Tag Archives: XHP50.2

Sofirn SC29

The SC29 is a general-purpose flashlight running on a single included rechargeable 21700 battery. It features USB-C charging and a distinctive TIR optic.

  1. Introduction
  2. Manufacturer Specifications
  3. Package Details
  4. Build
  5. User Interface
  6. Circuit Measures
  7. Emitter Measures
  8. Beamshots
  9. Testing Results
  10. Runtimes
  11. Pros and Cons
  12. Overall Rating
  13. Preliminary Conclusions
  14. Acknowledgement

Introduction

Still working through my backlog – this SC29 sample was received back in March of this year.

The SC29 is another in a long line of compact 1×21700 flashlights from Sofirn, this time featuring the mid-range Cree XHP50.2 emitter. What’s distinctive here is the TIR (total internal reflection) optic, which I expect will help with the typical chromatic aberrations you can see on XHP50.2 HD emitters (especially the older ones). It also features in-light charging and a magnetic tailcap. It comes with a ~6000K cool white emitter, and Sofirn-branded 5000mAh 21700 battery.

I’ve been pleased with the quality and performance of many Sofirn lights for their price. They generally have reasonably good circuit efficiency, although with fairly basic linear regulators (to help keep the cost down). How does the SC29 stack up?  Let’s find out …

Manufacturer Specifications

Note: As always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides – scroll down to see my actual runtimes.

FeatureSpecs
MakerSofirn
ModelSC29
EmitterXHP50.2
TintCool
Max Output (Lumens)3,000
Min Output (Lumens)1
Max Runtime500 hours
Max Beam Intensity (cd)11,275 cd
Max Beam Distance (m)142 m
Constant Levels5
FlashingStrobe
Battery1x21700
Weight (w/o battery)76.5 g
Weight (with battery)-
Length120.8 mm
Head Diameter29 mm
Body Diameter-
WaterproofIP68

Package Details






The SC29 came in the modern “cellphone box” style packaging common for higher-end Sofirn and Wurkkos models, with a good number of descriptive labels on the outside. Included:

  • Sofirn SC29 flashlight
  • Sofirn-branded 5000mAh 21700 battery
  • Pocket clip (removable)
  • Wrist lanyard
  • USB-C charging cable
  • 2 Spare O-rings
  • Manual

Al always, this is a decent package for a “budget” build. But I would like to see a holster included.

Build


From left to right: Wurkkos 21700 (5000mAh), Vapcell 21700 F56 (5600mAh), Emisar D4K, Wurkkos WK15, Armytek Wizard C2 Max, Wurkkos TS22, Sofrin SC29, Speras E21, Wuben X1 Falcon, Sofirn SC33, Sofirn SP35T, Cyansky P50R, Cyansky P25.









The SC29 is definitely smaller than the SC33 (or SP35T) that I reviewed earlier this year – it is more in keeping with compact Wurkkos TS22.  I find it a very comfortable size to hold and use, a good mid-range size (although larger than the similarly powered Wurkkos WK15).

The switch is located in the head, and has a good look and feel. It is larger than some competing lights, and slightly concave, making it easier to find by touch than many. In the center is a green/red LED to show you charge and battery status.

The charging port is located on the other side of the head from the switch, under rubber dust cover. This should provide decent splash-resistance, but I wouldn’t recommend dunking the light in water.

The pocket clip is the simple press-on variety, but seems to hold in please fairly sturdily.The clip is not reversible or bi-directional though, bezel-down carry is the only option.

The tailcap is flat with a small cut-out for the wrist lanyard. The light tailstands stably (but the lanyard may introduce a wobble, given its location). There is a strong magnet in the tailcap, which will affix the light to a metal surface should you desire hands-free operation.

Body threads at both the head and tail are square-cut and anodized, allowing you to physically lock-out the light with a simple twist.

The SC29 uses a concentric ring design on the body, with some additional cut-outs on the head, to help with grip. With the included clip installed, I would say grip is excellent. Also thanks to included clip, the light will not roll when laid on its side. Anodizing looks to be good quality, with no damage on my sample. I would describe the finish as matte.

Inside, the light comes with a Sofirn-branded standard-sized 5000mAh 21700 battery, with a slightly raised flat-top. There is no spring in the head, just a slightly raised post (helping keep the length down).

This is a solid but comfortable light, with good grip and handfeel. I would consider it still “pocketable”, but at the upper-end of that range.



The SC29 comes with a pretty distinctive TIR optic, with a nice smooth beam. But don’t let the pic above mislead you – the beam is actually very white in practice. There is a greenish-yellow tint shift near the immediate edge of the spillbeam – but his is only noticeable in the very near distance at the angle my desk is capturing it.  Rest assured you can’t see this at a distance. In fact, I find the spot and main spill to both be very even and very white. Scroll down to see actual outdoor beamshots.

There doesn’t seem to be any kind of anti-reflective coating on the lens. The bezel is flat aluminum, with no crenelations. Light can headstand stably.

User Interface

The SC29 uses a paired-down, basic interface compared to the SC33 (which had the option of both stepped and smooth ramping). The SC29 has stepped levels only. It also lacks the Moonlight and additional blinky modes of the SC33.

Levels: Eco, Low, Mid, High, Turbo, Strobe.

From OFF:

  • Press-and-hold: Turns on in Eco mode.
  • Single-click: Turns On in last memorized mode.
  • Double-click: Turns On in Turbo.
  • Triple-click: Activates Lockout mode. Triple-click to unlock and return to memorized mode.

From ON:

  • Press-and-hold: Advances through the output modes.
  • Single-click: Turns Off.
  • Double-click: Jumps to Turbo. Single click returns to last memorized mode. Double-click jumps you to Strobe.

From Lockout:

  • Press-and-hold: Momentary Eco mode, until you release
  • Single-click: Nothing (does a double flash to show lockout status)
  • Double-click: TNothinge.
  • Triple-click: Disable Auto-Lockout.

Mode memory:

Yes.

Shortcuts:

  • Eco mode: Press and hold the switch.
  • Turbo mode: Double-click the switch from On or Off.
  • Strobe mode: Double-click the switch from Turbo.

Battery indicator:

When first activating the light, the indicator on the side switch shows the battery capacity remaining (lasts for ~5 secs upon activation):

  • Solid green: ~75-100%
  • Solid red: ~25-50%

Low voltage warning:

Yes, the button will flash red as the battery is nearly completely drained.

Lockout mode:

Physically at the tailcap, or electronically by a triple-click lockout. No auto-lockout that I have found.

Reviewer Comments:

This interface is very straight-forward, and largely performs as you would expect. It does have a few quirks though. Unlike most modern light lights, lock-out mode is on triple-click instead of four-click. And there is no way to activate Strobe from off (i.e., the usual triple-click option) – you need to go through Turbo first. This takes a little getting used to, but is not a deal-breaker for me.

I would have liked to have seen a true Moonlight mode, a Beacon mode, and the choice of smooth ramping or stepped levels. At least there was no auto-lock-out mode here (which enthusiasts tend to find annoying).

Circuit Measures

No Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM):

Moon:
Moon

Lo:
Lo

Med:
Med

High:
Hi

Turbo:
Turbo

There is no sign of PWM, the circuit appears to be fully current-controlled. There is no circuit noise on any level. This is a very good result, similar to the SC33.

Note that circuit noise is not a concern, as it common to many lights. But do find that its absence (as in this case) bodes very well in terms of regulation and output/runtime efficiency. Scroll down to see actual results.

Strobes:

Strobe:


Strobe alternates between 8 Hz and 25 Hz every ~1.5 secs or so. Very disorienting and distracting.

There is no Beacon or SOS mode on the SC29.

Charging:

There is a small LED under the switch which shows solid red when the light is charging. Changes to solid green when the charging is complete.

Resting voltage <3.0V

Resting voltage >3.0V

Unlike a number of modern lights (e.g. SC33), the SC29 does not show two-stage charging (i.e., where there is a lower initial charging rate when the cell is heavily discharged). Here, the initial charging rate starts at ~1.33A and slowly rises as the cell charges. This is a reasonable charging rate for the class, and will charge a 21700 cell relatively quickly.

Standby / Parasitic Drain:

Due to electronic switch, there is bound to be a parasitic standby drain when the light is not in use. I measured this as 26 uA, which is completely negligible (i.e., it would take nearly 22 years to fully discharge the cell). Still I recommend you store the light locked-out, either electronically or at the tailcap, when not in use.

