Malkoff LED flashlight dop-in for the Maglite

**auk1124** · 04-05-2012, 05:03 PM

My latest flashlight acquisition is the drop-in LED kit for a D cell incandescent Maglite, which is currently on sale on the Malkoff website.

Installation was a breeze (I also bought a modified reflector so I didn't have to cut up my original one). The end result is great! Very bright, retains the focusing ability of the original Maglite, haven't tested it at night yet but it seems like it will have a lot of throw. Simply shining it on a wall shows that it puts out a ton of light, lots more than the original incandescent bulb.

Even on sale the Malkoff kit is a pretty expensive option, and a person could probably start with a very nice new LED light for the same money. But, if you have an old-style Maglite that you like and you want to give it some more horsepower, the Malkoff is a neat upgrade.

No relation to Malkoff, just happy with my new toy.

**rajagra** · 04-05-2012, 05:51 PM

Nobody should put up with a standard incandescent Maglite any more. I upgraded one of mine with a TerraLUX TLE-6EX MiniStar5 LED (and also an ultra-clear lens.) Amazing!
It reveals how awful the incandescent bulbs were. It's hard to believe those Maglites were once held in such high regard. They dim with use, fail unpredictably, drain batteries fast, and have poor colour balance.
The drop-in bulb replacement LED I bought might be more susceptible to overheat/dimming than the better upgrades, but it has never shown the problem during my use.

**auk1124** · 04-05-2012, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by rajagra

Nobody should put up with a standard incandescent Maglite any more. I upgraded one of mine with a TerraLUX TLE-6EX MiniStar5 LED (and also an ultra-clear lens.) Amazing!

The ultraclear lens is an upgrade I haven't done - did it make much of a difference? If it makes a noticable improvement I might have to spring for one of those as well.

**rajagra** · 04-06-2012, 05:20 PM

Originally Posted by auk1124

The ultraclear lens is an upgrade I haven't done - did it make much of a difference? If it makes a noticable improvement I might have to spring for one of those as well.

I don't think it makes a huge difference. Looks nice though. (In the sense that you can't see it thanks to the anti-reflective coating.)

**Shakey-and-twitchy** · 05-02-2013, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by auk1124

My latest flashlight acquisition is the drop-in LED kit for a D cell incandescent Maglite, which is currently on sale on the Malkoff website.

Installation was a breeze (I also bought a modified reflector so I didn't have to cut up my original one). The end result is great! Very bright, retains the focusing ability of the original Maglite, haven't tested it at night yet but it seems like it will have a lot of throw. Simply shining it on a wall shows that it puts out a ton of light, lots more than the original incandescent bulb.

Even on sale the Malkoff kit is a pretty expensive option, and a person could probably start with a very nice new LED light for the same money. But, if you have an old-style Maglite that you like and you want to give it some more horsepower, the Malkoff is a neat upgrade.

No relation to Malkoff, just happy with my new toy.

How about a Malkoff review
Now that they are out of stock you have a valuable item.
what do you use it for

**auk1124** · 05-03-2013, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by Shakey-and-twitchy

How about a Malkoff review
Now that they are out of stock you have a valuable item.
what do you use it for

No pics, but it is noticably brighter than a factory Maglite LED, at least to my eyes, and is very "throwy" - not floody at all. The Maglite focusing ring still works too, so you can dial the thing down to a decent tight beam. I originally bought it as a general purpose houselight, but honestly I prefer a bit more flood for an interior flashlight. I keep it near the back door, for spotlighting whatever needs a beam put on it behind my house. I think a person would get the optimal use out of it as an outdoors general purpose light (although I am sure it isn't any more waterproof than a regular Maglite).

Haven't carried it a lot but the flashlight with the kit installed seems every bit as sturdy as a factory Maglight. I haven't noticed any overheating issues, and battery life is decent (using regular Duracells). No regrets on my purchase, even if it was relatively expensive.