"Video Overview / Written Review" - Wuben H3 - Headlamp - 2 x AAA - 120 lumens

Hi BLF!

This is my video overview and written review of the Wuben H3 headlamp, the blue and black version.

I bought the Wuben H3 from Banggood. It arrived within 2 weeks after buying it (7 days shipping).

You can find more information about the H3 on the official Wuben page: Wuben H3 Ultralight Running Headlamp with Red Light | Best for Jogging


VIDEO OVERVIEW

You’ll notice some mistakes (“corona” instead of “spill” and others
). I apologize, for those mistakes! Not being native english speaker leads to some “mouth-takes” :stuck_out_tongue:

Still, here it is.


GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS
Body Colour: Black and Blue ( also sold White and Orange )
Body Material: Plastic (?)
Emitter: Osram P8 (Cool White) + 2 aux leds (Blue and Red)
Optic: Textured / Clear TIR
Batteries: 2 x AAA (alkaline or rechargeable)
Switch: 2 e-switches
Max runtime: 105hours (on main emitter)
Max beam distance: 50m
Max output: 120 lumens
Candela: 700cd
Waterproofness: IP65
Impact resistance: 1.5m
Low Voltage Warning: ?
Reverse Polarity Protection: ?


PACKAGE: Headlamp and Accessories

The Wuben H3 arrived inside a “3 layer package”: outside there’s a plastic box, and inside a cardboard box (with some general information about the headlamp), and inside of it, the H3 and accessories, protected by another thick plastic box.


The Wuben H3 package includes: the H3 headlamp, an headband, a User Manual, 2 spare o-rings, and 2 x AAA alkaline batteries.

Wuben H3 Headlamp

Let’s take a look at the headlamp. It is made of plastic (or some fiber), but it is not a thin one, it seems robust and cabaple of handling some drops (hopefully).

In the front, there is the main emitter, covered by a textured & clear TIR optic, and the auxiliary leds. In one side there are the 2 switches (1 for the main emitter, 1 for the aux leds) and on the other side of it, the battery compartment. On the back, there is a clip that will be used along with the headband, or to clip the H3 to a flat tissue, or eventually to backpack shoulder strap.

The switch buttons have different elevations, being the W button (main emitter) more elevated than the R3 button.

In the front there are also 2 screws that can be used to access the LED and the optic, and the circuits. I didn’t disassemble it (yet).

The LED is an Osram P8 LED, in Cool White. The Aux LEDs are
blue, and red.


The battery compartment is cover by a “door” that may require some pressing to be opened. Outside there are indications about the correct polarity. Inside there are springs and contact plates, and there is also a sealing o-ring on that “door”.

The main part of the H3 is attached to the clip by a rotating mechanism, that allows 360Âș rotation (lateral rotation) + 180Âș rotation of the headlamp (up-down).

About the dimensions and weight, not being a completely compact headlamp, mostly due to the rotating shaft, it is a short and lightweight headlamp.

Accessories

Regarding the accessories, the one that needs to be more emphasized is the adjustable headband, in blue, black and white, to which the headlamp can be attached. It is elastic and seems quite resistant.

Please note that while other headlamps are easily reversible, putting the buttons to one or other side, the H3, due to the clip, is done to be used mostly with the buttons in the left side. Unless you attach the light to the headband with the clip from below.


Besides this, there are the 2 spare o-rings
.


and the User Manual, with information in several languages on how to operate the headlamp.


I didn’t include the batteries here, you can take a look at the video.

They are 2 AAA alkaline batteries, “Greatcell” branded, 1.5V and 1200mAh, expiring date 03-2025.

About the batteries, AAA alkaline and AAA Ni-MH are the ones recommended. Do not use 2 x 10440 batteries.


USER INTEFACE and OUTPUT/RUNTIME

This image from the User Manual helps to summarize the UI, but I will explain it below.
Also, for the relation between runtimes and output, this is the best way to see their relation/evolution.

Not knowing which batteries were used, I would risk saying 1.5V AAA alkaline batteries, not 1.2V AAA Ni-MH batteries. Also, there is no discrimination about outputs vs runtimes on alkalines or rechargeables.

User Interface

As mentioned above, there are 2 switches in the Wuben H3 headlamp: W button for the main emitter, R3 button for the aux leds.

The main emitter has the following levels/modes: Low > Medium > High + SOS + Beacon.
The aux leds have the following levels/modes: constant Red >constant Blue > blinking Red

The headlamp has memory for the last used modes (except SOS and Beacon) and for the aux leds too.

Functioning on the W button:
From OFF
1 click – turns ON
2 clicks – enters SOS
Press & hold – enters Low

From ON
1 click – turns OFF
2 clicks – enters SOS
Press & hold – advances in the sequence L > M > H > L >


From SOS
2 clicks – enters Beacon
1 click – goes back to the last use mode (L, M or H)

Functioning on the R3 button:
From OFF
1 click – turns ON

From ON
1 click – turns OFF
Press & hold – advances in the sequence: Constant Red > Constant Blue > Blinking Red >

NOTE: if the light is turned on in the Aux Leds (R3) or the main emitter (W), a click on the other button alternates between leds.
EX: Light is in LOW > Click R3 button > Enters the last used aux led/mode, and vice versa.


