Maglite Solitare

[getpower]

Any reviews on the Maglite Solitare-good or bad?

I am thinking that for someone who works in a building fixing things this would be a good, handy flashlight.

[Leatherman123]

I would say its decent. It is pretty durable but it eats AAA batteries! The runtime is probably 2 hrs! its not that bright either. If you are looking for a nice light then get an Inova X1 for 20 bucks at Target. It is really bright and has pretty good runtime!

[getpower]

Thanks man, I appreciate the honesty.

How is that company anyway? I tend to stick to well-know brands. IMO even streamlite would be better than Inova. But I can honestly say that I havent heard much about them. Everone knows Maglite.

[Anthony]

In this day and age, small LED lights are the way to go.  The Gerber Infinity series are worth a look and not much more money than a Solitare.

[NutSAK]

I would consider Inova and Streamlite both well-known US brands, and they both have very high-quality products.

[parnass]

I would avoid Maglite's Solitaire after owning a few.  They were so bad that they got me started in LED flashlights.

The two main problems were intermittent switches and dim light.

I converted a Solitaire to LED with an aftermarket module and it's not too bad.

[WhichDawg]

Everone knows Maglite.

Obviously you haven't been keeping up to date on flashlight technology (no offense intended, you have a life!)
IMHO (in my honest opinion) maglite is outdated and far behind in light technology big time! the only people that buy them
are people that don't know any better and zombie bashers (when you run outta bullets, throw a mag at them!)
It's like maglite doesn't care about better products or what anybody wants, "Change and New are bad!" seems to be their motto.

All the suggestions given so far are very good ones, tons of great lights out there now, way brighter, longer lasting, programmable,
reliable, inexpensive, though you can spend hundreds too (check Surefire). Good luck on your search and it's a
great time to get torches (as our UK brothers say)!

[Leatherman123]

Inova is a great flashlight brand!

[Dtrain]

Everone knows Maglite.

Obviously you haven't been keeping up to date on flashlight technology (no offense intended, you have a life!)
IMHO (in my honest opinion) maglite is outdated and far behind in light technology big time! the only people that buy them
are people that don't know any better and zombie bashers (when you run outta bullets, throw a mag at them!)
It's like maglite doesn't care about better products or what anybody wants, "Change and New are bad!" seems to be their motto.

All the suggestions given so far are very good ones, tons of great lights out there now, way brighter, longer lasting, programmable,
reliable, inexpensive, though you can spend hundreds too (check Surefire). Good luck on your search and it's a
great time to get torches (as our UK brothers say)!

I know I am not involved with this post,but I do keep up with Technology.I do understand that there are better lights and options out there.I stick with the Maglight products because of the cost,and what I put my lights thru on a nightly basis at work.I know better,but for me spending a hundred dollars or so on a Surefire just is not justifiable.If I was invilved in my brother's line of work,yes I would.He is in law enforcement and his life could depend on the light.I am just a truck driver.For me a light needs to be cheap,durable,reliable,and easy to service and replace.I think that is why Maglight has lasted so long even with all the advances in lighting.I think that Maglight does not have a change is bad policy,just that they are sticking with what works.They have started to come out with some new LED lights.I think that they are alot like Victorinox,myself.They proceed at a slow pace when it comes to changes and advancements in their line of products.

I guess I am saying that I know better,but I buy Maglights anyways.I do however realize that they are not the start all end all of lights anymore.I do think that they offer a great bargian,as long as people realize that they have limitations.My Solitaire has been thru hell.The biggest problem I have is them coming unscrewd and seprating in my pocket.So when I change batteries,I put a dab of loctite on the tail cap.Once and awhile when I turn the head the light does not come on,but a quick tap to the body and there it is.It is far from the brightest,but I have always looked at my Solitaires as a backup to my larger Mags.Or as a keyhole finder.Hope that you do think that I am upset with your comments and took offense.I am not and do not.Just figured I would share my opinion and view of why Mags still sell and why they are slow to change.

Dtrain



PS.....You are right about the Zombie comment,Thats why after 20 years I still keep my 6-cell D Model at the ready positionin my bedroom.You never know when the "Dead" may rise and wander into your domicile.

[WhichDawg]

no no, I respect your thoughts and views. I just think maglight dropped the ball and let the world fly by them (at light speed, get it!)
they were kings, they had the toughest, most reliable, coolest product out there but refused to adopt to better products. the world
got brighter and lighter, and they didn't. like LED's and micro chips were a fad! I got mags in the 80's because they were the best,
and I'm still doing that. 

