Will I turn into a Maglite fan once again?

[knucklegary]

Has anyone else ordered from Maglite this month besides me and waiting on a tracking number? I emailed and called with no response also. Seems strange to me. It's been 12 days.

Same here, no notifications. A couple days ago sent an email to one of the CS gals asking what's up? No answer yet.. This has never happened before 🙏

Maybe @scalpel_ninja can swing by see if front door is open?

 

[scalpel_ninja]

I could, but I'm not back at work until Tuesday the 26th.

There has been a wave of flu / colds / COVID in this area. It's possible many people (including Maglite staff) are out sick and the department is short-staffed.

 

[knucklegary]

Thanks, I don't think we'll see a delivery before next week.. If by next Thursday or Friday we still hear nothing you can it checkout. I just find it odd nobody can answer emails, from home, sick or not.

Here in NorCal there has been a rise in flu cases as well. Got my vax back in October

 

[Buff]

I get my flu shot between thanksgiving and Christmas….guess i'm cutting it close this year lol

 

[Buff]

Now on the Maglite front. All mine were bought at Walmart, yes in the 90's and all in blister packs.
These look nice like new apart from the one beater. My only thought is how did i think 27 lumen was going to allow me to see anything? I guess back then it's all we knew?

 

[knucklegary]

Same here Buff, Wally Mart was the place to go for Mags and batteries.

 

[vicv]

Now on the Maglite front. All mine were bought at Walmart, yes in the 90's and all in blister packs.
These look nice like new apart from the one beater. My only thought is how did i think 27 lumen was going to allow me to see anything? I guess back then it's all we knew?

Because that's still enough to see by. We're just spoiled with more now. I walked my dogs last night with a 2C mag. All 30 lumens. Worked great. More lumens is fun but not usually necessary. Some people will say you need more light when there's more ambient light. Which is true. But also, if there's so much ambient light, what do you "need" a flashlight for

 

[bykfixer]

Because that's still enough to see by. We're just spoiled with more now. I walked my dogs last night with a 2C mag. All 30 lumens. Worked great. More lumens is fun but not usually necessary. Some people will say you need more light when there's more ambient light. Which is true. But also, if there's so much ambient light, what do you "need" a flashlight for

That's where I was on the solstice. Walked around the block with a 2c incan but light pollution was so bright I just turned it off.

Out in the country side the incan minimag with fresh batteries is plenty bright.

 

[Buff]

All valid points. 30 lumen kept me safe for 28 years. No complaints. I do recall using a small Led 3A battery light i bought in a 4 pack at a big box store in the last year or so, so the heavy Mags got retired a year earlier than me.

Had one at work and one in my car the others were in a few places ready if needed.

 

[Monocrom]

Same here Buff, Wally Mart was the place to go for Mags and batteries.

Definitely not the case for at least a decade now.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

I picked up my late '90s 2D Maglite to check the batteries the other day, and noticed the extra beef it has over the new Maglites. I wish Maglite had left their lights as beefy, it really feels like you have something substantial in your hand, not some cheap, Chinese piece of junk. Not that I consider their new products cheap pieces of Chinese junk, but obviously the new ones are not going to be able to take the abuse that the older, thicker ones can take. Not scientifically proven by me, just an impression. If anyone has a comparison destruction test database, I'd love to see it.
I imagine ML lightened it up to give LE a little relief, as they have so much weight that they carry on their belts (and some of them, a lot under their belts! ) It might also have to do with reducing shipping costs. Well, for whatever reason they "lightened it up", I would like a "heavy/old normal" option. Maybe they can title it their "Classic" line, only now with LEDs. I'm sure that some LEOs would like a thicker tube, if not for foot patrol carry, then patrol car carry, and at least for increased durability and the enhanced "thump" capability.

 

[vicv]

I

I picked up my late '90s 2D Maglite to check the batteries the other day, and noticed the extra beef it has over the new Maglites. I wish Maglite had left their lights as beefy, it really feels like you have something substantial in your hand, not some cheap, Chinese piece of junk. Not that I consider their new products cheap pieces of Chinese junk, but obviously the new ones are not going to be able to take the abuse that the older, thicker ones can take. Not scientifically proven by me, just an impression. If anyone has a comparison destruction test database, I'd love to see it.
I imagine ML lightened it up to give LE a little relief, as they have so much weight that they carry on their belts (and some of them, a lot under their belts! ) It might also have to do with reducing shipping costs. Well, for whatever reason they "lightened it up", I would like a "heavy/old normal" option. Maybe they can title it their "Classic" line, only now with LEDs. I'm sure that some LEOs would like a thicker tube, if not for foot patrol carry, then patrol car carry, and at least for increased durability and the enhanced "thump" capability.

I had never thought much about mag tube thickness I had always felt they were a bit thin, but that could be the diameter. So I got out my trusty caliper and took some measurements.

