REVIEW – I have a bunch of headlamps and I fish so when Acebeam offered their H16 Fishing Headlamp and Flashlight for review I had to see if the H16 does anything specific for fishing and how it stacks up as a regular headlamp. Let’s check it out.
What is it?
The Acebeam H16 Fishing Headlamp is a high color rendering single AA battery powered right angle headlamp sporting a 90 value color rendering index (CRI) 519A LED which produces 650 lumens max in 5000K neutral white color. It has a magnetic tail, pocket clip, and headband for multiple carry options.
What’s in the box?
- 1x Acebeam H16 black body
- 1x Acebeam 14500 USB-C rechargeable 3.7V AA battery
- 1x USB-C charging cable
- 1x headband with silicone holder
- 1x pocket clip
- 2x O-rings
- User manual
Hardware specs
- Dimensions: 81.6mm L x 19mm head dia x 17mm body dia
- Weight 53.5 g / 1.9 oz including battery
- Weight: 71 g / 2.5 oz including battery and headband with holder
- Water Resistant: IP68
- 110 degree flood light beam
- Battery: 3.7V 3.4Wh AA size 920 mAh Lithium-ion battery USB-C rechargeable
- Runtime: 58 hours on ultra low mode
- USB charge time: 2 hours
Design and features
The Acebeam H16 is very compact and easy to carry at only 3.2 in long, 0.74 in diameter, and 1.9 oz with the included rechargeable 920mAh AA battery.
A double click turns the Acebeam H16 headlamp on. Holding the button rotates through Low, Med, and High so you can pick the brightness you want. I kept it on High most of the time, which produces 230 lumens and has a 2 hour runtime. Medium will last 8 hours with 100 lumens and Low will double that at 16 hours but at only 30 lumens.
The headband was easy to adjust and comfortable with a two buckle design to prevent having a buckle rest directly on the back of your head. The inside has a sticky rubber line that helps keep it in place and the outside is reflective which is great for safety at night.
The Acebeam H16 headlamp is IP68 rated so it is submersible and waterproof up to 2 meters and impact resistant up to 1.5 meters. The magnetic tailcap was very convenient as well and strong enough to hold itself up while on the band.
Performance
The Acebeam H16 Fishing Headlamp features a very high color rendering index value of 90 with a 5000K neutral white light. A CRI value of 100 would be a perfect color and the closest to natural light.
Just to test the advertised times I put it on Turbo mode and after 60 minutes it was still going and the 3.7V/920mAh battery still registered 3.43 volts on my multi-meter which was pretty darn impressive so I expect longer actual run times for the other modes. The fins on the head did a great job dissipating heat since after an hour on Turbo it was only slightly warm.
A great feature of the Acebeam H16 headlamp is that when off a long press will turn on Ultra Low mode at 5 lumens which will last 58 hours. With the flashlight already on, another double press will turn on Turbo mode. A single click turns it off and when turned on again the last used setting (Low, Med, High only) is memorized but not Turbo or Ultra Low. At any time a triple click enters SOS mode.
When fishing at night I typically am using scented baits and not traditional colored lures so a color accurate headlamp isn’t really needed but I did want to test their claim so I took some pictures of lures during the day and then at night in my completely dark garage with the Acebeam H16 just to compare and I will say the color did look accurate.
As a regular headlamp, the Acebeam H16 worked great. The headband is very comfy and for running it allows infinite adjustment since you can rotate it to exactly where you need it in the silicone headband holder. With its small size, magnetic tailcap, and pocket clip I found it convenient to ditch the headband and just carry it in my pocket everyday. It came in very handy and was easier to use than my cell phone light.
What I like
- Last setting memory
- Super compact but powerful
- Great battery life with USB-C charging
What I’d change
- Nothing
Final thoughts
The Acebeam H16 Fishing Headlamp is a great headlamp and not just for fishing. It has very usable brightness with great battery life. With the pocket clip and magnetic base, I carry the H16 in my pocket all the time now. Being able to use regular AA batteries is convenient and I found the included USB-C rechargeable battery performed very well and charged quickly. Overall the Acebeam H16 is a great little headlamp for everyday carry at a very reasonable price.
Price: $29.99 with a 20% coupon available
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Acebeam.
