# Are Any of these Flashlights Better than Maglite?



## Liquidspaceman (Mar 8, 2009)

Last noob question of the day. Say you had a choice of either a Maglite or one of the following. Which of these would you choose over a maglite? 

The purpose of this thread is to determine whether all of these budget flashlights are better than owning a maglite. Don't worry too much about the price or that you can mod these lights. I'm talking strictly from a reliability/usability standpoint. 

Assume all of these flashlights, including Maglite cost 50 bucks a piece. 

Nitecore
Solarforce
Eagletac
Romisen
MTE
Ultrafire
Olight


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## zx7dave (Mar 8, 2009)

This is just my opinion...
Maglights are definately reliable...
however when you say usability I have to comment. Unless it has a LED upgrade I find the useability factor in Maglights very poor..you are carrying around a huge stick that puts out very little light for its size..so in that capacity every light you mentioned is better than a Maglight.


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## old4570 (Mar 8, 2009)

Better how , My maglite is like 20 years old and still going strong with a Terralux unit . 

If your talking size VS output , then all the lights listed are better .
But will they last 20+ years . 

I have a Solarforce L2-R2 , and it rocks , if it lasts 20 years :twothumbs


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## Oddjob (Mar 8, 2009)

From your list I would choose Nitecore.


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## savumaki (Mar 8, 2009)

This is off topic but I have a 49 Ford coupe that works well but I wonder if the new Toyota's would be a better choice today????


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## PetaBread (Mar 8, 2009)

Liquidspaceman said:


> Last noob question of the day.


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## zx7dave (Mar 8, 2009)

In my opinion better in overall useability based on light output for light size.
Your Mag has a upgrade so the output and runtime will be improved over the stock maglight.
No..not all of them will last 20 years...but with proper care most will.




old4570 said:


> Better how , My maglite is like 20 years old and still going strong with a Terralux unit .
> 
> If your talking size VS output , then all the lights listed are better .
> But will they last 20+ years .
> ...


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## carrot (Mar 8, 2009)

I would take the Nitecore over anything else in that list, including Maglite. Eagletac and Olight are also good, but take those three out and I'll take a MagLED please, thank you.


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## Optik49 (Mar 8, 2009)

_Nitecore :thumbsup:_


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## GPB (Mar 8, 2009)

There are two words in the original question that are going to be a problem in answering this question. One is "better" and the other is "Maglite".

Some people would rather stumble around in the dark than use a maglite and to read their posts. It seems to be a topic with the ability to polarize people the same way discussion about capital punishment or the designated hitter does. 

The other problem is going to be "better for what". Just as there are many different lights, there are many different uses. What I think is a "better" light for my uses, might not be suitable at all for someone else. Consider the following uses for flashlights that would all have different requirements and the "best" light for some, might be completely unsuitable for others.

Cave Exploration
Walking the dog
Search and rescue
Jogging at night
Scuba Diving
Mounted on a shotgun
Police Officer going down dark alleys

So...you may want to clarify what you want to use your light for before you ask which is better.

Good Luck


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## popcornpicker (Mar 8, 2009)

Why don't you have Fenix on your list? You can get one for around $50.00.


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## Liquidspaceman (Mar 8, 2009)

Because Fenix seems to be an already known reliable brand that seems to be generally accepted by almost everyone here. 

I threw those flashlights up there because some of them are made in China, some of them are unknown to the average flashlight user and many of them seem to "polarize" some of the folks on this board as to whether the flashlight rules or sucks. 

To answer the question better in what regard. How about as a "general purpose" flashlight. Nothing specific. Not being used in any specific applications like cave exploration or police work. Say for some guy who just wants a trusty reliable flashlight to walk his dog, look for intruders around his house and signaling UFO's at night.


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## american lockpicker (Mar 8, 2009)

I would go with the Eagletac. Also have you considered Surefire G2 LED or streamlight scorpion.


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## foxtrot29 (Mar 8, 2009)

I'd take Nitecore over a maglight. I'd also take a candle over a maglight, but that's just me.


