the new Maglite LED torches

[happybonzo]

At one time most people would have had either a Maglite torch or a Petzl headtorch. Now there's a lot of competition in the market.

I have a small Petzl LED headtorch and I'm very pleased with it

Has anyone seen or tried the new Maglites though? If you have, then I'd be very interested to hear your experiences of them.

[JEEP]

MagLite LED torches are not bad (I have the XL100). But compared to similar priced brands, like LedLenser and X-Glow, they are way too expensive for what you actually get.
I would take a LedLenser over a MagLite LED any day; LedLenser has a longer battery life (much longer), gives you approx. twice the amount of lumens (and a better reflector/front glass) for the money, a better quality (and longer lasting) LED, the materials are more rugged and the overall design is a lot more thought through.
For headtorches; Petzl is the way to go - the only real competition is Silva.

[Silverback]

Im with Jakob on this. IMHO Led Lenser are superior to maglite, and Im saying this after considerable experience of both.

I currently use Led Lenser torches in 2 applications in SAR work and have had no issues whatsoever. Most of my friends and colleagues in MR/SAR also use Led Lenser torches from head torches to hand torches, these torches arent issued either they have been purchased by the person as a matter of choice.

[still water]

i have 2 mini mags both bulb i use a cheap led that cost me 3.99 at a petrol station it has 10 leds and lasts longer than the mag (though the led mag would last longer than a bulb mag anyway) it has never let me down and it has't been treated well. imo, you end up paying for the name not the torch as inside they are mostly the same.

[Realearner]

Got to agree with Jeep,lenser torches are the dogs bits, they do a head torch and it is remarkable the light given off.
You pay but the results are blinding, excuse the pun ha ah!

[Reaps72]

I have the maglite 2dcell & bought the niteize bulb conversion kit; http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?hl=en&q=nite+ize+maglite+led+upgrade&gs_upl=3393l3633l1l7772l2l2l0l0l0l0l181l454l0.3l3l 0&um=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1272&bih=576&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=15496121311754620993&sa=X&ei=QF-gTuqlN9G58gPKr6n3BQ&ved=0CFwQ8wIwAA#ps-sellers
Brilliant piece of kit another life purchase (buy once last forever!) I love it as my home & base camp torch!
I have a 12 led Police Lenser torch for in my pack & have just modi'd a head side mount for it from a craghoppers belt, a wetsuit & some velcro!
I really have issue with something sticking out the front of my forehead, that isn't metaphorical!

[JEEP]

Personally I would stear away from the cheaper LedLenser headtorches, like the H5 and H7. I have seen a lot of those with broken wires in my time.

The torches are, as stated above, brilliant; I have a P3 in my belt all the time and a P7 around the house. Maria has a Keyfinder on her keychain and a Hocus Focus for her pack.

My prefered torch, when out and about, is the X Glow XO-1200. It is not the most powerful torch I have (100 lumens), neither does it have the longest battery time (10 houers). But I really like the way it extends to become a camp lantern.

Aside from that I have the MagLite XL100 (a, now discontinued, flagship model, with an advanced (and damn fiddly) motion sensor based interface and a gazillion functions) a Leatherman Monarch 300 (nice, but too expensive really), two Maglite Solitaire (both needs to have their bulbs replaced, but I probably won't bother), two NexTorch K1 (utter crap, stay away from these, they break way too easily - their larger torches are nicer though). I used to have a Fenix PD30 R5, but I traded it away to a friend of mine, who is in the military - he had more need for a tactical light than me - nice tourches though; expensive, but tough as nails.

For headtorches I have a Petzl Tikka XP2 (orange/black) w. Petzl Core battery attachment and Petzl Adapt Tikka2 supplement (which resides in my daily pack) and a Petzl Tactikka XP (camo/green). Maria has got a Petzl Tacktikka Plus (camo/green) which has replaced her cheap, but surprisingly good, PhotonPump headlight (PhotonPump is LedLensers budget brand).

[JonnyP]

LED maglites are superb imo. My Janie has the AA which she is well pleased with, and I converted my old 3 d cell to an LED and its given it a new lease of life..

[jus_young]

I have the Maglite 2D with the LED whereas my wife has the version with the filament lamp. One hell of a difference with the light colour and range. I tend to use mine as a search light for hunting scouts in the woods and on night walks to make sure that we don't lose any. The battery life is pretty good but I have nothing to compare it with.
Other torches in my possesion - Leatherman Monarch 300, a lovely little torch and my everyday companion, two Maglite 2AA one of which has a blown lamp that I can't be bothered to replace and an Energizer 3 LED head torch that is cheap and chearful but does the job. Both the head torch and Maglite 2D have been out in all weathers and survived so far.

[Realearner]

Jeep you must have a lot goodies in your possession:D

[JEEP]

A few :)

[Adam Savage]

Not sure about the build quality on the new LED maglites, but the older krypton ones were superb for their day. We used to sell them in the tool shop. One of the demos, was to turn a 3D on, stick it in a bucket of water, then come back 6 days later. It still worked, even though there was barely enough juice left in the batteries to illuminate the lamp. If you want something bomb proof (maybe not the brightest though) I'd go for a maglite, but you pays your price with weight and output.

This is only my personal thoughts. If you want bright and light, go for the LED Lenser, if you want a tank, you can baton your mora with, go with the maglite ;)

[Silverback]

This is only my personal thoughts. If you want bright and light, go for the LED Lenser, if you want a tank, you can baton your mora with, go with the maglite ;)

Ooh i dunno my Led Lensers get chucked about a bit. Especially the one zip tied to my water rescue helmet:happy-clapping:

[Adam Savage]

I stand corrected then :)

[Silverback]

I stand corrected then :)

Everyone and I mean everyone in our team had a Led Lenser torch, and most of the other peeps i know in similar roles have the same. They do take some hammer, although Id have to agree if you want to baton - get a maglite:)

[Adam Savage]

LOL. now all you'll need is a trailer to carry it on :)

[Psycho]

Hi!
I don't have a Maglite headlamp (I don't like Maglite much), but I have two Spark ST6-500CW which I can recommend!

