PREFACE:
This flashlight was provided by Sofirn in exchange for an honest review.
VERSION:
There appears to be two versions of this light. The older 3000L XP-L version with removable battery holder, and the newer 6000L SST40. This is the newer of the two using the SST40 LEDs. Box provided indicates XPL which is incorrect, but user manual is for SST40.
BUILD QUALITY:
This is a hefty light. Build quality seems to be very good. Square cut threads, thick robust retaining rings for each reflector.
The rotary dial turns and “snaps” into place for each output setting. There is a faint click when you rotate from one setting to the other. The dial itself has a little bit of play, and it feels a little coarse when rotating. Functionally, it works great and did not encounter any issues.
FEATURES AND FUNCTION:
-There are several stand out features about this light.
-First and foremost, is the rotary controlled dial. Its a super intuitive and easy way to navigate the light.
It starts from low and rotates to a hard stop when you reach the last setting of turbo.
When holding the light with one hand, and operating the control dial with the other, you can quickly go from off to turbo in 1 single rotation, without having to reposition your hand. I find it a little more challenging to control the light using only the hand that is holding the light. It can be done, but it would be more difficult to alternate through all modes without cycling through each mode one by one. While electronic switch lights are easier to operate with just 1 hand, I find this rotary dial to be as easy as it gets when it comes down to getting to the desired setting as quickly as possible without having to navigate a more complex UI.
-There are no strobe modes.
-Unlike the Manker MK39, the handle can be removed. The handle is also comfortable and stabilizes nicely in hand.
-The batteries all go in with the positive leads towards the head. This makes me believe the batteries are run in parallel, which is great.
SIZE & WEIGHT:
This is a 4x18650 light, so its not light.
It weighs 558g without batteries.
OPTIC, LED & BEAM:
-I have been generally impressed by the SST40 LED’s in conjunction with this light. They offer pretty good balance between throw and flood, and the tint appears to be very clean and white.
-The LED’s are each within their own dedicated deep smooth reflector.
-The Noctigon Meteor M43 219C is my go to 4 x 18650 light, and the SD01 is able to comfortably outhrow the M43.
MODE SPACING:
-I am very picky with mode spacing, and it needs to look evenly spaced in real world use.
-The mode spacing of the SD01 is excellent.
-Low mode begins at 350 lumens, which is already very bright. In a compact light, this would bother me, but for a light this size, I think this is OK.
RUNTIME & REGULATION:
-I did not test the runtime, but I did probe into regulation.
-Light was tested indoors at ambient temperature.
-Turbo decreases steadily for about 3 minutes, until a steep drop to high mode.
-I turned off the light and let it cool down. When turning it back on, I can see that Turbo will start off slightly lower than the original turbo, which makes me believe Turbo is highly dependant on the battery voltage.
-High mode is nicely regulated.
-I did not test the runtime and output underwater, but I suspect it will be much better due to proper cooling.
BEAMSHOTS:
-All beamshots were taken with a fixed exposure and CCT set at 4500K to help distinguish differences between lights.
-Exposure was set fairly dark to properly expose the brightest setting.
Control Shot:
Armytek Wizard Pro Nichia - Turbo: ~1400L
Zebralight SC600w MKIII Hi - H1: ~1100L
SD01 Low: ~350L
SD01 Medium: ~900L
SD01 High: ~2000L
SD01 Turbo: ~6000L
Noctigon Meteor M43 Nichia 219C (90 CRI 4000K + 5000K mix) - Turbo: ~6600L
FINAL THOUGHTS:
-Overall, I think this is a very good light that offers good value for the “street” price.
-At 6000 lumens with good throw (Rated at 64,000 kcd), this light offers a very nice balance of flood and throw for the intended use of the light.
-The SST40 LED’s have a great Neutral White Tint, and no noticeable tint shift.
-The Rotary dial UI sets it apart from other lights, and makes it a very easy light to navigate, for both flashaholics or not.
PROS:
-Rotary Dial control is intuitive and easy to use
-Great Neutral White Tint
-Great balance of throw and flood
-Great mode spacing
-Batteries are placed in parallel, with no removable battery holder that can be prone to breaking or losing.
-Beefy construction
-Easy to tailstand
-Square cut threads
-Nicely regulated High
-Removable handle
-Temperature regulated to avoid overheating.
AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT:
-Rotary dial is a little coarse. Can be made smoother and more fluid.
-No true low or moonlight modes, but not really needed for this type of light.
-Not offered in Warm White or High CRI LED options
-Turbo dependant on battery voltage.
DEAL BREAKERS:
-None