Late 80s 3C 2.9mm/.114"

2010s 3C 2.65mm/.105"

Late 90s 3d 2.5mm/.098"

Ml25it 1.95mm/.079"

ML50LX 2.06mm/.081"

Surefire a2 2.45mm/.096"

Convoy m21A 2.9mm/.114


Thought my a2 was much beefier. Must be because of the small diameter. And go convoy. That thing feels beefy and it is

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

I

I had never thought much about mag tube thickness I had always felt they were a bit thin, but that could be the diameter. So I got out my trusty caliper and took some measurements.

Late 80s 3C 2.9mm/.114"

2010s 3C 2.65mm/.105"

Late 90s 3d 2.5mm/.098"

Ml25it 1.95mm/.079"

ML50LX 2.06mm/.081"

Surefire a2 2.45mm/.096"

Convoy m21A 2.9mm/.114


Thought my a2 was much beefier. Must be because of the small diameter. And go convoy. That thing feels beefy and it is

Thanks for the perspective.

 

[Dicaeopolis]

Same here, no notifications. A couple days ago sent an email to one of the CS gals asking what's up? No answer yet.. This has never happened before 🙏

Maybe @scalpel_ninja can swing by see if front door is open?

I got an email today and it says 7-10 business days and it is in the red banner on their site near the top. I didn't notice that when I ordered. Also says they are closed on Dec 22, which was yesterday. That would have been the 10th business day for my order. I asked them to cancel mine because it was a gift. Who knows if they will. I sure wish the hardware stores still carried them. There was some real garbage in the hardware store near my house and they weren't cheap either.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

I got an email today and it says 7-10 business days and it is in the red banner on their site near the top. I didn't notice that when I ordered. Also says they are closed on Dec 22, which was yesterday. That would have been the 10th business day for my order. I asked them to cancel mine because it was a gift. Who knows if they will. I sure wish the hardware stores still carried them. There was some real garbage in the hardware store near my house and they weren't cheap either.

Unfortunately, it seems that the majority of shopping now takes place on the internet, and life is hard for brick and mortar stores, especially if they don't have an online store. I worked in brick and mortar stores for years, and my late father retired from a former major department store, and to see many of them go under is really sad, as I can't help but think they will never come back, and I don't like what the future is looking like now. I hope my fears are proven wrong.

There is a definite advantage to being able to walk into a store and walk back out with what you need. I sure miss Radio Shack, K-Mart and ALCO! And of course, we all can remember when you could go into just about any store and buy Maglites. Nowadays, scarce as hens teeth, even in a hardware store. I know Mr. Maglica had to make some hard business decisions to stay in business, and I'm happy he is staying in business, I just wish he could have kept his positions in the brick and mortar stores. But the world is changing, and "the good old days" kind of depend on when you grew up, I think.

 

[Dicaeopolis]

I grew up in the 70s and 80s. I can't remember if I had a Maglite or not growing up, but I bought one (pic in middle) at a hardware store during a work shift at a True Value. I used to put it in my belt to hold it. It was incandescent, but now has the older high power Malkoff drop in. They are carrying Nebo at the store by my house now. I don't know anything about them, but looks like most ran off AA batteries in a carrier. Made in China I think and seemed as expensive or more than comparable Maglites.

 

[Monocrom]

Yup, several Nebo models at the nearest Ace Hardware over by me.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

I grew up in the 70s and 80s. I can't remember if I had a Maglite or not growing up, but I bought one (pic in middle) at a hardware store during a work shift at a True Value. I used to put it in my belt to hold it. It was incandescent, but now has the older high power Malkoff drop in. They are carrying Nebo at the store by my house now. I don't know anything about them, but looks like most ran off AA batteries in a carrier. Made in China I think and seemed as expensive or more than comparable Maglites.

That center one is tricked out real nice!

Yeah, I think Maglite has actually done better at being competitive with the foreign market, as tough as that is. But even if it is a little more expensive, I'll pay more to buy made in USA. I ain't about to send anymore money than I have to to the Chinese Communist Party!

 

[M@elstrom]

Because that's still enough to see by. We're just spoiled with more now. I walked my dogs last night with a 2C mag. All 30 lumens. Worked great. More lumens is fun but not usually necessary. Some people will say you need more light when there's more ambient light. Which is true. But also, if there's so much ambient light, what do you "need" a flashlight for

Absolutely, our eyes adapt to the dark and as such must readapt when a brighter light is either used or encountered (car headlights for example), low power permits better night adapted vision 👍

A pocketful of sunlight is nice but I often prefer to use a low brightness level (or none at all) when working at night for various reasons...

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

A pocketful of sunlight is nice but I often prefer to use a low brightness level (or none at all) when working at night for various reasons...

SACRILEGE! BLASPHEMER!