Need input on headlamp

[richpalm]

Hi folks,

I've been away from the forum for quite awhile due to a move, $$$, etc. Since I'm more in the country now, where it's *really* dark, my light needs/wants have changed.

Since I got another baby,

now I walk two big dogs and juggling two leashes and a light is not an option. So I need a headlamp but can't find one that meets my requirements:

1) Luxeon main LED only,
2) 5mm as secondary,
3) AA or bigger only, (NO AAA)
4) belt carried battery pack, preferably with switch on the pack itself, not the light.
5) One level fine-I don't need variable brightness.

(I cannot use 5mm as a primary; the bluish cast is not bright enough-I'm night blind-and I get headachy if I use it for extended periods.

I switch on and off to save batteries in lighted areas and I need the switch in a convenient place 'cause I hold the leashes in my left hand using the right as support. Fumbling around I invariably drop one of the leashes when my slow brain short circuits, trying to juggle everything without dropping anything.

Right now I use my Super LGI as I can hold it and press the clickie into my side-nice and simple.

Any ideas are greatly appreciated-but I think it's gonna be mod city. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

Thanks!

Rich

 

[ACMarina]

Those are some tall orders. Maybe you could mod an incandescent with an Everled, but offhand I can't think of any production lights taht fit that description. 3/5 is hard. .

 

[Lurveleven]

There are not many headlamps with belt carried battery pack, and I have yet to see one with a switch one the pack itself. What I would have done was to choose a light that fulfilled your other needs and then found a nice switch to mount on the wire that connect the battery pack. You can then place the switch where you find it most suitable.

Sigbjoern

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I just picked up two headlamps with belt battery packs, one uses 4D cells in a plastic pack the other a 4.5A/Hr 6v SLA in a nylon/denim green pack. Both have a single LED light and an incan light... the 4D has a halogen lamp the SLA has a xenon I think. I may be able to pick up more of these lights I have to check and see if you are interested. I like the SLA version myself I estimate 5 hours runtime for the 800ma lamp in it.

 

[BlindedByTheLite]

maybe you could look into getting a Petzl Myo 5 with the C-battery belt pack, and then replacing the incan main bulb with a luxeon. i don't think you can turn the light on via the belt pack tho.

maybe a more specialized company makes something like what you're looking for, maybe targeted @ cavers or something.

 

[mckevin]

I think that this will do everything that you have requested, except the belt pack. Might be a place to start...

 

[PeLu]

[ QUOTE ]
richpalm said:(I cannot use 5mm as a primary; the bluish cast is not bright enough

[/ QUOTE ]

Strange opinion. Look at the Lupine lights, the 5mm LEDs have a higher efficiency and their light distribution is very good for most headlamp uses.

 

[mrme]

[ QUOTE ]
richpalm said:

now I walk two big dogs and juggling two leashes and a light is not an option. So I need a headlamp but can't find one that meets my requirements:

1) Luxeon main LED only,
2) 5mm as secondary,
3) AA or bigger only, (NO AAA)
4) belt carried battery pack, preferably with switch on the pack itself, not the light.
5) One level fine-I don't need variable brightness.

(I cannot use 5mm as a primary; the bluish cast is not bright enough-I'm night blind-and I get headachy if I use it for extended periods.

I switch on and off to save batteries in lighted areas and I need the switch in a convenient place 'cause I hold the leashes in my left hand using the right as support. Fumbling around I invariably drop one of the leashes when my slow brain short circuits, trying to juggle everything without dropping anything.

Right now I use my Super LGI as I can hold it and press the clickie into my side-nice and simple.

Any ideas are greatly appreciated-but I think it's gonna be mod city. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

Thanks!

Rich

[/ QUOTE ]

If the night blindness thing from LEDs bothers you, consider a good incan. If you are doing this regularly, rechargable Ni-Mh will allow it to run at peak, white brightness.

About the only way I see meeting most of your requirements would be to splice a belt battery pack onto a PT Yukon HL. But you will be playing the Luxeon Lottery and the off color thing will probably get you.

By the way, the Petzl Myo is a very unfriendly light to modders. It is held together by plasic posts which are melted at the end, so it is hard to take one apart and even harder to get it back together. The bulb is very short and small so a drop in Luxeon is out of the question, at lest with current Luxeon offerings. Who knows what they will cook up next in the SMT market.

Depending on how many lights you have out there where you are, you may want a super powerful headlamp. When out in the wilderness (which is where most light are designed for) you don't need a lot of light since there are no other light to compete with. You will likely deal with glare from passing trucks, secuity lights and other things. 1 Watt from your light will be cometing against 200 a hundred yards away, and it will be a tough competion. If it were me, I would definitely get a powerful xenon headlamp (around 5 watts) which runs well on rechargables.

If I couod afford it, proabably a BD Solaris (Li-Ion battery)would be my first choice. It is not a belt carried battery pack, though.

PT has a lamp called the Switchback which runs on 4 C cells in a belt pack. Three 5mm LEDs and a dual filiment bulb. I think it has been discontinued, but they show up on ebay regularly.

Petzl Myo belt wouldn't be a bad option.

If you like things simple, the BD Polar Star might work nicely. Its 3 AA battery pack is small enough to fit in your pocket.

Sorry to rain on your Luxeon parade, but you really would be better off with a xenon that will give you the full color spectrum of light and more of it.

 

[chumley]

Good ideas mrme. Your comment on PT Yukon HL remind me of the new PT Yukon Extreme. It has a regulated 2 filament xenon bulb and 3 leds. It is powered by a seperate 8 AA battery pack that can be belt mounted. The switch is on the lamp head however. The bulb has soft start feature, so it should last a long time before blowing.

 

[JohnJ80]

I think there is a Black Diamond light that would work for you - actually several. Check them out, I have a couple and am very happy with them.

J

 

[mrme]

This headlamp comes very close to meeting your requirements.
That doesn't mean its the best headlamp for you, but it is what you asked for.
Primus PrimeLite Adventure Remote LED Headlamp
It has a remote control instead of a switch on the detatchable battery pack.

In the humid night air, the luxeon will leave you begging for an incadescent.

 

[AmondoTech]

How about this one:
LED-Duet Headlight (HLX-513AA):
http://www.amondotech.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=867

Regards,
Wayne

 

[offroadcmpr]

theres a pelican light, the heads up series might work, it ranges from a two different 1 watt led running off AA to a incan + 3 LEDs running off 4Ds on the hip.
I havent heard much about those lights though