Malkoff MD3 Wildcat
Available at MalkoffDevices.com
Specifications
- Size: 171mm x 46mm (head) / 25mm (body)
- Batteries: 3xCR123A / 2x18500
- 15 degree beam with generous spill
- High and low modes accessed by turning the head
- Body material: 6061 T6 aluminum
- Fully o-ringed for weather tightness
- Lens: UCL glass
- Anodizing: black type III
- MSRP: $265
Minimum body thickness: 2mm
Design
The MD3 has a very simple and solid look and feel; it is built to be a tool, not a toy. It is very heavy for its size due to a thick body, massive heatsink, and generous potting - very little is hollow. Decoration is minimal: three grooves around the head and four bands of knurling, which are rough enough to give the cylindrical body good grip. No attachment or carry method is included or provided for.
The switch cover is unusually curved, making it somewhat easier to activate at a slight angle.
The user interface is likewise simple: a forward clicky switch turns the flashlight on or off, and the head position determines intensity, with a loose head indicating low output and tight indicating high. This gives the user enough flexibility to choose between output or runtime without making common operations slow or complicated. Most flashlights with a similar interface activate high mode when the body's wall makes contact with the head, which has the inherent flaw that the head must be completely tightened to signal that flashlight that it is such; Malkoff avoids this issue by sending the signal through a slightly protruding pin instead.
Build quality
Malkoff's MD3 may not boast unusual materials, but the quality of machine work is a world above most flashlights. The threads are thick and come well lubricated, resulting in very smooth twisting action.
The switch is as solid as the rest of the light, and well designed with an activation point near its resting state, and a locking point near the end of its depression range. It feels sturdy, and produces unusually loud audio feedback.
The anodizing is smooth, but inconsistent in some places, and is missing a few points on the knurling. The pictures below exaggerates these issues - in real life the flashlight looks as it does in the first picture.
Lettering is unusually clear, and slightly dimmer than pure white, presumably because that in combination with its size would be rather ostentatious.
Output
The MD3's beam is similar to that produced by the same company's dropins in that the spill gradually fades, reducing the tunnel effect. The spot is extremely wide and about as bright as most modern 2xCR123A flashlights.
| Lux at 1m | |
|---|---|
| Malkoff MD3 Wildcat | 6,023 |
| 4Sevens Quark 1232 | 5,820 |
| Legion II SST-50 | 23,500 |
| SureFire P60 | 4,960 |
Peripherals
The MD3 comes securely packaged but without any peripherals of any kind.
Verdict
The Malkoff MD3 is a fantastically well made tool, made for sureness and simplicity. While some may be put off by MD3's lack of throw, its aesthetic flaws, or the high price, this light is undoubtedly one of the most useful being made.