Nitecore HC30 1x18650 battery,Cree XM-L2 LED,Headlamp REVIEW

Cree XM-L2 LED-Cool white(on my sample)
1x18650 or 2xCR123A batteries
98mm (3.86") Length
Weight 86gr. with a 18650 battery

Great user interface with direct access to Highest mode. Normally starts on the lowest mode.
Modes:
Ultralow=1 lumen
Low=75 Lumens
Mid=210 lumens
High=400 lumens
Turbo=1000 lumens
Peak beam intensity=6600cd

The switch is an electronically working,which means it has short move with no locked/unlocked position.
The headlamp does have minimum dimensions and weight.
The battery tube is thin and lightweight. The HC30 is impressing with its compactness and low weight from the first time you get it.

The switch is quite big for comfortable pressing it and locating it,too.It produces easy to hear click sound.Not too stiff,not too loose for pressing.
If you afraid of accidental activation of the light,locking out the tail cap is recommended when carrying the headlamp in a backpack,or a pocket.
Of course,you don't want a very stiff hard to press switch when wearing the headlamp on your head,as this will cause troubles when trying to operate the user interface.


My first impressions were: Lightweight,Compact,Comfortable switch,Beam cooler white than expected(also compared to the HC50),Long throw profile of the beam, I like the user interface.
First measurements:
~ 49µA Standby current draw. Tailcap lock out is possible,thanks to the anodized tail threads.

Nitecore HC30 comes also with a pocket clip.A great option for pocket carrying the headlamp as a regular EDC flashlight,without the headband.

Perfectly anodized aluminum alloy body.Relatively matte black finish.Excellent knurling,as usual for Nitecore.

Overall great care to detail.



Tailcap removed. No strong magnet,as seen in other similar flashlights with a similar cap design.
Rectangular cut threads.Anodized-allow physical lock out.

Protected batteries fit with no problems.
Physical reverse polarity protection for improper battery installation.
Even the RP protection I am able to use flat top Keeppower batteries in my HC30 sample.


This is the HC30's pocket clip(left) compared to the Skilhunt DS10 pocket clip. Very similar form.
The loop for strap attaching is not on the proper place and limits the space where a thick belt should fit.



User Interface
Short press starts the light always on UltraLow mode.
Press and hold for a second to activate the last used mode.
Press and hold for more than 1 second to activate Turbo,directly from Off.

Press and hold while On to turn it Off.
Short press will change the mode.

The UI is really well though out,without "exotic" features.
It does not require much to get used to and is easy to operate.
I don't like the difference in switching the light On/Off as this require some more effort(thinking) when doing one of them. I like it more simple-just the same briefly press to turn On/Off.

For one cycling through the modes will be more important,for others turning the light Off quickly with one brief press. Different preferences.

I found the UI logic and meeting the requirements for using the HC30 as a headlamp.




The headband seems quite sturdy.Good thickness and probably enough length for every head size.
The holder part is similar to the HC50's relatively soft silicone holder.Maybe not so good in terms of stability,but quite comfortable for the forehead.
The elastic holder eliminates the need of a mechanical components for adjusting the angle of the beam. The two loops do this job well.
The "flashlight" stays tight enough in the holder.Accidentally rotating it is hardly possible.



Headband connectors are made of plastic.


Soft rubber headlamp holder.



The headlamp can be inserted in the holder in two directions,allowing operation with the more comfortable hand.





The HC30 stays quite well on my head,even wearing a winter hat.





Cool white Cree XM-L2 LED.Deep,aluminum reflector with smooth reflective coating.
Very clean glass lens with anti-reflective coating for high light transmittance.

The beam shape is on the throwy side.Some will appreciate that,other not at all. The difference with the wide angle beam of the HC50 is significant.

Personally,I would like to have a diffuser cap for the HC30 for more floody beam. This depend on the way the headlamp will be used.At what distance and environment.
Deep aluminum reflector with smooth reflective surface.

The light from the Cree XM-L2 mounted in the HC30 is cool white. No greenish,or bluish tint in regular use. Clearly defined hotspot.
There are some artifacts and different tint zones in the hotspot,but should not be visible in regular use.






5 meters, 1/6sec



5 meters, 1/50sec



Run time graph showing the performance on Turbo and High mode.
High mode as expected pretty well regulated.
Turbo mode typical for a single Li-Ion battery flashlight at this output.
The output should be more constant,if using two CR123A batteries.I can't test it,as I don't use CR123A batteries,at all and prefer using just one battery in small flashlights.
The output is very low at the end,of course easily noticeable that the battery is empty,but if we leave the flashlight unattended,then damaging an unprotected battery is quite possible.

