SUPERFIRE SF-101

Gentos Superfire SF-101, retail $28 (URL not known)
Manufactured by Gentos (URL not known)
Last updated 03-04-04




The Gentos Superfire SF-101 is a nice looking, almost all-metal flashlight that uses a 1.2 watt low-dome (batwing) Luxeon Star LED and three AAA cells. The beam is slightly adjustable, so if the current beam pattern pisses you off, you can adjust it a bit if desired, and hopefully, you won't be angry (or at least, not as angry) at the beam pattern.

The Superfire comes with a gusseted nylon belt holster, which won't be tested by me because I do not use pants that require a belt.


SIZE



If the Superfire does not come to you ready to use, install the batteries (see below), and then it'll be ready to go.

To use the Superfire, press the black button on the barrel until it clicks to get light, and press it again until it clicks to not get light.

Although there is no momentary mode when the Superfire is off, you can signal with the flashlight when it's on, if you don't mind the backward feeling of it.

The beam is slightly adjustable; to adjust it, turn the bezel (head) clockwise or counterclockwise to obtain the beam configuration you're most happy with. Be careful here; if you unscrew the bezel too far, it will disengage from the O-ring and freewheel, and could come off rather easily at this point if you're not paying attention.



The Superfire uses 3 AAA cells, held in a carriage in a side-by-side configuration to help keep the length of the flashlight short.

To change the batteries, unscrew and remove the tailcap and throw it away...O WAIT YOU'LL NEED THAT!!! So just set it aside instead. ;-)
Tip the open end of the barrel into your hand, and a plastic carriage containing three AAA cells will slide out. Remove the three dead cells from this carriage and dispose of or recycle them as you see fit. Insert three new AAA cells into the carriage, so the flat (-) side of each cell goes onto the spring for it in each chamber. Once the carriage is full, slide it back into the flashlight barrel, spring side first (facing the flashlight head), and screw the tailcap back on.
There. Done with that.

The Superfire draws 365mA from the batteries that were included with the test sample. I measured both on the 2A and 20A scales on my DMM, and obtained similar results.




Here's a look "down the barrel" as it were.
The low-dome LS LED and the smooth reflector are shown in this picture.

Because the Superfire flashlight is a loaner sample, I won't try to drown it in the toilet, let the dog go to the bathroom on it, swing it against a steel rod, run over it with a 400lb wheelchair, intentionally get jammed or stuck in doorways, or bestow upon it other misfortunes that other flashlights may have bestowed upon them.

Although there is no statement of water resistance on the package (not in English anyway - the majority of text on it is in those Japanese script type characters), the flashlight does hold a vaccume when the tailcap was removed, the barrel relieved of its battery carriage, and the flashlight was sucked on. And there is an O-ring on the tailcap and on the barrel under the head. So this flashlight should be at very minimum water resistant and weatherproof, so there should be no problem with using the Superfire in rainy or snowy weather.

This flashlight is made from fairly thick aluminum, so it shouldn't be very easy to break.
I can't verify this however because this sample is a loaner, and its owner would probably appreciate receiving a new, clean flashlight back; instead of one that's scratched, dirty, or with a flattened barrel filled with dirty toilet water and rat poop.



Beam photo at ~12".
Measures 871,000mcd using a Meterman LM631 light meter.

This reading is a bit high because the hotspot is small at this
distance. You can see that in the beam photograph directly above.



TEST NOTES:
Loaner sample of this flashlight was sent by a Candlepower Forums member, and was received on 03-04-04. I probably won't have it long, so comparative analyses between it and other flashlights will not be possible.


UPDATE: 00-00-00



PROS:



CONS:



    MANUFACTURER: Gentos
    PRODUCT TYPE: Small handheld flashlight
    LAMP TYPE: 1.2 watt Luxeon Star LED
    No. OF LAMPS: 1
    BEAM TYPE: Central hotspot, dimmer outer region, dimmer corona
    SWITCH TYPE: Pushbutton on/off on barrel
    BEZEL: LED and reflector protected by plastic window
    BATTERY: 3 AAA cells
    CURRENT CONSUMPTION: Unknown/unable to measure
    WATER RESISTANT: Yes, splash-resistant at very minimum
    SUBMERSIBLE: Unknown
    ACCESSORIES: Belt pouch, lanyard, 3 AAA cells
    WARRANTY: Unknown

    PRODUCT RATING:

    Star Rating





Gentos Superfire SF-101 * (URL not known)






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