Maglite Mini LED 2-Cell AA Flashlight with Holster - Black | Compact & Bright Tactical Flashlight for Camping, Hiking, Emergency & Everyday Use

This is a good flashlight, with some flaws. First is the blinking thing that I have seen multiple people have talked about, where it seems like the flashlight has a short in it. Here is the deal from what I have seen about that. If you look at the flashlight, there is no wires going from top to bottom or anything to make the connection or circuit to make it work. The way it works is like this. The flashlight body is the wiring or the circuit to make the connection to make it work. If you take the tail cap off and look at it, you will see, on both the tail cap, and on the body, that there is a small, about 1/16" thick ring where there is no paint. It is right next to the rubber seal on the tail cap. that bare metal has to make a connection for the light to work. the rest of it is painted, and where the paint is, it will NOT make a connection. Only that bare metal area will. So, if you just even slightly loosen the tail cap, then that circuit, or connection will be broke, and it can cause the light to flicker while using it, like it has a loose connection. If this happens, just tighten the tail cap back up. Where this is a flaw is this.. You have to turn the lens end to turn it on and off, and because of that, if you grab the tail cap while turning it on and off, you can accidentally loosen the tail cap, causing this to happen. I have done it a couple of times my self., I just learned to make sure I have ahold of the body, and dont grab the tail cap when turning it on and off.Also, the LED assembly works on the same principle. When you turn the light off, the top lens assembly pushes down on the LED assembly breaking the contact which turns the light off. then when you unscrew the lens assembly, the spring on the tail cap will push the batteries back up which pushes the LED assembly back up which will make the connection again. So if some dirt gets in there, it can cause the light to not work, or flicker too. Simply taking the batteries out, and spinning the LED assembly should dislodge any dirt or dust to make it work right again too. Note, the LED assembly will not spin while there is pressure on it, which is why you want to take the batteries out when trying to spin the LED switch assembly. This is not a huge problem, but can happen if you do thing like get dirt in there while changing batteries, use the light as the lantern feature, with the lens assembly off a lot, etc. Just something to remember or consider.As for the light and features. The flashlight does have a lanyard ability, but does not come with one. that is that little strap that you can put around you wrist, or neck.. basically, it is a strap. The tail cap even has a hole to attach one on, but it does NOT come with one. I have not seen any basic LED maglite setup that has come with one, with the exception of the solitaire version, which is the single AAA keychain version. It is simple enough to buy or attach one. Just know that even though the flashlight was made to attach one, it does not come with one.All that this comes with is the presentation box, a single page instruction manual under the grey piece that the light and batteries sit on, the 2 AA batteries, and the flashlight. Nothing more. Unless you need the presentation box for some reason, I would say save some money and just buy the bare flashlight version. You are paying a couple extra dollars for that pretty box, and if you are like most people, it will just get opened up, and tossed anyways. So unless want that box for some reason, save the couple of dollars and just buy the one without the box. They are the same thing, and come with the same stuff, minus the box of course. If you do choose to get the box, it can be used to store small things in as that grey plastic holder piece comes out easily. so you can use it for something, and it is decently made too. It is not some cheap flimsy plastic that it is made out of.One thing that I wish that they had, and made, was some kind of switch for it. Like they do on other models. they have a version that has a switch on the end cap, which is considered tactical, but those are about double the cost, and up, from what these cost. and they do put a switch on the side of the D size flashlight too, so if you want one with a switch on the side, and dont mind the size of D sized flashlights, then you got the D sized flashlights as an option too. I just wish that they made that an option on these AA sized ones.These come with 4 settings.. full brightness, low powered half brightness, blink or flash, and SOS. The way that you switch from one to the next is turn the light on.. then turn it off and back on immediately. each time you do this, will switch from one setting to the next.. full, then half brightness.. then blink, then SOS.. I like the idea of full and half brightness, but i think that they blink and SOS ones are for the most part useless. I think that probably, other then playing with it, 98% of the population will not need the last two setting.. But thankfully, they are also at the end of the sequence too. Also, when you switch from one setting to the next, just know, you will need to turn it off and then on immediately., If you have it off for even a full second, it will reset back to normal, and come on, on full brightness again. You can have it on as long as you want, but it is the, how long you have it off that effects if it switches to the next setting or not. So basically, it does not matter if the light has been on 1 second, or one minute, it is all about not turning it off for more then a fraction of a second when switching modes. The reason i am saying this is I dont want you to think that you have to switch it on and off constantly trying to get to the setting that you want, immediately after you turn it on., Turn it on, then off and back on again fast, make sure it is on half brightness. then if you want to go to flash do it again. You can verify it switched modes each time without worry.. so you know you got to the setting that you wanted to.the flashlight is bright, especially considering how small it is. This version comes in different lumens in brightness., Basically, lumens is how brightness of the light. 