# Fenix HL30 pre-production Review



## subwoofer (Apr 8, 2012)

Fenix are about to release a new headlamp powered by 2AA batteries, which is to supplement the existing range which currently only offers 4xAA or 1xAA lights.

All comments in this review are limited to the pre-production sample I have. The final HL30 may differ slightly from this pre-production sample.


Initial Impressions:

Initially it looks similar to a common type of headlamp using 3xAAA batteries, but seems much more solidly made.

The HL30 uses a full three-way headband, with straps going around the head and a top strap to keep it securely in place.

Quality feels very good as the straps are wide and a good weight of elastic and the unit itself comprising metal and plastic elements well.



What is in the box:

Being a prototype, there was no packaging or spares provided, so this section is not applicable here.

HL30 - as supplied











Looking inside:

Looking straight onto the front shows the metal lens retaining ring bearing the model number and serial number. This holds a plastic TIR lens to the again metal LED housing. Also visible is the red LED secondary light source.






Viewed from above the HL30 has two buttons, the main power switch and a mode changing switch






The HL30 lamp unit is held in a cradle that allows it to be set an various angles. Moving the lamp unit all the way forward shows the battery cover and release latch button.






Taking off the back shows the battery compartment, shown here with Eneloops






And here with the batteries removed






You can see the metal ring that surrounds the LED goes all the way through to the battery compartment.

The HL30 is specified as IPX-6.



Modes and User Interface:

The HL30 has two soft click buttons. Power and mode changing.

And two LED emitters, White: Cree XP-E LED and Red: Nichia red LED

Pressing the power button turns the light onto the constant white output level previously selected. Once on, using the mode selector, cycles through Low (4 Lumens - 160H) -> Med (45 Lumens - 11H) -> High (100 Lumens - 5H) -> Turbo (180 Lumens - 2H).

Pressing the power switch turns off the white LED. It will turn on in the last constant white output mode that was used.

With the light on, press the mode switch and hold it for 0.8 second, and it will turn on the red light. Hold it for 3 seconds, it will enter a SOS mode.

With the light off, press the mode switch button once to turn on the red light.



Batteries and output:

Supporting only standard AA battery types the HL30 is likely to be optimised for ni-mh as most Fenix lights are. As there are no specifications or instructions it is not clear if Lithium AAs (1.7V) will be supported, but it is likely they will be. Testing has been carried out with Eneloops.

An early draft of the instruction manual states output levels of:
4 Lumens -160H
45 Lumens -11H
100 Lumens -5H
180 Lumens -2H

The modes are regulated and do not use PWM. When the batteries can no longer provide maximum output, the high mode simply dims gradually. As there is no sudden cut off so you will not be left in the dark and have plenty of warning.



In The Lab

_In an attempt to quantify the actual beam profile I developed the following test. There are probably many flaws in my method, but it is simple and easy to carry out and seems to provide a good enough comparison.

The method used was to put the light on the edge of a table 1m from a wall, with a tape measure on the wall. The zero of the scale is placed in the centre of the hotspot and a lux meter is then positioned at points along the scale, with the measurements recorded. Beam shots are often taken with the light shining on a flat white wall, so this method is simply measuring the actual intensity across the beam on a flat surface, not the spherical light emission.

The results are then plotted on a graph.

For the best throw you want to see a sharp peak with less of the distracting spill. For the best flood light the trace should be pretty flat._

Here I have compared the HL30 to the HP11 with its diffuser. The HL30 has a fantastically smooth beam profile with very floody beam.






_Taking this a little further, I calculated an approximate factor to apply to the lux measurements, as each measurement gets further from the centre of the beam, it corresponds to a larger area onto which the light is falling. It seems to me that this should also be taken into consideration, so I applied these area corrections and came up with this odd looking graph.

The key quantity here is the area under the graph line. This should correspond to the total light output._

The HL30puts more light into the spill area than the HP11 with diffuser does, making for a really great beam for near distances. Despite the HP11’s far greater total output without diffuser, the HL30 compares very well to the HP11 with diffuser having a smoother beam and outputting plenty of light.








The beam of the HL30 pre-production

The HL30 provides a beam that is neither full flood, nor with a strong hotspot. The central area is slightly brighter, but fades out into the spill smoothly. The resulting beam is excellent for walking or general work and does not require you to point your head at whatever you are looking at which some headlamps can.

Fenix specify it as an 80 degree beam angle.








Using the HL30

The HL30 is very comfortable to wear with the top strap making the distribution of pressure from the strap even. The weight of 2xAA is not noticeable.






Angled a long way down the spill starts to hit the user’s face, but this is further down that you would ever normally use it.






Looking from the side you can see how the unit adjusts angle in the cradle. The angle adjustment is positive and has not moved at any point during use so far.






The red LED is a very useful addition. I have used this while driving for extra cab illumination without reducing visibility outside the car.






The HL30 takes the type of unit typically powered by 3xAAA and makes it a 2xAA light. Doing so increases the power capacity available and the high output and lovely smooth floody beam make the HL30 a really useful light.

Even though this is only a pre-production version, it has become my go-to headlamp and is kept in a drawer by the front door.


Test sample provided for review by The Photon Shop.

I’ll update post 2 of this thread once I have some more comments to add....


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## subwoofer (Apr 8, 2012)

reserved for further comments...

Weight without batteries is 78g and with two eneloops 141g

Parasitic drain is 0.39mA (which means you would loose half the capacity of 2000mAh batteries in 107 days with it just sitting in a drawer)


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## Bolster (Apr 8, 2012)

Thanks for the review. Looks like Fenix has FINALLY realized the utility of flood/spill in a headlamp. 80 degrees is very respectable. This may be the first Fenix headlamp I'm actually interested in trying. 

- Too bad there's no sublumen mode but maybe the red is? 
- *What's the tint like*? Neutral/warm? Greenish? 
- Is that a removable bezel I see?


