Here is my 2¢. After reading this string, I stopped at WalMart and bought the MiniMag NiteEze three LED upgrade for $4 and change. It took all of three minutes to install. At Target, I saw a similar NiteEze upgrade kit that included the LED upgrade and Basic ON/OFF button for $8 and change. Then at REI, slow weekend, I saw the NiteEze “SMART SWITCH” cap for the MiniMag. It offers three-power setting, two blink speeds, 14.5 minute auto off, and a night light that blinks in the cap every few second so you can find the MiniMag in the dark, $10 for the Smart Cap only. I did not buy the smart cap yet, but probably will.

The light output of the NiteEze upgrade is good along with the 10 hour burn time, and for $4 and change worthwhile. The smart cap also looks worthwhile, but for $10 maybe not. The problem for me is the cost of a Mini Mag plus the various upgrades gets you close to the cost of a quality LED headlamp which I find far more useful I general. If MagLite had offered an upgrade similar to the NiteEze 5 or 6 years ago I’d be sold, but really think they missed the boat by waiting so long to offer a LED derivative. If I recall when the Tika LED headlamp came out 6 ago is cost me $40. My Princeton that I bought a few years later cost me $20.

Final answer, if you have any MiniMags lying around collecting dust the NiteEze three LED upgrade is an inexpensive upgrade that is worthwhile. The more expensive upgrade kits with the one of the two caps get you into the price of a brand new headlamp.

I agree -- I'm upgrading my minimags to 3 led bulbs -- they're brighter, too.

TRO

Was inside a huge cave today while on a 5 mile hike. The Nite Ize upgraded Mini Maglite worked like a charm. Flooded our whole path and kept me from slipping. Is a commonly used "safer" cave in a historic area. But I still felt I should have had a helmet with a headlamp. I'm not one of those daredevil cave explorers.

I saw the Nite-Ize kit for the Mini-maglite with the butt-cap on-off switch for sale at Lowe's the other night. They charge about twice as much for it as the kit without the switch costs at Wal-mart.

The Nite Ize uses an older LED which is much dimmer than the Mag LED bulbs. Also Wal Mart is way overcharging for the 3AA as other stores have them for $19.97. But I've started to noticed that WalMart is becoming more expensive that other stores with most anything now,

I still have the nite ize conversion on a mini mag and it puts all the light I ever need on anything though. As I stated before, it lighted up my way and got me thru a large, dark freaking cave! It's shortcoming really is just failure to focus the beam, and it uses three small LEDs instead of one large one.. I noticed Lowe's sells the Mini-mag LED 2AA cheaper, Wal mart even went up on Iams dog food, dang it. You can actually show (I even have just told) Walmart cashiers the price you get somewhere else on something and they will match that price. I might buy one that way to spite Wal mart's high prices lately on certain items. The only thing that still irks me other than price on the Mini mag LEDs is the lack of a lanyard hole. It's a must on a flashlight for me. If someone figures out a way to improvise a lanyard on their new Mini mag LED short of drilling a hole, please tell me.

I've noticed that even with groceries WalMart is more $. Now that they have such a large customer base they can do it and people will still shop there. I haven't bought anything from them in a long time as Kroger started carrying Iames cat food.
I was just disapointed thet the niteize was dimmer than the incan bulb, I suppose if you really want long runtime it would work.
I was going to suggest drilling out the end of the tailcap for a lanyard but you said no drilling. But the endcap is pretty much hollow so it would be pretty easy to drill a pair of holes to stick something through and then seal it inside or drill one hole in the center and put in a small bolt.

Simon,

How about a cord wrap with a loop end?

Enlighten my ignorance (I was never a boyscout) and tell me how to do it or where to get instructions. Thanks

Aloha Simon,

Sorry I took so long to get back to you. I have been busy the last couple of days. Darn that work stuff!

Here is a link that might give you an idea:

http://www.m4040.com/Knifemaking/cordwrap.htm

I do something similar to that but not quite. Where he has the cord taped, I make a bend and bring the cord toward the other end and start my wrap on the opposite side and wrap until I get to the loop made the the bend in the cord. Then I run the end of the cord that is doing the wrapping into the loop and pull it tight holding the cord in by friction. You can tie off as you see fit to make a lanyard loop.

I use this wrap mostly to add a grip to something. It works great on a Hawaiian Sling spear. Pull the cord in under the wrap about halfway, trim the ends off, soak the cord and let dry. When it dries, it tightens up (wrap tightly anyway) and you have a secure non-slip grip.