When will BLF bring out their own Headlamp????

Excellent news.

For me a good tint,decent high lumens(1000 at least) great low to mid range settings eg 1,5,30,80,12,180,210 etc and good run times… We use our head lamps a lot for caving etc so runtimes and low to mid range brightness is important oh an ipx8 waterproofing.

Suggestions from my partner are… MAKE IT PRETTY and have a silicon strip on the headband(like the Fenix Hl15/30HM50r ).

She has got excited about the Nichia suggestion(so have I a little)

Yep completely agree

I don’t think this would be a headband, more of a strap-on

oh, wait……

Protected cells lead to long springs with hi resistance, and unprotected cells may work not stable. Also protection bord increase dimensions of headlamp at least for 5мм.
On the other hand, good driver has all needed protections.

Nice to see a colleague here! I am a caver too.

:wink:

I’d like to see separate optics for spot and flood, so not just a triple or quad optic but two or more distinct pieces with different characteristics. Again, the Russian Special headlamp I linked earlier has this. Then, a driver that can switch between them and also have both on at the same time and at least three brightness modes with mode memory and/or starting on low (or moon) would make it just right. Would be kinda cool if it had two “triple” optics, one spot and one wide flood, with just one of the emitters under each optic being a red, so you have a third (and fourth) option, with all modes the same. Dual switches will probably be a necessity for all this. LOL! :laughing:

I have one of These Xanes D25 Headlamps got it with coupon for about $13.

It is a very good performer, my running light. If it had 2 different optics and a selector it would be close what you are describing, and it has a built-in USB charging circuit, behind an O-ring end cap, well sealed and secure. Wouldn’t it be nice to get something like that in a kit with a selection of different drop-in TIR optics, for whatever blend of beam profile you prefer.

It has very low build quality , large weight, bad anodizing, bad thermal interface, low IPxx rating.

I should have mentioned that I can’t promise anything.

All I will say at this moment is that I think, looking at all the comments, it will suit BLF nicely. :smiley:

Lightweight, plenty of low output settings, great runtimes, floody, waterproof, reliable/durable, high CRI, silicon strips on the headband but not overly so, just enough to keep it from sliding. I never use the higher output settings on my headlamps, at most I use the 400 lumen mode and usually lower than that.

For me personally, I don’t want a headlamp that’s super heavy and bulky and I suspect that most people that are calling for some big behemoth don’t actually hike, run, backpack, and use a headlamp on a regular basis. There are plenty of 18650 powered headlamps (for good reason), maybe make something that uses smaller cells? Just a thought.

What about something different… a larger diameter triple or quad that can be worn in the center of the chest (think Iron Man?) or on a lanyard… or worn on a waistband or armband?

I would like to see a single 18650 with a secondary red and or green led for walking to the deer stand

This could actually be really cool. I’d love something that attaches to my sternum strap or belt properly.

Tried a couple of those as client headlamps three trips undergroud (slightly damp cave) and they simply died……

Well when your UK side drop me a message and lets go play!!!

I also think, that ‘hotrod’ (which is the most trending kind of lights here on BLF) is impractical for headlamp use. I think BLF should not specialize only in that kind of lights, any new designs (with its own application goals) could be highly welcome addition (e.g. DBSAR’s lantern). They don’t need to be maxed out regarding raw output and/or throw numbers. (Also, I would even happy to see some custom stuff, which would go to E27 lamp sockets, because in middle Europe, E27 light sources tops around 80 CRI - but that is a bit different story.)

For me, a multi-emitter headlamp could be one, which I would welcome, if I’d see that as a BLF project.

I think, some of us can agree, that a Nitecore HC65 headlamp could have been a very good one (some of us thinks it even IS), because it has multi emitters, thus, it can serve us good in a bigger variety of situations. I like good output levels, but I am mostly a tint/beam snob. So in this regard, unfortunately, the main light source of the HC65 falls under greatly. Also, as I remember, beams are a bit misaligned for the auxiliary light sources.

Since a bit more than 2 months, i started to fiddle with some Yajiamei PMMA TIR optics in Convoy S2+ lights, and I think, there is a great opportunity there to deal with. For most people, a very creamy flood is the best option in a headlamp. In most cases, I also highly prefer this kind of flashlight beam. However, most of the headlamps are still with SMO reflector, which are suboptimal in this regard.

While I fiddled with those Yajiamei optics (the ones for XP-L and XM-L, with the physical size of d=20mm and h=12.8mm, no stents), I recognized, that the greatest addition to headlamps could be these optics, as if the headlamp is designed to make optics swapping easy, we could have our headlamps just fine-tuned to the way we would exactly like it, regarding the beam.

