Since 2014, AceBeam has produced some of the highest quality headlamps available.
Focusing on durability, ergonomic comfort, and cross-discipline multiple-use products, AceBeam produces specialty flashlights and headlamps for everything from mining to mountain rescue, and from tactical light attachments to trail running and ultrarunning headlamps. Their lights are so highly regarded in their founding country of China that they are the dedicated headlamps for Chinese rescue and expedition teams.
The AceBeam H30 Headlamp. All photos: iRunFar/Alex Potter
AceBeam Is Creating Durable Headlamps for Outdoor Enthusiasts
Founded and based in Shenzhen, China, a metropolis of 13 million people, AceBeam headlamps is the brainchild of founder Michael Song. When he and his colleagues, all outdoor enthusiasts and many of them engineers, saw the dearth of specialty headlamps in their respective fields, they decided to create their own.
“In various outdoor environments, we saw that headlamps were still being made to traditional specifications, which did not meet our needs at all,” said Song. “We needed to consider comfort [for the wearer], battery power, and weight.”
The company grew quickly, and currently distributes its diverse light options to over 100 countries. It is world-renowned for high product durability, thanks largely to aviation-grade aluminum in its products, and lights that just don’t quit. Song stated that, in some online forums, especially in the German market, AceBeam has been heralded as the “Porsche of headlamps.”
“We are continuing to innovate and make new products for various fields, not only for ordinary enthusiasts, but for law enforcement and other outdoor [activities] as well,” said Song.
Speaking to AceBeam’s continued innovation, Song explained, “We have always been breaking tradition and creating new things. In 2018, we created the world’s first white laser flashlight, which is the smallest but the furthest-reaching flashlight in the world. The long-range distance can reach 2,400 meters, with the length of the flashlight being only 7.8 inches.”
Presently, AceBeam lights are offered in a number of specialty areas: waterproof lights for scuba diving, bike lights with attachable mounts, tactical rail-mounted lights for police and military personnel, small lights for everyday use, 60,000-lumen lights for search teams and, of course, rechargeable headlamps perfect for trail running and ultrarunning.
Speaking to the specific needs of the trail running community, Song said, “We believe that in trail running and ultrarunning [we need lights that are] more durable, brighter, have longer running time, and have a wide visual range. The AceBeam H30 Headlamp uses a 5,100-milliamp-hour battery, which ensures [a long] running time, and the H30’s XHP70.2 [LED bulb] has a wide angle to broaden your vision and make the road ahead of you clear. These are quite different from traditional headlamps.”
The AceBeam H30 Headlamp throws a super-bright light into the night.
Always Find the Way: The AceBeam H30 Headlamp
The AceBeam H30 Headlamp is one of the brightest portable headlamps on the market. Driven by a single lithium-ion 21700 battery (the same shape as a AA battery but larger), the H30 is a maximum 4,000-lumen light with an over-200-meter beam throw, ensuring that you’re able to see around every corner of the trail.
With a reflective headband and ergonomic design – including a strap that goes on top as well as around the head – you won’t get a headache or lose this lamp out on the trail.
The headlamp is extremely simple to operate, with only two switches distinguished by both shape and color: a red square and a black circle.
The headlamp’s light and battery power thrive in adventurous and all-night running setups. At the 120-lumen Low setting, for example, you could stay out for up to three entire nights before a recharge is needed. And the 380-lumen Medium setting will burn for most of a night. The insanely bright High, Turbo, and Turbo-Max settings are incredible for short bouts of lighting up difficult terrain or moments where you’re looking far off for trail markers or geographic features.
Finally, the headlamp can also be used as a power bank, so you can use it in the field to recharge other crucial devices — think topping off your phone or GPS watch battery at a fastpacking campsite.
Shop the AceBeam H30 Headlamp
A closer view of the AceBeam H30 Headlamp’s straps, light and battery compartment, and operating buttons.
AceBeam H30 Headlamp Specifications
- Actual Weight: 190 grams (6.7 ounces) including light, battery, and headstraps
- Battery Size: 5,100 milliamp-hour lithium-ion battery
- Settings: Ultra-Low (light is 3 lumens, burn time is 200 hours, throws for a distance of 5 meters), Low (120 lumens, 23.5 hours, 40 meters), Medium (380 lumens, 7.5 hours, 54 meters), High (1,100 lumens, 3 hours, 89 meters), Turbo (2,200 lumens, 2.25 hours, 118 meters), and Turbo-Max (4,000 lumens, 2 hours, 171 meters)
- Durability: Impact-resistant to 1 meter, submersible in water to 2 meters
- Charging: Rechargeable lithium-ion battery included, charging with included cord also an option
- Versatility: The headlamp can act as a power bank for crucial devices in the field by connecting the included cord and your device’s USB cord, making the light a great option for an overnight trip
A closer view of the AceBeam H30 Headlamp’s one primary light and two auxiliary lights.
AceBeam H30 Headlamp Additional Light Options
In addition to offering the main headlamp light in either an extremely bright cool white (6,500 degrees of Kelvin [K]) or neutral white (5,000 K) to see the trails ahead of you, the AceBeam H30 has a number of additional light offerings, for a total of six models available for purchase.
If you’re using the light as a trail runner or hiker, it’s likely you’ll find one of the two original models sufficient. But if you’d additionally like to use the headlamp for specialty purposes, choosing the model with ultraviolet light or a high color rendering index light may be helpful to your pursuits. The different auxiliary light options are listed below.
- Red Light: This light is first and foremost good for emergency signaling — a flashing red light is a universal distress signal. Red light also helps your eyes adjust to the dark and can be good if you’re working in a campsite, photography darkroom, bunker, or anywhere you want to lower your profile, maintain your night vision, and still be able to see well.
- Green Light: Hunters often use green lights while searching for prey, as they are reportedly not as scared away. Green lights are also very easily seen by the human eye, so if you want to signal to a friend, a green light may be a better option than red.
- Ultraviolet Light: When we think of ultraviolet (UV) light, we might think of crime scenes, but UV lights can also light up particular types of predators (like scorpions), and prey (like fish). Some avid gem hunters also use UV lights to look for particular minerals.
- High Color Rendering Index Light: Color Rendering Index (CRI) is a scale from zero to 100 that refers to a light’s ability to make an object look how it appears in natural light. Lights with a CRI above 90 give you a high-quality picture of what the obstacle in front of you looks like in the daylight.
So, no matter where you’re running and what the trail or landscape may hold, the AceBeam H30 Headlamp has just about every type and brightness of light to suit your needs.
Shop the AceBeam H30 Headlamp[Editor’s Note: This article is sponsored by AceBeam. Thank you to AceBeam for its sponsorship of iRunFar, which helps to make iRunFar happen and free for all to enjoy. Learn more about our sponsored articles.]
Lighting the night — through a snowstorm — with the AceBeam H30 Headlamp.
