Spark SD-6 460nw. I think I finally found a headlamp I can live with.

Other Types of Lights LED Headlamps
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I have owned many headlamps in search of something that can preform exactly how I want it to. I just bought an SD-6 and so far it seems fine. I have not had enough time with it yet to know for sure but all results look promising. Unless something weird creeps up, I think this is a keeper.

This headlamp is used for a specific task, working on machinery and electronics at arms length. It will only be used in doors under fairly gently conditions. I don’t expect it to get wet or have to survive a fall of 100’ or anything. The Spark is actually overbuilt for what I need but it’s nice to have the extra quality built in.

Pros:

  1. The tint is really nice. I think it’s perfect. I wouldn’t want anything warmer.

2. The magnet is removable. I work around metal and hate having my headlamp get stuck to the metal around me, it’s annoying. If someone wants that magnet, it can easily be attached but for people like me, it can be just left in the box. Saves a bit of weight with it off as well which is a bonus.

3. Very floody beam. It’s spread out evenly in front of you even at arms length. There is no having to turn your head to find the hotspot. I love the mega spill on this light.

4. Remembers last mode. I can just hit the switch and instantly get into the mode I use most often. I almost always use it on high (not turbo) so it ready to go when I need it.

5. The UI is just fine. No complaints, it’s simple and works. This is not a toy, it’s a tool for me. I like it simple and usable. I don’t need 65 different modes and red LEDs and green LEDs and blinky modes and stupid sub-lumin modes that for whatever reason are all the rage. I need a usable high that is not blinding with a decent runtime and a usable low that is bright enough to see what you are doing. I get a couple of extra modes but that is fine.

6. Price. I paid just under $60 shipped from GoingGear. It was on sale during the Black Friday sales. For less than $60 you can’t really beat it. You get a lot of light for the money.

7. Adjustability. This light is almost a kit in that it come with extra items that can transform this light into almost anything you could want. I have it as the most basic setup with just the light and single band head strap. You can add the magnet, belt clip, third head band strap and even a screw in reflector and customize it for your own specific needs. I’m not going to go into what all these add ons will do to change the light but the interesting thing is, I find them all potentially useful and not silly like most add on do-dads.

Cons:

  1. Bulky. It’s bulky and heavy compared to something like the Zebralight H600. It’s still light enough to use without the middle headband strap which is the most important thing. My Spark ST6-280ow was about the same weight but would flop around because of the forward projecting reflector. At least this light is cylindrical and doesn’t have that issue.

2. Price (if you pay retail). It is normally $99 which is getting expensive for a Chinese headlamp. If you have a problem, you are going to have to send it to China which for me means, I will never bother.

3. I can’t thin of any other cons right now but I’m reserving this spot for future issues. My ST6-280 was a pile of crap. It would overheat and shutdown in about 20mins on high. Pumping out 280 lumins for 20 mins shouldn’t have been so difficult. It would get too hot to hold. If this Spark exhibits problems in the future, I will probably avoid Spark in the future. So far so good so hopefully I just got a bad Spark the first time.

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With all the add ons this really could be the one and only headlamp for people willing to go to lithium. It will work with 2 cr-123s but most people will use an 18650. I use unprotected lap top pulls that I get for almost free and it works in turbo which the specs state only certain 18650s will be able to power.

I have some quality expensive 18650s that I keep around for testing lights when I think it may be a battery issue but so far this Spark works great with quality unprotected 18650 from lap top battery packs. I have a bunch of them so it’s important to me that any light I buy can use these cells. That’s the whole reason I got into 18650s, the availability of free/cheap cells from drills, lap tops etc.

3

Sounds like a nice light. You have any current product links for it?

BLF Member TSellers has a link to some beam shots in Post 31 of this Thread. They look pretty good.

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It was in stock at GoingGear last week but it looks like they may have sold out.

I ordered an Armytek Wizard Pro Wide in cool white at the same time from IS and it’s a nice light as well. Not as good of a pure flood headlamp as the Spark and the tint is not as nice. It’s a lot brighter though and has a bit more throw. More of an all around light that can light up my entire front yard at night. I have a fairly large front yard so it’s impressive.

My headlamp I was using was a Zebralight H30. It produced 80 lumins on high for about 60 mins. It was actually enough light for my tasks but not enough runtime. I would constantly have to swap cells in the middle of a repair. It had no mode memory so you would have to hold the switch in everytime until it got to high which was the last one and the one I used most often. 80 lumin on high would likely be the most often used mode but for some reason the people at ZL thought you might like to be forced to cycle through low and medium first.

Before that was an UF-H3 which was unreliable but produced great flood. It had a bluish tint and if it worked consistently would have been all I needed.

I had a ZL H51 which was faulty and I returned. Overheating and shutting down.

My Spark ST6-280ow was another dud. Got hot and had short runtime. Had problems.

So far the SD6 and Army Tek are looking like winners with the edge going to the Spark because it suits my needs best.

5

these are nice - i managed to get mine for $42 on sbf flashlights when they cleared a bunch of them out this fall

cured my headlamp curiosity and is a nice light:)

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Long long term update. Many years later. I can’t remember what happened to my beloved Spark SD6 460nw. It was the best headlamp I ever had and I miss it. I think it died and I tossed it. I have not been able to find a headlamp as good since. Spark is long out of business unfortunately. If anyone knows of any of these headlamps hiding away let me know as I would love to buy one.

Also, is there anything made today similar? Something with nice neutral tint, takes a single unprotected 18650 and has pure flood. Most headlights that claim they are flood do not have a wide beam up close. I need a wide beam at arms length.

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We are only a few who use headlamp like that.
And here is the one i am using.

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I just remembered what happened to my Spark. It was stolen with my tool bag at work about 3 years ago. My memory is terrible lately , it takes my brain a while to work. I used to be sharper and quicker.

1 Thank
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Boruit d10 with led swap of your choice, add a floody tir or convert to mule.

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I’m not really into modding lights unless it’s a simple mod. I was looking for something I could use off the shelf more or less.

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D10 with 90 degree TIR

1 Thank
12

Second the zebralight floody. I have an old one and its too floody for me, never use it. Its 100 % flood.

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Its too floody, so wasted beam. It lights up nose tip… It’s annoying.

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That sounds perfect. I’ve had mixed results with Zebralights but it seems if you get a good one, they last forever. I still have an old single rc123 headlamp that I use for stuff around the house doing little projects. It’s not very bright but it has a nice tint and is very small and light.