Note that the reviews below refer to the Q8 Pro Quad and it's predecessors. When I receive reviews for the new Q8+ Hex I will post them above. Most of the features are the same – the Hex is just 45% more powerful!!

The Sofirn Q8 Quad is ideal for Eskom blackouts. It's my second Quad – with both bouncing their beams off the ceiling in our extended living area the lighting is almost as good as having mains power. It's also invaluable having two of them when the kitchen and study are in use at the same time. The Q8 is robust and the variable light levels are especially useful when using them as night lights. Chris Green, Greenside, Jhb

I recently purchased the Q8 Pro Quad and I must say the operating instructions you include in the box are very clear and it was a boon to receive the torch with the batteries already juiced up as requested – it’s almost as epic as buying a car and getting a full tank of fuel! Over the last couple of days I was forced by the antics of Eishkom to put the Quad through its paces – what a joy to unleash this bad boy! I also got a chance to use the Quad outdoors and wow, it keeps on amazing me! Anthony Betz, Cape Town

The Q8 torch certainly meets expectations and more! I like the default “simple mode” which is less complicated and more user-friendly than the “advanced mode”. Thanks again for my most powerful torch to date. Eric Woods, Salt Rock

This is a great torch. It's robust and very bright. It's quite heavy, too, but the brightness and other advantages easily outweigh the bulk. With constant pressure on the ON button the brightness scales up nicely from very dim to VERY bright, while a double click instantly provides the brightest beam I have ever seen from any torch. At full power I could see light on the front of a house at 300m, and at 100 paces I could recognise my wife and our dogs – easily! You can stand the Quad securely on the front or the back, and it fits nicely into the cup-holder in my bakkie. I can charge my phone and other devices from the USB-C port – with the standard batteries I have 12,000mAh of charge available. By twisting the back end 10-20 degrees the power switch is disabled so it can't be turned on accidentally – many of my other torches require a twist of more than 30-40 degrees. Thank you for a great product and fantastic service as usual. Dr Alan Carlston, White River

This torch is the ultimate home-security and camping/travelling tool. Its flood and brightness is seriously impressive and you get so much light even at the lower settings. The body is a tank, and the pronounced fins dissipate heat very effectively. The inclusion of tripod mounts at the side and bottom was a smart move to support long runtime applications. Contrastingly it has a feature to support shorter runtimes and better mobility – using it with fewer batteries to save weight! The four emitters and the orange peel reflectors are really satisfying to look at in moonlight mode. Overall, a top-end tool. It is pricey but a worthwhile investment if you have a large property or spend a lot of time outdoors. Adriaan Buys, Stellenbosch

I just got back from Wolwehoek, which is hidden away in the mountains near Montagu, and my new Q8 Pro Quad was fantastic!! The beam is incredibly powerful and carried right to the top of the mountains – it's great for spotting animals' eyes on the cliffs. I haven't dabbled with the Andúril operating system – I just kept it simple – but I made good use of the diffuser for reading at night, and I was happy to find it didn't get too hot after an hour or so of reading. I charged the Quad every day using the USB in the Landy and did not have any power drain issues. GJ Hoffman, Cape Town

After putting the Quad through its paces, I can only describe it as a BEAST! I have never experienced such power and brightness in a handheld device and would recommend it as a must-have for any law enforcement / medical services and for personal protection. My wife, who is a very keen wildlife photographer, immediately recognised its value! I would once again like to thank you and Mrs T for your patience, support and guidance when, because of my excitement, I made mistakes when setting up the device! Lesson learned: "Read through the instructions very carefully and do things step by step!" John Dykes, Mossel Bay

I'm absolutely amazed by the sheer power of the new and improved Q8 Pro Quad! Seeing it light up the entire garden makes me feel like I'm holding a stadium floodlight in my hand. You can feel the power from the heat generated while it's in your hand – I seriously think it could be used to heat up a can of beans! I keep telling myself that I won't need another torch after this one but I know that once I see the next Quad, with even more lumens, I will place another order. Brent Bowker, Grahamstown

My Quad arrived a couple of weeks back and has proved to be the best purchase for me so far. I am extremely chuffed with the Q8 as a torch – even if there were no other benefits it would be worth the price I paid and more – but with the diffuser it's transformed into a brilliant lantern (perfect word, as the light is truly a brilliant white) which has been really useful over these past few weeks of load shedding. I honestly would encourage every customer of yours to add a diffuser to their purchase of any torch that can take one. And the fact that the latest Quad is also a powerbank is potentially a huge benefit in the bush – it will now be my new companion for sure. Ross Malcolm, Sandton

My Q8 is performing excellently and I haven't had any problems with it after more than a year. It's been dropped and dented, which is the usual treatment expected from a farmer, but it powers on through the abuse. But I'm so excited that a new Q8 Pro Quad have been released! I just cannot ignore "whacks out twice as many lumens" so I'm going to need to order two of those please. My dad especially will appreciate the more simple UI and the plug-in charging. I on the other hand just want the lumens! Brent Bowker, Grahamstown