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## subwoofer (Apr 9, 2012)

Bolster said:


> Thanks for the review. Looks like Fenix has FINALLY realized the utility of flood/spill in a headlamp. 80 degrees is very respectable. This may be the first Fenix headlamp I'm actually interested in trying.
> 
> - Too bad there's no sublumen mode but maybe the red is?
> - *What's the tint like*? Neutral/warm? Greenish?
> - Is that a removable bezel I see?



Agreed, I wish Fenix would add a 0.2lm level to all their lights.

The red is indeed a low level. Unfortunately I can't quantify it as my integrating sphere only measures down to about 3lm.

The tint is on the neutral side of cool. Sorry to be a bit vague, but commenting on tint is not easy. It is neither cool white nor neutral, but somewhere in between.

On the sample I have, the bezel can be removed, but this only allows the lens to be removed and exposes the LED. There is evidence of glue that has been forced open, so I don't think the intention is to have a removable bezel.


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## Bolster (Apr 9, 2012)

subwoofer said:


> The tint is on the neutral side of cool. Sorry to be a bit vague, but commenting on tint is not easy. It is neither cool white nor neutral, but somewhere in between.



Understood. In the "styrofoam head on the table" shots, the tint looks to be a strong puke green. Whereas the wallshot makes the beam look more coolish-neutralish. I assume the tint would be cool (being Fenix), but can you comment on what appears to be a green tint?


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## subwoofer (Apr 9, 2012)

Bolster said:


> Understood. In the "styrofoam head on the table" shots, the tint looks to be a strong puke green. Whereas the wallshot makes the beam look more coolish-neutralish. I assume the tint would be cool (being Fenix), but can you comment on what appears to be a green tint?



Ah, good point, that is a result of the light hitting an 'oiled smoked oak floor' resulting in an odd colour, and I agree in that photo the colour of the beam is not represented well (but that was not the intention of that shot). Representing tint in photos on the internet is not possible due to so many variances including the colour set-up of people's screens which won't have been calibrated.

As I said before. in this sample it is neither cool white nor neutral, but somewhere in between.


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## d1337 (Apr 9, 2012)

Awesome review! Any idea when this might be for sale? How much does this weigh with and without batteries?


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## subwoofer (Apr 10, 2012)

d1337 said:


> Awesome review! Any idea when this might be for sale? How much does this weigh with and without batteries?



I'll try to find out the official release date and post soon.

Weight without batteries is 78g and with two eneloops 141g

I also measured the parasitic drain which is 0.39mA (which means you would loose half the capacity of 2000mAh batteries in 107 days with it just sitting in a drawer). If used regularly, this is not important, but if you store one as backup, keep the batteries out of it.


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## Stevie (Apr 29, 2012)

Looks very interesting. Don't you think it looks like a small camera? (!)

Still like the specification though.


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## Mathiashogevold (Apr 29, 2012)

Why a XP-E LED, and not a XP-G or even a XM-L? 
A R5 bin would really get the job done with more effiency.


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## YoSeKi (Apr 29, 2012)

Mathiashogevold said:


> Why a XP-E LED, and not a XP-G or even a XM-L?
> A R5 bin would really get the job done with more effiency.



Could be because the XP-E is cheaper and efficiency difference is minimal when drive current is below 1A. And it produces a better looking beam with an optic. The larger the die, the more color variation you tend to get from the center of the hotspot to the edge of the hotspot and out to the spill.


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## sadboy (Apr 29, 2012)

Stevie said:


> Looks very interesting. Don't you think it looks like a small camera? (!)
> 
> Still like the specification though.


From the look of it, the form factor does seem a bit "weird" (i.e. there are two buttons you'd have to deal with; and I'm not sure if there's a practical use for it being shaped the way it is). I'd be curious to find out what people think after they use it, though.


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## Lynx_Arc (Apr 29, 2012)

subwoofer said:


> reserved for further comments...
> 
> Weight without batteries is 78g and with two eneloops 141g
> 
> Parasitic drain is 0.39mA (which means you would loose half the capacity of 2000mAh batteries in 107 days with it just sitting in a drawer)


That would mean in about 6 months of non use you would need to recharge the batteries. How sturdy is the battery hatch cover as to me that can be a weak point if you use a headlamp a lot. I await to see what price they put on it... probably $49.


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## fishndad (Apr 29, 2012)

just what i need for tying lures on at night.


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## Lynx_Arc (Apr 29, 2012)

fishndad said:


> just what i need for tying lures on at night.


would be cool if you could replace the red LED with a UV one to see your fishing line.


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## subwoofer (Apr 30, 2012)

Lynx_Arc said:


> That would mean in about 6 months of non use you would need to recharge the batteries. How sturdy is the battery hatch cover as to me that can be a weak point if you use a headlamp a lot. I await to see what price they put on it... probably $49.



The hatch seems ok, but when this pre-production sample arrived there was a crack in one corner. Not know its history, I don't know if this crack was caused by the unit being dropped or someone forcing the battery cover off in the wrong direction (as you have to rotate the light fully in its mount to reveal the cover release button and someone might have missed this).


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## turboBB (May 22, 2012)

Thx for the review! Is the top strap removable (can't really tell from the pics). If so, would you mind testing if it feels secure enough when used with just the headband?


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## subwoofer (May 22, 2012)

turboBB said:


> Thx for the review! Is the top strap removable (can't really tell from the pics). If so, would you mind testing if it feels secure enough when used with just the headband?



Yes the top strap is removable. If you are happy to have quite a tight headband, it is secure enough without the top strap, but I find that with it, it is very secure, even with the straps only gently holding your head. I much prefer it with the top strap.


