You are absolutely right.
But the question is, does the place where the light is made make any difference? Does the place of origin automatically make a light better or worse ?
No it doesn’t.
It could if there are regulations (the good kind) and standards making it so… I find that the typical customer in the US has a high standard for products/services. In China, I think the prevailing mood of “chabuduo” can limit how good the final product is on occasion. There are obviously exceptions, and plenty of companies in the US have the same “good enough/close enough” attitude, but I think you generally find less of that here than in China.
US designed and Chinese made iPhones are very popular, and are an example of what many consider to be a quality product made in China. “American cheese” is an example of a poorly made product in the US
Yokiamy, not necessarily as simple as that… especially when speaking in generalities. Can a high quality flashlight be made anywhere in the world, probably so. Are high quality flashlights made everywhere? No. Competition for low price demands most be made cheap, the highest quality products are typically also quite expensive and only sell to a cult like following. Way of things. I myself have made several from scratch using high grade materials… final price is always pretty ridiculous as compared to readily available lights due to the cost of materials alone. My EDC quad probably can’t be made here in the States under a couple hundred if not more. Would I buy it? Nope, but as a one off made by me for me I did spend the coin… Not exactly sure (some things you don’t really want to know) but I probably have about $150 in it without looking at labor.
For these kinds of reasons as well as shipping/export prices, sometimes it just isn’t viable to make things here. Or in many other places for that matter…
f0xx, I happen to LOVE Tillamook cheese made in Oregon, thank you very much!
That’s cheddar, not “American”, i.e. Kraft singles, barely a cut above Velveeta.
On the import facet:
Expect a rate change in postal import charges starting January 2021. The US almost pulled out of the Universal Postal Union at the end of this month because of the stupid cheap import processing and delivery fees they had to honor, but they came up with a satisfactory agreement late last month.
I spent about 2 years in SW Washington (Vancouver-ish) and had a bit of that while I was up there. I believe I have some of their cheddar in my fridge right now. They do have good stuff! I do like real (not the brand REAL™) cheeses produced in the US, and much of the cheese I eat is produced here.
Above I was referring to the plastic wrapped, single serving, orange colored grease (“cheese food product”) that is usually used in sandwiches for children without discerning taste buds. Typically it is paired with some questionable “b-o-l-o-g-n-a” and a thick dollop of mayonnaise and served on plain white bread. If there was a slogan for this product (think “choosy moms choose Jif”) it could be something like: “it’s technically food, stop complaining”.
EDIT:
Exactly!
Dale, thanks four your heads up.
I was just referring to the fact that a quality light cannot be made in China as someone stated above .
Everything stands or falls with QA and consequent quality.
And high quantity batches are always cheaper than a custom light ofcourse
It amazes me how Maglite has been able to continue to make finely machined flashlights in the USA (California no less) and compete with China on price. In fact, the fit and finish on Mag’s aluminum parts is first rate – often far better than more expensive Chinese lights. Kinda like how Victorinox Swiss Army knives are often made better than more expensive knives when it comes to build quality.
It is also interesting that Mag never raised the wholesale prices on their incan models since they came out in the late 70’s.
I bought a US-made HDS Rotary. Garbage, the finish was so bad it was literally gouging the skin off my fingers like a rasp. When I complained to the vendor, he launched on a long racist tirade about the Chinese. The thing is, every single Chinese-made light I ever purchased was better than that overrated light.
Dunno the smaller ones, but the bigger donks (multi-C/-D, and even the classic 2×AAs) are things of beauty. Unfortunately their LED tek is a coupla decades behind the times. Their claim to fame is an adjustable beam, so the best they can do is the LED drop-in.
If they’d go with multi-emitters on a solid slab of Cu and a fixed solid reflector, and a good thermal path to match, they could get a coupla thousand lemons out the pipe easily.
You can roll yer own or get one from VOB, but they could easily do the same at the factory and kick arse.
Have you seen Old Lumens Tear down on the 3rd Gen Mags?
….they might be more advanced than you think, especially the heat sink/thermal path.
Hjeh, didn’t ever see any of ’em before. Think I stopped looking at Mags well before the gen3s came out, ’cause they were still the drop-in fat-based bulb with spare hotwire bulb in the tail last I ever looked.
Didn’t watch the whole video yet, just the first few minutes. Will do so later…
Maglights… Do they still run Black Friday / Holiday Sale specials? Do they still sell 2 or 3x C and D lights?
I didn’t see anyone say that, or at least I didn’t if you’re referring to me. Any level of quality can be made and is made in China, including the top quality.
My comment was regarding pricing alone, and why there’s a difference. No one can compete with China on price. The scales are so far tipped in their favor, both legitimately and artificially, that there is no competition. And the blame for this circumstance is spread around equally.
This comes down to having and owning the facilities, equipment and processes in place and paid off decades ago, back when one could establish such a large manufacturing facility in the USA (or Switzerland) and produce a niche product and still be profitable. And the brand recognition helps keep them both going as well.
It would be near impossible and financially ruinous to try to establish a brand and build a new flashlight factory (or Victorinox factory) today in those places.
What is interesting and disappointing is that Maglite could produce some lights, in the USA, with features and specs us here would like, and they could do it for the reasonable prices they have, as you pointed out. But they just don’t have an in-tune flashaholic on their team apparently. It seems like such an easy win for them (and us) if they did make some of the type of lights many here prefer. Maybe I’ll get in contact with them…
It may be that they have US military contracts, where there are “buy American” requirements.
The compromise on run time drives Maglite to continue as they are, with so much of their market being duty and such it is important to have an all-night light.
MY Maglites are run time compromised, of course! Lol
Unfortunately HD and Lowes have not had the black Friday Mag deals for the last couple of years, though walmart still has them (at least they did last year) and Mag had a black friday sale on their site (30% off/free shipping).
That’s only part true. There is not a couple of old guys grinding these out by hand in some old dimly lit smoke stack factory - to stay competitive in high cost of labor nations like the USA and Switzerland, they need to automate as much as possible. The latest high speed CNC lathes, grinders and robotics are used to do most of the work.
3) Material like the Aluminium used is unknown origin
(recycled? it’s safe without any contamination?),people forget that