Review: Imalent HR20 XP-L HI Rechargeable Headlamp

I was one of the lucky ones who got one that didn’t flicker or the rotatory dial fall off.

I gave mine to a buddy of mine because it flickered. He didn’t seem to mind. Since then the cover fell off on the usb side. About a week later the headlamp failed all together. Imalent needs to get their act together with their QC.

Yikes, that’s sad to hear the issues. I’ve been using mine for about a month before writing this review and never had an issue with mine. As for tint, I think it must be a lottery. They also sent me a DM21T which has the same UI design but the emitter on that is CW and the difference between the two is night and day.

The DM21T also exhibits PWM, albeit very fast and not enough to bother me, but there regardless. There definitely does seem to be inconsistencies in their stuff but I can only base my reviews on the samples at hand. The review on the DM21T won’t be as flattering due to the very CW tint and PWM. I also haven’t used that light much at all since getting it, unlike the HR20 reviewed here.

Imalent’s machining and finish are among the best mass produced lights I’ve ever handled. Threads consistently machined with tight tolerances and silky smooth feel, hosts free of nicks and machining crisp and smooth, anodizing always flawless. If there is an issue I have with them it is in the internals, mainly PWM and inconsistent LED binning. These variable output knob versions use a very delicate design that would keep them from being my only light. I’d hate to drop it and have it land on its head in the wrong place but for a backup light I love it. As said in the review, the HR20 has lived in my pocket and used regularly since I got it and, knock on wood, no issues with it.

Also, in regards to the flickering I’ve heard from some, these lights don’t use an analog pot as some have suggested which is why I state in the review that it’s not truly “infinitely variable” in output. All Imalent’s lights, even the touch screen versions say they are infinitely variable but they aren’t. They simply use many micro steps in output. IIRC from the touch screen models from a few years ago the steps are on the 40-60 range. Rotate the knob on the HR20/DM21T slow enough and you can see these steps in output. I can’t help but think that maybe some people see this as flickering because, on my two lights at least, the LED never goes off in between these steps to be viewed as flickering. But as I don’t see the flickering on mine I can’t see that someone else’s doesn’t flicker on and off visibly when adjusting output levels. YMMV I suppose.

That sucks. What exactly is this flickering you speak of? Is it PWM or does it flicker when adjusting output levels? Are you sure you are just not seeing the slight steps in output since it is not truly infinitely variable? Or is it literally visibly turning off and on as you rotate the output knob?

Johnny, mine would flicker intermittently even on the highest setting.

Well, that sucks. Where did you buy it? I hope you were able to get your money back

They probably sent you a thoroughly quality checked one.
Or maybe even specially assembled.

I bought it on a group buy. I didn’t bother trying to get my money back. I just gave to a friend of mine who thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. He didn’t even notice the flickering until I showed it to him. It really didn’t bother him until the cover fell off, which he fixed. Then it stopped working entirely. I ended up giving him my Crelant CH10 and an old Xtar WP2 charger.

Seemed like half of the people who bought them on Freeme’s GB had the flickering problem. One person made a video of it flickering. The cap falling off can probably be cured by some super glue. As far as waterproof? I wouldn’t trust it in anything more than a light rain. Like you said in your review, the rubber usb cap is wonky, and the potential for the top cap to leak is there.

Mine has had no problems, and the tint is a little on the cool side, but otherwise quite nice.

Mine sits very low. I wear a size large hat and have lots of forehead. With it fully expanded if sits low enough to push into my ears and cover my eye brows.

Thanks for the review! :+1:

Thanks.

About the flickering, this is what I wrote in a post in the GB20 thread (freeme’s group buy #20):

“as someone else mentioned, it’s not an infinitely adjustable output; there are just many discrete output levels. When you rotate the dial slowly you can see the steps. So I think the flickering some of us are seeing is just the light switching back and forth rapidly between two output levels. Turning the dial slightly in one direction or the other “centers” the output on one output level and the flickering stops. Not sure, but that’s how it seems to me.”

Of course I could be wrong. :slight_smile:

I relegated my light to crawlspace duty. There, it’s fine for the few minutes I need it every now and then. I think the idea behind this light is great, and if Imalent has ironed out the problems that many buyers reported in the GB20 thread, then this should be a good headlamp. Even still though, I prefer the beam pattern of one of my other headlamps so even if my HR20 worked perfectly, it would still be my 2nd-best headlamp.

Anyone tried short tubing this light?

And how is the spill - I like the hotspot, I’m just not sure if enough lumens have been chucked into the spill to be usable for what I want (trail running.)

so what….is this headlamp ok,or still issues?

Awesome review!! I also made a simple review for this camping headlamp Imalent HR20 on my blog 成人抖音网站-抖音破解版ios-成年抖音app破解版免费.

i heard about many issues with this headlamp….

Glad to see Rotary switches getting some love.

I feel like my Nitecore P36 is the Rodney Dangerfield of lights.

Its a great Light but it just doesn’t get any respect.

GO Rotary switches!!!

its not a rotary switch

its a normal momentary switch

the rotary is only to move the variable resistor which controls brightness