Description
This is Energizer's HDL90 hybrid head torch, and the hybrid part is the point: one lamp that runs either from its own rechargeable lithium ion battery or from four AAA alkaline cells, both of which come in the box along with the USB charging cable. Three LEDs sit behind the front lens, and the pack quotes 750 lumens in high mode. The retail box also prints an IP67 rating, which covers dust and immersion in water, a last setting memory so the lamp wakes in the mode you left it in, and a low battery indicator.
A head torch earns its keep wherever you need both hands free. Ours go out on winter dog walks, into the loft, under the bonnet and up ladders, and one lives by the door for power cuts, because a lamp on your forehead points where you are looking rather than where you last set it down. The strap adjusts over the crown and around the head, so it will sit over a hat or a helmet as readily as over bare hair. At 750 lumens on high it reaches well beyond a phone torch.
Hybrid power is worth a thought before you buy. If you use the lamp weekly, charge the lithium ion battery over USB and keep the four AAA cells as the backup that gets you home. If it lives in a car or a caravan for months at a time, alkaline cells hold their charge on a shelf far longer than a rechargeable does, so leave the cartridge loaded. The IP67 rating printed on the pack means rain, spray and a lamp dropped in a puddle are not a problem. This listing sells in multiples of four units, which suits a family kitting out or a van stocking spares.
Specification
| Light source |
LED, three emitters in the head unit |
| Brightness |
750lm in high mode, as printed on the retail pack |
| Runtime |
Not stated by the manufacturer |
| Battery |
Hybrid: one rechargeable lithium ion battery or 4 AAA alkaline cells, both supplied |
| IP rating |
IP67, read from the retail pack |
| Sold as |
One head torch, with charging cable, lithium ion battery, 4 AAA alkaline cells and AAA battery cartridge |
| Minimum order |
4, sold in multiples of 4 |
Frequently Asked
Do the batteries come with it?
Yes. The pack lists one rechargeable lithium ion battery, four AAA alkaline cells, an AAA battery cartridge and a charging cable, so there is nothing else to buy.
Can I run it on AAA cells when the rechargeable battery is flat?
Yes, that is what hybrid power means here. Swap the lithium ion battery for the AAA cartridge loaded with four AAA cells and carry on using the lamp.
How waterproof is it?
The retail pack prints IP67, which means dust tight and able to withstand temporary immersion in water, so rain, spray and a drop into a puddle are all within its rating.
How long will it run for on one charge?
No runtime figure is printed on the pack or given in the manufacturer's data, so we do not quote one. Runtime depends on the mode chosen and the cells fitted.
What colour is the light?
The LEDs read as white in the photographs, but the pack does not print a Kelvin figure, so we cannot give you a colour temperature for it.
Why does the order quantity start at four?
This line comes to us in multiples of four units, so four headlamps is the smallest order we can place. Each unit is a complete headlamp in its own box.