And if there could be e.g. 3 emitters in the headlamp with this exact kind of optics with a d=16mm MCPCB base, the possibilities of customizations could not end easily.

For example, a specific combination (this could be one which would be on my head near all the time):

1. slot (emitter + optics combination): clear optics, 5 degree beam width: would be suitable for Nichia 319A R8000 5000K, which are rather R8320 in practice, and would give a decent output. 5 degree clear optics make a very dim spill (much dimmer, than with a same size of SMO reflector), so it would be a very efficient thrower, when it is needed to make out some reference objects far away.
Alternatively, 10 degree beaded optics would also suffice.
2. slot: beaded or frosted optics, 30, 38 or 45 degrees beam width: would be suitable for quad Nichia E21A R9080, 4000K or 4500K. Would be the ultimate reading/assembling/studying light, when accurate color rendition is very nice to have or even ‘critical’. Frosted optics provide the most creamiest flood, but they put considerable amount of light into the spill. If we would like to keep most of the light in that medium sized hotspot, beaded optics are better for this.
3. slot: beaded optics, 60 or 85 degree beam width: Cree XP-E HE Photo red (~650-660 nm), as this deep red could preserve one’s dark light sight pretty well.
Alternatively, a quad Nichia E21A of 2000K CCT could make a great service here (a big gain for detail recognising, but some sacrifice of the dark adapted sight).

Another one could be (this one could be good for CJW):

1. slot: beaded optics, 25 degree beam width: same Nichia 319A, as mentioned above, but now a wider, more generally usable beam with moderate throw.
Alternatively, if someone prefers to have a relatively strong, but wide spill, while still having a good throw, I could recommend 15 degree frosted optics.
2. slot: beaded optics, 38 degree beam width: XP-E2 green emitter.
3. slot: beaded optics, 38 degree beam width: XP-E or XP-E2 red emitter.

Again, I think, it is not needed to produce these exact variations, but the most important could be to make these possible, just the way I described them (top priority on modularity). I believe, many of us could make one or two distinctive set of requirements for their exact liking.

Regarding batteries, having 3 of these slots, I think, the best option could be single 21700. A sophisticated driver PCB design could even let chose max. current per each selected emitter to e.g. 0.3A, 0.8A, 1.5A or 3A depending on the power class of the emitter, which would be intended to be used. UI could be dual switch: one for the output levels/modes, one for the emitter selections (e.g. 1. first, 2. second, 3. both first and second, 4. third).

[quote=adam7027]

Hmmm not sure what you mean by the “misaligned) comment…. I use mine for climbing caving walking etc and I also use it in my MRT/SAR role too(as does the team) and as yet can’t fault it…. Would love a few additional output levels but Honestly it just works and works well… Throw on a hill/mountain side is pretty damn spot on and the low levels and CRI are great when working close up to something or a casualty…. I have used a great many Fenix,Nitecore and Petzl lamps(and a few china cr*p) and too date the HC65 is pretty damn near to perfect…

This is of course my opinion.

Having said this I would still love to see what BLF can do!!!

Personally I’m severely disappointed with the headlamps on the market. Compared to regular flashlights, they tend to be mediocre and expensive.
I see literally 0 headlamps with BLF UI. And since nobody comes close to BLFers when it comes to UI, this is a major drawback.
The cheapest headlight of good quality is nearly $25 on a superb deal. And is not way better than $7 Convoy S2+ (superb deal as well, $10 more regular price). Or $1x Convoy S9.
Cheap XHP70.2 headlamp? $70? Cheap XHP70.2 flashlight? I own a $45 quad cell, a smaller light would cost less.

I’d love to see a BLF flashlight that would be:

  • 18650 + 18350 with a tube swap (compatible with 18700 so we can use cells with built-in chargers)
  • lightweight
  • efficient

I agree that hot-rodding a headlamp is just not necessary. But good UI and low weight is key.

Im sure you have ikea in your country. They have many hi-cri light bulbs.

My best headlamp so far is Nitecore HC65. If we want to design a headlamp then be a headlamp not a multi purpose thing. The strap holder plastic has perfect curve and the light itself is great. It need to be very very good to say the BLF headlamp is better then that.
Or if it is a multi purpose headlamp and it has magnetic tail and else. It need a head strap at least like the Skilhunt H03 not like the Imalent HR20 and Nitecore HC30/33. They are fiddly and not comfortable.