Fenix HM70R Headlamp Review: 3+ Years of Real World Use (Pros, Cons, Value)

---

---

Overview

The Fenix HM70R is a serious, high-performance headlamp designed for the professional – both work professionals and outdoor professionals. Coming in at 7.27 oz (with included battery and headband) the HM70R is far from the lightest headlamp available but you get a lot of battery and performance for this weight trade. In this review I will discuss the device specs, features, and my personal thoughts after owning and using this headlamp for over three years.

---

What comes in the box

Before diving into the particulars, lets first address what comes in the box when you purchase a HM70R.

• Fenix HM70R Headlamp
• Headband (including over-the-head strap)
• USB-A to USB-C Charging Cable
• ARB-L21-5000 Lithium-Ion Battery Cell

---

Technical Specifications

• Max Lumens: 1600
• Max Beam Distance: 610 feet (186 meters)
• Max Runtime: 100 hours
• Light Modes: 4 brightness levels on spotlight, 2 neutral brightness levels, red, and SOS
• Bulb Types: Luminus SST40 white light LED (spotlight), XP-G2 HE neutral white LED, and two 2835 red LEDs
• Lense: Flat Polycarbonate
• Color Temp: 6000K (spotlight)
• Size: Length 3.72″ x Width 2.01″ x Height 1.81″
• IP68 dustproof/waterproof to 2m

---

Battery

The Fenix HM70R is one of the many headlamps and flashlights that are powered by the venerable 21700 battery cell platform. The 21700 is a lithium-ion battery that can be found on the secondary market in a variety of power densities. The cell that ships with the HM70R is a Fenix branded 5000mAh version and does not include an onboard charging port (as do some other Fenix branded battery cells). The battery can only be charged using the charging port on the headlamp with the battery cell installed or using an external charging unit (sold separately). I generally prefer cells that include an onboard charging port, however it is not a deal breaker, especially if you do not have other devices powered by the 21700.

I have cycled the original battery that came with my HM70R approximately 80-100 times. As with any battery it has diminished slightly over the years, but it is still the main battery cell that I use day-to-day. Overall, the build quality on the Fenix branded battery that ships with the HM70R is excellent.

---

Headband

As with other Fenix headlamps that I have owned – I am not the biggest fan of the headband that comes with the Fenix HM70R. The elastic has showed some signs of weakness with use and the plastic band adjusters tend to not hold the band material as well as when it was new. Also, while I love Fenix products, the branding on the headband may come off as gaudy to some. It would be great to see at least an option for a more modest one. In reality, it has not been enough of an issue to warrant an aftermarket replacement.

On a positive note, I am a fan of the rubbery silicone material on the inside of the headband which helps the band in place on your head or on headwear like hard hats. Hard hat use was what I originally purchased the Fenix HM70R for. The over-the-head band is a nice feature that can be removed if it doesn’t fit your use case. I have a big head and the Fenix HM70R is quite heavy – the OTH band does a good job helping keep everything in place.

---

Operation

The Fenix HM70R is operated via one button on the right side (from the users perspective). I would recommend practicing cycling through all modes until you feel confident that you can activate the desired mode while half asleep and freezing in a one-man tent at midnight. In my perfect world the HM70R would have a dedicated on/off button with a separate push button for mode adjustment like my beloved PD-36R Pro. I think that this would prevent some middle-of-the-night confusion for some users (myself included). However, I do understand that the spotlight is the primary use of this lamp and a single long press turns it on and off – this is fine for most people.

Operation Instructions

• On/Off – Press and hold the switch for 0.5 seconds
• Mode Switching – With the lamp switched off, single click the switch for 0.5 seconds to enter “General Mode” and double click the switch to enter “Functional Mode”. Press and hold the switch for 1.2 seconds to switch from one mode to another.
• In General Mode, single click the switch to cycle through Low, Med, High, and Turbo
• In Functional Mode, single click the switch to cycle through Red, Med, High, and SOS
• To Lock: when the lamp is off, press and hold the switch for 3 seconds, the lamp will blink red three times to indicate locked status. In locked status, clicking the switch will activate 3 one-second red blinks to indicate locked status.
• To unlock: when the lamp is locked, press and hold the switch for 3 seconds, the lamp will be activated with 3 one-second red blinks and activated on Red Light mode

Nothing about the operation of this headlamp is over the top or too complicated, especially for day-to-day use.

