The Wuben H4 is not a typical light for flashlight enthusiasts. But that is exactly what made it interesting for me. I have a dog and I also hike and climb. A lightweight, comfortable light is always welcome there, especially if it brings light for both near and far.
So far, my Petzl Actik Core and Swift RL have often served me well, on paper the H4 fit well into the gap between the two.
All my reviews can be found on my website.
For better readability, visit my site - the content is the same!
Disclaimer: Wuben provided this light to me free of charge. This had no influence on the review.
All measurements were done using hobby-grade equipment, inaccuracies and deviations are therefore possible.
You can buy the light directly from Wuben.
There are several versions of the light, the housing can be black, white or sand colored. My sample is sand colored with a black headband.
The packaging presents the light quite well. The blue packaging with a viewing window puts the light on the forehead of the printed head – I like it! All important data is printed on the box.
Included besides the light is a headband and a short USB-A-C cable. There is also a manual.
The light itself is made entirely of plastic on the outside. That is unusual, but contributes to the low weight. The front part of the housing and the mounting plate for the band are sand colored, whereas the battery cover is transparent. The housing halves are sealed by a very well fitting gasket.
The hinge and the detents for the adjustment mechanism seem solid. The latch that holds the battery compartment closed is not the thickest, but brings good elasticity.
The switches are hidden under an almost seamlessly inset plastic surface. They are easy to distinguish from each other – one is a raised circle (Flood), the other a ribbed surface (Spot).
Wuben makes no mention of the LEDs as far as I can find. They are hidden behind a TIR which, as far as I can check non-destructively, is not covered by glass. The spot TIR has fins, the flood TIR facets. For the red light there is a separate mini lens without any diffusing surface.
Below the LEDs you find the battery level indicator and the gesture control.
The latter works surprisingly well. The light is switched on and off via it, you still have to select the mode on the light. I have come to appreciate this especially on dog walks, but it is also a bit tricky at times because a branch or an unintentional movement in front of the head can activate the sensor. Since you have to actively switch on the sensor, you always have the choice. That the sensor is active is signaled by a pulsing light in the battery indicator.
The light can be operated with 3 AAA batteries, or with the included battery. This is USB-C-aufladbar, but must be removed for this.
Yes, proprietary battery in combination with primary cells, not necessarily what we nerds are usually looking for. But the probability of getting AAA cells even in an (unmanned) mountain hut is not low. Therefore, this backup is not unpopular, there is a reason why many climbers set out into the big world with Black Diamond, Petzl,… Better less light than none!
Fenix HM65R-T v2.0, Wurkkos HD12, Wuben H4, Sofirn HS11, Wurkkos HD17
With headband and battery, meaning exactly how I use the light, it weighs 98g on my scale.
I measured the light at 60.6mm x 45.5mm x 39mm.
Lanyard: Since the light is designed exclusively as a headlamp, no lanyard is included.
Clip: Da die Lampe ausschließlich als Kopflampe konstruiert ist, ist kein Clip enthalten.
Magnet: Since the light is designed exclusively as a headlamp, no magnet is included.
Headband: The headband is perfect. Good ventilation, exactly the right elasticity and even a silicone strip, plus a large adjustment range. Also fits well on a climbing helmet!
The UI is pleasantly simple and yet versatile.
Explanation 1C, 1H...
1C: short click, 2C: double click, …
1H: press and hold without letting go
2H: short click, followed by 1H
With the light off:
1H, either button turns on red light.
1C turns on the memorized brightness level of the chosen light source depending on the button.
With the light on (white light):
1C on the button of the activated light source turns the light off,
1C on the button of the inactive light source switches the light source.
1H cycles the brightness level (active light source only).
2C activates the combined mode.
Holding both buttons pressed activates / deactivates the gesture sensor.
With the light on (red light):
1H turns the light off.
1C cycles between constant light, beacon and SOS.
All measurements were done in my 30cm integrating sphere. The temperature was between 20 and 24°C. Additionally, an Opple Light Master III and a TASi TA636B lux meter were used. Please note that this is hobby equipment, so inaccuracies and deviations are possible!
The beam pattern in flood mode is very nice. 4000k, very uniform. The spot mode is not quite as nice. The spot is slightly greenish, the spill a bit cooler. But the combination of both is surprisingly acceptable again.
The red light wins no beauty prize, the spot is very uneven, there isn’t really any spill. But it is good enough for not disturbing anyone in the hut at night, saving power or protecting the eyes. You also see enough in front of your feet.
| Spec/mesurements | low | med | high | Spot + Flood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spot | 15 / 17 | 150/160 | 300 / 315 | 800 / 700 |
| Flood | 15 / 17 | 150 / 160 | 300 / 320 | reactivation after 30 min: 630 |
In my measurements, the light meets the factory specs quite well, only in combined mode do I measure slightly less than stated.
For a light with plastic housing maximal and sustained Output are surprisingly good.
Since the lower output levels behave similarly to each other, I have put together a selection that is as clear as possible for you.
Wuben specifies the range as 66m, I measured 1216cd at 1m distance and thus 70m.
I also measured the output with 1.2V and 1.5V cells, the light reaches 450lm in combined mode! That is significantly more than just emergency operation. The other levels are very close to the values with the rechargeable battery, high is at 280lm.
It should always be noted that the runtime depends heavily on the batteries and can vary significantly, therefore I did not test this.
The light does not get really hot during operation due to the plastic housing, it remains pleasantly cool especially towards the forehead.
All images were taken with the same camera settings. The lights were on the head, the angle can therefore vary. The images were taken with full batteries immediately after switching on.
Let’s start with a comparison of the different possibilities with the H4.
I also created a small comparison with other headlamps in a similar performance class:
| Low Spot | High Spot | Low Flood | High Flood | Turbo combined | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCT | 5000K | 5300K | 4000K | 4000K | 5000K |
| CRI | 69 | 69 | 71 | 71 | 70 |
| DUV | 0,004 | 0,003 | 0,013 | 0,011 | 0,010 |
Flicker is perfect, Flood Low as an example. Spot looks very similar to it.
PWM could not be detected by eye or with the camera.
The battery is specified as 1700mAh, which the charging measurement also roughly confirms. The charging behavior is flawless, both CC and CV phases are as they should be.
Well, what can I say? Overall, the H4 comes very close to what I hoped for. Only the missing lockout is unpleasant. That already bothered me with the Petzl Actik and is (battery in or insulator out) always an extra step to put the light into operation. It would be nice if Wuben could improve there for the future.
The light can be operated intuitively even by people not into lights, is relatively light, sits great on the head and offers significantly better light than I expected in this class. It is slightly heavier than a Wurkkos HD12 or Sofirn HS11, but also runs longer, takes AAA cells and is more versatile.
The light does not score with spectacular data or features, but simply with a lot of everyday usability and fills niches that other lights leave open. Anyone looking for a light for one of these niches can be very happy with the H4. Likewise, anyone looking for a reliable companion for the dog walk, the workshop or the car.
And last but not least, alpinists and long distance hikers may also take a look at it. Even if there are good alternatives for this use case, the light is definitely worth considering!