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Posted: 12/12/2007 5:56:26 PM EDT
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This may be somewhat of a business/philosophical question but why doesn't Mag Industries (maker of Maglites) start making high-output tactical lights? They make excellent, high quality, American-made flashlights but they have not kept up with high-output lighting technology. How hard would it be for them to make a line that runs on CR123 batteries and produces lots of lumens? With Mag's economy of scale, they could make these lights cheaper than any of the competitors. Any insight? 
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I don't pretend to have the insight of some CPF members but my views on your question: MagLite flashlights are not excellent, nor are they high quality, nor are they made out of the finest materials using the finest techniques. They may well be American-made but they have never kept up with technology. The opposite in fact. My impression of MagLite is that they use their position as consumer market leader to crush advancements in technology with the same iron fist they crush anybody that they feel comes close to infringing their patents. If MagLite spent as much on new product development as he does on lawyers and legal fees the illumination tools industry would be significantly different. MagLite are finding to their cost that failure to improve their products by using LED technology has left them behind and China has been all too happy to step in. They are doing too little too late - their LED products are not even close to the technological level at which China is mass producing. MagLite needs new leadership. Al |
Al has it right. The only things Mags are good for IMO are as durable hosts for home made mods, especially LED and well yeah that's pretty much it. A backup baton I guess too. The ONLY stock Mag I like is the MagCharger. But what can you expect from a company that supposedly has more money put into, and a larger, legal department than R&D? They are great lights... for the 1970s. The best of the mass produced, moderately priced, almost mainstream light in my opinion is Streamlight. |
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