The Fenix headlamp is an ultra-bright 3000-lumen headlamp with an external battery pack that comes in black or gray with a few accessories for charging and carrying the light with you.
This is one of the highest quality heavy-duty bright headlamps I have ever used. The battery pack can be worn on the back of the head strap or by using an extension cable that’s included can be attached to the belt clip or thrown in a backpack or hip pack for convenience and removing the weight from your head. This is nice when on long hikes where you can feel the strap and the light becomes uncomfortable over time.
The headlamp is controlled by a turn switch and button to adjust the output and number of lights that are continuously on. Turning the knob on the headlamp changes the center light or the outer lights depending on what direction you turn it. The button in the middle turns on the additional light for dual-mode. For example, if you want all three lights on at max power you could rotate the dial down all the way and press the middle button and all three lights will illuminate to turn off the light simply rotate the dial back to the center.
I have been using this headlamp for a couple of months now. It’s extremely heavy when compared to less powerful and shorter-lasting headlamps. If you can get past the bulk of this headlamp it’s the most versatile headlamp I’ve ever used. To be able to use it in a tent or inside and dim the light down just enough to read at night or it’s bright enough to wear when mountain biking in the dark. I used the headlamp on high power for 4 hours and the battery still had one of four LEDs lit. After about four and a half hours the LED battery light started flashing indicating that the battery was running low. The headlamp runs on an eco mode after this and was shocked that it ran for another 6 hours in eco mode. This gives me a lot of confidence in getting out of the dark and not having to carry extra batteries or lights for emergencies.
When comparing this Fenix light to other headlamps offered by Fenix and other companies and deciding if this is the right headlamp for you, here are a few of my considerations. The cost of this headlamp is significantly more than a smaller less bright lighter-weight headlamp. If you are looking at this headlamp you should understand that it weighs a lot on your head and you will likely use the extension battery cable to house it somewhere else. This shifts a significant amount of weight from your head to your belt or bag. If you are looking for an extremely bright headlamp for all sorts of activities with a huge battery and the ability to use light in close-up situations as well as lighting up large areas at night this might be the light for you. Additionally, I found this extremely helpful when needing my hands while still wanting the versatility of such a bright light.
This is an upgraded version of the Fenix HP30 it has a different headlamp and is more powerful because of the new batteries and additional lights. This upgrade allows for longer run times brighter lights and a power bank for other devices. The three LED lights can reach up to 270 meters away with four levels of spotlight and three levels of soft floodlight. It works in a large variety of capabilities and can be used all night long. It’s been the choice of many search and rescue professionals as well as outdoor adventurers and hunters.
If you are not using the headlamp for extended periods of time take out the batteries to prevent accidental discharge.
Operation of the Light
There are two modes for the light spotlight or floodlight. Rotating the switch clockwise or counterclockwise changes the mode of the light; there are low, medium, high, and turbo modes. It’s worth noting that each time the light is turned on it will start out in low mode. You can also run the light in spotlight and flood mode by pressing the button inside the turn dial.
Specifications
- 3000 Max output lumens
- 251 m throw
- 120 hour run time
- 15733 CD
- Withstand drops up to 2 m
- Weatherproof ip66 rated
What’s in the box
The box is well packaged with a foam insert and works great for storing the light when not in use.
- The Fenix HP 30r version 2 LED headlamp
- Extension cable
- A spare o-ring
- Belt clip
- USB type-c charging cable
- Three cable clips
- For helmet attachments and hooks
- Two 5,000 milliamp hour rechargeable batteries
Light Output
- Spotlight
- Turbo: 2000 Lumens, 6 hours, 823 ft
- High: 800 Lumens, 12 hours, 511 ft
- Med: 200 Lumens, 34 hours, 255 ft
- Low: 50 Lumens, 120 hours, 137 ft
- Floodlight
- High: 1000 Lumens, 10 hours, 255 ft
- Med: 200 Lumens, 34 hours, 115 ft
- Low: 50 Lumens, 120 hours, 55 ft
- Spotlight & Floodlight
- Turbo: 3000 Lumens, 5 hours, 885 ft
- High: 1800 Lumens, 6 hours, 580 ft
- Med: 400 Lumens, 17 hours, 278 ft
- Low: 100 Lumens, 60 hours, 147 ft
Battery
The headlamp comes with two Fenix ARB l21-5000 mah rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Additional batteries can be purchased directly from Phoenix. To check the battery level push the button on the back of the battery pack if four lights are constantly on the battery is between 100% and 80%. If there are three LED lights on the battery pack the charge is between 80% and 60%. If there are two lights on the battery is between 60% and 40%. If there is one light on the battery is between 40 and 20%. When one light flashes the battery is between 20% and 1%
Safety
The lamp gets fairly hot when checking the temperature while using the lamp indoors with no airflow and an ambient temperature of 70° on Max output the light reached 120° f if the light reaches 60° c the lamp will automatically step down a few lumens to reduce the temperature
Size and Weight
The headlamp weighs 15.4 Oz including the battery and headband. It measures 3.62 in Long, 2.2 in wide, and 1.73 in tall. The battery case is 4.21 in Long 1.97 in wide and 1.6 in tall.
Charging
The battery charges surprisingly quickly over three or four hours. The headlamp is powered by two lithium-ion 21700 batteries for a maximum run time of 120 hours when run on low settings.
The battery pack is powered by a USB cable that is included. There is also a standard USB port on the battery for charging other devices like your phone. The battery pack has a clip with a safety clip to keep the two batteries enclosed in the weatherproof housing. The battery pack has an o-ring and an extra o-ring included within the box. The battery pack attaches to the light with a plug. Also included is an extension of this plug about 3 ft long if you want to run the battery pack on a belt clip that is included or in a backpack.
The Fenix HP30 r comes with a limited lifetime 5-year free replacement warranty.
Conclusion
Fenix often runs sales and coupons codes for products on their website. Finding this light under $200 is a great deal for this powerful and versatile headlamp. There are really only two downsides to this light to consider. The weight and the cost. Some of the weight can be shifted by wearing the battery but it’s still a big light for sitting around the campfire. However, it’s dimmable enough to use in such close proximity cases like reading but powerful enough to use for spotlighting the side of a mountain. Because of its power, it frees up your hands, versatility and overall rugged build I would recommend this light to someone that is looking for a bright headlamp that can be used in most situations outdoors or indoors.