BEAMSHOTS

Time for some indoor beamshots, and beam profile of this headlamp.
Note that I don’t have a complete notion of how the H3 illuminates outdoor, so I will try to do some photos very soon.

As for the beam profile, the TIR installed in the H3 and the LED it has below, it has a more pronounced and eventually squarish hotspot (seen at close range) but that blends well in longer range. It is mostly a floody beam, without noticeable tint shifts (which is probably due to the textured edges of the TIR optic).

As for the Aux Leds, they do not illuminate in a long range, and they are mostly flood. I would use this leds only in specific occasions or location conditions.

Last but not least, a comparison with another member of the Wuben family, the Gecko E61:


OVERALL APPRECIATION

By this time you’ve noticed that the Wuben H3 is not the most powerfull headlamp. And it is not supposed to be. This is an headlamp to be used by grown-ups and by children, that provides a good range of visibility in close to medium ranges.

It is a lightweight headlamp, that doesn’t seem to get hot at all. 120 lumens is not enough to make this get noticeably hot.

Using AAA batteries, it’s a good resource to take on a back-pack as back-up headlamp. Also due to this, it is a good introduction headlamp for kids, as they don’t need to deal with Li-Ion batteries.

I do like the headband, the possibility to rotate it and to clip it to different places (pockets, shoulder strap, 
), and the possibility to enter Low from OFF. I wish the aux modes could also be used that way, to have the possibility to enter Red from OFF. Also, I would prefer that from OFF a double click entered High mode instead of SOS.

In the user manual there is no reference to Beacon mode :stuck_out_tongue:

It seems a durable headlamp, that can take some drops and beats, but not being abused of course. Also, seen the numbers on the manual, it seems to have a good performance, which is good

I wish the LED was warmer, but knowing that it is a 3030 footprint, it can be easily replaced!

Overall appreciation is good. The pros are above the cons for sure :wink:

Thanks for looking! Leave your comments or questions :+1:

Nice video. I have the same difficulties with the language ;) No worries, you're doing a good job.

You have really strong nails!

I think this is the worst battery compartment clip/thing I ever encountered on a 'branded' flashlight/headlamp.

And it's supposed to be for kids.. at least that's what it looks like to me.

Ask a kid to open that battery hatch with their nails... lol

to me, that's a big fail. I wonder what you think about opening up the battery compartment

Thanks ChibiM :wink: Yup, language is sometimes hard. Writing is easier, you can edit, delete or think better what to say :wink:
I wish I had more vocabulary to make them more fluent. And I also I had the corresponding vocabulary in portuguese, as I’d also like to make them in portuguese. I need to make a correspondence list of EN and PT terms :wink: :nerd_face:

I tend to make the videos longer as I don’t have the skills or programmes (or time) to edit the videos, so it is 1 take, with or withou mistakes :smiley:

As for the headlight, yes, sometimes it is harder to open it. Even with strong nails :smiley: (I do have some :wink: )

However, I don’t have troubles getting to the batteries. A kid would have, indeed, as it requires a certain way to press the opening mechanism.

If the design was different, it would be easier to make it more accessible. But then there the waterproof and dust proof issues. This way, it gets “sealed” .

I do not foresee many issues with it, though, as I won’t be opening it constantly. It bothers me, though that if a contact gets damaged (ex: battery leak) it will be hard to clean it. Even if the light is unexpensive, that is something to consider when chosing the batteries :wink:

:beer:

Rearranged the post #1 to include the written review too!

:wink:

Well done, thanks for showing!

Surely a nice light for kids. But then, my first headlamp, a Black Diamond Storm, had 130 lm or so. Man, that was bright :smiley: .

Thanks for your words Unheard :wink:
Yup, for kids and grown ups that like some “extras” :wink:

Funny thing is, I follow a YT guy named David Gray which does backpacking videos and he has that same head lamp (stated in the video descriptions). At first I thought it was one of “our” lights, Li-ion powered, but then I searched and it is a BDS and it seems bright AF!!! So, I’ll take your word too for that :wink:

Yesterday I took a chance to go outside and check how this H3 headlamp performs in terms or illumination range!

I got to say that I was impressed :wink:

By this time we all have perceived that this is not a powerhouse headlamp, 120 lumens don’t allow that. But I was impressed with the beam and how nice it was using it outdoor. It was bright enough for a close to mid range, and that TIR it has allows to a more narrow/focused beam than I thought. Then, the textured part provides plenty spill for a broader view angle.

I made some beamshot photos to let you know its’ range.

And this is how the Red and Blue lights behave over coloured stuff (in this case, flowers)

:+1: