# Outdoors > Gear and Equipment >  Which headlamp to buy???

## Manchester

Looking for recommendations for a new headlamp. Will be used for hunting, tramping , running, kids playing hide and seek etc.

Previously had led lenser but looking for alternatives. 

Budget is say up to $150

Prefer to avoid ones with exposed wire cables that get caught on things (childrens fingers....)

Thanks, Tom

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## MSL

Nitecore HC35 from @terryf,  awesome light, incredibly bright on the highest settings, and really good on battery life.  My requirements were much the same as yours.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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## ROKTOY

Zebralight, 18650 or AA battery options, good run times, options for flood or pencil beam depending on preference. No wires. reasonably lightweight.
Or a Maxtoch if you can find one.

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## Manchester

Got given a maxtoch for my 40th, and it completely blew me away. Took a look to see if I could get one of their headlamps locally but nothing on google.

Thanks for the suggestions

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## caberslash

Get a Petzl Tac Tikka Core.

They give out 450 Lumen on Max, have Red light and strobe function too.

Takes the Core battery which is rechargeable but also 3 AAA batteries in a pinch.

Bloody small and light too, only trouble is that they tend to go walkies!

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## Marty Henry

I use one of the ever ready energizer cheapies as a walking and camp torch, the multiple lenses give a much better illumination of the ground when walking. I cant see the point of a big grunty heavy one with hundreds of metres range as I can't shoot with it because is pointing in the wrong direction and any way that's what I got the x2 maxtoch for.

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## terryf

Have a look at the Nitecore HC65, its within your budget and made from solid aluminium.
1000 lumens with red and white auxilliary light. Also has SOS and location flashing beacon.
Comes with a 3400mAh 18650 battery and is USB rechargeable. Weight is 65 odd grams.
5 year warranty

No wires as the battery sits in the main housing.

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## Tahr

> Have a look at the Nitecore HC65, its within your budget and made from solid aluminium.
> 1000 lumens with red and white auxilliary light. Also has SOS and location flashing beacon.
> Comes with a 3400mAh 18650 battery and is USB rechargeable. Weight is 65 odd grams.
> 5 year warranty
> 
> No wires as the battery sits in the main housing.


 @terryf I have private messaged you - need something urgently if you can help.

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## GWH

Yep 18650 powered is the way to go,  love my Nitecore!

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## Shearer

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3283...27424c4dSXeaos
I would be surprised if you are not happy with one of these. Every bit as good as my Zebra Light and for a fraction of the price.

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## XR500

I have several Maxtoch headlamps. Fantastic units but no longer available. I think because Nitecore have nailed it :Grin:  
I find the red option very useful at night following tracks out of and back to the campsite.

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## R93

> Nitecore HC35 from @terryf,  awesome light, incredibly bright on the highest settings, and really good on battery life.  My requirements were much the same as yours.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Waking up at 2am with this light shining on you is a bit disconcerting but I can vouch for the power of it

Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk

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## JoshC

> https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3283...27424c4dSXeaos
> I would be surprised if you are not happy with one of these. Every bit as good as my Zebra Light and for a fraction of the price.


Yes, I have several of these, they're very good. I find they chew through batteries though. May need to upgrade batteries.

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## Sarvo

Buy the best
The cheapies let you down usually right when you need it
i have a Walther from Germany
Exc - but too heavy for anything other than around home/camp plinking the odd possum etc

Support _ @terryf_  above 
Supporting him supports this forum platform too

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## northdude

I use a led lenser haven't had the problems others have had but I'm pretty careful with my gear. The other one we have which is a good performer  is surprisingly just a cheap warehouse one. We use ours for camping and mainly possum shooting

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## bigbear

What ever light you buy get one you can recharge, i brought a led lenser hd10 walk in shop brought it as i needed it right then. only down side cant use aa in it you need to buy another battery. 
It is so good not having to buy battery's all the time

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## gonetropo

whatever you buy dont use crap batteries that leak and corrode the crap out of the light !!!
(as some of you may know)

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## Pook

HC65 Nitecore way to go! Awesome

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## GWH

> What ever light you buy get one you can recharge, i brought a led lenser hd10 walk in shop brought it as i needed it right then. only down side cant use aa in it you need to buy another battery. 
> It is so good not having to buy battery's all the time


My personal opinion is the lights that have special battery packs that you need to plug the headlight in to recharge are no good.

