Convoy L21A vs Sofirn IF22A
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Quick take: The Sofirn IF22A costs $3 less; the Sofirn IF22A is brighter (2,100 vs 2,000 lm); the Convoy L21A throws farther (1342m vs 537m); the Sofirn IF22A runs longer on high (1.5 vs 1 hrs).
| Spec | Convoy L21A | Sofirn IF22A |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $35 | $32 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Thrower | Thrower |
| Lumens | 2,000 lm | 2,100 lm |
| Candela | 450,000 cd | 72,000 cd |
| Beam distance | 1342m | 537m |
| Runtime | 1 hr (turbo) | 1.5 hrs (high) |
| Battery | 21700 | 21700 |
| LED | SBT90.2 6500K | SFT-40 6500K |
| Beam type | Throw | Throw |
| Modes | 4 Stepped | Ramping + Stepped |
| UI | Biscotti | Anduril 2 |
| IP rating | IPX8 | IPX8 |
| CRI | 70 | 70 |
| Weight | 11.0 oz | 5.5 oz |
| Dimensions | 6.5 x 2.4 in | 5.2 x 1.6 in |
| Warranty | 1 Year | 1 Year |
What owners report
Convoy L21A
- ✓Built like a tank, with thread quality owners single out
- ✓Intense beam that keeps usable spill, unlike many throwers
- ✓Great throw for the price and size
- ✓Wide emitter choice from Convoy's menu
- ✓Simon's legendary parts-and-repair support
- ✗The tube only accepts Samsung-dimension cells or equivalents
- ✗No accessories included
- ✗One owner found reverse-polarity protection didn't work as expected
- ✗No onboard charging
- ✗Superseded by the slimmer L21B for most buyers
Sofirn IF22A
- ✓Around 300 m of usable identification range from a pocketable body
- ✓Excellent interface — moon and turbo shortcuts, lockout, momentary moon from lockout
- ✓SFT-40 behind a TIR gives a clean pencil beam with little wasted spill
- ✓Doubles as a power bank
- ✓Performance per pound is the best in the catalog at this reach
- ✗Runs hot — around 70°C — despite the stated thermal regulation
- ✗Output oscillates during turbo and high rather than settling cleanly
- ✗Some early units over-charged their cells; check voltage after the first charge
- ✗Fussy about cells: unprotected flat-top 21700 or protected button-top 18650
- ✗Cool, low-CRI SFT-40, which is the trade for the throw