The HC30 shows over 1000 lumens on Turbo mode,at the start in my test.
I can't guarantee full accuracy of my measurements.
Most important is the graph form,showing the performance in the time.


There was no thermal regulation activated in my test,as seen in the Nitecore HC50 review.
The HC30 gets hot after few minutes on Turbo mode. There should be a thermal regulating to adjust the output keeping the temperature in optimal range,but as I already noted,I did not manage to activate it.

According to Nitecore,the HC30 does not feature Low voltage protection,but I still tested it.
To test the driver for low voltage protection,I left the HC30 turned on,as long as possible.To be honest,I really was hoping for a LV protection in this headlamp.There was no such.
The HC30 stayed for some time on a very low output until the battery protection triggered.
I would not recommend to leave the HC30 unattended when using with an unprotected battery.
It is best to use a quality protected battery from Nitecore,or other trusted brand.










Nitecore HC30 performed quite well in my usage,so far. Good performance as a headlamp.Good performance as a pocket-able flashlight. Well designed. I don't find anything more to want in terms of build quality. What I would change,if it depended on me-a shallower reflector for even wider beam with a less pronounced hotspot(I am a fan of the HC50's beam). This is of course my personal preference,which will differ from the preferences on other people with different requirements
I would like also a warmer light from the LED,which will improve color rendition,making close up work much more pleasant.I am sure many people will agree with me on this point.

In terms of output and regulation,the HC30 also does a good job.The max output is quite enough for almost any situation requiring quality illumination. Good amount of brightness modes,well spaced.
The presence of a nice UltraLow mode is a big plus. The UI is great.Direct access to UltraLow and Turbo is really an option nice to have.

As in most late Nitecore flashlights,the Stanby current draw is on the high side(49µA). It's not that high to bother you,but is definitely something to keep in mind,when leaving the headlamp unused for long periods of time,especially with already used battery. Using protected 18650 batteries is highly recommended and will add also a low voltage protection for the every day use of the flashlight.
Nitecore recommends using its protected batteries in the HC30 for maximum compatibility-in size and protection.
I like the form factor-versatile and functional.
The headlamp is comfortable on the head,thanks to its lightweight body.
I enjoyed using it in the test period. The switch and user interface work flawless,quickly and without any skipping,or wrong activation.
The HC30 is a good offer in the multi-purpose head lights class.

Thanks to Nitecore for providing the HC30 for test and review!


Thanks for reading!

almost an h600 for a lot less money

Thanks for another fine review.

I, too, would prefer neutral tint.

Mode spacing on the Nitecore HC30 is not what I would have selected. For camping, hiking, or backpacking it would be nice to have some lower modes. That way, you could make the battery last longer. Many chores in camp require only 10 lumens, or so. In addition, a 10-lumen level is friendly to other campers, who might get blinded if you shine 75 lumens at them. I also find that a 30-35 lumen mode is useful in camp, and will sometimes be sufficient for hiking on smooth trails. The other modes are good.

Like you, my preference is generally for a floody headlamp. Something like the ZebraLight H600Fw Mk. III is just about right.

Great review. I was lucky enough to pick one up as a GB a few weeks ago. My own thoughts are that it's quite a good headlight, not the best out there but it's definitely a bit more versatile as it can also be used as a right angled light. I do like how it's light weight, 1000 lumens giving you a good level of light output covering a wide area, it's UI and how the on/off switch can be used easily even with gloves on.

My minor gripes relate to the mode spacing. I agree it would have been ideal with a 15-30 lumens low mode and I'm not convinced on the longevity of the rubber holder on the headband or the pocket clip, especially if you're switching the light between the two frequently. Apart from that, it's a decent versatile light to have around especially if you can get it at a good price.

Thanks for the comments!
I agree that one more mode between 1 Lm and 75 Lm could be very useful and the extra mode will not overload the UI. Cycling through the modes is quite fast,doing it by a short press of the switch.

Can you unscrew the tailcap to disconnect the battery?

And it looks like the pocket clip can be used to clip it to a belt or jacket, is that correct?

