[Review] NITECORE HC90 (XM-L2 T6 / 5mm RGB LEDs, 1x 18650 / 2x (R)CR123a)

[HighZenBurg]

I have not had a chance to fully test it yet. I will be spending some time in Lake Tahoe camping for the next few weeks, and report back with my experience. So far I love the light, I just was expecting more of a difference between turbo and high. Not really complaining though, this is definitely the nicest headlamp I've ever owned.

 

[Parrot Quack]

Thanks for the reply. I'll look forward to your Lake Tahoe report. Because it's so remote of an area, Tahoe is a great testing site. If no moon, at night you can't see your hand in front of your face. All you can see are the stars above. Enjoy your camping.

31JUL15: Bought a HC90 tonight. Should be delivered on Tuesday, the 4th of August.

 

[Parrot Quack]

Like a kid, the HC90 just arrived and the batteries have been placed in the charger. I installed an Orbtronic 3400 mAh 18650 to power the light.

In a room, the light doesn't show well during the day and the beam is easily overridden by the bright beam of an EC4 but at night, the HC90 has an excellent, wide, close in fill and as the headlamp is turned, everything close up or in close trees is brightly lit up for fifty yards. Overall, the HC90 creates a very nice beam that for under a hundred yards, is very usable.

The only problem I can see, worthy of comment, which is not the fault of the light, being at eye level, all the material that's floating around in the air is illuminated and distractingly reflected back into the eyes. In my opinion, this is a walking light, not a stand-alone light but a light that is well served being backed up with an EC4 or a TM16.

 

[SomethingLikeAPhenomenon]

Thanks heaps for the great review - I was looking for the ability to select light output - and the description and accompanying pictures of the slider helped greatly.
I'm a newbie to the wonderful world of lights (and this awesome site), and dazzled by options - trying to select my first two headlamps plus a flashlight to complement. Can anyone advise about the angle 100° on the Nitecore HC90 mentioned in this review? Does this refer to the angle that the light reaches around you when wearing it? Is 100° wider than average? I find this info hard to find on the specs and shop sites. I've gathered that some angles can be annoying to fellow travellers, and also a wider angle can attract more bugs (as can different light tones?). I'm looking for headlamp mainly for camping/trail walking and I don't want to annoy other people who may be with me on the path! Thanks in advance, and please feel free to correct/upgrade my language to technical, I want to be able to talk candle power!

 

[Parrot Quack]

Welcome to CPF. :welcome:

The light has a large amount of spill but it's quite the light that you don't realize how good it is until you turn it off in the dark. The hand light I use with this light is the Nitecore EC4.

I can't tell you about angles but you can control where the center of the light points so you can project the light without blinding the person you're speaking with.

 

[SomethingLikeAPhenomenon]

Thanks for the welcome, it's good to be here
I've ordered 2 x Nitecore HC90 and can't wait to try out on a forest trail! I'll try not to blind anyone The convenience of recharging via USB was one of the deciding factors that I'm hoping will become more common with time.
With regard to the non-Cree coloured LEDs (which sound not so powerful in _uPZ's review) do you think I'd be able to get a better red throw/brightness by covering the white with a filter? Or cellophane? I'll be looking for my ideal flashlight with awesome red throw soon, but I won't get it in time for my first animal spotting survey...

I'll check out the Nitecore EC4 now...

(Can't stop looking at torches!!)

 

[Parrot Quack]

So many torches and not enough time or money.