Fenix HP11 review?

[Szemhazai]

I'll try to write something over the weekend - for now I've made some measurements

[LittleBill]

Yeah i have put tape over the BD spot and it made it better, but if im going to drop the money on the fenix, i would prefer it to be good out of the box and not need to use tape on it..... Has anyone else with the hp11 noticed the hollow hot spot?

I don't see it and im pretty anal. what distance are we talking about here? this passes even the wall test, let alone how good it is outside

[peterharvey73]

The HP11 R5 SMO's slightly hollow hotspot is barely noticeable - in fact it is NOT noticeable on it's own. The HP11 has a superb beam, that probably few can match!
The HP11's slightly hollow hotspot can only be noticed when compared with a Jetbeam RRT-2 R5 with a deep OP reflector - in which case the RRT-2's hotspot looks smaller and denser; the HP11's is larger with a dense ring but a less dense centre..

[angkuh]

I'm not try it yet. But I will buy in January of next year. I will give you a review, and if you want, you can give your contact to me.

[psychbeat]

I'll try to write something over the weekend - for now I've made some measurements

looks pretty BLUE/COOL yeah?

[Szemhazai]

looks pretty BLUE/COOL yeah?

A bit, about 7100K on high...

[psychbeat]

eeeewww.....


thanks for the review

[arizona1]

A bit, about 7100K on high...

How does it compare with the hp10 in this regard?

[one_half_3544]

Got HP11 recently. To my surprise it refused to work with Ni-MH batteries - only regular alkaline worked. Further investigation showed that HP11 battery compartment has bulges, which prevent the + terminals of the batteries from contact>:-/





My Ni-MH batteries from both sets (La Crosse and Ansmann) have short plus pins (at least shorter than duracell alkaline) and don't work.

I thought that Fenix products do not require DIY modifications to work..

[LittleBill]

Got HP11 recently. To my surprise it refused to work with Ni-MH batteries - only regular alkaline worked. Further investigation showed that HP11 battery compartment has bulges, which prevent the + terminals of the batteries from contact>:-/





My Ni-MH batteries from both sets (La Crosse and Ansmann) have short plus pins (at least shorter than duracell alkaline) and don't work.

I thought that Fenix products do not require DIY modifications to work..

they don't i use eneloops in all fenix's with 0 problem

[varuscelli]

Got HP11 recently. To my surprise it refused to work with Ni-MH batteries - only regular alkaline worked. Further investigation showed that HP11 battery compartment has bulges, which prevent the + terminals of the batteries from contact>:-/





My Ni-MH batteries from both sets (La Crosse and Ansmann) have short plus pins (at least shorter than duracell alkaline) and don't work.

I thought that Fenix products do not require DIY modifications to work..

According to the specs (and everything I've personally read and seen), the HP11 should run just fine on Ni-MH batteries. Maybe it's just the particular batteries you're using (as odd as that might seem) and the shorter terminals.

[one_half_3544]

Well, can't test other brands of batteries - 5 minutes of dremeling solved the problem for me =) Still I don't understand the purpose of such design decisions..

But less offtopic - the lamp is nice, much brighter than my old tikka xp. The only disappointing thing for hiking use is the diffuser - is does not open all the way and protrudes awkwardly. I fear that it will be torn away by the first unlucky contact with a branch.

[Murphjup]

Thanks all for the information.. thinking of getting one of these but are stiill undecided..

[subwoofer]

Thanks all for the information.. thinking of getting one of these but are stiill undecided..

I've just got one to do a review of. It might be a week or two, but when I get it posted I'll put the link in this thread.

[cjdec]

Just got one of these. Previously lots of experience with Princeton tec Apex, which disappointed as far as durability goes but not much else. So far The Fenix looks promising. Time will tell on how well it lasts.

It's spot beam is bright on the highest setting - the claimed 277 lumens is believable. Beam quality of the spot is quite good. A slight hollow when viewed on a white wall that means absolutely nothing in the real world (unless you work as a white wall inspector).

The main spot is designed at the narrow end of the continuum encountered in general purpose lights, too narrow for some uses no doubt, but it fits my needs well. The diffuser changes the nature of the basic beam completely, making it very broad and floody. You lose some light with a diffuser so some people may prefer another light if that's suited to their main application. For occasional or short term use the diffuser is fine.

