I’ve currently got two headlights that I use for trail running - an HC30 that I really rate, and is my go-to, alongside a T360 which is an emergency kit list item to meet event requirements. I really wouldn’t want to use it in anger in an event. I could do with something in the middle of the two for events that’ll run late enough to need a HT for a bit but which will spend most of the day in a race vest where every gram adds up. And it needs to be suitable for some night nav - a pure flooder isn’t practical.
So I’m looking for something that’ll put out (steadily) 150-250 lumens in a flood/throw mixed pattern for at least an hour without messing around with step downs, and be lightweight - less than 100g inc the weight of the battery and headstrap, which is generally half the weight. So I’m looking at 14500/18350 or 16340 as far as form function goes.
There don’t appear to be a lot of options. The Zebralight H32 ticks the boxes but has a premium price tag. The Skillhunt H15 looks too floody. Fenix do lots of options but I think I’ve ruled them all out either through weight, output, beam pattern etc. Someone will mention the NU20…the quoted times look weird and on the face of it would indicate step-down into low after not long.
I’m running out of ideas. Anything I’ve missed or do I need to accept spending ZL money?
Hi, the Silva tail runner 2 is 114 game including batteries. If you’re a little into modding you can replace the 3 AAA battery carrier with a lithium ion battery (phone battery). That way you can shed of quite some weight or gain a lot of capacity.
Silva Trail Runner both too heavy and too underpowered.
UF lights…nothing there ticking the boxes (one looks about right but isn’t easily available.)
TH20 too heavy.
The H03 with shorty tube is looking like the best option. I suspect that rather than butcher the headstrap I could probably use a Nitecore headband designed to accommodate normal lights, but weight is in the right sort of ball park. Still a touch heavier than I’d like (I’m being greedy here, but 70g would be about perfect) but still acceptable.
The comments above got me thinking, and messing around trying to see what legos with what. I don’t have a short tube for the A6 but the long tube actually connects pretty well with the HC30, as does the HC30 tailcap with the A6 long tube. But it won’t switch on. I’ve tried stacking a few neodymium magnets on the back of the battery to see if it was reach in that respect but no joy. Any ideas if I could get this working (as a test of concept prior to ordering a short tube)?
I’m on the point of pulling the trigger on an H03R and short tube combo, but one last niggly concern:
The modes. It looks a little fiddly. All I think I really need is T1, H1 and H2. Bearing in mind I’ll likely need to change between those modes quickly, whilst running and possibly with gloves on how easy is am I likely to find it to get to the mode I want?
The switch is raised from the tube so easy to find
The double ckick for toggle H1 to H2 needs to be really click, so you can swap through the 4 modes in way less than a second without risking a double ckick
The H52w is too low output (250 lumens max.) Best Zebralight option is the H32W (450 lumens.) It does look potentially lighter (74g inc battery and headstrap) but in exchange for an extra 25g with the H03R I can have double the output.