Emitter Measures

In this section, I directly measure key emitter characteristics in terms of colour temperature, tint, and colour rendition. Please see my Emitter Measures page to learn more about what these terms mean, and how I am measuring them. As tint in particular can shift across levels, I typically stick with the highest stably regulated level for all my reported measures.

As explained on that page, since I am using an inexpensive uncalibrated device, you can only make relative comparisons across my reviews (i.e., don’t take these numbers as absolutely accurate values, but as relatively consistent across lights in my testing).

SC29 on Hi:

The key measures above are the colour temperature of ~5600K, and a small positive tint shift (+0.0102 Duv) to a slight greenish-yellow at this temperature. For CRI (Ra), I measured a combined score of 63.

These values are consistent with the performance of a cool white XHP50.2 emitter, although I find the main beam to be very white in actual use. I must say, there is much less tint variation than on other lights with XHP50.2 HD emitters that I’ve examined.

Beamshots

All outdoor beamshots are taken on my Canon PowerShot S5 IS at f/2.7, 0.5 secs exposure, ISO 400, daylight white balance. Learn more about my outdoor beamshots here.

Click on any thumbnail image below to open a full size image in a new window. You can then easily compare beams by switching between tabs.



As you can see above, the SC29 has a narrower spill than the reflectored lights, with more relative light in the mid-ground and distance. Personally, I think the SC33 achieves a better balance between throw and flood – although it is a slightly larger light (with more powerful XHP70.3 HI emitter).

But also note that the green-yellow tint shift at the edge of the periphery is actually not very noticeable in actual use. In fact, I find far less visible tint shifting here than in most XHP50.2 lights

Testing Results

My summary tables are generally reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. In addition to the links above, please see my output measures page for more background.

All my output numbers are based on my home-made lightbox setup. As explained on that methodology page, I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values to estimated lumens. Note that my lightbox calibration runs higher than most hobbyists today, but I’ve kept it to remain consistent with my earlier reviews (when the base calibration standard was first established). On average though, I find my lumen estimates are ~20% higher than most other modern reviewers.

My Peak Intensity/Beam Distance are directly measured with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter.

SC29 Testing Results

ModeSpec LumensEstimated Lumens @0secEstimated Lumens @30 secsBeam Intensity @0secBeam Intensity @30secsBeam Distance @30secsPWM/Strobe FreqNoise FreqCharging Current <3VCharging Current >3VParasitic DrainWeight w/o BatteryWeight with BatteryCCT (K)DuvCRI
Eco111---8-25 HzNo1.33 A1.33 A26 uA158 g186 g---
Low305050---8-25 HzNo1.33 A1.33 A26 uA158 g186 g---
Med350450440---8-25 HzNo1.33 A1.33 A26 uA158 g186 g---
High1,0001,3501,300---8-25 HzNo1.33 A1.33 A26 uA158 g186 g5,6000.010263
Turbo3,0003,3003,15011,000 cd10,300 cd203 m8-25 HzNo1.33 A1.33 A26 uA158 g186 g---
Strobe3,000-----8-25 HzNo1.33 A1.33 A26 uA158 g186 g---

The SC29 seems to match fairly closely to the specs on all levels (given that my lightbox’s relative calibration is generously high). I also like the overall spacing. Note that “Eco” is lower than most lights – mainly would consider this more of a “Moonlight” mode (although I would prefer a sub-lumen level for that).

My NIST-calibrated luxmeter is accurately calibrated to an absolute standard, and similarly reports fairly comparable beam intensity on Turbo compared to the specs (although it drops down by 30 secs post-activation to just slightly below spec). I find these output and throw measures very reasonable for this kind of emitter.

To view and download full testing results for all modern lights in my testing, check out my Database page.

Runtimes

As always, my runtimes are done under a small cooling fan, for safety and consistency. To learn more about how to interpret runtime graphs, see my runtimes methodology page. Note again that on average, my lightbox’s calibration seems to be ~20% higher than most modern reviewers.

Max

Hi

Med

Overall performance is *very* comparable to the Wurkkos WK15 – which similarly uses the XHP50.2 emitter. Both lights have a relatively efficient, if basic, linear regulation drivers (i.e., you can see the generally direct-drive pattern above). Note however that the SC29 does have some explicit step-downs near the end of the run, which is a good way to extend performance when the battery is nearly exhausted.

This is very reasonable for a budget light, and I do find the level spacing good. Note however that the initial step-down level on Turbo is lower than most lights.

Since I know many are interested in how the initial Turbo modes compare (i.e., how quickly and how far the lights step-down), here is a blow-up of the first few mins of runtime on max output:

Again, very similar performance to the Wurkkos WK15.

Pros and Cons

ProsCons
Light has a solid build with a large easy-to-access button switch.Circuit is a simple linear regulator, producing a slowly decreasing output instead of flat runtimes.
Light has an effective and straightforward user interface.The circuit is less efficient than higher-end, current-controlled lights with flat regulation.
Light uses a TIR optic for more focused throw.Although the TIR does better than most reflectors, the XHP50.2 HD emitter does produce tint shifts across the beam. Noticeable here only in the spillbeam periphery.
Price is reasonably lowLight is a bit larger and heavier than some budget lights in the compact 21700 class.

Overall Rating

Preliminary Conclusions

The SC29 is a more budget-oriented light than SC33, with a scaled down emitter and circuit, as you might expect. In a sense, the SC29 is basically a TIR optic version of the budget Wurkkos WK15, in a slightly beefier build with some revised output levels and a tweaked user interface. It mainly comes down to which beam pattern you prefer between the two.

The circuit performance is certainly reasonable for the budget class, as it features a linear regulator with good efficiency. Of course, this doesn’t compare to the fully-regulated competition, such as the efficient Wurkkos TS22 or the Skilhunt M300 V2 – but those light are also more expensive.

I do like that the published output specs seem pretty accurate for this model, and the range of output levels is good.

The XHP50.2 HD emitter is known for a lot of tint/chromatic variation across its beam, but the TIR seems to be helping here. It is only at the periphery of the beam that you will notice the tint shift.

The build and handfeel is a small step up from the WK15, but I still think this light fills the same niche with the same overall performance (just a different beam profile). As such, I think 3.5 stars is a reasonable score here as well. A very decent budget TIR pocket light, it would be a good choice for the general-use crowd.

Acknowledgement

The SC29 was supplied by Sofirn for review. As always, all opinions are my own and the light received the same rigourous and objective testing as all other lights that I have reviewed. At the time of review, this light with battery retails for ~$30 USD (~$40 CDN) on sale on the Sofirn website here.

Wurkkos WK15

The WK15 is a relatively compact, inexpensive, general-purpose flashlight running on a single 21700 battery. It features the common Cree XHP50.2 emitter.

  1. Introduction
  2. Manufacturer Specifications
  3. Package Details
  4. Build
  5. User Interface
  6. Circuit Measures
  7. Emitter Measures
  8. Beamshots
  9. Testing Results
  10. Runtimes
  11. Pros and Cons
  12. Overall Rating
  13. Preliminary Conclusions
  14. Acknowledgement

Introduction

I am still working through my backlog of lights – this WK15 sample was received late last summer.

I’ve reviewed a number of general purpose 1×21700 lights by Wurkkos and Sofirn, and have typically been very impressed with the performance and build for the price. I noticed a general lack of reviews on the WK15, which seems to be a particularly inexpensive model in this space. Wurkkos agreed to send me a sample to review.

Equipped with the popular XHP50.2 emitter, available in both the neutral white 5000K and cool white 6000K colour temperatures (I opted for 5000K). The WK15 rated specs are very similar to many competing models in this space, despite its relatively compact size. Let’s see how it performs in my testing.

Manufacturer Specifications

Note: As always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides – scroll down to see my actual runtimes.

FeatureSpecs
MakerWurkkos
ModelWK15
EmitterXHP50.2
Tint5000 K
Max Output (Lumens)3,000
Min Output (Lumens)1
Max Runtime500 hours
Max Beam Intensity (cd)11,892 cd
Max Beam Distance (m)218 m
Constant Levels6
FlashingStrobe
Battery1x21700
Weight (w/o battery)-
Weight (with battery)70 g
Length113 mm
Head Diameter27.8 mm
Body Diameter-
WaterproofIP68

Package Details




Unlike the modern style packaging of the newer higher-end models from Sofirn and Wurkkos, the WK15 comes in fairly basic packaging. Inside I found:

  • Wurkkos WK15 flashlight
  • Wurkkos-branded 5000mAh 21700 battery
  • Wrist lanyard
  • USB-C charging cable
  • 2 Spare O-rings
  • Manual

It’s a decent package for a “budget” build, but I would like to see a holster included. FYI, Wurkkos sells an inexpensive holster (small size for ~$2 USD) that fits this light.

