MagLite LED 3 D-Cell and 2 C-Cell Flashlights – Item of the Day
Notice – Bringing these around today because the 3 D-Cell is on sale for 30% off and the 2 C-Cell is on sale for 23% off. The C-Cell Model while a smaller disocunt is a heck of a deal right now. This is my go to light for BOBs and other places where the D-Cell model is just to bulky.
Every day I bring you an item on Amazon that I personally use or has been purchased by many members of the audience and I have researched enough to recommend.
Today’s TSP Amazon Item of the day is the MagLite LED 3 D-Cell Flashlight. and the MagLite LED 2 C-Cell Flashlight. I absolutely love these lights for so many reasons. The only thing that would make larger one better would be if it came in a 4 cell model. For some reason (perhaps over driving the LED) they do not make a 4 or 6 cell version of this light in LED, though you can get those in the older incandescent form.
I was very excited years ago when the first version of this light came out, until I got one, bluntly it sucked. It would start out bright and fade over time, turn it off and wait it would be bright again for say 30 seconds and start fading again.
I was pretty much done with LED tech from MagLite at that point. Then I heard they fixed the issues which were related to heat build up of the bulb in gen one. I gave them another try and now I own over a half dozen of both the C and D Cell models each. There is one in the door of both vehicles, one in my night stand, one near the front and back door, and two in our black out kit.
These lights are rugged and they just work, and you get very long battery life with the LED light.
As always I am big on quality to value ratio. I am a guy that will spend 500 dollars on a one of a kind knife, I am not cheap but an item like this isn’t something you have one of, you have many of them. They are not just a source of light but also a HIGHLY effective impact weapon, especially when you use the light to blind an attacker just before dropping the hammer on his nose with the handle. In the end the MagLite LED 2 D-Cell and the MagLite LED 3 D-Cell Flashlight are both simply a hell of a value.
For the ones you keep in your car you may want to add the Bust A Cap Glass Breaker and it can break more than just glass, I am just sayin.
Remember you can always find all of our reviews at TspAz.com
P.S. – Please note the Bust A Cap works with the D-Cell MagLite I am linking to in this review. There is a new more expensive version of these lights called the ML300 series. I bought one, I don’t think they are worth 15 bucks more per light, they just don’t seem that much better. The ML300s are brighter, if I wanted a duty light as like a LEO or something or if I was buying ONE I might upgrade for that. But as we keep 4-6 of these around at all times, it just isn’t worth the extra cost to me. Again the ML300s are brighter but they won’t work with the Bust a Cap, I also really don’t like the 1/4 turn focus, vs. the conventional MagLite Focus.
P.S.S. – If you keep D cell lights around and you may really want to keep a set or two of these AA to D-Cell adapters around as a back up too. They are cheap and work great. They are especially useful if like many members of the audience you keep a stock pile of rechargeable AAs around.
I have 3 of these and use them everyday for 2 years. Tremendous flashlights.
I have a ton of these spread all over my house. They are in every medical cabinet, clipped inside every closet door, the behind the couch cushions at each end, and every car. I have yet had one fail on me.
Earlier in my career (hotel/restaurant/hospitality) I was a gm for one of the big pizza delivery chains, all of which forbid delivery drivers from carrying actual weapons while on shift. While I disagreed with the policy, I was obligated to obey it and direct employees to do so as well.
With that in mind, I encouraged -every- driver, day shift or night shift, to get themselves a d-cell maglite, I’d even loan them the $25 or so they cost back then until they got a paycheck or two under their belt. As implied here and elsewhere, they’re sturdy and heavy enough to function as FAR more than just a damn reliable flashlight. The big pizza chains encourage drivers to carry a flashlight while on shift, and no cop is going to give you crap about having a flashlight between the seats or on the dash
Worked security for years…always had my 6 C-cell maglight “persuader” handy no matter the time of day. Somebody carrying a flashlight, even in their hand, rings no bells whatsoever. I opted for the c-cell for the smaller diameter and better grip, no less effective.
I got these in different colors for each location.
That way if someone uses it and doesn’t put it back, I can figure out where it goes.
Of course you could do the same thing with a label maker (kitchen, car, basement, etc.).
smart hack
I bought one of the early model LEDs you’re talking about too. I can’t even use it.
Is there anything you can do to save it or just chunk it and get a new one?
I don’t know of any fix for it.