I never thought about the "throw" power. I'm riding exclusively roads. I'm just wanting to avoid having that external battery unless it's a 2+hr ride. Commuting to school taking of an external battery is just an extra step I want to avoid. Having two smaller lights is still easier to take off than an external battery pack (because to avoid cable dangle I had to wrap it around the stem and strap the pack down). I do feel more drawn to the 400+ lumen lights.