Exposure MaXx-D MK15 front light review

Exposure’s latest MaXx-D MK15 front light boasts a 4,600-lumen maximum output in its reactive, power-changing Reflex++ mode.

The latest model has seen a price increase from £395 to £445, but for the extra cash you get increased output.

Brilliantly made, with a beautiful beam pattern, and superb power and spread, there are few negatives.

The price is admittedly high, but it's one of the best mountain bike lights your money can buy.

Exposure MaXx-D MK15 spec details

Famed for its quality, Exposure’s chunky all-in-one form factor combines the LEDs and battery into a single 6063 aerospace-grade anodised aluminium unit.

The light clips onto a clamp compatible with 31.8mm and 35mm handlebars and releases via a sprung pin. Including this clamp, it weighs 353g.

Like the previous iteration, a single rear-facing button operates the light, while an OLED display provides information on runtime and mode. Coloured LEDs provide at-a-glance battery charge info.

The MaXx-D has 10 output programs, each with two or three modes. Exposure claims a two-hour runtime when it’s set to its constant maximum output of 2,700 lumens. In the equivalent Reflex++ mode, this extends to three hours.

The Reflex++ mode senses movement, automatically adjusting the light’s output to the difficulty of the trail.

A 13,600mAH lithium-ion battery powers four XPL2 LEDs, with three sitting behind beam-focusing spot lenses and the fourth giving a wider spread.

Exposure offers a two-year warranty, but the LEDs are ‘guaranteed for life’ thanks to their Internal Thermal Management (ITM) tech. This, like a lot of other bike lights, dims LED output if their temperature gets too high.

Finally, the MaXx-D MK15 has an IP65 dust and waterproof rating, making it robust enough for the grottiest of night rides.

Exposure MaXx-D MK15 performance

The bar clamp is unchanged from previous models. The bolt fastens from the top, so you’re not fighting gravity to get its threads to engage the nut. The clamp’s loop is removable, which makes getting it on the bars in the first place easier.

It’s also narrow (11mm), leaving space on your bars for other accessories or ebike displays.

While the rubber shims expand functionality, they can make clamp installation fiddly. However, it tightens up well, resulting in an impressively stable anchor for the chunky Exposure unit.

Light installation and removal from the mount is quick and easy, thanks to the wedge-shaped quick-release interface with sprung locking pin.

On the trail

The MaXx-D’s beam has a long throw down straighter trails, boosting confidence on high-speed sections and lighting up chunky obstacles proficiently.

This prevents you trying to look beyond the light’s beam, which can be a frustrating experience with lower-powered lights.

Despite the headline power figure topping out at 4,600 lumens – less than half of Magicshine’s second most powerful Monteer 8000S Galaxy V2.0 – there’s more than enough power on tap to fully light up the most technical trails.

That power is spread evenly from side to side; the trail’s edges are well lit up, with the light’s power fading gradually to darkness beyond your eyes’ peripheral vision.

Not only does this provide incredible context on the trail, but it also helps you spot lines on the exits of tight switchbacks, boosting confidence and control.

This helps keep trail-centre style ascents and descents – typically littered with switchbacks – well lit.

Plenty of light is projected downwards, too. When riding off a drop, over a crest or hitting a jump, the trail’s surface remains illuminated, even when the majority of the light’s beam is pointing skyward.

The beam’s beautifully neutral hue boosts performance even further. No single colour is overly highlighted, resulting in a natural light that makes it easy to see.

Eye strain isn’t a problem, and neither are there any over-exposed hotspots of highly focused power.

While I’ve commented frequently on the numerous combinations of button presses to operate Exposure’s light, once you’ve learnt how it works operation is fairly easy.

However, the excellent Reflex mode renders changing modes pointless. Setting it to one of the Reflex programs results in an entirely hands-off experience.

Stop riding, or cruise along a smooth section of trail, and the light dims slowly, to prevent quick retinal aperture changes, making the shift virtually imperceptible. This saves battery life and selects the most appropriate mode for the terrain.

Agitate the bars or hit a rough section of trail and it switches to full power instantly, offering class-leading illumination.

Reflex mode basically removes the need for a mode-selector function, and Exposure’s implementation of the system is faultless.

Set to the highest constant output (2,700 lumens), the Exposure MaXx-D MK15’s battery lasted for two hours, identical to the brand’s claims.

Exposure MaXx-D MK15 bottom line

The MaXx-D MK15 is a high-quality light that's well worth its substantial price tag.

The beautifully coloured beam is matched by the LEDs' power and spread, lighting up the trail with total precision. Its machined body, sturdy clamp and all-in-one form factor exude refinement.

Its impressively polished Reflex mode renders mode changes totally useless; the fiddle-free functionality is truly liberating on the trail.

If you can afford it, the MaXx-D MK15 is one of the best mountain bike lights you can buy.