1800 High Lumen Flashlight

Excellent every day carry flashlight. It is quite small for an 18650 light, 25 mm D x 102 mm L, and fits in the pocket well. The switch can be activated inadvertently, so you may want to use the lockout feature, 4 clicks. This is one area that could be improved by slightly lowering the switch or building up a protective land around it. However, the lockout mode can avoid problems. From moonlight to turbo, it offers a good choice of brightness levels 30 - 1800 lumens in a total of 5 steps. As in most flashlights, turbo automatically throttles down to high after a few minutes to prevent overheating. Moonlight (30 lm) and low (100 lm) are about all you need indoors. The higher modes give you the brightness and throw needed for some outdoor uses. For prolonged outdoor use, you may want a real thrower with bigger battery and longer run times, but that won't fit in your pocket well. The User interface is simple and intuitive. It has memory for low, medium and high modes from your last used setting, hold the switch to step between low medium and hot. Access moonlight from off by holding the switch for a few seconds, turbo by double clicking. It does have a strobe mode (3 clicks) but no other blinky settings. I find the UI to be a reasonable choice of settings in a reasonable number of clicks. It is not overly complicated with things I don't really need. It will tail stand, and projected upwards onto a ceiling give useful room lighting if the power is out. The pocket clip is unidirectional and can not be reversed on the flashlight, so you can't attach to the visor of a baseball cap. That might be another area for future improvement, as would a magnetic tail cap. I've only had it a few days but it is a better EDC for me than any of my other flashlights.

The SC18 delivers on nearly everything you could ask for in a compact and simple flashlight, and it's amazing how inexpensive it manages to be! The user interface is very straightforward, but still has great features like moonlight mode and an electronic lockout mode. I really appreciate the low battery indicator on the switch and that charging works with USB C to C cables (which unfortunately not all flashlights I've had can do). The beam pattern with the TIR lens is great for the outdoors or large rooms: it has a tight focused hotspot in the middle and a wide spill that gradually tapers outward. It's surprisingly throwy, but still completely usable up close. It's not the brightest light ever, but it's as bright as a light this size can be without overheating in a matter of seconds and it's more than enough output for anything I ever need a flashlight for. I always prefer a warmer tint and higher color rendering, but those are features that will lead to less output, so I'm happy with the tradeoff for a light like this. It feels incredibly premium given the price. The finish feels very smooth, and the machining is more comfortable and more interesting than the knurling on most lights. The body and head are all one piece instead of separate like most lights, so it's probably a little more durable than average, too. I would love if it had a tail magnet, but I understand given the price that some things need to be left out. I also would have preferred a metal switch, but the rubber one at least has a very satisfying click to it. It has springs on both ends of the battery, so there's no rattle or movement of anything, it just feels super solid. In the end it's a great light at a great price. I often prefer to use more complicated or more specialized flashlights, but I will probably end up buying more SC18s in the future as gifts or to loan to other people because it's a high quality light that just works.

This light is a pretty nice and handy light, it's got a decent tint and pretty good brightness and great and intuitive ramping user interface. The clip is very useable and the lighted electronic switch is not so easy to press that I end up accidently turning it on all the time and seems efficient as I've had it for about 2 months so far and use it daily and still have yet to need to recharge the battery. The beam is pretty useful with a mix of throw and decent amount of spill. The build quality is far above average as is typical for Sofirn making it an exceptional value at it's price point. One small possibly gripe is that it isn't as mod friendly as most Sofirn lights and the other lights I typically purchase.