Build


From left to right: LiitoKala 21700 (5000mAh), Vapcell 21700 F56 (5600mAh), Emisar D4K, Imalent MS03, Convoy S21E, Skilhunt M300, Wurkkos WK15, Wurkkos TS22, Sofirn SP35T, Cyansky P25, Nitecore P20iX, Acebeam E70.








The WK15 is a very compact 1×21700 light – its definitely on the smaller side of the lights I’ve tested in this class. It vaguely reminds me of the Fenix E35, although in a more basic build.

The tailcap is flat, with a lanyard cut-out area. It is able to tailstand stably. Tailcap threads are square-cut and anodized, with good feel. Thanks to the anodized tailcap threads, you can easily lock-out this light by a simple twist of the tailcap.

The electronic switch on the side of the head has red and green LEDs underneath to show charge status. Feel and traverse of the electronic switch is very similar to a lot of Wurkkos and Sofirn lights – it’s ok, but could be a bit tighter/firmer (i.e., hard switch covers always have some degree of play).

The light’s USB-C charging port is located on the opposite side from the switch, under a rubber cover. The cover fits pretty well – not too too tight, not too loose. I expected waterproofness is reasonable (i.e., more splashable than watertight).

There is a lot of traditional knurling on the light – not super aggressive, but more than most, producing excellent grip. Anodizing looks to be good quality for type II, with no damage on my sample. I would describe the finish as matte. Thanks to included bi-directional clip, the light will not roll on its side. The clip attaches firmly, and is good for both bezel up and down carry.

Inside, the light comes with a Wurkkos-branded standard-sized 5000mAh 21700 battery, with a slightly raised flat-top.

This is a solid little light, with good grip and handfeel. It does seem a bit more budget than the rest of the Wurrkos or Sofirn line – but that is in keeping with its lower price point.


The WK15 comes with a XHP50.2 HD emitter, in neutral or cool white tint (neutral on my sample). The reflector is fairly shallow and well textured (moderate orange peel, MOP). There doesn’t seem to be any kind of anti-reflective coating on the lens.

As expected, there is noticeable tint/colour shifting across the periphery of the beam, with a warmer yellowish white hotspot surrounded by a coolish spill and purplish shift near the edge of the periphery. This is a well-known issue with HD emitters of the XHP family, particularly obvious on the XHP50.2. The textured reflector normally helps to even it out, but I do find my sample is rather noticeable.

The bezel is flat black aluminum. So you can headstand stably, but you can’t tell if the light is on in that orientation.

User Interface

The WK15 has a straightforward user interface, and one that is similar to many basic Sofirn and Wurkkos lights.

Mode levels: Moonlight, Eco, Low, Mid, High, Turbo, and Strobe

From OFF:

  • Press-and-hold: Turns on in Moonlight mode.
  • Single-click: Turns On in last memorized mode (only Eco, Lo, Med and Hi can be memorized).
  • Double-click: Turns On in Turbo.
  • Triple-click: Turns On in Strobe.
  • 4 clicks: Activate Lock-out mode. Four clicks to unlock.

From ON:

  • Press-and-hold: Cycle between Eco > Lo > Med > Hi (in sequence).
  • Single-click: Turns Off.
  • Double-click: Jumps to Turbo. Single click jumps you back to last memorized mode.
  • Triple-click: Jumps to Strobe.Single click jumps you back to last memorized mode.

Mode memory:

Yes, for non-Moonlight, non-Turbo constant output modes.

Shortcuts:

  • Moonlight mode: Press-and-hold the switch from Off.
  • Turbo mode: Double-click the switch from On or Off.
  • Strobe: Triple-click the switch from On or Off.

Low voltage warning:

Not that I noticed.

Lockout mode:

Yes, you can physically lock out the light at the tailcap. There is an electronic lockout as well that you can trigger manually (i.e., no auto-lockout).

Battery indicator:

Not that I noticed.

Reviewer Comments:

A very serviceable and standard interface – easy to remember and use.

Circuit Measures

No Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM):

Moonlight:
Moonlight

Eco:
Eco

Low:
Lo

Med:
Med

High:
Hi

Turbo:
Turbo

There is high frequency circuit noise on all levels above Moonlight. This is common on a lot of inexpensive lights, and is not necessarily a concern as it is not visually detectable. I measured the frequency as just over 21 kHz on all modes from Eco through Turbo (note the last trace above shows an inaccurate lower value – the auto measure feature in the oscilloscope software sometimes gets fooled by slower harmonics).

Strobe:

Strobe is a constant 14 Hz.

Charging:

The switch button shows solid red when the light is charging. Changes to solid green when the charging is complete.

Resting voltage <3.0V

Resting voltage >3.0V

The WK15 has a two-stage charging feature, as seen on many good quality modern lights (i.e., where there is a lower initial charging rate when the cell is heavily discharged). I’m actually surprised to see it here, given the budget price. This is also a very high charging rate for the class, and will charge a 21700 cell quickly.

Standby / Parasitic Drain:

Yes, due to the electronic switch. I measured it at 1.7 mA, which is moderately high. For a 5000mAh cell, that would mean you would deplete the battery is about 4 months. But you can easily cut this current by a simple twist of the tailcap.

Emitter Measures

In this section, I directly measure key emitter characteristics in terms of colour temperature, tint, and colour rendition. Please see my Emitter Measures page to learn more about what these terms mean, and how I am measuring them. As tint in particular can shift across levels, I typically stick with the highest stably regulated level for all my reported measures.

As explained on that page, since I am using an inexpensive uncalibrated device, you can only make relative comparisons across my reviews (i.e., don’t take these numbers as absolutely accurate values, but as relatively consistent across lights in my testing).

WK15 on Hi:

The key measures above are the colour temperature of ~4800K, and a slight positive tint shift (+0.0103 Duv) to slight greenish-yellow at this temperature. I wasn’t able to get a reliable CRI (Ra) measure.

These values are consistent with the performance of a neutral white XHP50.2 emitter, and match my visual experience of this light. Note that there is a noticeable tint shift from yellowish hotspot to cooler white spill with purplish spillbeam edge, which is common to 50.2 HD emitters.

Beamshots

All outdoor beamshots are taken on my Canon PowerShot S5 IS at f/2.7, 0.5 secs exposure, ISO 400, daylight white balance. The bend in the road is approximately 40 meters (~45 yards) from the camera. Learn more about my outdoor beamshots here (scroll down for the floody light position used in this review).

Click on any thumbnail image below to open a full size image in a new window. You can then easily compare beams by switching between tabs.



As you can see above, the WK15 has a pretty traditional beam for this class.

Testing Results

My summary tables are generally reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. In addition to the links above, please see my output measures page for more background.

All my output numbers are based on my home-made lightbox setup. As explained on that methodology page, I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values to estimated lumens. Note that my lightbox calibration runs higher than most hobbyists today, but I’ve kept it to remain consistent with my earlier reviews (when the base calibration standard was first established). On average though, I find my lumen estimates are ~20% higher than most other modern reviewers.

My Peak Intensity/Beam Distance are directly measured with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter.

WK15 Testing Results

ModeSpec LumensEstimated Lumens @0secEstimated Lumens @30 secsBeam Intensity @0secBeam Intensity @30secsBeam Distance @30secsPWM/Strobe FreqNoise FreqCharging Current <3VCharging Current >3VParasitic DrainWeight w/o BatteryWeight with BatteryCCT (K)DuvCRI
Moon11.21.2---No21.25 kHz0.17 A2.15 A1.70 mA71 g140 g---
Eco101010---No21.25 kHz0.17 A2.15 A1.70 mA71 g140 g---
Low100150150---No21.25 kHz0.17 A2.15 A1.70 mA71 g140 g---
Med550590585---No21.25 kHz0.17 A2.15 A1.70 mA71 g140 g4,8150.0113-
High1,5001,5501,550---No21.25 kHz0.17 A2.15 A1.70 mA71 g140 g---
Turbo3,0003,5003,30013,500 cd12,100 cd220 mNo1.24 kHz0.17 A2.15 A1.70 mA71 g140 g---
Strobe3,000-----14.2 Hz21.25 kHz0.17 A2.15 A1.70 mA71 g140 g---

My WK15 sample very closely matches the reported specs for this light. I know my lightbox’s relative calibration is generously high for modern high-output lights, however.