Here is a short video-review of the two versions of this lamp.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4D1-W94Qm0

I always carry this lamp by going geocaching, and I can say that it had never diappointed me.

Kind regards,
Thomas

[paulthefish2009]

Regular maglite for me too, i know there are brighter longer lasting torches out there but the build quality/price factor dont think they can be beat?

[NeedABrew]

A very good friend of mine who is in the police force swears by the Maglight ST3D036 - He says that at just under a kilo it can do some serious damage when swung at a crim. Sometimes he uses it at night to see things in the dark with too.

[Psycho]

Regular maglite for me too, i know there are brighter longer lasting torches out there but the build quality/price factor dont think they can be beat?

Well, the quality/price factor is ok. I have a modified Maglite 4D too, and it is ok. But there are much more usefull torches with more power and much better quality than Maglite torches, you can buy.
So I think, that a Maglite is a good torch as a backup-torch but not so good if you are looking for a light which will not diappoint you any time.

I saw a great video, testing an Olight M20 Warrior. There you can see, what a quality torch can withstand.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUNAk0iypBg

[Jason]

No never tried a maglite only petzel..........

[Tigger004]

I have only borrowed an led version, goes without saying the battery life is fantastic compared with the xenon bulb, I now use an Altkit head lanp truly marvelous,(also has a 5w cree - bit like a search light)

[David_JAFO]

hello,
I'll go with crazysaint222 "This is only my personal thoughts. If you want bright and light,
go for the LED Lenser, if you want a tank, you can baton your mora with, go with the maglite"
True.. 'A Maglite Doofer' :cool:
Regards
David
http://www.torchdirect.co.uk/

[David_JAFO]

hello,
:off-topic: slightly..Small Black Rubber LED Torches Homebase £2.99 I saw these
in the Bargain Bucket for a lot less, going to check my Nectar Points buy a box far
cheaper than singular purchase. At £2.99 I've tried them & they're bright good buy
IMO for size & quality :wink:
http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=106344
Regards
David

[Adam Savage]

hello,
:off-topic: slightly..Small Black Rubber LED Torches Homebase £2.99 I saw these
in the Bargain Bucket for a lot less, going to check my Nectar Points buy a box far
cheaper than singular purchase. At £2.99 I've tried them & they're bright good buy
IMO for size & quality :wink:
http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=106344
Regards
David

I have one of those sitting in my door pocket in the car. Not as bright as a CREE, but shed enough light for most tasks. Great as a "tactical" flashlight, for stealth camping :)
Also, because they aren't super bright, the batteries last for ages in them. T^

[Silverback]

I got a pack of 3 lights from Homebase for £5 2 hand torches and a head torch, as you say Adam not super bright so stealthy and kind on the battery power...unlike my other torches - LED Lenser being the exception, that performs really well

[David_JAFO]

hello,
Update on Maglite Torches. I received details through Maglite earlier
of some spares I was looking for. link for Maglite torches -
http://www.maglite.com/productline.asp
Hopefully of interest.
Regards
David

[JEEP]

I have just gotten the Mini Maglite 2AA PRO+ 245 lumens torch - it like it quite a lot actually. Imho. Maglite is getting back into the LED game with some of their newer LED torches. A thing I really like about the Maglite LEDs is the fact that they shine bright white, instead of the usual bluish hue seen with most LED lights.

[Jefferson]

I have used a number of different head torches and hand held torches.. I currently own a number of Maglite torches, a led lenser m7, p7, p14 and h7 and a petzel head torch (some are for home and some for work) and the led lenser are a lot better than the rest.. The build quality is unbelievable as is the power... Although The m7 eats through batteries. The p14 is big, solid and heavy duty but is still lightweight.. To be honest my maglites don't really get used unless I'm in an area that is very reflective and the led lenser is too bright. As for the head torches my h7 is easier to use (changing beam/power) but i wouldn't say it was better than the petzel

Cheers Dave

[Adam Savage]

Sounds like a perfect summary there Dave. Well said.

I still like my Maggie though :D it's lasted me nearly nine years, and still on the original bulb :)

[Jefferson]

Sounds like a perfect summary there Dave. Well said.

I still like my Maggie though :D it's lasted me nearly nine years, and still on the original bulb :)

i do agree with you there maglite will last you a life time! i still have the full set of small to large of the old ones although i dont use them... i might buy some led conversion kits and bring them back to life :D
on the matter of bulbs are you all aware that you get a spare with your maglite? (well with the LED ones anyway)
for those of you who dont it is located in your end cap.. if you carefully pull out your spring there will be a little RED case with a spaire LED bulb in...
Cheers Dave

[steve1975]

I have an old 3d mag. Upgraded with a cree xpe led. Excellent drop in upgrade but not as good as a more modern torch. Nice tight spot beam but the flood beam is poor very large dark spot in the centre. Although the flood beam is no better with any other upgrade.

[blindgeekuk]

If people were buying a lenser with a budget of about £50, which model would you get? Stretch it a bit and get a t7? a p7? a p3 and pocket the change?

[Jefferson]

I would go for the p7 mate you can get a combo of that and a key ring torch that is still quite bright. For under 50 quid.. I know go outdoors do it and they also do a price natch if you do find it cheaper .:)
Cheers Dave :)