Headlamp recommendation

USC

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Joined
Sep 28, 2011
Messages
8
Hello all

I'm looking for a good quality headlamp to be used mainly to walk to and from my deer stand but secondarily for general tasks around my house. I started looking at the Fenix HM50R and the Zebralight H32. I'm not really excited about buying Cr123a's, but in reality it would only be a few every year and the Fenix provides a rechargeable option.

The zebralight website has the H32 listed as back order but they have a lot of H600 models on sale. This led me to thinking that maybe now is a good time to make the jump. I don't currently have any lithium-ions but I've read some stuff and and comfortable with the risks but have a couple of questions.

1- How do these cells handle short term storage in high or low temperatures? Basically it will stay in my hunting pack. This pack is normally kept in the house but could be left in my truck for a day or two during the season. This could lead to extremely high temps in August and low 20s at night in December. This isn't a practice, but could happen.

2- At what temperature (low end) will I start having performance issues? Again, I could be hunting in the 20's.

What do you all think? Should I go with the H600 or stick with the CR123A lights? Is there another light you recommend that I haven't mentioned?

Thanks in advance.
 

mickb

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Aug 10, 2015
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349
Location
Australia
Some of the experienced folk will be on shortly to assist with your questions in full. What I can say is hot daytime temps I don't think you will have a problem with. It was 115degrees here last week, for about a week, and 90% humidity, my batteries have never had a high temp problem I am aware of, in or out of a vehicle.

As for your tasks I have a couple of points to make. Have you considered simple AA based headlamp as well? Being a flashaholics forum( extreme hobbiests) you might find a lot of the replies swing towards extreme power levels, and if this is your thing, by all means enjoy.

But realisticall you don't need 1000 lumens or even 500 lumens to find your way along a path at walking speed or to do backyard tasks, if that's all you are looking for. My own choice for walking to hunting stands and hiking at night is a little Fenix HL23 1x AA. Its minimal but its middle 50lumens mode does the job for me and runs nearly 5 hours. The high setting 150 lumens runs about an hour and a half. Also remember to check the candela or CD/throw of the light, this shows how far the lumens reach out there, Some of these wand style headlamps are extreme lumens but are more for close range floodwork. If you are wanted to illuminate a whole work area to day time levels they are great. But if you just want to show the path a good 30-40 yards ahead, you can live off a decent level AA in my opinion, like a lot of through-hikers do.

Regards the next level 18650,if you do go for it, I think is a better choice than CR123a since as well as the additional capacity they are essentially free to recharge. Maybe CR123 are more affordable in the US, in my country I would not be able to afford them usage wise.
 

grayjay70

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Joined
Dec 12, 2018
Messages
31
LIon battery performance will be fine with use and storage at 20°F, just dont try to charge them when they are cold.
Following research paper (see page 4) indicates that you should expect to loose about 8% to 15% of LIon battery capacity using it at -5°C to -10°C (14°F) but that is hardly noticeable.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/scien...id=1-s2.0-S1876610217301479-main.pdf&_valck=1

I routinely use Lion headlamps for skiing and biking at temperatures that are even colder, works fine. If you do need to use a Lion headlamp at even colder temps and are concerned with the loss of performance, select a model with a remote battery pack that you can place inside your jacket during use.
 

USC

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Joined
Sep 28, 2011
Messages
8
Some of the experienced folk will be on shortly to assist with your questions in full. What I can say is hot daytime temps I don't think you will have a problem with. It was 115degrees here last week, for about a week, and 90% humidity, my batteries have never had a high temp problem I am aware of, in or out of a vehicle.

As for your tasks I have a couple of points to make. Have you considered simple AA based headlamp as well? Being a flashaholics forum( extreme hobbiests) you might find a lot of the replies swing towards extreme power levels, and if this is your thing, by all means enjoy.

But realisticall you don't need 1000 lumens or even 500 lumens to find your way along a path at walking speed or to do backyard tasks, if that's all you are looking for. My own choice for walking to hunting stands and hiking at night is a little Fenix HL23 1x AA. Its minimal but its middle 50lumens mode does the job for me and runs nearly 5 hours. The high setting 150 lumens runs about an hour and a half. Also remember to check the candela or CD/throw of the light, this shows how far the lumens reach out there, Some of these wand style headlamps are extreme lumens but are more for close range floodwork. If you are wanted to illuminate a whole work area to day time levels they are great. But if you just want to show the path a good 30-40 yards ahead, you can live off a decent level AA in my opinion, like a lot of through-hikers do.

Regards the next level 18650,if you do go for it, I think is a better choice than CR123a since as well as the additional capacity they are essentially free to recharge. Maybe CR123 are more affordable in the US, in my country I would not be able to afford them usage wise.

Mick - thanks for the reply. I agree that 1000 lumens isn't necessary. I normally carry a Four Sevens Quark AA2 and almost always run it on low or medium. It's perfect for my needs except for the fact that it's not hands free. I thought about a single AA headlamp, but wasn't sure I'd be completely satisfied with the output and runtime. From a battery availability standpoint, it makes sense. I have plenty of Eneloops. When I head out for a hunt, I have two in my Quark light, two in my GPS, and four extra cells just in case something happens and I'm out longer than anticipated.
 

