I've owned Mag-Lite flashlights for 30+ years. Back in the day everyone wanted a Mag-Lite D-cell flashlight because they were tough, they worked great, they were bright, and they were reasonably priced for a quality piece of equipment you could trust. Oh, and American made too. There was also the mini-Mag-Lite, compact, bright, tough, an excellent light except that the bulbs always burnt out.

Then the LED light craze came to be, and the market was flooded with cheap light much brighter than Mag-Lite. Mag-Lite responded with models that have 4 "Activity-based" modes and 5 modes within each mode... I'm confused, I just want to turn the darn thing on and have it work!

I think the engineers at Mag-Lite looked back and said "You know, the mini-Mag-Lite was a pretty good idea - simple, no external switch, 1 mode, let's just make a new, better, bigger, brighter version of that!" And so they did, hence the ML25LT in 2-cell and 3-cell. Unfortunately they decided to revive the 70's and use C-cell batteries in it. Who uses C-cell batteries anymore? With LED technology flashlights don't drain the batteries, and they end up leaking in the flashlight, I suspect even the C-cells will do this. Therefore I took a different route.

I purchased C-cell adapters / converters. These are Parallel (don't get Serial, that will increase the voltage and cause damage) and house 4 x AAA lithium metal primary batteries (I used Energizer Lithium, 20-year shelf life, guaranteed not to leak) and they work great! One pack of 4 for each converter, 5 packs for 2 flashlights, I will probably never replace them! Mag-Lite should sell an option like this!

The ML25LT being a new model the accessories don't fit yet, The belt holders are for "C & D" sizes... it's way too loose. The new ML25LT has a smaller head, the old C-cells had a large head like the D-cell. The Red, Yellow and White cones that fit over the light will work, but not well. In the pics I lined up the heads of the two lights and placed the cone over each. It says the fit - really? I want my money back on that one! They're plastic, how hard can it be to make a new size, come on!

The quality you would expect from maglight. They never disappoint

The Maglite ML25LT LED 2-Cell C Flashlight is an exceptional tool that fully deserves its 5-star rating. This flashlight is nothing short of great. It offers powerful illumination with its LED technology and the reliability of a trusted brand like Maglite. The 2-Cell C design provides long-lasting battery life, making it a dependable companion in various situations. Whether you're using it for outdoor adventures, emergencies, or everyday tasks, it consistently delivers. In a world filled with flashlights, the Maglite stands out as a top choice, and its 5-star rating is a testament to its quality and performance.

This flashlight is very bright, and I think it will last a very long time. I like that it takes batteries. It's not hard to keep spare batteries on hand, and you don't have to throw the flashlight away like you would with a rechargeable one when the internal battery goes bad. It takes C cell batteries, but if you have AA batteries you can get the adapters to use those. There is no external switch on the flashlight--twisting it turns it on. Seems like that would be better for long term durability.

I've bought tons of small flashlights over the years and they are all lame. They typically have some computerized (chip controlled) push button that cycles through two or more brightness settings and a strobe mode or something stupid. That's fine, the issue I have is the computer chip decides arbitrarily that my batteries are too low and shuts off. WHAT?! I'm in the dark and need light you stupid piece of crap! The batteries are almost brand new! So, I end up replacing batteries constantly and throwing out perfectly good batteries all year long...for what? So I can use this cheap flashlight? The batteries cost waaaaay more per year than I paid for the lame thing in the first place.

Enter Maglite: This is a machined aluminum case, with O-ring water sealing on front and back and NO computer chip. You rotate the head (which admittedly take two hands, which is a negative) and it comes on in one brightness....that's it. But more importantly, you can continue to turn the head and change the focus of the light beam to your needs for the job at hand. ALWAYS turns on, VERY reliable, and built with the ultimate quality of construction and materials available. SUPER bright light.

This little guy is in between the size of the two-AA version and the two-D cell version. Small, fits in glove box or purse or backpack. I have all the sizes for different places in my house and car.

I'm never buying another brand, ever again....ever.