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Nitecore HC60 V2

Nitecore/Right-Angle

Nitecore HC60 V2

Nitecore's updated right-angle headlamp with USB-C. The HC60 V2 is a reliable headlamp with good throw for trail use and a clean beam profile.

Beam profile

Balanced, about 22° wide. A usable hotspot with enough spill to see around it.

Estimated from 1,200 lm ÷ 10,000 cd — how this works

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Specifications

Output
1200lm
Peak intensity
10000cd
Beam distance
200m
Emitter
Luminus SST-40
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

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)

Head to head

Nitecore HC65

Nitecore

$55

Nitecore HC65

Balanced/~25°/219 m

Lumens
1750
Candela
12000
Cell
18650
Weight
2.5 oz

Luminus SST-40 + Red + High CRI

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