That said, my NIST-calibrated luxmeter is accurately calibrated to an absolute standard, and similarly reports very consistent peak intensity throw to reported specs.

To view and download full testing results for all modern lights in my testing, check out my Database page.

Runtimes

As always, my runtimes are done under a small cooling fan, for safety and consistency. To learn more about how to interpret runtime graphs, see my runtimes methodology page. Note that on average, my lightbox’s calibration seems to be ~20% higher than most modern reviewers.

Med

Hi

Max

Consistent with the budget price, it looks like the WK15 is using a simple linear FET driver. Performance is extremely consistent with the Sofirn SP35T – basically, a direct-drive-like pattern where the battery resistance is ultimately regulating output over time. Sadly, there is no flat voltage-regulated performance here, unlike the higher-end TS22 for example.

All that said, performance is not bad – it is just very basic. Note however that both the Hi mode as well as the Turbo mode step down rather quickly, compared to some other lights. But the flip-side of that is the light certainly lasts for a reasonably long amount of time.

Pros and Cons

ProsCons
The light has a solid build, with an electronic switch.Circuit is not voltage-regulated, producing a slowly decreasing output instead of flat runtimes.
The light has a serviceable basic user interface, easy to remember and use.The circuit is also noticeably less efficient than other current-controlled lights with flat regulation.
Price is reasonably low.XHP50.2 HD emitters produce well known tint shifts across the beam, with a yellowish hotspot, cool white spill, and purplish spillbeam edge.

Overall Rating

Preliminary Conclusions

The WK15 is a compact but solid light, with a decent physical build and good (if basic) user interface. You could do a lot worse for the price!

But as described above, the circuit performance is disappointing here. Similar to the Sofirn SP35T, you get a reasonable amount of light for a reasonable amount of time. But its performance just doesn’t compare to the fully-regulated competition, such as the efficient (but more expensive) TS22 in comparison. That said, the published output specs seem pretty accurate for this model, with a good range of output levels.

The XHP50.2 HD emitter is known for a lot of tint/chromatic variation across its beam, and this example is no different. I can’t specifically fault this model in that regard, but my WK15 sample is particularly noticeable.

Taken together, I find these drawbacks limit this light to a maximum 3.5 star rating on my subjective scale. This is still quite decent, and better than some equivalent models at this price point. But there are couple of others I might recommend over this. That said if you like a straightforward interface and grippy finish, this light does fit the bill for the budget class.

Acknowledgement

The WK15 was supplied by Wurkkos for review. As always, all opinions are my own and the light received the same rigourous and objective testing as all other lights that I have reviewed. At the time of review, this light retails for ~$25 USD (~$35 CDN) with battery included on the Wurkkos website here.

Sofirn SP35T

The SP35T is a tactical-style, general-purpose flashlight running on a single included 21700 battery. It features both tactical and general user interface options.

  1. Introduction
  2. Manufacturer Specifications
  3. Package Details
  4. Build
  5. User Interface
  6. Circuit Measures
  7. Emitter Measures
  8. Beamshots
  9. Testing Results
  10. Runtimes
  11. Pros and Cons
  12. Overall Rating
  13. Preliminary Conclusions
  14. Acknowledgement

Introduction

The SP35T is a popular mid-range model from Sofirn. Equipped with the XHP50.2 emitter, it is rated for relatively high output in the 1×21700 class – similar to many competing models that I’ve recently tested from other makers. What really caught my eye here though was the tactical tailcap switch. That’s not something you see very often any more, outside of the larger “tactical” lights from Wurkkos and Sofirn.

Given the very interconnected (and sometimes interchangeable) nature of parts across Wurkkos and Sofirn lights, I thought the SP35T might be an interesting one to test. Could this be a “Goldilocks” model that strikes just the right balance between output and performance?

Let’s see how it performs in my testing.

Manufacturer Specifications

Note: as always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides – scroll down to see my actual runtimes.

FeatureSpecs
MakerSofirn
ModelSP35T
EmitterXHP50.2
Tint
Max Output (Lumens)3,800
Min Output (Lumens)5
Max Runtime220 hours
Max Beam Intensity (cd)19,625 cd
Max Beam Distance (m)280 m
Constant Levels5
FlashingStrobe, SOS, Beacon
Battery1x21700
Weight (w/o battery)-
Weight (with battery)87 g
Length139.5 mm
Head Diameter28 mm
Body Diameter-
WaterproofIPX8 2m

Package Details




Unlike the modern “cellphone box” style packaging of the newer models from Sofirn and Wurkkos, my SP35T came in the same basic retail packaging as my old IF25A. Oh well, it’s what inside the box that counts I guess. There I found:

  • Sofirn SP35T flashlight
  • Sofirn-branded 5000mAh 21700 battery
  • Pocket clip
  • Wrist lanyard
  • USB-C charging cable
  • 2 Spare O-rings
  • Manual

It’s a decent package for a “budget” build, but I would like to see a holster included. FYI, Wurkkos sells an inexpensive holster (small size for ~$2 USD) that fits this light well.

Build


From left to right: LiitoKala 21700 (5000mAh), Vapcell 21700 F56 (5600mAh), Emisar D4K, Imalent MS03, Convoy S21E, Skilhunt M300, Wurkkos WK15, Wurkkos TS22, Sofirn SP35T, Cyansky P25, Nitecore P20iX, Acebeam E70.










At just under 140mm, the SP35T is one of the tallest general-purpose 1×21700 lights I’ve handled. This is the side effect of the tactical forward clicky switch (and dual spring design). This makes the light very suitable for tactical purposes, but it does mean you have to accept greater length. As someone with above-average sized hands with long fingers, I find the light comfortable to hold and use in either overhand or underhand grip – but some may find it a bit long.

The SP35T definitely shares a lot close design similarities to recent compact Wurkkos lights I’ve handled. This is not surprising, since these lights come off the same manufacturing production lines (i.e., Sofirn is the OEM manufacturer for Wurkkos).

The tailcap physical forward clicky switch does indeed look and feel identical to the Sofirn C8L that I recently reviewed. It has a pleasantly firm action, with a solid click and predictable firm traverse. It could just be sample variability, but I found the switch on my recent Wurkkos TD01 to be comparatively “soft and squishy” – I like the firmness of this SP35T sample. There are two raised tailcap guards that can serve as the lanyard attachment point. And just like my C8L, it is able to tailstand stably (my TD01 would not).

Tailcap threads are square-cut and anodized, with good feel. Thanks to the anodized tailcap threads, you can easily lock-out this light by a simple twist of the tailcap.

As an aside, the whole tailcap assembly here won’t fit on the TD01 – but it does fit and work on my Wurkkos TS22 perfectly.

There is a raised side-mounted electronic switch on the side of the head, with red and green LEDs underneath to show charge status. Feel and traverse of the electronic switch is very similar to a lot of Wurkkos and Sofirn lights – it’s ok, but could be a bit tighter/firmer (i.e., hard switch covers always have some degree of play).

The side switch shines a bright red when charging the battery through the light’s USB-C charging port (green when fully charged). The port is located on the opposite side from the switch, under a rubber cover. The cover fits pretty well on the SP35T (just like the C8L) – not too too tight, not too loose. I expected waterproofness is reasonable.

There is a reasonable amount of knurling on the light – not super aggressive, but more than most, and certainly enough to help with grip. With the various other design elements and cut-outs, I would say grip is excellent. Thanks to included clip, the light will not roll on its side. Anodizing looks to be good quality for type II, with no damage on my sample. I would describe the finish as matte.

Inside, the light comes with a Sofirn-branded standard-sized 5000mAh 21700 battery, with a slightly raised flat-top. There is a good size spring in the head, ensuring good contact.

This is a solid and well-designed light, with good grip and handfeel. It is a bit longer than most in this class, which is something to keep in mind.



The SP35T comes with a XHP50.2 HD emitter, in cool white tint apparently (I didn’t see any options to select a specific tint). The reflector is fairly shallow and heavily textured (heavy orange peel, HOP). There doesn’t seem to be any kind of anti-reflective coating on the lens.

As expected, there is some tint/colour shifting across the periphery of the beam, with a cool white hotspot surrounded by a yellowish spill except for a purplish shift near the edge of the periphery. This is a well-known issue with HD emitters of the XHP family, especially apparent on the XHP50.2. The heavily textured reflector seems to be help even it out it somewhat – it’s not as pronounced as most that I’ve seen.

