For most of us, hunting begins in the dark. “O’ Dark Thirty” some might say, and seeing what you are doing is critical. As a waterfowl hunter the warmth and security of the truck is quickly changed as I begin the hunt by putting on my headlamp. It actually hangs on my rearview mirror ready to go all season.
I reached out to some high-tech companies to gain access to a few of their products that I considered among the best if not the best in the current marketplace. I am not talking about hyped-up splash ads for headlamps but rather ones with a great deal of engineering, design, and durability meant to last for seasons.
The Companies In Question
I chose three companies: Fenix, Coast, and Streamlight. Fenix is in the lighting marketplace with the goal of extracting and managing onboard battery power in a lightweight package capable of maximum dispersion and distance. They design and manufacture lights for all weather conditions, ease in glove-handed operation, and for long life.
Coast is an old American company with an early 20th-century start in the Pacific Northwest with fisherman’s knives then multi-tools and then LED lighting. Toughness is an overarching requirement of all their products serving special high-demand needs from law enforcement to chemical engineering.
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Streamlight began in the early 1970s and is proud of their effort to be hands-on in all phases of production. To better understand the needs of their customers they train with them in all conditions and implement those customer needs. Streamlight is a Pennsylvania-based company willing to do whatever it takes to get the right product in the right hands.
All of these companies responded to my request for products. Each has exemplary customer service and you should consider any one of these products without hesitation.
The Coast Headlamp Lineup
Coast WPH34R, FL78R, and FL1R are products with features that are remarkable. All are rechargeable with exterior charge ports, all have quality head straps all use a micro USB-C cable for charging and all are waterproof.
The WPH34R Headlamp
The WPH34R uses dual optic technology with six levels of brightness along with color settings in a machined aluminum housing and is one of their newest products. The light has a flood (pure beam), spot (bulls-eye), spot flood, flood low, red, and green light.
As a rechargeable LED, it has a 4000 mAh 3.7V Zithion-X battery capable of producing 2000 lumens of light with an IP68 case housing an LED bulb to distances of 180 meters for almost three hours. The dual beam is fixed with a rotating head for adjustment. Battery level indicator light provides battery condition, and charge state while charging. The Zithion-X battery can be charged inside the headlamp or outside where the battery also has charge indicator lighting.
The two-piece head strap is silicon lined, reflective non-slip, and breathable with a quick-release buckle and includes clips for a hat or hard hat. At 530 lumens the light has a duration of 7 hours while reaching 57 meters. The low flood setting is 55 lumens reaching 18 meters but lasting 36 hours. This light is waterproof to five meters and dustproof and is guaranteed against defects in the workmanship for the life of the product.
MSRP $99.99
The FL78R Headlamp
The FL78R uses an IPX4 weatherproof case capable of producing 530 lumens for a distance of 156 meters for just over two hours. Using a flex charge battery pack that is 1000 mAh at 3.7V with up to 500 charges on the Lithium–Ion battery it pays for itself in batteries alone. This light also has AAA batteries included.
The FL78R has a focusing zoom lens ranging from Ultra View Flood to Bulls-eye Sport and red and green LEDs. The housing is molded plastic with an elastic adjustable band. Waterproof switches operate the red/green separately from the white beam. The light rotates downward to better aim the light.
MSRP $69.99
The FL1R Headlamp
The FL1R micro headlamp is the smallest of the lights I present here. It is rechargeable with an embedded Zithion battery powering an IP54 case with an LED bulb. The light is small, dust-resistant, and storm-proof, with an elastic reflective head strap. It has a three-position switch for low, high, and red.
A charging indicator provides the condition of the battery while charging through a provided USB-C micro cable. Low power light is 120 lumens at 26 meters for almost four hours, while the high spot is 300 lumens distancing 34 meters for about an hour and a half. The light also has a battery lockout to prevent accidental powering.