I was recently furnished the SC18 flashlight by Sofirn in exchange for an impartial review. Here are my thoughts; Size & Weight: The most obvious characteristic of the SC18 is its small size and weight for an 18650 light. It’s easily the smallest 18650 light I’ve owned. The pic below shows how it compares to the popular Sofirn SC31 Pro, on the right, which is a fairly compact 18650 light itself. On the left is the SC21 Mini, which uses a much smaller 16340 cell. I usually reach for a smaller flashlight, as long as it has the output I need at the moment. For me, that’s usually an AA/14500 or 16340 light. But the SC18 is small and light enough that I’ve found myself choosing it recently. The impressive output, and superior runtime, give it a big performance edge over my AA/14500 and 16340 lights. User Interface (UI): The SC18 has a side “e” (electronic) switch. I generally prefer a mechanical switch, but as e-switches go, the SC18’s is pretty good. One reviewer noticed a slight delay between pressing the switch and the light activating, but I don’t see that. A common problem with side e-switches is that they’re so recessed that it’s hard to locate them in the dark. The SC18 suffers a little from this as the button lies fairly flat, but not so much as with some I’ve seen. The fact that it sits right between the pronounced cooling fins also helps locate it. Finally, placing the clip 180 degrees opposite the switch also makes it easy to locate. One of my dislikes for e-switches is that their operation varies from light to light. I have a lot of flashlights and so remembering the various schemes is a challenge. For the SC18 it’s a quick press to turn on, then press-and-hold to cycle through low-medium-high. From off, press-and-hold activates moon mode (even during lockout). Double click for turbo; triple click for strobe; quadruple click locks or unlocks the light (to prevent it turning on accidentally. You can also simply unscrew the tailcap just enough to break the circuit). I like the simplicity of low-medium-high as you can get to where you’re going quickly. Double click for turbo is a common feature on many lights and is quick and easy. The mode spacing is very good. The SC18 also has mode memory---when you turn it on, it will remember its previous level (low-medium-high). Beam and Output: The SC18 uses a TIR (total internal reflection) lens and produces a clean white beam. Some reviewers have found it too cool but it suits me fine. I’m not a warm tint aficionado and am happy with a cool tint, as long as it’s not too blue or green, as it tends to yield a little more output. The SC18 manages a good combination of throw and spill, emphasizing throw a bit more with a fairly bright and tight spot. The throw is impressive for such a small light and comes close to matching that of its bigger brother, the SC31 Pro. We have a large yard and I can reach every corner with medium, and way beyond with high and turbo. I’ve read SC18 reviews where the lumen output was measured and it fell fairly short of the claimed lumens. I’m nevertheless impressed with the actual output I’ve observed. Moreover, one of those reviews measured the candela (hotspot intensity) as greater than claimed---meaning longer throw. Runtime: I’m not equipped to do any serious runtime tests but so far I’ve been impressed with how slowly the 3000 mAh 18650 cell depletes. Maybe because I’m used to how quickly my 14500 and 16340 lights run down, but when I periodically check the SC18 cell on a multimeter, I’m surprised how little the voltage has dropped. My impression from some reviews is that the SC18 is a direct drive rather than a regulated light. That is, the output decreases as the battery depletes. In the SC18 this was observed most dramatically in turbo and high, less so in medium, and just slightly in low. (A regulated light, by contrast, maintains near constant output even as the battery depletes.) I consider this a significant negative, though it will be more or less of one depending on how you use the light. If you use it for hours at a time between charges, it would be more of a problem. If, like me, you use it for fairly brief periods and can access a charger whenever you like, it’s not as important. I’ve been using my SC18 for brief periods every night for the last 5 or 6 nights and any decrease in output hasn’t been noticeable. Charging: A separate charger isn’t needed for the SC18. To charge, simply plug the USB-C cord into the charging port and the other end into the USB port of your computer. I dislike rubber port covers as they’re flimsy and can get in the way and become easily dislodged. I hope Sofirn will develop a metal sleeve covered port similar to the one certain Fenix and ThruNite lights have. That said, those lights have built in, non-replaceable batteries, which have their own disadvantages. So, if that’s a requirement for the metal sleeve feature, there’s a real trade-off. The SC18 does use USB-C charging, which is faster than Micro-USB, and is quickly becoming the standard for rechargeable flashlights. Misc. Features: The SC18 has reverse polarity protection, so that if you accidentally insert the battery in the wrong direction, it won’t damage the battery or the flashlight. There is low and high voltage protection. If the battery is over-charged, or overly depleted, the light cuts off. There is a low battery indicator. When you first switch on the SC18, a green light in the button appears, indicating good status. A red light means the battery is low, and a flashing red light means to charge immediately. The tailcap is wide and flat, so the SC18 will easily and steadily tailstand (although not if the lanyard is attached). Some reviewers have complained of lack of a magnetic tailcap, but that’s not a feature I need. The clip is nice looking, sturdy, and firmly attached. It was too tight out of the box as it caused the light to scrape pretty hard on my jeans. But I was able to bend it slightly and now it’s fine. The SC18 has an attractive design and appearance. It’s fairly sleek and not “junked up”. The cooling fins, which perform an important function on such a small and high powered light, aren’t oversized and ugly. The horizontal lines on the body are a nice design feature. One reviewer said they make the grip a little slick, but this isn’t an issue for me, especially since the clip gives you something extra to grab. Value: The Amazon price tends to jump around but at the time of this writing it’s $22.49, which includes the 18650 battery, USB-C charging cord, lanyard, 2 spare o-rings, and user manual. For such a small, powerful, and well designed light, the SC18 lands towards the top of the bang-for-the-buck list. Overall, it’s just a great value.