The bezel is crenelated black aluminum. Scalloping is not too aggressive, so you can headstand stably.

User Interface

The SP35T has a straightforward user interface, and one that is identical to the Sofirn C8L and Wurkkos TD01. Like many “tactical” lights, you have two sets of possible modes; Mode Group 1 for General use, and Mode Group 2 for Tactical use.

To switch between groups, press-and-hold the side switch for >3 secs when On.

Mode Group 1 (default) available levels: Eco, Low, Medium, High, Turbo, Strobe, SOS, and Beacon.

Mode Group 1, from OFF:

  • Tail switch, partial-press: Momentary On in last memorized mode.
  • Tail switch, single-click: Turns On in last memorized mode.
  • Tail switch, double-press: Turns On in last memorized mode and then jumps to Turbo (click to stay locked-on in Turbo). You have be very rapid on the double-press to jump to Turbo.
  • Side switch, press-and-hold: Nothing – but if you click the tail switch while holding down the side switch, the light will activate in Eco mode.
  • Side switch, single-click: Nothing.

Mode Group 1, from ON:

  • Tail switch, partial-press: Nothing.
  • Tail switch, single-click: Turns Off.
  • Side switch, press-and-hold (3 secs): Switch to Mode Group 2 (see below)
  • Side switch, single-click: Steps up to the next non-Turbo constant output mode (in sequence, Eco > Lo > Med > High).
  • Side switch, double-click: Turbo.
  • Side switch, triple-click: Strobe.
    • Side switch, double-click when in Strobe: Cycle through in sequence Strobe > SOS > Beacon (with no mode memory).

Mode 1, Mode memory:

Yes, for non-Turbo constant output modes.

Mode 1 Shortcuts:

  • Eco mode: Press and hold the side switch while turning on at the tail switch.
  • Turbo mode: Double-click the side switch from On, or double-press the tail switch from Off.

Mode 2 available levels: Medium, Turbo, and Strobe.

Mode 2 functions basically as a stripped-down “tactical” version of Mode 1. The main differences are:

  • Single-click of the side switch from On only selects between Medium and Turbo now.
  • Double-click of the the tail or side switch goes to Strobe instead of Turbo.
  • There is no level memory now.

Otherwise, the two modes function the same way.

Battery indicator:

When first activating the light, the indicator on the side switch shows the battery voltage  (lasts for ~5 secs):

  • Solid green: ~70-100%
  • Flashing green: ~40-70%
  • Solid red: ~10-40%
  • Flashing red: 0-10%

Mode memory:

Yes, in the Mode Group 1 for non-Turbo constant output modes. There is no memory in the Mode Group 2.

Shortcuts:

  • Mode Group 1: Yes, for Eco, Turbo and Strobe (see above).
  • Mode Group 2: Yes, for Eco and Strobe (see above).

Low voltage warning:

Yes, the main light will step down as the battery is running low. It will then turn Off at ~2.95V

Lock-out mode:

Yes, but physically – you lock-out the light by a twist of the tailcap.

Reviewer Comments:

As with the C8L and TD01, I think this is a reasonable dual-mode UI for a tactical light, with a general mode set and a tactical mode set.

The multiple-press functionality of the tactical tailcap switch is a cute feature, if you feel you need a direct shortcut to Turbo from Off. With the firm clicky switch, I found I was able to do this reliably well. But for non-tactical types, I find doing a double-click of the side switch from On even easier.

I prefer General Mode Group, for its general usefulness and versatility. But I suppose “tactical” people will like the lack of mode memory in Tactical Mode Group 2.

Circuit Measures

Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM):

Eco:
Eco

Low:
Lo

Med:
Med

High:
Hi

Turbo:
Turbo

There is low frequency circuit noise on all levels, including Turbo, on the SP35T. It is definitely not PWM (note the simple sine wave below), but is at an an unusually low frequency of 167 Hz according to my soundcard oscilloscope. Shown below on a shorter timescale for the Hi mode.

Turbo

This is certainly different from the C8L, which was completely noise free. Even the TD01, which had circuit noise on all levels except Turbo, was at a more typical high frequency of ~5kHz.

Again, this is not a problem per se, as it was completely undetectable in practice (i.e., I couldn’t even see it when shinning on a fan or running water). But I do find it very unusual, and am not sure what to make of it. Typically, I find this doesn’t bode well for regulation or output/runtime efficiency.

Strobes:

Strobe:


Strobe alternates between 7 Hz and 11 Hz every ~1.5 secs or so. Very distracting.

SOS:

A standard SOS mode, relatively slow.

Beacon:

A single flash beacon once every 2 secs (0.5 Hz).

Charging:

The switch button shows solid red when the light is charging. Changes to solid green when the charging is complete.

Resting voltage <3.0V

Resting voltage >3.0V

The SP35T does not have a two-stage charging feature, as seen on many modern lights (i.e., where there is a lower initial charging rate when the cell is heavily discharged). Mind you, neither does the C8L. The initial charging rate here is ~1.75A, which slowly rose to ~1.85A after a few minutes. I presume it continued to climb from there. This is a pretty high charging rate for the class, and will charge a 21700 cell quickly.

Standby / Parasitic Drain:

None. That is one of the nice things about a physical clicky switch, no standby current. 🙂 And you can always lock-out the light by a twist of the tailcap, to prevent accidental activation.

Emitter Measures

In this section, I directly measure key emitter characteristics in terms of colour temperature, tint, and colour rendition. Please see my Emitter Measures page to learn more about what these terms mean, and how I am measuring them. As tint in particular can shift across levels, I typically stick with the highest stably regulated level for all my reported measures.

As explained on that page, since I am using an inexpensive uncalibrated device, you can only make relative comparisons across my reviews (i.e., don’t take these numbers as absolutely accurate values, but as relatively consistent across lights in my testing).

SP35T on Hi:

The key measures above are the colour temperature of ~5725K, and a negligible positive tint shift (+0.0103 Duv) to a very slight greenish-yellow at this temperature. For CRI (Ra), I measured a combined score of 58.

These values are consistent with the performance of a cool white XHP50.2 emitter, and match my visual experience of this light. Note that there is a tint shift to more yellowish spill, with purplish spillbeam edge, as is common on XHP50.2 HD emitters.

Beamshots

All outdoor beamshots are taken on my Canon PowerShot S5 IS at f/2.7, 0.5 secs exposure, ISO 400, daylight white balance. The bend in the road is approximately 40 meters (~45 yards) from the camera. Learn more about my outdoor beamshots here (scroll down for the floody light position used in this review).

Click on any thumbnail image below to open a full size image in a new window. You can then easily compare beams by switching between tabs.



As you can see above, the SP35T has a narrower spill than most lights in this class, and somewhat lower output (although to be fair, three of the lights above are XHP70.2 lights). It is a very clean beam though, with little evidence of chromatic/tint aberrations.

Testing Results

My summary tables are generally reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. In addition to the links above, please see my output measures page for more background.

All my output numbers are based on my home-made lightbox setup. As explained on that methodology page, I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values to estimated lumens. Note that my lightbox calibration seems to run higher than most hobbyists today, but I’ve kept it to remain consistent with my earlier reviews (when the calibration standard was first established).

My Peak Intensity/Beam Distance are directly measured with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter.

SP35T Testing Results

ModeSpec LumensEstimated Lumens @0secEstimated Lumens @30 secsBeam Intensity @0secBeam Intensity @30secsBeam Distance @30secsPWM/Strobe FreqNoise FreqCharging Current <3VCharging Current >3VParasitic DrainWeight w/o BatteryWeight with BatteryCCT (K)DuvCRI
Eco52.12.1---No164 Hz1.75 A1.85 ANo84 g153 g---
Low1008080---No165 Hz1.75 A1.85 ANo84 g153 g---
Med500385380---No166 Hz1.75 A1.85 ANo84 g153 g---
High1,5001,0501,030---No167 Hz1.75 A1.85 ANo84 g153 g5,7250.010358
Turbo3,8002,9502,85011,200 cd10,400 cd204 mNo168 Hz1.75 A1.85 ANo84 g153 g---
Strobe3,800-----7.0-14.8 Hz168 Hz1.75 A1.85 ANo84 g153 g---
SOS500-----No168 Hz1.75 A1.85 ANo84 g153 g---
Beacon3,800-----2.25 Hz-1.75 A1.85 ANo84 g153 g---

The SP35T clearly has very inflated specs across all its output levels, as measured in my lightbox. It is probably even worse than the numbers above suggest, as I know my lightbox’s relative calibration is generously high for modern high-output lights. This finding is not entirely surprising, since the max output ratings in particular were not realistic for the XHP50.2 emitter.

