Klarus XT11 vs Nitecore MT26

[Andy44]

IMO there is no such thing as having too many guns, knives or flashlights. I’ve had my eye on some of Nitecore’s products for a while now and have recently decided to try the MT26 out, so I bought one with some accessories. Since I was very curious to see how it compares with my Klarus XT11, I thought I’d share my views.
Price
Klarus XT11 – I placed my order directly on the website of Klarus South Africa, I paid R949 for the flashlight. Most of the Klarus accessories were a little more expensive when compared to similar accessories from Nitecore.
Nitecore MT26 – I placed my order directly on the website of Nitecore South Africa, I paid R795 for the flashlight.
I bought both flashlights with some accessories and qualified for free shipping from both companies.
Light output
Klarus XT11 – Rated at 600 Lumens
Nitecore MT26 – Rated at 800 Lumens
There is quite a difference in the maximum light output for me. The MT26 provides better white light at short distances (I always thought that the XT11 had a good white light but when compared right next to the MT26, the XT11’s light looks a bit yellowish) and has a further reach than the XT11. The MT26 really does make that extra 200 lumens count.
Ergonomics
When switched on (at 600 lumens), the Klarus XT11 makes a soft high pitched sound, noticeable in a quiet environment when the flashlight is held close to your ear. The Nitecore MT26 is quiet without a peep.
At first I found the duel button tail switch on the XT11 a little weird looking and unusual. After I played around with it a bit, I started to get the hang of it and was surprised at how easy it actually was to manipulate the flashlights with only two fingers and my thumb in complete darkness. The on/off switch protrudes quite a bit more than the mode switch and the mode switch is also a different shape. So that makes it very easy to distinguish between the two, even if they are right next to each other. On the MT26, modes are changed by tightening and loosening the flashlight head. So changing modes are a bit of a hassle if you want to do it one handedly but it still works without any hiccups.
http://s1276.beta.photobucket.com/us...tml?sort=3&o=1
The tactical ring on the XT11 is situated a little further from the tail than that of the MT26. The little extra clearance makes the XT11 easier to control and a bit more balanced.
When it comes to ergonomics and operability, the XT11 beats the MT26 hands down IMO.
Accessories
Both flashlights came with the following accessories included as standard:
Removable belt/body clip
Removable anti-roll tactical ring
Holster with belt loop and D-ring
Lanyard
Spare button cap and spare O-rings.
The following accessories are available for both flashlights and can be bought:
A variety of batteries
Battery chargers
Color filters
Remote switch
Gun mount
A traffic wand is available for the MT26, and a bicycle mount and a torch head strap for the XT11.
Design
The MT26 has got a broad voltage drive circuit. This is quite a nice feature and allows for the flashlight to be used with almost any combination of batteries. It has a voltage regulator and therefore using higher voltage batteries does not result in more light or damage to the CREE LED. The XT11 goes a bit brighter when using 2 x CR123 batteries compared to using one 18650, I’m not sure what effect the 2 x CR123’s has on the CREE LED’s lifespan but I doubt that it’s doing it any favors.
Both flashlights are about the same dimensions and I fail to notice any difference in weight.
http://s1276.beta.photobucket.com/us...tml?sort=3&o=0
Customer Service
I can’t say anything bad about the service that I received from Klarus, I was happy with their service and it was a pleasure doing business with them. Although, I have to say that Nitecore walked the extra mile for me. I placed the order at about 22:30 in the evening and the following day (ok, me banking at the same bank as they do probably helped to speed things up) a representative personally delivered the goodies at my house and gave me a quick rundown on how everything works (thanks Celesti!). I felt that this was not necessary but it does prove to me that they take customer service very seriously.
Conclusion
Both are excellent handheld flashlights and IMO one can’t go wrong with either of the two. Both are great performing flashlights and are available with a wide range of accessories.
I fell in love with the Klarus duel button tail switch, I’ve never seen anything like it and once you get used to it, you’d be a little disappointed in anything else that you try out (even my Olight M20 Warrior).
I bought both flashlights, each for a specific purpose. The Klarus XT11 is still my go-to torch as a tactical or home defense flashlight and sleeps next to my bed every night. The Nitecore MT26 with its superior light throw, makes for an excellent outdoor flashlight and now that I have one, I will never go on any camping, hiking, fishing or hunting trips without it.
All things considered, the MT26 is better value for money IMO. The MT26 is a great flashlight with a little lower price tag than the XT11 and has more light to show for it. So if your budget is an issue and you want a relatively small flashlight with great performance, I would go for the MT26 over the XT11.
I hope that some people will find this comparison useful.

[Celesti @ NiteCoreSA]

Hi Andy44

Great review and thank you for the effort - I am sure a lot of readers have found it very useful;')

[Andy44]

I still want to add. Now that I've played around a bit with the mode changing on the MT26, it's not as frustrating to operate one handedly as it initially was. Now that I'm more used to it, it's a lot easier and I'm sure that with some practice it will be fine. On the other hand, I store the light in the full 800 lumens mode so that way you don't really need to worry about mode switching. You push the button at the back and the light goes on and push it again and the light goes off (and then by not depressing the button fully, you can put it on or off momentarily) so there's not much that can go wrong in a stressful situation.

[Celesti @ NiteCoreSA]

I still want to add. Now that I've played around a bit with the mode changing on the MT26, it's not as frustrating to operate one handedly as it initially was. Now that I'm more used to it, it's a lot easier and I'm sure that with some practice it will be fine. On the other hand, I store the light in the full 800 lumens mode so that way you don't really need to worry about mode switching. You push the button at the back and the light goes on and push it again and the light goes off (and then by not depressing the button fully, you can put it on or off momentarily) so there's not much that can go wrong in a stressful situation.

Yes Andy44 most of our clients get the hang of it very quickly and then they actually love it

[dux]

I had a spontaneous purchase decision on Thursday and picked up a Klarus XT11. I used it for the night shoot last Friday and was suitably impressed. My goto outdoor light (I'm a fisherman when not at FBSS) was my LedLenser H14 (200 lumen), and the XT11 is way brighter with a well designed reflector (covering a good spread while still giving a nice distance). The H14 needs a hand to switch between spread or focussed long throw. I looked at some of the LL's available at Cape Union Mart near me, and while I like their products they felt quite overpriced (which could be CUM's mark up).

The "new" XT11's are getting shipped now with upgraded CREE LED's, and are putting out 820Lm, and I've been told that we can upgrade our 600's. I'm looking forward to seeing the NiteCore products at Huntex Cape.