Innitial Impression : Maglight Solitaire LED : Wow!

[Jors]

It is almost a week later and still I cannot get enough of the thing.
As soon as I have managed to make a pouch for my Leatherman Squirt on the one side and the Solitaire LED on the other side, this will be carried by me permanantly. I am planning to make a pouch with a pipe as a protector, lined to save the finish from wear.

I have heard an owl last week but he got awaqy while fetching my bigger flashlights. Tonight I lighted him with my Lightsaver LS805 Commander (180 lumens) on about 25 meters away and about 15 high in a tree. His eyes was two diabolic balls of fire. When I used the solitaire I also lighted him, not near so bright, but clearly visible and his eyes were also reflecting back as two bright spots.

This little bugger may not be the best in the majority of MTO members' opinion, but I clearly like the little bugger. I am now using a rechargable AAA of 900 mAh and it is a little bit brighter.

[Etherealicer]

I carry mine every day.

I also appreciate that their twisty works the right way round. Smurf on you Fenix for making me screw the E15 appart to shut it off .

"The right way 'round" from the perspective of a Maglite owner.  Every other twisty manufacturer does it the way Fenix does, so it could be argued that Maglite is the "wrong way 'round".

Granted, Maglite pretty much invented the "twisty".  But, considering the complexity of the typical Maglie twist switch vs. nearly everyone else's, I would say Maglite has it wrong.

The Solitaire is the only AAA twisty light I've found that I don't have to half disassemble before I can put it away. I'm hard on my pocket carry stuff (and, in fact, myself), and I cannot count the number of times I've gone to use my flashlights only to find them in anywhere from 3 to 600 pieces in my pocket.

No I disagree NutSAK, there is only one right way! And that is the MagLite Way .

I think that the switch is one of the most important factors for a flashlight that you carry in your pockets (on your keychain). If you have a button like the Olight S10 you might turn your flashlight on by accident (if they redesigned their clip slightly you could actually prevent that).
I have never carried my E15 because I can hear and feel the battery moving when its shut off and this annoys me to no end (besides that the risk of it coming apart is just ). Its something you might not think about when you buy a flashlight but for some people (like me), the non MagLite-way is an absolute deal-breaker, so its worth pointing that out.

[Spatha]

I carry mine every day.

I also appreciate that their twisty works the right way round. Smurf on you Fenix for making me screw the E15 appart to shut it off .

"The right way 'round" from the perspective of a Maglite owner.  Every other twisty manufacturer does it the way Fenix does, so it could be argued that Maglite is the "wrong way 'round".

Granted, Maglite pretty much invented the "twisty".  But, considering the complexity of the typical Maglie twist switch vs. nearly everyone else's, I would say Maglite has it wrong.

The Solitaire is the only AAA twisty light I've found that I don't have to half disassemble before I can put it away. I'm hard on my pocket carry stuff (and, in fact, myself), and I cannot count the number of times I've gone to use my flashlights only to find them in anywhere from 3 to 600 pieces in my pocket.

No I disagree NutSAK, there is only one right way! And that is the MagLite Way .

I think that the switch is one of the most important factors for a flashlight that you carry in your pockets (on your keychain). If you have a button like the Olight S10 you might turn your flashlight on by accident (if they redesigned their clip slightly you could actually prevent that).
I have never carried my E15 because I can hear and feel the battery moving when its shut off and this annoys me to no end (besides that the risk of it coming apart is just ). Its something you might not think about when you buy a flashlight but for some people (like me), the non MagLite-way is an absolute deal-breaker, so its worth pointing that out.

With the loosen to switch off style I always try to remember to rotate an extra 90 degrees to make sure any inadvertent compression won't switch it back on and run down the battery, so I agree that it is easier to switch off with the Mag-Lite twist switch.  However, the switch on my old Solitaire became a bit unreliable in the end.  I remember it flickering and I had to tap it to get it to work.  Bear in mind that was after probably a few years of EDC in my pocket on my keys, so any design might have worn out after a similar period of use.  I don't remember now exactly how long I had used it for before I retired it, and it does still work, but it is very dim anyway by modern standards.

Regarding the E15, I felt the same when I got mine so I was considering returning it. I love my LD20 and my LD01 so I felt like I'd got a real lemon with the E15.  I couldn't work out why it was so popular.  I almost had to take the top off before it would turn off!  Seriously, the o ring was exposed before the light went out.  Thinking back now, I remember how disappointed and frustrated I felt that day.  I ended up messing about with the spring and I've got it to the point where it is much tighter and the battery doesn't rattle.  I cut down a post it note and wrapped that round the battery to pad it out as well so that it can't shake from side to side.  Now I have it working just the way it should.  So guess what?  I love my E15 and I carry it all the time.  It throws out loads of light for its size and weight.  I cannot wholeheartedly recommend it to others though because mine certainly had issues when I took it out of the box.  I shouldn't have had to modify it to bring it up to scratch, so I think Fenix should have a look at improving the design a little on this one.


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[Sam Quint]

Just picked one up at my local hardware, what a improvement over the original Solitaire! Thanks for the heads up!

FYI, here is a cool mod for the Solitaire, Fenix E01 & LD01, Tank , etc. etc.

http://www.benvelo.com/flashlightholder_mini_1.htm

This site has a similar treatment for coin cell lights (Photon, etc.) and other mods as well. 

In regards to the Fenix E15, a few of them shipped without the negative contact being fully seated, pushing the battery too far out of the battery tube. I was able to correct one of mine by fully seating it with a dowel.
Also a Dr. Scholl's corn pad is a old, tried and true, cure for battery rattle in many CR123, CR2 twist lights.

[NutSAK]

Also a Dr. Scholl's corn pad is a old, tried and true, cure for battery rattle in many CR123, CR2 twist lights.

(Image removed from quote.)

They can be trimmed easily for use in AA lights also. 

[N_N_R]

Ok, after a few days of using mine, I'm getting a little disappointed. Apart from the cheap feel (the incan version feels tougher), the thing also turns off at will. I guess this is because of the detached spring in the tail cap. I put it on the table, standing, it turns off. I tap it a little, it's on again. I place it in candle mode again,it's off again. Sometimes it goes off while I'm carrying it or it just won't turn on. :/ I think I'll keep wasting my money on Chinese lights...

So, let's create the Pros & Cons division:

Pros:

- looks cool
- bright
- floody
- easily available battery
- inexpensive

Cons:

- unreliable
- short run time
- beam has Maglitey rings


Will I recommend? Hardly. Imagine giving someone a present which works on its own terms..

[Gareth]

That's not exactly a glowing recommendation.   Sorry to hear you've been having issues with it.

[Cupboard]

Mine keeps unscrewing itself at the tail end. I come to use it and it won't turn on until it's tightened. Slightly concerning really.

[N_N_R]

Yeah... btw, the tail cap is really very very easily "unscrewable". If I hold the head and the tail cap in my both hands and I start twisting, the tail cap twists much easier/first/ than the head.