---

Headlamp Build

The Fenix HM70R is definitely a hefty headlamp coming in a 7.27 oz (almost 1/2 a pound!). Do you really want to have that much weight hanging off of the front of your head? Like anything else… it depends. Basically, you are trading weight for runtime and power. The runtime of the HM70R is impressive and the available light throw is impressive (albeit throttled to manage heat). For me, this has not been a major issue when running the headlamp directly on my head (as it was designed for) – but when running this headlamp farther away from your head, such as on a hard hat, the weight becomes very uncomfortable creating a neck strain.

The build quality of the waterproof headlamp is excellent featuring a coated aluminum construction, high-quality poly lens covers, and a satisfying detent up-down adjustment that does a good job of keeping the beam pointed in the desired direction.

The HM70R is IP68 rated for resistance to water up to 2M and dust. I have used the headlamp in a variety of wet conditions, including heavy rain, tunneling, and caving with no issues. My HM70R has also been dropped in the water repeatedly with no signs of interior moisture upon disassembly. I would recommend inspection and/or replacement periodically to ensure that the waterproof rating is maintained.

Finally, the USB-C charging port is well hidden under a screw mechanism providing waterproofing. While somewhat inconvenient to access, I think this feature is well justified because you will not be charging this headlamp every day (or every week for that matter) due to the great battery size.

Overall, the Fenix HM70R is a very well built and rugged headlamp.

---

Light

I will be upfront… I am not an expert in light sources. I have a tertiary understanding of electronics and components, but this will not be the most technical look into this light source.

The main beam (“General Mode”) of the Fenix HM70R employs a Luminus Devices, Inc SST-40 light emitting diode. I was unable to find a datasheet for this exact component (6000K) but the 6500K and 7000K options appear to be still manufactured. The SST-40 component is a cost-effective high performing LED that does emit a moderate amount of heat compared to other more cutting-edge options. I believe that it still is an excellent choice in this application with the onboard LED control circuit allowing production of up to 1600 lumens in turbo mode. Unfortunately, I do not have access to the kind of test equipment required to verify these claims. As noted earlier, the onboard electronic circuit (assumed to be a proprietary design) manages heat through throttling output after a set amount of time. It is noted that on High and Turbo settings, the headlamp does generate an impressive amount of heat before being throttled down. I typically use the Med setting on functional mode as I find this amount of light (approx. 150 lumens) to be suitable for most operations and still boasts a runtime of 24 hours after more than three years of use on a full charge.

The secondary light sources “Functional Mode” really round out the functionality of the Fenix HM70R. The wide area white light uses a Cree XL-G2 high-efficiency LED that produces a very even wide angle light suitable for general area illumination. Due to the lower power inputs this floodlight does a much better job of managing heat generation and is the perfect tool for general camp use, working on cars, and many more situations where a spotlight is not suitable. Finally, the two red 2835 LEDs make the HM70R a truly universal application headlamp. In case you didn’t know, red light does not affect the pupils of the human eye in the same way white light does allowing the pupils to stay more dilated and in turn stay acclimated to the dark. Using a red light while night hiking, night fishing, reading a map, and many other late-night activities can be a very bright move (pun intended).

Also, note that the two red LEDs have an “SOS” mode in which they will blink periodically. I really don’t understand the need for this as they are not very bright, but it doesn’t really affect anything.

---

Conclusion

PROS

• Excellent runtime
• Good light options
• Very good long-lasting build quality with quality components

CONS

• Weight
• Headband branding

In conclusion, I have been very happy with my Fenix HM70R after having used it for over three years. For camp, work, and home use I think that the HM70R would fit almost anyone’s needs. It is a solidly built headlamp that uses quality components and a replaceable battery allowing one to carry backup cells when recharging is not available. At $99.95 it is a solid long-term investment.

You can find it directly from Fenix here (not an affiliate link): Fenix HM70R Rechargeable Headlamp – 1600 Lumens – Fenix Lighting

Check out more gear reviews here Gear Reviews – Gear Reviews Pro

---

by Royce Schuening, Outdoor Gear Enthusiast