My First Headlamp

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My problem is – I’m so used to high performance lights, that I’m very picky about what I would expect in a headlamp. I would really like the following to be in the first headlamp I purchase. I’m not sure I’ll find too many that have all of them, without breaking the bank:

• It must have regulated output. No direct drive for me. I’m pretty much done with direct drive lights.
• It runs on 18650 (or some other, non-proprietary) battery/ies.
• It has a separate battery pack with cable (preferably with modular connections – not hardwired into the light) – so I can belt, pocket, or pack-carry that battery pack (I’d prefer not to have batteries sitting up on my head), and so I can replace the cable, if it ever wears out/frays, without having to send it in as a repair. I.e., the cable would be field-replaceable.
• Some way to adjust between spot and flood (but not necessarily a continuously focusing light)- or if it offers a really nice combination of both spot and spill, that’d be great, too. Some headlamps have multiple emitters (one dedicated to spot; another for flood. Some can use both at the same time, for a best-of-both-worlds scenario)
• An adjustable head (at least, a way to tilt the light down or up, in increments)
• As much metal construction on the main lamp assembly (casing). I’m not a fan of plastic casing for any light. Never have been.
• IP-X8 waterproof certification would be wonderful, but IP-X4 would be acceptable.
• Some kind of choice as to tint, would be nice. I would prefer a Nichia 219, or something neutral. This is probably going to be a tough one to find.
• Something powerful enough to easily spot something a hundred yards away. I don’t have to have a moonlight mode, but when I want high power (even if just for a few moments – some sort of burst mode, for instance), I want it to be there. I don’t want to be having to switch over to another headlamp, to get this kind of power.
• P60 drop-in compatible would be absolutely amazing; but I’m fairly sure such a headlamp doesn’t really exist – yet; at lest, not in any mass-produced light that I’ve come across (or can afford). Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?

Am I asking for the moon? Probably.

So far, all I’ve found, that sort of seems to meet all (well..most) of these requirements is a Fenix HP30. I think the power cable is hardwired into the emitter’s box, though. That’s a really big turn-off – unless the cable is exceptionally sturdy (well-reinforced/shielded at the connection points, etc.). I think it’s also a cool white, rather than neutral tint – not the end of the world, but I really like accurate color rendering, in many instances, and cool white doesn’t really give me that. It wouldn’t be a deal-breaker, though. I’m just thinking out loud.

There are some astronomically priced headlamps that do all of these things, but I’m just not in a position to spend megabucks on one, yet. These kind of lights are mounted in hard hats (like you might see on a construction worker, or a hardcore caver/hiker. They ain’t cheap, but they sure are nice.

Any suggestions?

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