Sofirn IF22A Thrower Flashlight Review
The Sofirn IF22A thrower flashlight uses a single 21700 cell, a TIR optic, and a Luminus SFT40 emitter. This combo really makes the light throw! Read on!
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a link to the official product page.
Versions
Technically, there is only one version of the Sofirn IF22A flashlight. A new version named IF22A V2 is available too (review upcoming!) In fact, I’ve tested the IF22A before, and I don’t think this version has really changed. But Sofirn wanted a fresh test of the IF22A so we can 1:1 compare it to the IF22A V2.
Price
This thrower comes in at an astounding(ly low) $34.99 with a 21700.
What’s Included
- Sofirn IF22A thrower flashlight
- Sofirn 5000mAh 21700 Cell
- Charge cable (USB to USB-C)
- 21700 to 18650 adapter
- Spare o-rings (2)
- Lanyard
Package and Manual
Build Quality and Disassembly
For the price, this Sofirn IF22A thrower flashlight has superb build quality. Really, even for more money, this would be a reasonable light. Nothing is notably bad regarding the build. In fact, there are many things to really like here!
The head has a nice bit of knurling. Maybe this is a weird place for knurling since you won’t need to really unscrew the bezel. But it’ll help with removing the cell tube (or tailcap).
Both head and tail are removable, freeing the cell tube entirely. The threads are square-cut on both ends, anodized, properly lubed, and very smooth.
Size and Comps
Dimensions: 127.1 mm (length) × 42mm (head diameter)
Weight: 123 grams (without battery)
Here’s the light in hand:
Here’s the test light with the venerable Convoy S2+. This is a brass version, which is a good bit heavier than aluminum, but has the same dimensions: 24mm in diameter by 117.5mm in length.
Also in the photo above, my Standard Reference Material (SRM) flashlight is the Hanko Machine Works Trident, an 18350 light. While I have not reviewed or tested the Gunner Grip version seen here, I have tested a Hanko Machine Works Trident Total Tesseract in brass. I love the Trident, and it’s a striking contrast to the inexpensive Convoy S2+, another great SRM.
Retention and Carry
A pocket clip is included.
This clip is designed to attach in only one place, and that’s on the tailcap end of the cell tube.
It’s a “pretty deep” carry clip, especially with the overall size of the light.
Only one side has a lanyard hole. It’s just one hole, too, and so when tailstanding, the lanyard will get in the way just a little bit. It’s very thin, though, so that’s not the biggest problem.
Power and Runtime
The Sofirn IF22A thrower flashlight is a single lithium-ion cell light. The cell tube is 21700-sized, and that’s the cell that ships in the package.
Sofirn includes this plastic sleeve, which allows flawless use of a single 18650 cell, too.
The cell is installed into the Sofirn IF22A thrower flashlight in the usual way – positive end toward the head.
Below you can see a few runtime tests. This Sofirn IF22A thrower flashlight looks to have the ATR feature seen on the SP35, too – Advanced Temperature Regulation, which can be readily seen after the initial stepdown. The output is extremely active toward the end of the run in managing the temperature. The setting can’t be changed.
These lower modes have a bit of a disappointing fade from their initial output level. That is decidedly not like the SP35 (which had flat output for the majority of runtimes).
I observed the switch providing a warning of low voltage in all three tests.
The temperature lines in these charts are included as general context, not precise measurements. The values represent the range (min to max) during testing, but should not be taken as exact readings. A temperature sensor is not always attached to the bezel (or even the hottest spot, assuming that could be defined). Even with ideal placement, too many variables affect temperature to definitively state a specific max value.
Charging
Built into the Sofirn IF22A thrower flashlight is USB-C charging.
The charge port is in the head, just opposite the switch. These two items (switch and charge port cover) are different enough that you’ll not confuse them.
Sofirn includes a charging cable – USB to USB-C. It’s a surprisingly high-quality cable. I tested operation with USB-C to USB-C, and that works (but looks to just be at 5V). Still, it works, which is good.
Charging looks fine and is quick from C to C – at around 3A from the USB source.
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens | Tailcap Amps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo | 2100 | 1h51m | 1655 (0s) 1503 (30s) |
5.23 |
| High | 1100 | 2h17m | 755 (0s) 726 (30s) |
2.52 |
| Medium | 320 | 5h36m | 251 | 1.07 |
| Low | 30 | 41h22m | 17 | 73.4mA |
| Moon | 1 | >400h | 0.33 | 4mA |
Pulse Width Modulation
We can see PWM on all but the lowest mode. It’s fast enough to be invisible, though.
Click here to see a “baseline” – a chart with almost no light hitting the sensor.
Then there’s the Ultrafire WF-602C flashlight, which has some of the worst PWM I’ve seen. It’s so bad that I used a post about it to explain PWM! Here are multiple timescales (10ms, 5ms, 2ms, 1ms, 0.5ms, 0.2ms) to make comparing this “worst” PWM light to the test light easier. That post also explains why I didn’t test the WF-602C at the usual 50us scale.
