Its always good to have flashlights available for when things go wrong.  I my opinion, its even better to have one of these handy.

The classic Maglite 5 cell D is a great flashlight to have.  Its been used by police, fire and rescue, and military units from around the world for decades because of its legendary reliability.  Its manufactured from aircraft aluminum and is remarkably strong yet lightweight for its size.  It comes in many sizes but I’m going to focus this review on the 5-cell D version.

Why get this particular flashlight?  Well, its a multipurpose too; it can act as a flashlight, baton, and hammer when needed.  It is long, heavy, and strong which makes it a handy baton in a defensive situation.  Also, if you have to break glass to escape from a room (ex. during a fire) this flashlight is strong enough to do so.  Oh, and it produces a lot of light too.  The one I have uses an incandescent bulb, which can be focused from a wide cone to a narrow beam by twisting the top.  Maglite also manufacturers LED versions of this and other size flashlights.

The Maglite also has the twin virtues of being manufactured in the USA and widely available.  I purchased mine at Fry’s Electronics for less than $25 and see them at sporting goods stores and other retailers.  Parts are widely available too since Maglites have proven so popular since their introduction.  Their quality is second to none as well, meaning that a well-maintained Maglite will last for many years.

If you have a moment, read the story of Mag Instrument, Inc. and its founder Anthony Maglica.

Overall Rating: 10/10

Click here to purchase a Maglite 5 Cell D Flashlight, Black