Help with headlamp choice

[arkan]

Hi all,

I'm currently looking for a decent headlamp but with so many choices out there i figured flashaholic community may be able to help me choose. Here is what i am looking for:

- AA or AAA battery type
- Good flood pattern (for throw i have my trusty TK41 on standby )
- This will mostly be used on my night fishing trips so a good runtime on medium would be preferred.
- Waterproof is a must
- No separate battery compartment
- Budget is $0 - $100

Here is what i have considered so far:

Spark SD52 - Fits most of my needs so far
Fenix HP20 and HP11 - don't want separate battery compartment
Fenix HL30 - Specs are great i'm just concerned with cheap plastic build that caries high price tag?
Fenix HL 21 - Decent price but feel a bit underpowered and low runtime with single battery design
Zebralight H51 and H502 - Specs and performance seems decent but i'm concerned with reports that it's not really waterproof to advertised standards?

Let me know what you guys think of these or feel free to recommend me anything that might fit my needs.

Thanks

 

[DrHanz]

maybe the Black Diamond Storm? 4xAAA, waterproof (30 min 1 meter I think) no separate battery comp., flood and spot, red leds, cheap...

 

[raphaello]

Spark ST5 - 220 lumens on a single AA battery! Very convenient T-shape body, so that you can use it when you have a cap or a hood. Excellent build quality! Runtimes are almost identical as on a Zebralight.
If you ask me - stay away from Fenix. Bulky, ugly (as hell), not efficient enough lights, that are years behind companies like Spark or Zebralight.
:thumbsup:

 

[arkan]

If you ask me - stay away from Fenix. Bulky, ugly (as hell), not efficient enough lights, that are years behind companies like Spark or Zebralight.
:thumbsup:

I'd say that's a bit bias, none of those things can i say about Fenix TK41 i have... Anyhow in the interest of staying on topic I've looked into the Spark Headlamp series and it looks very attractive, especially SD52.

 

[raphaello]

The SD52 is a great headlamp but it is very floody! I think Bolster was the one who made a wonderful review (with pictures) on it - you can find it here in the "headlamp forum". It is perfect for setting up a camp, working in a closet, under a car, in an elevator, etc ... but it will do you no good if you need to walk with it on a trail at night.
The most important question is - what are going to use the headlamp for?

 

[jbrett14]

Having already gone through years of buying other lights and looking for the headlight you describe, I would get another ZL if it were me. A perfect flood of light comes from my ZL H501.

Not sure the difference between the H51 & H502, but I have used mine for fishing at night and it's GREAT. Lights up the entire area in front of you without the need to re-adjust the angle of the light. It's also very lightweight and easy to use.

 

[Dplight21]

Some days ago I saw a headlamp of PELICAN brand. The Item name is "PELICAN 2EUE6". It is AAA battery type. And it is provided in $48.10.

 

[127.0.0.1]

I don't understand the zebralight + water dilemma but have seen all the posts about it

it is not a dive light, so don't operate the button underwater
it is meant to be dunked or dropped but not used underwater

I soak my h600 daily, never has any leaks

 

[jbrett14]

I don't understand the zebralight + water dilemma but have seen all the posts about it

it is not a dive light, so don't operate the button underwater
it is meant to be dunked or dropped but not used underwater

I soak my h600 daily, never has any leaks

I feel the same way. Of my normal EDC lights, or toolbox lights (NON-dive lights), in all the years I have been using them, they have never once seen any amount of water that would damage them. The reason is simple - they are NOT dive lights, and therefore I do not use them as such.

Having said that, if the manufacturer claims that their light is submersible, then I can see why a fellow might complain.

My suggestion would be to buy a dive light if you are expecting a light to work under water. But again, the manufacturer shouldn't be making claims that are not true, or that they won't back up with a replacement.

 

[arkan]

Thanks for the suggestion guys. Using it as a dive light is definitely not something I'm considering, but a rainy day or accidental drop in shallow water has happened to me before hence why I'm a bit concern with the waterproofness. The more i look into SD52 the more i see the point with that it's too floody, however the H51Fw seems to have perfect beam pattern for my needs.

 

[Bolster]

I don't understand the zebralight + water dilemma but have seen all the posts about it

it is not a dive light, so don't operate the button underwater
it is meant to be dunked or dropped but not used underwater

I soak my h600 daily, never has any leaks

Well... I agree with the spirit of your post, but:

I've not seen or heard of any evidence that operating the H502 button underwater has caused a problem. We're still trying to figure out if there's a systematic waterproof problem at the bezel or not. Oddly, at this point (8/24) the poll has zero actual water leak reports, although one person reported (assumed) a leak without a water test, and three people that I know of have mentioned leaks outside the poll. (Why they haven't reported in the poll, I don't know.)

However the focus of attention is on the seal around the bezel, not the switch boot. Some people (myself included) have been able to force air through here; but at the same time that may not contraindicate some level of waterproofness. For example, even though I can get air through mine, my light cruised through a 15 minute dunk test with no water ingress (altho that's not an IPX8 or 7 test).