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## Gunner12 (Mar 8, 2009)

Made in China doesn't mean anything. A Made in China product can be superior to a product made in another courtry as long as the manufacturer isn't trying to get the most profit from a cheap product(seems like many Made In China products fall into this cateogry). All of the brands you posted are Made in China.

I'd pick any of those lights over a Maglite with the exception of a few of the Ultrafire and MTE lights, for those it's a draw. Maglites are too bulky and dim compared to those lights.

Also Eagletac, Nitecore, and Olights aren't budget brands.

I'd also say that all of those brands are unknown to the average user, who thinks Maglites are the best and only use $1 2D lights.


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## american lockpicker (Mar 8, 2009)

I used to have a Nitecore but I lost it. It was impressive even though its Chinese.


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## PetaBread (Mar 8, 2009)

Gunner12 said:


> Made in China doesn't mean anything. A Made in China product can be superior to a product made in another courtry as long as the manufacturer isn't trying to get the most profit from a cheap product(seems like mant Made In China products fall into this cateogry). All of the brands you posted are Made in China.
> 
> I'd pick any of those lights over a Maglite with the exception of a few of the Ultrafire and MTE lights, for those it's a draw. Maglites are too bulky and dim compared to those lights.
> 
> ...


 


Thank you. Great answer. :thumbsup:


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## Monocrom (Mar 8, 2009)

Over the years, I've had 3 Maglites fail on me. Two literally fell apart in my hands, one never should have left the factory. If one of the 3 were dropped from a high ledge, the failure to turn on would at least be understandable. I still have a handful of Maglites. (Nearly all have been modded with LED conversions).

While I do still use my Maglites, I have not personally experienced the near legendary level of reliability that others have enjoyed with this brand. And, I make sure to take back-up lights with me (from other brands) whenever I reach for one of my Maglites.

From your list, I'd definitely rely on my Eagletac P10A or my Olight M20 Warrior over one of my Maglites.


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## GreyShark (Mar 9, 2009)

If you need a light with a lot of power and a lot of runtime for that level of power a Maglite makes a good host.


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## RyanA (Mar 9, 2009)

Nitecore. I hope 7075 aluminum will become the new standard for light construction in the future.


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## WadeF (Mar 9, 2009)

In most cases I'd take the Nitecore, but for a bump in the night I'll grab my 2D Mag with a Malkoff drop-in.


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## Benson (Mar 9, 2009)

Liquidspaceman said:


> Last noob question of the day. Say you had a choice of either a Maglite or one of the following. Which of these would you choose over a maglite?
> 
> The purpose of this thread is to determine whether all of these budget flashlights are better than owning a maglite. Don't worry too much about the price or that you can mod these lights. I'm talking strictly from a reliability/usability standpoint.
> 
> Assume all of these flashlights, including Maglite cost 50 bucks a piece.


But Mags _don't_ cost $50 -- $50 gets you a Mag _and_ the parts to convert it to P7, and a P7 Mag has unparalleled runtime for any given output level. For me, a lightly modded Mag like this beats the others.

Maglites are, IMHO, quite good on the reliability end, but they suffer seriously on usability because they're rather dim. In the real world, this can be mitigated because Mags are cheap, and you can upgrade one and still come out at $50, but *obviously* a stock $20 light will be blown away by most $50 lights. Once you set up the comparison this way, it would be truly shocking to see the cheap light come out ahead -- if it was better, they'd charge more for it!

(Also, Mag doesn't make any medium-size lights -- they jump from minimag to 2C, with no CR123 or 18650 lights in between. Related to this is the issue that Mags are all designed around alkaline, not Li or Li-ion. This results in very few direct comparisons between equivalent lights.)


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## 2manybikes (Mar 9, 2009)

When used as a flashlight all the others are better than the Maglight.

When used as a club/nightstick/weapon, my 7-C cell Maglight is better than all the others. I even have a book on weapon tactics for Maglights. :laughing:


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## GPB (Mar 9, 2009)

I have lights of all different sizes and brightnesses. I mess around with battery configurations, I swap bulbs, and generally enjoy my lights. However, when my Mom asked me to get a light for her kitchen cabinet, I didn't hesitate to buy her a Mag LED. I like that its available at any store, takes easily available batteries, and will run for days. I have a 3D mag that I found almost 25 years ago and despite looking very beat up, works great. I recently had one fall off my roof while I was working on my Christmas lights and it's fine. They aren't the lightest, brightest or smallest, but for the average person, they are a great light. 

