Ledlenser HF8R Signature Headlamp Review

Without giving anything away, my single favorite piece of long-distance hiking gear is my USB-rechargeable headlamp. I won’t be caught without it these days.

But I’m always intrigued when something a little different comes along, and that’s a good description of the Ledlenser HF8R Signature headlamp.

Ledlenser is a German bringer of light. All kinds of light: headlamps, flashlights, and area lights. The company claims the mantle of “German engineering,” and it shows in the rather robotically named HF8R (R2D2, anyone?).

Ledlenser HF8R Signature Headlamp At a Glance

MSRP: $169.95
Weight: 6.8 ounces
Battery: 3.7-volt, USB-rechargeable lithium-ion
Battery life: 3.5 to 90 hours
Luminosity: 20 to 2,000 lumens
Beam distance: 25 to 200 meters (approximately 80 to 650 feet)
Dust and water resistance: IP68 — translation: “dust tight” (highest rating) and “below one meter for more than 30 minutes” (second-highest rating)
Modes: Blink, strobe, SOS; white, red, green, blue
Charging: Magnetic charge system

Ledlenser HF8R Signature headlamp. Photo courtesy Ledlenser.

Circumstances of Use

I have used the headlamp for a total of 25 hours, at home and backpacking on the Appalachian Trail.

Ledlenser HF8R Features

• Adaptive Light Beam: automatic dimming and focusing
• Digital Advanced Focus System: easy transition from flood to spot
• Ledlenser Connect App: allows you to remotely control and personalize features
• Temperature Control system: keeps light from overheating so it can run brighter and longer
• Emergency light: automatically turns on when headlamp goes out and is on charging base
• Red light: Helps to maintain night vision in the dark
• Green light and blue light for game tracking (or just plain coolness, if you’re me)

Form and Fit

The HF8R has a fully adjustable strap with a wide, comfortable back. Comes with a rubber “comfort pad” for forehead.

Ledlenser’s HF8R Signature headlamp has a broad, comfortable headstrap. Photo courtesy Ledlenser.

Lighting Controls

All lighting modes are accessed through a single rubber-covered button atop the headlamp.

Lighting Modes

The HF8R offers a larger-than-usual number of lighting modes. Colors include white and red, of course, but also blue and green (designed for hunting, the latter two modes evidently help with tracking and making oneself less visible to animal eyes).

Its “adaptive light beam” allows for automatic dimming and focusing, providing a wide range of brightness and modes, including flash, strobe, and SOS. All of the above can be mixed and matched.

The Ledlenser HF8R Signature headlamp has four LED colors: white; red; blue; and green. Clay Bonnyman Evans photo.

Hikers are generally not hunting on trail, but as a guy who “loves all the pretty colors” — always been that way — I of course find the green and blue modes mesmerizing, even magical, when it comes to illuminating a dark forest environment. Apparently, the green light will cloak you from the eyes of feral hogs … so maybe not the best selection in hog (or javelina?) country.

The green and blue lights on the Ledlenser HF8R Signature headlamp are designed for night hunting and can help spot wildlife on trail. Clay Bonnyman Evans photo.

Battery Life

Here’s one of the big upsides to the HF8R: The battery can last for up to 90 hours, and even using a mid-beam, I never came close to draining it over 25 hours (i.e., when I finally recharged, it was only “one light” short of a full charge).

Range

Another impressive feature: On full blast, the HF8R can hurl a powerful cone of light that extends more than the length of two football fields. One night on the AT, this reviewer ran down a gravel road after hearing a call for help. I was able to throw light far enough to see what the situation was without getting too close.

Ledlenser HF8R Pros

• Astounding luminosity
• Impressive battery life
• Multiple modes
• Three non-white lights
• Easy-to-adjust headstrap
• Adjustable tilt
• Comes with various accessories, including rubber comfort pad, universal mounting bracket
• Completely impervious to dust and nearly so to water.

The Ledlenser HF8R Signature headlamp is easy to use, featuring a single control button and adjustable tilt. With multiple modes, it can take practice to get the hang of mode changing. Photo courtesy Ledlenser.

Ledlenser HF8R Cons

• Weight: 6.8 ounces, more if you include the comfort pad. For comparison, my current headlamp is over five ounces lighter.
• With so many modes, it took me a few times to get the hang of it. I certainly needed to read directions.
• With all that firepower and battery life, it’s not surprising that the HF8R Signature feels a bit heavy on the forehead. I got used to it over time but missed the lighter presence of my current headlamp.
• A little pricey for some hikers’ budgets.

Takeaway

Having that kind of power and battery life would no doubt improve confidence on a more remote trail such as the Hayduke or parts of the Continental Divide Trail, as well as when you are expecting severe weather.

In the end, it’s all about the weight, and that’s a decision for each individual. But an argument can be made that it’s worth an extra four or five ounces (for ideas to offset that, check out 44 Ultralight Backpacking Tips That Actually Make Sense for Thru-Hikers by Trek editor Kelly Floro). I should mention, as well, that walking up to a campfire sporting your blue or green light is definitely a conversation starter.

Shop the Ledlenser HF8R Headlamp

Comparable Headlamps

Petzl Actik Core

MSRP: $84.95
Weight: 3.1 ounces
Brightness: 600 lumens max
Light distance: 375 feet

Silva Free Series

MSRP: $137 to $177
Weight: 3.1 ounces
Brightness: 1200 lumens max
Light distance: 500 feet

Black Diamond Spot 400

MSRP: $49.95
Weight: 3 ounces
Brightness: 325 lumens max
Light distance: 200 feet

The Ledlenser HF8R headlamp was donated for purpose of review