Better for Throw: Stock Convoy L2(SMO), L6(OP), or L6(SMO)?

Here's my ranking from most throw to less:

L2 (White-Flat , modded) > L2 (XP-L HI) > L2 (XPH50.2) > L6 (XHP70.2) > L6 (XHP70)

There is also the L21A, a 21700 version of the L2 that accepts a 22mm driver so should allow for easy to find XHP35 boost drivers. Right now you would need to put this together yourself but IIRC Convoy/Simon are planning an XHP35 HI L21A variant which might be worth considering over the L2 variants.

For minimum spill (as in near-zero), ever consider a zoomie like a Jaxman Z1? Great quality, and I think it has a stop when zooming to keep you from projecting a Bat Signal (image of the LED die), or you can always add an O-ring to do that.

Even if at 1000lm from the LED, only 300lm gets on the target, that’s about as good as a reflector, where only what light comes off the sides and hits the reflector gets put on the target (ie, the hotspot), vs the majority of light from the middle which becomes spill.

If the “ratio” of the reflector is about 1:1 (diameter:depth), then every bit of light from 0° to 45° will be wasted as spill, and from 45° to 180° hits the reflector and gets focused on the target.

Brynite and others make similar zoomies, some with huge lenses, that’ll fry an ant a half-mile away.

I’m not a zoomie lover, but I do have a few Cometas (Z1 knockoffs) which are hella nice. Crappier plastic lenses, though, vs real glass ones in the Z1.

Fry an ant half a mile away? A bit far fetch, methinks.

But, now I have ants in my pants.

How much $$ is this beast?

Add a little soy sauce….

L2 all the way, my friend. No comparison.

XP-L HI L2 is “pencil beam” throw and SST-40 L2 is the “whop” of fat but still super-impressive through and output. I’d go with the SST-40 version and get the best compromise.

The XP-L HI in the L2 didn’t really wow me tbh.

A pencil beam is not much throw, wouldn’t throw me much, either.

SST-40 L2 has the better throw—how many Km?

Doesn’t have enough light to really make a difference, but the profile is very throwy. The SST-40 just looks like an XML2 in a 63mm reflector to me. But it’s brighter.

My “ ’merican” ain’t up to snuff, please define “whop of fat”.

Sounds like a slop of grease.

Does the L2 have the same size reflector as the L6?

I just got the new version L6 with the xhp70.2 SMO reflector (my first convoy) and am so pleased with it im already eyeing up another but this time id like a throw version

I hear the L2 throws better than the L6 is this purley down to the smaller die size of the XP-L HI or does it have different optics as well?

I have both Convoy L2 and L6. Convoy L6 has a larger reflector. Optics are the same, only L6 can have both OP and SMO reflector. The XPL-HI will always have a larger throw than the XHP70 LED.

Anyone tried swapping out the XPL HI with a white flat? i assume its a 3v 3a driver?

How do they make these things so cheap?
L2 XPL HI

I changed the LED on the copper star (the original is the aluminum star) and the driver for the Astrolux S1. The power is about 1500 lumens.

I would go for the astrolux ft03 with sst40 if you want throw. Still very good in lumen output nice UI and pretty cheap. I would go with convoy if you want to mod your light.

According Simon the L2 reflector is better suited for throw
There is also the L21A with xhp35hi which should theoretically outthrow the SST40

Im leaning towards the L2 host, the question is what emitter… so many choices … got to be the white flat for me

I really enjoyed that post, as I don’t quite understand which optics design does what and which is better for different applications.
As Rocky74, I am looking into getting one of those lights, so here are my thoughts on them:

1. I wasn’t impressed by the L6 throw/intensity, in all the comparison shots I’ve seen of different flashlights
2. I like the option to have the longer and shorter battery tube, preferring the shorter 1 battery option in L21A
3. in a flashlight, I mostly look for throw, so I want something that has less spill than my Convoy M3 (which I absolutely love and I think if I had to pick one light of all my lights, for practicality and fun, it would be the M3) and more throw. I have the Convoy Z1, which I love as well, but would like something with the high lumen of a xhp 70.2, NOT the price tag of SBT 90.2 and controlled spill of a zoomie/TIR, so was looking at the L21A or M21C-U, in the XHP 70.2 flavour, but haven’t found a beam comparison between say, M3, L21A and M21C-U

I have the FT03 in SST-40 and waiting for the XHP 50 version to arrive.

@Lightbringer: regarding the light wasted as spill for angles between 0 and 45 degrees, is there a reflector design that focuses some onto the target?
Would a different ratio between diameter and depth help and if yes, are there designs like that in a flashlight? (I would imagine a longer narrower reflector would spill less)

A reflex design, where the LED fires backward onto the reflector, catches all that light. That’s about it.

Are there any good torches of at least 4000lm using that?

Nope.