# Fenix HP12 Headlamp Field Use Review.



## Woods Walker (Jun 22, 2015)

Most of the work for this review was done during colder weather but just never got the time to actually write it up. This is a shame because it's a very nice headlamp. But on the positive I have even more field experience to draw from. Most of my reviews are done during actual field use. I believe this allows me more insight into the gear item as things tend to be less controlled in field conditions.







Stats :




> • Cree XM-L2 LED with a lifespan of 50,000 hours
> • Uses one 18650 or two 3V CR123A Lithium batteries
> • Output mode / Runtime:
> Burst: 900 lumens
> ...




As stated the HP12 can used 2xCR123 primaries or 1x18650 however not 2x16340. I run the light with a Nitecore 3400 mAh 18650. The battery came with my USB charger in a package deal. The HP12 doesn't include batteries. For backup or extreme cold I pack 2xCR123 because they have a long shelf life and good resistance to low temps. Another advantage to primaries for backups is their UL nature. Given the long runtime of 18650 they're hardly ever needed so the more UL the better for infrequently used gear items.







In yea go. One BIG pro of this headlamp is it can be locked out. The threads look square cut and are anodized. You can't see from this picture but there is a + and - marking to indicate proper battery polarity however the headlamp is polarity protected in case things get mixed up in the dark.







The cable looks very durable and so far it's held up fine. One complaint about headlamps using cables is the cables. LOL! Occasionally it bumps my ear so needs to be adjusted away. Fenix provides two sliders to adjust it along the head band. 












The UI is done via single button which is recessed to help prevent accidental activation. 












One press to go into whatever mode was last used. Additional press to move up a mode. Press and hold to turn off or hold longer for burst which lasts around 30 seconds before stepping down to the last mode used. It has a memory and this is a bit of a downside for me as I prefer to use the lower modes. If I pass low I must cycle through all the modes to get back. Also I never really know what mode the light will turn on at unlike UIs without memory. However some might prefer memory. Personal preference issue. I don't like the way it turns off then BLASTS the burst when the button is held down. Why not simply jump from the last mode without turning off first? My guess it's because the button must be pressed for a shorter time to turn off. It's a recipe for night blindness IMHO. Also if you wish to turn the light off but hold the button down too long it jumps to burst which is normal however this is the opposite of that's intended. All of that said the User Interface is both simple and workable. The mode spacing is good but wish for an even lower low mode.


I really like the SS bezel. XM-L2 cool white LED seemed centered enough for my OCD. An XM-L in such a small reflector is going to produce a floody beam which is a good thing but the HP12 has some punch to it. The front easily and securely adjusts up or down as required. So far despite using this headlamp for night running it has never bounced out of adjustment.







So what are the advantages to a power supply in the back rather than one unit like the HL55? The weight is more evenly distributed. When using the top band I can hike deep into the night hardly noticing the headlamp. It's very comfortable and that's no small thing. More importantly for cold weather it's almost idea. 18650 batteries don't have the same resistance to cold as CR123 primaries but there is a solution which was the reason for my purchase. Notice how the battery pack can be kept under a hat to be protected from the cold.







But the LED can be exposed.







This provides the best of both worlds. The battery is warm but LED cold which is exactly what each need in cold weather. Almost too good to be true but it is.


A stated the beam is very floody but has some throw. This isn't to say it's a great thrower aka projector of light over distance but it's just a very good overall beam for a headlamp. Lets take a look at it in actual field use.


1. 10 lumen low mode taken during winter hikes.












2. 50 lumen medium once the snow melted.







3. 150 lumen mode taken during an ice storm when night hiking from camp.







4. 400 lumen mode taken during a winter conditioning hike.







5. 900 lumen turbo/burst mode taken during the same hike. It was very cold.






Tint comparison. On the left a NW XP-G2 M61NL, on the right cool white XM-L2 HP12.






As stated I really like the beam for a headlamp. I do wish it came with a neutral white LED like my HL50 however the cool white tint is on the warm side with minimal feared and hated green. Not sure why the low mode is so high but on the positive it's nice in that with the exception of hiking difficult terrain the low can do almost everything I need. One big pro of the mode spacing is the 50 lumen 36 regulated hour mode. I like to hike with 30-60 lumens and it's necessary for such a mode to work at least 5 hours which is about the max for my night hikes when pushing late to camp. 


Durability and reliability.


So far there are no problems with this headlamp. The simple UI which is devoid of disco modes aka strobe and SOS has zero bugs. The light has never turned on in my pack even when I forgot to lock it out. The button was easy to operate in the cold with gloves. It worked just fine in snow, ice and rain storms. I haven't noticed any intrusion from dust etc. I have accidentally dropped it twice without harm beyond a small ding in the anodizing. To further test the cold and water resistance in early April took it out during a rainstorm in the melting snow to be buried. This was about two miles into the hike.







Left it there on high for maybe 30 minutes. All was fine however it sucked putting on a slushy headlamp band. I will never do this test again. Dang it was cold on my head. LOL!







Pros:


1. Has runtimes and brightness which was shocking to me for a headlamp. I am still in awe of it's power. Can totally dominate the dark woods like no other headlamp I own.


2. Duel fuel. 18650 or 2 X CR123.


3. Power pack can be kept under my hat to keep battery warm.


4. The mode spacing is good for my needs. The low is bright enough to do most everything with a crazy long regulated runtime.


