Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 111
 In a word, excellent September 21, 2007
DB.Zimmerman
24 out of 24 found this review helpful
The construction and quality is what you'd expect from a Maglite with a solid and durable aluminum body and rubber gaskets inside to keep out dirt and water. The grip is also nicely textured to keep the flashlight from slipping out of your hand.
Light output is excellent with a bright, white beam and good throw distance. The reflector has been redesigned from the 2AA incandescent model and eliminates the infamous Maglite "hole" (a dark spot in the middle of the beam) when the flashlight is on full flood. Adjusting to spot isn't a dramatic difference, but it definitely puts more light in the center of the beam which can be useful in certain situations.
Batteries last a long, long time, and unlike the older incandescent model, the light output doesn't decrease to unusable levels long before the batteries are dead but rather stays clear and bright until the batteries are exhausted. The LED is also considerably more durable than an incandescent bulb, and my LED Maglite has survived knocks and drops that would have required a bulb replacement in my old incan model. And while the LED version is about an inch longer than the old model, the flashlight is still small and light enough to carry everywhere (I always keep mine on my belt so it's always handy when I need it, which is more often than you'd expect!).
I have only one caveat: the flashlight does not have reverse polarity protection meaning that if you accidentally install the batteries backwards, you'll smoke the LED and you'll have to buy a new flashlight. Just be careful when installing the batteries and you'll be fine.
It might seem a little pricey, but it's worth every penny.
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Edit: A year later and this little flashlight is still going strong. It never leaves my side.
A whole lot of flashlight October 17, 2006
Leon W. Blocker (Muscatine, Iowa United States)
39 out of 42 found this review helpful
I have the 2 cell AA LED Mini Maglite, and I love it. But let's clear up some misconceptions about what this little gem is and isn't. In the dark, this is a bright, capable flashlight that illuminates a wide area. Unlike Maglites you may be used to, the beam can't really be focused. Yes, if you point it towards the ground at your feet, you can see the beam converge. At five yards out, it doesn't really matter, it's an area light no matter what.
If you are looking for a solid area light that doesn't take up a lot of room and has long-lasting battery life - wait no more, this is your flashlight! Go buy it right now.
If you are looking for something to replace a SureFire or StreamLight, keep looking. This flashlight just isn't in the same league of brightness. Yes, it's rough and tough and for a small flashlight it is very bright for close tasks. If you are looking to light up chunks of real estate at night, then you are better off with a SureFire.
A couple of words of warning about this light compared to the "regular" halogen - it is a larger flashlight. In diameter it is the same, but in length it is about one inch longer. And since the LED is supposed to be indestructible, there is no spare in the cap.
I carry this on my belt with the included holster, though I pray to God Maglite wakes up and gives us a holster that LOCKS closed. Would it kill ya to give us six inches of nylon and velcro to hold the blessed thing in place, Maglite?
BOTTOM LINE : A solid, dependable light that is excellent for small areas or enclosed spaces. After all, it is a Maglite. Only six inches of fabric and velcro keeps this from being the best LED flashlight for any amount of money.
Very, very pleased. December 28, 2006
TheBassGuy
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
I've owned 4 conventional (Krypton) bulb Maglites over the years and I've ran many, many sets of batteries through them, especially my 2 AA maglites. I'll just cut to the chase and say that they hit the ball out of the park with this LED version, it is fantastic. The following observations are with fresh batteries in all of the units:
- Brightness: The 2 AA LED version is significantly brighter than the 2 AA Krypton bulb version. In fact the 2 AA LED is nearly as bright as my 3D cell Krypton bulb maglite!
- Clarity: It's no secret that traditional bulb flashlights typically project uneven light patterns with super bright and super dark areas in the beam. I find this incredibly annoying and will have to play with the focus of the beam to find something usable. The LED version has this problem solved. The clarity and spread of the light is fantastic. I can flick it on to ANY setting and it's 10x better than the traditional (Krypton bulb) maglite in terms of clarity and beam focus. I can tell they worked a lot on this and they did a great job.
- Color: This is minor compared to the above, but the LED version puts out a cool white beam that is easy on the eye and it seems easier to pick up details. The conventional bulb version puts out a harsher more redish/ pink beam and after comparing the two back to back the LED version is much better.
- Battery life: Don't know yet. I hear the batteries should last longer and the circuitry keeps the light output up even as the batteries go down in charge. Time will tell.
I now plan to upgrade all my D Cell versions with the LED upgrade kit. I'm very pleased with this purchase. I've made some nasty reviews in the past, so this this positive review is saying something. :)
Great Product, one minor issue though August 22, 2008
Jon
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
Love Maglite flashlights, only had one minor issue with this one. I don't normally write reviews, but wanted to share this for anyone else who has this problem. The flickering/won't turn on problem very well could be the tailcap assembly (screw off back part). There are 2 metal clips that need to make contact with the barrel. If your AA LED Maglite is not turning on, try bending these 2 clips out and make sure they can make contact with the barrel. Mine had this problem, and once I bent these clips out it has worked just great. I hope this helps someone out there.
Well worth waiting for. You will be pleased with this MAGLITE October 20, 2006
Paul (Hertfordshire UK)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
I have been a fan of MAGLITE products for years. It's the quality of the machined aluminium cases. I had been thinking about upgrading some of my MAGLITEs to LED when this AA LED MAGLITE became available. It is slightly longer than the non LED AA MAGLITE. The LED is much brighter than the incandescent version and has much whiter light. In fact it is so bright in comparison that I think a 25% power mode or even variable power would be a good idea. It doesn't focus as well as the incandescent MAGLITE but it is still much brighter so this isn't really an issue. I think this product is extremely good value for the level of light output. I believe a LED conversion kit of similar quality would cost about as much. You can drop it and it still works. I have dropped mine twice by accident with no ill effect. I think MAGLITE have done a good job with LED technology. The LED AA MAGLITE is a big advance over the incandescent version and easily worth the extra money. There is also a 3xAA version which I am told is much brighter. I wanted one to keep in my pocket so I preferred the shorter version. The 3xAA may suite other people better.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 111
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