They are kind of like the Taurus Stationwagon of flashlights, and some of the CPF crowd is into Corvette's, Mercedes, and some Ferrari's ( and some even more exotic stuff )


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## StarHalo (Mar 9, 2009)

Benson said:


> But Mags _don't_ cost $50



^This is the crucial point - The reason Maglite is the success it is comes down to simple and pragmatic bang-for-the-buck engineering. Like the Zippo lighter or the Willys/Army Jeep, it's about a basic set of criteria that the finished product meets or exceeds, without exceeding the lowest price point.

Any of the lights/manufacturers you listed easily supercede the Mag on any level, yet when you go to any local store you'll see shelves and piles of only Maglites, *because the other brands can't do it for under $20*.


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## Gunner12 (Mar 9, 2009)

They don't cost over $30 if you are in the US but once you get out of the country, it's more expensive. Example here.


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## sORe-EyEz (Mar 9, 2009)

Maglite (incand) or LED? there's the MiniMag LED 2AA that comes with 2 output now.


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## KiwiMark (Mar 10, 2009)

Best torch - Maglite based torches are the best, but I EDC a Jetbeam, a Fenix and an Olight - they are all good quality and small enough to fit on a keyring or in a pocket.

At home I usually grab a Maglite when I need some light, my Maglites are brighter and I actually like the size & weight of the 2D Maglite. I also like the output and runtime. The only thing I wont use is the standard bulb/emitter - I have been spoiled by the high performance of my Malkoff & my ROP & Hotwire mods.

A ROP Low is a reasonably priced modded Mag, but with 500+ Lumen which is over twice the output of most of the common LED torches.


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## SupremeEye (Mar 12, 2009)

2manybikes said:


> When used as a flashlight all the others are better than the Maglight.
> 
> When used as a club/nightstick/weapon, my 7-C cell Maglight is better than all the others. I even have a book on weapon tactics for Maglights. :laughing:


You ever read Defensive tactics with Flashlights by John G. Peters?

It has stuff in there that I never thought of in terms of using flashlights for defensive purposes, I mean simple stuff. lol

The tactics are actually effective.

Hell my department teaches it's Deputies and CA's in their respective academies on how to use the flashlight as a weapon.

So I agree as a baton or what ever the maglite wins, but for anything else im taking the others over a mag.


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## sardian (Mar 12, 2009)

I'm in the plumbing service business and use a flashlight all day every day. I have had a few MagLights have their switch die (not as many lately) and wish the front glass was made of a tougher material so it wouldn't scratch so easily.

But, in my experience, Mag's are pretty tough lights. I generally use two D's or two C's and put the lights through he!!. I use them as hammers, props, submerse them in sewage with who knows what in it, and on and on.

Is it the brightest (stock LED that I use), NO, is it the coolest, NO. But for the several times I have been attacked by a customers dog (German shepherds seem to hate me the most) I was glad to have a 2D Mag in my hand for self defense.

But, for general use, on my side I have a 6P with a Malkoff M60 powered by a 17670 (my flavor of the month). It blows the Mag away in brightness and the twisty will outlast the Mag's switch 10 fold but in my business a MagLight has it's place for sure. I wouldn't crawl under a house without one (along with my 6P and P3D Q5 on my side as backup ;-)


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## 2manybikes (Mar 13, 2009)

SupremeEye said:


> You ever read Defensive tactics with Flashlights by John G. Peters?
> 
> It has stuff in there that I never thought of in terms of using flashlights for defensive purposes, I mean simple stuff. lol
> 
> ...


 
That might be the book I have. I can't find it right now. It is very good. Many people don't understand the light over the shoulder grip. When I was reading about that I learned some departments were taking away the very long lights as they were too dangerous. The book had many warnings about not hitting anyone on the head, it is easily fatal. The nightsticks were a little safer.


