Sofirn SK30 Tactical Flashlight Overview

The Sofirn SK30 tactical flashlight provides a domeless Luminus SFT-70 emitter for excellent throw and a twin tail swap interface. USB-C charging is inbuilt, too!

Official Specs and Options

Right here’s a hyperlink to the Sofirn SK30 tactical flashlight product web page.

Variations

There’s only one model of the Sofirn SK30 tactical flashlight.

Worth

Listing value for the Sofirn SK30 tactical flashlight is $65.99, however 24% off is out there, bringing the value to $49.99. And it appears to be like like there’s a good higher value on Amazon (referral hyperlink)!

What’s Included

• Sofirn SK30 tactical flashlight
• 21700 cell
• Charging cable
• Spare o-rings (2)
• Lanyard
• Pouch
• Guide and many others

Bundle and Guide

Construct High quality and Disassembly

Generally, the construct high quality is okay, however I’ve to say proper up entrance that the sunshine labored intermittently for me. When it lastly obtained on and was working proper, it was fantastic. However typically the Sofirn SK30 tactical flashlight simply wouldn’t come on in any respect, and typically it appeared to cycle via the modes shortly. Tightening the pinnacle to the physique didn’t appear to reliably repair the issue, both.

The top has a pleasant beefy spring.

The tail has an analogous spring. The tailcap doesn’t come off via.

Dimension and Comps

Dimension: 28mm x 140mm
Weight: 87 g (with out battery)

If the flashlight can headstand, I’ll present it right here. If it may well tailstand, I’ll additionally present that right here!

Right here’s the take a look at mild with the venerable Convoy S2+. The model under is a customized laser-engraved Convoy S2+ host by GadgetConnections.com. I did a full submit on an engraved orange host proper right here! Or go straight to GadgetConnections.com to purchase your Convoy S2+ now!

Additionally within the photograph above, my Commonplace Reference Materials (SRM) flashlight is the Hanko Machine Works Trident, an 18350 mild. Whereas I’ve not reviewed or examined the Gunner Grip model seen right here, I’ve examined a Hanko Machine Works Trident Whole Tesseract in brass. I really like the Trident, and it’s a putting distinction to the cheap Convoy S2+, one other nice SRM.

Retention and Carry

A friction-fit pocket clip is included.

The pocket clip has a few holes the place you possibly can connect the included lanyard, however a greater place is on the tailcap, the place there are two choices. (You may see that later.)

There’s additionally a pouch.

Energy and Runtime

The Sofirn SK30 tactical flashlight runs a single lithium-ion cell. It’s a 21700-sized mild, and Sofirn features a 5000mAh 21700.

The 21700 goes into the sunshine within the typical path: optimistic finish towards the pinnacle.

For those who overlook that, you possibly can regard this little cell icon on the tailcap.

Under are runtime assessments for the very best three modes.

Low voltage safety is noticed, with the shutoff being round 2.9V.

The temperature strains in these charts are included as common context, not exact measurements. The values symbolize the vary (min to max) throughout testing, however shouldn’t be taken as actual readings. Temperature sensors are hooked up nonetheless possible and never all the time on the bezel or hottest spot (assuming that may even be clearly outlined). Even with supreme placement, too many variables have an effect on temperature to definitively state a selected max worth.

Charging

The Sofirn SK30 tactical flashlight provides USB-C charging on the pinnacle. There’s a press-in cost port cowl.

Sofirn features a USB-C to USB-C charging cable.

Charging is okay, peaking at round 2A, however then drifting off for fairly some time earlier than lastly terminating. So the overall time is almost 5 hours, however the CC (fixed present) section solely lasts round 1.5 hours.

Modes and Currents

Pulse Width Modulation

Not one of the modes appear to make use of PWM.

Click on right here to see a “baseline” – a chart with nearly no mild hitting the sensor.

Then there’s the Ultrafire WF-602C flashlight, which has among the worst PWM I’ve seen. It’s so dangerous that I used a submit about it to clarify PWM! Listed here are a number of timescales (10ms, 5ms, 2ms, 1ms, 0.5ms, 0.2ms) to make evaluating this “worst” PWM mild to the take a look at mild simpler. That submit additionally explains why I didn’t take a look at the WF-602C on the typical 50us scale.

Consumer Interface and Operation

The Sofirn SK30 tactical flashlight has an uncommon twin tailswitch configuration. One swap is mechanical, and the opposite is an e-switch. “Uncommon” isn’t precisely proper – this setup is frequent on tactical lights. The e-switch is often in a paddle type, or some such.

The high-profile switches do stop tailstanding.

Right here’s a consumer interface desk! The mechanical swap is the larger, taller swap, and the e-switch is the smaller, angled swap.

^ Battery indicator works as follows:

Inexperienced regular: 75-100% energy
Inexperienced flashing: 50-75% energy
Pink regular: 25-50% energy
Pink flashing: 1-25% energy

LED and Beam

The Sofirn SK30 tactical flashlight makes use of a Luminus SFT-70 emitter and has a small, clean reflector.

This mixture offers a pleasant, tight beam, nevertheless it does nonetheless have a superb little bit of spill.

LED Colour Report (CRI and CCT)

The output right here is cool to very cool and low CRI. Not a shock on any tactical mild.

CCT (Correlated Colour Temperature) refers back to the measurement of the colour look of sunshine, expressed in Kelvins (Ok), which signifies whether or not the sunshine is heat (yellowish) or cool (bluish). A decrease CCT (under 3000K) is taken into account heat mild, whereas the next CCT (above 5000K) offers cooler, bluish mild.

CRI (Colour Rendering Index) is a measure of how precisely a lightweight supply renders colours compared to pure daylight. Scored on a scale from 0 to 100, larger CRI values point out that colours seem extra true to life and vibrant, just like how they might look underneath the solar.

Beamshots

These beamshots all the time have the next settings:  f8, ISO100, 0.3s shutter, and guide 5000K publicity. These photographs are taken at flooring stage, and the beam hits the ceiling round 9 toes away.

Tint vs BLF-348 (KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b model) (affiliate hyperlink)

I maintain the take a look at flashlight on the left and the BLF-348 reference flashlight on the suitable. These photographs are taken round 18 inches from the door.

I evaluate every thing to the KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b BLF-348 as a result of it’s cheap and has one of the best tint!

Abstract and Conclusion

The Sofirn SK30 tactical flashlight looks like a fantastic mild, however my copy actually must work higher. Activation is intermittent, however as soon as it’s on, it does have a tendency to remain on (as proven within the runtime assessments). Efficiency is pretty good, although it doesn’t appear to hit the 3000-lumen declare. I just like the consumer interface, because it doesn’t require a double click on to get to Turbo, and when in turbo, clicking “out” of Turbo is not like different latest Sofirns (which click on out of turbo to Excessive, THEN you possibly can click on the sunshine off. I do observe a little bit of value creep, too, with the sale value being over $45. Nonetheless, in case you want a throwy tactical mild, a superb copy of this one will just do fantastic.

The Huge Desk

^ Measurement disclaimer:  Testing flashlights is my interest. I exploit hobbyist-level tools for testing, together with some I made myself. Strive to not get buried within the particulars of producer specs versus measurements recorded right here; A certain quantity of distinction (say, 10 or 15%) is completely affordable.

What I like

• Consists of cell
• The tight beam profile
• Twin tail swap interface is nice
• That exiting Turbo is just not the usual Sofirn consumer interface
• Charging works decently

What I don’t like

• My mild doesn’t work 3/4 of the time
• Doesn’t hit output specs
• Worth creep

Notes