I am a park ranger in New Hampshire responsible for SAR. What kinds of HID options are people using? I'm thinking of Nite Rider HID Storm...how does that compare to the Edison 5? The Storm equivalent to a 45 W Halogen...the Edison claims 65W.
HID Headlamps for Search and Rescue
- Thread starter Jerimoth
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Tombeis
Enlightened
Do a search on the web for Nite Rider. There is a lot of information including cycling forums which review these products.
Whether or not they are suitable for your use is hard to say.
The battery is heavy (27 oz.) Is 4 hours run time per battery enough or would you have to carry extra batteries?
I have a light Cannon with a 10 watt HID lamp. While the output is good, it is not an extreme throw light. More of a medium distance flood.
If you could explain your needs, maybe we all could better judge what would be the best equipment for you.
Whether or not they are suitable for your use is hard to say.
The battery is heavy (27 oz.) Is 4 hours run time per battery enough or would you have to carry extra batteries?
I have a light Cannon with a 10 watt HID lamp. While the output is good, it is not an extreme throw light. More of a medium distance flood.
If you could explain your needs, maybe we all could better judge what would be the best equipment for you.
Thanks for the rec Tom. I carry a Black Diamond Gemini as well as a PT aurora and several small lights like the Ion and the Tikka to hand out to hikers who are about to become benighted. But I also carry a much brighter light, the Surge, for the following uses:
1.light up the path of a large group of people hiking down after dark, of course without adequate preparation
2. light up a large region in a search for lost hikers
3. be seen (and see) someone with whom we have made voice/whistle contact near the end of a search
4. as a signal for someone who is screaming for help- you can see them but they can't see you so you want to draw them towards you.
I am a ranger at a very busy (150,000/yr) state park in NH, but also do SAR at other locations, year round in NH.
1.light up the path of a large group of people hiking down after dark, of course without adequate preparation
2. light up a large region in a search for lost hikers
3. be seen (and see) someone with whom we have made voice/whistle contact near the end of a search
4. as a signal for someone who is screaming for help- you can see them but they can't see you so you want to draw them towards you.
I am a ranger at a very busy (150,000/yr) state park in NH, but also do SAR at other locations, year round in NH.
James Van Artsdalen
Enlightened
I'm going to make a suggestion in an entirely different direction: consider the McCulloch X990. BrightGuy sells them for ~ $550 (apparently now called the Arco X990).
This has a 35W bulb and a large diameter reflector, giving it very long range – hundreds of yards. It did very well in the superlight competition. It's a hand-held searchlight (literally a bright auto headlight on a battery, only focused for much longer range).
It won't go in your pocket or on a headband, though it does have a neck strap. If you have to hike miles through woods the 6 lb weight (w/battery) might be a bit much. But if you move from stop to stop on an ATV or whatever and scan the surrounding hills/valleys with light & bull horn, this might be the way to go.
There used to be a 12v adapter for it. If you are on an ATV you might be able to power it from the vehicle and save battery weight (the 12v goes in place of the battery pack).
There is no comparison in the range and light output between an X990 and everything else you list, combined! The real question is whether you have a carry scenario for which this is too bulky. But for SAR being able to see and be seen for 3x the range of a smaller HID, and much further than any incandescent, seems useful.
I have a Surge, X990, UK LC-100 and others, but not a Nite Rider or other small HID. At my ranch I use the LC-100 as a floodlight when working on equipment, or the X990 to look across the fields. An Elektroluemens Blaster VI covers most normal situations pretty well.
This has a 35W bulb and a large diameter reflector, giving it very long range – hundreds of yards. It did very well in the superlight competition. It's a hand-held searchlight (literally a bright auto headlight on a battery, only focused for much longer range).
It won't go in your pocket or on a headband, though it does have a neck strap. If you have to hike miles through woods the 6 lb weight (w/battery) might be a bit much. But if you move from stop to stop on an ATV or whatever and scan the surrounding hills/valleys with light & bull horn, this might be the way to go.
There used to be a 12v adapter for it. If you are on an ATV you might be able to power it from the vehicle and save battery weight (the 12v goes in place of the battery pack).
There is no comparison in the range and light output between an X990 and everything else you list, combined! The real question is whether you have a carry scenario for which this is too bulky. But for SAR being able to see and be seen for 3x the range of a smaller HID, and much further than any incandescent, seems useful.
