I don’t think I’ve ever done a review of a regular pocket flashlight before—neither for a phone nor for photography, just a simple everyday flashlight. This topic somewhat overlaps with EDC (Everyday Carry) gear, but I haven’t really covered it much.
Unboxing
Sofirn SK1 comes in a box with a reminder to remove the paper insulator protecting the battery during transport. Inside, we find the flashlight itself, a user manual, a USB charging cable (just a standard USB), a wrist strap, and two spare O-rings for sealing.
If you unscrew the flashlight, the paper insulator will fall out. It comes with a rechargeable lithium 18650 battery in branded wrapping featuring the flashlight manufacturer’s logo. Of course, they don’t actually produce batteries themselves—this is just a rebranded cell from another manufacturer. There’s no way to tell exactly which one, but the stated 3000mAh capacity seems reasonable. I can check the charge level separately, but it would still be just an approximation.
Charging & Build
An external charger isn’t needed, as the flashlight has a built-in charging system. You just connect it to any USB power source. The charging port is covered by a silicone seal for protection.
There’s also a green LED indicator on the flashlight that turns red when charging. It shows the battery status in four different charge levels.
The flashlight’s length is about one and a half times the size of a standard 18650 battery. The body is made from aluminum alloy, painted black. I’d like to believe it’s anodized, but it’s more likely just regular paint. The markings on the flashlight are also printed rather than engraved.
It has a clip for attaching to a pocket or belt, which can be removed. However, the wrist strap attaches through a hole in this clip, so if you remove it, you lose the ability to use the strap. This is a bit of a design flaw in my opinion—I’d prefer to remove the clip (since they tend to scratch things) but keep the wrist strap, which isn’t possible here.
Light & Modes
The flashlight uses an LED that is non-replaceable. There is no zoom function, meaning you can’t adjust the beam from spot to flood. Instead, the beam is a mix of a wide floodlight with a bright central hotspot. The light has a cool white tint.
Controls consist of two elements:
A side rotary switch for mode selection
A rubberized tail button with both half-press and full-press functions
Modes:
Lock Mode – Prevents accidental activation
Tactical Mode – For momentary and strobe functions
(Let’s call it “Strategic Mode” because why not?) – Full functionality
The tail button is electronic, not mechanical—similar to a mouse clicker.
In regular mode, a full press turns the flashlight on and stays on until you press again.
A half-press cycles through four brightness levels, from lowest to highest. These settings are remembered, even when turning the flashlight off or changing modes.
When the flashlight is off, a half-press activates a dim “nightlight” mode, which stays on only while holding the button.
In Tactical Mode, the flashlight only stays on while the button is held.
A half-press activates max brightness.
A full-press activates a strobe light at full power.
In Lock Mode, everything is disabled except for the nightlight mode (activated by a half-press).
Usage & Impressions
The Tactical Mode is probably the most convenient—you don’t have to think too much, just press and hold for max brightness.
In hand, the flashlight feels comfortable—lightweight yet sturdy. The threading is sealed with rubber O-rings (with two extras included), and the button is also sealed, so rain and humidity shouldn’t be a problem. Even if it falls into a puddle, it should be fine.
One small quirk: Even in Lock Mode, pressing the button still activates the flashlight in its lowest setting.
Heat & Performance
Looking at it with a thermal camera, there’s no extreme overheating, despite a warning label near the LED. The light does get warm, but nothing concerning.
On a single full charge, the flashlight lights about 2hrs on maximum brightness setting. However, as the battery discharges, the brightness gradually decreases. This is caused by the choice of LED electronics inside the flashlight: it uses FET driver instead of BUCK driver.
Conclusion
Overall, I like this flashlight! I don’t have much experience or passion for flashlights, so maybe hardcore enthusiasts would have different opinions, but it works well for me.
Sofirn SK1 manual
The SKI is a tactical flashlight with a rotary switch that allows you to easily switch between duty mode and tactical mode, meeting your different needs in various situations. ANSI/NEMA FL1 Chart
| Modes | Moonlight | Low | Medium | High | Turbo | Strobe |
| Output | 21m | 201m | 2401m | 7001m | 1300lm-700lm | – |
| Beam
Distance |
25m | 60m | 200m | 350m | 479m | – |
| Runtime | 200h | 50h | 9h | 130min | 3min-120min | – |
| Peak
Intensity |
160cd | 900cd | 10000cd | 30625cd | 57250cd | – |
| Impact
Resistan ce |
lm/3.28ft | |||||
| Water
Resistan ce |
IP68 (not for diving) | |||||
| Note | The parameters mentioned above are based on tests conducted under laboratory conditions, using a 18650 lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 3000mAh. Variations in temperature, battery, and environmental
factors may affect the test results. |
|||||
- Emitter: 1 high-powered white LED
- Battery Option: 1×18650 battery
- Working Voltage: 3.0V-4.2V
- Mode Operation: tail switch+rotary switch
USB Type-С charging
- Material: AL6061-T6 aluminium alloy
- Water Resistance: IP68 waterproof
- Size: 30mm*129.7mm
- Weight: 87g(without battery)
- Reverse polarity protection from improper battery installation.
The temperature protection system activates automatically if the temperature exceeds 55°C. This system reduces the output current to maintain an optimal outer temperature, ensuring a better using experience.
General Operation
Rotate the rotary switch to select the needed modes. A 2-stage button on the tail allows you to switch between different modes with a half-press and a full-press.
Tactical Mode –
| Half-press(from off) | Turbo |
| Full-press(from off) | Strobe |
Half-press Moonlight
Low
Medium
Duty Mode –
Full-press (from OFF) Memory Mode Half-press
High
Turbo
Lock Mode n Press
Moonlight
Note
Any mode in tactical mode and lock mode that is activated by half-press
or full-press will turn off once the switch is released.
Battery Level Indicator
After turning on the SKI, the indicator will indicate the battery level for 5 seconds.
Green Constant On = 75%-100%
Green Flash =50%-75%
Red Constant On = 25%-50%
Red Constant On = 0%-25%
When the battery level is below 25%, the red indicator light will stay on to indicate low battery. If the voltage drops below 2.7V, the flashlight will automatically shut off.
Red = Charging Green = Fully Charged SKI cannot be turned on while charging. It offers a USB type-C charging port for convenient charging. Please connect it with the included charging cable and use a USB power adapter (not included) with 5V/2A (max) output.
Please contact us for a refund or replacement if your flashlight has a problem within the warranty period.
Tel: +86-755-23440047 Fax: +86-755-23440141
Web: www.sofirnlight.comwww.sofirn.cnsofirn.aliexpress.com E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
Please contact us if you have any questions.
If your product is defective please contact us for replacement within warranty period.
Warnings
Do not look directly into the flashlight beam.
Keep out of reach of children.
Ensure the battery is installed correctly to avoid damage or leakage.
Do not expose the flashlight to water or extreme temperatures for prolonged periods.
Do not use rechargeable batteries that are not compatible with the flashlight.
Always remove the batteries if the flashlight will not be used for an extended period.
Do not point the flashlight at eyes or face.
Do not expose the flashlight to water or extreme temperatures for prolonged periods.
Keep the lens clean and free of debris to ensure proper light output.