[Dtrain]

I see what you are saying also.I think that what they are doing is focusing,no pun intended on the "Casual" user market.If that makes sense.Part of me wonders though if the owner of Maglite,I read his bio somewhere,bieng European a,d an "Old World" Craftsman fanatic is just proceeding SLOWLY with changes to the line.What do the marketing gurus think.

Dtrain

[Grant Lamontagne]

I think you hit the nail on the head with that one.  Mag seems to be following the same type of schedule as Victorinox does- introducing the improvements once the designs have proven themselves rather than spitting out stuff because it's new or all the rage.  Look at how long it took Victorinox to produce a folding plier tool, and look at how well it was received.  Compare that to how long it took Mag to release LED lights.

The bottom line is that Mags are dependable, reliable lights, just like a SAK is a dependable, reliable knife.  They aren't fancy, they aren't sexy, they aren't the latest thing, but they also aren't supposed to be.  They are what they are, and they do the jobs, and they'll be just as good in ten years as they are today.

That's not to say that most of today's LED's aren't still going to work in ten years, but look at how the LED's themselves are viewed these days.  LED's from three years ago aren't bright enough compared to the current offerings.  Sure, I can't argue with that, but has the darkness changed?  Have we inadvertently developed a "superdark" by creating better lights?  Has the dark become more resistant to light?  No.  The LED's from two or three years ago are just as bright as they were three years ago, but they are looked down upon simply because they aren't the newest and coolest.

Companies spend lots of money getting a seat on the latest bandwagon, and it's reflected in the price tags.  You can get a good, reliable Mag, LED or incandescent for about $20 or less, which is something you can't get from any of the fancier light companies.  If you want something the size of your thumbnail that can blind passing aircraft, then you have to pay for it.  For the rest of us, that kind of thing can be very counter productive, as we don't need supernova grade lighting to find the fuse box in the basement, or to spot the dog in the back yard when the porch light burns out.

I also like the Solitaire- I have two left, and I like to use them for lighting the inside of computers when working on them because I can focus the beam or unfocus it depending on what I am doing, it gives a useable amount of light and is small enough to fit almost anywhere.  Plus, I don't need to wear sunglasses when working inside a computer case like I would with some newer LED lights.

Yeah, the Solitaire isn't terribly bright, and it eats batteries like there's no tomorrow, but I like it for some jobs.  All it's meant for is riding on your keys and helping you find a lock at night.  If you really need the ability to flash boil a gallon of water with a pocket lamp, well, good luck to you!

Def

[Dtrain]

I cant remember where I saw it on Yahoo,but there is a company using funding from Homeland Security that has developed an LED monster light that temporaliy blinds and disorients individuals for a 5 to 6 minute period.

Dtrain

[edap617]

I cant remember where I saw it on Yahoo,but there is a company using funding from Homeland Security that has developed an LED monster light that temporaliy blinds and disorients individuals for a 5 to 6 minute period.

Dtrain

Here it is. I posted this a little over 2 weeks ago.

Eddie

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,3704.0.html

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Are there any sensible, affordable upgrades to the solitaire

[WhichDawg]

I guess you could ducktape a 4.99 infinity-ultra to it!

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

I guess you could ducktape a 4.99 infinity-ultra to it!

Might make it a bit bulky for pocket carry though

[jzmtl]

All the upgrade I know will cost more than the solitare itself. You might as well get something like this, a tad brighter than solitare and runs forever.

[NutSAK]

I guess you could ducktape a 4.99 infinity-ultra to it!

  Sound advice.

jzmtl has a good point too.  There are some good upgrades but, IMO, they're not worth it.  The Fenix EO won't cost you but a few dollars more than an upgrade, and you'll have much better results.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Well I should be getting a decent LED from Calvin soon, but as I already had a couple of solitaires, I figured it might not be a bad idea to upgrade one , but if like you say it's just not worth it, I'll just give it a miss

Thanks guys

[WhichDawg]

what I've heard is the upgrades give you alittle bit better than what you had, but less than a different torch.
and the upgrades I've seen are around 3x the cost of the light itself! I've heard of some gutting it and using
it as a pill fob!

[parnass]

what I've heard is the upgrades give you alittle bit better than what you had, but less than a different torch.
and the upgrades I've seen are around 3x the cost of the light itself! ...

The LED upgrades don't make as much economic sense now, especially since AAA LED lights are becoming more widely available.  I performed the upgrade just for fun. 

The local Target store was selling gold colored Solitaires for $2 or $3.  I had bought a few because they came packaged with a Duracell and I like the little included lanyard (with 2 split rings).