In 2015, Digital Trends wrote about a civilian flamethrower manufactured by the Cleveland-based company Throwflame. At the time, we marveled over the model X15’s astonishing 65-feet jets of fire and, frankly, wondered how such a thing was legal to buy for ordinary folks like us. Jump forward to the present day and the makers of the X15 have launched their long-awaited successor. And if you were surprised that the X15 was available for folks to purchase over the internet, this one’s going to blow your mind.
Called the XL18 Flamethrower, it’s described by its creators as a flamethrower on steroids. It can shoot flames more than 110 feet in length, eats around half a gallon of fuel per second, and boasts 10 times the firepower of the comparatively puny X15. Move over, Elon Musk’s flamethrower; this beast makes your attempt look like a cigarette lighter by comparison.
According to Throwflame founder Quinn Whitehead, the XL18 is the most powerful flamethrower ever made available. “The next best thing is an original U.S. WWII M2-2 flamethrower,” Whitehead told Digital Trends. “Unfortunately, they are very rare and thus expensive — [costing around] $30,000 to $50,000.”
Short of going all James Cameron’s Aliens and setting out to rescue a lone child from a terrifying xenomorph, what would you ever need such a flame-dealing monster weapon for? For most people, the realistic answer is very little. But that isn’t going to stop folks from coveting one.
“A lot of our customers love to just have fun with them,” Whitehead continued. “Starting a bonfire from 100 feet away is really something. They also have some commercial applications like ground clearing, agricultural burns, snow and ice melting, and pyrotechnics. Forestry professionals [can] also use them for back burns and pre-burns for forest fire containment and prevention.”
Amazingly, the XL18 is available to order online — the same way you might order a DVD or industrial quantity of Kraft Dinner mac and cheese. Just head over to Throwflame’s website, pay with a credit card or cryptocurrency, and you can have it shipped directly to your door. Prices start at $2,950, although a “Pyro Package” upgrade will add a CO2 regulator, medium napalm mix, and two extra CO2 tanks for $300.
If anyone asks you about it, just say you’re preparing for the zombie apocalypse. Your neighbors will thank you when it eventually happens.
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