1 lumen is equal to having one candle lit, on how bright it is. 80 is 80 candles. That is a simple way to make it easy to understand the difference in the brightness. Well, these are around 70 to 80.. depending on the model.. The old incandescent version of the same thing, the one that uses the regular bulb.. were only about 14 lumens.. so you can imagine the difference. At low power, it is about half brightness, which will be around 40 lumens.. still much brighter then the original incandescent bulb types. Maglite does put out different version, the regular, the pro, etc. as you go up the scale, they also get brighter, and more expensive too. but take into consideration what you are using them on and how long you want the batteries to last. the brighter it gets, the shorter the battery run time will be.For example, this light, at low power, which is probably around 40 lumens, will last an estimated 31 hours.. at full power, or around 70 lumens, it will last 18 hours. and the pro version, at 245 lumens will only last 2 hours 15 minutes.. is it really worth the extra brightness and have to replace the batteries 8 times more often.. not in my opinion. but just take it into consideration when deciding on which one to buy. also, I stated about the difference in lumens in the basic version. I have seen 69, 77, and 80 lumens in brightness., I think the reason for the difference is depending on whether it i first, second, or third generation version. which is why there is slight differences in brightness to them.If you read the reviews on the other versions, one thing that I have seen a few times was people leaving bad feedback about the product, saying that maglite has had bad customer support. As I have never had to contact them about their products.. ever.. and I have 3 mini's for me, 3 3d sized ones, I have bought some for friends of mine, and all those are just the LED versions alone.. and none of us have had any problems with any of them (with the exception of grabbing the tail cap and accidentally loosening it..) None of us have had any reason to ever contact Maglite, so I can not say what their service is like. But I can say this... Maglite is flashlights.. that is it.. The dont make batteries. I have seen people complain that maglite wont do anything about replacing their light that was broke because batteries leaked or ... my favorite.. I smashed my light on the ground and it did not work right after it so I smashed it harder.. Uhh yea. I dont think they were made to be smashed up against things like concrete. I think that is called.. Abuse..Maglite does give batteries in with their flashlights as a courtesy. They do not warranty those batteries, nor did they make them, nor do they really make any type or brand for these. So if something happens to your batteries, maglite does not sell them and they can not, and will not warranty flashlights that get damaged due to other companies products failing. They warranty the flashlight, that they make.. and that is against manufacturer defect. nothing more, and nothing less. If your battery explodes, then that is no maglite's fault, so dont expect them to replace the product because it was not their product that failed. Sorry to have to say this, but I have seen multiple people giving this product a bad review because they did not get good service from maglite because their reps would not replace the flashlight for free because a battery leaked or exploded in it. It was not their fault so they had no reason to have to replace it, because their product did not fail, the battery companies product did..I have seen people also compare these to other brands like the coast brand, the UltraFire brand, etc.., Let me just say this.. If you are looking only at price, then yes, those other companies products are cheaper.. but there is a reason. I really can not say as to build quality as I have never purchased anything from them.. But this I can say. Maglite's mare made in the USA.. UltraFire and Coast brands are made in china. so even if the maglite's cost a little more, to me it is important because you are supporting a company with a good reputation that has gone thge extra mile to keep work and production here. Most companies now days are moving their production to china, mexico, etc.. because it is cheaper for them to be made there.. But Maglites, have always, and hopefully always will, be made here, in the USA.. So to me, I am more then willing to pay a couple dollars more and know that I am getting a quality product that the company still care enough to keep production here. that should say something about the company in itself.On a side note. I have seen other companies make end caps for these, that have a switch on them. Just know, make sure you read the reviews before you decide to go with one of them. From what I have read, they are not the quality that goes with a maglite flashlight., I have seen many complaints about the seals leaking bad on them, the switches not holding up to any kind of abuse, and even if they are not abused, them not holding up to standard use for extended lengths of time.. Remember, you get what you pay for. They are cheap, and probably for a reason. Like I said, I have not tried any of them, but I have seen the same complaints about all the brands that I have found out there, that make those aftermarket end caps with a switch on them.as for the lens in it. It is, if I remember right, made out of a polycarbonate plastic.. Yes, it can and will scratch over time, and is much more prone to scratching then say, glass is.. But there is a good reason for them using it vs glass. Polycarbonate is an impact resistant plastic. So if you hit it, yes, you make scratch it, but it is not likely that it will shatter.. where glass will.. and if that lens does get scratched up, you can buy replacement lens's for it,or even ones in different colors