Far better off to use a light that uses a 18650 lithium ion battery,  they have huge capacity and last a long time on each charge.  Then you just carry a spare 18650 so that if you are ever caught out with your headlamp battery going flat you just swap in the spare battery.

The 18650 battery technology is so far superior to whats available in your standard AA's and AAA's its not funny.

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## Shearer

> *Buy the best*
> The cheapies let you down usually right when you need it
> i have a Walther from Germany
> Exc - but too heavy for anything other than around home/camp plinking the odd possum etc
> 
> Support _ @terryf_  above 
> Supporting him supports this forum platform too


Do you mean the best or just the most expensive? I have several "cheap" torches and headlamps and none have ever let me down.

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## terryf

> Do you mean the best or just the most expensive? I have several "cheap" torches and headlamps and none have ever let me down.


Its not about best value, cheapest or most expensive torch etc - IMO its about buying what you're comfortable with, be it a cheapy from Aliexpress or a big brand such as Fenix, Olight, Nitecore, Maxtoch whatever
The big difference between the cheapies and the big brands is the much tighter tolerances, quality materials (usually aluminium), safety features/functions and of course the warranty.

As long as you're happy with what you have purchased  :Thumbsup:

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## hotsoup

Nitecore

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## Tahr

This is comprehensive. Ive got one coming from Terry. Am sick of aliexpress lights packing up. And I wanted a light without wires.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ky2RZeX0KI

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## The bomb

Is there much difference in the 18650 battery quality?insee you are out terryf,looking to grab a couple but don’t want to get shitters,

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## Shearer

> This is comprehensive. Ive got one coming from Terry. Am sick of aliexpress lights packing up. And I wanted a light without wires.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ky2RZeX0KI


I guess I must have been lucky with my Ali Express lights. I have owned 5 and never had any problems with any of them. My two head torches are wireless and the only light I have had issues with was a LED Lenser H7 where the tilting mechanism failed. I think it cost as much as the others put together.

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## Tahr

> I guess I must have been lucky with my Ali Express lights. I have owned 5 and never had any problems with any of them. My two head torches are wireless and the only light I have had issues with was a LED Lenser H7 where the tilting mechanism failed. I think it cost as much as the others put together.


Same with me - Ive had about five too, and they have all failed in the end. I guess they have lasted a year or so of high use each. I want better than that. Time will tell.

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## Shearer

> Its not about best value, cheapest or most expensive torch etc - IMO its about buying what you're comfortable with, be it a cheapy from Aliexpress or a big brand such as Fenix, Olight, Nitecore, Maxtoch whatever
> The big difference between the cheapies and the big brands is the much tighter tolerances, quality materials (usually aluminium), safety features/functions and of course the warranty.
> 
> As long as you're happy with what you have purchased


I guess I am a bit cynical when it comes to some of the "big brands". I have worked in sports wholesale and retail and seen brand name products which were EXACTLY the same product as a so called cheaper brand. The ONLY difference being the name on the product and the price. You are right, it is all about what works for you and what you are happy with.

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## rugerman

Panasonic 3400 or 3500mAh batteries are the top of the range. I wouldn't buy anything else for high output torches. And always get them with the overload ( protected) circuit to stop those nasty charging fires which burn up all ya shit.




> Is there much difference in the 18650 battery quality?insee you are out terryf,looking to grab a couple but don’t want to get shitters,

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## 7mmwsm

> https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3283...27424c4dSXeaos
> I would be surprised if you are not happy with one of these. Every bit as good as my Zebra Light and for a fraction of the price.


These are great lights. Have bought six now. None have packed up. Just get pinched by kids and nephews.

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## terryf

> Is there much difference in the 18650 battery quality?insee you are out terryf,looking to grab a couple but don’t want to get shitters,


Out of what, batteries?
There are plenty in stock

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## McNotty

> I guess I am a bit cynical when it comes to some of the "big brands". I have worked in sports wholesale and retail and seen brand name products which were EXACTLY the same product as a so called cheaper brand. The ONLY difference being the name on the product and the price. You are right, it is all about what works for you and what you are happy with.


Would you care to divulge which brands these were?

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## The bomb

> Out of what, batteries?
> There are plenty in stock


Will wait till you have the lights in stock and grab all at once to save on freight.

