I've got many many different LED lights. The MagLEDs are some of those. I like the MagLED lights. The only downside is that they drop dead instantly when the battery is exhausted. I mean, they're on, then they're off. No warning. I like regulated lights, but Mag maybe went a little overboard with this regulation. MagLEDs are good for around the house where I can simply go pick up another light if the MagLED dies. I wouldn't use one as my ONLY light if I were away from home with no immediate replacement light available.

I don't use incandescent Mags anymore. Or incandescent anything, for that matter.

The original 2AA MagLEDs had the problem of "dropping dead" when the batteries went below a certain voltage. Other than that, they were perfectly capable utility lights; I still run mine with two pair of old NiMHs that charge off the solar panels.

The 3AA MagLEDs never had the drop-dead problem, though their size makes them a bit awkward.

The second generation 2AA MagLEDs don't drop dead either. But I don't find them quite as bright, the beam is not as good, and the multiple modes are a pain. If they had stayed with high/low I'd be more positive.

I still like the AA MagLEDs for their candle/lantern mode. It's kinda sweet to turn a belt light into a nice little lantern in a cabin or campsite; plus it wows people who haven't seen that before. I have yet to find their equal in that regard.

Mine have the multi-mode so they are new and still not working right

Perhaps I'll have to check out one of them, then. But at first blush I find that difficult to imagine. My Surefire E1B is so superior to every light I've ever used as to render everything else obsolete. Despite being "just" a 1 cell it's beam is better focused and has better range than my 2 cell Surefire Z2.

I've never used the led Mag-lites, but I have had probably a dozen incandescent ones. With the exception of the AA-powered Mini-Mag, I consider them all junk. Of the multitude of D-powered models from 5 cell on down the only one that worked for more than a few weeks was my 3 cell. The explanation I've heard is that the larger ones weren't properly designed for the voltage. I dunno know if it's true but I had four of them die within a few weeks. The 3 cell still functions after well over 2 years, but I have $5 keychain lights that rival the brightness of the Mag with fresh batteries.

And man, the cost of D-cells is just rediculous! It's actually cheaper to buy CR-123A's online than to buy the cheapest alkaline D's locally. When did that happen? I bought some a couple months ago to see if that old junker 3-cell Mag I mentioned still worked after six or seven years of sitting in a box. It did, but it took me a month and a half to talk myself into buying the batteries. With 3 fresh D's it still gets stomped by every other light I own.

That said, I haven't tried the LED versions at all. Bases on your comments I may give it a shot. Every other product they make seems to be stuck in the late 80's technology wise. But maybe they got it right with the LED. If so their reflector tech must have advanced a lot- all the ones I've owned had garbage beams. No matter how you tried to focus them the light was pretty uneven.

I've invested in LED drop-ins for 3D mag. Otherwise it would just be another museum item. Now it is a reasonably powerful beast with a reasonably long run time (I'm guessing about 20 hours or so, but I've never measured it). The output is probably somewhere in the 100-150 lumens range, with acceptable throw.

That 3D has some sentimental value - despite the size and (by todays standard) the quickly diminishing output, it followed me many places. It even served crowbar duty to bend a crashed snowmobile chassis back into shape. Only superficial scratches. So I'm glad that I reviwed it from "museum" duty with a LED drop-in.

I enjoy flashlights immensely and have squan...uh, spent, quite a bit of my non-expendable income on some pretty high-tech "flashy" (sorry) ones, but IMHO the best trucklight ever is the 3 D cell camo Maglight that I got many years ago and which still sits under my truck seat readily at hand. As soon as I got it, I took some water hose and slit it up the side, and inserted 4 C cells instead of the 3 D cells, and removed the bulb that came in it and put in a 4 cell krypton bulb. When they became available, I got rid of the krypton bulb and now it has a 4 cell LED bulb in it. Nice and bright and powerful and rugged with a tight penetrating beam, and an acceptable good mood alterer also if need be.

I also picked up the set with the 3D and 2AA LED’s several months back and have the exact same experience with the 2AA flickering. I tossed it in a drawer and should just toss it period. The 3D has lots of throw and seems dependable thus far. Decent light if you don’t have to pack it around.

If you are looking to get rid of that AA Maglite... I can pay shipping... I have one and I love it, I cannot afford a Fenix or anything High-dolllar, so I will take it if you dont like it, its up to you. Thanks Rebwa, you can IM me if you agree, whatever you do, dont pitch it!!!