Looking for Head-Worn Light – Convoy H1 vs H2 – Driver/LED Questions

LED Flashlights – General Info 18650 Flashlights
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Hi all,

My old head-worn flashlight (one of those random AAA ones off Amazon) gave up the ghost a while ago, and I never got around to replacing it. I was browsing recently and decided I definitely want something 18650-powered this time – AAA just doesn’t cut it anymore.

After buying a Convoy S2+ and being blown away by the quality, I started looking into other Convoy lights and discovered the L-shaped H series (H1 and H2). The fact that they can be head-worn is perfect – I need something to use when working under the car and also when diving into the server rack. Free hands are a must, and positioning light is always tricky with hand-helds or clip-ons.

So now I’m considering the H1 and H2, and I have a bunch of questions:

:flashlight: General Questions

  • H1 vs H2 – Which one would you recommend? The H2 looks like an upgrade over the H1 for nearly the same price – is it really better?
  • Headband – I see they come with the green headband. Should I also grab the blue headband with the center strap? I read it stays more stable, which would be useful when crawling under a car.
  • Magnet – I plan to add a magnet to the tailcap. What glue should I use to attach a D25*2mm magnet sheet securely?

:gear: Driver & UI Confusion

My S2+ came with the 5A 12-group buck driver, which I like for its simplicity. But when looking at the H2, there’s a dizzying array of options:

  • Anduril 1.0
  • 3V 6A linear
  • 6V 2.2A boost
  • 6V 3A boost
  • 3V 3A linear

And H1 has:

  • 5A linear
  • 3A linear

I don’t fully understand the difference between buck, boost, linear, or Anduril in practice. Could someone explain what the real-world difference would be for flashlight behavior? Especially for use cases like mine – garage/server work, mostly at close range.

:bulb: LED Choice

I’m a bit overwhelmed by the LED options.

  • What LED would you recommend for mostly close-range work (around 1–2 meters), like under the car, engine bay, or working on electronics and wiring?
  • I’m leaning towards 5000K for a balanced, natural light – not too blue, not too yellow. Would that be the best choice, or would something like 4000K make more sense for better contrast/detail?

I’d really appreciate some guidance. I’d like to order something soon and just want to make sure I get the best setup for my needs.

Thanks in advance!

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Well, if you dont mind i would like to recommend Sofirn H42. It have usb-c ,nice hi-cri 5000K floodlight , better weight and head strap,strong magnet .

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Anduril is the user interface of the driver - or, rather, the software installed on it. Anduril can be any of the others, but I think Convoy’s Anduril drivers are all linear. Anduril in simple mode is nice and easy, comparable to the default UI of Sofirn, Wurkkos and many others. Anduril in advanced mode is confusing at first, but you can set up tons of things and personalize it a lot. It is aimed primarily at enthusiasts who know exactly what they want, and gives them lots of personalization.

For the difference between drivers - there is multiple types of LEDs. Some need ~3V, some are 2 LEDs in series internally and therefore ~6V. But in reality LEDs don’t need voltage, they need constant current regulation. The 3 drivers you mentioned are different ways of achieving this.

Linear lowers voltage (1 LiIon cell, 3V LED). They do so by taking all the difference between the LED voltage and the battery voltage and turning it into heat. They are rather simple and cheap, but not very efficient (so the light heats up more and the battery lasts shorter at the same brightness setting).
Buck lowers voltage (1 LiIon cell, 3V LED). They are more complicated and efficient by transforming 90-95% (some higher) of the incoming power to the voltage the LED needs. They are very efficient, but cost more.
Boost increases voltage (1 LiIon cell, 6V LED). They work similarly to Bucks with the same efficiency, and cost about the same.

Long story short, I would always pick Buck or Boost over Linear. Whether you need a Buck or a Boost depends on your LED choice. Anduril is nice to have, but with Convoy you are limited to Linear. So it comes down to deciding whether you prefer the better user interface, or the better efficiency…

Regarding the LED - for short distance work you want something floody (wide beam), and ideally high CRI for good color reproduction. Out of the LEDs Simon offers for these lights, I would probably say B35AM 4000 to 5000K. XHP50.3 HI would be brighter, but the R70 are low CRI (so not good color rendering) and the R90 have decent color rendering, but tend to be annoyingly green/yellow. On these short distances you usually do not need a lot of light, and B35AM should still be plenty.

IMO anything between 3500K and 5700K is decently suited for what you want, it really comes down to preference… My go-to lights at night are usually 3500K or 4000K, but 5000K is nice too.

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Thanks a lot for your replies — I really appreciate both of you taking the time to help me out.

