Klarus XT11 as a thrower?

I've had the Klarus XT11 recommended to me as a thrower to replace my venerable old Skyray 1JC8 (cheap, nasty, but throws like a bomb for the $).

However, when checking out the XT11, I noted that it has an OP reflector, and not a smooth one. Can it really be that an OP reflector + XML can out-throw or even match a smooth reflector with an XRE? If the XT11 really can light up an object at 100+ as well as my existing light, then that is exactly what I will buy.

Other lights that have been suggested to me was the Armytek Predator Pro, which I know can throw. The only problem is that I want to use it as a scope mounted hunting light, and I don't want to have to muddle around with multiple modes; I want a no nonsense single mode and not have to worry about turning it off and on having it come back in low mode or strobe or whatever.

So my question, can the XT11, with it's OP reflector and XML emitter, really be a worthy thrower to replace my old smooth reflector+XRE light?

Probably not. The XT11 (XM-L2) I got, does have some reach, but isn't a thrower. For example, my Fenix E40 out-throws the XT11 easily.

My XT11 XM-L2 won't even outthrow my Fenix TK11 released in early 2010!

The Klarus XT11 has a CD of 8,217 / 180 meters throw per the Klarus website.

The similar sized Armytek Predator has a CD of 40,000 / 400 meters throw

My 2 year old Fenix TK15 (older model with 337 lumens) has a CD of 11,592 / with a throw of 215 meters.

So no, the Klarus isn't the best choice in the compact thrower category.

Look at the Fenix TK-22 or the Armytek Predator

Look here: http://www.taschenlampen-forum.de/beamshot-vergleiche/27575-159-beamshots-lampenbildern.html
to see some beam shots of some compact thrower lights (scroll down the page)

wjv said:

The Klarus XT11 has a CD of 8,217 / 180 meters throw per the Klarus website.

The similar sized Armytek Predator has a CD of 40,000 / 400 meters throw

My 2 year old Fenix TK15 (older model with 337 lumens) has a CD of 11,592 / with a throw of 215 meters.

So no, the Klarus isn't the best choice in the compact thrower category.

Look at the Fenix TK-22 or the Armytek Predator

Look here: http://www.taschenlampen-forum.de/beamshot-vergleiche/27575-159-beamshots-lampenbildern.html
to see some beam shots of some compact thrower lights (scroll down the page)

Click to expand...

Could you provide a link? I looked on the Klarus site and couldn't find the range listed.

Thank you

The XT11 has a strong floody beam....so it lights up everything in front of you, out to a useful range of ~ 100 -150 yards (The Predator's 400 meters is ANSI, the useful range would be closer to ~ 200 meters for example) I HAVE the XT11 and the Pred, etc...


The OP vs smooth reflector is not as much an issue in these cases as much as the LED choices are. The Pred uses the XPG2, a small die with lower lumen output, but, better throw in a small reflector...so a small spot of light can be thrown a good distance.

The XT11 uses an XML2, which is a larger LED, with higher lumen output than the little XPG2, but, being a large LED, the extra light is flood patterned.


As a weapon light, the XT11 is amazing, the remote is great, but, if needed for 200 meter outdoor shooting, it would not be a good choice. Around here, its an LEO favorite because they DON'T typically try to shoot perps at night, especially when they are over 100 yards away, but DO end up clearing crack houses/warehouses/yards and searching within the 100 - 150 yard range of the light, and, the broad beam means no sweeping of the beam around to see everything, its more like you just hit the room's light switch.

The Predator with the XPG2 is great, but, again, the tight beam means that you do need to sweep the beam about at long ranges to see what's out there...which means the perps you're looking for see you, and your sweeping beam, before you sweep it onto them. This can be an isue if they are the kind that consider you a potential target, or, simply want to know where you ARE looking, so they know when its safe to run the other way/hide, dispose of evidence, etc...


The trade of course is when they are say 200 meters away, and the XT11 would not reach well enough to resolve them, but the Pred could....even if the beam is small, at least it can reach them, etc.


So, think about your real life applications, and how far away you find yourself needing to see...and, if its all close enough for ~ 150 yards to cover it, the XT11 makes more sense. If your areas are very large, so you need more like 200 meters, the Pred makes more sense.

If you need more than 200 meters, well, neither is ideal...and you need either to go to Vinh's sub-forum to get a small super thrower, or, a larger light with the juice to spray photons where needed.

For example, the current XT11 has ~ 10k cd, the Pred has ~ 40k cd, and the S200c2vn has ~ 130 k cd, and so forth.

TheeBadOne said:

Could you provide a link? I looked on the Klarus site and couldn't find the range listed.

Thank you

Click to expand...

http://www.klaruslight.com/plist_show.php?id=63&lge=en

Thank you!

One nice thing about the XT11 is that the above specs are with the standard ICR 18650, but it can also take (2) IMR 18350 and that bumps the specs up by another 40% or so, it just screams out the lumens when it gets more juice. Obviously, a cell is like a gas tank, so, at that rate, it does need recharged cells more often, but, if you want output and more range, the double 18350 IMR's are pretty damn sweet in that light.



I was getting over 1,000 L out of the OLD XT11 for example (Its spec was 600 L).

When lumens go up, the cd of the light goes up proportionally.