Made in the USA: MagLite

[Percival P. Cassidy]

MagLite flashlights continue to be made in the USA even though the owner knows that he could make more money by manufacturing overseas.

We need more companies like this.

Perce

[notbob]

What? A product that consistently fails?

nb

[DD_BobK]

MagLites are decent flashlight but they are by no means in the same class as SureFire.

When I bought my dad a MagLite in the 70's it was clearly one of the best flashlights on the market. I have his flashlight now.....still working fine & approaching 40 years old.

For a reasonably priced, mass market unit they are pretty good.

The only failure mode I have experienced with MagLites is DuraCell batteries leaking in them but not Energizers.

What failure mode(s) have you seen?

cheers Bob

[mkirsch1]

No, we don't.

Companies keeping jobs in the USA "just because" is every bit as much of a false economy as all the government bailouts.

It's a feel-good warm-fuzzy for idiots who don't understand economics. It does nothing to solve the problem, and only exacerbates it further by slowing our descent to rock-bottom.

The solution to the problem is to make it less costly to produce the products in the USA than China.

There are only two ways to do that:

1. Make the American people willing to work hard for less money and no benefits.
2. Make the Chinese people UNwilling to work hard for less money and no benefits.

I don't see #1 happening any time soon. #2 is easy. Just keep buying Chinese and sending our jobs over there. Once they get a taste of the good life they'll want more and more and more. Costs will go up, and soon it'll be more profitable to make stuff in the USA again.

[Man-wai Chang]

Don't worry. USA will continue to make their own weapons! :)

[dadiOH]

What we need is a company with enough sense to make a flashlight that doesn't roll. A square or hex base would do it.

[mkirsch1]

I have one of these. It has a hex base and doesn't roll.

Gordon brand. Made in China. Sold at Harbor Freight.

Seems every bit as well made as my genuine 6D MagLite. I wouldn't hesitate to crack some skulls with the Gordon.

[DA]

I don't think in this case it's "just because". It is very much a part of their marketing efforts. Their aren't doing it alone either - watch the new Jeep commercials. In any case, if you take away "Made in USA", what else is there to base your marketing on? An antiquated-looking product that was the last (AFAIK) among brand name flashlights to adopt LED technology? Besides, its (antiquated as it is) look is also a part of the brand and it is very much based on the production machinery that must be

30+ years old now, has been paid off many times over, very expensive to move anywhere, let alone China, and will probably not survive the move anyways. Oh, and of course will be very loudly laughed at by Chinese engineers when they see the controllers and other parts from 1979.

Also, re-creating the production line from scratch in China is not feasible for a company that "[in 2009]lost nearly $11 million" and "had to lay off 200 people" (out of 700). Sad as it is, they are just stuck in here, may even be against their will.

------------------------------------- /\_/\ ((@v@)) NIGHT ():::() OWL VV-VV

[The Daring Dufas]

MagLite sells a kit that contains a rubber hex shaped cover that slips over the head of the Minimag. It works quite well.

TDD

[Frank]

Good for them.

Sometimes "made in the USA" means assembled in the USA with most parts from other parts of the world. Only one bulb here.

Years ago, I knew an engineer who quit Ford because his job assignment was to adapt a Japanese engine to a Ford car. He did not object to the foreign input but work was not innovative enough for him.

As for me, I buy what give me most value. Cars are Japanese but I like to know when assembled in the USA.

[dadiOH]

But it's *PURPLE* :(

[Ron]

to

> [e-mail] wrote:

Harley bikes are almost 30% imported parts. Just under the limit where they couldn't call it made in USA. The front forks, I think are made by Kawasaki.

[RBM]

I'm happy that they're still made in the U.S. but I'd be happier if they weren't junk. Years ago I used them . I prefer the mini mag, 2 AA version. As an electrician I'm forever crawling around in some dark location, so I need a reliable flashlight, that I can carry easily. The last dozen or so I had only lasted a few months each. They don't die altogether, but become unreliable, flickering on and off, at which point I just pitch them. In Sept

2005 someone on this newsgroup recommended Streamlight flashlights to me, and I bought one, a 3 AA version that has both LED and incandescent bulbs in it. I literally have used this flashlight every day since, and it has never failed, in fact it hasn't even burned out the incandescent bulb yet. When maglight builds a comparable tool, I'd be happy to try them again.

[willshak]

The 2 Maglite minimags I bought came with the rubber hex cover and a woven belt loop holder.

[Percival P. Cassidy]

Let's assume that you are correct about the effect of solution #2 *in the long run*. What do we do with the former MagLite workers during the intervening years -- not months but *years*?

Perce

[notbob]

My dear ol' mom has a real 3 D-cell Maglite. It appears purple, though it may jes be off colored tarnish from blue. Regardless, it doesn't work, either. ;)

nb

[RBM]

What do "we" do? I kind of think that attitude is part of the problem. The question should be, what do the mag light workers do? I think the answer is, that that's a decision they must make for themselves. This economy sucks, and I know my solution has been to do more work for less money. Everyone likes a good deal, and until such a time that things get better, my customer's are getting great deals, and I'm working, and paying the bills.

[AZ Nomad]

That says nothing of the economic benefits of China's lax labor and enviromental laws. Over there you can just dump your waste products in the river and replace any worker who gets hurt on the job at zero cost.

I see tariffs as the only solution, but I don't see a solution for china imposing retalitory tariffs.

[RickH]

They look real cool, but wont survive a fall from a ladder onto concrete if they land on the bezel edge, I switched to flashlights with rubber padding. Was at Fry's this week, holy cow what a selection of flashlights! Two full aisles. I had my eye on the 100 LED bulb one. I agree that Maglite is made well and I like the US made aspect, but I've lost several with drops on concrete. One fell on the butt end and locked the end cap on for good by making it oval. But their large D cell models have multi use as a weapon if you dont feel safe in certain neighborhoods, no other flashlight than the Maglite D cell can say that, (thats why its a policemans favorite). It's like a concealed billy club.

[Nate Nagel]

Haven't seen any failures, but I have to say that the Mag-Lite needs some updating. It was great back when all flashlights were incandescent, but the LED models have awful beam patterns, and a Task Force 2-C cell LED flashlight kicks a big Mag-Lite's butt in every respect save for use as a nightstick, and is *almost* small enough to fit in a pocket (but comes with a handy belt pouch.) Also addresses someone else's concern about rolling off a flat surface. I haven't tried any of the "tactical" flashlights but I would hope that they are even better yet.

NB: the last Mag-Lite I bought was maybe 10 years ago. Maybe they've improved since then, but they're still big and heavy.

nate