Solarforce?

Hey guys, I've been around for a little while. Once in a while i hear (or see) some Solarforce products.

I've never had a Solarforce light, neither touched nor used one, but I just want to hear what you guys have to say about their product/brand image, etc since I want to know more about it/them.

I'll make this a poll so that things can be accountable more easily.
Then I'll add what I think (not anyone else, just my opinion) of it.

As mentioned before, I've never had a Solarforce light, neither touched nor used one ever.

As of NOW, my general impression of them is that they seems very pretentious. Some of their light looks kind of cool, some are just IMO ugly try-hards.
That's the looks. Now quality. I have a feeling they're probably better than Ultrafires, but not as good as Fenix and the lot. This impression is gained from photos and it price.

Any corrections? Suggestions? Enlightments?:thinking:

thank you for your involvement

I have a Solarforce Limited Edition L2M in all Stainless Steel. It can tailstand, and has a single output R2 module.

I like it so far. Really Solidly built. Waterproof. Threads are smooth. Bright beam with a defined hotspot and not much spill. Takes 1-123a battery, or 2-123a batteries or one 18650 with the SS body extension.

Overall a very well constructed. I wouldn't have any qualms about running it over repeatedly with a piece of heavy machinery, dusting it off, and having it still work.

That said, I do plan on swapping out the single mode module for a 5 mode R2 or something else with multiple settings.

i have solarforce l900, i love it, quality is well above avarige, i don't have any other mentioned light (exsept sf) so i can't really tell you how it compares to others (mentioned in your comparo), next to surefire it is seems to be lower quality, but but in places you don't see. and it doesn't affect performance, and looks, threads are not as presice machined, but ouside just as good, no tool marks, finish is smooth, and coating is flawless, for the price they are awesome lights, no sf has 750lm, 1,5-2 hours of runitme, for 120$.

What's the purpose of this poll again?

If you're trying to compare quality between the brands stated in the poll, this thread will be closed before you can say :huh2:

Zeruel said:

What's the purpose of this poll again?

If you're trying to compare quality between the brands stated in the poll, this thread will be closed before you can say :huh2:

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Exactly. Hopefully this thread will not evolve into a brand X vs brand Y argument.

I have had 2 Solarforces L2s for about 6 months, with an upgraded led . I really like the look and feel of them. Someday, I'll probably spend $150 on a Surefire, but for now,they have been used and droped a lot. While nicked, they still work great and if I do break or lose one, won't feel the huge loss I would with a Surefire.

I suppose I shouldn't compare the two, but the L2 is a copy of the 6P.

Lastly, I'm still a relative newbie here and really don't know what I'm talking about. However, I've had I lot of fun with mine for comparitively little $$.

yeah, i hear about threads being closed for bashing any particular brand/s.
Basically the purpose of this thread is to find out Solarforce's position within CPF.

I know some people prefer some brands over others.
But I believe the defacto status stands at:
SF quality > JB quality > StF quality

note:
- SF = Surefire (NOT Solarforce)
- StF = StupidFire
lol

I don't think anyone would disagree right?
Well if you disagree, I recommend you to explore more threads in CPF before you come back.

Refering to poll: maybe I should have made this public. So the smart guy who thinks Solarforce is on par with Surefire can do some explaining

SoFo's threading and anodizing needs a lil work...

alpg88 said:

i have solarforce l900, i love it, quality is well above avarige, i don't have any other mentioned light (exsept sf) so i can't really tell you how it compares to others (mentioned in your comparo), next to surefire it is seems to be lower quality, but but in places you don't see. and it doesn't affect performance, and looks, threads are not as presice machined, but ouside just as good, no tool marks, finish is smooth, and coating is flawless, for the price they are awesome lights, no sf has 750lm, 1,5-2 hours of runitme, for 120$.

Click to expand...

The OP is not talking about price, output or runtime. It is just a simple and direct question about QUALITY.

IMHO they make good stuff, based on the models I have played around with at meets and other members. I wouldn't quite put them on the same level with Surefire though, because I can get SF replacement parts for the lifetime of the product with just a phone call. But physically, they seem to be very well made.

*EDIT* FWIW, I have not owned every light/brand listed in the poll. I have handled and used them at CPF meets.

I bet my light collection that those who voted SF, have never handled one in their whole lives.

Outdoors Fanatic said:

I bet my light collection that those who voted SF, have never handled one in their whole lives.

