Olight H16 Wave Review – Headlamp for Backpacking (5 to 500 lumens)

A Review of the Olight H16 Wave USB Rechargeable LED Headlamp for Backpacking & Camping.  

This is my current headlamp for camping trips requiring more critical lighting needs. Trips with higher demands on run-time and / or brightness. A perfect example of this would be my recent sub-zero winter camping trip that I took the Olight H16 Wave on.  The higher powered rechargeable battery pack gave me extra confidence in my run-times during the less than battery-friendly frigid temps.

This is also a light that I would grab for any camping or backpacking trip where night hiking was expected and / or when extended time doing chores at camp after dark is anticipated.

The 5 lumen low mode provides a surprising amount of functionality, along with a huge 160 hour run-time.  For high visibility needs, the 500 lumen high mode provides longer distance spotting capability, while still being able to run for around 2 hours continuously.

Links for full Manufacturer’s Specs, Features, etc

Specs and Features, as per Manufacturer

  • General Data
    • Beam Distance (ft) 328
    • Beam Distance (m) 100
    • Max. Performance (lumens) 500
    • Charge type Micro-USB
    • Compatible Batteries Customized Li-Ion Battery
    • Light Intensity (candela) 2500
    • Light Form:  Far-range focused beam and close-range wide flood combined.
    • Lens / Reflector Type: TIR bead lens (converged and wide beam)
    • Series: Series H (Headlamps, Multitasking)
  • Notable Characteristics
    • Hand wave operation – This motion sense setting saves users the trouble of reaching for the power switch in the dark, and keeps the headlamp clean from dirty hands.
    • Wide area illumination – Dual LED light head paired with a custom lens delivering great close-range illumination combining both a wide and focused beam.
    • Smart power level indication – Four-level blue LED battery indicator and low-power audible beep warning at 10% charge to keep you updated on your power status.
    • Beam angle adjustment – The light head has three adjustable levels from 0~45 degrees.
    • Reflective head strap – reflective stripes on both sides of the head strap to improve visibility and safety for the user.
  • Lighting Levels & Run Times
    • High – 500 lumens, (steps down to 350 lumen after 5mins), 120 minutes
    • Medium – 100 lumens, 9.5 hours
    • Low – 5 lumens, 30 160 hours
  • Technical Characteristics
    • Waterproof IPX4
    • Weight (g / oz) 115 grams / 4.06 oz
    • Length (mm / in) 58 / 2.28
    • Head Diameter (mm / in) 24 / 0.94
    • Body Diameter (mm / in) 38 / 1.50
    • LED:  2 x Cree XP-G3
  • Package Contents
    • Olight H16 flashlight x 1
    • 2000mAh 3.7V Lithium Polymer Battery(built-in) x 1
    • USB-microUSB rechargeable cable x 1
    • headband x 1
    • Replacement Cable Clip x 2
    • user manual x 1

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