AVService

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 30, 2011
Messages
2,163
Fenix Hl50 takes aa & 123 and is a pretty decent problem solver for me
 

mickb

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Aug 10, 2015
Messages
349
Location
Australia
Mick - thanks for the reply. I agree that 1000 lumens isn't necessary. I normally carry a Four Sevens Quark AA2 and almost always run it on low or medium. It's perfect for my needs except for the fact that it's not hands free. I thought about a single AA headlamp, but wasn't sure I'd be completely satisfied with the output and runtime. From a battery availability standpoint, it makes sense. I have plenty of Eneloops. When I head out for a hunt, I have two in my Quark light, two in my GPS, and four extra cells just in case something happens and I'm out longer than anticipated.

USC, aounds similar to me. For 24hour forays I carry 4 AA spares as well for my etrex GPS and headlamp. The 18650 will be a signficant steup in power and run time.
 

USC

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Sep 28, 2011
Messages
8
After giving it some thought, I decided to try a 1xAA headlamp. I just ordered a Zebralight H53W. Hopefully it will be up to the job. If not, I'll use it around the house and order a H600 for hunting. Fingers crossed.
 

HorizontalHunter

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Nov 22, 2015
Messages
312
I had a Fenix HL50 and it's a great little light. Nice and light but the CR123A's can get pricy so it's best to buy in quantity online.

The Nitecore HC 90 has been my main headlamp for hunting. The RGB Leds are a little underpowered but useful for getting in and out. The white headlamp is great for blood trailing and deer recovery after dark.

I also have a Manker E14 with Nichia 219B's which put out about 1,000 lumens of natural light that seems to make the blood really stand out for my eyes. The newer Astrolux S43 has the newer 219c's and put out a lot more lumens.

I just picked up a Fenix E16 that I am looking forward to using as a cap light. With the rechargable 16340's it will put out up to 700 lumens. There is also a red lens cover for it if you prefer the red light going in and out.

I have been hunting for 35 years there are a few things I have learned:

1. Good batteries are critical. I shop at Illumn, and Lion wholesale for my LION batteries.
2. Lumens matter. I like 1,000 lumens plus in a 18650 light. You don't have to use them all but it makes it easier to spot that white belly in the dark. The 18650's have the capacity for a good night tracking job.
3. It is best to pick a headlamp and hand held flashlight that use the same battery.
4. 2 is one; 1 is none.
5. It is worth it to buy the disposable Lithium AA batteries fo my Garmin 62S.
6. I always use a light going in and out whether I need it or not. It's a safety thing here.

Bob
 

AVService

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 30, 2011
Messages
2,163
I don't think I have ever used my HL50 with a 123?
Lumens matter depending on the job at hand.

I had a Fenix HL50 and it's a great little light. Nice and light but the CR123A's can get pricy so it's best to buy in quantity online.

The Nitecore HC 90 has been my main headlamp for hunting. The RGB Leds are a little underpowered but useful for getting in and out. The white headlamp is great for blood trailing and deer recovery after dark.

I also have a Manker E14 with Nichia 219B's which put out about 1,000 lumens of natural light that seems to make the blood really stand out for my eyes. The newer Astrolux S43 has the newer 219c's and put out a lot more lumens.

I just picked up a Fenix E16 that I am looking forward to using as a cap light. With the rechargable 16340's it will put out up to 700 lumens. There is also a red lens cover for it if you prefer the red light going in and out.

I have been hunting for 35 years there are a few things I have learned:

1. Good batteries are critical. I shop at Illumn, and Lion wholesale for my LION batteries.
2. Lumens matter. I like 1,000 lumens plus in a 18650 light. You don't have to use them all but it makes it easier to spot that white belly in the dark. The 18650's have the capacity for a good night tracking job.
3. It is best to pick a headlamp and hand held flashlight that use the same battery.
4. 2 is one; 1 is none.
5. It is worth it to buy the disposable Lithium AA batteries fo my Garmin 62S.
6. I always use a light going in and out whether I need it or not. It's a safety thing here.

Bob
 

mickb

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Aug 10, 2015
Messages
349
Location
Australia
Bob good post and I agree with your points.One thing I differ on and this is just to give the OP another angle is I have all the lumens in the handheld or scope mounted light. These glass, shoot and follow up the game. The headlamp for me is just for walking into position and safety backup etc.

I can support the idea of a standard battery type for both but I decided to keep headlamp battery type separate to diversify my available sources of batteries as my hunting lights are also my bugout lights. For people who really want to light up the work area , butcher etc at night I can see the advantage of a much more powerful headlamp. But you can also use a diffuser on your main light. Again not an argument against your choice, its legitimate. I agree with your points 4,5 6 also.
 

USC

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Sep 28, 2011
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8
Thanks for all the replies. I received my H53W today and took it out in the backyard for some testing a little while ago.