too. and it is very easy to change also. I have seen people make remarks that they wish it was glass instead of plastic, but the second that they hit that glass and it shattered, those same people would then be complaining that they put something like glass in it and it shattered and people could get hurt on that glass.. You basically have a choice.. plastic that will not shatter, is cheap and easy to replace, or a glass lens that can shatter and cause injury. and you will still have to replace it anyways.. I will go with the plastic that I dont have to worry about breaking myself.lastly.. If you are used to and have used the old, incandescent versions in the past, and have never used the LED version before.. Just know, the LED version does NOT come with a spare bulb under the tail cap spring, like the old incandescent versions did. The reason is, the old incandescent bulbs were only rated for something like 60 hours of use, so they make sure that you could always have a spare bulb with you just in case it blew.. but the LED in these are supposed to be rated for something like 100,000 hours.. so by the time that you burn the LED out, you will probably be ready for a new light anyways, so there really is no need for them to give you a spare bulb.As for the flashlights.. and the quality.. I think it is very good and they are very well made. I would highly recommend them to anyone. Just make sure that you get what is best for your situation. If twist on and off types bother you, you may want to look a different version of their product that may have a switch instead of a twist to turn it on and off. I, for one, am very happy with their products though. and like other people have stated. If you plan on using this a lot, you may want to consider purchasing a set of rechargeable batteries to use in it vs constantly buying new batteries. If I had any complaints, it is only these 2 things. First, I wish they have a switch vs relying on the twist top to turn it on and off (which is also why I accidentally loosened the tail cap too.. not a big deal though), and second, if you are going to put the ability to use a lanyard attachment, they would cost probably next to nothing for you to put one in the case, so just add one.Sorry about the long review, but just wanted to cover things that people have said, and so that people will know a bit of the difference between things.I purchased this for my father back in 2010. He loved it since it didn't take D batteries and was extremely bright. Practically the only flashlight he used until he passed.Cut to now, the LED died a couple years ago and sat in a drawer. This light uses a "LED module" and not a bulb like other companies. Once the LED dies, you obviously need a new one. On amazon, off brand ones cost $12-$20. Contacting Maglite, I was sent a replacement for just $8 shipping. One of the better customer services I've ever had to deal with.Does Maglite lights have issues? Maybe newer or other versionsDoes Maglite provide Customer Service? One of the best customer services.Am I a Shill? No, I usually only leave feedback when something doesn't work. I'm here 12 years after purchase to say how great the light, and the companies service is.Don't believe me? Buy an "Amazon recommend" light and see how their cheap light/customer service worksI was living off grid using this light and its the best, ultra bright for a small light and lasts a long time.This is my first Maglite 2AA LED flashlight, I have only had regular bulb type before. It is very bright and may save me from buying bulbs often, As before every time I replaced my batteries the bulb would burn out within 5 minutes or less. My only dislike is the LED model is a longer flashlight and will not fit in mt cases used for bulb models, And no one has or makes a case to fit the LED 2AA Maglite.⁸a great flashlight![These comments also appear as a review for the grey version of this light since Amazon has them listed seperately for some reason.]Puchased 4 of these to use as a secondary light source for each of our mountain bikes. 3 of them are grey and 1 in camo. Mounted them onto the handle bars with the Fenix ALB-10 bike mounts. Replaced the plastic lens in each with glass versions at a cost of about $5 each. Also purchased the Maglite AA accessory kit for each (~$5) which included a lanyard, pocket clip, and an anti-roll lens holder with colored inserts.These are not the brightest lights available in this price range but for function and reliability these are hard to match. Believe at the time of purchase they were rated at 77 lumens which is less than the current generation (97 lumens). Primarily use them in blink mode to attract attention of other drivers/riders but also serve as a primary back-up. I use another flashlight for main lighting source. The focus works well but usually dont need it as we just twist the head enough to turn the light on. Accessing the blink mode requires turning the head on/off 3 times. As a bike light, these have been constantly exposed to shaking, impacts, and the elements for nearly 4 years. The only complaint being that I have needed to clean the contacts and expand the spring a couple of times. The most obvious damage to the finish is at the lanyard hole due to the metal ring used to connect the lanyard. A lanyard is required so we don't lose the light on a trail.The lights perform better with higher voltage batteries. As a result, primary lithiums are the best choice (1.7V) over alkalines (1.5V) and even the best NIMH rechargeables (~1.2V). For our application (blink mode), we use regular Eneloops.Overall, I highly recommend this light. Performs well and is rock-solid dependable. Most of the complaints about Maglites over the years have been failure due to leaking batteries. This is not the fault of the light but the fault of cheap batteries and neglectful owners. No flashlight, or any electronics for that matter, should be stored with alkaline batteries unless the tailcap is loosened/removed. Even then, the batteries should be changed annually at least. If used as an emergency light in a car or