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Author's Statement for Transparency and Disclosure
The test sample/s featured in this article were provided for technical testing and review by "Fenixlight Limited". Test samples are retained by the reviewer following publication of the completed review for the purposes of long term testing and product comparisons.
Supply and Delivery was fulfilled by MyFenix
All output figures and test results published in this review are the sole work of the reviewer, and are carried out independently and without bias. Test results are reported as found, with no embellishments or alteration. Though best endeavours are made to maintain the accuracy of test equipment, the accuracy of these results is not guaranteed and is subject to the test equipment functioning correctly.
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Author's Statement for Transparency and Disclosure
The test sample/s featured in this article were provided for technical testing and review by "Fenixlight Limited". Test samples are retained by the reviewer following publication of the completed review for the purposes of long term testing and product comparisons.
Supply and Delivery was fulfilled by MyFenix
All output figures and test results published in this review are the sole work of the reviewer, and are carried out independently and without bias. Test results are reported as found, with no embellishments or alteration. Though best endeavours are made to maintain the accuracy of test equipment, the accuracy of these results is not guaranteed and is subject to the test equipment functioning correctly.
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Fenix have been building up their line of headlamps, most of which have been AA/AAA powered. The HL55 is Fenix's long awaited first single 18650 powered headlamp, and keeps the design as simple and light as possible.
Author's note: many of the images used in this review are animated to reduce excessive scrolling. You may need to wait for the images to load fully.
Taking a more detailed look:
The photos here show:
The packaging
Full contents
HL55 and head mount assembled
Angle adjustment ratchet
The HL55 and its plastic mount
Power switch
Battery tube cap
Rear of head mount with straps removed
Front view
Close-up of XM-L2 LED and reflector
Battery cap removed
View into the battery tube
HL55 next to Fenix ARB-L2S 18650 cell
And the HL55 getting ready to go with the Fenix ARE-C2 smart charger, and a Fenix LD02 1xAAA light included for scale
And now for a little look at the front end of the HL55.
The beam
The HL55's beam is combination of flood and throw, and doesn't overdo either. There is a hotspot, but it is not so pronounced as to make the beam uncomfortable at close range, but gives it a bit more punch when looking further afield.
Modes and User Interface:
With a single built-in electric click switch, the Fenix HL55 has a very simple interface.
To turn ON, press the power switch for immediate activation of the last used normal mode.
There is no electronic lockout, but the battery cap can be loosened a half turn to provide a physical lockout.
To turn off OFF, press and hold for the main switch for 0.5s.
Press and hold the switch for around 2s to enter Burst mode. After 30s it will return to the previous state (OFF or other output mode).
When ON press the switch briefly to cycle through ECO LOW, MID, HIGH, back to LOW etc.
There are no flashing modes.
Batteries and output:
The HL55 uses either one 18650 or two primary CR123 cells. 3.7V RCR123 li-ion cells cannot be used.
Keeping this test as 'FENIX' as possible, the HL55 was powered using ARB-L2S cells charged with the ARE-C2 multi-chemistry charger.
To measure actual output, I built an integrating sphere. See here for more detail. The sensor registers visible light only (so Infra-Red and Ultra-Violet will not be measured).
Please note, all quoted lumen figures are from a DIY integrating sphere, and according to ANSI standards. Although every effort is made to give as accurate a result as possible, they should be taken as an estimate only. The results can be used to compare outputs in this review and others I have published.
| HL55 using Fenix ARB-L2S 3400mAh | I.S. measured ANSI output Lumens | PWM frequency or Strobe frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|
| Burst | 863 | 0 |
| High | 402 | 0 |
| Medium | 161 | 0 |
| Low | 55 | 0 |
| Eco | 10 | 0 |
As there is an electronic switch we need to consider the parasitic drain. The Fenix HL55 drain is 50.9uA, and using a 3400mAh cell it would take 7.62 years to deplete the cell.
The HL55 runtime trace was carried out using 1x 3400mAh ARB-L2S 18650 cell, and started on burst.
First the initial output detail for the burst part of the output. Showing the initial over 900lm peak dropping to the measured 863 ANSI output (which unusually for Fenix is slightly below the 900lm specification)
Then showing the full ANSI runtime trace the majority of which is at the 400lm High output, dropping to Medium, Low and finally onto Eco when the cell can no longer maintain the higher output level.
The HL55 in use
Unusually, I must start this section with a warning.
WARNING – The burst output is very intensive, and the HL55 has a small reflector. The result is a massively concentrated beam of light that generates significant heat. Fabrics and other flammable materials placed directly in front of the lens can easily be melted or burnt by the burst mode output.
I can personally attest to this as during testing the HL55 burnt a hole in my sofa as it fell forwards into the fabric while burst was activated and now I have a HOLE burnt into my SOFA!!! Following this I have burnt through dark paper held directly in front of the lens.
The switch only requires a gentle pressure, so accidental activation is quite likely. So, if you are going to transport this light in a bag, you MUST lockout the HL55 by unscrewing the battery cap. If you fail to do this, should the switch be pressed long enough to initiate burst mode you could find yourself spontaneously combusting.
I've come across this in custom lights, but not in a standard production model before now, so be aware.
Moving on from the warning, the HL55 sample on test suffers from another issue which Fenix assured me has now been corrected. On Eco mode, the output is unstable appearing to pulses slightly. This is not PWM, nor is it a flicker (the output never goes off, but rapidly varies in brightness). Initially you may question that this is happening, but look at light coloured surfaces at close range and the pulsing becomes quite obvious. This is disappointing as the Eco level is an excellent low output. Fenix also declined from providing information on serial numbers which have the issue, and from what number the issue is fixed.
So we have a possible burning hazard and a first batch issue, but what does the HL55 do well?
Fenix have managed to make the HL55 surprisingly light weight, and to make the weight feel well distributed despite housing an 18650 cell. Having a top-strap allows the HL55 to remain incredibly stable even if the straps are kept looser. My own preference is to keep headband straps loose as I tend to wear a headlamp for extended periods, and with the top strap I don't feel any loss in stability. The HL55 can easily be used without the top-strap if you wish, but you will need a bit more tension in the band.
With the headband adjusted tighter, I found the mount started to dig into my forehead as the rear plate is not curved enough for my head. (I take a medium-large hat size). As I tend to wear the band quite loose in combination with the top-strap, this has not been an issue for me.
Compared to other headlamps that use friction from the mount's rings to keep the lamp in position, instead the HL55 uses a simple ratchet adjuster. Part of the mount engages with the ribbed aluminium housing. This provides positive click positioning and holds the HL55 in place, despite feeling almost too easy to adjust. In use I've never had the HL55 change position when I didn't want it to.
Eco mode is very good for going round the house, and the HL55 provides more than enough power when you are out and about.
Thanks to its 18650 power, the HL55 gives you excellent runtime and allows for that 863lm 30s burst. With a general purpose beam profile the HL55 is a very useful headlamp and doesn't feel heavy.
Review Summary
| Things I like | What doesn't work so well |
|---|---|
| 18650 power | Danger of burning when using burst mode |
| Powerful 863lm Burst output | Initial production batch has pulsing output on Eco mode |
| Physical lockout by unscrewing battery cap | No electronic lockout |
| Secure head mount with optional top-strap | Easy to activate accidentally |
| 'Feels' very light when wearing | Plastic mount can dig into forehead |
| Simple interface | |
| Positive click angle adjustment |
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