MagLiteXL50 LED 3-Cell AAA Flashlight, Black

Small pocket size flashlight, that I can carry with me all the time and it sends out a great beam of light, for it's size.Been carrying the same one for ten years and have not found a better one. Works great in the garage, it's small size allows it to get into small places. Have one in the driver side door pocket, in all my vehicles. Great for women to carry in their purse.

There are better, more expensive flashlights out there, but for the price, nothing compares to this. Flashlight fanatics don't like it because it uses AAA batteries, but unless you are a spy, SWAT team sniper or soldier, AAA batteries are a huge plus because they are available everywhere. It's incredibly bright (so bright that I use it on the low setting most of the time), has a longer throw than others with similar lumens, longer battery life (although I doubt it will get the 8 hours and 45 minutes on high that Maglite claims), it's anodized inside and out, easy to operate one-handed, and it's the ONLY flashlight that is made in the USA.The few things it lacks are really non-issues to me, but it all comes down to personal preference:1. No momentary on/off - no big deal to me.2. No pocket clip - non-issue to me because I always use a holster, specifically this one: Nite Ize LHS-03 Clip-On Flashlight Holster with Stretch Capability and 8-Position Rotating Clip3. No lanyard - non-issue to me because I never use lanyards. Not necessary with the Nite-Ize holster.4. No tailcap lockout - again, not necessary with the Nite-Ize holster.5. Nothing to stop it from rolling when you set it down horizontally - no issue for me because I just leave it in the holster, and you can always get an anti-roll adapter. I have one from my old Maglite 2AA and it fits the XL50 perfectly, but I don't really use it.6. No SOS mode - Hopefully I'll never need it, but it would be difficult to send SOS manually since repeated clicks put you in other modes (low power or strobe). You'd have to do it "smoke signal style" by blocking the light beam with your hand, which may not be possible, depending on the situation of your emergency. I'd gladly trade off strobe mode for SOS mode.The pros certainly outweigh the cons and, to me, make them irrelevant. If you want an American-made flashlight, Maglite is your only brand choice. If you want one that's extremely bright, extremely durable, easy to use, and has a longer run time than most with batteries that are easy to find, the XL50 just might be the best choice regardless of manufacturer.

I am currently serving in Afghanistan and decided to buy this light after I saw one of my buddies using. I was amazed by how bright it was, especially being so very small. It was perfect for what I wanted, which was a good small light to keep on me while I worked at night.I have had it a few months now and use it fairly often. It is super bright, even at a distance on the full setting. I tend to always use the dim setting because it is plenty of light and saves on the batteries. The dim setting on this light is brighter than a lot of other regular flashlights I see other guys using.The casing has held up extremely well to the hot dusty environment of Afghanistan for the few months I have had it. It fits almost perfectly into Nite Ize LHS-03 Clip-On Flashlight Holster with Stretch Capability and 8-Position Rotating Clip and stays well on my belt. If I keep the light from pushing all the way into the holster, it protects the end cap from accidentally turning on.The only major flaw that I have encountered is the end cap. It is very easy to accidentally bump it, turning it on without noticing and killing the battery. It will eat through batteries also on the high setting, but I haven't had a need to use the high setting much. I have only changed the batteries once since I have bought it, when the high setting became about as dim as the dim setting normally would be, though I suppose I could have kept using the old batteries a while longer.I would also really like to see Maglite make a tactical attachment set for this light like they do the 2AA Mini Maglite; which includes a clip, hex roll stopper, and colored lenses. Being able to have a red lens quickly attach would be a big plus for those of us in the military.But for general use, this is a top notch light. I will definitely be picking up another one or two when I get back home and probably will be giving some as gifts.

Awesome quality as expected from Mag; it has a weight to it (even without the batteries). The brightness is amazing. It is really the perfect size to carry around on a hike, on a dog walk at night, in the car for emergencies, or whatever. Highly recommend this reasonably-priced, high-quality flashlight.