I'm absolutely loving my Q8 Quad. I have taken it on visits to the Kgalagadi, Kruger, Mokala and Mountain Zebra parks. It's excellent for spotting animals in trees at night. I spotted and tracked a family of Bushbabies in a tree at Letaba, a fantastic sighting, and what a difference the Q8 made. The bright and wide beam lit up this huge tree and I had a great opportunity to see these elusive animals very clearly. A chap in a nearby cabin pulled out what I thought was a bazooka – it was a huge torch – which he shone into the trees... until I grabbed my Q8, the size of a small can of Red Bull, and blew his torch away! He cringed, and then asked a lot of questions about my torch. Enjoying the Quad tremendously, and never go to a game park without it. Thank you for all the interesting information you provide – your torches are light years ahead of the rest! Ira Emery, Flamingo Vlei, CT

It was with great joy that I received a Sofirn Q8 Quad for my birthday last month. My testosterone levels have been steadily rising ever since. The size and the power of it seem to be nonsensical, and I couldn't wait to get to the Mooi River holiday house to test its capabilities. I love this torch and couldn't be happier! Thanks for keeping us out of the dark and I wish you all the best. Stuart Campbell-Gillies, Durban

The Q8 is a solid, beautifully engineered torch with amazing illumination at peak output. Since receiving the torch I have almost missed Eskom's load shedding! So I tried it out in a simulated Eskom loadshedding. Standing on its tail, the beam bounces off the ceiling and illuminates the room admirably – no problem reading during load shedding! From my upstairs window I can light up the most distant corners of my garden with ease. The diffuser works well but the best is to position the Q8 at or above eye level to avoid glare at the higher ramping levels. All in all, a most versatile torch and a pleasure to use. Chris Green, Greenside, Johannesburg

Who needs Xskom? This torch is amazing – arrived back from the farm to find the delivery as promised. Charged the batteries and was amazed by the performance (diffuser also works well) Will be off to the farm again next week and will use it without light pollution. Thanks for great service and a great torch. Allen Schultz, Uitenhage

We have just returned from a few days is the bush and Jub used his torch for the first time. It was great and we were able to spot genet eating as well as hippos drinking about 50 metres away. In addition, the power went down and the Q8's diffuser lit up the whole kitchen, taking away any stress we ladies may have had cooking for the hungry boys! So all in all a great buy, and I think you may just be getting a couple of other customers! MJ Greene, Nottingham Road

I've used the Quad for a while now and wanted to send you some feedback. It's a very versatile torch due to the excellent operating system. The default ‘ramping mode’ allows for easy adjustment from a low brightness, which is very gentle on the eye, up to 5,000 lumens which truly brings light to the darkness! It was a pleasant surprise to learn how well-considered the operating system is – among many other functions it offers a battery-test mode which indicates both the temperature of the batteries and the level of charge. The workmanship of the Q8 is excellent and it appears very robust. With four batteries it has some serious weight to it – which allows it to stand solidly on its tail – but the torch can also operate with a single battery if you wish, for a shorter time. I am very satisfied with the Quad and would recommend it to anyone looking for a torch that is bright, well made and lends itself to a broad range of tasks. Also I really appreciate your operating guidelines which helped me to get a better idea of what the torch is capable of. TO, Gordon's Bay

Wow, what a torch! I was honestly sceptical about its capability since my Hunter has impressed all and sundry for the last two to three years. But now having played with my Quad during load shedding I have a new toy/weapon... I almost look forward to load shedding! I see what you mean by the Hunter being a more direct beam with little or no flooding effect and the Q8 still having the oomph but with more flooding. The two will work well in the bush whilst game viewing etc, the Hunter more for spotting and the Quad for a general wider field of view. I tried it in the house tail-standing to shine on the ceiling in a bedroom and it honestly worked perfectly. The option of ramping down to obtain a softer light is a great feature too. If you are like me, and you must have something for each situation, then this torch is a must. It’s a great all rounder. Thanks again Mark for guiding me, I am one happy chappy! Kevin Roome, Lynnwood Ridge

The Sofirn Q8 really is incredible! Once the sun set on Christmas day, my dad and I whipped out our new toys and immediately blinded the poor Springhare that visits our garden every night in search of food. This torch is insanely bright! When reading reviews I thought people were exaggerating when they said it turned night into day, but it really does just that! I find it especially useful being able to light up an entire room by bouncing the beam off the ceiling. Both my dad and I got caught out by the complicated UI controls, as I thought we would, but after studying the manual I can easily get us back to the ramping mode which is the only mode we will ever need. The Q8 is a solid light with impeccable quality and I do enjoy a torch with a bit of weight – it reminds you that you're not dealing with a toy and that it means business! It's simply the best torch anyone can buy, with a perfect mix of flood and throw, and for travelling its compact size is a great bonus. My dad and I really enjoy our torches and we will certainly be getting tons of use out of them. Brent Bowker, Grahamstown

