Maxtoch 2X torch v. HID spotlight

Okay did some interesting light testing tonight. I know the dedomed (U3 led) Maxtoch 2X torches run at 290-300k lux, and the dedomed M24s with same run around 170-190k. Great performers capable of lighting up paddocks with ease, and picking up big animals hundreds of meters away.

This evening my cobber gave me his Lightforce spotlight with an HID conversion unit in it - he had tested it in the field against his new Maxtoch 2X last night and came back saying his Maxtoch 2X was better. So I have just done a lux meter test on it and hey hey, the 2X is significantly stronger. The HID spottie read 225k lux - about 35-50k more than the smaller M24 Maxtoch, but 65-75k lux less than the 2X.

Confirms what we already know - the Maxtochs are better than alot of spotlights. Doesn't mean the Maxtoch is brighter than all HIDs, but its right up there - gives you an idea just how good these handheld torches are. Frankly we don't use our big spots anymore though they could be useful if you're shooting all night - save battery changes.

Used my Maxtoch up against a HID nightforce for wallabies. The HID didn't show up their eyes, but the Maxtoch did.

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Originally Posted by mudgripz

Frankly we don't use our big spots anymore though they could be useful if you're shooting all night - save battery changes.

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I'll let you tell @2gnscib that bit. I'll just say I was on gate duty while he was using it. :fighting:

Man this is probably an over asked question. But who can I get to dedome my torches

And wheres the best palce to buy maxtorches. Do they do headlamps too.

pics or it didn't happen

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Originally Posted by Cartman

Man this is probably an over asked question. But who can I get to dedome my torches

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Me.

Good to know mate how much? I would buy probaby 4 or 5 torches and the same amount of headlamps for my staff next season.

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Originally Posted by Cartman

And wheres the best palce to buy maxtorches. Do they do headlamps too.

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Buy them here

Aliexpress.com : Buy MAXTOCH Sniper M24 Limited Version, 1250lm with Hidden Strobe, AR Lens, Copper LED Base, Long Shooting Distance Hunt Flashlight from Reliable copper cab suppliers on EST GROUP Co., Ltd | Alibaba Group

They don't do headlamps as far as I'm aware.

For headlamps I prefer these with the on off button on the side so easier to access and they have a good hinge too. Brother-in-law grabbed most of mine for the farm.

2000 Lumens CREE XM L XML T6 LED Headlamp Headlight Flashlight Head Lamp Light + 2*18650 battery + charger + Car Charger-in Headlamps from Lights & Lighting on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group

These are also very well made but have the switch on the back. They have a tighter beam.

Headlamp bike light 1600 Lumens CREE XM L T6 LED Headlamp Headlight Rechargeable 2x 18650 Lamp Light +Charger(US/EU/AU Plug)-in Headlamps from Lights & Lighting on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group

Thanks Gadgetman. Order placed.

Cartman - if you ordered from maxtoch you can ask them to send lights EMS international freight service - they do this free for like 4 or more torches. Means 7-8 days instead of chinapost's 2-8 weeks. Email Amanda at amanda@maxtoch.cn

Did you order M24 (scope mount plus handheld) or 2X (handheld)?

Thanks Gadgetman I was wondering which headlamp to order. Have you tried any focus-able LED hand held touches worth mentioning?

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Originally Posted by 300CALMAN

Thanks Gadgetman I was wondering which headlamp to order. Have you tried any focus-able LED hand held touches worth mentioning?

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These are pretty good. The clicky bit on the hinge often fails, but a blob of bluetac holds them up.

Cheap Flood-to-Throw 3-Mode Cree Q3 LED Headlamp (1*18650)

They are not as bright and nowhere near the range of the others above which can be de-domed.

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Originally Posted by gadgetman

These are pretty good. The clicky bit on the hinge often fails, but a blob of bluetac holds them up.

Cheap Flood-to-Throw 3-Mode Cree Q3 LED Headlamp (1*18650)

They are not as bright and nowhere near the range of the others above which can be de-domed.

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it seems most of the serious lights are of non focusing type...

Iteresting this de-doming. Wounder how risky it would be to de-dome my SRT7?:o

The Nitecore SRT7 is a smaller lower powered light - specs:

"Utilizes the latest CREE XM-L (XM-L2 T6) LED for a maximum output of up to 960 lumens, and boasts a peak beam intensity of 23,256cd and throw distance of up to 308 meters (ANSI FL1) "

By comparison the Maxtoch M24 is about 85,000cd (or 85k lux), and the 2X is 122,000cd standard. Dedomed they jump to about 170-190k and 290-300k.

The SRT7 does have an XML2 Led but its an older one - the T6. Ask gadgetman nicely and he may be able to fit an XML2-U2 upgrade and dedome it - and then you'd be looking at 50-60,000cd - and that's very useful light for hunting.

Yes I'd guess its worth it.

:P wow that sounds awesome... Gadgetman??. Yes it is only one 18650 cell but the lens is great and the smart ring is much nicer for hunting than the push button only types. I think i need to get a Maxtourch to replace my old TR-3T6 :cool:

I haven't had the pleasure of using these maxtoch torches but my non HID light force has spotted many deer out to over 1km on a good clear night and enabled me to shoot out to 600 seeing not just an outline but colour and sex.
The LED Lensers I have had have had pitiful range in comparison(I realise they are completely different/shit) but the very white/blue light of them picked up eyes like all hell, but you couldn't see the body or colour to identify, much like HID for animal ID at Range HID is backward step from halogen with the very white light picking up eyes but nothing else.

