but I am still going to do some more reading here before I order!!... I will be buying one of these "LED Upgrades" for each of my other and my dad's "AA" Maglites, next time I am at WalMart.....

ottoluck, welcome to CPF.

...wait until you try the TerraLux drop-in for the mini-Mag... then comes a sammie from the Shoppe, then... well... you'll never look at a Mag the same way again.

I still carry a Maglight in my truck (soon to be upgraded to LED) because it makes a GREAT bludgeon! Big medicine for those road ragers...:naughty:

Thanks for the lead Mr. greenLED!. I will check it out next time I am at Sammy's. It will be nice to be able to up-date my out-dated!!..., but I am still gonna buy a real one, so far I am thinking Surefire G2, at $34, it will be a bargain price entry light to start with!.

ottoluck, welcome to CPF

If you get the Surefire G2, consider getting an LED module for it too. Check out the 3W drop-in module at bugoutgearusa.com. Also, make sure you get the newest version with a lock out tailcap.

Does anyone think it's possible that Mag will actually manufacture their own LEDs? Them building that new facility makes me wonder. If they were planning on doing that, it would make sense that they haven't come out with an LED light yet because they might be taking the extra time to develop their own LED's.

Just a wild guess. Somehow I think we may all be surprised with their offerings when they finally jump into the ring. Either that or terribly disappointed (I hope not).

I'm closing this one. Any LOGICAL discussion about this never ending saga can be posted in the thread referenced by Torchman.

--dan