@Quadrupel — Thanks for recommending the Sofirn H42. I can see how it would be a good pick for someone looking for an all-in-one, easy-to-use light — especially with the auxiliary flood LEDs and the magnetic tailcap. However, for my needs, it misses the mark in a few key areas. The SST40 main emitter is too cool and low-CRI for me — that bluish 6000K tint doesn’t work well for close-range tasks like under-the-car work or inspecting PCBs. It’s also non-upgradable, which is a big downside for me. With Convoy I can easily swap emitters, change MCPCB, optics, or add a magnet — which fits my tinkering tendencies. On top of that, Convoy is slightly cheaper and Simon offers free shipping, while with the H42 I’d need to pay extra and still end up with an unknown-brand battery instead of something like the Molicel M35A, which I know and trust. It’s probably a great choice for someone wanting a plug-and-play light, but I’m after something more like a precision tool.

@ebastler — Huge thanks for your in-depth explanation! That was an excellent breakdown of how the different drivers (linear, buck, boost) work, and the role of Anduril as a UI rather than a driver type. Really helped clear up a lot of the confusion I had, especially around voltage/current regulation and efficiency. It’s rare to get such a thorough response, and I really appreciate the time and clarity.

I definitely like the idea of Anduril for the flexibility it offers — and I’d love to explore its advanced features. But as you mentioned, Convoy’s Anduril implementation is currently limited to linear drivers, which is a bit of a shame. I care a lot about efficiency and heat control, so I’m still weighing my options.

I now better understand the trade-offs: linear drivers are simple but less efficient (more heat, shorter runtime), while buck/boost drivers are more efficient.

As for Anduril — it sounds exactly like something I’d enjoy experimenting with. I love the idea of tweaking and customizing behavior. That said, I’m a bit torn now between two setups:

  1. 519A + 3V 6A Linear + Anduril UI: High CRI, very nice tint, and access to Anduril — but less efficient, potentially more heat, shorter runtime.
  2. B35AM + 6V 2.2A Boost Driver: Still high CRI, even floodier (which suits my needs), and much better efficiency — but no Anduril, and fewer customization options.

I haven’t used 5000K in a high-quality flashlight before, but from photography I know it’s close to natural daylight and works well for general color balance. I’ve always gravitated toward slightly warmer light — especially for indoor and close-up tasks — so I’m considering something in the 4500–5000K range. Maybe leaning slightly toward 4500K, but I’m open to more feedback here. Color rendering is a big deal for me, so I’m also curious whether anyone has compared the 519A vs. B35AM side-by-side in terms of tint quality and subjective “feel” of the beam.

Thanks again for the great replies — your input really helped me narrow the field. Just not quite ready to pull the trigger until I hear a few more thoughts on this final dilemma: Anduril + 519A linear vs. B35AM + Boost.

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4500k. Click on the link in his post to read his review. There are others here on BLF also and plenty on YouTube. Even if it’s more than you think you want to spend you should know what else is out there.

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So dont use it.

It comes upgraded out of box. It have 5000K hi cri wide beam perfect for work. Better head strap and strong magnet. All what you need.

But without battery and options.

Sofirn have good 3000mAh batt.

Come again? Are buying for modding or tool for work?
Anyway, you know what is better for you already. Good luck.

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It’s possible English isn’t their first language, and they might be using an AI tool (like a translator or writing assistant) to help them write their posts. Sometimes, this can make the writing sound very ‘standard’ or a bit unnatural. They might just be trying their best to communicate and ask questions using the tools they have.

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I understand, but some users looks like just marketing trolls, bots, whatever.

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Hey, not sure where that came from, but I’m just a flashlight enthusiast trying to make the right choice for my use case. Definitely not a bot, troll, or marketer — just very detail-focused and maybe a bit too nerdy about light quality. :sweat_smile: No offense meant to anyone.

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Thanks for the link to my Armytek Wizard C2 Pro Nichia review, it really is a nice light.

Another one you could consider is the Skilhunt H300. It’s also a Hi CRI warm light, using the Nichia 144ART. It’s performance is almost identical the Wizard C2 Pro, but it is a little lighter (which I prefer).

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@Oli @selfbuilt

Thanks a lot for the suggestions and for taking the time to drop by — really appreciate the input!

The Armytek Wizard C2 Pro Nichia and Skilhunt H300 both look like fantastic lights — I’ve actually been reading and watching reviews on both over the past couple weeks (including that awesome selfbuilt review!). I love what they offer: proper high CRI emitters, quality construction, solid UIs, and efficient regulated drivers.

That said, they’re unfortunately a bit out of my reach at the moment — price-wise they’re about 3–4× what I’m currently budgeting for, and local UK availability isn’t great either (especially without tacking on international shipping, VAT, etc). So for now, I’m trying to squeeze as much performance and usability as I can out of something under ~£30.

