MAGLITE SP2209H 2-AA Cell Mini LED Flashlight with Holster, Gray
by MAGLITE
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of MAGLITE SP2209H 2-AA Cell Mini LED Flashlight with Holster, Gray
Customer Review: Best Maglite Mini yet, but needs some improvements
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm sure as most of us know Maglite is well known for their simple understated flashlight design that's durable and well built. These U.S. machined aluminum lights lasts for years, the only thing that ever needs replacing is the krypton bulbs (I usually burn them out by dropping the flashlight) or a new set of batteries. The o-rings do a good job of sealing out water, making the light good for emergency situations. Maglites are the ones I go for when I need a flashlight I know won't quite on me. Most of us have our Maglites "borrowed" and never get them returned which is the only reason we have to get a new one, when the borrower sees the quality they just by chance forget to return the light.
I will admit Maglite was a little slow in getting into the LED market, and even still they're lagging behind when it comes to the LEDs they put in their lights, but in the end it IS a Mag that has a decently powered LED in it. I read on the Maglite website that the krypton bulb of a Maglite Mini was supposed to be about 15.2 lumens, and from what I read the Luxeon Rebel LED is (and this is without official report) about 75-70 lumens, so the bulb is definitely brighter than a krypton bulb.
The battery life is supposedly ten hours, which is also higher than the krypton bulb. I believe there is a capacitor in the light that provides a constant flow of energy to the bulb (hence the slight flickering of the bulb which I find to be annoying) so that the light output will be the same until the battery dies (also why it shuts off so abruptly). This is a pro and a con at the same time. The light brightness stays steady and usable until the battery is dead, but when it dies it DIES, leaving you literally in the dark. There should be an indicator on the light, perhaps a small red light that comes on when the battery is almost dead. Other than that (and like I said the light flickering from the electronics storing energy and releasing it to make constant lumen amounts) it works very well.
Something else I didn't know about until just a while ago was the 100% brightness, 25% brightness, and flashing modes. I had read on the package about it but was confused how to obtain the modes, but after some reading I found out you twist the cap to ON, then off, and you get 25% light, then off and ON again to get flashing. Quite handy, but the documentation wasn't very good. As far as the light itself goes it lasts a long time, it's brighter than a normal Mag Mini, and it has Mags years of experience behind it. Great light that I would recommend to anyone.
Customer Review: Very Bright -- Power Hungry and Worth It!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a very bright light, much brighter than the older incandescent Mini Maglite and very much brighter than a single-LED flashlight I have from Brinkmann and a 9-LED light from Harbor Freight Tools. The illumination pattern is also much smoother, and I like that you can adjust it by rotating the head of the flashlight (although the range of adjustment is fairly limited compared to the incandescent version). I also like the cool white color of this flashlight.
It is advertised as being a 3 watt LED, so being an engineer, I had to measure it. It draws 370mA of current at 3 volts, so that's more like 1 watt of actual power dissipation. I guess they rate it compared to the amount of light that would be put out by a 3 watt incandescent bulb. By the way, my old incandescent bulb version of the same Mini Maglite draws 300mA of current, so don't expect more battery life from the LED version. My Brinkmann and Harbor Freight Tools flashlights draw around 50-60mA, so their batteries will last a lot longer at the expense of much less illumination. If you're concerned about going through batteries, you can use NiMH rechargeable batteries.
Overall I'm very impressed with this little light. It's a bit longer than the incandescent version but I haven't found that to be a problem.
UPDATE 1/11/09: As expected, my first set of batteries lasted about 8 hours. There is no warning when they go. The light just suddenly goes out. It might go off and on several times as the battery voltage hovers around the minimum necessary to keep it lit. At first I thought there was a loose connection. I was out hiking on a cold night when this happened, and I was able to get another 20 minutes of life by warming the flashlight inside my pocket for a few minutes. I still stick by my 5-star rating as you get a much brighter light with batteries that still last as long as in the older incandescent version of this flashlight.
