Sofirn SP35 vs Sofirn HS40
Quick take: The Sofirn SP35 throws farther (276m vs 184m).
| Spec | Sofirn SP35 | Sofirn HS40 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $28 | $28 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | EDC | Headlamp |
| Lumens | 2,000 lm | 2,000 lm |
| Candela | 19,000 cd | 8,500 cd |
| Beam distance | 276m | 184m |
| Runtime | 2 hrs (high) | 2 hrs (high) |
| Battery | 21700 | 18650 |
| LED | SST-40 6500K | SST-40 5000K |
| Beam type | Balanced | Flood |
| Modes | 5 Stepped | 4 Stepped |
| UI | Simple | Simple |
| IP rating | IPX8 | IPX8 |
| CRI | 70 | 70 |
| Weight | 3.5 oz | 2.5 oz |
| Dimensions | 5.1 x 1.1 in | 4.2 x 1.1 in |
| Warranty | 1 Year | 1 Year |
What owners report
Sofirn SP35
- ✓Build quality reviewers rate as good even ignoring the price
- ✓USB-C charging at around 2A — genuinely quick for a single 21700
- ✓Smooth reflector gives a well-defined hotspot and useful throw for the size
- ✓Around 2,000 lumens and 330 m of reach from a common, cheap cell
- ✓Simple to live with — no firmware to learn
- ✗Cool, low-CRI SST-40; colours look washed out next to a high-CRI light
- ✗Sofirn's thermal sensor calibration can trigger early step-down on this generation
- ✗No magnetic tailcap
- ✗Beam is unremarkable — competent rather than clean
- ✗Reviewed less widely than Sofirn's headline models, so there's less independent data
Sofirn HS40
- ✓Ships with both 18650 and 18350 tubes — long runtime or light on the head
- ✓Buck driver with better regulation than earlier Sofirn headlamps
- ✓USB-C port sits nearly flush under its plug
- ✓Simple interface with nothing to learn
- ✓Right-angle body works as a headlamp and as a work light
- ✗The button is on the end rather than the side, so no pinch activation
- ✗Less independently reviewed than Sofirn's headline headlamps
- ✗No high-CRI option in the standard configuration
- ✗18350 tube trades most of the runtime for the weight saving
- ✗Basic feature set with no secondary emitter