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## SupremeEye (Mar 14, 2009)

2manybikes said:


> That might be the book I have. I can't find it right now. It is very good. Many people don't understand the light over the shoulder grip. When I was reading about that I learned some departments were taking away the very long lights as they were too dangerous. The book had many warnings about not hitting anyone on the head, it is easily fatal. The nightsticks were a little safer.


My department has a force policy so we are fine.

The only time we can strike a person in the head with an impact weapon is if we are in danger of serious bodily injury or death.

I always carry in the over the shoulder grip (AKA POLICE STYLE), I find it to be the most effective way to carry a long light and if need be transition to stikes or to use in conjunction with a gun.

Actually I use all of my lights in that way, I hold my TK11, LD20 in the same way. 

Could you imagine carrying a 6D Cell maglite lmao.


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## 2manybikes (Mar 14, 2009)

SupremeEye said:


> Could you imagine carrying a 6D Cell maglite lmao.


 
I had one. LOL !

That's why I purchased the 7 c cell. I could move the C cell light much faster. I still have it, its about 28 years old.


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## Phill (Mar 14, 2009)

Liquidspaceman said:


> Last noob question of the day. Say you had a choice of either a Maglite or one of the following. Which of these would you choose over a maglite?
> 
> The purpose of this thread is to determine whether all of these budget flashlights are better than owning a maglite. Don't worry too much about the price or that you can mod these lights. I'm talking strictly from a reliability/usability standpoint.
> 
> ...



This isnt like comparing a Ford to a Porsche, or an apple to an orange. You are trying to compare a Porsche to an apple.

Without choosing specific models of comparison, setting criteria of analysis with an intended goal of use to provide the baseline you can never compare them - let alone the fact you are trying to compare several VERY different companies with different goals of production without consideration of the models they all produce.

I think you need to move beyond brand names, who makes what and where, because frankly it doesnt matter at the end of the day.

Fwiw, if you were to restart this thread and use the new cheap ~$40 Surefire and then said if people would choose that over a light of the same price from the other brands you listed this thread would have gone differently. It shouldnt, but it would.


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## KiwiMark (Mar 14, 2009)

SupremeEye said:


> Could you imagine carrying a 6D Cell maglite



I have a 6D Maglite (ROP High, aluminium reflector, glass lens), but I don't EDC it. In fact I don't use it a whole lot at home either, my 2D with ROP Low is much more comfortable and I like the size & balance of the 2D - good fit in the hand and I get 2 hours of 500+ Lumens from that great little light.

But I don't EDC the 2D either - as comfortable in the hand as it might be, it is less comfortable in the pocket!

I EDC 3 lights - a 1 x AA (14500 actually) Jetbeam, a 1 x 16430 Olight and a 1 x AAA Fenix.

I like the Maglite D cell hosts, especially the 2D sized ones, but what I take camping or use around home has a different size requirements to what I EDC, I like to use the most suitable light for the situation, so a Fenix L0D lives on my keyring (a Mag 2D would be less suitable for a keyring) and a Jet-I lives in my front jeans pocket, the Olight lives in my jacket pocket.

What is better? It depends!
My 2D ROP Low can produce 500+ Lumen and can run for over 2 hours, my 6D ROP High can produce 1000+ Lumen and can run for over 2 hours.
My L0D can fit on my keyring.
My Jet-III can be bright or it can put out about 2 Lumen - my night adjusted eyes prefer not to look at the hotspot from a 500 lumen light!


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## Benson (Mar 14, 2009)

2manybikes said:


> I had one. LOL !
> 
> That's why I purchased the 7 c cell. I could move the C cell light much faster. I still have it, its about 28 years old.


A C tube of the same length is also stronger -- I've never had occasion to use any light in a fight, but I've heard that D mags getting bent enough to prevent changing batteries is reasonably common.


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## SupremeEye (Mar 15, 2009)

2manybikes said:


> I had one. LOL !
> 
> That's why I purchased the 7 c cell. I could move the C cell light much faster. I still have it, its about 28 years old.


