I can always rely on my good old Maglite 3D with LED upgrade and I wouldn't want to miss it in my house - it's always ready for emergencies. Have also converted two old Maglite 2A's to LED. Never had any problems with them! Maglite may not have the most beautiful light beams, but in terms of reliability and robustness they are still my favorites.
For me, the ultimate Maglite is a simple 3D model upgraded with a drop-in 3w LED bulb, mineral-glass lens upgrade, and some really good quality batteries (I use EBL 10000mA rechargeable). Tough as nails, fantastic battery-life and no annoying 'modes' to have to cycle through. Reassuringly big to weild whilst out walking at night. On the flip side, I don't like their new stuff. I've also had bad experiences with a couple of the Mini Mag letting me down with failing twist switches and corroding batteries. I think the smaller Maglites can easily be surpassed by other choices on the market, but I still love those D cell models...
There is one place where Maglites still have a valid place without being displaced by pretty much anything else; inherent battery capacity and runtime. There's plenty of other flashlights that are better than Maglites at everything, but considering that you can use D-cells in the old xD-line of flashlights and easily swap in a long-runtime dropin it's hard to beat it as a shelter light or just general emergency base flashlight to be used until things calm down without even having to consider swapping batteries the first month.
All solid points. Their ease of use is also hard to beat. I've given these newer ones to my parents and the mother of my kids too. Straight forward UI everyone can use without worrying about it getting too hot like most other enthusiast lights can get if left on the higher settings for more than a minute or two.
It is not good choice, it is excellent choice for home or to keep in your car.... Nowadays compact flashlights have high lumen and candle output only in turbo mode... But turbo mode is very short..
I agree completely. It is the only one I don't do a manual lock out on. It's the first one I reach for at night if I hear the dog barking. The simplicity and reliability is hard to beat. Even the ability to call Maglite and purchase a tail cap or whatever is pretty cool too.
Excelete canal.- Maglite es un clásico aquí en argentina, pero se nota que ha quedado en el tiempo en cuanto a innovación.- Espero que hagas revisión de Ledlenser, nitecore, fenix que son algunas marcas que aquí se consiguen.-
Gracias y saludos a Argentina! Si están atrasados Maglite, especialmente las AA y AAA. Sabes estoy interesado en las Fénix TK11 Tac y la PD32 V2, alomejor me animo y las compro para hacer vídeos. Te voy a hacer cincero no me gusta que Nitecore usa muchas batterias proprietarias pero aver si cambia mi opinión más alrato.
Truthfully, I gave up on maglite several years ago. Their quality isn't what it once was. I still keep a few mini-maglites around the house, but other than that I have moved on to some superior flashlight brands. Mostly Surefire and Malkoff.
I have at least 6 Maglites the old ones. I recently purchased a Anker Bolder LC40 25.00 that is about the size that I could put it in my hand and you couldn't see it. It is bright AF at 400 lumens rechargeable. But a Maglite you don't even have to have batteries in it and you can still beat people to death with it. But it can't compete with the new lights.
I really like those Anker lights. The hospital I work at supplies the security guards with them. They have let me play with them, I like them a lot for the price.
@@rlgonzalez04 The only ways to eliminate the donut is to put a custom lens over the head but you lose throw. The reason why Maglites have always had the Donut is because the Beam is adjustable. Most Flashaholics opt for custom Orange Peel Reflectors to get a good balance of Flood and Throw. But if you want pure flood, cut a piece of plastic into a circle and scratch it with sandpaper to create a diffuser lens.
I reckon the hole could be useful if you're shining the flashlight on someone so you don't blind them, then if they do attack, either move the brighter parts of the beam to there face or twist to spot to smash there retinas with fuck tons of Candela.
It's a great choice if you set the mode to law enforcement mode which alot of the other modern lights do not have the function of for tactical purposes
@@rlgonzalez04 problem is when shooting tactically you want to make sure it goes off when you are reloading otherwise you're an illuminated target and in a rush that button won't turn off in that mode. It will cycle to low or strobe.
The new ones are good and offer nice features like multiple modes. An old one with a simple drop in are super easy to rebuild and fix. Now if you do a Malkoff or a Firefly drop in in an old one, those are super cool. Not cheap but super cool. It really depends on what you want. If you want a good flashlight to just buy and forget about until it's needed get a new one. If you like to tinker, rebuild and upgrade use an old one as a project for new lens, led and cell upgrade.