Yes on both counts

Nice review! Mine arrived about a month ago and I'm finding myself going to it more and more as my light of choice. Something about the right angled interface really suits my every day use. If you haven't tried a right angled light, I recommend that you check it out. It's much more natural for me to hold out my hand like a fist than to tilt my wrist forward, like I would need to with a conventional stick style light. I also agree that a wider beam would be nice, too, but at the same time, I don't want to totally give up the benefits of a more throwy light. To help me with this problem, I'l taken a thin, opaque piece of plastic (was actually the cover from a drive-in soft drink cup), cut a circle shaped diffuser and placed it between the bezel and the lens. I get that it reduces the efficiency of the light, but I'll take it with the benefit of wider beam coverage (I rarely run it wide open even with the diffuser), and since it's not permanent, easy enough to switch back if the situation warrants it. And of course, it's not like it's the only light I have on my person. :devil:

Using this light with a hand gun can be a little awkward but not completely unworkable. I found that for me, the best way is to hold it parallel to with my index on my weak hand, using my finger to manipulate the switch. Similar to how I would hold OC spray if not using my thumb.

Regarding it being hard to tilt in the headlamp strap, it's a lot easier if you forego the clip. Also, while I do like the clip for pocket carry convenience, it does create a significant hotspot, at least in my hands (depending on the orientation).

Too bad NiteCore didn't include a magnetic base, although I'm not sure how that would work, because of the right angled light. I've got a couple of spare silicone headband light holders that I might try to adapt to hold the light and attach to a magnetic base. Or maybe I'l stop trying to make this the end-all-be-all solution and use my TN20 or AR10 (both with magnetic base and swivel head) to fit that need.

Mahalo

Thanks for posting Mkduffer!
I was also surprised that Nitecore has not added a magnet in the tailcap.
Very nice tip for a DIY diffuser :thumbsup:

About to buy one of these in the new NW tint just released on their website! Anyone know where I can get one for a great deal??? Also does anyone know the exact color temperature of the neutral white vs this cool white?

Any reason to buy the XTAR H3 over this equally priced similar light???

Mkduffer said:

Nice review! Mine arrived about a month ago and I'm finding myself going to it more and more as my light of choice. Something about the right angled interface really suits my every day use. If you haven't tried a right angled light, I recommend that you check it out. It's much more natural for me to hold out my hand like a fist than to tilt my wrist forward, like I would need to with a conventional stick style light. I also agree that a wider beam would be nice, too, but at the same time, I don't want to totally give up the benefits of a more throwy light. To help me with this problem, I'l taken a thin, opaque piece of plastic (was actually the cover from a drive-in soft drink cup), cut a circle shaped diffuser and placed it between the bezel and the lens. I get that it reduces the efficiency of the light, but I'll take it with the benefit of wider beam coverage (I rarely run it wide open even with the diffuser), and since it's not permanent, easy enough to switch back if the situation warrants it. And of course, it's not like it's the only light I have on my person. :devil:

Using this light with a hand gun can be a little awkward but not completely unworkable. I found that for me, the best way is to hold it parallel to with my index on my weak hand, using my finger to manipulate the switch. Similar to how I would hold OC spray if not using my thumb.

Regarding it being hard to tilt in the headlamp strap, it's a lot easier if you forego the clip. Also, while I do like the clip for pocket carry convenience, it does create a significant hotspot, at least in my hands (depending on the orientation).

Too bad NiteCore didn't include a magnetic base, although I'm not sure how that would work, because of the right angled light. I've got a couple of spare silicone headband light holders that I might try to adapt to hold the light and attach to a magnetic base. Or maybe I'l stop trying to make this the end-all-be-all solution and use my TN20 or AR10 (both with magnetic base and swivel head) to fit that need.

Mahalo

Click to expand...

Koam said:

I noticed that the little gap you mentioned allows me to snap on a homemade difuser over the bezel. I took a Costco Kirkland 16.9 oz water bottle cap and cut the threads off with scissors. There's a little lip inside the cap that snaps right over the NC bevel. I don't think I can post pics yet but if you look at the cap it's easy to figure out.

Click to expand...

Got the idea from Kaom in another thread:

Nice light

I ordered a Skilhunt H03F because it has a UI with many light modes and a diffusor cap you can swing in front of the reflector

I dont know if there is a review abailiable for that light already

there are some differences:

the Turbo1 mode is stepped down and the Turbo2 mode is a bit less than the Nitecore High
It has a the option to activate a red locator beacon
0.5uA standby drain
intelligent temperature management system
Magnets in the tail cap that can be removed
8 output levels you cycle only through 4 and and the others are hidden sub levels
Low battery propt, but not vlear if he there is a battery protection
switch is located on other side and emerging from the body
Strobe Beacon1 Beacon2 mode


Similarities:

the size and build is pretty much the same
direct access to low and Turbo
mode memory
Clip
head band


http://www.skilhunt.com/product-detail/h03f-led-headlamp/