Rating of the best headlamps of 2022

The “second generation” of the HM50R flashlight is interesting both for its versatility and “indestructibility”: the flashlight is not purely a headlamp, but removable from a strap attachment, it can be used as a manual or desktop if necessary (the second use is even more convenient due to the fact that light travels at right angles to the cylindrical part of the body). IP68 dust and moisture protection will allow you to not only get caught in the rain with this flashlight, but also dive to a moderate depth, if necessary.

The design provides not only an indication of the remaining charge using a two-color indicator, but also reliable protection against overheating — with such a compact case, taking into account the use of a fairly “hot” LED at the maximum mode, this is not the last thing. In case of overheating, the flashlight does not turn off completely, but reduces the brightness, allowing the LED and the body to cool. The battery can be recharged directly in the flashlight, and using a modern type-C connector.

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Continuing our review of the best Nitecore HC65M headlamps. This flashlight is really specific — its mount is really a head mount, but not designed for a headband, but for use in conjunction with the front mount of Western ballistic helmets. However, it is precisely because of this that the flashlight has become popular among airsoft fans, especially since its “tactical” purpose is fully justified, if you look at how well it is built. If we recall that clones of “foreign” helmets from the well-known Chinese site are also used by lovers of climbing caves and dungeons (because they don’t need “military” strength, but this one will also protect against a hit by a random stone, plus the lantern mount is a “bonus” ”), then this headlamp can really be considered popular in more or less wide circles, despite the lack of a conventional mount.

And do not forget that the HC65M v2 is already starting to go on sale: in the new version, the design has been changed (all three LEDs are under a common tempered glass), the luminous flux of the main LED has been increased to 1750 lumens (alas, with a drop in autonomy to 30 minutes — complete the battery is the same, at 3400 mAh), and charging is now carried out through a modern type-C connector. So, if you are interested in this flashlight, it is worth spending more time «wool» online stores: the new version also has its advantages. At the same time, if necessary, it can also shine at the level of the old one, if you switch the mode.

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If some Finnish accent was felt in the name of the previous model, then here it is already quite obvious (“tikka” in Finnish, by the way, means “woodpecker”). We don’t know where this name came from, but in many ways the “woodpecker” is similar to the “tactical woodpecker” — the flashlight is also very light (82 grams), has a built-in compartment for three AAA batteries or a branded CORE battery. However, it is no longer assembled in France, but in Malaysia, and does not have a “long-range” mode: its LEDs are designed for a wide beam, and the “farthest” mode with a brightness of 300 lumens gives a “range” of only 65 meters (Tactikka + for comparison — up to 90 meters). The level of water protection they have is the same — IPX4.

Unlike the “tactical woodpecker”, the “regular” colors are deliberately bright, and even with luminescent inserts — this makes it easier to find a flashlight in the dark. So, if you don’t really need «range» or «tactical» coloring, then the cheaper Tikka will become even more interesting than Tactikka +.

This headlamp, one might say, is “special purpose” — it was certified for explosion protection (ATEX: Zone 2/22 — short work in an environment of explosive gases, as well as in conditions of accumulation of explosive dust), equipped with a regular helmet mount, and even the control was optimized for glove — not with a button, but with a large rotary selector. Well, it remains to turn on the Stakhanovites group in the player and go cut coal with overfulfillment of the plan.

Seriously though, the flashlight, powered by two AA batteries, is capable of delivering up to 100 lumens in the «high beam» mode (range — up to 80 meters with an autonomy of 3.5 hours on a standard set of batteries), 60 lumens in the «for movement» mode (60 meters. 6 hours of operation) with the combined operation of both LEDs (in this case, the «long-range» LED is limited in brightness), or shine only with a «dipped» light with a wide beam — in this case it will give out its 20 lumens for more than a day. A “backup” mode is also provided, in which, with discharged batteries, the flashlight can work for another ten hours, with light limited to 10 lumens.

The strength of the case is on the level: the flashlight can withstand a load of 80 kg (test of the “step on me” type) and a fall from a height of two meters onto a concrete floor. Dust and moisture protection — according to the IP67 standard. A curious feature of the mount is that it has a “transport” mode, when the glass turns towards the headband and thus is protected from accidental damage. Also, the mount, which can be easily detached from the headband, can be used as a floor or tabletop platform.

Yes, the German company, founded over 100 years ago, is not only one of the largest players in the field of automotive lighting: it also produces good headlamps. The model presented by us in the rating (according to the manufacturer, designed to repair all the same cars) is a single-diode flashlight with a remote occipital battery pack that uses three AA batteries and produces 300 lumens in full power mode (2-3 hours of operation) . A reduced brightness mode is provided — the luminous flux is reduced to 60 lumens, which allows you to count on 10 hours of operation. The degree of dust and moisture protection is moderate — IP64.

Since the flashlight has only two modes of operation, provided by a single LED. It is less versatile than models that have separate high and low beam LEDs. However, for its intended purpose — as an assistant in the repair — he copes more than. And let’s not argue — in terms of workmanship and reliability, we will not find fault.

The inexpensive headlamp from Metabo is heavy (260 grams), but has good weight distribution due to the fact that the battery container is placed on the back of the headband. The LED is single, with a lens that allows you to change the angle of the luminous flux, just like on conventional hand-held lanterns. However, even in the “widest” position, the beam is narrow — the flashlight is designed to illuminate a specific narrow area, this should be taken into account. The luminous flux is 160 lumens, a set of high-quality batteries lasts for up to 5 hours.

The flashlight bracket also allows you to adjust the tilt, but the fixation can be rather weak: a heavy “head” with a lens can knock down the adjustment when shaking your head. In general, the quality of the flashlight is average, but without frank «jambs» — in general, a typical «budget».

The compact and lightweight (73 g) Phoenix headlamp is assembled on a Cree XP-G2 LED, which allows it to produce up to 400 lumens of light, but, alas, with decent heat (you can feel it well on the front aluminum panel) and with a fast consumption battery charge (it will last a maximum of an hour). The flashlight automatically dims after a minute to prevent overheating. And, since the battery is made non-removable just for the sake of compactness and low weight (and the charging connector is hidden on the back of the case), you should still use the most economical modes possible (130, 70, 30 or 4 lumens).

There are two buttons on top, one switches the standard modes, the second activates the strobe and the SOS signal. «Turbo mode» you can turn on any of them, and simultaneously holding and holding both buttons will block them from accidental pressing.

In general, the flashlight turned out to be very interesting, but the impression is greatly spoiled by the non-removable battery, which, due to the location of the connector, cannot be charged “on the go” (for example, from a power bank). Therefore, we will inevitably cut the rating points for him.

The Pathfinder headlamp is assembled on three LEDs, the most powerful of them, the central one, has manual focusing of the light flux, and the side ones are designed for “economical” illumination. Two 18650 batteries were chosen as a power source, which can be charged with complete chargers from a 220 V network or a car cigarette lighter. To prevent the flashlight from hanging forward, the batteries are installed in a separate compartment at the back of the headband.

The flashlight does not have any outstanding protection — the IP20 class directly hints that it is not “friendly” with water at all. So for home-garage use, it is suitable, but you should not take it with you into the aisle or hunting.

The batteries included in the kit typically in Chinese boast a declared capacity of as much as 4800 mAh, but, of course, you should not believe this — they cannot boast of either capacity or resource, so it’s easier to immediately replace them with high-quality and long-tested ones from LG or Samsung, since they are now inexpensive.