Fenix HL22 headlamp – first impressions

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First impressions: the HL 22

The HL 22 is a new release for Fenix this year, part of their “HL” line of headlamps. The HL are personal lightweight headlamps”, compared to their other line, the “HP” or “high performance” models. I’m not including pictures because you can find unboxing videos and photos online, but I am happy to provide photos if requested.

At first glance, the HL 22 is similar in performance to the HL 21. Both run on a single AA battery. Both offer three brightness settings with an SOS mode, and memory features. They’re even priced the same: $35 for the HL 21 or 22.

The HL 21 is a little clunkier looking – the battery tube sits underneath the LED module. I don’t have the HL 21, so I don’t know how that impacts how it feels on the head, or the beam profile when worn. By comparison, the HL 22 is a smaller unit, box-like in appearance. In a clever move, the battery case is actually part of the hinge system – making the whole package much smaller than the HL 21. Another master stroke, in my opinion, is the use of a screw-on lid to hold the battery in place. No chance of breaking a plastic arm or retaining prong like more conventional models. That was a complaint in the Princeton Tec “Fuel” design – not a massive, wide-spread complaint, but I’d seen buyers complain more than once. Enough that it stuck in my head as a potential issue.

The HL 22 modes: High: 120 lumens, 90 minutes. Medium: 45 lumens, 4 hours 35 minutes. Low: 3 lumens, 55 hours. SOS blinks at 45 lumens – no run time listed.

The HL 21 modes (for comparison): High: 97 lumens, 2 hours 3 minutes. Medium: 47 lumens, 5 hours 43 minutes. Low: 3 lumens, 53 hours. SOS – no lumens or runtime listed.

Disclaimer: I have not tested the runtimes myself – these are the factory specs.

As you can see, the runtimes are similar, although not identical. Personally, I would have preferred the HL 21 modes in the HL 22 package, but oh well.

Beam profile: The beamshots at Fenix Light are a little misleading, as is the description, I think. The HL 21 is portrayed as all throw – the HL 22 shows more flood. I can’t speak to the accuracy of the HL 21, but the HL 22 definitely demonstrated more throw than what is pictured. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially if you’re outdoors – but you also fall into the hotspot trap. The HL 22 gives you enough light on the peripheral that it isn’t a complete tunnel of hotpost and darkness, but it’s nothing compared to the HL 10, which is pure flood.

The HL 22 does benefit from the tighter throw in one respect – the light output seems a lot brighter than the numbers suggest. On three lumens, I turned the HL 22 into a room lamp – by putting the unit flat on a desk and bouncing off the ceiling, it created enough ambient light to function. Reading and writing would be difficult, but otherwise the space was clearly visible – roughly comparable to the light from a full moon outside.

Initial opinions
The HL 22 is designed to be a more compact version of the HL 21, with a more compact package and perhaps a bit more spill to the beam profile. The modes are good – the high is powerful but short-lived, the medium is much more functional with output to runtime, and the low is another standout feature. It more than doubles the runtime of the HL 10 in low and still provides good, functional lighting levels because of the tighter beam.

One weakness of the three lamps discussed: the HL 10, 21, and 22: they all have only one beam type. Either pure flood for the HL 10, or throw for the HL 21 and 22. Whereas most other conventional headlamps have a mix of options – a “throw” configuration or a smaller, closer “flood” mode.

The HL 22 is also regulated, like the other Fenix offerings. That may, or may not appeal to some – with a regulated headlamp, you know how much light you’re getting for how long. With unregulated, as long as there is power in the batteries, the headlamp will produce light – but how much of that is meaningful, useful light? And at the cost of three AAA batteries? It’s not a rhetorical question – everyone has their own opinion about what they like – but it’s a point to consider.

Practical test: I used the dark apartment standard, and it worked fine. A little more head movement required because of the tighter hotspot, but nothing extreme. I’ll take it outdoors for a better idea in natural dark conditions the next time I go walking.

Final thoughts: I don’t regret buying the HL 22. The throw/hotspot mix means it’s more functional outdoors, even on low. The single AA configuration means it’s easy to keep fed and powered.

The HL 10 is a personal task design; the HL 22 more for outdoors and distance work. If nothing else, I can use it as a 55 hour electronic candle during a blackout. 

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