One confusing detail in the instructions: "If you do not use the light for a couple of days, please unscrew the head for half a turn to prevent slow discharge of the batteries." If the parasitic discharge is large that would be disappointing. I can't see how to unscrew the head at all, though, and wonder if this tip even applies to this light. We'll see if the discharge proves to be a problem. Maybe someone can measure it?

[subwoofer]

I've just posted a review of the HP11 in the headlamps forum:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...-in-Four-Parts

[one_half_3544]

Tested HP11 on camping trip. Diffuser lens in not recessed into the holder - it creates more then 180 degrees beam and blinds the user of the headlamp :-(( I think of painting the rim of the lens with black paint.

[subwoofer]

Tested HP11 on camping trip. Diffuser lens in not recessed into the holder - it creates more then 180 degrees beam and blinds the user of the headlamp :-(( I think of painting the rim of the lens with black paint.

I found exactly the same problem (and mentioned this in my review).

I'm going to try and find some black plastic pipe the right size to surround the diffuser edge as I don't think paint will be opaque enough with that much light to block. Either that or make a little peak/visor to block the light from falling into my eyes.

[jeowf]

I found exactly the same problem (and mentioned this in my review).

I'm going to try and find some black plastic pipe the right size to surround the diffuser edge as I don't think paint will be opaque enough with that much light to block. Either that or make a little peak/visor to block the light from falling into my eyes.

Jest get a sharpie and mark the edged black. (i find it's opaque enough to stop being annoying)

[aquaholik]

Went out last night on Easter Sunday to do some shrimping because the tide was right. I had the batteries(4 Duracell alkalines) in there since last year and judging from last night's outing, any discharge I had over a period of 8 months is negligible.

I purposely left my 20 watts 36 degree beam halogen headlamp and the accompanying 5lbs battery in the car and determined to go purely LED last night. I did drop 4 extras AA into my waders for backup. Wind was about 5-10 knots but I had no trouble seeing shrimp with the high setting(133 lumens). I have to get used to a very bright center and not so bright but even spill. Shrimping in a foot of water or less, the shrimps' eyes were very easy to see. I homed in on the biggest and widest pairs of eyes and proceeded to pick up about 4 dozens large and 10 dozens medium/small. The flats was pretty lit up. I spotted mullets, blue crabs, pinfish, ladyfish.

This light has amazing throw, even at the 133lm mode. Coming back to my car, I had to cross some knee deep and now muddied up water(from other shrimpers walking around). There are always a few big shrimps in the deeper area and I switched on the turbo mode and had no problem seeing them. I walked back to my starting point around 11 pm and spotted some shrimp buried in the sand/mud with just their eyes faintly lit up. I dug my fingers down and grab the shrimp bare handed.

The light remain fairly strong(I used turbo toward the end) after 2 hours on 133 and maybe 20 minutes on turbo. I don't think I missed too many shrimps because of the lack of a strong flood beam but I just wished I could stretch out that spot beam and double it's coverage because the brightness is overkill for 6-10 ft distance. Going to use it a couple more times before I decide to get another one as a backup.

[daniel10]

Hi, first post here.

Im thinking to buy one of these hadlamps. It is a good choice for mountain biking? My doubt is if it fit well on my helmet and if the cable length is long enough to carry the battery case on my backpack.

Regards from portugal
Daniel

[florinache]

The cable isn't that long. It fits on my biking helmet but gets a bit heavy.

[Kitchen Panda]

Hi, first post here.

Im thinking to buy one of these hadlamps. It is a good choice for mountain biking? My doubt is if it fit well on my helmet and if the cable length is long enough to carry the battery case on my backpack.

Regards from portugal
Daniel

The cable is only 350 mm (about 14 inches) long - if you wanted to put the battery pack in your pocket, you'd have to lengthen the cable (and say goodbye to your warranty). I weighed mine with 4 NiMH Enelooops and it weighs about 300 grams, but the battery pack is most of that...the lamp and straps are only about 120 grams.

I tried mine on a construction hard-hat - the straps will fit on it, but it does make it a little top-heavy. A bike helmet usually straps on, doesn't it? That would make it more secure.


Bill

[daniel10]

Thanks for the answers. I think the fenix hp11 battery case doesn't fit very well on the back of my bike helmet. I think i wont get one of these because of that but its a great aa powered headlamp for sure!