Headlamp recommendation with simple UI and moonlight mode?

carpdiem

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Feb 6, 2006
Messages
60
I'm prepping for a camping trip and am in the market for a new headlamp, but it's been ages since I've looked at the market, so I'm hoping you all can help out with a recommendation.

Need-to-have:
- Moonlight mode
- Relatively Simple UI (may end up picking up extra headlamps for others to use, and I don't expect them to deal with complicated UIs)
- either turns on at last brightness level, or turns on at moonlight/low brightness (want to avoid triggering high brightness at night in campgrounds / etc)
- high build quality

Nice-to-have:
- CR123 or AA size batteries (slight preference for CR123)

Don't-really-care:
- Super high modes. Sure, it'd be great to have a mode > 200 lumens, but, eh, I expect most of the use will be around roughly 0.1 / 20 / 80 lumens or so

Price:
- happy to pay in the $50-$100 price range for a quality light


So far I've looked at Zebralights, but they seem like they have a too-complicated UI, and also turn on on high mode by default, otherwise they'd be great.

I've also looked at Fenix headlamps, but they don't seem to have true moonlight modes, and instead bottom out around 10 lumens.
 

NPL

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 26, 2015
Messages
363
Location
Canada
I am a big fan of Zebralights, but you need to understand the UI in order to navigate the different outputs without blinding yourself.

I can recommend the Thrunite TH20 headlamp. Build quality is excellent. Super easy UI. Click and hold for moonlight, or click for last used mode. When on, just hold the button to ramp up or down. Runs on 1 AA battery, and headstrap and silicone holder are good quality too. Amazing value for $29. The Firefly is dim, but not as low as Zebralight moonlight.

Bonus, the light is very easy to disassemble if you decide to swap out the LED to one of your choice.

The Acebeam H40 is very similar to the above, but offered with high CRI LEDs and has a brighter moonlight mode. No personal experience with the Acebeam but it looks like a nice alternative.

Last but not least, take a look at Manker E03H.



Sent from my Pixel using Candlepowerforums mobile app
 

Lynx_Arc

Flashaholic
Joined
Oct 1, 2004
Messages
11,212
Location
Tulsa,OK
My Wowtac A2S has a low mode not quite moonlight perhaps 5 lumens about as low as I think is useful for a headlamp. You access it by holding the on button when off till it comes on. I like the UI of this headlamp as a fast double click gets you turbo and it has memory of the last mode used which can be defeated by going to moonlight mode then low, medium, high.
 

AVService

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 30, 2011
Messages
2,163
Manker E03H is amazing for this I think.
22 moonlight modes to select from and pretty simple interface once you go from there.
Also sliding built in diffuser is nice for camping as you can slide for more diffused beam at any time.
Really solid build and decent headband out of the box,I love mine!
 

alphaBRAVO

Newly Enlightened
Joined
May 25, 2019
Messages
28
I just got an ArmyTek Wizard Pro I've begun to put through its paces. Great light so far. And it was $48 USD on sale. The sale is about to end, if it hasn't already, so have a look.

Modes and runtime:

Turbo2 1800 lm / 1h
Turbo1 900 lm / 1.7h
Main3 390 lm / 4h
Main2 165 lm / 10.5h
Main1 30 lm / 50h
Firefly3 5.5 lm / 12d
Firefly2 1.5 lm / 40d
Firefly1 0.15 lm / 200d
Strobe3 10Hz / 1800lm / 2h
Strobe2 1Hz / 1800lm / 5h
Strobe1 1Hz / 165lm / 52h
 

carpdiem

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Feb 6, 2006
Messages
60
Much thanks, y'all. I think I'm going to go with the Manker on this one!
 

Tixx

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 29, 2009
Messages
1,975
Zebralight.

They are programmable. You can do a single short click for moonlight. I switched the modes for mine. Long press for turbo now. Just click for moon. Highly recommend.
 
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