MSRP $34.99
Streamlight Protac 2.0 Headlamp
Streamlight is a 2000 Lumen light using a monster 4900 mAh Lithium Ion battery at 3.6v. The battery is chargeable both inside the light and outside the light and has circuitry to indicate the level of the charge. Regardless of where you charge the battery, it cannot be overcharged so leaving it plugged into a USB-C Micro cable to a charger indefinitely is not a problem. O-rings protect the light’s interior.
The large headlamp uses a two-piece strap with a padded forehead. An IP64 dust-tight and water-resistant (2 meters) housing encloses a bulb that at 2000 lumens can reach 241 meters for just over two hours. The medium flood will reach 130 meters for over four hours, while the low flood at 110 lumens will reach 55 meters for 25 hours.
Protac Features
Unique to this light is the Ten-Tap programmable feature. A button controls the light in a couple of ways. By lightly pushing the button the light will come on until you release pressure. To keep the light on you press until it clicks to lock the light on. A medium light will occur with two quick light presses then a firm press to click it on and finally the low light with three rapid taps then a firm press to hold that light level.
There are three available programs; high-medium-low, high-only, and low-medium-high. To program the light you tap rapidly nine times then hold down the switch for the 10th time (thus ten-tap) and the program will change. This is handy if say you only want to use the high beam feature all the time.
MSRP $119.99
Fenix HM60R Headlamp
Fenix is an intelligent headlamp in that it is capable of memorizing the last selected light level and it has a sensing feature that increases the light level the faster your pace of walking or running. The HM60R is a 1200-lumen dual beam light using an IP68 housing and LED bulb and is impact resistant and submergible to two meters.
In turbo mode (1200 lumens) the light reaches 116 meters for about two hours. High power is 350 lumen at 60 meters for eight hours, medium is 130 lumens reaching 36 meters for 18 hours and low is 30 lumens at 18 meters for 54 hours. Fenix incorporated an overload protection circuit when the lamp reaches 131 degrees and gradually lowers the LED output to protect the bulb.
HM60R Features
A two-piece elastic strap with a silicon no-slip band is provided. Memory recall of the last used output provides a way to avoid having to cycle through outputs. Intelligent frequency sensing interprets steps above and below 150 steps per minute. Most people have an average of 100 steps per minute walking and 170 to 180 steps running. For the intelligent feature to kick in one would be at a fairly brisk pace but once over 150 the increase in light is correlated with your steps. Not particularly a marsh duck hunting feature, but you never know.
SEE MORE: Testing Fenix’s Rechargeable Weapon Light, the GL19R
The Fenix HM60R functions with a single button operating two different outputs. The main light rotates low to turbo with simple clicks and again this program memory is adaptable. The second LED starts with red and moves through medium and high to SOS. The SOS function does indeed work and could be very useful in an emergency situation.
MSRP $106.00 (on sale $79.95)
Lumens and Headlamp Weight
A quick word on the lumens and weight of these headlamps.
At the lower end of light power is the FL1R between 120 and 300 lumens. This is really good light for things close to you where your need to see great distances is not necessary. The FL1R is also very lightweight (1.7 oz.) so you most likely will not even know it is on your head. You can certainly walk in the dark, see your gear and be very comfortable outdoors. The FL78R (3.2oz.) has a zoom that moves you from just seeing a broad lite area to a zoomed spot in combination with a zoom to 530 feet. It adds something to what you can see in the dark and gets beyond your walking gait.
Fenix offers a wide beam at 1200 lumens and as far as headlamps go, the Fenix HM60R’s light weight (5.5 oz.) is really not noticeable. At the upper end of the lumens are the WPH34R (8.3 oz.) and the Streamlight (11.1 oz.) each capable of producing 2000 lumens. This is indeed bright and would illuminate at distances near 300 feet. Not to say these would not handle your stride, but they can go well beyond this. The value here is being able to see and scout areas, shorelines, trees, and surroundings with high-lumen lights. The offside is they are heavier and you do notice them on your head.
Headlamps are a valuable piece of waterfowl equipment. You seldom avoid the darkness either morning or evening. Each of these here have attributes that are worth reviewing and eventually considering for purchase. Good luck in the great dark outdoors.
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