Best Headlamp For Under $20 ?

202bigmike · 2018-10-31T06:27:03.000Z

[quote=ActiveAl]

202bigmike:

Besides myself looking for a pretty good under $20 headlamp , I’m basically also looking for someone who’s afraid of the head mounted battery holders , because of hearing about battery explosions.

Why don’t you just go with a headlamp that uses Ni-MH or primary AA/AAA cells instead of Li-ion? Wouldn’t that alleviate the fear of explosion? Of course, there would probably be a trade-off with brightness.

202BigMike, how many lumens do you need? What will the headlamp be used for? What about waterproof rating? Thanks!

The person that I’m looking for the headlamp , will use it to do electronic work mostly inside and some outside.
He needs a pretty fair amount of lumens because he works in some dark places at times and the cells should have
more power , thus the Li-ions. In his thoughts that’s the reason for a belt mounted battery pack/holder versus a
head mounted holder.

lohtse · 2018-10-31T06:40:28.000Z

freeme:

I remembered Boruit RJ-02 (HC50 clone) was quite popular at one time.

https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/40951

https://www.gearbest.com/headlights/pp_009215193625.html

I can second that about those RJ-02 used as client headlamps for some time when caving(still do) all survived water mud etc… About 300lm brightness and with a good battery cell would run 12 hours plus at around the Mid brightness setting which is a round 120lm(uses ramping so is an approx) Best of all they cast less the £10(aliexpress) with battery and has USB charging (I sealed the charging port and use a nitecore charger for the batteries)

If you wnat cheap they are worth the money

sedstar · 2018-11-01T03:17:21.000Z

I had several “below budget” chinatastic excuses? then settled on the BORUIT RJ-02

I’ve had it what? couple years now? its my goto light when I am working and need light… and I wouldn’t want to be without the thing.

I guess i’m with LIGHTBRINGER… I just think they are womnderful.

Sofirn · 2018-11-01T03:48:48.000Z

It’s not easy to make a high quality headlamp with battery under $20, but we can try. A good budget headlamp is our plan. We would love to listen.

wstrachan · 2018-11-01T04:07:25.000Z

1st choice is Wowtac A2. 1000+ lumens. Comes with a nice cell with built in charging circuit.
2nd choice is Boruit EHL0628. Built in charging. 1000lm, probably about 750 true OTFL.

ActiveAl · 2018-11-01T15:12:13.000Z

Sofirn:

It’s not easy to make a high quality headlamp with battery under $20, but we can try. A good budget headlamp is our plan. We would love to listen.

You may have just started a feeding frenzy.

I agree with Lightbringer that a headlamp like the BORUIT RJ-02 would be a good starting point. Perhaps make it lighter and more comfortable to wear. I prefer the T-shape as opposed to an L-shape in a headlamp for close-in work. Unless you use a TIR lense, an L-shaped headlamp has parallax (shading on one side) at reading distance. Thanks for asking.

Lightbringer · 2018-11-01T04:19:32.000Z

sedstar:

I had several “below budget” chinatastic excuses? then settled on the BORUIT RJ-02

I’ve had it what? couple years now? its my goto light when I am working and need light… and I wouldn’t want to be without the thing.

I guess i’m with LIGHTBRINGER… I just think they are womnderful.

Yep. I keep mine hanging on my doorknob so I always know where it is when I need it. Even if I don’t stick it on my head, I palm it and use it as a regular light, as long as the headband doesn’t dangle in front of the LED. :laughing:

lohtse · 2018-11-01T07:07:19.000Z

Sofirn:

It’s not easy to make a high quality headlamp with battery under $20, but we can try. A good budget headlamp is our plan. We would love to listen.

happy to help with testing if you want it put through caving,climbing and bad weather…drop me a pm

lohtse · 2018-11-01T07:09:35.000Z

Lightbringer:

sedstar:

I had several “below budget” chinatastic excuses? then settled on the BORUIT RJ-02

I’ve had it what? couple years now? its my goto light when I am working and need light… and I wouldn’t want to be without the thing.

I guess i’m with LIGHTBRINGER… I just think they are womnderful.

Yep. I keep mine hanging on my doorknob so I always know where it is when I need it. Even if I don’t stick it on my head, I palm it and use it as a regular light, as long as the headband doesn’t dangle in front of the LED. :laughing:

They pretty damn good and muggle proof too…the amount of times the ones I have have been under a water fall(on a clients helmet) is far too many to count and yet they still keep going on….They are far better that brands such as Black Diamond, petzl etc.

puglife2 · 2018-11-01T08:34:35.000Z

Sofirn:

It’s not easy to make a high quality headlamp with battery under $20, but we can try. A good budget headlamp is our plan. We would love to listen.

Can you do this but cheaper :sunglasses:

skinny_tie · 2018-11-01T09:11:19.000Z

Sofirn:

It’s not easy to make a high quality headlamp with battery under $20, but we can try. A good budget headlamp is our plan. We would love to listen.

