Maglite Solitaire LED or competitor?

[Gareth]

What's up with the Maglite dealers in the UK this year? Gareth had the same problems with his Maglite purchase. I don't think he got the correct version yet.

ironically, keeping in mind Cupboard's problems, Heinnie Haynes kept sending me a LED Solitaire rather than the LED AAA Mini-maglite I actually wanted.   And no, I've still not got the right light.

[Cupboard]

are you getting to keep all the wrong ones? I seem to have been allowed to keep the first one but have to send back the second 

[Gareth]

are you getting to keep all the wrong ones? I seem to have been allowed to keep the first one but have to send back the second 

Nah, I've had to send them back.  Sadly they were also well packaged enough that I couldn't play with them either.

[Santos]

Wellthis thread remnded me of the theory that too much choice just creates anxiety. honestly given how cheap they are in the states i don't know why you wuldn't just buy one rather than wait 6 months for another review. At $15 thats 65c a week.

 I bought one from the states and had it posted to my door in australia under $20. Eating at home this week to pay for it. Impressions?? freakin' awesome, throws a good light and is comparable to my 35 lumen mini-mag led upgrade in a much smaller package. i have the 13.5 and 15.2 lumen solitaire kits too. For pure light the factory led blows the others away but i think the kits still have there place especially if you are like me i like having the back up bulb... the led have unbelievable hour ratngs but if the circuit fails i can put the spare incandecent in until i get another kit, can't do that with the factory led and where i live not much point sending it in for warranty as it wuld cost me another nrw one in postage

[dks]

Tank007 E09.. Try it! Cheap, tough, sexy 
I have given several to people and they all still work fine and can take any AAA size battery, including LiIons. I really do not need any other torch when I have it one me.

Do not worry about hijacking a thread in this forum (I know some forums get all weird about that). After a few posts most threads tend to wonder a bit anyway; have a look around (apart from the female thread ; that one is seriously focused)

[pfrsantos]

are you getting to keep all the wrong ones? I seem to have been allowed to keep the first one but have to send back the second 

Nah, I've had to send them back.  Sadly they were also well packaged enough that I couldn't play with them either.

I'm betting you didn't quite read this carefully before posting...
 

[Gareth]

are you getting to keep all the wrong ones? I seem to have been allowed to keep the first one but have to send back the second 

Nah, I've had to send them back.  Sadly they were also well packaged enough that I couldn't play with them either.

I'm betting you didn't quite read this carefully before posting...
 

And I thought I had a filthy mind!

 

[pfrsantos]

[Cupboard]

 

It's arrived! At last! On the third attempt, I have an LED Solitaire. Phew.

First impressions in daylight are that the focussing feature is a bit pants, it goes from a reasonable blob on the wall, to a slightly bigger blob on the wall to nothing; but otherwise it's pretty good. It feels cheaper than the Fenix but I like (and always have liked) how thin it is.

[Gareth]

Well, I've just bought a Solitaire LED so assuming it arrives in time I'll do a quick comparison of that, the E05 and the original Solitaire for you.

Looking forward to the beam-shots, run times, size comparison pics etc etc.

 

Glad to hear you finally got your hands on one mate.

[comis]

Just notice this thread, in my previous life, I was a flashaholic and AAA led lights always hold a special place in my heart(always an EDC item).

Currently I have been using the DQG AAA Ti light and it is rather well executed and do recommend it(if you can still find it, but I am sure it should still be the smallest in the world right now).

As for the question to original poster, I think I'd go with Solitaire if I were you.  There are few things I value in my flashlight--form, function and robustness.  Maglite company has made millions of flashlights worldwide, and there are a few flahslights that could claim the same serviceability as maglite.  The problem of modern led flashlights, many made by Chinese, is that none has seen the same kind of serviceability as maglite does, and with all the frequent updates of product lines, few had the data of how well each particular product work in a very long run.

I still remembered how primitive were the flashlights made by Fenix/Jetbeam/Nitecore etc companies when they were starting.  And vividly remembered some Chinese flashaholics who went for an earthquake rescue mission with many different brands of well-known flashlights came back to a forum only to comment the only reliable choice was surefire(it was a few years back, things might have changed now)
So combining experience, cost of scale, simplicity, I will bet on the new led solitaire should be a decent balance of them all.

