Phoenix HM65RT V2 Review: A Refined Running Head Torch

Introduction

A good running head torch should disappear on your head and just work, mile after mile, in whatever weather the night throws at you. That has long been the appeal of the Phoenix HM65RT, a headlamp that has covered serious training and race mileage, including tough ultra events, without missing a beat. The new HM65RT V2 keeps that formula and adds a set of careful, well-judged updates.

After two months of testing, the short version is this: Phoenix has made a great running head torch even better, largely by listening to what runners actually wanted changed.

What the HM65RT V2 Is

The HM65RT V2 retails in the UK for around £100 and weighs 140g including its fully rechargeable 3,400 mAh battery. The lamp body is built from lightweight magnesium alloy, which provides excellent heat sinking for prolonged life and helps sustain high output over long runs.

Durability credentials are strong. The unit carries an IP68 dust and waterproof rating, meaning it will keep working while submerged in up to 2m of water for 4 hours. It also has a 2m impact resistance and an operating range of -35°C to 45°C, so it should shrug off whatever conditions you run in. The original model’s long-term reliability backs this up: hundreds of miles in and it is still going strong.

Strap, Fit and New Adjustments

The biggest quality-of-life updates happen around the headband. Two openings on the back plate now let you remove the strap from the lamp easily for cleaning, something the previous version made unnecessarily awkward. Given how sweaty head straps get, this is a change that was overdue and very welcome.

The strap itself keeps a similar design with a few clever tweaks. The perforations are larger for better airflow and breathability, Phoenix has worked a genuinely loud emergency whistle into the band so subtly you barely notice it, and the boa-style adjustment wheel is improved. Tightening is still a clockwise turn, but loosening no longer requires pulling up on the wheel. Now you simply turn anticlockwise, which makes micro adjustments on the move far easier and less likely to leave the lamp suddenly loose mid-run. High-vis reflective logos round off the package.

Carried-Over Features That Still Matter

Many features cross over from the original HM65RT, and they remain the backbone of the design. You get a USB-C charging port at the back of the unit with internal waterproofing behind a tight rubber bung, an 80-degree tilt adjustment on the lamp, and a rechargeable battery housed in the lamp under the two bulbs, accessed with a quick turn of the end plate if you want to swap in a spare.

All functions are controlled by two large tactile buttons on top of the unit, easy to find and operate while running. Between them sits a blue LED battery indicator; one quick press on either button shows remaining battery life so you are not caught out mid-run or mid-race. There is also a lockout feature: with the torch off, hold both buttons for 3 seconds until the light flashes four times in eco mode, and the lamp cannot be switched on accidentally in your race vest. Repeat the same hold to unlock.

Light Output and Burn Time

The headline change is the new dual-beam setup. Alongside the familiar cool white powerful beam, the V2 adds a secondary warm white beam that cuts through mist, fog and heavy rain far better than cool light. Anyone who has run with a head torch in sea fog knows how badly reflection can render it useless, and the warm beam also helps reveal undulations on technical trails. For runners in fog-prone areas, this alone is a meaningful upgrade.

The figures are strong across the board. The cool white beam offers three modes: low at 130 lumens with 24 hours of burn time and a 49m beam, medium at 400 lumens with 12 hours and an 83m beam, and high at 1,600 lumens with 3 hours of burn time and an impressive 170m beam length. The warm white beam adds more options: an eco mode of just 5 lumens lasting a remarkable 300 hours, low at 130 lumens and 24 hours, medium at 400 lumens and 12 hours, high at 800 lumens and 6 hours, plus a 5-lumen SOS mode.

In real-world use, expect somewhat less than the lab figures. Testing suggests around 8 to 10 hours between charges, which is solid for the output and weight on offer. The 400-lumen medium setting is bright enough for almost any terrain at pace, and reserving the 1,600-lumen high mode for locating distant way markers or gates makes battery life go much further.

Everyday Performance

On the head, the V2 feels slightly more balanced than before. Phoenix has flattened the lamp profile; the previous version’s lamps angled down and protruded further, so the new shape sits better and even feels a touch lighter despite nearly identical weight.

There is deliberately no companion app and no flashing rear LED, since the battery sits up front. That simplicity is a strength rather than a gap. On a long, tough night run or a tricky night section in a race, the last thing you want is to fiddle with settings, and the HM65RT V2 keeps everything straightforward: put it on, dial in the fit, click through the modes, and run.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The V2 is a subtle update rather than a reinvention, and that is mostly a good thing. Runners who already own the original get a warmer beam option, an easier adjustment system and a washable strap, but the core light output is similar. If you are new to the model, none of this is a drawback; it simply means buying the best version yet. As always with head torch brands, treat stated burn times as optimistic since they are measured under controlled lab conditions rather than on a moving head.

Buying Advice

If you need a dependable head torch for night training, ultra races, or all-weather running, the HM65RT V2 is an easy recommendation. Bombproof construction, a genuinely bright 1,600-lumen high mode, useful warm white light for fog, strong real-world burn times and fuss-free operation make it a practical and versatile choice. Runners who prioritise app connectivity or a rear safety LED may prefer other designs, but for pure trail-running simplicity this is hard to beat.

Conclusion

Phoenix has taken feedback seriously and addressed exactly the things that needed addressing: washability, strap adjustment, balance and a fog-friendly warm beam. The result is a subtle but genuinely worthwhile update to one of the most dependable running head torches available, and an easy pick for anyone in the market.