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## Lynx_Arc (May 22, 2012)

subwoofer said:


> Yes the top strap is removable. If you are happy to have quite a tight headband, it is secure enough without the top strap, but I find that with it, it is very secure, even with the straps only gently holding your head. I much prefer it with the top strap.


I am guessing the strap attach points are the common split loop type such that if a strap wears out you can swap a new one in easily.


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## turboBB (May 22, 2012)

Thx sub! I've been looking for something to replace my Pixa3 as it's just a wee bit bulky. This looks to be an ideal candidate.

Cheers,
Tim


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## DisrupTer911 (May 23, 2012)

whats IPX-6 rated too? submersible for 30 minutes at 1m?


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## dealgrabber2002 (May 25, 2012)

The version on sale now is using a XP-G.


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## Lynx_Arc (May 25, 2012)

dealgrabber2002 said:


> The version on sale now is using a XP-G.



you mean on preorder, you can't get one yet


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## dealgrabber2002 (May 25, 2012)

Lynx_Arc said:


> you mean on preorder, you can't get one yet



I saw it in the marketplace and read the spec. I didn't click on the link so I don't know if it's preorder or not.


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## Lynx_Arc (May 25, 2012)

dealgrabber2002 said:


> I saw it in the marketplace and read the spec. I didn't click on the link so I don't know if it's preorder or not.



It is preorder on the marketplace and you can try google shopping and amazon.com and ebay.com and you won't find any listing of it at all for sale. I am considering waiting for it to come on amazon.com as I was sent a gift card that would pay for it if the price was $50 or less but I am awaiting a few reviews of the final product.


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## RedForest UK (May 26, 2012)

dealgrabber2002 said:


> The version on sale now is using a XP-G.




So is the one reviewed here.


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## dealgrabber2002 (May 27, 2012)

RedForest UK said:


> So is the one reviewed here.



The one being review is a XP-E.


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## YoSeKi (May 27, 2012)

dealgrabber2002 said:


> The one being review is a XP-E.





subwoofer said:


>



It's hard to tell for sure, but it does look like there is an XP-G in there.


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## dealgrabber2002 (May 27, 2012)

It does look like a XP-G, but the reviewer said it was a XP-E...


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## Mr Floppy (May 28, 2012)

subwoofer said:


> If used regularly, this is not important, but if you store one as backup, keep the batteries out of it.



Hmmm, that is not as easy as untwisting the tail cap half a turn. A master switch could be useful maybe? 

A similar styled head lamp in the TIKKA XP2 is 88g but AAA are around 15g I think so the total is around 133g say, so close to the 141g of this and 2xAA. Looks pretty big on that styrofoam head you have there though. Not a normal size head is it?


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## subwoofer (May 28, 2012)

dealgrabber2002 said:


> It does look like a XP-G, but the reviewer said it was a XP-E...



The Fenix specification sheet supplied with the review sample stated XP-E. If I remember when I get home I'll whip the lens off and double check.



Mr Floppy said:


> Hmmm, that is not as easy as untwisting the tail cap half a turn. A master switch could be useful maybe?
> 
> A similar styled head lamp in the TIKKA XP2 is 88g but AAA are around 15g I think so the total is around 133g say, so close to the 141g of this and 2xAA. Looks pretty big on that styrofoam head you have there though. Not a normal size head is it?



The head is a bit small, in hat size probably XXS, it is just the most neutral thing I have to model a headlamp, not particularly liking self portraits, and not having Worzel Gummidge's abilities. I'll try to get something of a more 'average' size for future reviews.


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## RedForest UK (May 28, 2012)

I'd put any money on that being an XP-G, the die covers the whole area under the dome.


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## subwoofer (May 28, 2012)

Just taken the lens off for a close look and it is an XP-G.


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## Sarratt (May 28, 2012)

subwoofer said:


> Just taken the lens off for a close look and it is an XP-G.



Is that a good or bad thing ?


Why the big questioning ---- Fenix says xp-g(r5) 

So ? Don't assume that everyone here is as conversant with Emitter-Lingo as you are.


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## eebowler (May 28, 2012)

What makes this light waterproof? I don't seem to be able to identify any o-ring to seal the light in the photos above. Thanks.


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## YoSeKi (Jun 11, 2012)

Mr Floppy said:


> A similar styled head lamp in the TIKKA XP2 is 88g but AAA are around 15g I think so the total is around 133g say, so close to the 141g of this and 2xAA.



Petzl Tikka XP 2 is 52 grams without batteries and 88 grams with 3xAAA batteries.


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## skycamnz (Jul 1, 2012)

Ah, a Fenix headlamp with a red LED and tactical capability! Waiting patiently for them to hit the shelves :twothumbs


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## spinkid (Jul 4, 2012)

Received mine yesterday but wish it came Thursday as I spent the weekend till yesterday helping with the storms in MD for work and would of put it through its paces on day 1. Only went out for some yardwork last night just to mess around with it. I am actually impressed with the beam in real world use. I am going to take this out for my work light and see how it goes when I go on-call. I think this is going to replace my Spark as about the only thing I really like about that light now for work is the runtime. With the Fenix, on the 45lm mode and its 10.5 hours runtime then with combined with the 80 degree beam this should work out perfect. The only early gripe is the headband. It almost seems like it came wrong as it does not want to stay in position. I will mess around as it's most likely operator error, but when its on, the light sits comfortable and is very stable with no noticable bounce when walking.


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## cave dave (Jul 7, 2012)

spinkid said:


> ... The only early gripe is the headband. It almost seems like it came wrong as it does not want to stay in position. I will mess around as it's most likely operator error, but when its on, the light sits comfortable and is very stable with no noticeable bounce when walking.



You are right the headband did come wrong. When I re-threaded it to match the diagram in the instructions it worked much better. If you look you can see a small gap in the adjustment buckle and by pulling it through that you can reformat the strap to match the diagram. I'll add a picture to this post later.