nightstand, would definitely recommend the Energizer lithiums.Purchased Summer 2014 from Amazon for $16.13 (grey versions) and $20.94 (camo). Also purchased a Pro version the same year which is still going strong too.All of them Made in the USA.The Maglite AA led is the only flashlight i purchase now and i have had a few types and makes over the years, the thing i like is the build quality, the fact i can use quality rechargeable batteries is a big bonus and i always purchase a pocket clip to carry it in my overall pocket, parts are available for them as well, i used to buy Led Lenser but quite frankly i always had problems with flickering and the battery holders always disintegrate after a while.Meh, it's definitely a torch.Maglite torches used to be the best back when filament lamps were the norm but, despite trying and trying, their designers just don't seem to have got the knack of working with LEDs & the fancy control circuits that are expected de rigeur alongside them. Either that or they just can't bring themselves to abandon the classic Maglite design, although it should be glaringly obvious by now that it just doesn't work well with LED technology - this torch is (still) basically a slightly tweaked version of a much older incandescent design (which was, admittedly, absolutely perfect), and it shows. The beam size cannot be adjusted AT ALL, despite the claims of the manual; attempting to do so just redirects half the light from the LED back inside the torch and makes the beam dimmer but otherwise exactly the same angle. What worked elegantly well for a point light source at the far end of a long cylindrical filament bulb does not work with a flush-mounted LED.Similarly, twisting the head to control the torch worked perfectly when it was just an on or off switch between batteries and bulb, but it's not suited at all to cycling through a menu of brightness and flash options; quickly twisting the thing back and forth, fighting the resistance of the gaskets each time as you repeatedly try to find the point where the contacts lift (without any tactile or audible feedback like a click or something) to pick the right operating mode is an awkward, mushy, unnatural movement. It needs a button.Finally, "candle" mode (removing the head and using it as a base to stand the naked light source up in) is simply impractical with LEDs; they're too powerful and concentrated a light source to look directly at (not to mention the blue light hazard to one's retinas), or even have in your peripheral vision undiffused, without the experience being downright painful.Get a Lenser instead.I previously used an original Maglite Mini with a third-party LED retrofitted (before "hacking" was popular...). That lasted around 15 years until I dropped it and the LED module broke. When looking for a replacement I found that Maglite has caught up and now makes these LED versions of the Mini. Overall I would recommend getting one of these over the original style Maglite Mini.Pros:- Very high brightness - startling contrast even to my previous Maglite with retrofitted LED. On the high power mode you can easily see the way ahead in pitch black - tested up a hill on a night walk the other day. I find the reduced power mode is plenty just for going out for an early morning run where there are no streetlamps.- Flexible - various power modes, including flashing (might be useful as a bike light maybe?) and SOS (?!) Next time I'm stranded on a dessert Island I'll be sure to use that one. In all seriousness it's probably useful if you're into mountaineering or something.- Battery life - I have used it on reduced power for probably~ 2-3 hours in total and about 1 hour on full power so far, and no sign of the batteries flagging.Cons- I found that it can switch itself between modes all by itself. My guess is, because the switching is done by turning power off and on again quickly, that a slightly loose contact might be enough to trigger the switch (e.g. if the batteries rattle in the compartment). I found that ensuring you turn the lens much further than needed - an extra half turn or so - is enough to prevent this. Just enough of a nuisance to drop a star for me.- As with other Maglites, the claim is that rotating the lens focuses the beam. Since LEDs are already very directional, this doesn't really achieve anything. It's not a drawback, as there's nothing wrong with the focus in my view, but it's not an advantage as stated either.SummaryI would recommend this torch and am only dropping the one star as Maglite makes exceptional quality torches and so this has just a little bit of room for improvement in the switching - otherwise it's perfect.I recently realised that we don't have a big enough working torch should we get a powercut! Thankfully, I didn't learn the hard way. But having seen how good maglights are before through a friend, I bought this to make sure we don't get caught out. I love it already. For a "small" or "mini" torch, it's a decent size & packs a powerful punch. This torch would definitely serve its purpose during a powercut & will come in handy at other times too. And given that it comes in a handy box to keep it in, it's easy to keep it safe, but easy to access. It would probably be easy for people with dexterity issues to open the box as well & it's a twist to turn on, rather than pressing a stiff button. Having disabilities myself, I would think more people with disabilities would be able to manage this OK. And being a maglight, I can be confident it will last.This was replacing the old version of the Mag-Lite Mini. In general it does what I need it to do, but the 'switching' option between modes is not perfect. The mechanism relies on twisting the head off and then on to rotate through the 4 options. This took a little bit of getting used to, but even after regular use I find I cannot always get a full-beam, which should be the initial mode when you twist to turn the torch on. For the price I would expect better.Edit: the intermittent full-beam issue appears to be related to battery fade. Replacing them restored full functionality.