Tell me about your Lucifer headlamp experience.

@xcandrew -- for what it's worth, I get great burn time out of 18650s. I'm about to run through the night (~13 hours of dark), and can imagine that I won't have to switch to my backup battery pack. (Though I'd be a fool not to have a spare battery...)

And regarding other comments about color temp/cri, I initially wanted something a little warmer, but am now perfectly happy with the 4500K. The color rendering might not be the highest spec possible, but it's perfectly adequate. ymmv.
 
We do not plan now to use 21700 as they do not offer any weight/capacity ratio advantage over 18650.
I also prefer 18650s, but was under the impression the 21700s did offer more capacity for their weight.

I just checked on Parametrek and @sirpetr is right:

* largest capacity/weight 18650: Vapcell INR18650 N40 at 300Wh/Kg (albeit that "300" number does look too suspiciously round for my tastes).

* Ditto, 21700: LG INR21700M50LT at 266 Wh/Kg.

I did some searches ordering by capacity/volume (Wh/L) and even capacity/price (Wh/$) and according to Parametrek, the 18650s keep being the best option on all of them, with the aforementioned Vapcell INR18650 N40 right on top (except on Wh/$ where it's supplanted by other, cheaper 18650s).

TIL! Thank you @sirpetr for curing me of 21700 envy! 😁
 
Lucifer offers a 2x21700 battery pack for their 8.4V lights. The weight/capacity ratio of the battery means relatively little in a whole headlamp view and helps fill gaps (the 2x21700 being a lot lighter than a 2S2P 4x18650 battery pack). For the S2X, it would mean 50% longer runtimes for not much extra weight (considering the battery-in-the-back arrangement) in a simple, inexpensive accessory (the 18650 battery tube replacement is only 19.60€). @sirpetr says it's more about product line differentiation, which makes sense. A 21700 tube for the S2X would infringe into their M6+ territory.

For me at least, the S2X is less desirable than either the smaller Z2Mini/Micro or heavier M6+ (which looks like it shares the same head machining as the S2X), probably because it came out earlier than the Z2s. The S2X is for someone that would want an M6 but prefers bare cell batteries/slightly less weight. Might as well offer those people, including current owners, a battery tube that allows them 50% longer runtimes. I personally wouldn't get an S2X because I have 8.4V chargers that someone could accidentally plug into a S2X battery tube and then magic smoke.
 
You asked at the beginning of this thread how good our headlamps are. Since we are now celebrating 10 years, maybe that is enough of an answer. If we didn't make a quality product, we wouldn't have customers and we would be out of business.

Celebrating10years.jpg


My story began in 2014, when I quit my job as a 3D graphic artist, bought my first CNC milling machine with the money I saved, and by the end of the year I started producing the first line of Lucifer M headlamps. You can read about the effort and determination behind it in the two threads I started on this forum when I was developing the headlamps.

thread year 2014 - called Powerful LED Headlamp & Bikelight, 2 x 18650, 2 x XM-L2 soldered on copper
thread year 2015 - Small powerful Headlamp - 1xXML2, 1x18650 li-ion

I probably don't need to explicitly write that it was extremely demanding, you faced challenges and problems that you couldn't have imagined before. Endless hours at the CNC machine, programming in CAD, inventing electronic circuits or soldering prototypes. All this without a big investment at the beginning. It was a really challenging period, but you believed that if you work hard, success would come.

Now, after 10 years, we have a small established company, with many customers in the Czech Republic and neighboring European countries. We have professionalized everything, we produce quickly and accurately with modern tools and we cooperate with local companies that also do a perfect job.

I dare say that we have perfected our headlamps. At any time in the past and now we are one step ahead of the vast majority of other headlamps, in terms of light output/burn time/weight, reliability or versatility. We also produce the most powerful headlamp that permanently cools its maximum power even when running.

People often ask here on the forum about a good cheap headlamp, but don't you want to buy a perfect one instead that will make you happy every moment and will work for decades? We do not normally give discounts, but for our 10th anniversary we are now offering you a 10% discount and a 10-year warranty, just enter the code LUCIFER after viewing the cart. Only a few days left, so don't hesitate!

Lucifer headlamps | Powerful headlamps Lucifer - the best Czech headlamps for sport

Google reviews - 5 stars / 72 reviews
Greig Hamilton orienteer review
Youtube S2X+ review
Customer reviews - all headlamps have got 5 stars
over 6000 satisfied customers
 
I can attest to the quality and performance of the Lucifer product line. My Z2 Micro has become my favorite, and I own and have extensively used Fenix (2), NiteCore (2), JetBeam (2), ThruNite (1), Zebralight (1), and a handful of miscellaneous running lights and AA utility lights. And while all of these are reasonably well built and perform as advertised, none match the build quality and overall beam performance of my Z2.

