I am going to give my detailed thoughts on the Sofirns, in comparison to the two Zebras I own. A quick summary for those that don't want to read my entire post. Zebra makes an overall better product, but at 3 times the cost it's nearly impossible for me to see they are 3 times better than Sofirns.
I have had some Fenix lights as well that I thought were really good and fall somewhere between the Zebra and Sofirn but closer to the Zebras.
I purchased 5 different Sofrin lights, 4 different headlamps and 2 different headlamps.
The Sofirn SP40 is the only Sofirn light that compared most closely to the Zebra (H600c Mk IV H600c Mk IV 18650 XHP50.2 4000K High CRI) headlamp I have. The Sofirn is about 1/2" longer. I like 4000k lights, and both of these are that color temperature. The headband and light holder of the Zebra is better but the Sofirn does have on board charging where the Zebra requires and external charger of some sort. The Zebra seems brighter to me and has many more customizable brightness levels. The Sofirn beam is more of a spot beam and the Zebra is more of a floody with a slightly brighter hotspot. Beam is a personal preference, neither is better than the other, just what the user prefers/needs.
The Sofirn SC31 Pro is the light that compared most closely to the Zebra (SC600w IV Plus SC600w Mk IV Plus 18650 XHP50.2 Neutral White) flashlight I have. The Sofirn is a little longer but more slender, offers on board charging unlike the Zebra. The Sofirn is a 6500k and my Zebra is a 4500k. Again I prefer the 4000k lights but this another personal preference. The Sofirn doesn't offer custom brightness level but it doesn't really need to because it can ramp up from moonlight to high in a smooth fashion rather than step up/down. Beam on the Sofirn is more of a spot and my Zebra is more of a spot and spill combo.
The other Sofirn lights I purchased are in different categories than any lights I own so I can't compare them to anything I own. I will just five my thoughts.
- Sofirn D25L - Bright and simply to operate, on board charging. They were sold out of the 4000k option for this light so I had to get the 5000k. This is more of a spot beam as well. The UI is simple and straight forward, which I like.
- Sofirn D25LR - This is essentially the same light as the D25L with one major exception. The D25L has two identical leds, where as the D25LR has one normal led and the other is red. I was surprised at the brightness level of the red led.
- Sofirn IF25A - All other previous mentioned lights are powered by 18650 batteries, the IF25A is my first 21700 battery powered light. It has on board charging which was great for me because my Nitecore charger will not handle 21700 batteries. I was able to get this light in my favorite color temperature of 4000k (again personal preference). I really like this light, heck of a throw and I opted for the 5000mah battery option which gives me a little longer run time. This particular light has the same UI as the SC31 Pro which is great because both of my Sofirn handhelds operate the exact same.
Summary of thoughts, Zebras are brighter and have a slightly better finish and machining overall. I prefer the beam patterns of my Zebras, but that is a personal preference and not necessarily better or worse. The Sofirns come with a battery and have on board charging which is extremely nice and even increased their excellent value when comparing them to much higher priced lights. The Zebras cost 300% more than the Sofirns. I'll likely keep my Zebras since I already own them but not sure I could see myself buying any more knowing what I can get from Sofirn at a third of the cost. I've seen lots of recommendations for Black Diamond and Petzl brand lights, they make good stuff for a light powered by AA or AAAs but in no way are they even on the same playing field of a light powered by 18650 or 21700 batteries. It's not even close. You can purchase Sofirns powered by 18650s for less than a Black Diamond or Petzl and since the Sofirns come with a battery and have on board charging you wouldn't need to buy a battery or external charger. Which is why I would suggest going that route. Always look for high CRI lights, the color temperature and beam pattern are 100% personal preference. I have to thank
@Zappaman for answering several questions I had before placing my order.