My NIST-calibrated luxmeter is accurately calibrated to an absolute standard, and similarly reports much lower beam intensity on Turbo (~25-30% less than spec, which is comparable to what my lightbox reports for overall output measures).

To view and download full testing results for all modern lights in my testing, check out my Database page.

Runtimes

As always, my runtimes are done under a small cooling fan, for safety and consistency. To learn more about how to interpret runtime graphs, see my runtimes methodology page.

Med

Hi

Max

According to reports online, the SP35T is supposed to have a buck driver – but I don’t see any evidence of that. Looking at the Med and Hi mode runtimes, it looks like a basic FET driver – and one that performs remarkably similar to the XHP50.2-equipped Wurkkos WK15 that I currently have on hand for testing. I presume these two lights are in fact using the same basic driver. This is a bit disappointing compared to the excellent flat voltage-regulated Wurkkos TS22.

There is one thing that is very different on the SP35T though – the wide oscillations in output on Turbo mode. Presuming this was due to the thermal sensor reacting to my cooling fan, I did a separate test without cooling, as shown in the lighter green above. It is clear that the cooling fan is having a big difference, as the light runs fairly consistently at the much lower level once step-down occurs without cooling. But it is interesting that the oscillations do eventually re-appear later in the run.

To show this more clearly, here are the two Turbo runtimes – with and without cooling – on a longer timeframe:

Max-extended

This is pretty unique in my experience. The step-down from Turbo level is to quite a bit lower level than usual (down to ~450 lumens in my lightbox, just slightly above Med level). Eventually, as the light cools, it starts to step up in output, with widening swings.

By the way, I know the swings under a cooling fan seem a lot more extreme above, but they are not so noticeable in real life. Below is an expanded runtime, to show you that a typical ramp up and back down under cooling actual takes about 7 mins. Here is how it looks in practice:

In the rising stage, you won’t notice the gradual shift over time, it is that slow. But on the ramp down, you are likely to notice the light is dimming fairly quickly.

All that to say, I think this light would benefit from a less sensitive thermal sensor – and a lower step-down level to start with (i.e., ~450 lumens is very low for a modern light).

Pros and Cons

ProsCons
The light has a solid build, with a tactical forward clicky switch in the tail and a side electronic switch.Circuit is not voltage-regulated, producing a slowly decreasing output instead of flat runtimes.
The light has a serviceable dual mode set user interface, identical to the Sofirn C8L and Wurkkos TD01.The circuit is also noticeably less efficient then other current-controlled lights with flat regulation.
Price is reasonably low.The turbo mode steps down to a much lower level than most lights, and oscillates considerably in output (likely due to a poorly calibrated thermal sensor).
XHP50.2 HD emitters produce well known tint shifts across the beam, with a yellowish spill and purplish spillbeam edge.
Output specifications are clearly very inflated.

Overall Rating

Preliminary Conclusions

The SP35T is certainly a solid light, with a very decent physical build and good user interface. The presence of a forward clicky tactical switch here is great, if you are a fan of that design. The user interface is certainly very serviceable, being identical to the C8L.

But as the pros and cons list above demonstrates, the circuit performance is disappointing here. Sure, it produces a reasonable amount of light for a reasonable amount of time – but its performance just doesn’t compare to the well-regulated and efficient C8L or Wurkkos TS22. But the SP35T doesn’t even compare well to other simple FET driver-based lights – due to the unusually low step-down level on Turbo, and the repeated oscillations back up to higher output as it cools.

Moreover, the rated output specs are way off on this light (as in, at least 25-30% below spec, if not more). Its rare nowadays to see such a large mismatch between published specs and actual performance. Since many make their purchasing decisions based on published specs, this is very disappointing.

The XHP50.2 HD emitter is known for a lot of tint/chromatic variation across its beam, and this example is no different. That said, I do find it a bit better than typical, likely due to the heavily textured reflector here. But to put it simply, I think this light would benefit from both an emitter and circuit upgrade.

At the end of the day, I like the physical build (and forward clicky tail switch). The user interface is also quite serviceable. But the circuit performance is sub-standard compared to Sofirn’s other offerings, and to other lights in this class – both in terms of overall output and output/runtime efficiency. And the odd behaviour on Turbo after step-down needs to be corrected. But it still is a reasonable amount of light for a reasonable amount of time, in absolute terms.

Acknowledgement

The SP35T was supplied by Sofirn for review. As always, all opinions are my own and the light received the same rigourous and objective testing as all other lights that I have reviewed. At the time of review, this light retails for ~$30 USD (~$40 CDN) on sale on the Sofirn website here.

Skilhunt M300 V2

The M300 V2 is a compact general-purpose flashlight running on a single included 21700 battery.Includes a colourful build and versatile user interface.

  1. Introduction
  2. Manufacturer Specifications
  3. Package Details
  4. Build
  5. User Interface
  6. Circuit Measures
  7. Emitter Measures
  8. Beamshots
  9. Testing Results
  10. Runtimes
  11. Pros and Cons
  12. Overall Rating
  13. Preliminary Conclusions
  14. Acknowledgement

Introduction

I remember when Skilhunt first came on the scene, over a decade ago. Their early lights had a distinctive rakish design, with cut-outs showing gold-plated brass heatsinks (I believe I referred to them at the time as a steam-punk aesthetic). I was glad to see they are still around, upon my return to reviewing. I see that they have moved to a more minimalist build, with a good number of headlamp models, and a strong focus on built-in magnetic charging docks.

This is the first of two Skilhunt lights that I have on hand for testing (the H300 review will be coming soon). A really nice feature is the option to select your own emitter – with a good range of options. Case in point for the M300: you can select between CREE XHP50.3 HI Cool White 6500K, CREE XHP50.2 HD Neutral White 5000K, CREE XHP50.2 HD Ra90 High CRI 5000K, and Nichia 144ART R9050 sm453 4500K.

I’ve opted to go for the XHP50.2 HD Neutral White 5000K for this review, for the highest maximum output of 3000 lumens. Normally, I would have opted for one of the High CRI versions, or the cool white HI emitter (for better throw and reduced chromatic aberrations). But it’s good to compare maximum output versions for comparative purposes, and I was glad to see the max 3000 lumens was available with the XHP50.2 neutral white.  As always, you can select the emitter option that best suits your needs.

Let’s see how it compares in my testing.

Manufacturer Specifications

Note: as always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides – scroll down to see my actual testing results.

FeatureSpecs
MakerSkilhunt
ModelM300 V2
EmitterXHP50.2 HD Neutral White
Tint5000 K
Max Output (Lumens)3,000
Min Output (Lumens)1
Max Runtime200 hrs
Max Beam Intensity (cd)12,000 cd
Max Beam Distance (m)219 m
Constant Levels7
FlashingStrobe 1/2/3
Battery1x21700
Weight (w/o battery)75 g
Weight (with battery)-
Length120 mm
Head Diameter29.5 mm
Body Diameter-
WaterproofIPX-8 1m

Package Details






The light comes in a fairly standard shelf-presentation style box, with a description of the features and characteristics printed on it. Inside is a professional looking package, with the cover tab under the plastic tray holder. My sample came with an extra light carrying pouch in a small plastic bag.

Inside the box, I found:

  • Skilhunt M300 V2 flashlight
  • Skilhunt BL-250 5000mAh 21700 battery (optional)
  • Wrist lanyard
  • Bi-directional pocket clip
  • USB magnetic charging dock
  • 2 Spare O-rings
  • Manual

It’s a decent package, consistent with other lights of this class. As always, I would have liked to have seen a holster, but at least they included a bi-directional pocket clip and a carry pouch. This is a good set of extras.

Build


From left to right: Skilhunt 18650 (3500mAh), Wurkkos 21700 (5000mAh), Acebeam 21700 USB-C (5100mAh), Acebeam E70 Mini, Armytek Wizard C2 Pro Nichia, Acebeam E70, Armytek Wizard C2 Pro Max, Convoy S21E, Fenix E35 v3, Imalent MS03, Skilhunt H300, Skilhunt M300 V2, Wurkkos TS22.











The M300 is a solid build, with lots of design elements to help with grip, including sharp concentric rings on the body and tailcap, and with large cut-out ridges. There is also a raised metallic blue ring surrounding the switch, and a magnetic charging dock on the opposite site of the head. Ironically, while these both help with grip, it can make identifying the switch by feel alone difficult (i.e., hard to tell the two apart by touch). But a simple solution is simply to squeeze both areas with your thumb and forefinger simultaneously to activate the light, if you can’t see what you are doing.

