| Maxtoch Xsword L2K (2021 version) | |
|---|---|
| LEP class | unknown |
| Distance / intensity | 2.7km |
| Lumens | 600 lumens |
| Modes | 3 |
| Avg. Price | $329 |
Is this the best LEP under $500?
During my research on LEP flashlights, I had come across the Maxtoch Xsword L2K a few times, but that was an old 2018 model, that didn’t attract me. But since somebody tagged me on Reddit about the new Xsword L2K (I wish they updated the name to make it more clear), I got in touch with Maxtoch and they said it was really able to reach 2700 meters.
I’ve never had any Maxtoch flashlight, but that’s not totally strange because Maxtoch focuses on hunting. Most of their flashlights are throwers, including different color beams, like red and green, but also Infra-red.
Although, the design is fairly basic, or even non existent, their promise helped me to decide to take the plunge. I got a small reviewers discount and received it in about 1 week after ordering.
The thing that surely stands out is its length. The longest LEP light I had was the Acebeam W30, but the L2K is much longer, taking 2*21700 batteries. Please keep in mind that the first iteration of the L2K was using 18650 batteries and claimed ‘only’ 2km of reach. I do recommend using the included cigar grip ring (tactial ring) in order to comfortably hold the flashlight.
Batteries and charger
Besides offering 2 versions of the light itself (long vs short) they also give the option for a full kit. This includes a charger and a holster. Although I got the set, I don’t think I will be using either of the 2. The charger’s current is 1A per slot. This means that the included 5000mAh batteries take 5 hours to charge. These day’s I don’t like to wait that long because I need to do multiple runtime tests…
Both batteries have a protection board, but you can also use non-protected button tops. You can’t use flat tops for obvious reasons.
Performance
When it comes to performance, I was literally blown away by the numbers. It was supposed to throw 2700 meters, which is kind of … far.. But in reality it even over performed. Instead of 2700 meters, mine was hitting 3km. I measured
I measured the throw at 20 meters and got: 2,508,000 cd which equals 3167 meters / 1.97 miles
The following interactive graph is to show the difference between all large LEP flashlights I reviewed here and at 1lumen.com. Note: The numbers in the graph are based on figures measured in the integrating sphere, and not from pointing the flashlight directly at the lux sensor from a distance. I’ve noticed a difference of up to 12% through testing, but this should still give a good indication of the LEP’s performance.
The throw is really insane.. and I didn’t show you the runtime test in Medium, but even Medium outperforms all flashlights after the first 1 hour.
Look at the straight red? line. After about 1 hour and 10 minutes, it beats all the flashlights and maintains that output for almost 6 hours.. really amazing stuff.
Buy the Maxtoch L2K
Maxtoch Xsword L2Ks
In case you prefer a shorter version, but still with great performance, have a look at the Maxtoch Xsword L2Ks.
It’s a single 21700 flashlight.
Here is the runtime graph.
