My introduction to Maglite flashlights came when I joined EMS as a profession. I had a small Maglite that I kept with my hip holster, along with forceps, scissors and such. It used two AA-sized batteries, but never once failed on me.
I lost it on one rescue, and the next day went to the impound yard to look for it. The car had rolled down an embankment after we rescued the patient. Once I was cleared to look for it, the search took about an hour. Covered in dirt, it had only two scratches on it and worked beautifully. I told the impound workers it was worth looking for. I think they all bought them.
We also had Maglites that used four or five D-cell batteries. Watch any movie or television show where a cop works at night, and you’ll see them. They are heavy, sure, but they work. You can also defend yourself against blows with these things.
I have used two Maglites at home for over twenty years without fail. I’ve replaced bulbs and batteries, but nothing else has worn out. I’ve run over my “garage” model with two cars- no, I’m not clumsy, it just happens. Not a scratch on it anywhere.
Maglite used to have a commercial where a fully loaded 18-wheeler would run over one of the flashlights, and then someone would pick it up and it would work. I thought that was just advertising- it wasn’t. During a scuffle with an inebriate patient, a police officer’s light rolled under the tires of our ambulance. The unit weighed nearly 15,000lbs. Both front and back tires ran the light over, and it worked like a charm.
The only time I’ve ever seen one damaged was in the movie, “Alien Nation.” An over-confident police officer played by James Caan makes an alien Newcomer angry. The Newcomer grabs the top of the light and crushes it with one hand. Only in a movie.
In college, I used one to light my way from the classroom to my car in a dark area. One night, a man the campus police warned us about stepped out of the bushes. I yelled and swung the light at his head- he ran. The women with me screamed as loud as they could, and several men gave chase. Had that light collided with the nut’s skull, it would have put him on the ground.
When I used it to take me from a dark office to my car at night, a manager once asked if I ever encountered a problem, as several female workers had. I said no. I showed him my light, and even the local police smiled. It can do more than light your way, and thugs are looking for easy targets. This light says you aren’t.
As tough as the steel casing is, I wouldn’t use it as a hammer or anything of that nature. Use a hammer instead. If you accidentally close a wall with this inside, open the wall and get it out.
Available in most big box stores and online, it’s the only one you’ll really need in your toolkit, garage, camping box, etc.
Source: The author of this article has over 40 years of experience in diverse forms of DIY, home improvement and repair, crafting, designing, and building furniture, outdoor projects and more.