User Interface and Operation
The Sofirn IF22A thrower flashlight is controlled by a single switch. It’s an e-switch on the side of the head.
This switch also has indicating features – below it’s seen indicating red for low voltage. Notably, the switch will indicate for 5 seconds after the light is turned on, as follows:
Green: remaining battery power is good
Red: remaining battery power is poor (less than 30%)
Red Flashing: recharge or swap cell immediately.
There’s a surprising amount of travel on this switch. It’s also quite proud
Here’s a user interface table! Note that this user interface is just like the Sofirn SP35 and Sofirn SC21, which I reviewed previously. Whether Ramping is group 1 or 2 doesn’t really matter, so I’m leaving the user interface table as it was for the SP35 and SC21. Switching between the two is the same, and the indication that groups were switched is the same, too.
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Click | On (Mode Memory) |
| Off | Hold | Moonlight |
| On | Hold | Group 1: Mode cycle (Low, Medium, High only)Group 2: Ramp up |
| Any (except Turbo) | Double Click | Turbo |
| Turbo or Strobe | Click | Previous state |
| On | Click | Off |
| Turbo | Double Click | Moonlight |
| On | Click 4x | Switch between Group 1 and Group 2 |
| Any | Click 3x | Strobe |
| Off | Click 4x | Lockout (blinks twice to confirm) |
| Lockout | Click 4x | Unlock (to mode memory) |
| Lockout | Click | Main emitter blinks 2x to indicate lockout |
| Lockout | Hold | Momentary Moonlight |
Why you’d want to double click from Turbo to get to Moonlight, I have no idea.
Group 2 (Ramping) is very similar to the above Group 1, except holding the switch will cause the light to ramp up. Loosening, then holding the switch again within 1.5s will cause the ramp to switch directions. So it’s possible to ramp up or down. Double-click still gets Turbo.
LED and Beam
The big deal on the Sofirn IF22A thrower flashlight is the Luminus SFT40 emitter. It offers both great output and great throw.
Throw from this emitter is aided by the TIR, which is clear and seemingly made for throw emitters.
LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)
CRI here is low, and the CCT ranges from cool white to very cool white.
CCT (Correlated Color Temperature) refers to the measurement of the color appearance of light, expressed in Kelvins (K), which indicates whether the light is warm (yellowish) or cool (bluish). A lower CCT (below 3000K) is considered warm light, while a higher CCT (above 5000K) gives cooler, bluish light.
CRI (Color Rendering Index) is a measure of how accurately a light source renders colors in comparison to natural sunlight. Scored on a scale from 0 to 100, higher CRI values indicate that colors appear more true to life and vibrant, similar to how they would look under the sun.
Beamshots
These beamshots always have the following settings: f8, ISO100, 0.3s shutter, and manual 5000K exposure. These photos are taken at floor level, and the beam hits the ceiling around 9 feet away.
Tint vs BLF-348 (KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b version) (affiliate link)
I keep the test flashlight on the left and the BLF-348 reference flashlight on the right. These photos are taken around 18 inches from the door.
I compare everything to the KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b BLF-348 because it’s inexpensive and has the best tint!
Summary and Conclusion
The Sofirn IF22A thrower flashlight is a great light for throw. The output is fine as long as you aren’t just running steady, but if you do, you’ll probably run into the annoying temperature regulation. For $35, the light is a great deal! Throw is just great with this light!
The Big Table
| Sofirn IF22A thrower flashlight | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Luminus SFT-40 (Cool white) |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $34.99 |
| Cell: | 1×21700 |
| Runtime Graphs | |
| LVP? | Yes |
| Switch Type: | E-switch |
| Quiescent Current (mA): | ? |
| On-Board Charging? | Yes |
| Charge Port Type: | USB-C |
| Charge Graph | |
| Power off Charge Port | “with cell: all modes without cell and/or without body: lowest three modes” |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 2100 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 1503 (71.6% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen | 75.5 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 629 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 2880lux @ 6.277m = 113474cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 673.7 (107.1% of claim)^ |
| Claimed CCT | Cool white 6000-6500 |
| Measured CCT Range (K) | Cool white 5900-7100 Kelvin |
| Item provided for review by: | Sofirn |
| All my Sofirn reviews! | |
^ Measurement disclaimer: Testing flashlights is my hobby. I use hobbyist-level equipment for testing, including some I made myself. Try not to get buried in the details of manufacturer specifications versus measurements recorded here; A certain amount of difference (say, 10 or 15%) is perfectly reasonable.
What I like
- Great deal at under $35.
- Very nice throwy beam profile
- Ramping option if you want it
- But the stepped group is very smart, too
- USB-C charging works great
- PWM is fast enough to be a non-issue
What I don’t like
- 6500K
- Ramp speeds make ramping a little bit awkward
- The sawtooth we see for temperature regulation may be a bit aggressive
- This version seems to make no mention of being a powerbank (?)
Notes
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