Maybe you love hiking or simply walking your dog. Now, with summer coming to an end and the days increasingly shorter, hiking or simply taking your dog out to do his business can become a challenge, especially if you live outside the city, in the countryside for example, where the roads often lack lighting. Luckily, tactical flashlights exist, and I've tested one of the best and most powerful ones for you, considering its size and price. Let's discover the SOFIRN SK30 together.
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Technical Features of the SOFIRN SK30 Torch
- brightness at maximum power: 3000 lumens
- range maximum: 392 meters
- resistance to falls from 1,0 meters
- impermeability IPX8 (waterproof up to 2 meters deep)
- material: AL6061-T6 aluminum alloy
- battery: 21700 5000 mAh
- dimensions: length 140 mm., diameter 28 mm.
- weight: 87 grams (without battery)
Unboxing
The flashlight arrives in a simple cardboard box, making it a perfect gift. Inside the packaging, the flashlight is housed in a shockproof case that can be attached to a belt or backpack strap, or attached using the metal hook. A lanyard is also included to secure the flashlight to your wrist, preventing it from falling during risky maneuvers. Finally, the package includes the user manual, the Type-C charging cable, and two spare rubber tips to replace the one already present in the battery compartment. These tips will protect the battery inside the flashlight from water leaks. Remember to remove the small cardboard that prevents the flashlight from turning on during transport.
First impressions “out of the box”
The first impression when holding the flashlight is one of robustness. Excellent build quality is immediately apparent; it's a small monolith with remarkably compact dimensions. It weighs approximately 157 grams (including battery), making it light and comfortable to hold. At the same time, its size means it won't take up any extra space if you have backpacks or other equipment.
The knurled handle provides a firm grip, thanks to the well-balanced weight. There's also a clip for attaching the flashlight to a jacket like a pen. Starting from the top, there's a serrated stainless steel bezel, designed for self-defense and emergency rescue. Running along the vertical perimeter of the SOFIRN SK30, there's a status LED that indicates the battery charge level with a steady or flashing green or red light.
Immediately below is the Type-C charging port protected by a silicone cover, while on the lower edge are two buttons: the large, round one with a double tap activates Turbo mode, meaning the flashlight will operate at maximum power, while a click turns the lighting on or off. The second, smaller, oval-shaped button, if held down, activates Strobe mode, while single clicks vary the lighting intensity, 5 with power ranging from a minimum of 30 lumens with a range of 38 meters to Turbo mode with a range of up to 392 meters and a power of 3000 lumens.
The entire body of the flashlight is made of aircraft-grade aluminum alloy, which is of excellent quality, but only intensive use will truly reveal its robustness. SOFIRN claims the SK30 can withstand drops of up to one meter, with an IPX8 waterproof rating. Finally, at the bottom, there are two slots for attaching a lanyard.
Battery
The battery is SOFIRN branded, a 21700 5000 mAh, 3.7 V lithium battery. For battery life, you can look at the image posted a few lines above, but it depends on how you use the flashlight and how powerful you want the beam to be. In any case, we can get up to 42 hours, while in Turbo mode you will have a maximum runtime of 70 seconds as the SOFIRN SK30 will automatically switch the power to 780 lumens, allowing the LED to rest and not overheat. In fact, when you emit the beam of light in Turbo mode, be careful not to point it in anyone's eyes, let alone your own, and do not place flammable objects in front of the beam; I assure you that the heat generated is extremely high.
Impressions after the first few days of use
I confirm my very first impressions: the SOFIRN SK30 is a well-made tactical flashlight that does not disappoint. It is aimed at those looking for a quality, reliable, robust, and compact product. It is a well-balanced flashlight that is comfortable to carry. I tested all the brightness levels, and already at the second level, I managed to achieve sufficient visibility in total darkness. The Turbo mode provides a lot of light, practically making it daylight! I used it on medium power most of the time, with occasional high power settings, and occasionally (to illuminate something far away or specific) on turbo power. This also allows for perfect management of any potential overheating of the flashlight. The beam is well-balanced between field length and uniformity close to the flashlight.
Conclusions and price
You've probably guessed that I'm very enthusiastic about the SOFIRN SK30. Using it is a pleasure! The two rear switches are very easy and quick to use. Considering the price and the excellent features, I highly recommend it. Consider that many militaries around the world rely on it.