Edit to add picture:
This is how I reconfigured the headband. I do not have a before picture.


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## cave dave (Jul 7, 2012)

Just got mine today. So far it seems pretty nice. I've been wanting a decent 2AA light for years, since I wanted to standardize on AA size batteries. It wasn't unusual for me to have 4 different battery formats in my pack on one cave trip. 

Here is a picture of that O-ring. 





I am not crazy about the way the battery compartment has to be popped open, it would be near impossible to open with gloves on or really cold hands. The screw on the Princeton Tecs is a much better closing mechanism. I would also prefer if it started on low every time but the mode memory is better than starting on high every time like so many headlamps do, and there will be times when memory is an advantage. The disadvantage is that you have to cycle through high and max to get to low.

Weight with eneloops is 105g.
The PT EOS with eneloops is 87g.


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## YoSeKi (Jul 10, 2012)

cave dave said:


> I am not crazy about the way the battery compartment has to be popped open, it would be near impossible to open with gloves on or really cold hands.



On the bright side, there is no hinge to break. The hinge on Princeton Tec battery compartment can break.


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## eebowler (Jul 10, 2012)

cave dave said:


> I am not crazy about the way the battery compartment has to be popped open, it would be near impossible to open with gloves on or really cold hands. The screw on the Princeton Tecs is a much better closing mechanism.



Thanks for the pics. I completely agree with you about the battery compartment. It also makes changing cells a hassle because the cover can fall or get lost etc.. I'm not impressed Fenix.

YoSeKi, I've had lots of trouble with the PT Apex hinge but none the EOS.


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## spinkid (Jul 14, 2012)

Cave dave, Thanks for the pic. I took it apart as well and made it match the diagram. It honestly took me a little bit to figure out, but now its perfect. So far so good with the light and hopefully it stays that way. 

The battery compartment is a little tough to open, but time will tell if I like it.


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## bedazzLED (Jul 17, 2012)

Just got mine today and I must say, although it's a reasonably good headlamp, I do have a few reservations about it.

I tried it with Alkalines and the first two low modes were both reasonably bright but no difference between them.
Tried Energizer lithiums and the levels went medium, medium, high, high.
Tried Eneloops and now I have 4 beautifully spaced levels.

First off the good points. It feels quite solid, headband is comfortable, red LED is a good feature, on Eneloops the levels are evenly spaced, and the beam is quite good.

There are a few points I'm not too happy about though.

First off, the battery cover is a fail. It feels flimsy, does not feel like it is on properly, and is not easy to open at the best of times.
Secondly, I'm not convinced about the longevity of the switches.
Last of all, I am not convinced the tilt mechanism will last. I have seen this mechanism on the LED Lenser H7 headlamp and I had to replace it 3 times before I gave up on it. It just wears out too easily and renders the light useless. I suppose only time will tell, and sure I'll be putting it through boot-camp over the next few weeks.

I don't think my trusty old HP10 will be retired any time soon, and there's always my awesome Spark SD-6 sitting there ready for duty. 

I like Fenix lights, have a heap of them (30+ over the years), and I really want to like this light, but sorry Fenix I only score this one a 5/10.


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## bon1 (Jul 17, 2012)

bedazzLED said:


> There are a few points I'm not too happy about though.
> 
> First off, the battery cover is a fail. It feels flimsy, does not feel like it is on properly, and is not easy to open at the best of times.
> Secondly, I'm not convinced about the longevity of the switches.
> Last of all, I am not convinced the tilt mechanism will last. I have seen this mechanism on the LED Lenser H7 headlamp and I had to replace it 3 times before I gave up on it. It just wears out too easily and renders the light useless. I suppose only time will tell, and sure I'll be putting it through boot-camp over the next few weeks.



Sadly, all these points were already discussed by the people who were elected to review the pre-production model of the Fenix HL30--as it could be read by anyone who went do the doyouhike dot net forum (in Chinese, I had to use one of those online translators). I can only guess that the pre-production models offered outside of the Chinese borders were of a higher build quality?

Since you have a Fenix HP10 and_ I guess_ that it must be similar to the Fenix HP11, do you think that it's got a too bright spot compared to its spill? I'm asking this to you as I'm looking for a good (any number of) AA-cell headlamp and this seems to be one of the few choices available in this format. I'd preffer not having to rely on the provided light diffuser.

Eventually, I hope that Fenix decides to make a quality version of the HL30 headlamp as I like its modes (as reported with NiMH), battery format, and beam pattern.


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## derfyled (Jul 17, 2012)

I wish they will offer an all black version. The yellow gives a cheap impression...


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## bedazzLED (Jul 17, 2012)

bon1 said:


> Since you have a Fenix HP10 and_ I guess_ that it must be similar to the Fenix HP11, do you think that it's got a too bright spot compared to its spill? I'm asking this to you as I'm looking for a good (any number of) AA-cell headlamp and this seems to be one of the few choices available in this format. I'd preffer not having to rely on the provided light diffuser.



Hi bon1. 

I found the spot on the HP10 was a little too strong, so I ended up putting on some diffuser film on the lens and now it's absolutely perfect. Heaps of flood, still got a little bit of throw. Ended up getting the diffuser film over at the marketplace from member phaserburn.

If you do go with the HP10 or HP11 and need some of the diffuser film to try out, just send me a pm on which one you ended up with, where to post it, and I'll send you a piece to try.


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## ser1a (Aug 25, 2012)

great head flashlampu, I use fenix for running and it is great! Use with my sanyo XX and it lasts really for really long time. Great value !


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## GoCarp (Aug 27, 2012)

ser1a said:


> great head flashlampu, I use fenix for running and it is great! Use with my sanyo XX and it lasts really for really long time. Great value !



Thanks for posting this. I was needing a new headlamp for running and this may fit the bill.