My first impression was there are not many flashlights that use the 18650 battery and are only 4 inches long like the Sofirn SC18. Impressively small size! Many or maybe all of the flashlights that might be smaller do not have built-in onboard charging as the SC18 does. With the included Sofirn 3000 mAh battery installed the SC18 weighs 3 ½ ounces, about as light as one can get with a 18650 battery included. I prefer flashlights with side switches instead of tail-cap switches. The side switch on the SC18 incorporates a handy battery charge condition indicator; an LED in the switch illuminates for about 5 seconds when the light is turned on. Green for OK, red for getting low and a blinking red for recharge very soon. The UI (user interface) is thankfully quite straightforward. A simple single click (1C) turns the light On or Off. A click-and-hold (1H) when the light is On will cause the light to switch to the next level. The SC18 will cycle through Low, Medium, and High and then return to Low and continue rotating through the L-M-H sequence until the switch is released. The SC18 also has memory and will remember the level that was last used (only between L-M-H) and turn back on at that last used level. From Off, a 1H will make the light turn On at moonlight (ML), an extra low level I like to have when using the light to navigate a dark bedroom and not disturb others or my own night vision. A double click (2C) from either On or Off will switch the light to the extra bright Turbo mode level. Another feature I very much appreciate in a flashlight with a side switch is the electronic lockout. Four rapid clicks (4C) from Off will lock the light. The light will blink at the end of the 4C and remain off if the button switch is pressed. I find this invaluable when I carry the light in a pocket, bag or case. Another 4C will unlock the light and turn it On. I love this feature. The built-in charger is extremely nice to have. The USB-C port is on the opposite side of the switch, under a rubber flap. A USB A to C cord is supplied but no charger is included, which is fine as many of us have too many charger transformers sitting in drawers. The switch LED blinks red as it charges and turns to a solid green once the charge is complete. Being able to remove the battery also means that a spare could be carried in a travel case and swapped in as necessary. The Sofirn SC18 comes with a clip attached. I generally don’t use a clip for carrying a light but I like to have one as I orient the clip to make locating where the switch is if needing to find the switch by feel in a dark space. The three basic levels of L-M-H are about all I need for my normal use. The ML and Turbo are handy to have especially with the easy access. There is also a strobe mode; a rapid bright blinking mode. I seldom use that but the strobe is easily activated with three clicks (3C) from Off or On. A 1C will cancel the strobe and return the light to its previous state. Too often the strobe must be cycled through as a regular part of changing levels. Sofirn wisely hid the strobe but made it easy to activate as desired. I am quite pleased with the UI. A poor UI can ruin an otherwise good light. All in all, this is a great friendly to use light.

