Maglite Family

The little light that could, but not any more – The Solitare Maglite was something of a game changer for me. The torch that started my light sickness right off when I was a 10 year old all those years ago. It promised me the quality of Mag but at a cheaper price point and a small torch that I could use around the house and while fishing. The Maglite Solitare is a small all aluminium incandescent bulb'd torch, that takes 1 AAA battery, it turns on with the twist of the head that contains the lens and the reflector and the battery is inserted via the tail cap.

The Solitare has a very small throw for a torch of its size and is something of a dinosaur within regards to today's offerings of LED torches that are merely 1/3 the size and weight. For instance the Led Lenser K3 (Keyring 3 button battery cell) is 2/3's the size and has the same overall dimensions and the same ability to focus the head, however puts out about 20 times the light in a pure white (with blue halo ring edge) light, which is absolutely fantastic for a torch that costs about the same to buy today. The Led Lenser K3 has one pure disadvantage, that when the LED does fail, the unit must be thrown away or replaced by a modder or by Led Lenser which is usually too costly for the price you pay for it.

The Solitare(s) that I own have been retired to their grave and have not been used since 2007 when I purchased my Maglite 2C and then my 3D in 2003 and 2D in 2012. I feel that having such a small and poor performing light is pointless and carrying it around is just a waste of time, when keyring led button lights put out more light than they ever did. Lifetime Warranty, build quality Poor performance light wise, tail cap unscrews by itself when on keys, anodizing scratches off toooo easily!