REVIEW: Nitecore HM01 Headlamp

Light in the dark is always helpful. It's practical when your hands are still free, then it's even better. A helmet light is always a good choice for emergency and rescue services, as it provides enough space for the lamp. A small but very bright companion is the Nitecore HM01 Helmet Light. We took a look at it.

The Nitecore HM01 is a small tactical helmet light designed to be mounted on a helmet with an ARC rail. These are the rails you find on OpsCore helmets, Crye AirFrame helmets, and their copies. So a fairly common standard.

Unfortunately, not everyone is precise with tolerances, especially with copies from the Far East, as shown in the pictures. The ARC rail seems to be a few tenths of a millimeter too large. Therefore, we had to shim the mounting with some plastic to make it hold. The HM01 fits perfectly on original ARC rails. We also tested that.

As you can see, the HM01 is a very compact light. It measures a total of 5.3 x 2.0 x 3.2 cm including the mounting base. The weight is only 60 g including the battery.

The HM01 can be easily rotated. You have 12 positions available for a 360° rotation. Each one clicks noticeably and holds well.

But the special feature of the Nitecore HM01 is the 3D swivel system, with which you can adjust the light very well. The rod looks a bit fragile, but it is made of high-strength, we suspect it as it is not magnetic, aluminum. We couldn't bend it with our bare hands.

You can adjust the rotational resistance with the small Allen screws. This is done with the included Allen key. You can completely tighten the screws to fix the HM01 in the desired position. We recommend using threadlocker, as the tiny screws can come loose quickly after some back and forth.

Here are the technical data from the manufacturer. You can see that the HM01 achieves 320 lumens, which surprised us given its small size.

The operation is simple and done with a small push button. It's not so easy to find with gloves, but with some practice, it works.

To turn on the HM01, you have to hold the button for just over a second. Then the light starts in Low mode, with 35 lumens.

This is what it looks like in a dark basement. It is darker than it appears in reality. It is ideal for reading maps that you have in front of you in your hand. If you want more light, just tap the control button briefly.

Now you are in High mode with 320 lumens. The difference is clearly visible. Tap the button on the HM01 again to switch to Low mode. To turn it off, you need to hold the button down again. Very simple and easy to use.

The HM01 is powered by just one CR123A battery. It can also use an RCR123 battery. The thread seals the HM01 perfectly, as it is waterproof up to 2m and can withstand a lot.

Thanks to the 3D swivel system, the HM01 can be attached very flat to the helmet. As shown in the picture, it extends only slightly more than 1 cm above the rail thickness.

Moving images are always better. Here is the HM01 in the SPARTANAT video.

CONCLUSION: The Nitecore HM01 is a functional, small, lightweight helmet light. The brightness performance really surprised us positively. The control button could be a bit larger and the small screws loosen relatively quickly, but other than that, the HM01 is a very solid lamp. If you are looking for a simple and stable helmet light, the HM01 is the right choice for you.

The HM01 is available directly from Nitecore for 99.95 Euros.

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