| Maxtoch Xsword L2Kd | |
|---|---|
| LEP class | unknown |
| Distance / intensity | 3200 meters / 2,560,000 cd |
| Lumens | 650 lumens |
| Modes | 3 |
| Avg. Price | $399 |
Is this the best dual-cell LEP under $500?
Yes, I asked the same question before. But LEP flashlights are currently on the roll.
One of the LEP flashlights that took me by surprise was the Maxtoch L2K (2021 model) because it outperformed specs and reached 3167 meters instead of the claimed 2700 meters. Then Maxtoch added the L2Ks (single cell), LA60 (zoomable) and L3K.
And as much as I was surprised with the L2K, the L3K was underwhelming. On paper, it looks all great and well, but in person, (by testing it with a Lux meter) it didn’t perform better than the L2K, unfortunately.
I’m not saying it doesn’t perform well.. it does.. but not as good as the L2K. And the main difference between the L2K and L3K is the LEP module. They went from the mirror-style LEP to the shine-through LEP module. And from all the testing (with over 30 so far) I can say that the former performs better at the cost of a nice beam profile. That’s where the L3K comes into play (and probably an important reason why somebody would buy the L3K over the L2K.
But the upgrade from L2K to L2Kd isn’t in the exteriors. It’s still the same shape with 2*21700 batteries, a forward clicky switch, and the red bezel. But what makes the L2Kd so special, is the diamond phosphor. I was again very excited..because I tested the Weltool W4 PRO, which was likely using the same LEP module, but with only 1 battery.
So, let’s see.
Batteries and charger
At the moment of writing, there is only a dual-cell version of the L2Kd. And Maxtochstore doesn’t give you the option to buy the light without the kit. So if you want to buy one, you’d have to reach out to them. Especially if you already own (multiple) chargers and batteries (with button tops). And from what I understand, it comes with the same charger and batteries as the L2K. That charger’s current is 1A per slot. This means that the included 5000mAh batteries take 5 hours to charge.
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
Knowing that the L2K was specced at 2700 meters, but reached over 3100 meters, I was really hoping that I will get surprised again.
There are too many companies out there, claiming something (output or throw) that is not realistic.. Have you been on eBay or AliExpress lately?
Anyway, so I tested the L2Kd at 20 meters and 30 meters and was again surprised…
Mine didn’t reach the 2.5 Million candelas (as it was advertised) but hit over 3 Mcd.
The highest measurement I got in High mode was at 30 meters distance. It measured: 3,051,000 cd which equals 3493 meters / 2.17 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 because they are all calculated the same way.
Buy the Maxtoch L2Kd
Use my special discount code: 2KDIAMOND