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## arizona1 (Sep 3, 2012)

i just got one of these and it doesnt have the 4 lumen switch. It goes from 45 lumen, to 45 lumen, to 100, then 200. Why does it repeat the 45 lumen twice but not go to 4 lumen?


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## Labrador72 (Sep 3, 2012)

GoCarp said:


> Thanks for posting this. I was needing a new headlamp for running and this may fit the bill.



Isn't it a tad on the heavy side for running? I mean the batteries are not in a separate holder so all the weight is in the front.


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## subwoofer (Sep 4, 2012)

arizona1 said:


> i just got one of these and it doesnt have the 4 lumen switch. It goes from 45 lumen, to 45 lumen, to 100, then 200. Why does it repeat the 45 lumen twice but not go to 4 lumen?



What cells are you using?


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## arizona1 (Sep 4, 2012)

I found a disclaimer in the package saying that new batteries will cause the headlamp to shut off the lowest power until the batteries drain a little. I was also disappointed to find out that the turbo mode (200 lumens) shuts off after 5 min


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## Labrador72 (Sep 4, 2012)

Does it shut off completely or does it step down to the next level?


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## snala (Sep 11, 2012)

I want to know how far it projects on 200 lumens mode? I know it's set up for spread but how far does it go say compared to a HP11 etc? This really sounds like what I'm after i.e Red LED and 2 AA's but how far roughly does the beam go? Not looking for 100m lighting up everything for example but does it light out to say 40m and you can see everything like a normal 200lumen light would quite easily?
I'm wanting to use this for rabbit hunting at night with a shotgun so really what i'm asking is will this cover shotgunning shooting ranges. My friend uses the HP11 which does this easily but i'm not as keen on the 4 battery set up etc.


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## subwoofer (Sep 12, 2012)

snala said:


> I want to know how far it projects on 200 lumens mode? I know it's set up for spread but how far does it go say compared to a HP11 etc? This really sounds like what I'm after i.e Red LED and 2 AA's but how far roughly does the beam go? Not looking for 100m lighting up everything for example but does it light out to say 40m and you can see everything like a normal 200lumen light would quite easily?
> I'm wanting to use this for rabbit hunting at night with a shotgun so really what i'm asking is will this cover shotgunning shooting ranges. My friend uses the HP11 which does this easily but i'm not as keen on the 4 battery set up etc.



I would say this is not going to work as your only light when rabbit hunting at night. A flood beam runs out of steam quickly and you will be lighting up the gun and your arms a lot more than the much throwier beam of the HP11.

The HL30 is great for everything you need to do close up and to about 10-15m away, and in this regard, much better than the HP11, but for longer distances you would need the throw of the HP11 and extra power and runtime.

Personally I prefer a light mounted to the gun as I have found the alignment of the headlamp when shouldering the gun can be awkward if this is your only light source. The TK45 has worked well for me in this instance.


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## larcal (Oct 9, 2012)

Hi Subwoofer. Parasitic drain is new to me, and not something I appreciate. Do you know why this has to be? Is it because it has a mode memory and if so does that mean my Fenix ld20 would not have drain but my Ld22 would? Both newly aquired. Too bad about the durability of hinges and the difficulty with battery cover. I'm with bon 1 in hoping for an upgrade. Thanks for the review.


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## subwoofer (Oct 9, 2012)

larcal said:


> Hi Subwoofer. Parasitic drain is new to me, and not something I appreciate. Do you know why this has to be? Is it because it has a mode memory and if so does that mean my Fenix ld20 would not have drain but my Ld22 would? Both newly aquired. Too bad about the durability of hinges and the difficulty with battery cover. I'm with bon 1 in hoping for an upgrade. Thanks for the review.



Parasitic drain is due only to the switching method employed, and is not due to memory which generally does not need power to maintain. The switching method is mainly chosen based on the desired user interface and power handling requirements.

On lights with no parasitic drain they will have switches that physically cut the circuit, completely isolating the battery from the driver, preventing any current flowing and power being used. This may not be suitable to use on high power lights where the switch needs to cope with high currents and may suffer from arching and contact wear.

Lights with parasitic drain use an electronic switch to turn the light on and off. This electronic switch does not make or break the circuit, instead it provides a signal to the light's electronic control circuit. This means some power is needed just to monitor the switch which provides a signal - hence the parasitic drain. However this has the advantage of allowing for various switching features and controlling high currents.

You should be able to find lots more information on parasitic drain on CPF and see the different user interfaces this can offer.


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## larcal (Oct 18, 2012)

> There are a few points I'm not too happy about though.
> 
> First off, the battery cover is a fail. It feels flimsy, does not feel like it is on properly, and is not easy to open at the best of times.
> Secondly, I'm not convinced about the longevity of the switches.
> Last of all, I am not convinced the tilt mechanism will last. I have seen this mechanism on the LED Lenser H7 headlamp and I had to replace it 3 times before I gave up on it. It just wears out too easily and renders the light useless. I suppose only time will tell, and sure I'll be putting it through boot-camp over the next few weeks.



Hi Bedazzled--wondering if you have been able to run enough "boot camp" yet to have a firmer opinion about your reservations. I know, probably not in just 3 months, but I'm particularly concerned about the hinge issue.


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## larcal (Oct 18, 2012)

Thanks Subwoofer. So I guess every electronic switch has parasitic drain. Wonder what features/advantages my LD22 lacks as opposed to this HL30 because it has no electronic switch (I assume). If a switch has no click would you say that is a reliable indication that it is electronic?

"subscribe to thread" seems to be automatically selected under "go advanced" but even so got no email telling me you replied. Seems like it never has. My error, somehow?


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## subwoofer (Oct 18, 2012)

larcal said:


> Thanks Subwoofer. So I guess every electronic switch has parasitic drain. Wonder what features/advantages my LD22 lacks as opposed to this HL30 because it has no electronic switch (I assume). If a switch has no click would you say that is a reliable indication that it is electronic?
> 
> "subscribe to thread" seems to be automatically selected under "go advanced" but even so got no email telling me you replied. Seems like it never has. My error, somehow?



