Why I own this.
Actually I have no idea why I own this. I was looking in my wife’s care for another Maglite to do measurements on and I found this. It is purple so there is a good chance I bought it, put it in my wife’s car and completely forgot about it. But since I took it out of her car it has been at my desk ever since and I decided I needed to add it to my list of Maglite reviews before I put it back into her car.
What is this flashlight called.
The flashlight that uses 2 AA batteries is called the Mini-Maglite. For some strange reason they also called this the Mini-Maglite (uses 2 AAA batteries). That means they have two different flashlight with the same name. This may be confusing at times but I will attempt to clarify which flashlight I am talking about throughout this article.
Setup
To get it to work all you do is insert two AAA batteries in through the bottom, screw the bottom cap back on, then twist the head to activate the light bulb. This is the same for every small Maglite I own.
How it works
To turn it on you twist the head. The head can focus the light a little if necessary just by twisting it more, or less. You can completely remove the head if you want for a lamp.
How do you change batteries
You change it like any other battery. You unscrew the bottom of the flashlight, take out the two AAA batteries, replace it with two AAA batteries and screw it back in. Simple and will take about 25 seconds.
How do you change the light bulb
It is similar to the solitaire in that you remove the top to expose the light bulb. You then take the light bulb out and replace it with another light bulb. It just slips in, no screws, just two plugs.
Is there a spare light bulb?
There is a spare bulb in the bottom of the flashlight. Most maglites have their spare bulb covered in a protective layer of spongy material. This model is different in that it is surrounded by a springy metal cage. This seems to be a good design and the bulb is still intact. I personally do not like the spongy material because I have broken a couple of bulbs by throwing the flashlight around or accidentally dropping the flashlight.
The lamp feature
What is cool is you can unscrew the top completely exposing the lightbulb. This turns itself into a mini-lamp. I leave it in the net in my tent or place it on the ground propped on a book and wallet. The light is barely enough to read by, but it is plenty of light for setting up sleeping bags or rummaging through bags. Sometimes I think this is the perfect amount of light. When comparing it to the Solitaire you will notice an immense difference in brightness.
The problem with this feature is it does not have a stand like a lamp would. This reduces its practicality.
How long will it last?
It lasts me about a week of camping. Longer if my wife does not share it. I estimate that it lasts 5 hours, depending on the battery and type of bulb.
What I use smaller Maglites for for.
Car camping
Backpacking
Working behind my computer desk
Spare for my vehicles and bikes
How bright is it?
Sorry I don’t have any scientific equipment so the assessment will be strictly qualitative.
The flashlight is bright enough to read a map, book, or items near your eyes. Brightness is very similar, if not the same, as the Mini-maglite (2AA). But I do not recommend that you read with this flashlight unless you have to. It will help you see most objects on the ground. It is a much better light than the single AAA battery version by quite a bit. My wife will not use the AAA version (Solitare) to travel out of camp but she will use the Mini-Maglite (2AA). But she still prefers our D cells and will always use that if available.
Durability and my tendency to break things
I own about 8 maglites that work and in the past 14 years I have destroyed 4 of them. For me nothing is indestructible and if it can be broken I will find a way. But for the normal individual these are about as indestructible as any flashlight out there.
Out of the flashlights I have destroyed, 2 are the mini-maglite (2AA) version, one is a six cell version, and the other is a 3 cell version. The specifics can be found in their respective reviews.
Who is this for?
This is a great small flashlight for emergencies or situations where a big flashlight is unwieldy. This also has an advantage over the one cell version in that it is brighter but still fairly small. It is like carrying around a large pen. If you thought the mini-Maglite (2AA) was too large then the 2AAA version will be a great alternative for you.
Accessories
-This came with a pen type clip for clipping to a pocket or similar object.
-There are several type of belt holsters available.
-You can put on colored lenses.
-Mounting brackets are available.
-Also, you can attach this to a key chain if you wish.
Size and weight
Flashlight length: 5 inches
Flashlight width: 22/32 inch at the head and 7/16 inch at the end.
Weight of flashlight with batteries. 1.75 ounces
About the Warranty and parts
Maglite have a limited lifetime warranty. If you have a problem they will replace it for you. The warranty does not cover battery exhaustion, battery leakage, lamp burnout, or damage caused by alteration, misuse, battery leakage or lack of maintenance. This is an awesome warranty, maybe I’ll get a clue and take advantage of it.
Maglite has all of the spare parts you need to repair any of their flashlights. I personally have not gone that route, but it is a good option. Most companies do not allow you to do this because they just want you to buy a new product. The website has a detailed pdf with all the information you need.
Summary:
This is the perfect flashlight for any circumstance. It is not too bright for around the house use, but it is bright enough to read by. It has the brightness advantage of the 2 AA Mini-Maglite version but is slightly smaller. The only problem with the flashlight is it is not bright enough to see across the yard and it is not a good solution for self defense. But you can hold this flashlight in your mouth or carefully above your ear, try that with a D cell some time.
Other Maglite reviews.
Maglite 3D cell
Maglite solitare
Maglite 2 AA, Mini-Maglite
