Advice wanted... Sofirn HS20 SFT40 vs Convoy H3 XHP50.3 HI

Other Types of Lights LED Headlamps
1

I already have the Sofirn HS20 with the SFT40 emitter.
https://www.aliexpress.com/i/3256803011104092.html

I’m thinking about getting the Convoy H3 with the XHP50.3 HI emitter.
https://www.aliexpress.com/i/3256805587456317.html

I don’t know if the Convoy is really an upgrade, though.
I think the Sofirn should be brighter (with both emitters on), and of course the Sofirn throws further.

The Convoy uses a 21700 cell, so its runtime should be better.
Also, the Convoy is available with a warm white emitter, which would be nice (for me.)

I’m sure that I’m not considering every aspect of these two headlights…
Should I stick with the Sofirn, or should I order the Convoy?

2

The HS20 is probably the nicest designed headlamp. Having said that, you really cant only just have one so might as well get the other one also.

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HS20 led and optic solution pure nonsense. It uses orange peel reflector with floody xhp50 led for throw. No output stabilization, chunky. H3 even more chunky. Have you tried Skilhunt headlamps ?

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4

The one I have uses an SFT40 emitter for throw.

No.
They’re kinda pricey, and I’d like to get a 21700 headlight with a 3000K XHP50.3 HI emitter (if I get another headlight.)

5

If you like throw dedome it and replace orange peel reflector with narrow angle TIR

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6

Personally I wouldn’t buy a 21700 headlamp - it’s too heavy. Zebralight H600 is light enough, Armytek Wizard - which is still a 18650 headlamp - is already a little bit to heavy to be really comfortable. 21700 headlamp FOR ME personally is a “misunderstanding”. But I know there are people prefering 21700 lights. I’d choose having one spare 18650 in pocket to have even more runtime than 1x21700.

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7

I like a mix of flood and throw, and the emitters that I’m talking about are already dedomed. :+1:

8

Then you shouldn’t get a 21700 headlight. :smile:
I don’t think that weight will be a problem for me.
I’m a big guy, with an enormous noggin.
The Sofirn HS20 is not even close to being too heavy for me.
I think I can handle the Convoy H3 with ease. :grin:

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9

IDK Raccoon. I got a Wurkkos HD20 headlamp recently. It was cheap with their 40% discount. About $20.
I think it was a mistake. The light is OK. But it is a 21700 and relatively huge. With the two emitters the head is massive. I wore it for a bit, maybe half an hour. I decided that it would get uncomfortable before too long. Simply too big and heavy. I could use it in an emergency for sure, but I will be grabbing one of my smaller 18650 or 14500 headlamps first.

BTW, I usually wear a 7 7/8 to 8 hat size and am also a pretty big guy… I have not had any problems with wearing 18650 headlamps for long periods. I think 21700 (at least anything like the HD20) is just pushing it (for me anyway).

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I went to a baseball cap store in a mall.
The entire store was filled with just baseball caps.
None of them were even close to fitting me.
I honestly don’t know what size hat I wear…
I have a bunch of beanies (somewhere) because those are just about the only type of hat that fits me.
Maybe the Convoy H3 will be too heavy, and maybe it won’t. :thinking:

11

I guess you will only know if you try it. I was just passing on my experience in the hopes that it might help.
Just mentioned my hat size to show that I have a relatively large head. the most common hat size is the 7 3/8 size which is medium (IIRC). 7 7/8 is XXL. 8 is XXXL. The strap on the HD20 is let all of the way out. But the big downside for me is the weight of the light. Could I live with it, sure. Heck I used to wear a hard hat with a light and battery pack that were much heavier… all day. But I took it off every chance I got… :japanese_ogre:

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12

Yeah, and I have my heart set on a 21700 headlight (though I don’t know if I’ll get the H3 or not.)
If it’s too heavy, then I probably won’t get another 21700 headlight…
But if it’s not too heavy, hey, more runtime. :heart_eyes:

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13

I found out that the Wurkkos is 130 grams without battery. The H3 is 88 grams… big difference. Also 122mm length vs 114mm. So my experience with the HD20 may not be super applicable.

Good luck with your choice! Let us know what you think when you get something.

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14

Although that’s true, the 88 grams for the H3 is for the headlight only–no straps.
(I don’t know if that makes a big difference, however.)
I will most likely post my opinion in this thread if I receive the H3 (or any other 21700 headlight.) :slightly_smiling_face:

15

Ill chime in since I’ve got the HS20, HD20, H3, several H1’s, HS40, HS10, HD50…and…i think that’s all the H’s I have. That was fun

Obviously this is all super subjective, and I do have neck problems for some reason, nobody knows why it’s a mystery, so your experience might be completely different.

The HD20 is the worst. In terms of weight, comfort, everything. Actually this part isn’t subjective, the HD20 just sucks.

Ok this part is subjective. The H3 is less comfortable to wear than my HD50, even though it’s nearly half the weight, it doesn’t feel heavier…but it kinda feels heavier.

And the HD50 is heavy. It’s heavier than a c8+ with battery. It’s heavier than an m21b with battery. It’s NOT heavier than a D4Sv2 and 26650…But it’s closer than I thought lol. To be fair I have a magnet in my h3 that probably adds a few grams though.

Just because the h3 is longer. Its just more awkward to wear than something centered. And the reflector is small and way at the end, so my instinct is to wear it off-center to get the reflector closer to the middle of my head and that doesn’t help with the awkwardness. I recommend some DC fix over the lens btw.

The strap is decent but could be better, it bounces around a little on your head.

The HS20 is very comfortable, I think the most out of all of them. Good strap and all the weight is center. Good UI. The hd50 ui isn’t as good. I have mixed feelings about that one. I wish they made an hs20 21700. I was hoping that’s what this would be, but it’s not.

The hs20 gets real hot real quick as I’m sure you know though, and burns through batteries on high. So does the hd50 btw. The H3 boost is significantly more efficient, like by a huge margin. So in that way it can be the most practical in some situations. And the xhp50.3’s are very nice and still plenty bright, just not hs20 turbo bright. The ramping UI needs some work, but if you have a convoy eswitch you know the deal with that already.

Tl;dr: awkward but efficient

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16

Try to use heavy headlamp at work or sports, specially for running. But again if you fix it on helmet its fine.

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17

I got one of these recently. I agree 100% with this statement. I am glad to know it is not just me that thinks this! The lighting and UI are OK But actually using the headlamp on my head for any period of time, is just not good. It is simply to big, heavy, and awkward. I will probably end up using it only as an off head angle light. But that defeats its main purpose, doesn’t it? I guess the saving grace is getting it at 40% off of an already discounted price.

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18

At least you got yours on sale, I got mine a year ago when it was like $50. Ya, it’s just too long and too heavy. The H3 is too long and too heavy as well, I prefer the H1, but it’s still 3/4" shorter and 50g lighter than the HD20.

HD20 does have decent light, just needs minus green over the flood. Every sofirn/wurkkos headlamp needs minus green over the flood btw. I wish they would stop using those 5000k lh351d’s, the ones they put in headlamps are a terrible tint. I had a sofirn and a wurkkos flashlight with a 5000k lh351d, looked fine. Every one I’ve gotten in a headlamp is greener than green. The 4000k is not bad.

It needs better temperature regulation too, or a way to configure it. Linear and/or FET 18650 headlamps get hot too, but at least it’s limited by the capacity of an 18650. A 21700 headlamp has that higher voltage for so much longer and they hold on to heat much longer so it can be 60°C on your head for hours and you don’t even realize it until you take it off