Along with the switch and dock areas, there are relatively flat cut-outs on the other two sides of the head, helping limit the roll of the light (better than I expected, frankly). That said, if you really want to prevent roll you are going to want to attach the removable pocket clip (which would also further help with grip, not that it really needs it). I like the bi-directional design of the clip, so that you can carry it bezel up or down.

I would say the overall size is about typical for the compact 1×21700 class – not the smallest, but also not largest I’ve seen. Handfeel is good, it is comfortable to hold and use.

The electronic switch has blue and red LEDs underneath it, which can be used to signal status of the light or battery. Switch feel is good, with a standard traverse/tactile feedback for an electronic switch. The metallic blue switch surround is distinctive looking.

One nice thing about magnetic charging docks is that waterproofness is not a concern – the light looks quite spashable/dunkable (although note that I do not test for this in my reviews).

Tailstanding is very stable, thanks to the flat tailcap (there is a side cut-out to allow you thread the basic wrist lanyard through). Tailcap threads are square-cut and anodized, with good feel. I always recommend you keep a light stored locked out when not in use. Thanks to the anodized tailcap threads, you can do this easily by a simple twist of the tailcap. There is a decently robust tailspring in the tailcap, suggesting higher current draws won’t be a problem.

Anodizing is a distinctive gun-metal gray colour, and looks to be good quality on my sample with no damage or issues, in matte finish. Skilhunt reports it is type III (hard anodized), and I see no reason to doubt that. I would say the colour goes well with the metallic blue switch surround and bezel ring.

Inside, my sample came with the optional Skilhunt-branded button-top 5000mAh 21700 battery. The battery is labelled as high-drain (15A), so that should similarly not limit maximum output.

The USB charging dock also comes with blue and red LEDs, to signal charging status. The magnet has a strong pull, and locks into place easily.




My M300 came with a XHP50.2 HD emitter, in neutral white. The reflector is fairly shallow and textured (moderate orange peel, OP). However, as expected, there is noticeable tint/colour shifting across the periphery of the beam (a well-known issue with HD emitters of the XHP family). This one seems more pronounced than most, with a relatively neutral white hotspot surrounded by an extensive corona that is very yellowish-green, and then a relatively cooler spill beam with a purplish edge. Scroll down to my Emitter Measures section more details and a discussion. There is a mild purplish anti-reflective (AR) coating on the lens.

The bezel is crenelated stainless steel, with a stylish metallic blue colour to match the switch surround. Scalloping is not too aggressive, so you can headstand stably.

User Interface

The M300 uses the latest version of the Skilhunt user interface (UI), and has a reasonably good number of modes and features. You get two Low modes, three Regular modes (two Med modes, one High mode), two Turbo modes, and three Strobe modes – organized into those four mode sets.

One comment to make up front – the mode level labels are different from most lights in that the lower number for a given level is actually the higher output (so, for example, T1 is brighter than T2). That means the constant output modes, in sequence, are: L2 > L1, M2 > M1 > H, and T2 > T1.

The manual doesn’t describe the three strobe modes, but for sake of this review I will refer to them as S3 = Strobe, S2 = SOS, and S1 = Beacon.

Let me break down the full interface for you:

From OFF:

  • Press-and-hold: Turns On in memorized Low mode (L2 or L1).
  • Single-click: Turns On in memorized Regular mode (M2, M1, or H).
  • Double-click: Turns On in memorized Turbo mode (T2 or T1).
  • Triple-click: Turns on in memorized strobe mode (S3, S2, or S1).
  • 4 clicks: Activates the electronic Lockout mode.
    • Press-and-hold for momentary Moonlight (i.e., lowest Low, L2)
    • While in lockout, the switch indicator light will flash red every second, but that can be toggled off/on with a double-click.

From ON:

  • Press-and-hold: Cycle to the next level within the current mode level set (constant output modes only, doesn’t work for Strobe).
  • Single-click: Turns Off.
  • Double-click: Jumps to the memorized Turbo level (from Regular modes only), or back to Regular modes if already in Turbo (note this doesn’t work from Low modes or Strobe modes)
  • Triple-click: Jumps to the memorized Strobe mode (from Regular or Turbo), or back to most recent Regular or Turbo if already in Strobe mode.

Strobe modes:

  • Triple-click: Turns On in memorized Strobe mode.
  • Double-click: Cycles through the Strobe modes in sequence:
    • S3 – Strobe
    • S2 – SOS
    • S1 – Beacon

Mode memory:

Yes, each mode set retains its own memory for the last level selected in that mode set.

Shortcuts:

  • To Low (L2 or L1): Press-and-hold from Off.
  • To Turbo (T2 or T1): Double-click from Off or when On in Regular mode.
  • To Strobe (S1, S2, or S3): Triple-click from Off or when On in Regular or Turbo mode.

Low voltage warning:

When the battery is running very low (<3.0V according to the manual), the switch indicator light will flash red, and the main emitter will flash every couple of seconds. The light will shut off at 2.7V according to the manual.

Lock-out mode: 

  • 4 clicks from Off: Activates the electronic Lockout mode.
  • Physical lockout is also possible by simply unscrewing the tailcap.

Battery indicator:

Yes. The LED under the switch indicates the battery status for the first ~5 secs after turning on:

  • Solid Blue: >80% Battery power remaining.
  • Flashing Blue: 50-80% Battery power remaining.
  • Solid Red: 20-50% Battery power remaining
  • Flashing Red: <20% Battery power remaining.

These seem reasonable to me, and similar to the Sofirn C8L that I recently reviewed.

Video Overview:

Please see the video below, which walks you through the common UI and build features of this light and its H300 headlamp sibling:

Reviewer Comments:

Like many of the recent lights I’ve reviewed, I find this UI to be very reasonable, and relatively versatile. Of course, you are never going to please everyone with any given UI (e.g., I would like to see double-click reliably jumping to Turbo, and have the Low modes as part of a regular sequence without having to go through off first). But these are really quibbles, the light does reasonably well.

One small thing I would like is the ability to independently turn on the the blue switch indicator, to serve as an additional “moonlight mode”. This is something the Anduril-based lights allow (if implemented, like on the Sofirn IF25A), and some other new UIs (like the Wurkkos TS22).

Allowing momentary L2 when in the electronic lockout is a nice touch. But as always, I recommend locking out the light at the tailcap when not in use.

Circuit Measures

Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM):

L2:
Lo

M2:
Mid

H:
Hi

T2:
Turbo

T1:
Turbo

There is no sign of PWM on any level – the circuit appears to be fully current-controlled. This is also no sign of high-frequency noise at any level. This is refreshing – although PWM is very rare nowadays, it is not uncommon to see some (visually-undetectable) circuit noise.

Strobes:

S3 – Strobe:


S3 Strobe alternates between 6 Hz and 14 Hz strobes (1 sec for 6Hz, 3 secs for 14 Hz).

S2 – SOS:

S2 is clearly a SOS mode.

S1 – Beacon:

S3 is a 1hz slow signalling strobe.

Charging:

The magnetic charging dock switches from blue (when charger power is provided) to solid red when connected and charging the M300. The dock switches back to solid blue when the charging is complete.

In my testing, resting voltage of the cell was ~4.12V at termination. This is lower than typical, but is easier on the cell. Note that the charging dock won’t initiate a charge cycle if the cell is above 4.0V resting, just like the Armytek charging dock.

Resting voltage <3.0V

Resting voltage >3.0V

The M300 doesn’t really have a two-stage charging feature, but it does start off at a lower charge rate when the cell is heavily depleted <3V (1.55A shown above, rises to 1.62A within a minute or so).

Standby / Parasitic Drain:

I measured the standby current as 25.4 uA. This is an extremely low standby drain, and will not appreciably affect the light (i.e., it would take ~22.5 years to fully drain the cell). Regardless, I always recommend you lockout the light when not in use – either by electronic lockout, or better yet physically by twisting the tailcap.

Emitter Measures

In this section, I directly measure key emitter characteristics of my sample in terms of colour temperature, tint, and colour rendition. Please see my Emitter Measures page to learn more about what these terms mean, and how I am measuring them. As tint in particular can shift across levels, I typically stick with the highest stably regulated level for all my reported measures.

As explained on that page, since I am using an inexpensive uncalibrated device, you can only make relative comparisons across my reviews (i.e., don’t take these numbers as absolutely accurate values, but as relatively consistent across lights in my testing).

M300 on H (Hi):

The key measures above are the colour temperature of ~4420K, and a moderately positive tint shift (+0.0117 Duv) to yellowish at this temperature. For CRI (Ra), I measured a combined score of 67.

These values are very consistent with the rated specs for the neutral white XHP50.2 emitter on my sample, and match my visual experience of this light.

Note that the standard measures above refer to the hotspot specifically. As you move away, there is always some variation in colour temperature and tint with XHPx0.2 emitters. Since my return to reviewing, I’ve found the XHP50.2 emitters are particularly prone to this, and I did notice significant tint/colour shift across the beam on this particular sample. As such, I decide to do some some additional measures.

Below are are two beamshots on a white wall of the Hi (H) level. I’ve chosen two different exposure times to better show the hotspot and spill. Camera is set to daylight white balance, and this matches pretty well to what I see by eye. I’ve also taken additional colour temp/tint readings at the various points identified:


Here are those specific measures again:

Hotspot: ~4400K, Duv +0.0117 : Neutral-warm white, somewhat yellowish tint.

Corona: ~4150K, Duv +0.0148 : Slightly warmer white, even more yellowish tint.

Mid-spillbeam: ~4950K, Duv +0.0025 : Neutral-cool white, no significant tint shift at all.

Spillbeam edge: ~6000K, Duv -0.0003 : Cool white, no significant tint shift.

Note that the spillbeam edge is much lower intensity (and thus more variable on the lightmeter). It also doesn’t show up well at the exposure settings above – but it definitely appears to the eye that there is a cooler white ring all along the outside edge. XHPx0.2 emitters are well known to produce these, although I suspect this is enhanced here due in part to the purplish AR coating on the lens and to reflections off the blue stainless steel bezel ring (both of which are “cooling” the CCT tint readings and providing this subjective edge effect).

Again, these colour temp/tint shifts are predominantly a characteristic of the XHP50.2 emitter selected here. But as this sample has a more significant variation in the beam profile than I typically notice, I’ve provided the extra context above. As an aside, this is why I generally prefer XHPx0.3 HI emitters, as they don’t show as severe chromatic variation.

Note that you can even see this effect somewhat in my outdoor beamshots below as well.

Beamshots

All outdoor beamshots are taken on my Canon PowerShot S5 IS at f/2.7, 0.5 secs exposure, ISO 400, daylight white balance. The bend in the road is approximately 40 meters (~45 yards) from the camera. Learn more about my outdoor beamshots here (scroll down for the floody light position used in this review).

Click on any thumbnail image below to open a full size image in a new window. You can then easily compare beams by switching between tabs.



As you can see above, the M300 has a balanced beam, consistent with its smaller reflector (i.e., more on the floody side). Output seems particularly high for 3000 lumens light.

Testing Results

My summary tables are generally reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. In addition to the links above, please see my output measures page for more background.

All my output numbers are based on my home-made lightbox setup. As explained on that methodology page, I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values to estimated lumens. My Peak Intensity/Beam Distance are directly measured with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter.

M300 Testing Results

ModeSpec LumensEstimated Lumens @0secEstimated Lumens @30 secsBeam Intensity @0secBeam Intensity @30secsBeam Distance @30secsPWM/Strobe FreqNoise FreqCharging Current <3VCharging Current >3VParasitic DrainWeight w/o BatteryWeight with BatteryCCT (K)DuvCRI
L210.90.9---NoNo1.55 A1.65 A25.4 uA75 g147 g---
L164.14.1---NoNo1.55 A1.65 A25.4 uA75 g147 g---
M2606060---NoNo1.55 A1.65 A25.4 uA75 g147 g---
M1230245245---NoNo1.55 A1.65 A25.4 uA75 g147 g---
H610610610---NoNo1.55 A1.65 A25.4 uA75 g147 g4,4200.011767
T21,1301,1501,150---NoNo1.55 A1.65 A25.4 uA75 g147 g---
T13,0003,6503,35015,400 cd14,200 cd238 mNoNo1.55 A1.65 A25.4 uA75 g147 g---
S3------1 HzNo1.55 A1.65 A25.4 uA75 g147 g---
S2------SOSNo1.55 A1.65 A25.4 uA75 g147 g---
S1------6-14 HzNo1.55 A1.65 A25.4 uA75 g147 g---

For most of the levels, there is a remarkably good concordance with my lightbox. The one exception is the T1 level – where I actually measured slightly higher output than the specification.

By the same token, my NIST-calibrated luxmeter actually reports slightly higher beam distance measures as well, showing these results are consistent. An impressive showing!

I’m also happy to see a ~1 lumen “moonlight” low mode here (i.e., L2). I would prefer a true <1 lumen moonlight though.

To view and download full testing results for all modern lights in my testing, check out my Database page.

Runtimes

As always, my runtimes are done under a small cooling fan, for safety and consistency. To learn more about how to interpret runtime graphs, see my runtimes methodology page.

Max

Hi

Med

Skilhunt shows both excellent output/runtime efficiency and regulation, consistent with a top-quality current-controlled driver.

As you can see above, the XHP50.2-equipped M300 shows overall output and runtime on T1 and T2 that is very similar to the XHP50.3-equipped Sofirn C8L (another very efficient light). As expected, XHP50.x lights show output performance intermediate to the XHP70.x/SST70-equipped lights and SFT40-equipped lights.

These results are all the more impressive when you consider there is a ~1 lumen “moonlight” mode (L2) included on the M300. Most of the other lights shown above don’t go as low, so this is a plus for the M300.

The regulation pattern is also impressive. Along with perfectly flat and stable outputs, you also get a reasonable amount of time at lower levels before the light shuts down. This is plenty of warning to stop and recharge.

To better show the Turbo step-down pattern on T1/T2, here is a view of just those two levels on this light:

Max-extended

Pros and Cons

ProsCons
Light has excelent output/runtime efficiency, consistent with other good current-controlled lights with the XHP50 emitter.User interface is fairly sophisticated, and reasonable for the class, but it does have some small quirks and limitations.
Circuit shows excellent regulation, with stable runtimes and reasonable step-down levels and duration.There is a noticeable colour temperature/tint shift across the spillbeam with this XHP50.2 emitter (you may want to consider an alternate choice from Skilhunt).
Although not a true "moonlight" mode, the lowest output is reasonable and effective at ~1 lumen.Magnetic charging dock performance is good and consistent with others, and won't initiate a charge >4.0V resting voltage.
Compact build with good quality and decent handfeel.
Includes a bidirectional pocket clip

Overall Rating

Preliminary Conclusions

The Skilhunt M300 ticks a lot of boxes for me. It has a high quality build, with a thoughtful design and some nice stylistic touches. Switch feel is good, and the user interface is very reasonable for the class. The charging dock worked well in my testing, consistent with others who use this magnetic design.

In terms of the circuit, the M300 is a great performer for the compact 1×21700 class. Higher output levels and runtime efficiency are on par with other good quality, constant-current circuits coupled with XHP50.x emitters. Regulation patterns are flat and stably regulated. The light even comes with a near “moonlight” level of ~0.9 lumens in my testing, which is better than most lights nowadays. Very respectable performance – although I feel you need to have a proper <1 lumen moonlight mode to earn a full 5 stars on a general purpose EDC light.

The main thing I’m not crazy about on my sample is the pronounced colour tint/temperature shift across the beam profile. XHP50.2 HD emitters are known for their chromatic aberrations, so I expected this going in – although it is particularly pronounced here. The purplish AR lens coating and reflections off the blue stainless steel bezel ring may also be contributing to a relatively cool outer edge to the spillbeam.

This is the price you pay for selecting the emitter choice that produces the maximum output in this model (which I thought was important, in order to fairly compare to other lights I’ve reviewed with that emitter). But it is great that Skilhunt offers so many emitter options here – personally, I recommend you go with one of the high CRI options instead, or the XHP50.3 HI if you really want max output with minimal chromatic aberrations.

The M300 is a very nice light, well implemented, but there are some small issues that could be tweaked to give it a top score (i.e., true moonlight, some interface improvements, higher termination level for the dock, etc.).

I’m glad to see Skilhunt is still around and producing such quality lights.

Acknowledgement

The M300 V2 was supplied by Skilhunt for review. As always, all opinions are my own and the light received the same rigourous and objective testing as all other lights that I have reviewed. At the time of review, this light retails for ~$80 USD (~$105 CDN).