Hope R2
Classic Hope quality: The CNC-machined lamp housing made of aluminium stands out from the crowd. A cable connects the lamp to the 3.2 Ah battery which has 5 LED charge indicator lights. If you don’t want to attach the battery to the helmet with the supplied Velcro fastener, you can store it in your backpack thanks to the extension cable. The guys at Hope clearly put some thought into the accessories. The R2 comes with a headband as well as a mount for the handlebar and an additional extension cable. The helmet mount attaches with a practical Velcro strap. The lamp can easily be attached and removed via a bayonet lock by simply pressing it down and twisting.
Unfortunately, the 1300 lm of light (manufacturers specs: 1000 lm) did not convince us. The two LEDs don’t completely cover the desired lighting area despite their six different lighting modes. The other lamps in this comparison did considerably better.
For this reason, we would recommend the previously reviewed Hope R4 + helmet lamp instead. The R2 is more a complement to a bright lamp on the handlebar. By itself, its use for mountain biking is limited, unfortunately. As a multi-sport light, however, it has its uses.
Power 1,300 lm (manufacturers specs 1,000 lm)
Battery 3.2 Ah
Price€ 255
Battery life (max. output) 1:30 h
Weight Light, battery, helmet mount 343 g
More info at hopetech.com
+ lamp attaches via bayonet lock
+ high-quality finish
+ many mounting options included
– limited illumination
– relatively short battery life
