Sofirn LT1S vs Sofirn SP36 Pro
Quick take: The Sofirn LT1S costs $8 less; the Sofirn SP36 Pro is brighter (8,000 vs 500 lm); the Sofirn SP36 Pro throws farther (423m vs 49m); the Sofirn LT1S runs longer on high (5 vs 2 hrs).
| Spec | Sofirn LT1S | Sofirn SP36 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $41 | $49 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Lantern | Flooder |
| Lumens | 500 lm | 8,000 lm |
| Candela | 600 cd | 44,700 cd |
| Beam distance | 49m | 423m |
| Runtime | 5 hrs (medium) | 2 hrs (high) |
| Battery | 21700 | 18650 |
| LED | Samsung LH351D (mixed CCT) | 4x Luminus SST40 |
| Beam type | Flood | Flood |
| Modes | Ramping | Ramping + Stepped |
| UI | Anduril 2 | Anduril 2 |
| IP rating | IPX8 | IPX8 |
| CRI | 95 | 70 |
| Weight | 4.5 oz | 10.0 oz |
| Dimensions | 4.8 x 1.8 in | 4.9 x 1.9 in |
| Warranty | 1 Year | 1 Year |
What owners report
Sofirn LT1S
- ✓Collapses flat into a disc — genuinely packable for backpacking
- ✓Keeps the warm-to-cool colour temperature mixing
- ✓Runs on a single cell rather than four
- ✓Good build quality with even anodising and no sharp edges
- ✓Balances brightness, runtime and pack size better than most lanterns
- ✗Dropped Anduril for a Sofirn-designed interface, which enthusiasts consider a downgrade
- ✗No built-in hanging hook — you'll want to add a carabiner
- ✗IPX4 only: fine in rain, not for kayak camping or a real soaking
- ✗Single cell means much shorter runtime than the four-cell LT1
- ✗The later Pro variant was poorly received
Sofirn SP36 Pro
- ✓8,000 lumens with three 18650 cells included, for around $50
- ✓Anduril 2 with all the configurability that brings
- ✓Balanced beam profile rather than pure flood
- ✓Good size and weight for the output rating
- ✓Build quality reviewers call perfectly acceptable, and better than the price suggests
- ✗No anti-roll flats — it rolls off any sloped surface
- ✗Cool, greenish SST-40 tint with low CRI
- ✗Charging three cells takes a long time
- ✗Cooling fin edges are mildly sharp
- ✗The thermal sensor can need recalibrating or it steps down early