Recommendations for a headlamp for jungle hike under $100?

[Lumencrazy]

One thing everyone is missing is that in a jungle the distances are extremely short. Even your eyes and brain take time to adjust to the unusually short focal distances. It is a well-known and understood phenomenon. Throw will work against you. You will have strong reflections bouncing straight back at you from all the damp foliage in front of you. It is a real handicap!!!. You want a wide diffuse beam (or you will not see the snakes right under your feet). If anyone tells you different ask them if they have ever spent time in a jungle. Also, dump the cool white light (you want to be able to distinguish greens, browns and rust red colors), or you will never see the brown pit viper or anything else that wants to chew on your ankles with a cool white light. The following are excellent lights:

ZLH600Fc Mk 3

H600Fc III High CRI Floody Neutral White 18650 Headlamp

Or even better (a more uniform beam and more durable light) is the Armytek Armytek Wizard Pro v3 XHP50 (Warm)

 

[hardrock]

One thing everyone is missing is that in a jungle the distances are extremely short. Even your eyes and brain take time to adjust to the unusually short focal distances. It is a well-known and understood phenomenon. Throw will work against you. You will have strong reflections bouncing straight back at you from all the damp foliage in front of you. It is a real handicap!!!. You want a wide diffuse beam (or you will not see the snakes right under your feet). If anyone tells you different ask them if they have ever spent time in a jungle. Also, dump the cool white light (you want to be able to distinguish greens, browns and rust red colors), or you will never see the brown pit viper or anything else that wants to chew on your ankles with a cool white light. The following are excellent lights:

ZLH600Fc Mk 3

H600Fc III High CRI Floody Neutral White 18650 Headlamp

Or even better (a more uniform beam and more durable light) is the Armytek Armytek Wizard Pro v3 XHP50 (Warm)

This is is very true, I usually find myself using my flashlight at the "widest" setting when hiking in the jungle. Perhaps a flood headlamp and a more beamy flashlight would be a good combo

 

[eh4]

Durable, compact, lightweight, bright (and super long lasting low levels), efficient battery usage, comfortable head band... Zebralight H600, H600w, or H600Fw.
Under 100$, in fact the Mk II are on discount now that the Mk III are for sale. Add two quality 3,400 mAh 18650 and one of Olight's little 10$ magnetic chargers and you could keep the whole setup at right around 100$

 

[LED_Power_Forums]

I'm not sure whether I'll want a li-on powered device on my forehead though. My opinion is that headlamp don't need too high a brightness as, if some unintentional "object"(be it flying animal or whatever living/non-living matter) appeared in your line of sight at a close distance in a sudden, chances are you will be having an instant extreme glare back at yourself if you're on medium or higher up mode and I believe ramming down the brightness takes more time than just shining away with a handheld flashlight. So my recommendation is a lower powered headlamp coupled with a high powered handheld flashlight. I would choose a AA Zebralight headlamp and a 18650 flashlight in your case. But there is one con in this combo though, is that you'll lose versatility battery wise. If you run out of 18650 but are left with AA then you'd not be able to use your flashlight. Good side is you'll have higher chances of encountering AA on the shelf in such remote area than 18650. If both of your 18650 lights are out and the AAs are smiling at you...

Otherwise yeah, I agree going with a floody headlamp and a throwy flashlight. Everybody opinion differs so some might not agree with my view. I'm just merely expressing my take on this for your consideration. The choice is in your hand though.

I was looking at the H600w but it seems there are many different sub-models all with different lights. I really dont know what the difference is between any of the cool whites/neutral whites, etc especially when they are all the same price.

Regarding the cool white and neutral white tint, cool white is the normal blue-ish white color beam you see in normal led. For neutral white...let's just imagine the color of the morning sun shining on the greenery of the forest and the land...you get the idea.

 

[hardrock]

So its been just over a year since Ive made this post. Ive been on quite a few trips and have been using a Fenix TK35 flashlight and a Fenix HL60R headlamp. I am very happy with my flashlight...in fact I use it almost exclusively, and just use the headlamp when needed. One thing I noticed with the headlamp is that the throw is very floody...when I shine up at trees, I see the entire tree, when I want a headlamp that can focus on just one part of the tree with the same intensity.

Can you guys recommend any headlamps that are more like a spotlight then a very wide beam (floody?) light? Looking forward to any recommendations you guys might have. I prefer ones that can use 18650 batteries, but AAs are fine since I carry those in my bag anyway.

 

[colight]

So its been just over a year since Ive made this post. Ive been on quite a few trips and have been using a Fenix TK35 flashlight and a Fenix HL60R headlamp. I am very happy with my flashlight...in fact I use it almost exclusively, and just use the headlamp when needed. One thing I noticed with the headlamp is that the throw is very floody...when I shine up at trees, I see the entire tree, when I want a headlamp that can focus on just one part of the tree with the same intensity.

Can you guys recommend any headlamps that are more like a spotlight then a very wide beam (floody?) light? Looking forward to any recommendations you guys might have. I prefer ones that can use 18650 batteries, but AAs are fine since I carry those in my bag anyway.

Hi hardrock. Since you're already using Fenix products and know their ability, I am going to recommend their HL40R headlamp, which has a focusable beam, and where the spotlight angle is 13°. The only "problem" with it is that it has a built-in battery and not the 18650 that you would like.

 

[hardrock]

Hi hardrock. Since you're already using Fenix products and know their ability, I am going to recommend their HL40R headlamp, which has a focusable beam, and where the spotlight angle is 13°. The only "problem" with it is that it has a built-in battery and not the 18650 that you would like.

Thanks for the recommendation. I had credit at B&H so I picked up a Fenix HP30R. I hope it works well..only thing I don't like is the headlamp cant swivel up any higher, only down. At least the H60R could swivel in either direction.

 

[colight]

No problem. Always happy to help, and I'm sure you'll have as much pleasure from this headlamp as from the HL60R, although IMO the latter is a better product even though it can't focus. I've always liked the HL60R. :thumbsup:

 

[llmercll]

I second the Fenix HL60R and zebralights. Buy lots of backup 18650 batteries.

 

[mightysparrow]

For comfort and light weight, I would consider the Olight HS2, in addition to the Zebralights. For light weight and convenience in a quality headlight, I don't think you can beat the HS2.

 

[bigburly912]

https://skylumen.com/collections/v5...-a2s-headlight-excellent-quality-budget-price

Best bang for the buck headlamp I have ever seen or used. I hunt, cave, hike, work at night and I've used several brands of headlamps. This one is amazing for the price. FWIW I have one of Vinh's modded pieces off of that site as well I spent twice that price on. The wowtacs are fantastic.

 

[Bravo30]

https://skylumen.com/collections/v5...-a2s-headlight-excellent-quality-budget-price

Best bang for the buck headlamp I have ever seen or used. I hunt, cave, hike, work at night and I've used several brands of headlamps. This one is amazing for the price. FWIW I have one of Vinh's modded pieces off of that site as well I spent twice that price on. The wowtacs are fantastic.

the Wowtac offers better run times than the Fenix hl60r. I dont know if thats real world or on paper though. The Fenix offers a red light which i like and they both offer lows for emergencies situations with the edge there going to Wowtech with its firefly @59 days compared to Fenix with 5 lumens @100hrs. The turbo on the Wowtec is similar to the Fenix but offers practically 3 times the run time.


thank you for the heads up, order placed !!!

https://skylumen.com/collections/v5...-a2s-headlight-excellent-quality-budget-price

https://www.fenixlighting.com/produ...Plo9Tixe_oK9UUNchjUxR87aCpaRr_GxoCCfcQAvD_BwE