The Evo is my favourite torch – I love it so much, specifically the BLF version with the warmer colour temperature and high colour rendering index. The design recognises the importance of connecting with the user's heart rather than just boasting pure power. It is still classed as a very powerful torch but chooses to display its power in a meaningful way and not just as a wall of light. The four emitters deliver a warm 4-leaf-clover beam pattern with no rings around the perimeter. Reflections from objects in the dark are rich and interesting. I really like the form-factor and the weight distribution – it carries well in a jacket pocket and stands firmly on a table or shelf. The Andruil 2 operating system provides a feature-rich experience and is challenging and fun to learn. I am a big fan. Adriaan Buys, Stellenbosch

How the Pro EVO saved me. Just this weekend our neighbourhood watch was called out after a number of residents heard someone screaming for help. I grabbed my BPV and Pro EVO and rushed off. Arriving at the place, a shaken family of three assured us all was okay again, but one of them was very aggressive. The police were on the way so we retreated as we couldn't do anything to resolve the domestic situation. When I got off the radio and back to my vehicle the aggressive person was trying to block me. Click-click hold on the Evo's button and the powerful disorienting strobe totally dazzled him, and he stumbled away from the light (and my car) and I drove off like a shot. Thanks for providing such excellent tools, Mark!! Kurt Tischler, Kommetjie

All the camps in Kruger have generators but they take a while to activate, so there are times when one is in pitch darkness (the kind of black you never see in the city). I produced my little SP36 Evo and my four companions uttered words like insane, ridiculous, amazing, impossible, love it, and want it, with utter joy and amazement. They really could not believe what I had just shown them. When they first saw the Evo they had no idea how much light could come out of such a small torch. Yay for my wonderful torches from you Mark. Sally Klem, PE/Gqeberha

After finding a suitable USB port to plug my new SP36 Pro Evo into, charging took just over five hours and we were all systems go for the evening. I soon discovered she quickly got hot under the collar if I had a bit of Finger Linger on the control button, but with that resolved I could get on with some sort of evaluation. Evo weighs exactly one pound or four cups of flour according to my kitchen scale, and slips easily into a pocket, although if you have an ill-defined waist line it's heavy enough to debag you unless you're wearing braces. That said, she fits nicely in the hand and has a pleasantly warm exterior at my preferred power level. In the late evening I always let my two intrepid hunters, Jack and Fritz, out for their nocturnal forage. I can usually pick out Jack with my trusty ******* but Fritz melts into the gloom, never to be seen again until assembly time. However, one press of Evo's switch and, KaaBoom, a tree I was pointing her at burst into flames, or so it seemed. There was Jack trotting from bush to bush, shining like some celestial body, while Fritz looked decidedly p'd off after his night camouflage was stripped away. As someone who is used to a torch which just about allows me to see what I've already tripped over, I was suddenly in a whole new world of light! Then, this morning in the wee hours, I needed a wee of my own so I switched on the bedside lamp, only to find Eskom had thrown the switch. Wonderful – time to try out the "ceiling bounce". Suddenly the room was so full of light that I couldn't believe it all came from such a small torch. Back in bed I decided to read for a while and try out the diffuser – it was so nice to have an even light beside the bed with no hot spot that I enjoyed my book in this happy place for a couple of hours with no hassles at all. I'm glad I chose this torch as opposed to an even smaller model, which I am sure would have been more than adequate, but I think Evo is more suited to my needs and will outlast me by far. To sum up in one word: brilliant! Literally. As for my poor old *******, I'll probably remove the batteries, fill the body with lead shot and keep it as a standby weapon of mass destruction. Dick Bilbe, Plettenberg Bay.

Six months ago I bought the SP36 Pro Evo and it is a WOW torch for me! I have taken it out on patrols regularly and it fits snuggly into any pocket, but produces a light that bigger torches can't match in terms of output or duration. A truly superb torch, at a price that belies the value it brings. If anyone wants just one torch for the bush at night I would recommend the SP36 Pro Evo – it's my number one tool when leaving the vehicle to patrol on foot. Ross Malcolm, Linbro Park, Sandton

My name is Gareth and I am a gadget-aholic… I've just bought a Sofirn SP36 Pro Evo with 8,000 lumens from Mark the Torchguy. My wife is away visiting family and I am babysitting our new puppy, which means midnight trips to the garden – and my chance to test this soda-can flashlight (excuse the Americanese). Come 2am the little guy squarks to go out so I grab the Evo and head outside with him. The little guy has a sniff, does what nature intended, and then (as usual) decides it’s time to explore. At speed. Normally I have to use mental radar to figure out where he's gone but this time I open the gates of heaven and give a full blast of SP36 TURBO... and see something I've never seen before – his tiny little arse disappearing around the corner of the house at greyhound speed, but in full daylight at 2am!! Wow, this SP36 makes a lot of light! The only problem is that now I WANT MORE!! Mark, what else is in your toybox? My name is Gareth and it's been six hours since my last lumen fix... Gareth Owen, Bruma, Jhb

We are back from our trip to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park where I had the perfect opportunity to put my Sofirn SP36 Pro Evo to the test. It exceeded all my expectations. The torch has a very powerful and bright beam with a nice wide spread so one can see a wide well-lit area which will alert you to anything approaching from the sides. The diffuser was a big bonus and turns the torch into a very effective lantern. This is an excellent medium-sized little monster, and the carrying pouch makes it easy to keep close at hand for those unexpected moments. Well done on procuring such a great torch and I would not hesitate to recommend it to anybody looking for a versatile mid-size piece of equipment to add to their arsenal of torches. Peter Mincher, Woodmead, Jhb

The SP36 Pro Evo with diffuser is a great way to combat Eskom, but since I got it we've had no power cuts so let’s hope it's my lucky charm! Your products are top quality and your service is the best! Steve Edwards, Ballito

Just to let you know, I am seriously impressed with the SP36 Pro Evo. I made the mistake of switching the torch to full power in the house, will not do that again. Gerritjan Amoraal, Waltloo, Pretoria

As you know I have a few torches... well maybe more than a few. However the SP36 Pro is without a doubt the most capable I have ever owned. The output is amazing, even when it's operating well below maximum brightness. Out of the box, the ramp-up, ramp-down user interface is as simple as it gets and the functions available through the Andúril operating system are simply staggering. For lighting up a room by standing the torch on its tail and bouncing the light off the ceiling, it's ideal, and there's a pop-on diffuser for when there's no ceiling. The ability to run on one, two or three 18650 batteries is very handy – you can charge all three batteries simultaneously in the torch via USB and then use one or two of the batteries elsewhere while still using the SP36 on the remaining battery. This torch all you would ever need for home or camp and the permanently lit switch is the cherry on top – it's a breeze to find the Evo in the dark. If I was ever allowed to have only one torch, the SP36 Evo would be it. André Wessels, Bryanston

The torch arrived safely last week and I finally had a chance to test it over the weekend. Bloody hell, I have never seen anything like this! It’s not a torch, it’s a searchlight! Robin Holton, Sedgefield

The SP36 Pro Evo is a great all-rounder that performs well in any situation – I suggest you change its name to "Jakes" in honour of our great all-rounder, Jacques Kallis. Jakes is a pocket rocket that's small enough to carry every day in a jacket pocket, and has bumped a well-established rival off its pedestal (my bedside table). The Anduril operating system is a treat – I've enjoyed playing with the settings and special effects (my favourites are "lightning" and "candle" modes) and changing the temperatures at which the torch steps down. The tint is on the warmer side, which I prefer in a tail-stander. I'm really enjoying this one, thanks Mark! Jaco van Wyk, Mooinooi