Reddit reviews 2016 Nitecore HC50 760 Lumens Cree XM-L2 LED White/red Dual Beam Headlamp and 2x CR123A Batteries
We found 3 Reddit comments about 2016 Nitecore HC50 760 Lumens Cree XM-L2 LED White/red Dual Beam Headlamp and 2x CR123A Batteries. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Rate at 760 lumens featuring Cree XM-L2 LED with a lifespan of 50,000 hoursFive brightness: 760 Lumen/1.25hr; 300 Lumen/3.5hr; 140 Lumen/7.5 hr; 25 Lumen/55hr; 1 Lumen/510hrWide 100° beam angle and 90° vertical movement; Red/white dual beam; IPX-8 WaterproofUse 1x 18650 or 2x CR123A (included); Build-in battery status indicatorBundle includes: Nitecore HC50 with 2x LumenTac CR123A batteries and Premium Battery Organizer
The Nitecore HC50 meets all your criteria. However, it's not a favorite around here; the smooth reflector isn't ideal for headlamp use (too throwy for most people), and the design makes it usable only as a headlamp.
A much more popular option around here is the Armytek Wizard, although the superior Pro model is out of budget. The Skilhunt H03 is another popular choice, although only on a coupon code - at the full $50 it's not ideal. These are all much better lights than the Nitecore. However, none of these have red modes.
So, why do you want red light? If you need it for anything other than developing film photos, it's possible you've been misled. The oft-repeated claim that red light preserves night vision is dubious, based on a combination of people misunderstanding why red light was used in darkrooms, and a flawed study done by the US military in WWII. There might be specific situations where it holds up, but on the whole for ordinary people camping or getting up to pee in the night, white light of similar intensity is just as good. And all three of the lights I've suggested include ultra-low "moonlight" modes which will preserve night vision, run for literally months, and still give you proper color vision.
So this is going to slightly exceed your budget but it'll be one of the best options in terms of raw power and great performance.
So first is the NW Thrunite TH10 but this light concerns me because its reflector is slightly large giving it a tighter hotspot which isn't quite ideal for hands on projects. The head does come off so I'm thinking this would work to convert it to a mule light by taking out the reflector. (Mule means a flashlight with no hotspot which is ideal for hands on work.)
It might seem redneck in a sense but it actually makes the light have dual purpose. As is the light is more ideal for walking/hiking where you need light further away from you and then you could take the reflector out to convert it for closer applications. Hopefully someone can confirm my theory on their TH10. ~wink wink, nudge nudge~
My 2nd recommendation would the Nitecore HC50 which seems cheaper but it doesn't come with a battery or charger(trust me on these). This light is going to be a bit more ideal close up because of the larger reflector. I'm not the biggest fan of the Cool White tint but to most people just getting into high powered flashlights it's not even a concern for them.
Both lights have really good modes and features. It'll be up to you if to decide what's best though for him. Feel free to ask any questions. There are cheaper lights but we'd lose the ability of the 18650 battery feature. These are higher energy batteries that are found in laptops. Although the 18650 isn't much bigger than a AA battery, it holds the energy of over 5 AA Alkaline batteries to give you an idea of how awesome they are.
Thanks Para!
Nitecore HC50 (when it is available)
https://www.amazon.com/Nitecore-HC50/dp/B00GSXOSOW/?tag=parametrek-20&ama_error