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## Shearer

> Would you care to divulge which brands these were?


They were knives so not really relevant to this thread.

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## Low box

I use a headlamp most days walking the dog early (apart from the peak of summer when its light early) must be about 5,000 days of testing so far. My shopping list is: A single 18650 battery, flood AND spot (or adjustable focus), multiple power levels, comfortable (light) and waterproof. The Led Lenser MH10 is hard to beat, although the little wire connecting the battery and the lamp looks delicate it hasn't failed yet. The advantage of that system is it is well balanced - the ones with all the weight on your forehead are more durable but more awkward to wear. 
The AliExpress ones i got have all failed. The Nitecore I got wasn't adjustable beam - they may have a better model now.

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## 7mmwsm

> I use a headlamp most days walking the dog early (apart from the peak of summer when its light early) must be about 5,000 days of testing so far. My shopping list is: A single 18650 battery, flood AND spot (or adjustable focus), multiple power levels, comfortable (light) and waterproof. The Led Lenser MH10 is hard to beat, although the little wire connecting the battery and the lamp looks delicate it hasn't failed yet. The advantage of that system is it is well balanced - the ones with all the weight on your forehead are more durable but more awkward to wear. 
> The AliExpress ones i got have all failed. The Nitecore I got wasn't adjustable beam - they may have a better model now.


I have a LED lenser H7 which is years old. 
The wires are the only place they appear to fail. But a blob of super glue on the spot where it leaves the battery pack stops them breaking.

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## gonetropo

now as some of you know i repair allot of weird electronic gear so heres a little story 
attached are 2 photos, its a pair of 18650 batteries in parallel so theoretically 3.7 volts but double the current capacity as they are in parallel

well my customer complained his light didnt last as long as his mates one with the same model. they both dragged the same current so i cut open the battery pack, the one at the top is a 18650 battery, what is below it is a fake battery filled with what looks like sand to make it weigh the same. since they are in parallel not series the light still works but runs out of power earlier than a proper 2 battery unit.
and this is why you always buy name brand batteries from a reputable person or company

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## Shadowsol

recently brought a couple of the new Ledlensor H7R Core (havent been out long) - very happy with them - 7 year warranty is nice piece of mind if something did go wrong. light is great - easy to adjust  both brightness and flood to focused beam, found on well defined tracks dim is bright enough, fits good - secure. We found them on sale so got them for $150 each - just picked up another one for a gift for my father inlaw (full price $199), they're obviously popular as it was actually hard to track one down!

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## GWH

> now as some of you know i repair allot of weird electronic gear so heres a little story 
> attached are 2 photos, its a pair of 18650 batteries in parallel so theoretically 3.7 volts but double the current capacity as they are in parallelAttachment 153496Attachment 153497
> 
> well my customer complained his light didnt last as long as his mates one with the same model. they both dragged the same current so i cut open the battery pack, the one at the top is a 18650 battery, what is below it is a fake battery filled with what looks like sand to make it weigh the same. since they are in parallel not series the light still works but runs out of power earlier than a proper 2 battery unit.
> and this is why you always buy name brand batteries from a reputable person or company


Wow!

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## terryf

> now as some of you know i repair allot of weird electronic gear so heres a little story 
> attached are 2 photos, its a pair of 18650 batteries in parallel so theoretically 3.7 volts but double the current capacity as they are in parallelAttachment 153496Attachment 153497
> 
> well my customer complained his light didnt last as long as his mates one with the same model. they both dragged the same current so i cut open the battery pack, the one at the top is a 18650 battery, what is below it is a fake battery filled with what looks like sand to make it weigh the same. since they are in parallel not series the light still works but runs out of power earlier than a proper 2 battery unit.
> and this is why you always buy name brand batteries from a reputable person or company


I have had raging customers complain about Nitecore batteries they bought on AE for less than $3 and swear they will never buy Nitecore again as a result. Same thing once cut open, fake Nitecore. I don't personally know of but have read about fake Olights as well. One has to be so careful and as you say, buy from reputable dealers.

