Hello everyone ... today we will see the Folomov 18650S: a 18650 EDC flashlight equipped with a "very warm" Nichia 219D capable of emitting 900 lumens to the Turbo. The flashlight was supplied by Folomov specifically for the review.
Here you can consult the Folomov website and here you can find all the information of the product. The flashlight can also be purchased on Amazon ...here.
Packaging and content
The "Folomov 18650S" arrives in a small pack of colored cardboard. A transparent plastic window lets you glimpse the contents of the box at the front. On the back, however, are printed all the main features of the product. The package includes:
• The "Folomov 18650S"
• Belt clip
• 2x replacement O-ring
• Wrist strap with split pin
• 18650 2600mAh battery with USB port
• USB cable
• User manual
Caratteristiche principali
• Compact and portable flashlight, perfect for everyday use, for outdoor and for sports
• Uses a Japanese LED Nichia 219D (Warm Light) with a duration of 50,000h
• Maximum 900 Lumen output
• Maximum luminous intensity 6940cd
• Maximum distance 167m
• Two modes of use: "Illumination Mode" and "Tactical Mode"
• 6 normal brightness levels + 3 special levels (Strobe, Beacon and SOS) in "Illumination Mode"
• Momentary On and Direct Turbo Access in "Tactical Mode"
• Made of aeronautical aluminum with type III anodization
• Protection against polarity inversion
• Protection against overheating
• Waterproof: IPX8
• Impact resistance: 1m
• 2600mAh 18650 battery with built-in USB port
• Dimensions: 25.4 x 25.4 x 99mm
• Weight: 50g without battery 97g with battery
User interface
The Folomov 18650S user interface has two modes of use: "Tactical Mode" and "Illumination Mode". To switch from one mode to another, simply press the power button 7 consecutive times quickly. A series of flashes (6 quick flashes) will confirm.
Tactical Mode: In this mode the only available levels will be the Turbo and the Strobo.
Access to the Turbo: With a quick click on the power button the flashlight will immediately enter the Turbo level constantly. With a further click the light will switch off.
Momentary On on Turbo: keeping the switch pressed, the flashlight will go into Turbo mode until the button is pressed. When it is released, the light will switch off.
Strobo access: double quick click to access the special strobe level.
Illumination Mode: In this mode the user will have at his disposal for use 6 normal levels and 3 special[
Power On/Off/Level Selection: With a quick click the flashlight will turn on to the last used level. With subsequent clicks the other levels will be cycled according to the order: UltraLow-Low-Middle-High-Turbo. Continuing to click on the switch, the cycle will re-reverse the Turbo-High-Middle-Low-UltraLow. With the light on, press and hold the button for 0.5s to switch to OFF
Direct access to the Moonlight: with the flashlight off, press and hold the switch for 0.5s to access Moonlight mode. With a further click you will go to the last level used
Access to special levels: with the light on and off quickly press the power button twice quickly to access the Strobe. With two more quick clicks you will switch to SOS mode and with two more clicks you will switch to the Beacon. SOS and Beacon levels are not available in "Tactical Mode"
Lockout function: when light off, press the switch 3 consecutive times to lock it electronically. Repeat the procedure for unlocking.
Countdown: The Folomov 18650S is also equipped with a programmable timer for auto switch-off. When the ligh is on, press the switch three times consecutively to set the automatic switch off after 3 minutes. The flashlight will flash once for confirmation. Pressing 3 more times, the timer will be increased by another 3 minutes and so on. The procedure can be repeated 10 times in total, by setting a maximum timer of 30 minutes. Any other operation done with the switch will disable the countdown programming.
The levels of the “Iillumination Mode” are so spaced:
Turbo: 900lm declared (measured 760lm) – 5h
High: 300m declared (measured 250lm) – 7h
Medium: 150lm declared (measured 120lm) – 12h
Low: 50lm declared (measured 52lm) – 30h
Ultra-Low: 10lm declared (measured 10lm) – 200h
Moonlight: 0.5lm declared (measured 0.5lm) – 700h
Strobo: 900lm declared (measured 760lm)
SOS: 900lm declared (measured 760lm)
Beacon: 50lm declared (measured 52lm)
The measured values are to be considered peak, taken in the moments immediately following the switch-on. Furthermore, all measures are made with non-professional tools and may therefore also be deviating from the real values.
Below is the runtime curve on the Turbo level
The body and the materials
The Folomov 18650S is a compact linear flashlight and small size (only 99mm in length) and low weight (only 50g without battery) equipped with a Nichia 219D capable of delivering to the turbo 900 lumens. The color is really very warm with an excellent color rendering.
The body is well made, good anodizing and the knurling present both on the central part of the body and on the tailcap. The flashlight can be divided into three parts: head, body and tailcap.
The lettering is well done ...
The head has deep dissipation fins that allow to disperse the heat produced by the LED at high levels.
The reflector is smooth and shallow. On the bottom we find the Nichia 219D LED with a centraled white color
The bezel is protruding and protects the lens well. The latter is ultra-transparent and with an anti-reflective coating, it also looks good and has a good thickness
The tailcap is not flat but you can still use the flashlight in tailstanding.
The taill switch is electronic, made of rubber and with a fairly short stroke. At the pressure it emits a bright click. Well done and very responsive.
There are two holes for inserting the Laynard.
The belt clip is made of steel, rigid and on the clothes offers an excellent grip. Easy to install and remove.
At the negative pole there is a thin, but rather stiff golden spring, while at the positive pole a slightly protruding button.
The threads arrive well lubricated and are precise and flowing. Tailcap side are anodized, so physical lockout is possible. On the side of the head, however, anodization is not present.
Also included is a 18650 battery with the distinction of having a built-in micro USB port.
Beam, Tint and Beamshots
The Folomov 18650S beam has the right balance between spills and spots. You have a fair shot and you can illuminate well up to 40-50 meters. The spot is wide and well focused, the spill instead not so bright but still exploitable to illuminate the floor plan very well. The color is very warm, I think around 3000k, uniform on the whole beam. Color rendering is good.
Following the nightshots on the short / medium distance
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Beamshot #12
Beamshot #13
Final considerations
The Folomov 18650S proved to be a complete and interesting EDC.
Among its main features there is the presence of a Nichia 219D Warm LED and an interface is simple, complete and with interesting features: we have two modes of use, one for every day and a tactic.
There is direct access to the turbo and the Moonlight level and it is also possible to set a timer for the automatic switch off from 3 to 30 minutes.
The threads are anodized so you can lock the interface physically but electronic lockout is also possible. The switch is responsive, really well done, returns excellent tactile feedback.
The materials are of quality, the appropriate thicknesses and the light weight.
The length is only 99mm, so the flashlight is easily transportable even in the pocket of jeans.
The package is rich: we have a 18650 2600mAh battery with integrated USB port, belt clip, wrist strap and spare o-rings.
In short, a valid product and also economic as it is sold for just over 20 dollars