Best Headtorch?

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Garnett

Forager
Mar 6, 2007
100
2
45
London, UK
I'm after an all-rounder headtorch mainly for a 24hr walk in December.

It'll be possibly be used continuously for 10 hours to see the terrain in front of us - so low power, floody, lightweight (or battery pack not worn on the head).

It also needs a bit of throw to help pick out features for navigation.

I was about to pick up a Fenix HP30R, but then I thought I'd check in here for advice. Any reason not to go with the Fenix?

Thanks a lot for any help.
 
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richy3333

Full Member
Jan 23, 2017
273
101
Far north Scoootland
We've had 4 alpkit headtorches and all have died after a couple of years. We think it's the connections between the battery and torch part. Personally I'd stay clear of them. Never tried a Fenix torch but they do seem to get good reviews.
 

Gaudette

Full Member
Aug 24, 2012
872
17
Cambs
Seem to remember Paul Kirtley did a whole piece on Head torches. Might be worth having a look at his site. He's a very knowledgeable guy who talks a lot of sense.
 

Garnett

Forager
Mar 6, 2007
100
2
45
London, UK
Thanks for the replies.

I'm an idiot, I meant that I was looking at the HP25R, not the HP30R. It only has one 18650, and seems to produce more "lumen-minutes" out of the battery than its bigger, more expense counterpart.

What's the deal with the recommendation for the Snipersystems torch? The website does inspire confidence, and there's nothing about durability/waterproofing or warranty... It does look a lot like the one from AliExpress.

I'd be pretty disappointed to spent £75 on a £7 torch...
 

Klenchblaize

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 25, 2005
2,610
135
65
Greensand Ridge
Thanks for the replies.

I'm an idiot, I meant that I was looking at the HP25R, not the HP30R. It only has one 18650, and seems to produce more "lumen-minutes" out of the battery than its bigger, more expense counterpart.

What's the deal with the recommendation for the Snipersystems torch? The website does inspire confidence, and there's nothing about durability/waterproofing or warranty... It does look a lot like the one from AliExpress.

I'd be pretty disappointed to spent £75 on a £7 torch...

It does look similar!

If I find time today I'll contact them and send the link to assist their reply but expect something along the lines of lesser quality components.

I'm sure even a Ray Mears knife can be bought for £10 from China.

K
 

Garnett

Forager
Mar 6, 2007
100
2
45
London, UK

forestwalker

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
I have abused a HC50 from Nitecore for about a year now. It actually appears to hold up fairly well! Not lightweight, in particular not when batteries are added, not terribly cheap (cost me about SEK 5-600, say £50?). But it just works, and does the main things I want:

1. red light option
2. waterproof to some reasonable degree
3. variable light output to save batteries
4. can be "locked" (HS50: unscrew the battery compartment 1/4 turn, I think it will still be fairly water resistant)
 

Tonyuk

Settler
Nov 30, 2011
933
81
Scotland
Best headtorch i've had is the petzl e-lite. Tiny package and takes a flat coin battery so easy to carry a few spares. Bright but not as much reach as a larger light but petzl themselves are a well liked brand so if the e-lite doesn't suit i would recommend something from them.

Larger petzl's have been coming through the system for a number of years now and they're also very good, i think they might be this model;

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/petzl-tactikkar?sku=100303596&source=igodigital

Tonyuk
 

Highbinder

Full Member
Jul 11, 2010
1,257
2
Under a tree
I can't believe no one has recommended Zebralight yet.

I use their H602 headtorch which is 1x18650. Sublumen to just over a 1000 lumen output, a visual check of battery level (unlike most other torches), and the ability to use it both as a torch and a headtorch. Yes it's a little expensive, but you have choice in LED and reflector, build quality is top notch, they're properly waterproof, the circuitry is well optimised and the runtimes compared to other torches are great.

Personally if I were doing a 24 hr hike I would go for a 1xAA headtorch, maybe even one with a mule (flood) beam pattern, and then suppliment it with a handheld 18650 torch for spotting and navigation when needed.

/e: I wouldn't recommend Petzl or any of the pleb-tier torches, not unless you like cool white output and pulse width modulated brightness (think of that sort of uneasy almost strobe like ower outputs on petzls).

I'd also say disregard lights with a secondary red led. Now that torches can achieve sublumen output from their primary (white) led there is very little need (other than preference) to have a red light on the torch. Sublumen will not ruin your nightvision but will give enough illumination to map read, with the benefit of white light and thus true representation of the maps colours.
 
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Klenchblaize

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 25, 2005
2,610
135
65
Greensand Ridge
I think the red light feature was that found as a separate module at the back of the head torch and for the benefit of approaching traffic?

K
 
Jul 30, 2012
3,570
224
westmidlands
Best headtorch i've had is the petzl e-lite. Tiny package and takes a flat coin battery so easy to carry a few spares. Bright but not as much reach as a larger light but petzl themselves are a well liked brand so if the e-lite doesn't suit i would recommend something from them.

Larger petzl's have been coming through the system for a number of years now and they're also very good, i think they might be this model;

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/petzl-tactikkar?sku=100303596&source=igodigital

Tonyuk

You can't have lightweight/10 hours/throw all in one. A lightweight head torch such as this coupled with a good hand torcheck not only will solve your problem but will stop you haveing to wave your head aroundown to see things, a lot easier that way. Even throwy lithium torches only last a couple of hours on high.
 

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