Photos I took a couple of photos that go with this review. The first is of the Sofirn SC18 along with the Sofirn 3000 mAh unprotected 18650 cell to show how small the flashlight is. I don't think that my photo perfectly shows how small this flashlight is, but it gives you an idea if you know how large an 18650 cell is. The second photo is of the SC18 on top of an unknown Gasteria succulent. What's interesting about Gasteria is that its leaves break off pretty easily, but you can plant the broken leaves and get new Gasteria plants without much effort. I used a program called Topaz Gigapixel AI to improve the image quality. Size & modes I'm going to start this review with the figurative "elephant" in the room. This flashlight is very compact for an 18650 flashlight. I have a bunch of compact 18650 flashlights, and this is one of the smallest, if not the very smallest. It's also quite bright on turbo. The SC18 gets warm somewhat quickly on turbo, but not on high, which is what I like. The three main modes (low, medium, and high) are nicely spaced out. Moonlight is of course quite dim, and you don't have to cycle through moonlight or turbo, which works for me. User Interface The UI is well thought out. A single click turns the light on or off. Holding down the button when the light is on cycles through the main modes. The flashlight has proper memory and will remember which of the three main modes was used last. When the light is on, a double click brings you to turbo. When the light is on, triple clicking takes you to strobe. When the light is off, holding down the button takes you to moonlight. When the light is off, a quadruple click locks out the light, and another quadruple click unlocks the light. Honestly, I wish all of my flashlights had a UI this good. It just works quite well for me. By the way, the strobe is very quick and disorienting, but I'll probably never use it because I have no use for disco modes. Fit and finish & extras The fit and finish are very nice, which is what I expect from Sofirn. The SC18 has a great clip for those that like clips. It also has a side switch, which is what a lot of people prefer. I prefer a tail switch, so I'll give this flashlight to my family because they like side switches. The light comes with a lanyard that seems pretty decent. One slight problem is that if you attach the lanyard, it interferes with tailstanding. I think the light will still tailstand with the lanyard attached, but it will not do so perfectly. The light also comes with a USB-C charging cable for those that don't want to use their own charger. The rubber cover over the charging port is quite nice. Also included are two spare o-rings. Manual & tint The printed manual seems to be written well, but the font is incredibly small. It's almost too small for me to be able to read. The tint of the emitter is described as 6500K, but it looks like 4500K to me, which is good because I like warmer tints. Flood/Throw The SC18 has a TIR lens. This is my first flashlight with a TIR lens. In general, I am not a fan. I much prefer a regular lens. This light has some throw, and a bit of flood. With a regular lens and a deeper reflector, the SC18 could have more flood and more throw. If all you care about is having as small of a flashlight as possible, then choosing a TIR lens makes sense. Otherwise, a regular lens makes more sense. Summary The SC18 is extremely compact. The modes are spaced out well. I really like the UI. The fit & finish and all the extras are very nice. The manual's font is too small. The tint is very nice (about 4500K). I am not a big fan of the TIR lens. It's an impressive flashlight and the price is right.

This is a great 18650 sideswitch flashlight for the money. It has a very simple, easy to use interface. It comes with a moonlight mode and shortcuts to jump to specific modes. Good quality button. Feels good to push. It has a crisp white tint. The TIR lens makes the beam have very nice throw. It can illuminate at a pretty good distance compared to some of my other 18650 lights. You can see the shape of the beam coming out. If you hold the light just right, it looks like a lightsaber. Excellent pocket clip. Not too stiff, not too loose. Just right. Constructive criticism: I wish the lanyard hole was positioned differently. If there is a lanyard in the lanyard hole it will prevent the light from tail standing completely flat. A magnet could have been nice in the tailcap as well. Not a deal breaker thought. This is a great light for the money. Nice USB-C charging port with waterproof rubber cover. Always a welcome feature on any flashlight these days. Sofirn really sets the standard by putting USB-C charging in so many of their lights. Cool light.

This is an excellent choice for an EDC flashlight because of how compact it is. It’s not much bigger than the included 18650 battery. It has 3 main output modes (low, med, high) and 3 special modes (moonlight, turbo, strobe) and the user interface is very simple. It has a nice combination beam which provides plenty of throw but also lots of flood. When you turn the light on, there is a battery indicator in the switch that lets you know if your battery is still good or needs charged. It has USB-C charging so you can charge it anywhere with a USB power source including in your car. The build quality is very good and the anodization seems like it will hold up to daily use well. The pocket clip is just ok. I wish it was black to match the flashlight and was bidirectional so you could clip it on a hat. Another feature is the electronic lockout and I would definitely recommend using it if you carry it in your pocket or a sheath. I had mine in a sheath a few days ago and realized the light was on. Thankfully I had it on one of the lower outputs or it could’ve been disastrous. For the price, I would definitely recommend the SC18 to anyone looking for an EDC flashlight.

Noch kleiner wäre zu klein. So aber hat sie die richtige Größe, leuchtet für Spaziergänge, Gassi-Gehen und Wanderungen richtig hell. Und - sie scheint mit einer Ladung recht lange auszukommen. Auch kein zu verachtendes Argument. Die Qualität beurteile ich dann in zwei Jahren. Aber bis jetzt: Top!