[Cupboard]

OK, OK 

It will probably be a this weekend thing - our workshop's gloomy enough it should be doable during the day.

In summary though, the Fenix has a much better flood and the Mag has a much better throw. The Mag's focussing feature is useless, when you turn it on you get a typical LED hotspot with some flood (but it's definitely a throwy pattern). As you rotate the focussing ring I was expecting the hotspot to get bigger and dimmer, in reality it just gets dimmer but doesn't seem to add to the flood at all.
Build quality doesn't seem as good as the Fenix but I can't help liking it, possibly for historical reasons as a Solitaire was the first torch I ever bought with my pocket money as a kid.

Slightly related, I was up the top of a grain silo today with my boss who's always taking the piss out of me carrying a torch and an MT. What does it turn out we need? A torch. Hah.

[Styerman]

I saw one today for the first time , plenty bright for a 1xAAA , I like the simple interface ( on/off) .

In all honesty , I don't have much faith in Chinese lights , Mag has yet to let me down .

Chris

[Cupboard]

I saw one today for the first time , plenty bright for a 1xAAA , I like the simple interface ( on/off) .

In all honesty , I don't have much faith in Chinese lights , Mag has yet to let me down .

Chris

Not including my new LED Solitaire I've had two Mags and four Fenixes. An AA Mini Mag, an incandescent Solitaire, an L1D, two LD10s and an E05.

Fit and finish was better on the Fenixes and the finish is much more durable.
The innards of the Fenixes also seem better. I have never had a problem with a Fenix not turning on - that's not to say I never will but I haven't yet. Given at most a similar amount of of use and abuse as the equivalent Fenix, both of my Maglites developed problems.

My AA Mini Mag had been a bit dodgy for a while, often requiring a tap to come to full brightness after you turned it on. Then the switch fell apart, so I glued it back together which lasted a bit before the whole assembly completely disintegrated and fell out and it got replaced with the L1D. My Solitaire never comes on at full brightness first time  - sometimes it comes on dimly and sometimes not at all when you turn it on. That requires varying degrees of being hit against things to make light. The battery contacts are all in decent condition and neither had been used for anything completely unreasonable, the only sustained abuse was hitting them to make them turn on.

[microbe]

Having read the pros and cons on the Solitaire LED, and seen other noting they owned one years ago, I think I will have to pick one up for sentimental reasons to.
At the moment I carry a Led Lenser P3 AFS P, AAA with a one mode 75 lumen output. It only last for an hour, but as I don't work at night, and I have various other lights I may - may not - carry, I get a few months of use out of the battery before it dies. The Solitaire will probably last a year before I run it down. But as said above, I will buy it mostly for old times sake 

[Cupboard]

If a friend came to me and said "I've just bought a Solitaire" I wouldn't scream at them for making a silly choice. If I was buying then I wouldn't get one.

[Gareth]

Having had a look at Cupboards LED Solitaire I have to totally agree with the above statement.  Good light and I'd not tell anyone that they were wasting their money, but I don't think I'll be getting one for myself any time soon.

[enki_ck]

And I just found out the local price. $23 + $5 shipping.

Not getting one.

[Jothra]

I bought a Mag Solitaire LED for $20 specifically because I've always liked the Solitaire body but hated their original light output.

Then, at the end of August, I bought an incandescent Solitaire with the vision of doing a 30 Day Challenge with it. You know what I figured out in two days? Useful or not, that would have been the most boring thread ever. Ever ever ever.

For what it's worth, I forced myself to carry that Solitaire for 30 days anyway. It was reliable enough, but it was too dim for anything. On the other hand, I've finally found my EDC light in the LED Solitaire. No modes! Hooray!

[N_N_R]

I've also just ordered the LED version a day ago. Believe it or not, I've dreamed about this light like three times within a week or so, lol. When the flashaholic within speaks, the monthly budget and the wallet keep silence.

