New Headlamp

[Joe Talmadge]

One request ... I quickly skimmed the earlier posts so apologies if it's been offered already ...

When the flood is on, a mode to press-and-hold for momentary HIGH on the throw LED.

Generally speaking, if I"m in flood, I don't really need throw going on permanently, although it's a cool idea. But I would like momentary throw while the flood is going

 

[uk_caver]

From experience with twin-beam caving lights (2 and 3 levels/beam), I'd say it's certainly good to be able to mix a little spot beam in with a flood - gives the chance of picking out the path ahead while not having a relatively blinding spot which can diminish the usefulness of the flood beam.
A little added spot can also seem to subjectively 'pull out' a flood beam and make it feel like it has better throw even outside the area lit by the spot.

If the controls were completely independent, that does mean the thermal side of things has to cope with more heat than if somehow the high+high combination could be avoided.
I guess one option there would be to have the electronics set to allow a high+high setting, but to dim the beams a little when both are on high at once.
That also has some positive implications for worst-case battery light, and the subjective loss of light compared to a full-power high+high may well be rather small.

For a camping light, being able to have a pure flood is a serious bonus - reading a book in a tent is a dream with a flood.

 

[colina]

For people like you, who need longer runtime, there will be a 4-6AA belt-pack available.

That sounds good. I currently use a PT Yukon HL for sea fishing but am looking for much more light output, ideally 200 lumens+ (twin cree?).

I run my light for up to 12 hours continuosly on medium power, with regular use of max power and do not want to swap batteries if possible. For my requirements I have no use of a low beam.

Running on standard sized nimh cells (AA, C or D) is the preferred option for me, as these batteries are easily obtained and have reasonable capacity. An internal powersource using 2 or 4 AA's would be OK for short (summer) sessions with the possibility of a pluggable external battery pack using multiple C or D cells to provide maximum run-time. D sized Nmih cells are easily obtained with 10000mAh.

For my requirements a single AAA cree headlamp does not do the job.

 

[degarb]

Running on standard sized nimh cells (AA, C or D) is the preferred option for me, as these batteries are easily obtained and have reasonable capacity. ... D sized Nmih cells are easily obtained with 10000mAh.

I have found AA are easy to obtain. But locally, good rechargeable D or C sizes are impossible to find. ( I only find 2500 milliamphour D cells locally--aye, eye!) If you must order a battery, what do you do in mean time if you use the light every day (like me at work)? But perhaps, there is a store I haven't found.

Not only the availability of C or D's, there is also the question, "are we gaining anything jumping to a D size, since it is still NiMH technology?" I am assuming since the same technology, you have same energy density (size and weight) as the AA's that are easier to get, cheaper, come in hybrid variety, and charge in 15 minutes.

 

[stevoman]

Not sure if you've finished taking suggestions, but I have a couple more.

Primary use: Search and Rescue (intermittent on/off to check maps / navigate, permanent flood use for tricky terrain - spot/throw for use in tight indoor areas, but mainly will be provided by handheld flashlight)

Secondary use: Mountain / road biking and touring (in addition to a handlebar mounted light).

Power source: AA (easiest to get hold of, cheapest to run rechargable). I don't fancy explosive lithium cells fixed to my head.

Switch arrangement:
Switches must be operable whilst wearing gloves. I don't want to dazzle myself or my team, so definitely no instant death-beam.
I know it's very non traditional, but I'd prefer an analogue rotating power switch for each LED, so I can set the brightness to a specific level. This probably compicates the electronics, and certainly makes it more challenging to waterproof. Either way, I wouldn't want it to go into high mode when initially turned on.

Other thoughts:
Make sure the weight balance is sensible for the strap elastic - I don't want it wobbling around when I move, I don't want to have to make it so tight that my brains start coming out of my ears just to support the weight, and I don't want to feel like I'm carrying bricks on my head.

It has to be waterproof (preferably submergable, not just splash/showerproof)

Also make sure there are minimal sticking out parts that can catch on branches. Ensure that any wires to battery packs are clipped / secured to straps where possible, I don't want to end up hanging from a tree.

Just a few thoughts...

 

[degarb]

Stevoman, you don't like bricks, you don't like explosives on your head, you don't wan't to end up hanging from a tree. Get a grip man, you can't plan on living forever, and, you strike me as a bit of a complainer.

Easily obtainable batteries, glove operation, infinite settings. Next you are going to ask the thing to do your pedalling for you? I bet you put that down too, but just deleted it before the final post. Am I not right?

