SureFire’s Turbo Series lights feature a high-intensity focused beam pattern from a compact form factor that is optimized for long-range illumination or passing through optical barriers such as tinted windows. The EDC1-DFT Turbo and EDC2-DFT Turbo are also dual-fuel lights, which means that they can be used with lithium-ion rechargeable batteries or 123A lithium primary batteries. In our new Quick Test review format, we will be taking a look at these purpose-built EDC lights with a focus on technical details.
Key Specifications
- Output (EDC1-DFT): 650 lumens (SF18350) or 350 lumens (123A) high, 25 lumens low
- Output (EDC2-DFT): 700 lumens (SF18650) or 600 lumens (123A) high, 25 lumens low
- Intensity (EDC1-DFT): 95,000 candela (SF18350) or 55,000 candela (123A)
- Intensity (EDC2-DFT): 100,000 candela (SF18650) or 90,000 candela (123A)
- Runtime (EDC1-DFT): 45min (SF18350) or 1h (123A) high, 12h (SF18350) or 11h (123A) low
- Runtime (EDC2-DFT): 2h 45min (SF18650) or 1h 45min (123A) high, 47h low
- Battery (EDC1-DFT): Lithium-Ion Rechargeable Battery (SF18350) or 1 x 123A
- Battery (EDC2-DFT): Lithium-Ion Rechargeable Battery (SF18650) or 2 x 123A
- Length: 4.8″ (EDC1-DFT), 5.9″ (EDC2-DFT)
- Diameter: 1.3″ bezel, 0.8″ body
- Weight with Batteries: 4.6 oz. (EDC1-DFT), 5.6 oz. (EDC2-DFT)
- Colors: Black, Tan, Gray
- Warranty: Limited Lifetime
- MSRP: $279-$349
- Actual Pricing: ~$200-$280
Packaging
Included in the blister packaging are: SureFire EDC1-DFT (or EDC2-DFT), lithium-ion battery (installed), Micro USB charging cable, and user manual.
Batteries
The EDC1-DFT and EDC2-DFT are powered by a single rechargeable lithium-ion battery and can also be used with 123A lithium primary batteries, though with reduced output. The rechargeable batteries feature a built-in Micro USB port and an LED on the top that indicates charging status. Charge time is 3 hours for the SF18350 (1,100mAh) or 5-8 hours for the SF18650 (3,500mAh).
Since the 123A battery is shorter than the SF18350 rechargeable battery, the EDC1-DFT has a spring-loaded tab on the head that compensates for the shorter primary battery.
Modes
Two output levels can be activated using the tail switch.
High (650 or 700 lumens)
A single press or click will activate maximum output.
Low (25 lumens)
Two presses or clicks will activate low output.
Performance
Using an OSRAM KW CSLNM1.TG LED, the EDC1-DFT and EDC2-DFT combines a compact light source with a deep smooth reflector to produce a tightly focused hotspot with high intensity but limited spill.
Runtime
If you haven’t read our article about runtime graphs and the ANSI FL1 Standard, please click here.
Even though the EDC2-DFT has modest lumen output compared to other SureFire lights that use the same SF18650 battery, we can see that there is still an aggressive step-down in output after about two minutes for both lights. Both lights will maintain approximately 400 lumens for the regulated portion of the runtime.
Conclusion
SureFire now offers two very different EDC lights, both available in single-cell and two-cell formats, but they are intended for very different use cases. The new Turbo series lights, EDC1-DFT Turbo and EDC2-DFT Turbo, are specifically designed for long-distance illumination. The tight beam pattern isn’t suitable for close work because reflections can easily be blinding if the beam catches anything that is the slightest bit reflective. For these situations, the older EDCL1-T and EDCL2-T models that use a TIR optic will provide a more balanced beam pattern.
We are quite impressed with the performance of the EDC1-DFT and its SF18350 rechargeable battery, this compact light provides similar performance to the larger EDC2-DFT just with less runtime. When compared to the EDCL1-T, the EDC1-DFT is noticeably larger due to the size of the reflector and bezel diameter, but it’s still quite compact and easy to carry. Unless you absolutely need to have the extended runtime of the EDC2-DFT, our recommendation would be to pick up the single-cell light.
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