Even electronic switches tend to have a soft click, and some very high quality make/break switches have almost none, so a switch not having a click is not a real indication, though it may point you in the right direction.

The LD22 has two switches, a make/break tail-cap switch and an electronic switch on the side to change mode when on. The LD22 is not a headlight so fills a different requirement. The HL30 is one of my regular users, it is a great light with excellent beam.


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## larcal (Oct 20, 2012)

Subwoofer, :wave: (or anyone of course) can you reveal how you keep current on these threads, i.e, do you get emails with new posts? I must be neglecting something but can't see what, as I have checked the subscription box under advanced.

I just mentioned the ld22 cause you said their were certain advantages to having an electronic switch but I couldn't see what they were since The ld seems to do everything the Hl30 does xcept mount to center of head and give a good flood beam. I might try one of these anyway since you recomend it but money getting tight and I need something I can get 3 or 4 of so can have one at different crucial focal points around homestead. Getting so I live with one of these on my head several hours a day. This looks appealing in that you don't need a diffuser like hl21 and less is more. But am disappointed. If you need several strewn around then any individual one may not be used for awhile so doesn't seem too cool to have it draining. Make it slightly bigger and put a cutt off switch in it! Like that it uses 2 AA and has a good beam. Negative reports on hinges (which are of course the heaviest used part of a head beam) but maybe that's been fixed since you've had no problems. Your positive experience so far aside, what's your feeling or intuition on the hinges, seem durable?


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## subwoofer (Oct 20, 2012)

larcal said:


> Subwoofer, :wave: (or anyone of course) can you reveal how you keep current on these threads, i.e, do you get emails with new posts? I must be neglecting something but can't see what, as I have checked the subscription box under advanced.
> 
> I just mentioned the ld22 cause you said their were certain advantages to having an electronic switch but I couldn't see what they were since The ld seems to do everything the Hl30 does xcept mount to center of head and give a good flood beam. I might try one of these anyway since you recomend it but money getting tight and I need something I can get 3 or 4 of so can have one at different crucial focal points around homestead. Getting so I live with one of these on my head several hours a day. This looks appealing in that you don't need a diffuser like hl21 and less is more. But am disappointed. If you need several strewn around then any individual one may not be used for awhile so doesn't seem too cool to have it draining. Make it slightly bigger and put a cutt off switch in it! Like that it uses 2 AA and has a good beam. Negative reports on hinges (which are of course the heaviest used part of a head beam) but maybe that's been fixed since you've had no problems. Your positive experience so far aside, what's your feeling or intuition on the hinges, seem durable?



My default thread subscription setting is for instant notification by email and The first page I visit is my subscribed threads page. That is how I stay in touch.



larcal said:


> The ld seems to do everything the Hl30 does xcept mount to center of head and give a good flood beam.



That is exactly the point of a headlamp, it mounts on your head. The good flood beam is then what you need for general use. So the LD does not do everything the HL30 does. It also does not have the red light.

There are lights for different purposes, headlamps give you hands free operation and dedicated headlamps (as opposed to a flashlight in a headband) give you the best directional control and ergonomics.

If I were you I would have one or two headlamps and a small keychain light to get you to where you keep the headlamp. If you need it more than that, then just carry the headlamp with you. I don't know your particular set-up, but each of the critical points may need a different type of light. For the garage, a headlamp, in the hall a flashlight, in the car a headlamp (try changing a wheel with a flashlight between your teeth), by the backdoor a powerful flashlight to check your property and garden and by the bed something with a moonlight mode. Fit the light to the task.


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## rojos (Oct 20, 2012)

*****


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## larcal (Oct 21, 2012)

Boy, I apparently really screwed up my question, Subwoofer. I was not trying to equate the ld22 to this, and obviously they are two lights with different attributes for different purposes. I was responding to your basic communication in #58 that the parasitic drain was not all bad, that it was a trade off situation that allowed certain mysterious features or attributes not attainable otherwise. Specifically, you said that PD had the "advantage of allowing for various switching features and controlling high currents" and said they had to move to electronic switches to permit these high currents and switching features (whatever they are, do you know?). My question was merely seeking illumination by giving an example of a non pd light, the LD22, but their are many, which handles equally high currents. And looking at the many differences between them (like red lights, more flood, head mount etc), it is hard to see any which have anything to do with electronic switches, i.e, you could make the HL30 without pd and lose nothing, it appears to my perhaps unilluminated brain, so why is it not all bad?


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## rojos (Oct 21, 2012)

*****


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## subwoofer (Oct 22, 2012)

larcal said:


> Boy, I apparently really screwed up my question, Subwoofer. I was not trying to equate the ld22 to this, and obviously they are two lights with different attributes for different purposes. I was responding to your basic communication in #58 that the parasitic drain was not all bad, that it was a trade off situation that allowed certain mysterious features or attributes not attainable otherwise.



In post #58 I was attempting to give you a brief overview of the reasons why electronic switches are used, and did suggest that you do some further research yourself on CPF. I'm afraid I don't have the time to list all the different interfaces and features electronic switches allow for.



larcal said:


> Specifically, you said that PD had the "advantage of allowing for various switching features and controlling high currents" and said they had to move to electronic switches to permit these high currents and switching features (whatever they are, do you know?).



Fenix make a PD range of lights. This is the model designation, so beware of referring to LD and PD in a Fenix review thread when you mean parasitic drain. I'm not aware of a recognised abbreviation for parasitic drain, so it is best to write it in full.