Go Sofirn!

I’d love a right-angle light with interchangeable 18650 and 18350 tubes, easily replaceable TIR optic so users can choose the beam that suits them, and a UI based on Andúril or Narsil. An option for a reflector and Manker E03 style diffuser would be a bonus.

I’d be happy to pay $20 for that without a cell, but if you can do a package with a USB-rechargeable cell that would be great.

Agro · 2018-11-01T10:40:48.000Z

skinny_tie:

Sofirn:

It’s not easy to make a high quality headlamp with battery under $20, but we can try. A good budget headlamp is our plan. We would love to listen.

Go Sofirn!

I’d love a right-angle light with interchangeable 18650 and 18350 tubes, easily replaceable TIR optic so users can choose the beam that suits them, and a UI based on Andúril or Narsil.

If that was built lightweight like Skilhunt H03(or lighter), I would absolutely love a light like that. Actually I would pay $40 for it even if it had a simple linear driver, not-great-but-ok led and no lightened switch. I would pay a little extra for either buck+LH351D or boost+xhp35 because efficacy is very important for my headlamp uses.
That’s because low weight, great ui, 18700+18350 combo simply doesn’t exist on the market. Modding allows that, but for ~$40 and with extra effort.
I would typically use Folomov 18700 battery-powerbank or Aspire 18350 with it.

joechina · 2018-11-01T14:33:25.000Z

Two different Tir optics.

- Flood with pebbles

one with tight beam

and 4500K or warmer

lohtse · 2018-11-01T15:00:13.000Z

why don’t you takes the requests over to my thread about a BLF headlamp so this thread can stay about recommendations

ActiveAl · 2018-11-01T15:23:40.000Z

skinny_tie:

Sofirn:

It’s not easy to make a high quality headlamp with battery under $20, but we can try. A good budget headlamp is our plan. We would love to listen.

Go Sofirn! I’d love a right-angle light with interchangeable 18650 and 18350 tubes, easily replaceable TIR optic so users can choose the beam that suits them, and a UI based on Andúril or Narsil. An option for a reflector and Manker E03 style diffuser would be a bonus. I’d be happy to pay $20 for that without a cell, but if you can do a package with a USB-rechargeable cell that would be great.

What is the big deal about L-shaped headlamps? What can an L-shaped headlamp do that a T-shaped can't do plus avoid parallax.

I'm here to learn. Thanks.

jigsaw · 2018-11-01T16:53:39.000Z

ActiveAl:

What is the big deal about L-shaped headlamps? What can an L-shaped headlamp do that a T-shaped can’t do plus avoid parallax.

My thoughts too.

fireblade893 · 2018-11-01T17:09:18.000Z

If you want the budget end of things I recently got one of these

XANES T6 1500Lumens 3Modes LED Headlamp Flashlight Rechargeable Zoomable Magnetic Work Light

It has a zoomie lens on it 3 modes Hi- Lo- Blinky, maybe 5-600 Lumens on full, very cool LED built-in battery with USB A charger under the end cap

Flood size is 70% of a Cometa, zoomed out size maybe 2.5 times the size of Cometa with around half the brightness in flood

I paid £6.34 for mine but it has gone up a bit in last few weeks

ActiveAl · 2018-11-01T21:12:35.000Z

fireblade893:

If you want the budget end of things I recently got one of these “XANES T6 1500Lumens 3Modes LED Headlamp Flashlight Rechargeable Zoomable Magnetic Work Light”:https://www.banggood.com/XANES-T6-1500Lumens-3Modes-LED-Headlamp-Flashlight-Rechargeable-Zoomable-Magnetic-Work-Light-p-1339776.html?rmmds=search&cur_warehouse=CN It has a zoomie lens on it 3 modes Hi- Lo- Blinky, maybe 5-600 Lumens on full, very cool LED built-in battery with USB A charger under the end cap Flood size is 70% of a Cometa, zoomed out size maybe 2.5 times the size of Cometa with around half the brightness in flood I paid £6.34 for mine but it has gone up a bit in last few weeks

So, don't you think this would be a better flashlight if it was a symmetrical T-shape instead of L-shape? Every tried using it to read?

Update: This design makes more sense to me. What do you think?

puglife2 · 2018-11-01T20:16:27.000Z

jigsaw:

ActiveAl:

What is the big deal about L-shaped headlamps? What can an L-shaped headlamp do that a T-shaped can’t do plus avoid parallax.

My thoughts too.

Having a magnetic base like the Armytek wizard / Elf c2 and can be used as a handheld

NeutralFan · 2018-11-02T02:42:18.000Z

This headlamp works for me (around $20): Workhorse Pro™ 3AAA LED Virtually Indestructible HD Headlight

Mine is the previous version, but essentially the same. I also frosted the lens in order to give it a wider beam for working on stuff around the house, rather than distance.