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+1

I have both Surefire and Solarforce lights here in front of me, and the Solarforce are good solid lights but just do not rise to the SF level; IMO they rank somewhat below a Fenix, but higher than a DX type light.

this poll is only relevant if you own every single light that you mentioned and have compared them to the Solarforce. Personally, i may not own that many lights but i bow to the input of those who do.

I'd go with that.
Not quite Surefire or even Fenix but right up there.

One thing to consider is that the body takes 18650 so the walls are thinner than the same sized Surefire.
A more hollow ring to it.

More confusing is where does Seraph feature vs Solarforce.

Solarforce bodies are good quality hosts. They are not spectacular, but the difference is subtle, especially if you are just using it as a host for an aftermarket.

I have two Surefire 6P's, and just bought a Solarforce L2 as a host since I want to use an 18650 battery. The quality of the host body is very good. My only slight complaint is that the knurling of the Surefire is a lot grippier than the Solarforce.

In the future, I will not hesitate to buy another Solarforce for a host body.

Outdoors Fanatic said:

The OP is not talking about price, output or runtime. It is just a simple and direct question about QUALITY.

Click to expand...

neither he talks "correct what you think is wrong about other posts", really, did you read just last 10 words in my post?????

berry580 said:

I've never had a Solarforce light, neither touched nor used one, but I just want to hear what you guys have to say about their product/brand image, etc since I want to know more about it/them.

Click to expand...

This is a bit of a tough one. It really depends on which models you own. The Solarforce L2 host is probably their best product. It might be the best Surefire 6P / 6PD clone out there. Quality isn't on par with my Surefire 6P, by my Solarforce L2 is better than decent, even with a reverse-clickie as standard. (But that type of tailcap helps if you select a multi-mode LED to put inside the L2). Quality is certainly better than Ultrafire, Spiderfire, and pretty much any knock-off company that uses "fire" as the 2nd half of their name.

I have noticed that Solarforce is enjoying a better brand image on CPF than what I've personally experienced. While I can recommend their L2 host. Their L600 model is nearly junk. Mine was one of the earlier production models, and it came with shaped cork as a vital component of the flashlight. Let me be clear about that.... It was cork. The same stuff you get free with even cheap wine bottles. I didn't expect Surefire quality when I bought the light. But I also didn't expect cork.

It really depends on the model. Overall, I'd say above the various "fire" knock-offs. But definitely below JetBeam. (My L2 host is quite rough, when compared side-by-side with my JetBeam Military model).

If you want Surefire quality, you're better off buying a Surefire.

I liked the concept of the L600 so much, I put together a light of much better quality. Leef C-tail to M-head, tailcap and head from a stock Surefire M4, replacement lamp from Lumens Factory (designed for the M3T), and two AW 18650 rechargeables. Same basic light, much more expensive, and much higher quality. (Although to be honest, I'm currently running it with a Surefire MN61 and 4 primary CR123 cells).

I have two SoFo L2s at the house one is a mini. I for one love these lights. You can not beat the quality at the price. I would not be afraid to use these lights when needed. I reach for them most of all. On the other hand, for the price, I would not cry if one of them did get lost or damaged. Some others, would break my heart.

So, I must say for the low price tag, you can't beat a SoFo......or maybe you can, at that price :crackup:

Paul

Monocrom said:

I liked the concept of the L600 so much, I put together a light of much better quality. Leef C-tail to M-head, tailcap and head from a stock Surefire M4, replacement lamp from Lumens Factory (designed for the M3T), and two AW 18650 rechargeables. Same basic light, much more expensive, and much higher quality. (Although to be honest, I'm currently running it with a Surefire MN61 and 4 primary CR123 cells).

Click to expand...

I liked the concept of the L600 so much, I put together a light of much better quality. Leef C-tail to M-head, tailcap and head from a stock Surefire M4, replacement lamp from Lumens Factory (designed for the M3T), and two AW 18650 rechargeables. Same basic light, much more expensive, and much higher quality. (Although to be honest, I'm currently running it with a Surefire MN61 and 4 primary CR123 cells).

Click to expand...

Why is that?? :shrug: :thinking:
You really don't need to burn primaries like crazy just to get that level of output. You may run the MN21 on 2x AW 18650, it's way brighter than the MN61 on primaries and it's a free ride to boot! Another superb "free lumens" setup is the IMR-M3T on 2x 18650 IMR cells. It has KILLER throw and a perfectly smooth and round beam. You should definitely try them out.

Cheers.