My first impressions:
1- It is considerably warmer than my other lights. Color temp has never really bothered me one way or the other. I remember years ago when switching from incandescent to LED, it took me a little while to become accustomed to the cool white LED's. This is definitely the warmest battery powered light I have had in years. So much so that I had to double check the box to make sure they didn't send me the high CRI light instead of the W model. I think I may end up liking it better. We shall see.
2- For a single AA cell, this bad boy puts out a good bit of light. Don't get me wrong, you're not gonna wow your buddies with the output, but it's definitely the brightest single cell (1.5V) light I've ever used.

in summary, I think it will probably be a good light for my intended purpose. It's lightweight, compact, and I always have AA Eneloops ready to go. The only thing that may be a pain is having to change cells due to shorter runtime, but I knew that when I purchased it. I think I may still end up buying an 18650 powered light, but probably as a handheld instead of a headlamp. Sometimes when you get an itch it doesn't go away until you scratch it.

Thank you all for your time.
 
Joined
Mar 4, 2012
Messages
642
I run headlamps almost daily at work. The Zebralight 600 series are incredible, with excellent modes and looooong runtimes. If you end up wanting more than the little H53 (I still have an old H52w and H51, great lights), the H600Fd Mk IV is a great light. It is floody but has a nice hotspot to really highlight your main focus area. The high CRI LED is easy on the eyes. I also have the H604d, but it is pure flood and I just like the concentrated beam of the H600 better. I also run an older H600w Mk II and it has been a reliable workhorse. You get great runtimes with these headlamps and I don't notice the additional bulk at all.

Realistically for walking to the stand you could use any little AAA light, like the ThruNite T10 or Fenix E05, or even a smaller rechargeable light like the MecArmy IllumineX-2 or Olight I1R EOS. But once you start using it "around the house", all of the Zebralight 600 series really shine.
 

AlpineBatteries

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Jan 11, 2019
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Hello there, I'm an avid backpacker/camper. I would recommend a AAA battery powered headlamp using disposable lithiums (Energizer Ultimate). The reasons are that since you will only use the light intermittently, you don't wanna splurge on Li-Ions + charger. Perhaps you may misplace your charger since you may go so long without needing a charge. Perhaps you may use your light until it is out of juice, but then you don't have the luxury to recharge at that moment. With a AAA powered light, you can find AAA alkaline batteries almost anywhere. Lithium primaries are preferable because 1) They have a lot more capacity than alkalines, 2) They have 10+ years of shelf life, 3) They don't leak and mess up your light like alkalines, 4) They can operate in extreme temperatures.

I like the Black Diamond brand "Spot" headlamp. It uses 3 AAA's. I have a Black Diamond "Storm" which uses 4 AAA and is therefore more powerful. However, it has a quirk that some find annoying, mainly it's PWM driver makes a high pitch noise. The newest version just came out like a couple months ago, but there were some quality control issues.

Another light worth looking at is the Petzl Tikka.

You can find the above and many other headlamps at http://www.rei.com along with many customer reviews.
 

Lynx_Arc

Flashaholic
Joined
Oct 1, 2004
Messages
11,212
Location
Tulsa,OK
For a long time I used 3AAA and then a 2AAA and the 1AA headlamps and my favorite of the bunch was the 1AA as it had a luxeon in it while the AAAs were 5mm based. My 1AA headlamp was nice in the day but 30 lumens off nimh got me at most 2 hours of runtime typical was about 90 mins so I was constantly changing batteries in it. A nice headlamp wasn't in the budget but I realized from using other cheap flashlights ranging up to 250 lumens that I needed at least 50-70 lumens and wanted runtime of at least 8 hours using rechargeable batteries and 2AA would be borderline at that output 3AAA was out of the question also. I started looking at lithium ion and finally decided in 18650 format. I found that the low mode of about 20 lumens or so was plenty for general purpose close quarters navigation at a slow pace, the 100+ lumen medium mode was good for faster navigating and reading small print and working on things plus seeing at distances of about 10 feet away. The 400 lumen mode was good for almost everything else especially when you drop something small in the grass or on the floor it really lights up everything within 15 feet pretty good. the Turbo mode of about 900 lumens is jaw dropping for sure if you aren't used to it lighting up about 40 foot fairly well and daylight type output within about 10 foot in the direction.
In other words you may find you get by find with 30-50 lumens and 100-200 on high for short bursts but when you are working hard for 4-5 hours at a time and you battery finally goes kaput and you have to stop and swap in another battery and if running on higher modes have to do it several times a day when the lower modes just aren't good enough having an 18650 light that can literally run for days doing most things without a battery swap is wonderful. The only disadvantage IMO is the weight/bulk of the 18650 in the light vs AAA/AA/CR123.
Once you get used to the extra bulk you won't mind having the extra power when you need it.

I have 2 18650 headlamps, a Wowtac A2S and a Fenix HL60R both have nearly the same modes/output/runtime, the Wowtac cost $30 on Amazon the Fenix normally about $75 or so I got it half price on clearance from Academy over the summer last year.
I've used the Wowtac at work for 2 days in a row with the included 3400mah battery on all but the super low mode mostly on low and medium but often on high and turbo for short periods.
 
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