Above flashlight is designed to work with pair of alkaline cells which is NOMINALLY 3 volts. Pair of 18650 in series will be 2x3.7=7.4 volts which is too high and may fry the driver. Also physically won't fit because pair of C cells are about 100mm long while pair of protected 18650 cells are about 136mm long. Best choice is single 21700
You can put ONE 18650 battery in a 2C Ml50L , actually Maglite is selling and advertising factory maglite 18650 and adapters for it , just check the website
I can't recommend Maglite anymore. My ML50L is having issues with the bulb dimming then going out within a couple of seconds after turning on. This flashlight has been in an end table drawer for emergency use only. Never mistreated, and is only a few years old. I'm very disappointed in Maglite. There are so many good other LED choices out there these days that are smaller and more powerful.
Why Maglite has not upgraded their models to use modern batteries (18650, 21700, etc.) is beyond me. You had to purchase an external adapter for that. Their lack of innovation is very disapointing.
I agree, they just need change the design slightly to accept lithium batteries. I have three with adapters and they have been running flawless for years.
Haha, I just recently bored out the cell holder. It's now running a 21700 and it's still the only flashlight I leave ready to use. Everything else gets a manual lockout till it's needed.
I can always rely on my good old Maglite 3D with LED upgrade and I wouldn't want to miss it in my house - it's always ready for emergencies.
Have also converted two old Maglite 2A's to LED. Never had any problems with them!
Maglite may not have the most beautiful light beams, but in terms of reliability and robustness they are still my favorites.
So many torch makers insist on putting multiple settings on torches, I wish they would simply put TWO , ON and OFF
For me, the ultimate Maglite is a simple 3D model upgraded with a drop-in 3w LED bulb, mineral-glass lens upgrade, and some really good quality batteries (I use EBL 10000mA rechargeable). Tough as nails, fantastic battery-life and no annoying 'modes' to have to cycle through. Reassuringly big to weild whilst out walking at night.
On the flip side, I don't like their new stuff. I've also had bad experiences with a couple of the Mini Mag letting me down with failing twist switches and corroding batteries. I think the smaller Maglites can easily be surpassed by other choices on the market, but I still love those D cell models...
All valid points. If that's your style of flashlight I may have something you would like. I'll shoot a video when I get a chance.
How well are your ebl batteries holding up with the maglite?
Pretty good. I trust them more than Alkaline batteries with regards to leaking, and hive them a top up charge every 6 months. No problems so far...
Maglite is the Nokia of flashlights ,this shows what a bad management without the ability to adapt can do to a good brand
There is one place where Maglites still have a valid place without being displaced by pretty much anything else; inherent battery capacity and runtime. There's plenty of other flashlights that are better than Maglites at everything, but considering that you can use D-cells in the old xD-line of flashlights and easily swap in a long-runtime dropin it's hard to beat it as a shelter light or just general emergency base flashlight to be used until things calm down without even having to consider swapping batteries the first month.
All solid points. Their ease of use is also hard to beat. I've given these newer ones to my parents and the mother of my kids too. Straight forward UI everyone can use without worrying about it getting too hot like most other enthusiast lights can get if left on the higher settings for more than a minute or two.
It is not good choice, it is excellent choice for home or to keep in your car.... Nowadays compact flashlights have high lumen and candle output only in turbo mode... But turbo mode is very short..
I agree completely. It is the only one I don't do a manual lock out on. It's the first one I reach for at night if I hear the dog barking. The simplicity and reliability is hard to beat. Even the ability to call Maglite and purchase a tail cap or whatever is pretty cool too.
Excelete canal.- Maglite es un clásico aquí en argentina, pero se nota que ha quedado en el tiempo en cuanto a innovación.- Espero que hagas revisión de Ledlenser, nitecore, fenix que son algunas marcas que aquí se consiguen.-
Gracias y saludos a Argentina! Si están atrasados Maglite, especialmente las AA y AAA. Sabes estoy interesado en las Fénix TK11 Tac y la PD32 V2, alomejor me animo y las compro para hacer vídeos. Te voy a hacer cincero no me gusta que Nitecore usa muchas batterias proprietarias pero aver si cambia mi opinión más alrato.
Truthfully, I gave up on maglite several years ago. Their quality isn't what it once was. I still keep a few mini-maglites around the house, but other than that I have moved on to some superior flashlight brands. Mostly Surefire and Malkoff.
I have at least 6 Maglites the old ones. I recently purchased a Anker Bolder LC40 25.00 that is about the size that I could put it in my hand and you couldn't see it. It is bright AF at 400 lumens rechargeable. But a Maglite you don't even have to have batteries in it and you can still beat people to death with it. But it can't compete with the new lights.
🤣 used a 3 cell maglite back in my days as a delivery driver because it could be used as a weapon.