The rating of IPX8 would indicate that the light should be able to be used underwater. But you are correct, it is not a dive light. We're still trying to resolve the issue, to find if there's a systematic or persistent issue or not. Still unclear. So if you've done a dunk test, please report in the "waterproof poll" running now, thanks.

@ Arkan - the SD52 comes with two different bezels, one floody, one gives spot/spill.

 

[Incan]

i can only comment on the Zebralight H502. i just got an H502c and i do a lot of trotlining and jug-fishing at night. its good when youre baiting hooks or looking for something in the bottom of the boat. if you shine it out over the water, theres really no throw at all. one more thing is that if youre fishing with a buddy, your light is always going to be in their eyes because it has such a wide beam. i bring my H502c on night fishing trips but i have to keep using my old Petzl light a lot. if you only need a light for close-up work, the H502 would be an excellent choice.

Edited to add: I have gotten the light wet and have had no issues with it "not being waterproof"

 

[igoman]

Nice, I didnt even know about Sparks. What is the better choice in ST5--CW or NW?
What do you think of the rubber holder for the lamp, does it hold the lamp well in place, or will loosen up with time?

 

[127.0.0.1]

Nice, I didnt even know about Sparks. What is the better choice in ST5--CW or NW?
What do you think of the rubber holder for the lamp, does it hold the lamp well in place, or will loosen up with time?

silicone does not stretch over time, it can only wear thinner, perhaps if you grind on it with dirt. I see no
issues in the long run with removing and reinserting my h600 in the holder. it has the same grip as ever

 

[127.0.0.1]

Well... I agree with the spirit of your post, but:

I've not seen or heard of any evidence that operating the H502 button underwater has caused a problem. We're still trying to figure out if there's a systematic waterproof problem at the bezel or not. Oddly, at this point (8/24) the poll has zero actual water leak reports, although one person reported (assumed) a leak without a water test, and three people that I know of have mentioned leaks outside the poll. (Why they haven't reported in the poll, I don't know.)

However the focus of attention is on the seal around the bezel, not the switch boot. Some people (myself included) have been able to force air through here; but at the same time that may not contraindicate some level of waterproofness. For example, even though I can get air through mine, my light cruised through a 15 minute dunk test with no water ingress (altho that's not an IPX8 or 7 test).

The rating of IPX8 would indicate that the light should be able to be used underwater. But you are correct, it is not a dive light. We're still trying to resolve the issue, to find if there's a systematic or persistent issue or not. Still unclear. So if you've done a dunk test, please report in the "waterproof poll" running now, thanks.

@ Arkan - the SD52 comes with two different bezels, one floody, one gives spot/spill.

well, there are generally 3 types of users

a) use the light as a light, not a science project on testing lights, and hey I found water inside it

b) testers and white wall hunters who buy a light and want to counter-claim all the specs

c) normal users who have no issues

I am in C and I use the light for 3 hours each night, then hose it down in the sink for 15 minutes and
put it away wet. no issues, never a leak. this is with h600w and h501. also a friend of mine uses an
h600 in the snow night skiing and it gets soaked constantly with melted snow and zero water ingress.

your mileage may vary. I agree zebralight might have a manufacturing issue where the bezel is pressed
in...but I personally have seen no problems and my light gets wet constantly. perhaps I am lucky

regardless. the zebralight headlamp is a bada** design and pure genius in my opinion

 

[markr6]

well, there are generally 3 types of users

a) use the light as a light, not a science project on testing lights, and hey I found water inside it

b) testers and white wall hunters who buy a light and want to counter-claim all the specs

c) normal users who have no issues

I am in C and I use the light for 3 hours each night, then hose it down in the sink for 15 minutes and
put it away wet. no issues, never a leak. this is with h600w and h501. also a friend of mine uses an
h600 in the snow night skiing and it gets soaked constantly with melted snow and zero water ingress.

your mileage may vary. I agree zebralight might have a manufacturing issue where the bezel is pressed
in...but I personally have seen no problems and my light gets wet constantly. perhaps I am lucky

regardless. the zebralight headlamp is a bada** design and pure genius in my opinion

AMEN!

 

[Yogazoo]

I may get snubbed by some of the more refined flashaholics here but I find my Black Diamond Storm to be a great EDC headlamp ($40). It's bright and has both spot and flood LED options. It also has infinite dimming, power button lockout feature, and red LED's for night reading (pretty dim and not useful for nighttime navigation). I get about 3 hours on high (100 lm) with four Eneloops. It's also lightweight, compact, and has a battery level indicator.

LED Type : 1 TriplePower, 4 SinglePower (2 white, 2 red)
Lumens : 100
Max Distances : 70 m (TriplePower LED); 25 m (2 SinglePower LEDs)
Max Burn Time : 50 H (TriplePower LED); 125 H (SinglePower LEDs)
Batteries : 4 AAA
Weight With Batteries : 110 g, 3.9 oz
IPX Rating : 7