Personally, I plan to be buried with mine strapped to my head. Lit too, I hope with an extra big battery pack that can go the distance. Nah, no need to "go into the light", especially when it ain't a Cree.

 

[TorchBoy]

Next you are going to ask the thing to do your petalling for you?

Is that something like macramé or origami?

 

[stevoman]

Stevoman, you don't like bricks, you don't like explosives on your head, you don't wan't to end up hanging from a tree. Get a grip man, you can't plan on living forever, and, you strike me as a bit of a complainer.

All those things are fine when it's recreational - but repeatedly having to evacuate team members on a stretcher (or possibly in a coffin in the case of exploding headlamps) tends to raise eyebrows, and lower efficiency in a search team

Naturally there are different requirements for different potential uses of a light, and it's impossible to cater for all - there's just a few ideas from a mainly SAR perspective.

I would imagine that non explosive head mounted devices are appreciated by most users, except possibly as a kind of tactical self-defence option, when combined with a thick fireproof helmet, and large visor


:santa:

 

[DM51]

Stevoman, you don't like bricks, you don't like explosives on your head, you don't wan't to end up hanging from a tree. Get a grip man, you can't plan on living forever, and, you strike me as a bit of a complainer.

degarb, I don't know whether or not you meant this as good-natured ribbing, but it left me in some doubt. If that is all you meant, I think you should have made it rather more obvious that you were only kidding.

If on the other hand you meant your comments seriously, you need to understand that derisive comments and disrespectful personal attacks of this sort will not be tolerated.

 

[degarb]

All

I would imagine that non explosive head mounted devices are appreciated by most users, except possibly as a kind of tactical self-defence option, when combined with a thick fireproof helmet, and large visor

I think you are onto something. No not I'm not talking the terrorist model, while probably a best seller in the Mid East. I think a blinding headlamp with built in taser, is yet an untapped market for those midnight joggers.

A scaled down model may only have an added bug zapper.

 

[degarb]

Of course I was kidding. I actually thought how Stevoman was wording his observations quite clever and funny, thus I had to drive home the humor of his wording. Naturally, I don't expect everyone to get when we might be kidding, while making some serious suggestions [which I strongly agree with most of his points}. I did try to make a tongue and cheek ending as obvious as possible without the "smilies" that I think tend to actually "dehumorize".

On a side note, one thing I do is mod all my 3 AAA to 4 AA holder plus variable resistor. I tend to prefer the reliability of the 4 AA, but rear 3 AA can be as comfortable as 3 AAA in head--so I'm torn. I can put a dummy aluminum battery in a 4 AA pack if desired to lighten, though. I could even put a LIon and three dummies if desired. The manufacturer that includes a controller to handle 3 -6 volts and offers light dummies or a modular pack, would have the best product. A jogger would prefer a single cell, a biker--likely 3 AA, while a walking/standing worker/sportsman might prefer 4 AA for duration.

http://theledguy.chainreactionweb.c...d=986&osCsid=f2acef234083f40413255253a424fb40

 

[DM51]

Fair enough! He has taken it that way too.

 

[AvPD]

My requirements for a good headlamp:
-Runs off AA's.
-Robust mount that can withstand being sat on.
-Smooth hinge adjustment rather than having notches.
-Low & high mode only, high for walking outdoors and low for up-close activity (to prevent batteries draining too quickly).
-5mm LEDS fine as long as they're efficient (at least 70lm/w), or power LED with a large hotspot (no smaller than the hotspot of an Ultrafire WF-606A).

 

[clg0159]

Has anyone else thought of the possibility this might become the new Fenix headlamp. I wonder............

 

[AvPD]

Big thanks to everyone who responded here. Your thoughts were all considered and the engineer is now working on a few them. We hope to have something for you in the spring/summer.

D'oh! Thread's been effectively closed for over a week.

 

[PocketBeam]

Closed but people still read it...

I like the idea of a throw and a flood beam, both adjustable in output. As long as they are easy to adjust. Also it would be nice if they were both adjustable in direction separately. For example I may want flood pointed down for path lighting, and spot for trail finding ahead.

But don't forget the annoyance factor when talking with others. So you may want one quick kill or pause switch or button. Just something that you can do before you turn to face someone without blinding them with flood or spot.

Also I think another light that has a low of around 2.5 lumens is a good low, and then the medium is five times that and high is about five times that. Those levels make for very useful levels. Just test the levels by reading in the dark, walking in the house in the dark, walking a well maintained trail and a trail that is barely there, biking, jogging/running, working on the car and others, hanging on a tree as a camp area light, bounce light off ceiling, spelunking, etc.