I really like those Anker lights. The hospital I work at supplies the security guards with them. They have let me play with them, I like them a lot for the price.
A 3 cell Maglite is absolutely a weapon!
Maglite is still pretty good in my opinion. But they should work on that dead spot on flood mode, its a deal breaker.
I agree, if they can make them flood the way modern zoomies flood it would be awesome.
@@rlgonzalez04 The only ways to eliminate the donut is to put a custom lens over the head but you lose throw.
The reason why Maglites have always had the Donut is because the Beam is adjustable.
Most Flashaholics opt for custom Orange Peel Reflectors to get a good balance of Flood and Throw. But if you want pure flood, cut a piece of plastic into a circle and scratch it with sandpaper to create a diffuser lens.
I reckon the hole could be useful if you're shining the flashlight on someone so you don't blind them, then if they do attack, either move the brighter parts of the beam to there face or twist to spot to smash there retinas with fuck tons of Candela.
It's okay is a black hole ton 619.
This teaches you about how black hole eating our flashlight energy
Maglite has the best feeling in the hand smooth as heck but i like mine to feel tactical
Maglite flashlight has the best feel in the hand and smoother but then I like my flashlight to be tactical feel.
It's a great choice if you set the mode to law enforcement mode which alot of the other modern lights do not have the function of for tactical purposes
That's a good mode, that would be my 2nd choice of modes. I personally like the second setting which is high, med and strobe.
@@rlgonzalez04 problem is when shooting tactically you want to make sure it goes off when you are reloading otherwise you're an illuminated target and in a rush that button won't turn off in that mode. It will cycle to low or strobe.
@@MaverickCompany Good to know, I'll keep that in mind if I ever go fishing 👍
@@rlgonzalez04 🤣🤙
Nice review man. Have you had any problems with parasitic drain on this light?
Nope, I'm sure there is some but never enough to kill the cell. It's on a 21700 now btw.
The tint is nice looks almost more like neutral white around 5000k
Yeah, tint isn't horrible and it's honestly got the best switch of any flashlight I have.
Whats better, a old LED upgraded Mag or a new Maglite LED? Thanks
The new ones are good and offer nice features like multiple modes. An old one with a simple drop in are super easy to rebuild and fix. Now if you do a Malkoff or a Firefly drop in in an old one, those are super cool. Not cheap but super cool. It really depends on what you want. If you want a good flashlight to just buy and forget about until it's needed get a new one. If you like to tinker, rebuild and upgrade use an old one as a project for new lens, led and cell upgrade.
Can you put in 2 18650 batteries in it
I've never tried it, but it might be too much voltage for the 2C version. Perhaps the 3C or 4C though.
But one 21700 should work also
Above flashlight is designed to work with pair of alkaline cells which is NOMINALLY 3 volts.
Pair of 18650 in series will be 2x3.7=7.4 volts which is too high and may fry the driver. Also physically won't fit because pair of C cells are about 100mm long while pair of protected 18650 cells are about 136mm long.
Best choice is single 21700
You can put ONE 18650 battery in a 2C Ml50L , actually Maglite is selling and advertising factory maglite 18650 and adapters for it , just check the website
I can't recommend Maglite anymore. My ML50L is having issues with the bulb dimming then going out within a couple of seconds after turning on. This flashlight has been in an end table drawer for emergency use only. Never mistreated, and is only a few years old. I'm very disappointed in Maglite. There are so many good other LED choices out there these days that are smaller and more powerful.
Sorry to hear, email Maglite they have a good warranty dept in California.
Apparently you never used a maglite in a self defense situation.
21700 should fit easily also.
It's on a 21700 now 😉
What's the runtime on the 18650?
No clue. It's roughly only 300 lumens, won't drain the cells quickly if I'm being honest.
Why Maglite has not upgraded their models to use modern batteries (18650, 21700, etc.) is beyond me. You had to purchase an external adapter for that. Their lack of innovation is very disapointing.
I agree, they just need change the design slightly to accept lithium batteries. I have three with adapters and they have been running flawless for years.
Maglite's are like AK47
the answer is no
Haha, I just recently bored out the cell holder. It's now running a 21700 and it's still the only flashlight I leave ready to use. Everything else gets a manual lockout till it's needed.
@@rlgonzalez04 Maybe even a 26650 would fit. If you wouldnt need a cell holder.
@@Gieszkanne I've thought about that but I had a protected button too 21700 and that seemed like the better choice.
@@rlgonzalez04 And what about two rechargeable C cells? One allone has 5500mAh which gives you 11000mAh ! You couldnt get better run time.
@@Gieszkanne I have old D cells that will get that treatment when I get a chance.