Nitecore/Right-Angle

Nitecore HC60 V2

Name: Nitecore HC60 V2
Brand: Nitecore
Price: 65 USD
Availability: Discontinued

DiscontinuedNitecore no longer makes this light; what dealers have left is the last of it. Its current replacement is Nitecore HC60 UHE.

Nitecore's HC60 V2 was a right-angle headlamp updated with USB-C charging. Its beam had enough throw for trail use and a clean profile. The HC60 UHE replaced it.

Beam profile

Flood, about 35° wide. Wide and even — light where you are, not where you're pointing.

Estimated from 1,200 lm ÷ 4,240 cd — how this works

$65

Specifications

Output: 1200lm
Peak intensity: 4240cd
Beam distance: 130m
Emitter: OSRAM P9
Colour rendering: 70 CRI
Beam type: Balanced
Cell: 18650
Runtime: 2.5 hrs (high)
Modes: 5 Stepped
Interface: Simple
Water/dust: IP68
Dimensions: 4.3 x 1.1 in
Weight: 2.6 oz
Warranty: Lifetime

Manufacturer figures, measured to ANSI FL1 where the brand states it.

Features

USB-C Charging Waterproof (IP67+)

What owners report

Nitecore HC60 V2/5 sources reviewed

A T-shaped aluminium headlamp with the emitter near-centred in the body, which reviewers say makes it feel noticeably better balanced than offset designs. An OSRAM P9 gives 1,200 lumens at 4,240 candela, with levels from 1 lumen upward and a genuinely useful 400-lumen second step. The V2 revision brought USB-C, but reviewers single out the headband as the bigger improvement: an angled plastic piece at the back keeps the adjustment from slipping, and a rubbery strip at the front grips a head or hat properly.

The consistent complaint is heat. On sustained high the lamp gets warm enough to make your head sweat — expected physics for this much output in a small package, but worth knowing before you buy it for long night work. The aluminium body is also heavier than plastic rivals, which is the trade for the durability that makes it suit hunting and yard work.

Consistently praised

Emitter near-centred in a T-shaped body — better balanced than offset designs
1,200 lumens with a genuinely useful 400-lumen second step
V2 headband adjustment stays put, with a rubbery front strip that grips
USB-C charging on the V2
Rugged anodised aluminium build suited to hunting and outdoor work

Common complaints

Gets hot enough on sustained high to make your head sweat
Heavier than plastic headlamps
Output at the top end is thermally limited
The aluminium body transmits that heat straight to your forehead
Overkill for casual around-the-house use

Questions people ask

How hot does it get?: Warm enough on constant high that reviewers report their head sweating. It's the predictable result of high output in a small aluminium housing, but it does limit how long you'll run the top levels.
What changed in the V2?: USB-C charging, and — more usefully according to reviewers — a redesigned headband whose adjustment actually stays where you set it, with better grip at the front.
Is aluminium better than plastic for a headlamp?: It's more durable and sheds heat better, at the cost of weight and of conducting warmth toward your forehead. For hunting and work it's the right trade; for running it isn't.
Can I swap the battery?: Yes, it takes a removable 18650, so a spare cell extends a night's work indefinitely.

Sources (5)