As I was giving an overview of the reasons electronic switches are used, the reference to high current switching was not relating to the HL30 or LD22 as there are low power lights. Switching features vary from magnetic control rings to motion sensing, and the various UIs (user interfaces) are too numerous to list.



larcal said:


> My question was merely seeking illumination by giving an example of a non pd light, the LD22, but their are many, which handles equally high currents. And looking at the many differences between them (like red lights, more flood, head mount etc), it is hard to see any which have anything to do with electronic switches, i.e, you could make the HL30 without pd and lose nothing, it appears to my perhaps unilluminated brain, so why is it not all bad?



True, the HL30 could have a third master power switch, but this would add bulk, weight and another point of failure. One of the reasons for highlighting and quantifying parasitic drain to to give the reader the ability to judge how they would use the light.

I use it with rechargeable cells and always have a spare set to hand. It also gets regular use, so the parasitic drain is relatively negligible. If this were put into an emergency pack, it would be stored without the batteries in it, and this is because we know it has parasitic drain.

Another reason for quantifying it is that there are some lights where the parasitic drain is so low, the batteries own self discharge is greater than the parasitic drain (the Streamlight Sidewinder is one example of this), so this light can have batteries left in it long term.

Knowledge is empowering.


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## larcal (Oct 22, 2012)

Hey rojos, what happened to your fine answer? Read it yesterday but no time to reply and hope you repost. Anyway, Bravo! you know your lights! :twothumbs Much appreciated clarity. Since it seems that the direct access red light is the single plus of the hl30 that requires an electronic switch to provide and I don't need that feature and for my purposes hate parasitic drain I am going to pass on this lamp. Hopefully Fenix will percieve that they are limiting their sales to a rather small section of the market and come out with a hybrid soon. If anyone knows of any other front mount powerful 2aa flood beam please pipeup. Know they are scarce but haven't totally looked everywhere yet.


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## rojos (Oct 22, 2012)

larcal said:


> Hey rojos, what happened to your fine answer?



I belatedly realized that I had butted into a two person argument. 

My posts didn't contribute anything new and just cluttered up your dialogue.


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## Lynx_Arc (Oct 22, 2012)

larcal said:


> Hey rojos, what happened to your fine answer? Read it yesterday but no time to reply and hope you repost. Anyway, Bravo! you know your lights! :twothumbs Much appreciated clarity. Since it seems that the direct access red light is the single plus of the hl30 that requires an electronic switch to provide and I don't need that feature and for my purposes hate parasitic drain I am going to pass on this lamp. Hopefully Fenix will percieve that they are limiting their sales to a rather small section of the market and come out with a hybrid soon. If anyone knows of any other front mount powerful 2aa flood beam please pipeup. Know they are scarce but haven't totally looked everywhere yet.


For now the Fenix light is the only contender in its class, the parasitic drain is annoying but if using rechargeable batteries it is not a deal breaker for regular use but for standby rare use having to either remove the batteries or stick a shim in the holder to break the circuit is a minus. I think I will wait till they come out with an upgraded version of this headlamp with perhaps a better battery door and negligible vampiric drain that affords a 5 year non use with at least 50% power left in them in it all.


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## larcal (Oct 22, 2012)

> I'm afraid I don't have the time to list all the different interfaces and features electronic switches allow for.



I just can't communicate. Yes, that would be a burdensome request but I wasn't asking that. I was asking which particular "interfaces and features" in this one light require an electronic switch, i.e, could not be equally satisfied by a mechanical switch. As I said before, is there a true trade off and if so what is it.





> As I was giving an overview of the reasons electronic switches are used, the reference to high current switching was not relating to the HL30 or LD22 as there are low power lights. Switching features vary from magnetic control rings to motion sensing, and the various UIs (user interfaces) are too numerous to list.


 This is a repeat of above, an uncalled for complication and distraction. My response the same. 



> True, the HL30 could have a third master power switch, but this would add bulk, weight and another point of failure.



Yes, this is what Rojas called a hybrid, and ASSUMING there were real world advantages to an electronic switch in this particular light, many people, including myself would think the very slight extra weight or bulk of an additional cut off was worth it. While this subject of hybrids is interesting, relevent and a worthy avenue to consider, my point was not really that I wished for an additional switch but that why could they not make the same light with the same features with just a mechanical switch? Rojas got into that effectively but I only remember part of what he said and for some reason his post was erased. Did he commit some kind of group faux pas?

Anyway, am aware I'm belaboring this. Not really asking this all again. Misunderstanding makes me frustrated. True it is that, as you remind us, "knowledge is empowering", yet simple awareness is many magnitudes greater and much more impressive. Sometimes simple threads turn a little strange. Thanks and see ya around, maybe.


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## larcal (Oct 22, 2012)

Rojas--Just read your post #69. Arguement? "two person"? You're way off brother. Another universe. Your answer was the first time there was a dialogue, since you got the point and addressed it directly. There is something unseen here going on. I want to reread it and it will help others. Put it back in.


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## larcal (Oct 23, 2012)

That's helpful and interesting, and you say it well, Lynx arc. It's about work, not backpacking. Infrequency and constancy, insufferably wed. And we are a hopelessly lost and forgetful people. 

Hey, Lynx, I'm so envious! When I grow up can I be a flashaholic? please, please, preeety pleeeeese


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## Lynx_Arc (Oct 23, 2012)

larcal said:


> Yes, you say it well, Lynx arc. If you just own one light and use it everyday in a narrow space then drain may not be too important. Or at the other extreme of long term storage it is not overly incovenient to remove batteries perhaps, except that when I have a light stored in my car I want it ready to go. And yes, rechargeables (eneloops) of course. But if you have a wide variety of tasks to do in different areas in a necessarily unstructured manner changing day to day as many people do the only efficient thing is to own several, especially but not exclusively because a headlamp does not carry easy in a pocket.


If Fenix or another company either doesn't improve on this or makes something better engineered I think most are opting for 1AA or 18650 headlamps instead from companies such as Zebralight.


