I just found this on the Maglite website:
"Bottom line, if you are willing to tolerate a possibly significant decline in flashlight performance, there is no reason you can’t substitute rechargeable NiMH batteries for (non-rechargeable) alkalines."
I'm guessing that their mention of "possibly significant decline" refers to the big drawback with NiMH rechargeables - as they sit they continuously decline in power and you need to remember to pop them into the charger once in a while. Murphy's Law, being what it is, means that just when you need the flashlight most.....
I've been following the thread with interest as I have two Maglites (the small one and the large one that takes 2 D cells. I have owned them so long I can't recall when I bought them. Suffice to say at least 20 years.
I've only used akalines and have never had an issue. The battery brands have varied depending on what was the best "name brand" buy at the time - currently EverReady and Panasonic.