Also, in specific reference to the Z2, it uses an 18500 cell. The headlamp itself sips power (on the two lowest settings at least), while delivering excellent lighting and long runtimes. Even at the higher output levels the substantial aluminum housing and broad area cooling fins prevent my light from overheating.

The 18500 cells themselves are lightweight, and I typically have five 2000 mAh cells on me when I backpack. These easily last a week or more, and on my most recent seven day trip this past October I depleted only three of my five cells. A 40% reserve capacity is a good safety margin in my world, and I used my light generously during this camping trip.

The Lucifer lights really are that good.

Get one. You won't be disappointed.
 
I own and have extensively used Fenix (2), NiteCore (2), JetBeam (2), ThruNite (1), Zebralight (1)
That ^^

Here in USA we're not subject to VAT, however, did you @DaveTheDude get stuck paying any unforseen duties, as noted on Lucifer checkout page?
If only my Chinese headlamps wouldn't keep functioning so well.
M6+ looks a good performer, if you don't mind spending 4,500 CZK. That's nearly $200, after CPF limited discount :triumphant:
 
That ^^

Here in USA we're not subject to VAT, however, did you @DaveTheDude get stuck paying any unforseen duties, as noted on Lucifer checkout page?
If only my Chinese headlamps wouldn't keep functioning so well.
M6+ looks a good performer, if you don't mind spending 4,500 CZK. That's nearly $200, after CPF limited discount :triumphant:
Unfortunately, that's the biggest hurdle for the company to overcome. It isn't just those Chinese brands. There are others who make fantastic headlamps and have been in business much longer than 10 years, whose wares are available in America for much less money. But with plenty of quality built in. Yet to find anything that puts my Princeton Tec EOS II to shame.
 
That ^^

Here in USA we're not subject to VAT, however, did you @DaveTheDude get stuck paying any unforseen duties, as noted on Lucifer checkout page?
If only my Chinese headlamps wouldn't keep functioning so well.
M6+ looks a good performer, if you don't mind spending 4,500 CZK. That's nearly $200, after CPF limited discount :triumphant:

For what it's worth, I've had 2 transactions (one years ago, the other just recently), and didn't have any additional customs/taxes/anything added on.
 
That ^^

Here in USA we're not subject to VAT, however, did you @DaveTheDude get stuck paying any unforseen duties, as noted on Lucifer checkout page?
If only my Chinese headlamps wouldn't keep functioning so well.
M6+ looks a good performer, if you don't mind spending 4,500 CZK. That's nearly $200, after CPF limited discount :triumphant:

It would be about $ 168 with the 10% discount ($188 shipped) to the US at current exchange rates. That's not bad considering what you get. I paid about $200 for the similar dual-TIR format Gemini Lights Duo in 2015?, and a similar amount for a single-emitter Gemini Xera a couple years before that. On the other hand, I also paid $20 for a Yinding (lighthead only, reusing the Gemini headstrap and various battery packs as they wore out) in the same format of the Duo after the Duo died.

As probably one of the heaviest users of bright headlamps (2 hours nightly for a big chunk of the year in Alaska), I found that all those bike-based headlamps lights failed internally after about 2 years (asa mentioned upthread years ago!). My first really bright headlamp, a popular Magicshine bike light from before my Geminis, lasted only weeks before I had to constantly repair the cables. If the Lucifer quality is better enough that the 10-year warranty on this promotion is not needed, that's makes it a really good value. That's besides the Lucifer being a better designed and much more efficient light.

Comparisons: Gemini is now out of business. Yinding hasn't been available for years because bike lights have shifted away from remote battery packs. The Lupine Piko, which probably originated the compact dual-TIR/remote battery pack format, is $375+shipping with the headstrap. The Gloworm X2, which is one of the popular lights mentioned in mountain bike forums, is $284 with the headstrap. Lucifer is not overpriced when compared to those more direct alternatives (that I don't like as much). Less expensive headlamps can't sustain high lumens (with cooling from movement) while also being able to be used for running/sport, so not really for the same end user. The real competitors with that capability are orienteering lights such as from Lumonite, LEDX, Lupine and other European brands, and those are more expensive.

I've been following Lucifer here (and on mtbr) since the beginning and finally placed an order (for the L+). I had been intending to do so this winter anyway but the discount (making it free shipping essentially) made it happen now. The 10-year warranty is a bonus. I hope I don't have to ever take advantage of it because shipping to Europe and back would be annoying, but it assures that the headlamp will last a lot longer than my previous bike-light based headlamps.
 
Last edited:
Top