ZebraLight H501 thoughts and input please...

[Brian321]

Ok so i am in the market for a ZebraLight H501 Headlamp and i would just like some thoughts on the quality and reliability of this light. Also what do you guys prefer in terms of Warm vs Cool tint? I will mostly be using this for Caving, Hiking, and Camping with some use around the house. I love the looks of the cool tint and i am a lumen whore and want every extra lumen i can get, But if you guys recommend the warm over cool i might get that one. The cool is rated @ 96lm on high and the warm is rated @ 80lm on high. Thoughts?

 

[FroggyTaco]

I am a certified Malkoff whore, but I just got my first ZL H501w & I like it. Appears to be nicely built & I enjoy the warm tint. Only had it about a week so I will have to get back to you about reliability.

I will say that I was gonna get the 18650 version but the AA was 2/3 the weight & after using it for 1+ hour sessions I am glad I got the lighter weight light.

 

[Woods Walker]

I own both. I have a hard time telling which one is brighter but can maybe, sorta could see a bit more output with the H501 over the H501w on high but still hard to tell. The tint on the standard H501 is good anyways. I prefer the H501w for incamp use but the times I used the H501 felt just as happy. So get their one.

 

[kramer5150]

I went for the extra lumens and cooler tint. Provided you get a good one that works they're great lights. ZL has a great warranty.

 

[generallobster]

I have the H60w and it is a bit heavy on the head but it's the smallest 18650 light there is. I was worried about reliability as there was a poll with a lot of failures reported. I think many failures were secondary to water leaking through the button end. I don't know how wet conditions get caving, but this might be a concern. I use mine to read and haven't had a problem yet, it gets hours of use daily.

 

[Beaker]

Ok so i am in the market for a ZebraLight H501 Headlamp and i would just like some thoughts on the quality and reliability of this light. Also what do you guys prefer in terms of Warm vs Cool tint? I will mostly be using this for Caving, Hiking, and Camping with some use around the house. I love the looks of the cool tint and i am a lumen whore and want every extra lumen i can get, But if you guys recommend the warm over cool i might get that one. The cool is rated @ 96lm on high and the warm is rated @ 80lm on high. Thoughts?

Haven't seen the H501, but I recently got an H50 as a backup caving light. It's quite nice, the amount of light and even spill is really satisfactory as a backup light. My only complaint is I'd rather have a clicky switch... for $10 more I'd get an H501 if I had to do it over. It doesn't have any spot, but for caving that can be augmented easily enough. (Though all-around for caving I think the Fenix HP10 is a better light for only a few $ more, especially with the diffuser.)

 

[Ajax517]

I've got the H501 and I think it's an excellent headlamp.
Great beam, super light. You can barely feel it on your head.
Nice clicky switch, good tactile response.

I went with the cool tint, no real reasoning behind it. You probably won't notice that little of a lumen disparity.

I haven't really put it through the paces yet but it seems durable enough for most any job.

 

[Brian321]

Thanks for all the input i just ordered the H501 and completely forgot to decide on the warm or cool(then i remembered after i ordered), But i ordered the cool so i guess well see if i like it. I hope the cool will work well in the cave environment and i can still see all the little details.:shrug:

 

[chenko]

I'd go for the neutral white version: better colour rendition makes for an overally more useful light. There will always be brighter lights, but a nice tint remains a nice tint forever.

 

[shark_za]

I've got the same ideas in my head.

But a few more.
AA or CR123?
Twisty or clicky?
Cool or Neutral?

If I get the neutral white 501w and then the H30 I will have it all right?