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Honest Review: Nitecore HC65 UHE Headlamp — Good Light, Short Night



Not every gear review is a glowing recommendation. This one isn't.

I take headlamps seriously. I'm in the forest four nights a week, three to four hours each session, leading boys through Outdoor Leadership Training. My light has to last. It has to perform. No excuses.


The Nitecore HC65 UHE has some genuinely good things going for it — but it also has a problem that I can't overlook.


What I Like


USB-C charging — and this is a big one. Unlike some headlamps that lock you into a proprietary magnetic charger, the HC65 uses USB-C. That means you can charge it in your car, with any standard cable, anywhere. That is a real-world advantage that matters.


Multiple modes — reading light, flashing light, red light, and high power. The red light mode is particularly useful for moving around at night without disturbing wildlife or killing your night vision.


2000 lumens on high power — that's a solid output and it lights up the trail well.

At $89 it sits at a reasonable price point for a headlamp with these specs.


The Problem


Battery life.


When you're out for three to four hours at a stretch — which I am, regularly — this light does not last the whole night. I've found it fades before I'm done, which is not something I can work with in the field.


Compare that to headlamps like the Olight Perun 2, which runs all night on medium without breaking a sweat. That kind of reliability is what I need, and the HC65 doesn't deliver it at the same level.


For a casual hiker doing an hour on the trail, this might never be an issue. For someone using it the way I do — extended, repeated, demanding use — the battery life falls short.


The Verdict


2 out of 5 stars.


It's not a bad light. The USB-C charging is genuinely useful. The modes are solid. The output is decent.


But if I'm investing in another headlamp, this isn't it. The battery life doesn't meet my needs and the output doesn't match what I get from my other lights at a similar price point.


If you're a casual user looking for a reasonably priced rechargeable headlamp with USB-C, it's worth considering. If you need a light that goes the distance all night, look elsewhere.


🔗 Check it out on Amazon and decide for yourself: https://amzn.to/4cLEoDf


This is an affiliate link — purchases made through this link support the OLT program at no extra cost to you.

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