Still, both are on my long-term radar — if I end up using a headlamp more than expected, I could totally see myself upgrading down the line.

Thanks again for chiming in — love seeing the variety of options and the shared flashlight geekery! :flashlight::grin:

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My pleasure. Sorry I can’t comment on the H1/H2 specifically, but Convoy lights are good quality for the price typically, and should do well.

I haven’t been as active for awhile - but planning to get back to more reviews soon. Got busy at work, and then a new hobby took up a lot of time.

If any one is curious, I’ve been busy writing a blog on moral philosophy as illustrated through comic books. Comic Philosophy: https://comicphilosophy.com/

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What LED did your S2+ come with? Then we can make reccomendations can be and describe them relative to your S2+.

I forget if there are TIR optics available that fit into these convoy headlamps, then you can tweak (within limits) how floody or throwy the headlamp is.

Personally, I’d prioritise efficiency over Andruil for a work headlamp.

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I also decided to skip Anduril since it uses PWM and most likely a linear driver. I ordered an S2+ with the 519A, a 5A buck driver, and 3500K tint. If I go the H2 route, I’ll likely go for the B35AM, 2.2A boost driver at 4500K, glue in a magnet, and then mod the TIR lens as shown here: https://www.reddit.com/r/flashlight/comments/1jg0c0h/getting_tir_for_convoy_h2/. One thing I don’t love with the Convoy H-series is the 10-click lockout — kind of excessive.

I’m also seriously considering the Sofirn HS42 — better strap, built-in magnet, and with a discount I have, it’s only £20. The downsides: sealed plastic lens, low CRI for the spot, high CT for the emitters, and the driver type isn’t confirmed (I’d really like to avoid linear). It also lacks the upgradeability and repairability that Convoy offers. After adding the magnet and TIR, Convoy ends up more expensive too — and Simon doesn’t offer any discount at the moment. It would arrive about a week earlier, but I’m not in a rush.

I’m also eyeballing the Sofirn HS21, which seems better suited to headlamp use and has more favorable reviews. It lacks a magnet, but it does list a buck driver in the specs, which is a plus.

In the end, there’s no perfect light that does it all — especially on a budget — and that’s probably why people end up collecting them for different tasks.

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I had assumed tailcap lockout is still possible?

The HS21 is a tad cool for my tastes but all reviews seem to rate it positively.

This would be a nice option. Or XHP50 for higher output but lower CRI- realistically for arms-length use, either would be fine.

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I’m currently re-considering the Convoy H1. :flashlight:

H1 seems attractive because it’s smaller, lighter, and potentially more water-resistant—no charging port or rubber flap, which also simplifies modding or repairs. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come with the B35AM or a buck/boost driver, only the 3/5A linear driver.

I was previously set to avoid linear drivers due to their inefficiency, but I’ve read that H1 now has a regulated driver (non-PWM), which makes it more appealing. This also saves me the trouble of hacking a TIR lens to fit the H2, as Simon offers the H1 pre-installed with a 60° TIR optic.

According to info I found, when ordering the H1 with a TIR from the store, a copper shim is included to adjust for the reflector vs TIR depth — so it’s properly supported and not just loosely dropped in.

In Grizzly’s review, I also saw Nick’s comment about fitting a 2mm tall magnet under the tail spring. This sounds like a clean internal mod (vs gluing something on the outside). Has anyone done this? What diameter magnet fits under there? The tailcap’s OD is ~24.5mm, so it must be smaller than the 25mm magnet Simon sells.

Lastly — and this is what really surprised me — I noticed that Simon’s store still lists “219” for H1. I assumed that meant the newer C or FT series, but turns out he still has the real thing: Nichia 219B R9080 4500K. In 2025! That made the decision easy for me.

So the current plan is: grab the legendary 219B 4500K in an updated H1, with TIR installed. I don’t think I could go wrong at this price. Since the original lukewarm reviews, it looks like Simon quietly upgraded a lot — driver (UI), TIR support, wide blue strap — and paired it with one of the nicest high-CRI emitters out there. I honestly don’t think there’s a comparable option right now, even at double the cost.

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Apart of Sofirn HS42 or Skilhunt H04
H1 is a raw copy of H04.

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I don’t disagree with that. I like my H1 and my H2, especially the H2 because B35AM.

I don’t see it mentioned anywhere in this thread, but has Simon fixed his smooth ramping UI? I have several of the older ones (H1, H2, several S21Es), and the ramping is linear, and completely unusable IMO. Set them to the 4 discrete levels mode, and they’re great. But, unless it’s been updated to logarithmic ramping, don’t plan on using smooth ramping.

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