5. Seems both durable and reliable.


6. Comfortable.


7. Nice beam for a headlamp.


8. I like how it looks. Clean well executed design and build quality.


9. No disco modes.


Cons.


1. At 65 dollars it's not cheap.


2. Doesn't use common battery types like AA/AAA.


3. The UI has a few things I don't prefer.


4. No disco modes. Some people like them. To each their own.


5. No neutral white option.


6. Wish it had a sub 2 lumen mode.


7. Bust mode only lasts 30 seconds. I suppose that's to protect the LED from overheating but people might expect something else given the nature of the product description.


8. The end cap looks easy to drop during battery changes. The woods can be a black hole.


Conclusion.


This is my favorite headlamp. What more can be said. Here is a video field review for those who prefer it. Yes like the photos the video was filmed during actual outings.


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## blah9 (Jun 22, 2015)

Awesome review; thank you for sharing. I really like the idea of the separate battery pack so I might check this out myself. I'm very happy with the Wizard Pro except that in cold weather it complains sometimes. It blinks telling me the battery is low, and I think it's just because it's so cold when I go backpacking in the snow. And nice pictures!


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## Woods Walker (Jul 17, 2015)

Field use update:

I have added night jogging in the woods a few times a week to my training regiment. For safety I only night jog on easier trails to help mitigate falls. One good tumble and the summer could be over. No need for that. Also I only take a daypack or E&E with minimal kit.







1. Kifaru E&E.
2. The classic Altoids PSK
3. SAK Hiker.
4. Sugar free drink.
5. Silnylon poncho.
6. Personal items like wallet and cellphone.
7. TP.


Kifaru E&E makes for a nice jogging pack.







Not my usual footwear but that's the game. The headlamp is a Fenix HP12.







Tonight I left the truck at 9:30 pm into unseasonably cool air. The goal was to jog 5.25 miles without stopping on an easy trail in the woods. I achieved the goal getting back at 10:54 pm which isn't bad time for me considering it's night and the woods but this is clearly jogging not running. I am no Captain America. Ok now for the strange encounter. Sorry to say the only pics are those I showed above which were taken back at my truck as I often don't pack a camera jogging and frankly there isn't time to do anything. A down side of not stopping. One nice thing I like about jogging is the cardio benefits. There is a zone which once entered the jog or run just flows. The breathing and heart rate stabilize so it really isn't uncomfortable in anyway. Almost like riding a bike on a flat road. Again lots of people run faster than me but not in a race with anyone other than myself.


I jogged past maybe 4 deer over the miles. They almost never move at night and their eye and ears are easy to distinguish in the headlamp's light. At around 3.5 miles into the jog cruising on automatic I noticed a set of glowing eyes moving down the path towards me. We are maybe 200 feet apart but I was increasing speed and so was the critter. Turned the Fenix HP12 on turbo which is 900 real lumens. It was probably as bright as many car headlamps. Still I couldn't make out the critter but it was dog sized for sure. Probably a large coyote but hard to tell. At about 50 feet away it went off to the left and I kept going forward. We practically flew by each other and just kept on moving. The cool air meant I wasn't sweating or really even breathing harder than when normally walking despite a brisk jog. Gosh in maybe 10 seconds we were far apart and I just kept on jogging. It was really a strange experience. I kinda felt a bit like we were two woodland critters moving fast in the night. A connection of sorts with the unknown animal. Can't really put it into words but glad I went out night jogging rather than watching TV. I missed History channel's Alone but had my own Alone experience.


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## blah9 (Jul 17, 2015)

Awesome story! And great job running! I'm trying to get in better shape myself but I'm going the biking route. I also need to get out and hike with my headlamp soon.


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## Woods Walker (Jul 17, 2015)

blah9 said:


> Awesome story! And great job running! I'm trying to get in better shape myself but I'm going the biking route. I also need to get out and hike with my headlamp soon.



The most important thing is raise you're heart rate for at least 30-minutes a day x5 per week so biking could certainly work. That and always take the hard road. By this I mean park at the far end of any parking lot so yea gotta walk, mow your own lawn, take the stairs etc etc. Any opportunity to do something physical no matter how slight is an opportunity for your health. A beach is made of many small grains of sand each insignificant but cumulatively great.


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## 1DaveN (Jul 17, 2015)

Thanks for the great review, Woods Walker. Not sure how I missed it last month.


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## rickypanecatyl (Oct 2, 2019)

I know this is a really old thread but I bought several of these years ago - for myself and as gifts. I'm now shopping for headlamps again and realize this is discontinued and there doesn't seem to be a replacement with the features I really liked. Am I missing something?

*What I liked about it:*
- Weight balanced between the light in front and the 18650 battery at the back. Heaviest HL I trail run with but it works because of the balance.
- Has higher durability claims than any current Fenix HL. 2M water AND 2M drop. Best new ones seem to be 2M water and 1M drop? It could be there just as good with more realistic ratings?
- I liked the simplicity of it with no disco modes; I realize others do like them though.

*How I'd update it: *
- XPL-Hi emitter for more throw; (I'd buy a 2nd one if they had a Hi CRI version as well); I'm guessing most would prefer the non-Hi... perhaps they could make 3 versions? 
- Add a moonlight mode
- Add the best, waterproof charging.
- Add some of those cool, sticky rubber dots they have on the back of my Polar H10 heart rate monitor chest strap that keeps the band in place!


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