I understand the maxtoch dedomed produce a more naturalv light colour ?

Yes. We used our 2x dedomed with brutal efficency a few months back.It is the softer light which is the key.Team it up with a 5 baffle Tok Can and you will bring home more tails than Willie Apiata.

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Originally Posted by 300CALMAN

:P wow that sounds awesome... Gadgetman??. Yes it is only one 18650 cell but the lens is great and the smart ring is much nicer for hunting than the push button only types. I think i need to get a Maxtourch to replace my old TR-3T6 :cool:

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Looks doable, might be tricky working around the three tri-coloured LED's but sure I could sus it. You should get a Maxtoch.

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Originally Posted by veitnamcam

I haven't had the pleasure of using these maxtoch torches but my non HID light force has spotted many deer out to over 1km on a good clear night and enabled me to shoot out to 600 seeing not just an outline but colour and sex.
The LED Lensers I have had have had pitiful range in comparison(I realise they are completely different/shit) but the very white/blue light of them picked up eyes like all hell, but you couldn't see the body or colour to identify, much like HID for animal ID at Range HID is backward step from halogen with the very white light picking up eyes but nothing else.

I understand the maxtoch dedomed produce a more naturalv light colour ?

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Yes, it gives them a warmer/yellower tint.

Goodbye HID

Hello Maxtoch

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Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

Goodbye HID

Hello Maxtoch

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Sold my Nightforce a couple years ago, most of my mates not long after as well. Bloody awesome bits of kit.

Whoops...meant Lightforce. Same company, you get the idea.

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Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

Goodbye HID

Hello Maxtoch

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Sorta like goodbye Stihl hello Husky.LOL.

If the stihl was bulky, had an annoying cable and a heavy battery with a short run time and the husky was svelt, powerfull, lightweight with hrs of run time on tiny internal batteries then... yes, its exactly like that. :D

+1 Sneeze

Lightforce make good spotties but we wanted to go right away from big handhelds and big awkward scope mounted apparatus. Bumping a big rig in and out of the truck window is not fun.

On specification the Maxtochs are up amongst the biggest 210 and 240mm Lightforce HID spots, but weigh 400 and 500gms loaded instead of 08 to 1.8 kilograms. 2X is about 1200m max beam, and XPro 1400m, while Lightforce HIDs run through from 1000 to 1800m. But distance is just one criterion. We have no problem at all stretching a light out 2500m - had a possible Maxtoch design here recently and rejected it. And Brian and I have the Maxtoch Xpro giving out all sorts of numbers in different tests with a variety of other LEDs. But that don't make an ideal hunter...

What we're after is a set of criteria - very light weight, all-purpose function (rifle mounted or handheld), simple switching (no fanciful mode banks - press twice and ask for Lulu!), very good colour tint (CRI or colour rendition index for best target picture), beam balance (long range centre hotspot plus spill to scan paddocks), max runtimes, absolute cutting edge tech (latest LEDS and advances in electronic circuitry), and extreme performance (knowing 99.5% of night shooting is under 300m).

I still think there's a place for a good Lightforce if shooting off a truck or quad all night, but having said that, Quentin developed a bit of wizardry to run his Maxtochs straight off the quad.

I recently changed out the driver on my original 2X so I can use a input voltage from 7V - 18V, so have plenty of options for the wired battery arrangement. Currently running a 4S 16000mAh lipo, but can plug into the quad, truck lighter socket etc. Run times in the days, rather than hours with the larger Lipo packs.
If anyone is handy with a soldering iron, I have a couple of the remote battery adapters I'm willing to part with for the cost of postage. @gadgetman - something you would be interested in?

the absolute best set up Ive used from a vechile was a BIG spotlight on roof with a TBar handle down into cab...shooter would find bunny,driver then took over light,shooter got in behind rifle while still in seat,driver stopped vechile with bunny in a certain spot on windscreen eg about two inches above end of wiper blade.shooter would have bunny in scope,phiit splat,drive over,open door and lean out,pick up bunny chuck on back,close door carry on as before.

effortless as we had sorted out best position for shooter and the driver put target into that position .

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Originally Posted by Micky Duck

the absolute best set up Ive used from a vechile was a BIG spotlight on roof with a TBar handle down into cab...shooter would find bunny,driver then took over light,shooter got in behind rifle while still in seat,driver stopped vechile with bunny in a certain spot on windscreen eg about two inches above end of wiper blade.shooter would have bunny in scope,phiit splat,drive over,open door and lean out,pick up bunny chuck on back,close door carry on as before.

effortless as we had sorted out best position for shooter and the driver put target into that position .

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@223nut sound familiar ?

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Originally Posted by dannyb

@223nut sound familiar ?

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we werre getting the hang of it by the end of the night, sounds like we need a flat deck to save getting out of the truck though. also sounding familiar is the spotlight getting thrown in the back of the truck somewhere once the maxtorch came out

The M24 and the 2x with the remote battery adapters.

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The M24 in this configuration replaced my 35W HID, and gave me the same beam distance, better light colour, and a massive increase in runtime.

@quentin its epic to see what some people with a bit of thinking come up with.

This is exactly how the Maxtochs got started. Four kiwi boys sitting round looking at a torch, then someone says " You know ... I reckon we can do better than this!"

Nice work Quentin :)