I've also always liked the appearance of the light, it's simplicity and sleekness, so I decided to give it a go. It looks far more elegant than my usual Fenix E01/E05s

[CanadianLMfan]

I've also just ordered the LED version a day ago. Believe it or not, I've dreamed about this light like three times within a week or so, lol. When the flashaholic within speaks, the monthly budget and the wallet keep silence.

I've also always liked the appearance of the light, it's simplicity and sleekness, so I decided to give it a go. It looks far more elegant than my usual Fenix E01/E05s

 

[Aloha]

I want one and have stayed away for some unknown reason.  I love the solitaire for all the reasons stated and yes the light is awfully dim the sleek body is so lovely.  I will eventually get one as the repressed flashoholic is thirsting to be set free. 

[N_N_R]

On top of everything, I ordered the oooold incandescent version from my country and it should arrive tomorrow. I want to have SOMETHING before the LED arrives from the States, lol. I used to have the old version and then sold it some time ago. Now I think it will come useful for me for the evenings, when I need low/moonlight modes and don't want to twist through all higher modes before reaching the low one.

[ToolJoe]

 I am getting bored with my penlight and yearn for something more efficient and smaller. Do I go with a Solitaire led or something like a Streamlight Nano or Photon?

[N_N_R]

I'm not 100% sure, but the last two you mention run on button cells, I think? So here the Solitaire wins with its batteries being easier to find. As for the brightness, I'm again not sure, but I think it's brighter than the Nano and photon.

[Aloha]

I am getting bored with my penlight and yearn for something more efficient and smaller. Do I go with a Solitaire led or something like a Streamlight Nano or Photon?

The Photon and the Nano are very capable little lights, the Photon runs off  1 CR2016 and the Nano uses 4 LR41 cells.  The Nano claims 10lm and 8 hours run time and the Photon 4.5lm and 12 hour run time.  I have both and they each serve their desired purpose very well.  I have the Photon X which is the clear one and it has the disco modes which are fun to play with. 

There are other options like Thrunite Tis one mode 60lm using  1 AAA battery right now at amason for $8 free shipping if you are a prime member otherwise you need to spend $35,  Lumintop worm 60lm/10lm 1 AAA $14 also at amazone, Thrunite TI2 at 81lm/3lm $19 same place.  I have each of these an they each are good lights. 

There was a good thread regarding a member wanting a new light and some great suggestion were made.  I don't remeber what it was called off hand. 

[Gareth]

I am getting bored with my penlight and yearn for something more efficient and smaller. Do I go with a Solitaire led or something like a Streamlight Nano or Photon?

The Photon and the Nano are very capable little lights, the Photon runs off  1 CR2016 and the Nano uses 4 LR41 cells.  The Nano claims 10lm and 8 hours run time and the Photon 4.5lm and 12 hour run time.  I have both and they each serve their desired purpose very well.  I have the Photon X which is the clear one and it has the disco modes which are fun to play with. 

There are other options like Thrunite Tis one mode 60lm using  1 AAA battery right now at amason for $8 free shipping if you are a prime member otherwise you need to spend $35,  Lumintop worm 60lm/10lm 1 AAA $14 also at amazone, Thrunite TI2 at 81lm/3lm $19 same place.  I have each of these an they each are good lights. 

There was a good thread regarding a member wanting a new light and some great suggestion were made.  I don't remeber what it was called off hand. 

All good suggestions IMO.  Another to add to the list for small and efficient would have to be the Fenix E01.  Not the brightest light in the world, but will run on batteries that are so flat other lights won't even look at them.  They have a reputation for sucking every last drop of juice from a AAA and have excellent run times.

[Aloha]

I have to get a Fenix  .  I love those vampire lights and my Infinity Ultra is one of my favorites.  I may also suggest another sub $25 light in the Olight I3S at $20 80lm/20lm/.5lm/strobe 1AAA. I have the I2 AA variety and I like it but I prefer AAA lights a bit more.  There are so many good lights but with DST coming I wont have as much use as I currently have  . 

[Jothra]

Where I live, Daylight Savings Time means getting up in the dark. Lovely. I should just go ahead and zip-tie an LED Solitaire to each side of my glasses.

[ToolJoe]

   Is it worth getting a regular Solitaire and doing the LED upgrade once the regular bulbs burn out or just getting a regular Solitaire LED?