Customer Ratings: 
List Price: $46.00
Sale Price: $34.95
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Until the HL21, I felt like I had to compromise between units that are too heavy and units that didn't have adequate battery life. Headlamps using coin cells or AAA batteries were light, but didn't have the staying power. The HL21 hits the spot and is great for backpacking trips. Around camp its lowest light level setting is just about right. On the trail, its higher settings are high enough. The adjustable angle allows it to still work well when used on top of a baseball cap. I also like its flip up diffuser which allows you to switch between a focused spot and broader even light pattern. The On/Off/Level switch is like the tail switch on a hand-held flashlight, so is large and quick to find. Being waterproof is a good thing too. I have a fairly large collection of flashlights and the HL21 is the first headlamp I have liked well enough to make me think about leaving the hand-held units behind.
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I decided that I really needed a headlamp after camping many times using a typical flashlight pinched between my neck and shoulder to get around in the dark. And the Fenix HL21 is what I chose to get.
Here's the breakdown as to why:
Pros:
Four modes of operation (90 lumens, 43 lumens, 3 lumens, and SOS)
Uses only "ONE" AA battery and yet it has impressive run times [2 hrs, 3 min (high); 5 hrs, 43 min (mid); 53 hrs (low)]; at the same time, this reduces the weight and the bulkyness of other high powered headlamps
Head strap is very easy to adjust and stays snug once set; also easy to take off and wash if necessary
Very easy to follow instructions
Comes with a diffuser that you can snap on and keep on (the diffuser lens can also be flipped up if you want a beam of light)
Comfortable fit
Waterproof up to 2 meters
Comes with a spare o-ring if old one needs to be replaced
Uses LED (way more impact/shock resistant than conventional bulbs)
And finally... "Look Ma, no hands!" Once you have this on your head, you are pretty much handsfree to do as you please (until you need to either adjust the brightness or turn it off)
Cons:
None
Recommendation(s)/Suggestion(s):
This light does only use one LED bulb; therefore, I think it would be best to always have a backup light source just in case. The last thing you want is to be in the dark.
Overall, sure it's made in China, but not everything from China can or should be labeled as poor quality. I think Fenix makes a wonderful line of illuminating products and provides us customers with the best value and great alternatives to super, high-end lighting options such as SureFire. I highly, highly recommend this product because it's full of pros and absolutely no foreseeable cons.
Thank you for reading this review. Cheers!
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The best headlamp I own. The Petzel and Princeton Tec are good...but now are relegated to being back ups.
Pros: Uses ONE AA battery.
Pros: The AA battery SCREWS in...so you don't have to fumble and manipulate the case of the other two brands to make it work with three AAA batteries.
Pros: AA batteries are over the place.
Pros: Nice up and down range on the snap swivel on the front so you can position it to point HIGH...or low down in front of you to attach flies to your fishing line at night.
Pros: Bright. Very bright for such a small product. Bright like a handheld so it throws a beam...with enough diffusion to be able to walk in the woods at night.
Cons: None that I could yet find. I will order another. If they fail to work...I'll let you know.
Honest reviews on Fenix HL21 Headlamp, Black
The HL21 from Fenix is one of the brightest 1AA headlights available. It's a great deal for $35.
The light itself detaches from the mount; it simply snaps on and off. I thought this would adversely affect the pivoting system, which is a series of notches in the plastic housing, but it doesn't. The headlight stays where you put it, unless you bang it on something. A few reviews cited the plastic C-shaped arms breaking, but mine has held up nicely. The entire headlight is made of plastic, except the battery contacts. The light runs on one AA battery, although it doesn't include one. Alkalines, NiMH, and lithium primaries are all okay, but no 14500 or 14550. The screw-on battery door is located on the left (if you're wearing the headlight) side of the unit. Loosening it 1/4 of a turn prevents the light from coming on while in a pack.
The switch is on the right side of the light. Press it once to turn the light on in high mode (90 lumens). Hold and the light quickly dims to low mode (3 lumens). From low, hold the switch to turn on medium mode (43 lumens). From medium, hold the switch to go to high mode. In any mode, double-click the switch to turn on the SOS mode. The SOS mode signals "SOS" in Morse Code in the medium mode. A single click in any mode turns the light off. The light will come back on in the last mode you used.
The headband is wide and fully adjustable. It's comfortable to use.
One of the key features listed is: "Aluminum alloy features a Type III hard-anodized anti-abrasive finish." There is no aluminumm alloy, nor Type III finish. The entire light is plastic. That's not a problem for me, but it should be clearer in the description. The lens is glass, which I prefer. The LED is an XP-E R2, and it's behind a smooth reflector. This gives the light a lot fo throw for such a small unit. If you prefer a floodier light, this comes with a snap-on diffuser. The diffuser flips up when attached so you can still use the spotty beam. A spare O-ring is included. The description says a lanyard is included; there's no lanyard.
Overall, I'm extremely pleased with this light. The light itself detaches from the head mount so you can stash it in a jacket pocket and use it as a flashlight, which I really like. It takes just one commonly-available AA battery, which makes it cheap to feed. The output levels are bright enough and spaced apart for most uses. Give it a shot.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Fenix HL21 Headlamp, Black
I wanted a lite hands free worklight for personal use, having good experience with Fenix I bought this one. I received it quickly from Amazon. Put in the battery, turned it on, etc
The first time adjusting the light up and down one side of the plastic "C" brackets broke. There are 2 "C" brackets that hold the light by the battery holder. I was not rough with it. I looked over the design carefully and decided not to get a replacement as I thought it would break again sooner or later.
Thank you Amazon for your return policy.. That and good prices keeps me coming back.
This happened about 6mo.s ago. I am surprised I'm the only one that has had this problem since then...
I have several models of Fenix flashlights and I am very happy with all of them. Quality is great. This one is the exception.
Note:Ships from and sold by Amazon.com ($34.95)
