Mini Maglite Pro+ LED Flashlight
Reviewer's Overall Rating: ★★★★☆
Summary:
| Battery: | 2 x AA |
| Switch: | Twist Head |
| Modes: | High - Low |
| LED Type: | XP-G |
| Lens: | Plastic |
| Tailstands: | Yes |
| Price Payed: | $28.99 |
| From: | zbattery.com |
| Date Ordered: | 2/14/2012 |
Pros:
- Stays true to Classic Maglite design
- Nice, flawlesh finish
- Feels very sturdy
- Finally, a fairly modern emitter in a Maglite
- Regulated
- Works fine with primary AA (included), Nimh & Lithium (boyh not recommended by Maglite) or Eneloops
- Two (High/Low) modes, a first for Mini Mag
- Respectable light output on high - 245 ANSI rated lumens; Low (25%) estimated at 60 lumens
- Good runtime on high - +2 hours, low - 27 hours
- Candle mode with head removed
- Anodized threads on head and tailcap - allows lockout with 1/4 turn
- Nice hotspot - throws well
- UI for switching to Low is easy
- Good battery fit - no rattle
- Holster included
- Even at full retail, a fair price - on sale a good value
Cons:
- Plastic lens and reflector
- Tailstand is a little wobbly
- Twisty beam focus is not really useful except to fine tune beam - no spot to flood.
- A few rings in the beam
- PWM on low mode
Features / Value: ★★★★
2. Cree XP-G LED
3. Lumen and runtime:
Double AA:
Maximum output of 245 lumens for 2+ hours
Minimum output of 60 lumens for 27 hours
4. Material: Aluminum Alloy
5. Water resistant
6. Accessories: Red & Blue lenses, Pocket clip, Anti-roll device, Lanyard, mounting brackets（optional accessories)
Features / Value: ★★★★☆
If you grew up in the U.S., chances are you've had a Maglite (or 3 or 4) during your lifetime. For many years, Maglite was the flashlight to have and I'm sure it is still the best selling brand out there. Unfortunately, like so many old established brands, they were slow to react to competition and changing times. Not anymore. With the Mini Maglite Pro and Pro+, Mag Instrument has finally introduced a flashlight that can respectably compete with others in the AA class. Let's hope this is a sign of times to come and that we'll see modern emitters in the C and D cell models. Who knows, they may eventually release the long announced tactical flashlight soon.
At a retail price of around $29.99 for the Pro+ and $24.99 for the Pro, it is a good value considering the price and performance of lights currently offered at retail in the U.S. A 245 lumen light at that price point pretty much beats anything hands down you can buy at Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Lowes or Ace Hardware. To approach this level of performance at Gander Mountain, it would cost you $69.99 for a 235 lumen GSX multi-mode flashlight. And Maglite does have a warranty and parts are available at service centers, not to mention aftermarket parts offered by other vendors. When this light goes on sale at -$5 to -$10 below list during the holidays, it will be a great deal.
Design / Build Quality: ★★★★★
I have always loved the classic design and feel of Maglite and it is nice to see them keep true to that legacy with the Pro models. At first glance, this is just another Mini Mag with more under the hood. I don't have an existing Mini Mag LED, but specs for outside dimension with the Pro+ are exactly the same. The light has a solid smooth feel, with light knurling of the body, great fit and finish and predictable easy operation. Just twist the head like always and it's on. All threads are annodized and very smooth, and with just a touch of grease added, smooth as butter. Inside, LED is well centered and there is minimal dust inside the lens/reflector. There was slight scraping of the tailcap spring on the battery, cured with a little filing. All in all the quality is what you expect with any Maglite.
Light Output: ★★★★
I am quite pleased with the light output. It provides plenty of lumens on high while while giving you a low option for maximum run time. Inside, the beam has a few rings, and the flood to throw adjustment twist is basically there to smooth it out, quite effectively I might add. Outside, you won't notice any rings and it has a very bright hotspot with useable spill and it throws impressively. Tint is a very cool white, which I prefer and 245 lumens seems like an honest rating. It is noticeably brighter than turbo mode on my Fenix L2D and on par or brighter than medium on my Balder BD-2 or N-Light ST50. That covers High, but something is different with this light: The Pro+ has a Low setting, accessed through a unique motion sensor. Just point the Pro+ head down (or up to 15 degrees off perpendicular), twist the head to turn it on and it lights up in a battery saving Low mode, estimated at 25% of High or around 60 lumens. Still a very usable level that will handle most tasks around the house and bright enough to walk by with the hot spot. The additional Low setting is the major distinction between the Pro+ and the regular Pro model.
As noted above, PWM is used on low, but it's not an issue for me. According to some runtime tests over at CPF, Max lumens are only achieved for the first minute and the light drops to 80% at 5 minutes, 70% within 7 minutes using Primaries, Nimh or Lithium. From 10 minutes, there is a linear drop off in output up until shutoff, so the light is timer regulated using PWM, regardless of battery used. The light starts to get warm after about 5 minutes, so combined with the timed regulation, overheating should not be an issue.
Tailcap measurements using 2AA Eneloops:
High - 1.66A
Low - .16A
Not sure these make sense - very hard to get a consistent reading for some reason, as the volts keep jumping around.
Other:
I have several old incan Mini Mags sitting around the house, and the difference in output is like the difference between a sunny day at noon and a dark night with just star light to guide you. My only other Mag is the 3x AA Mini Mag mod done by Old Lumens, which came with a Nite Ize clicky switch from their LED upgrade kit. Last weekend I picked up a Nite Ize IQ switch at Harbor Freight. So with 4 different tailcaps, I've play around quite a bit with all of them in the last week. Here's a pic:
(L-R: Pro+, Incan, IQ Switch, Basic Nite Ize Switch)
Perhaps it's not that noticeable, but there's more thread on the Pro+ cap than any of the others, and you can definitely feel it when you try to thread the other caps into the Pro+: None will 'catch' a thread until almost all the way down. They feel like they are literally hanging by a thread. As far as operation goes, the Incan and Nite Ize caps will both work with the Pro+. If the Nite Ize were of better quality, I might leave it on permanently to keep from having to twist the head, but it feels way too cheap and has no real 'click' feel to it. The IQ switch is nicer, unfortunately the Pro+ will not operate using it, even though it works just fine on the 3AA Mod light.
Summary: ★★★★
Over all I am very happy with this flashlight. Like all Maglites, it fits great in the hand - not too big and not too small - and provides all the essential features I need in a general purpose light. You might think it needs a lower low, but I have plenty of other lights for that. There are a couple of things that could be improved, but I can't think of any real negatives that would impact user experience. Mag accomplished what they set out to do: Upgrade to more current technology, offer good runtime, operate on readily available AA primary batteries, keep the look and feel of the existing line and re-use as many parts as possible from the old line to keep costs in line. It is a welcome upgrade and one I am very happy to own.
By the way, as point of reference, I am usually never an early adopter of 'new' technology. I have enjoyed being one of the first to get this light. The only other time I have done this was when Ford redesigned the Mustang in 2004. I ordered a red 2005 GT the first day you could, and I took the day off when it was delivered so I could drive it all day. And as much as I like this Maglite, getting the Mustang was definitely more fun... 
