Nitecore HC68 Rechargeable LED Head Torch

The Nitecore HC68 is a rechargeable LED head torch offering dual light sources that include two Luminus SST-40-W white LEDs, with one providing a spot and the other providing a flood output, as well as an auxiliary red light output.

The main white light provides a maximum output of 2000 lumens in turbo which is a momentary output that will stay on for 60 seconds at a time before reverting to the last used output to prevent the torch from overheating. It features a focused spot on one side and a 150° truevision floodlight with no harsh edges on the other side thanks to the precisely calculated lens curve of the ultra thin unibody TIR system that eliminates the central hotspot, which also saves on weight as well as providing a soft uniform beam.

In the centre of the main LEDs there are two red auxiliary LEDs that offers a constant red output with high/low setting and a red flashing setting. Red light preserves your night vision and is good for wildlife observation, astronomy and night photography.

A side switch turns the light on and off with each full press, while the + / - buttons on top of the torch control the brightness level. Once turned on, short presses of the + button will increase the brightness in the order of ultralow, low, mid, high and higher or single presses of the - button will decrease the brightness in the opposite order. The last used brightness setting will be remembered the next time the light is turned back on. From off you can also instantly access the higher brightness level by holding the + button and then pressing the power button, or instantly access the ultralow in the same way, but instead holding the - button.

Turbo can be accessed while the light is on or off by holding down the side power button and it will activated for 60 seconds before returning to the previous setting. To access the auxiliary red light and flashing modes double press the power button while the light is off and it will turn on in red low. The + button can then be pressed to go through red low, red high, red flash, beacon and SOS, then the - button can be pressed to go through the outputs in reverse order. Turn the light off again with a single press of the side power button.

In addition to the multiple brightness levels, the beam focus can be also be electronically altered between full spot and full flood so you can customise the focus for the task at hand (excluding turbo which is fixed and ultralow which is either spot or flood). When the light is on, press and hold the + button to increase the spotlight ratio and decrease the floodlight ratio, or hold the - button to increase the floodlight ratio and decrease the spotlight ration. Continue to hold until it reaches 100% spot or flood, or release the button once your desired combination beam has been achieved.

Due to the high output, the HC68 requires a high drain battery like the Nitecore NL1835HP (included) or a button top rechargeable lithium-ion 18650 with a high discharge current of at least 8 A in order to work. The HC68 can also use two CR123A lithium metal non rechargeable batteries or two rechargeable RCR123A lithium-ion batteries, however the turbo setting is unavailable if you are using these batteries and they also cannot be charge inside the torch.

With a suitable rechargeable battery inserted, it can be charged inside the torch via the upgraded USB-C charging port. Reveal the port by unscrewing the USB cover on the right side of the torch and then simply plug the included cable into the charging port and the other end into a suitable USB power source. The indicator beneath the button will slowly flash while charging is in progress, and turn solid once charging is complete after approximately 3 hours when charging a 3500 mAh battery with a 2 A / 5 V power source.

A built-in battery voltage indicator under the button will display battery voltage each time the battery is installed and the end cap is tightened. For example if the voltage is 4.2 V, it will flash four times then pause and then flash two more times. A power indicator will also show the remaining battery power by pressing the +/- once while the light is turned off. Three flashes is above 50% power, two flashes is below 50% power and one flash is below 10% power and the battery should be charged or replaced. The integrated advance temperature regulation (ATR) technology regulates the output of the HC68 according to the working condition and ambient environment to maintain the optimal performance.

The rugged unibody aluminium construction provides excellent cooling performance and a sturdy unit that is also lightweight, while the newly designed head band features a curved rubber pad at the back for a comfortable fit to the head and a silicone strip on the inside of the head band to channel away sweat as well as provide a non-slip fit. Additionally the head torch sits in an ergonomically designed bracket with rubber loops that hold the torch in place, allowing the light to be easily rotated and adjusted within a 180° angle.

Product Features

Light housing provides 180° vertical movement
Memory function remembers last used white brightness level
Extremely wide angle 150° beam
Power indicator displays battery voltage 0.1 V
Advanced temperature regulation to protect LED from overheating
Built-in USB-C charging circuit
Multiple white outputs as well as red light modes

Operational Modes

Focused into 100% spotlight:
Higher: 1800 lumens; 30 minutes run-time; 202 m beam range*
High: 950 lumens; 2 hours, 30 minutes run-time; 147 m beam range
Mid: 250 lumens; 6 hours run-time; 75 m beam range
Low: 50 lumens; 28 hours run-time; 32 m beam range
Ultra Low: 1 lumen; 800 hours run-time; 4 m beam range

Focused into 100% floodlight:
Higher: 1400 lumens; 30 minutes run-time; 77 m beam range*
High: 850 lumens; 2 hours, 30 minutes run-time; 57 m beam range
Mid: 220 lumens; 6 hours run-time; 29 m beam range
Low: 45 lumens; 28 hours run-time; 18 m beam range
Ultra Low: 1 lumen; 800 hours run-time; 2 m beam range

Turbo / Auxiliary / Special Outputs:
Turbo: 2000 lumens; 185 m beam range*
Red High: 11 lumens; 30 hours run-time; 4 m beam range
Red Low: 3 lumens; 110 hours run-time; 2 m beam range
Red Flashing: 11 lumens; 160 hours run-time
SOS / Beacon: 2000 lumens

Note: *The run-time for higher is tested without temperature regulation active and therefore output and run-time in higher may differ. Turbo & higher modes can only be accessed with an 18650 battery of 8 A discharge or higher, it cannot be accessed if using CR123A/RCR123A batteries.

Tested to ANSI/PLATO FL 1-2019 standards in laboratory conditions using the included 18650 3500 mAh 8 A lithium-ion battery. The data may vary slightly in real world use depending on battery type, individual usage habits and environmental factors.

Technical Details

Type: Rechargeable LED head torch
Operating Modes: Ultra Low / Low / Mid / High / Higher / Turbo / Signalling Modes / Auxiliary Modes
Luminous Flux: Up to 2000 lumens
Lamp Type: 2 x Luminus SST-40-W LED / 2 x red LED
Beam Range: Up to 202 m
Beam angle: 150°
Recommended Battery: 1 x Nitecore NL1835HP (Included)
Other Compatible Batteries: 2 x CR123A lithium metal / 2 x 16340 lithium-ion
Charging Time: 3 hours approx. (battery capacity & charging output dependant)
Measurements: 91.5 x 35 x 26.5 mm
Weight: 118.5 grams (excluding battery)
Body Colour: Black
Body Material: Aircraft grade aluminium
Body Finish: Type III hard anodised
Switch Type: Side power button and top mode buttons
Impact Resistance: 2 m
Environmental: dust and waterproof to IP68 standard (2 m)
Warranty: 5 years (torch) / 1 year (battery)

Packaging and Contents

Supplied in retail packaging and includes:
Nitecore HC68 head torch x 1
Nitecore NL1835HP 18650 lithium-ion battery x 1
USB-A to USB-C charging cable x 1
Headband and bracket x 1
Spare O-ring x 1
Manual x 1