Bugsy, you should try to get rechargeable 9V batteries, those are super expensive, unless thats what you meant about 9V?
And yes, Ebay prices are high for both headlamp models.
Hi,
My apologies if my comments sounded like complaining about this deal. That wasn’t my intention, and I’m sure we all appreciate your efforts!
Jim
EDIT: BTW, I did go ahead and order one (I do have some 16340s and CR123As already :laughing:. It was just too good a deal, and I really have been looking for a smaller headlamp as the 18650 I have is too heavy.
Jim - By no means did I ever think that anybody, including yourself, was complaining. If I seem to sound brash it is I who apologize - not the intent at all.
Also...for the record... I am not trying to insist that anybody purchase this headlamp but I am trying to make the point that I think this headlamp is probably going to eventually suffer the fate of the Xtar H1 which create a void until someone fills it. Most of the small headlamps (except Zebra and Armytek) max out at 100-150 lumen and to get brighter it is either $75+ for a Zebralight or Armytek (both good lights) OR get an 18650 light that many feel is too heavy like I originally thought before I started using headlamps.
I am ordering a few for some people at work (not all gifts :))...those that do not like the Nitecore or Skilhunt 
and an extra for work and home because there are times that this one is very useful and less than $24. :)
Sigh. This forum is really bad for my wallet. I don’t have many headlamps, nothing newer than a Zebralight H51 and very few CR123 lights. The price was too good to pass up and the review was helpful. Picked up a $3 AA zoomie too.
Ugh…
That Zebralight H51 is a nice light. Too bad it can't be converted (as I understand) to take a 14500 like the H502 :)
This Xtar is definitely not a Zebralight but it is about 1/3rd the cost.
I see here there is a lot of “but I don’t want another battery type and I don’t have 16340’s, so I do not want this light” sort of reasoning, and I suspect this is why this light has not sold out yet…
Here is my $.02 on 16340’s
I am not a fan of CR123’s, but they work, and they hold their charge when you are not using them. Ditto for the 16340’s, just smaller than my other LiIon batteries. I am not a fan, because I have previously spent a couple of hundred bucks on CR123’s over time. This is what changed my mind recently:
I bought a Thorfire KL02 , it is a single purpose light that takes CR123/16340 batteries. I had not had a light that took this battery size in about a decade. I changed my mind because, like everything else, lights have gotten better in the last decade.
I have not liked CR123 batteries since the old incandescent Streamlight Scorpions and bulb eating Surefires of a decade ago… Those things ate batteries (and bulbs), the CR123 was pretty expensive at around $2+ each, they only lasted about an hour or two for run time, for two of them… About $4 an hour, plus a bulb every 4th to 5th set of batteries.
The Thorfire KL02 drew about 45ma when running in one mode on a CR123. For the light it makes, that is over 32 hours on a 1500mah new CR123. IF that CR123 still cost $2 (usually less now), that means it is less than $.07 an hour for light… I would still be an incandescent flashlight fan if they would run for $.07 an hour…. On medium the Xtar H2 puts out 60lm for 3.5 hours on a CR123, not much less than my old Streamlight Scorpion, but three times the run time of that old light…… Less than $.60 an hour to run on just primary CR123’s if they are still $2, often you can find them for less… Big savings already…
The Xtar H2, in this “unpopular” battery size, will run you $24, plus a couple of good 16340 batteries for about $8 will last you for a couple of years at least. For two 16340’s, you should get over 600 recharges in total, bringing the cost (minus what electricity it takes to charge them) to around a penny an hour for run time. This is $8 divided by 900 hours of run time on high (600 charges times 1.5 hours of run time on high = 900 hours). It only costs you less than $.04 an hour if you factor in the light itself ($32 light and batteries/ 900 hours run time) Nice math in my book, cost of this light and two batteries for the first 900 hours of run time on high is less than four cents per hour…
I have a good charger (Nitecore D4) that takes all sizes of batteries. I can pull apart an old laptop battery pack for 18650’s if I need, essentially free batteries, and so I got over my disdain for buying the 16340 size of battery. I even bought some new CR123’s for my KL02’s since the CR123 stores better than the 16340’s. The “free” 18650’s have helped a lot, I learned that here by the way…
Lights have come a long way in the last decade, really look at this H2 and see if it will fit your needs. I may never need the red LED, but it is not a detriment to sit there unused, for instance. The size and weight are minimal, that is important on your head all night in my book….
Subbed
RemanG: haha 
that’s a whole lot of calculations, and I’m sure you’re right about the cost really being very very reasonable.
On the other hand, I really don’t need a new headlamp. I just want one. I think much of the reason I don’t want to invest in this battery format comes down to the conveniency of having just a few battery formats to keep track of, and easy interchangability.
The reluctancy to spend more money is for real, but the economic concern applies more to spending on the light itself. Or at all. Battery facor just adds to it.
I really shouldn’t spend more money on lights. But if this light had used 14500’s it would just have been harder to resist
You also humour me with all the calculations and arguments because even this is budget light forum, little of what happens in here ever really help our budgets anyways 
Anyways, thanks for the arguments, you may have talked me into yet another battery format. (Darn). Really like the light in other ways, so… 
If you think like a politician, spending less IS savings… LOL I had been keeping an eye open for a good headlamp. I like a light one, and smaller is better. I saw the review and bought one, then two more… With all the group buys going on, I will just rationalize they are early gifts for the holidays…
I had a relative that used to say “the true measure of discipline is going without rationalizing for a day…” perhaps there was wisdom in that statement… smelled like scotch, but whatever…
Do you think the Red LED could be swapped for a white one?
Why would you?
Was thinking of making it white and floody. Might be no point tho…
The whole point of buying this light, IMHO, is exactly its red mode.
Why not using diffuser? Much simpler and nothing can be broken that way ;)!
Either way, thats why I bought it, for this price, I can simply get myself few 16340 and enjoy using this light :D!
Also, theres a slight chance that if specs are accurate and it really works within 0.9V and 4.2V, then it could accept NiMh if correctly threaded battery tube is being used.
Will try that out when I receive it, I hope that it wont be too hard to unscrew the head of it as well as finding fitting tube !
Well. I got it. Much bigger than the equivalent Zebralight. The modes are also a bit more lacking. Overall, good value though. Especially since I have very few lights that can use CR123. Can’t go too wrong for $23.5.
Edit: The beam is too tight for a headlamp. I put a diffusion film to help. Still has a decent spot. I may try even more heavy diffusion.
When you say much bigger, do you mean like 20% or something? Would you have pics next to a zebralight CR123?
I don’t have a modern zebra head lamp to compare with. This one is bigger than my H51w (AA). My H30w (cr123) is tiny but way out of date.
Wax paper may give you what you want.
I have a Headlamp with XM-L T6 that has too much throw and blinding hot spot, the wax paper took care of it.
HTH
Keith
Thanks for the suggestion Keith. Neat idea. I went a different route though.
Okay, so after some modding, the UI is still not ideal, the size is a quite a bit bigger than a Zebralight, but it’s quite good and has red!
So here are my mods:
- swapped to Nichia 219A LED.
- used heavy diffusion film on main LED.
- used 4-600 grit sandpaper to scuff up the Red LED.
So, after all that, the tint is ideal, the beams are much more diffuse and the whole thing functions a lot better as a headlamp.
The rubber holder is too tight, and my noggin is a bit big for the strap, but we’ll deal with that another day…
Care to share some pictures?
Regarding its size - it might be due to second LED and big looking protective bezel around switch.