Every EDC flashlight guide assumes one thing: you've got a free hand to hold the light. Most of the time that's true. But the moment you're under a sink, digging through a pack in the dark, changing a tire, or moving gear with both hands, a handheld light stops being convenient and starts being the thing you have to awkwardly clench in your teeth. That's the gap a headlamp fills, and it's one nobody in the EDC space talks about enough.
We carry two headlamps for exactly this reason: the Convoy H2 and the Convoy H4. Both use a right-angle body design instead of the barrel-shaped tube you'd expect from a normal flashlight, and that design choice is the whole point — it's what lets the light clip onto a headband and sit flush against your forehead instead of sticking out at a weird angle. Take the headband off and clip it to a pack strap or hat brim instead, and it works as a hands-free task light there too. Same body, different mount, depending on what you're doing.
Why a Right-Angle Body Actually Matters
A standard tube light strapped to a headband points the beam wherever the tube happens to sit, which is usually not where you're looking. The right-angle design on the H2 and H4 turns the head 90 degrees relative to the battery tube, so the beam aims straight out from your forehead no matter how the body is mounted. It's a small mechanical detail, but it's the difference between a headlamp that actually works and a flashlight someone rubber-banded to a hat.
Convoy H2: 18650, and Probably a Battery You Already Own
The H2 runs on a single 18650 cell, which matters more than it sounds like. If you're already running 18650-based EDC lights, you don't need a new battery ecosystem just to add a headlamp to the kit — the same cells and the same charger already on your desk cover this too. Runtime and output land right where you'd want for a general-purpose hands-free light: reading a map, working under a hood, setting up camp after dark, walking the dog without a flashlight clenched in your fist. If you haven't settled on an 18650 cell yet, or you're not sure how 18650 stacks up against the larger 21700 format, our 18650 vs 21700 guide covers the tradeoff in more detail.
Convoy H4: 21700, for When Runtime Actually Matters
The H4 steps up to a 21700 cell in the same right-angle format. Same mounting, same headband compatibility, but more capacity in the tube. If your hands-free use case is a long night shift, an overnight hike, or working a job site for hours at a stretch rather than a quick five-minute task, that extra capacity is the reason to spend the few extra dollars up front. The tradeoff is a slightly larger, heavier body — noticeable if you're comparing it side by side with the H2, not noticeable once it's actually strapped to your head and you're focused on the task in front of you.
Picking Between Them
Quick version: if you already run 18650 cells for your EDC flashlight and want a hands-free light for occasional, shorter-duration tasks, the H2 is the lower-friction pick — it shares your existing batteries and chargers. If you need real runtime for extended hands-free work, or you're already invested in 21700 for your main light, the H4 is worth the small step up in size. Neither is the "wrong" choice; it's a runtime-vs-bulk decision, the same tradeoff you'd weigh choosing between any 18650 and 21700 light. Whichever body you pick, grab the universal headband separately if it's not already bundled — it's built to fit either model, so there's no need to buy a second one if you eventually add both to your kit.
A Headlamp Doesn't Replace Your EDC Flashlight
This isn't an argument for ditching the compact flashlight riding in your pocket. A headlamp is a hands-free work light, not a precision tool — it floods a wide area in front of you, which is exactly wrong for peeking around a corner, signaling at distance, or keeping a low profile. Your pocket light still handles those jobs. Think of the headlamp as the thing you reach for when a task needs two hands and a fixed beam, and your handheld as the thing you reach for when you need to actually point light somewhere specific. Most people who add a headlamp to their kit end up carrying both, not swapping one for the other.
Batteries and Chargers
Since both headlamps run on cells you likely already stock for other lights, there's no dedicated headlamp-only charger to buy. Check our full batteries and chargers collection if you need to round out your 18650 or 21700 rotation — a spare cell for the headlamp means you're never stuck swapping the battery out of your primary EDC light just to get some illumination going.
Bottom Line
If you've never carried a headlamp because you assumed it was camping-only gear, reconsider it as an EDC problem-solver instead: anything that needs two hands and light at the same time is a headlamp job. The H2 keeps it simple and shares your existing 18650 cells. The H4 trades a bit of size for meaningfully more runtime. Either way, it's a small addition to the kit that solves a problem your pocket flashlight physically can't.