> Hey, Lynx, I'm so envious! When I grow up can I be a flashaholic? please, please, preeety pleeeeese



Just stick around posting a few times a day for about 5-6 years and you may have 5000 posts to get the title


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## rojos (Oct 23, 2012)

larcal said:


> ...for some reason his post was erased. Did he commit some kind of group faux pas?



I deleted the content of my posts. I did it myself without being prompted by anyone else. As previously stated, I did it because I was just repeating stuff that subwoofer had already said and I felt like I had butted in needlessly. I apologize for any problems caused by my deleting my posts. 



larcal said:


> Rojas--Just read your post #69. Arguement? "two person"? You're way off brother. Another universe.



To "argue" as I used it means "to discuss or consider the merits of". I did not mean to say that there was a dispute or disagreement between you and subwoofer. 

I said "two person" because you and subwoofer addressed your posts directly to each other. I didn't mean to suggest that third parties should not jump in. It is merely that I did not wish to, and I realized it too late.



larcal said:


> Your answer was the first time there was a dialogue, since you got the point and addressed it directly. There is something unseen here going on. I want to reread it and it will help others. Put it back in.



I deleted two of my posts. 

The first one just pointed out that the LD22, like the HL30, used an electronic switch for mode selection. This was already pointed out by subwoofer in post #61. My post did not add anything new other than to apply the word "hybrid" to the mechanical/electronic switch setup on the LD22.

The second post said that the switch setup on the HL30 allowed for direct access to the red LED from Off and that, in general, electronic switches offered more UI options than mechanical switches. subwoofer already pointed this out in several posts earlier in the thread. My post did not add anything new. 

Again, my sincerest apologies for deleting the content of my posts. I was just trying to clean up some clutter, it was not content of value, and I did not mean to confuse anyone.


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## Eneloops (Dec 20, 2012)

Thanks for the great review. I replaced my old Tikka XPX with this HL-30, and I've loving it even more than I thought I would. 

My only question is how can I figure out the runtime for the 5mm Nichia red LED on eneloops? The manual and their site as well as this review lists the runtimes for all four modes, but not for the 5mm Nichia Red LED alone. 

Or, about how many lumens does the Nichia Red LED throw? Is it comparable to the 4 lumens of the "low" setting, or more like the 45 lumens of the "med" setting? Thanks in advance, if anyone can help. 

(I tried searching for an answer but found nothing)


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## florinache (Dec 21, 2012)

You can either use a stopwatch to see the real time with freshly recharged eneloops, or you can measure the charge and divide the ~1900mah capacity of the batteries to that number.


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## bedazzLED (Dec 21, 2012)

larcal said:


> Hi Bedazzled--wondering if you have been able to run enough "boot camp" yet to have a firmer opinion about your reservations. I know, probably not in just 3 months, but I'm particularly concerned about the hinge issue.



Just posting an update after a few months with this headlamp. I have used it consistently over this time and my main concern were the hinges. I have deliberately been changing the angle more than I should to give it a real working.

The verdict?

So far, it has not suffered the same problems as the LED Lenser H7. In fact, there seems to be no problems so far with the hinge and is still going strong.
I still take an extra headlamp with me if I'm using it outside just in case, but so far, I'm starting to like this headlamp for general use.

So I'm a little more positive about this headlamp now.


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## subwoofer (Dec 21, 2012)

Eneloops said:


> Thanks for the great review. I replaced my old Tikka XPX with this HL-30, and I've loving it even more than I thought I would.
> 
> My only question is how can I figure out the runtime for the 5mm Nichia red LED on eneloops? The manual and their site as well as this review lists the runtimes for all four modes, but not for the 5mm Nichia Red LED alone.
> 
> ...



I've actually got the production version on my review bench right now, so when I post the new review, all will be revealed. Since this pre-production sample, Fenix have also improved the parasitic drain. (ie reduced it)


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## Eneloops (Dec 21, 2012)

subwoofer said:


> I've actually got the production version on my review bench right now, so when I post the new review, all will be revealed. Since this pre-production sample, Fenix have also improved the parasitic drain. (ie reduced it)


Thank you, Subwoofer. I appreciate your help. Looking forward to it.


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## blatant1 (Jan 21, 2013)

I know this thread is old,I do apologize.
Im on the verge of ordering a princeton tec apex 200,a black diamond ICON 200 (which are near identical $67 price) but then I seen this on amazon and ebay for around $40.Does this compare to the latter products I mentioned?


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## subwoofer (Jan 22, 2013)

blatant1 said:


> I know this thread is old,I do apologize.
> Im on the verge of ordering a princeton tec apex 200,a black diamond ICON 200 (which are near identical $67 price) but then I seen this on amazon and ebay for around $40.Does this compare to the latter products I mentioned?



I've posted another review of the production version of the HL30 here:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?353158-Fenix-HL30-Review-(2xAA)

I don't have either, but both those have separate 4xAA battery packs (more like the Fenix HP11) making them much bulkier and heavier. Needing 4xAA may be less flexible as you need 4 matched cells, but does give you greater runtime. The HL30 only needs 2, is smaller, lighter. 2xAA or 4xAA, not really comparing like for like, so it is up to you to consider your output and runtime needs and decide yourself.


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## blatant1 (Jan 22, 2013)

subwoofer said:


> I've posted another review of the production version of the HL30 here:
> 
> http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?353158-Fenix-HL30-Review-(2xAA)
> 
> I don't have either, but both those have separate 4xAA battery packs (more like the Fenix HP11) making them much bulkier and heavier. Needing 4xAA may be less flexible as you need 4 matched cells, but does give you greater runtime. The HL30 only needs 2, is smaller, lighter. 2xAA or 4xAA, not really comparing like for like, so it is up to you to consider your output and runtime needs and decide yourself.



Awesome.Thanks for the post and the link.


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