Exposure Marine headtorches: HT RAW & RAW PRO 2.0

Exposure Marine’s two flagship headtorches, the HT RAW and RAW PRO 2.0 are marketed as all the personal lighting equipment you’ll ever need. However, is such a claim backed up by the products themselves, or has the marketing team gone out for lunch?

Starting off, the RAW PRO 2.0 is a smaller unit as compared to the larger HT RAW, weighing in at 82 grams versus 102 respectively - the HT RAW is also physically a bulkier unit. The difference was notable when flicking from one unit to another, but it would be amiss to suggest either were uncomfortable. 

It was noticed though that both units did get hot to touch when used for longer periods of time, although this was only realised when trying to change lighting modes and feeling around the unit for the button - the headband itself insulated any excess heat.

The PRO 2.0’s light unit itself could be separated from the headband, and ‘clips in,’ whilst the HT RAW is an integral part of the headband. This grants the RAW PRO 2.0 180 degrees of rotation, compared to the RAW’s piddling 45.

Both were intuitive to use after a quick read of the instructions, although it was interesting to see how the two products had different interfaces, in terms of how to switch from different lighting modes, i.e. white/red or brighter/less bright. This was a minor niggle though, and hardly a dealbreaker.

What was more of an issue was the charging ports each used. Whilst the RAW’s was a simple USB hidden behind the ‘storm flap’ (which I initially struggled to open before working out the technique), the RAW PRO 2.0 used a different, magnetic charger which I had never seen before. An excess number of cables on a boat can quickly contribute to clutter, and it would be nice to have a universal system. Indeed, out of the four products I was sent by Exposure Marine, three used different charging systems!

A bigger niggle was the button on the RAW. It was small, and hard to push without gloves - I never truly got on with this head torch for that exact reason, and was a major factor for why I would choose the RAW PRO 2.0 over the RAW.

Obviously, both products are fully waterproof, and are suited to the marine environment. Indeed, they have been trusted by offshore sailors and rowers across the world.

The RAW shouldn’t be discounted by any means though. It has a peak lumen output three times the PRO 2.0 (for short bursts), as well as a much longer run time of 96 hours compared to the PRO 2.0’s 22 hours (at their lowest settings). The RAW is a more heavy-duty piece of equipment, but I personally never felt the need for any more power than the RAW PRO 2.0 offered.

They both offer white/red lighting, which is an essential box to tick for anyone needing personal lighting extreme environments such as offshore sailing.

It obviously depends on the use case of the individual, and these head torches’ position at the top end of the market mean a large majority may need that greater headroom. I just found on a boat with ample access to charging that such a long battery time wasn’t needed, and I never felt the need for the extra brightness the RAW offers either. I found the reduced weight of the RAW PRO 2.0 as well as the more comfortable button and greater vertical rotation more attractive compared to the bulkier RAW.  Even when I used the two head torches staffing a Scout camp, they were used for a maximum of four hours a night, needing nowhere near the full capacity of their batteries.

It is needless to say both products were of the utmost quality. Manufactured in Britain, each was handpacked with a handwritten note stating who packed it - a nice little addition to the purchase. The RAW also came with stickers to stick to whatever paraphernalia you should desire. They both also arrived in hard but flexible boxes, to protect them when not in use, although, for some reason, the RAW’s box was much larger than the RAW PRO 2.0’s, which was a slight annoyance when attempting to store in a coat or hi-fits pocket.

Overall, though, both the HT RAW and the RAW PRO 2.0 are, put simply, quality items. Whilst they may initially appear costly, they will pay for themselves by virtue of their toughness and lengthy lifetime. There’s a reason Exposure Marine is trusted by seach & rescue teams like the Severn Area Rescue Association, offshore rowers like Annasley Park and offshore sailing teams like winners of the Volvo Ocean Race Dongfeng Race Team and 2028 Vendee Globe competitors Canada Ocean Racing.

At the end of the day, no-one ever wishes they spent slightly less on something that genuinely could save your life.

Whilst Exposure Marine provided products for review, the process was entirely impartial and no-one at Exposure was shown this piece before it went live.