Hello BLF forum users. Just registered a few days ago. I have posted a couple of times, but thought I would touch base here. Appreciate all the input and advice so far, and hope to become more familiar with the site and various users soon.
I live in Colorado, along the northern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. 60 years old, but still active in hiking/climbing (the ccd in my username is for “crazy climber dude”) and cycling…as well as avid nature photographer. Just now getting into the idea of handheld flashlights/torches after years of focusing on headlamps and bike lights.
Blew my mind to see the progress of lumen output and throw (in such small lights) after stumbling across a You Tube video of the Sofirn SC33. I am extremely value oriented, so ended up ordering the SP33V3.0 and SC18. I got them BOTH for a total of $36…with batteries and free shipping, so that blew my mind as well. I know the V3 is an older model and doesn’t have the best driver, but couldn’t pass it up for $23. And the SC18 is rather pedestrian and small, but a HUGE bargain for $13. The only reason I purchased it was to spend enough to get the free shipping. They are in transit and I am excited to see how they perform.
I have my eye on a longer throw…either the SF26 or the Wurkkos TD01C…but have limited funds. Any anecdotal insights into either of those would be greatly appreciated. I read/watch the “professional” reviews, but always consider the value of a broader base of users.
Thank you. That is crazy! I was drawn in by the allure of the super tight spot projecting up to 1,000 meters, but 700 with the IF22A is impressive for that ridiculous price! How’s the driver on that model?
Definitely Convoy…though their numerical designations are a bit cumbersome/confusing (how many models of M21 do we need?). Not familiar with Hank. Thanks.
None of the cheap Sofin lights that I know of have Buck/Boost drivers.
Which basically means they aren’t super efficient and the lumens will drop as the battery loses voltage.
I have 40+ lights and many batteries so I almost never worry about runtimes.
I just pop a fresh battery in, or switch to another light if need be.
The only Sofirn light I can think of with a Buck Driver is the SP35, which coincidentally is also on SuperDeals today!
Hanklights are the lights made by Hank Wang (hallowed be his name). You can find them at: https://intl-outdoor.com/
As a general rule, Simon Mao (Convoy) and Hank Wang (Noctigon/Emisar/“Hanklights”) make excellent lights, are very responsive to customers, will make minor custom changes or one off configurations, and are outstanding members of the flashlight enthusiast community.
Have a nice time here, ccdEDC!
My advice is to get a Convoy M21 (or L21) series flashlight with an SFT40 emitter.
My favorite size are the flashlights with a head diameter of 40mm to 45mm, but there are others to choose from.
That’ll give you plenty of throw.
The Sofirn IF22A is cheaper, and might be what you’re looking for, but I prefer the M21 series flashlights with a regular reflector instead of a TIR lens.
The td01c is nice! I’m reviewing it and so far it’s good. Haven’t dug into the runtimes yet or output, but overall the UI is sound, handling is good, and the throw is good. It comes with a regulated driver also, so you lose some output up front, but sustain it longer over time over a fet driver. Alo that for about$40 with battery. The next competition for it is the Acebeam L19 V2 at $100.
Looks like a sweet light, and another incredible value. I could definitely get carried away with taking advantage of SuperDeals! 40+ lights…whoa. Would love to see a breakdown of the different manufacturers, not necessarily the individual models.
So which user in the forum has the most lights, and is there a photo to document?
Nice. Those all look very well made. The cooling fins on the DT8K are pretty serious!
I read some things about Convoy…the switches can be glitchy? Guessing any budget light has that potential, but there seemed to be more of a slight predisposition with Convoy. But that otherwise they were rock solid. Beyond that perceptual snapshot, tough to get a sense of the numbers, rate of issues, etc…is there a database of documentable failures for manufacturers?