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## rugerman

That is some dodgy shit 





> now as some of you know i repair allot of weird electronic gear so heres a little story 
> attached are 2 photos, its a pair of 18650 batteries in parallel so theoretically 3.7 volts but double the current capacity as they are in parallel
> 
> well my customer complained his light didnt last as long as his mates one with the same model. they both dragged the same current so i cut open the battery pack, the one at the top is a 18650 battery, what is below it is a fake battery filled with what looks like sand to make it weigh the same. since they are in parallel not series the light still works but runs out of power earlier than a proper 2 battery unit.
> and this is why you always buy name brand batteries from a reputable person or company

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## gonetropo

ahh dodgy shit happen everywhere i assure you. from 9800mAH 18650 batteries thru to  home audio.
there are sound bars for tv's out there labelled "350W RMS" yet on the back is " max input 150W"..........damn they solved the ev issue (not that i want to own a pos)
now in the old days they at least used to lie about it saying 1000W pmpo (peak music power output.)
now personally i have about 600W rms in my living room with very inefficient speakers and its f...ing loud. 
never believe the hype of power ratings.

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## Dyls

Maybe im asking too much from a head torch, but Ive just had a play with the ledlenser h19r dual head torch and was massively underwhelmed considering they're close to $500. They claim 3500 lumens and a 300m throw but it didnt come close to lighting up a tree 200 away. Ill have a look at a nitecore but is there anything that is properly grunty? Might just strap a maxtoch shooter to my head and call it good.

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## terryf

Check out the Nitecore HC35 if you're looking for throw

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## cambo

@terryf  What are the differences between the Olight and Nitecore 18650 cells? 
Which 1 would be better for high usuage for the torches?  
Cheers

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## terryf

> @terryf  What are the differences between the Olight and Nitecore 18650 cells? 
> Which 1 would be better for high usuage for the torches?  
> Cheers


They both have identical features in terms of protection etc and both are rated for 500 cycles
In essence, performance will be almost identical.

Just make sure you don't get the customised Olight as they are made for specific torches in the Olight series.

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## Jukes

@terryf does the HC65 or any similar models come with a red light option? In the market and seen youre a wealth of knowledge. Cheers, much appreciated

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## terryf

The HC65 has auxilliary red light as does the NU35
There's also the little NU05 warning light that is mainly used by cyclists but pretty useless for anything substantial

HC65 V2 is a newly released update to the original, waiting on stock.

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## Carbine

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005...fdec2e0eHIK2F2

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## terryf

> Wow...
> 
> I was told a while back stick with "manufacturer  branded" cells like LG, Panasonic etc rather than relabelled.


good advice!

The reality is that you should be paying around $1 per 100mAh so a 3500 will be just shy of $35
You may find good quality for less but then do they have all the protection circuits, ATR etc; these are lithium-ion after all and prone to the odd explosion every now and again.

Another clue is in the so called massive mAh they apparently achieve. Anything above 3600mAh for an 18650 Li-ion is suspicious as the battery size doesn't allow for it which is why the 21700 was created.

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## 7mmsaum

> Maybe im asking too much from a head torch, but Ive just had a play with the ledlenser h19r dual head torch and was massively underwhelmed considering they're close to $500. They claim 3500 lumens and a 300m throw but it didnt come close to lighting up a tree 200 away. Ill have a look at a nitecore but is there anything that is properly grunty? Might just strap a maxtoch shooter to my head and call it good.


Try the NZ made Glo-Worm series, can mount them to anything, bikes, helmets and have head bands 

Up to 3600 Lumen from memory 

They have huge battery capacity

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## terryf

> "prone to the odd explosion every now and then...".  Sounds like somewhere near the middle east.  All things being equal li-ion don't just pop because they've have had a bad day and got the rag on - it's not like they are married to us.  If you know what to look for, and do the correct checks it's not hard to fish them out of the general population before they go bang.  What is very concerning, is of the cordless tool 18v packs I've opened recently a good percentage have been showing the signs of a failed battery management system (and becoming a battery murder source).  One I have is very peskily running the front two cells low so at half charge, the next to at full charge and cutting charge out on those, and the remaining six somewhere in the middle.  What that does is cause the fully charged pair to cook and eventually spit out the good stuff and probably start to go frssssst.  That by the way is a technical term I just invented.


yeah the odd explosion bit is simplified but I'm sure you understood what I meant. 

I am particularly wary of generic power tool batteries, Trademe and FB is full of them with promises that they are identical to the original with high quality ICR18650's blah blah

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