I have a Surge, X990, UK LC-100 and others, but not a Nite Rider or other small HID. At my ranch I use the LC-100 as a floodlight when working on equipment, or the X990 to look across the fields. An Elektroluemens Blaster VI covers most normal situations pretty well.
there is also the KenRad UDL30 SAR light, seems to be some sort of compromise between the X990 and smaller lights:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB7&Number=357961&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1
bernhard
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB7&Number=357961&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1
bernhard
Hi...I also saw the Cateye Stadium HID light...25W and they claim equivalent to 85 W halogen. Not sure I can mount it on a helmet for SAR but looks more convenient than the X990 and the LC-100, at least as far as use in the backcountry is concerned- due to it's smaller size. Wonder what people think of that light compared to the X990 and LC-100 for SAR purposes.
The web site for this is http://www.webmountainbike.com./catstadlig.html
Curious as to what people think of this one. Seems brighter than the Nite Rider and may be approaching the league of the big ones mentioned above.
Curious as to what people think of this one. Seems brighter than the Nite Rider and may be approaching the league of the big ones mentioned above.
larryk
Enlightened
I bought a used Cateye Stadium 3 light, and the output was no where near what they claim. It would take at least 10 of these lights to have the output of a X990. It has a very high color temp. bulb that gave off an almost purple beam. But mine was bought used, and maybe not working correctly.
Larry.
Larry.
makar
Enlightened
yet thought about the lupine edison?
blahblahblah
Enlightened
I just got the 2004 Niterider Cyclone in the mail Monday. If you are considering the Storm, please reconsider for the Cyclone. It offers 3 levels of HID lighting plus constant/flashing/SOS LED options.
For SAR, this would be great as a helmet/headlamp. I has 4 hours on HID high and 6 hours on HID low for battery time. In LED mode, the battery will last for days.
For the "S" part of SAR, I would recommend a 35w HID light when near a 12v power supply. If you are on foot, the headlamp is probably all you can carry.
For SAR, this would be great as a helmet/headlamp. I has 4 hours on HID high and 6 hours on HID low for battery time. In LED mode, the battery will last for days.
For the "S" part of SAR, I would recommend a 35w HID light when near a 12v power supply. If you are on foot, the headlamp is probably all you can carry.
James- I don't use an ATV because the terrain is very bouldery in the New Hampshire mountains. Still, I am willing to carry a heavier light up to a point- since I already carry a 70 lb pack another 6 won't really matter, and on searches I can probably dump the cardiac module which includes an oxygen tank and save 25 pounds right there.
LarryK- So far what I've seen on the internet in terms of reviews are somewhat positive- some bad experiences but more good experiences. Maybe the one you purchased wasn't working perfectly.
Still wondering if there is a way to mount it on a headband for headlamp use.
Makar- I was wondering myself about the Lupine Edison...it's close to $700, $300 more than the Nite
Rider...do you think it's worth it? I'm trying to figure out if they use the same basic arc light, in which case I would go for the NiteRider. If the Cateye werer adaptable to a headstrap, or the Edison really had a better bulb, then I'd consider one of them.
LarryK- So far what I've seen on the internet in terms of reviews are somewhat positive- some bad experiences but more good experiences. Maybe the one you purchased wasn't working perfectly.
Still wondering if there is a way to mount it on a headband for headlamp use.
Makar- I was wondering myself about the Lupine Edison...it's close to $700, $300 more than the Nite
Rider...do you think it's worth it? I'm trying to figure out if they use the same basic arc light, in which case I would go for the NiteRider. If the Cateye werer adaptable to a headstrap, or the Edison really had a better bulb, then I'd consider one of them.
makar
Enlightened
jerimoth- sorry i don't know too much about the hid technique. i just wanted to give you a hint what else you could choose. i have another light from lupine and i like the quality of the light. the prices are in fact high.
larryk
Enlightened
If your interested in a Cateye Stadium 3 light, there are 4 listed on Ebay. Two are brand new starting at $289.00 with a buy it now of $ 325.00 at his ebay store. Larry.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3631790369&category=22689
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3631790369&category=22689
Jerimoth,
I have been searching for a good HID headlamp for quite sometimes. I might be able to tell what I found. By the way, I also have X990.
For non-headlamp HID for SAR task, I don't think LC-100 is one of the option due to its fragile lamp bulb. You need something tough, bang and bump is inevitable in the mountain.
I have considered seriously between niterider and edision. Niterider doesn't have good name on its reliability. I have Xtreme LED headlamp from Lupine and love its quality, thus I am a little bias toward Edison. Its flood reflector does put me on a second thought. It was designed to be used on biking that flood beam is preferable but not exactly good for SAR.