I heard that years back like in the 80's some of the old school Deputies at my department carried the 6D mags, I think while they were still in custody.

I never heard about it being used while out on patrol.

How do you carry a 6D or 7c maglite, I'd imagine you'd have to draw it out like a sword?

I can see see it now

Haha damn things would be the length of your leg.:laughing:


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## xcel730 (Mar 15, 2009)

SupremeEye said:


> I heard that years back like in the 80's some of the old school Deputies at my department carried the 6D mags, I think while they were still in custody.
> 
> I never heard about it being used while out on patrol.
> 
> ...


 

You know the 6D and 7C Mags were made by men for men. You could proudly holster it around and tell the ladies, "people don't call me the human tripod for no reasons." :devil:


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## 2manybikes (Mar 15, 2009)

SupremeEye said:


> I heard that years back like in the 80's some of the old school Deputies at my department carried the 6D mags, I think while they were still in custody.
> 
> I never heard about it being used while out on patrol.
> 
> ...


 
There is a ring type light carrier that snaps onto your belt that does not fit over the wide part of the head. So yeah, carry it like a sword. 

Or a lead pipe. :laughing:


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## xcel730 (Mar 15, 2009)

How the heck can they chase after criminal with that thing flinging around?


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## 2manybikes (Mar 15, 2009)

xcel730 said:


> How the heck can they chase after criminal with that thing flinging around?


 
You just throw it at him.


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## SupremeEye (Mar 15, 2009)

2manybikes said:


> You just throw it at him.


lol and hope it jams between his legs for a second making him trip.


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## xcel730 (Mar 15, 2009)

This reminds me of an episode of Man vs. Wild where Bear Grylls used a stick to throw it at a hare.


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## 2manybikes (Mar 15, 2009)

SupremeEye said:


> lol and hope it jams between his legs for a second making him trip.


 
:twothumbs


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## Zatoichi (Mar 17, 2009)

I saw a policeman outside Tesco holding a 6D Mag on Sunday. I've no idea what he was doing with it, it was the middle of the day and sunny. :shrug:


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## SupremeEye (Mar 17, 2009)

Zatoichi said:


> I saw a policeman outside Tesco holding a 6D Mag on Sunday. I've no idea what he was doing with it, it was the middle of the day and sunny. :shrug:


LOL wow in 2009.

I have two mags a regular 3D and a Magcharger which serves as my big light.

My TK11 R2 gets more use though.


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## Zatoichi (Mar 17, 2009)

SupremeEye said:


> LOL wow in 2009.



I know! :laughing: I felt like asking him about it, but he didn't look in the mood.


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## Benson (Mar 17, 2009)

What he was doing with a 6D Mag in daylight? Fixing to beat people who ask stupid questions about his flashlight, that's what!


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## xcel730 (Mar 17, 2009)

This thread is getting funnier by the post.


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## KiwiMark (Mar 18, 2009)

Zatoichi said:


> I saw a policeman outside Tesco holding a 6D Mag on Sunday. I've no idea what he was doing with it, it was the middle of the day and sunny. :shrug:



I have a 6D mag, very nice torch. Of course mine has a ROP High bulb, rechargeable batteries, glass lens, aluminium reflector - but otherwise it is a standard Maglite.


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## SupremeEye (Mar 18, 2009)

Zatoichi said:


> I know! :laughing: I felt like asking him about it, but he didn't look in the mood.


Did he have on black gloves or anything?

lol


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## 2manybikes (Mar 18, 2009)

My flashlight is bigger than your flashlight. :laughing:


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## StarHalo (Mar 18, 2009)

2manybikes said:


> My flashlight is bigger than your flashlight. :laughing:



That picture is really confusing :duh2:


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## 2manybikes (Mar 18, 2009)

StarHalo said:


> That picture is really confusing :duh2:


 
 It's taller than the dog. That's all.


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## carrot (Mar 18, 2009)

That looks like a Corgi. Amirite?


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## 2manybikes (Mar 18, 2009)

carrot said:


> That looks like a Corgi. Amirite?


 
Yes.


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