The Q8 Quad is my wife’s favourite torch. Ever! Matt Archer, Sandton

I ordered the Q8 Quad from the Torchguy and received it the next morning. I immediately charged the batteries to test that evening and WOW, what an amazing experience! My stand is 90m down and 28m wide and I was able to light up the whole area! Furthermore, the service I received from Mark was excellent and I will refer someone to him without thinking twice. Thanks again Mark. Pieter Cloete, Boksburg

The Q8 has surpassed all my expectations. Best torch I ever owned. Pleasure doing business with a honest man. Ezra de Witt, Gordon's Bay

Well, what can I say – this is a monster! I have many triple- and quad-emitter flashlights from the more affluent brands (!) and the Q8 holds its own, and kicks some of their butts! The flood and distance combination is one of the best, if not THE best, in my multi-emitter collection. And again, the feel and perceived quality of this torch is superb! José Murta, Kempton Park

The Q8 Quad is an awesome piece of compact adult wizardry – it is so solid and heavy that it reminds me of a M26 grenade from my National Service days at Infantry School, Oudtshoorn, 1980. I have heeded your warnings of crossing to the dark side of "mode-setting mode" and stayed on the straight and narrow of "ramping mode" – and enjoyed the seamless ramping up and down. Burton Saunders, Genvista Ext. 5.

I finally had a chance to give the Sofirn Q8 Quad a test run and it's the brightest and most powerful torch I have ever laid my hands on! Not only is it powerful but the beam has a nice spread so it lights up my whole neighbourhood. Last night I was alerted by the neighbour’s dog that something was outside my house so, armed with my new Q8, I went to investigate only to find a porcupine had come to visit. He took off when he saw me, and I watched him running away as I lit his path – he must have thought the world was coming to an end as midnight turned into midday! Thanks again your service, consistent and professional as usual. Greg Welman, Centurion

I've had an opportunity to test my Sofirn Q8 Quad. The beam is very white and throws almost as far as a larger torch with a single LED and big reflector. Although I do not like torches where multiple clicks are needed to access the different modes, I like the size of the Q8 and it will go into my hunting webbing for emergency use at night. It's very bright and the value for money is hard to beat - I have recommended it to my sons for this reason. Derick Welgemoed, Beaufort West

I went to visit a friend in Kleinmond over the weekend and took the Q8 Quad along just to play around... I didn't think it was possible to get a light so intense that it actually hurts your eyes when bouncing the beam off the ceiling! We only used it outside for about 40 seconds because it was raining and freezing cold, but everyone (even a security patrol car two roads down) was in awe... I'm hoping to test it properly this coming weekend and will give some more feedback. For now all I can say is... I need to find a deep, dark cave to explore haha... Thanks once again for the great service that I've become used to when ordering anything from The TorchGuy! Micheal Roos, Durbanville

As an engineer one soon learns that ground-work, planning and experience go a long way toward producing a great product. In the case of the Q8, the knowledge of many torch enthusiasts on BudgetLightForum certainly contributed to what I believe is an outstanding flashlight. There may be more powerful options out there, but I'd be surprised if any are as practical, compact and affordable. The attention to detail and quality of finish are very noticeable when you hold it – there are no sharp edges left from the machining and clever design is evident in the layout, with four 18650 Li-Ion batteries in parallel making for a compact unit with great balance and easy handling. High quality materials are also much in evidence, with a stainless steel bezel offering protection when the torch is stored face-down or if it is accidentally dropped. Of course with more power comes more heat and less running time, but the Q8 has achieved a great balance, especially in their heatsink design. The electronic programming options are impossible to describe briefly – suffice it to say that torch buffs will get more than they could possible want. In my case, I will probably leave the Q8 in the default Ramping Mode – it works! You can fine-tune the brightness to any level you want and the Q8 will memorise this setting for the next time you need it, while Turbo Mode is available anytime with a double tap of the power switch. In terms of practical application, the torches I have owned to date have focussed either on the throw or the flood of light, while the Q8 offers both! With Cree’s XPL HI LEDs seated in highly reflective wells in a quad format makes for an incredibly impressive beam distance – I did a double take the first time I saw it! Although I did not carry out actual measurements of the beam, I can say that it lights up objects further away than I can see them clearly. At the same time, the roll-off to the sides in an open area offers more than enough illumination to be aware of your surroundings, leaving no shadow areas. Another very noticeable feature is the colour of the light, which is somewhere between a cool white and a warm white light, with no obvious tint – it's very pleasing to the eye! In summing up, I would say that what the Q8 offers in terms of performance and technical ability far exceeds its price. This torch will easily satisfy both amateur and full-blown torch junkies all over. I am delighted with the quality and performance and highly recommend it to anyone wanting a great torch at a great price. I must also recommend and thank Mark – the TorchGuy – for his incredible and prompt service and willingness to support his products. It has been a pleasure dealing with you, Mark. Brian Turner, Port Elizabeth