Comment
Customer Review: Improved LED light, multi modes make this a very good choice
Summary: 5 Stars
While MagLite has a long history and a storied reputation for its lights, it was slow to convert to LED lights and the performance of some of its early models was not exemplary. MagLite has updated its 2 AA SP2209H light with two very important features, which make this light a very good choice for many users:
- It now has multiple "modes" - standard brightness, 25% brightness (for long battery life), flashing blink-mode and SOS. This gives a lot of flexibility in using the light in situations where you don't need (or want) the full brightness, or want to extend the battery life.
- An improved LED, reportedly a Luxeon.
The packaging for this light emphasizes the new features - "New Performance Enhanced LED", and "New Multi-Mode Electronic Switch" - so be sure to look for that when you buy a light to be sure you get the current version. (The Amazon product image shows this text if you zoom in.)
A couple of other positive points:
- The 2 AA size gives a good combination of portability and relatively long life (as AAs have much more capacity than AAAs, enough for most uses with the more efficient LED bulb).
- Like most MagLites, there is some ability to focus the beam, which adds to the flexibility of this light.
This isn't, perhaps, the ultimate flashlight There are lights with LEDs that a more efficient or a lot brighter. Hardcore flashlight aficionados will want to do the research to get that increment of performance from a light. But for most people, this is a very good choice and the fact that it's widely available is a big plus.
Finally, MagLite made these changes about a year ago. So reviews here that are more than a year old won't completely reflect the current version of this light. Focus on the comments in more recent reviews.
Customer Review: A whole lot of flashlight
Summary: 5 Stars
I have the 2 cell AA LED Mini Maglite, and I love it. But let's clear up some misconceptions about what this little gem is and isn't. In the dark, this is a bright, capable flashlight that illuminates a wide area. Unlike Maglites you may be used to, the beam can't really be focused. Yes, if you point it towards the ground at your feet, you can see the beam converge. At five yards out, it doesn't really matter, it's an area light no matter what.
If you are looking for a solid area light that doesn't take up a lot of room and has long-lasting battery life - wait no more, this is your flashlight! Go buy it right now.
If you are looking for something to replace a SureFire or StreamLight, keep looking. This flashlight just isn't in the same league of brightness. Yes, it's rough and tough and for a small flashlight it is very bright for close tasks. If you are looking to light up chunks of real estate at night, then you are better off with a SureFire.
A couple of words of warning about this light compared to the "regular" halogen - it is a larger flashlight. In diameter it is the same, but in length it is about one inch longer. And since the LED is supposed to be indestructible, there is no spare in the cap.
I carry this on my belt with the included holster, though I pray to God Maglite wakes up and gives us a holster that LOCKS closed. Would it kill ya to give us six inches of nylon and velcro to hold the blessed thing in place, Maglite?
BOTTOM LINE : A solid, dependable light that is excellent for small areas or enclosed spaces. After all, it is a Maglite. Only six inches of fabric and velcro keeps this from being the best LED flashlight for any amount of money.
Customer Review: Perfect Mini Mag
Summary: 5 Stars
Love the gray color, size and light weight. I think this 2 cell puts out as bright a light as my 3 cell. I presume the batteries in the 3 cell might last a little longer, but it is an awkward size to carry on my belt. Anyway, this little 2 cell LED model is great!
I don't remember the Amazon description saying anything about a selector "switch" that allows you to choose full power beam, reduced (battery saving) beam, steady flashing light, or a flashing SOS (3 shorts, 3 longs, 3 shorts). When I read that on the packaging, I couldn't find a "switch". Just by accident, I found that by turning the light off and back on changes the setting. The reduced beam is plenty bright for most needs and is supposed to extend the battery life significantly. I presume all these 2 cell LED Mini Mags have that feature, but maybe it was just mine. If they all DO have that feature, Amazon should surely say so, because it is a great selling point.
I see some reviewers try to compare Maglites to other brands; but some of the other brands they mention cost triple what I paid for this little Mini Mag gem. In this price range, I don't think you can beat it. Buy several, because they make welcome gifts (just ask my daughter, ha).