Maglite LED 3 D Cell Flashlight Plus a 2 AA Mini Maglite Torch Set

What can I tell you about the Maglite that you don't already know?

Quite a bit if you have a minute or two.

For starters, the Focus on the 3 D Cell is no where near as good as that on the Led Lenser 14. As when on wide flood, the Maglite has a dark hole in the middle. Unlike the P14 which is a full flood, with a weird circle of light a third toward the centre.

Where the Maglite 3 D shines (Pardon the pun) is on Full beam, it has a very Tight beam that pinpoints the light to a fair distance. There is a Lot of side spill, so not only can you see the beam, you see whatever is around it.

The P14 in contrast doesn't have side spill, all the light is focused into one place, making it much more powerful than the 3D.

The 3D however is what you would expect from a Maglite and I was pleasantly surprised. Though I do prefer the P14 by a mile, the 3D feels like a Maglite, it works like a Maglite and has the familiar switch on the side and it's Cheap. The build quality is what you would expect of Maglite, it is sold and feels like it will not let you down.

Thanks to the LED chip within, you'll never find yourself scrabbling around for a spare bulb, but curiously enough, the tail cap still has a spring that isn't attached. As if it had a place for a spare bulb. If you were so inclined, you could use the end cap to stash something, like a tea bag perhaps, keeping it dry. Just incase you wanted an emergency cuppa. (I know, clutch at straws here)

The Benefits of a Maglite 3 D Cell over a Led Lenser P14 in my mind are Few, if any. It is still like carrying a Truncheon and heavy as lead. It doesn't come with a Holster and chews up D Cell batteries (which are not cheap). Unlike my favorite which uses 4 x AA batteries.

Did I mention the Maglite is Affordable though?

As much as I love the Led Lenser, you have to be willing to part with a bit more money, like you do anyway when you want the best, but for the money (and I hate to admit this) the Maglite will please most people. Especially if they have never before ventured in to the new and bright world of LED Flashlights and Torches.

This is a SET, so I must mention the Mini-Maglite which is included with a very basic , slightly dull, yet functional Holster.

I will try to be kind to the Mini-Maglite, which for many years the non LED Version was my pride and joy, having owned several in the past.

I'm really VERY Happy that I won't Ever have to find a or buy a replacement Bulb for the Mini-Maglite, I always felt I was being shafted buying such a tiny little bulb for so much, but knew I had to keep a spare in the tail cap just incase. As they were always sold in packs of two, I would have another spare one floating around that would invariably get lost, and so the price of one bulb effectively doubled.

It is still in the dark ages with the Twist Head switch on and Off, but this seems to me because Maglite have used the same design as the old torch. I have compared the old and the new and found the LED version to be 2 cm longer. Ideal if you want to use it in your stab vest or as a Kubotan, BUT and this is a Big BUT:

It's not that good. I mean it looks the business, it feels nice enough, but its a bit weak. The switch allows for 4 outputs, High - Low - Blink - Faster Blink.

The Focus is as bad as the old Krypton bulb and doesn't give a lot of light. More than a Mini-Maglite of old, granted, but compared to another Affordable torch the Silverpoint Extreme EX2 the Mini-Mag is laughable. In fact, you would think that as both are 2 AA torches they would be about the same, nothing could be further from the truth.

What we have here with the Mini-Maglite is a poorly designed pocket torch. It could be shorter, there's no obvious reason why it's so long at 165mm (6.5in) it will not be to comfortable in your pocket, hence the holster.

CONCLUSION

If you want a Maglite because you are used to Maglite and when you think of a Torch you think of Maglite and LED is New to you and maybe You're Skint and Need a Cheap Torch Set that will see you with something for the House and Something for the Glove Box, then look no further.

These torches are Solid, Reliable and compared to non LED torches, (not talking about HID or Xenon, though whoever still uses those needs their heads looking at, then I am an LED purist, so I would say something like that) they really are quite good. The 3 D will impress anyone who has never seen a real LED torch and if you ever found yourself confronted, a Maglite 3D Cell, as ever, will back you up.

The Mini-Maglite, is a Handy torch, but not suitable as Every Day Carry. Fine if you want one in your tool box for odd jobs, but if you are a Copper or someone who needs a Lightweight Torch to carry all the time for when you find yourself in the dark. Stay Away from the Mini-Maglite and get yourself either and Led Lenser P5, P6, P7 or Extreme EX2.

The Maglite set is Affordable, Reliable and makes at ideal Gift for Christmas for Granddad or as a cheap spare.