Cut it short, I couldn't be able to get an idea HID headlamp for my purpose. Until a better HID headlamp is introduced in the market, I would highly suggest X990. I always carry X990 to the mountain or night hiking, I don't feel its weight. Being fair, 6 lbs is light for a SAR light or for a backpacker. It also comes with spare battery (2 batteries lasts for 150 minutes). Lastly, it's BRIGHT, MUCH brighter than Edison or Niterider.
Regarding Stadium 3, I couldn't see how to carry it unless you want to build something by yourself to make Stadium 3 carriable. Headband mounting might not be an option as it's too big to be a headlamp.
Alan
I have been searching for a good HID headlamp for quite sometimes. I might be able to tell what I found. By the way, I also have X990.
For non-headlamp HID for SAR task, I don't think LC-100 is one of the option due to its fragile lamp bulb. You need something tough, bang and bump is inevitable in the mountain.
I have considered seriously between niterider and edision. Niterider doesn't have good name on its reliability. I have Xtreme LED headlamp from Lupine and love its quality, thus I am a little bias toward Edison. Its flood reflector does put me on a second thought. It was designed to be used on biking that flood beam is preferable but not exactly good for SAR.
Cut it short, I couldn't be able to get an idea HID headlamp for my purpose. Until a better HID headlamp is introduced in the market, I would highly suggest X990. I always carry X990 to the mountain or night hiking, I don't feel its weight. Being fair, 6 lbs is light for a SAR light or for a backpacker. It also comes with spare battery (2 batteries lasts for 150 minutes). Lastly, it's BRIGHT, MUCH brighter than Edison or Niterider.
Regarding Stadium 3, I couldn't see how to carry it unless you want to build something by yourself to make Stadium 3 carriable. Headband mounting might not be an option as it's too big to be a headlamp.
Alan
Thanks Alan,
For Fall foliage season (when we tend to spend a lot of time picking hikers out of the woods) I am tending to agree with you and may order the x990. I agree with you about the Stadium. I also agree that the 6 lbs aren't that big a deal, especially since in SAR you're not moving that fast. If I were to go with a headlight then it sounds like the Edison is the better choice, but it will be a big bite out of my budget, since we have to equip ourselves and New Hampshire, being tax-free, doesn't have a budget for state park rangers to speak of. I'll ponder all of this and try to decide before too many more people get lost. (We had a lot of us searching for a 10yo boy last week, who died despite a massive search lasting four days.)
For Fall foliage season (when we tend to spend a lot of time picking hikers out of the woods) I am tending to agree with you and may order the x990. I agree with you about the Stadium. I also agree that the 6 lbs aren't that big a deal, especially since in SAR you're not moving that fast. If I were to go with a headlight then it sounds like the Edison is the better choice, but it will be a big bite out of my budget, since we have to equip ourselves and New Hampshire, being tax-free, doesn't have a budget for state park rangers to speak of. I'll ponder all of this and try to decide before too many more people get lost. (We had a lot of us searching for a 10yo boy last week, who died despite a massive search lasting four days.)
To everyone that has commented...thanks, haven't made up my mind yet about to leave for my 36 hour shift as a ranger- looks like another busy foliage weekend is upon us in New Hampshire.
When looking at the x990 I also noticed people debating the KenRad dive and personal lights, and would appreciate any updated info on them, as some seem like they may have even greater throw than the x990, though not sure.
When looking at the x990 I also noticed people debating the KenRad dive and personal lights, and would appreciate any updated info on them, as some seem like they may have even greater throw than the x990, though not sure.
Here's one for bicycles but says it can be mounted on a helment. Looks nice but I have not seen one in person. Might be worth a look.
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=&subcategory=&brand=&sku=10134&storetype=estore&estoreid=64
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=&subcategory=&brand=&sku=10134&storetype=estore&estoreid=64
Jerimoth,
I don't think the KenRad personal lights is rechargeable (at least not now). Unless someone foot all battery bill, you'll get broke real fast
When its li-ion bat becomes available, it would be interesting to see how this light and Pila HID compare (both will be in Li-ion bat). Anyway, I never heard that this light has better throw than X990.
Alan
I don't think the KenRad personal lights is rechargeable (at least not now). Unless someone foot all battery bill, you'll get broke real fast
When its li-ion bat becomes available, it would be interesting to see how this light and Pila HID compare (both will be in Li-ion bat). Anyway, I never heard that this light has better throw than X990.
Alan
