Rayovac 1aa headlamp

[f22shift]

seems like this form is becoming more popular. i'm going to give it a try. pretty cheap around $18. i don't think it'll steal zebralight customers but might be a cheap alternative for ppl on the borderline.

2 reviews already
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...d.php?t=169468
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...d.php?t=169650

[ltiu]

seems like this form is becoming more popular. i'm going to give it a try. pretty cheap around $18. i don't think it'll steal zebralight customers but might be a cheap alternative for ppl on the borderline.

2 reviews already
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...d.php?t=169468
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...d.php?t=169650

Only issue I have is the button switch turns on inside my pack.

Otherwise, it's light, bright, powerful and cheap.

[PJD]

I just picked one up today, and for the price I think it's an awesome little headlight! It's easily replaced my RR 2XAAA .5W headlight as my "user". The 1W beam has a very nice, white tint, and the diffuser lens makes it perfect for up-close tasks! Also, the red and blue 5mm LED's are just about the most artifact-free of any colored LED's I've seen. IMHO, worth every penny I paid for it! As usual, YMMV...

PJD

[BlackDecker]

Went by the Wal-Mart in Yukon, OK - it was $18.83.



The Luxeon puts out a nice beam, and the diffuser does a good job of turning it into a flood. The headband is a bit skimpy and thin, but with only 1AA, it's not very heavy at all. Not a bad headlamp for $20. I put in an old 1800mah Duracell NiMh, seems to work great. Even noticed a thin layer of lube around the O-ring and threads.

[paulr]

This looks great. Any idea if any CPF dealers have them?

[fishx65]

I was just in Gander Mountain today and saw that Browning is selling this exact headlamp for $50.00!!!! It's under there Black Ice name and has a green led in place of one of the red ones. Talk about a price mark-up!!!!!

[lasercrazy]

I was looking carefully at this the other day at walmart. Anyone know what kind of luxeon this uses? I was looking through the optic and it doesn't look like a regular luxeon, I wonder if it's the new rebel led.

[fishx65]

You could be right Laser cuz the old Lux-Lottery does not seem to be in play with this one. So far it sounds like everyone has been getting a nice white tint!

[BlackDecker]

I was looking carefully at this the other day at walmart. Anyone know what kind of luxeon this uses? I was looking through the optic and it doesn't look like a regular luxeon, I wonder if it's the new rebel led.

It's very hard to tell what LED is in this headlamp, as there is a convex/concave (no idea which type applies here) lens over the center of the LED which helps to create more throw. It distorts the view of the LED inside.

[jdriller]

I just bought pair of these that were on the floor at Wallyworld. Nice, bright, white, and light. Gotta love that difuser.

[half-watt]

I'm glad it is dark, half of the time.

jd, love that signature line of yours. couldn't agree more. IMO, it's the best thing about winter - fewer daylight hours!!

[whippoorwill]

I was just in Gander Mountain today and saw that Browning is selling this exact headlamp for $50.00!!!! It's under there Black Ice name and has a green led in place of one of the red ones. Talk about a price mark-up!!!!!

He's right! Cabelas and BassPro Shops are selling this headlamp for $45 in camo. Jeez! I knew there was a premium for Browning! Browning sells quality so this is a unequivocal vote on the part of Browning.

[MojoLight]

Only issue I have is the button switch turns on inside my pack.

Otherwise, it's light, bright, powerful and cheap.

Try backing the battery cap off a bit and it locks it out. I like that for two reasons....keeping it from turning on in my pack and turning the light off from red or blue without hitting the brighter level.

[Flying Turtle]

It had never occurred to me to turn it off from red or blue that way. Thanks Mojo.

Geoff

[supes]

I love this headlamp particularily because of its price and 1AA format. The diffuser lens accessible for either side is genius.

Now if only they had a switch for the white LED and another switch for the red and blue,(so I don't have to cycle) like on the Petzl Tac XP, then it would be bloody perfect!

I'm thinking about buying another for some car kit...

[Lux Luthor]

Finally found one in my area (Manchester Walmart, if anyone is in CT). I really like this light. It feels solid, but doesn't weigh much. It's smaller and more comfortable than my EOS, although the EOS is substantially brighter, especially modded to SSC (I don't have one in Lux form to compare, since I already modded both of mine).

The Lux is very white (although not quite snow white, but that's very rare). Without the diffuser it has an amazingly tight beam for such a small optic. It still has some spill (depends how dark it is), and the hot spot is nice and even. The thing actually throws pretty decent. Diffuser is nice, but an EOS with a couple coats of satin scotch tape is more even, and extends more out to the sides. Colors are nice and bright, and surprisingly even (for colored LEDs). The diffuser with the colors throws light in your face (not your glasses, your face). Next time I'm at the mall I may ask for some black nail polish, and see if I can clean that up. I'll just say my girlfriend's a goth, and hope for no further questions.

Looking at the pictures I thought the light looked weird, but it's really very ergonomic. It's kind of an elegant design, really. Now if we can just find some phospor coating to put on the blue, or maybe we could blast Rayovac with respectful and ego stroking emails to give us a low level white. I don't mind the blue LED, as atleast it looks cool, but if we could just get another level for the Lux I'd be very happy.

[RonM]

I picked one up a couple weeks ago at Walmart and just love it. Truly one of the great bargains in the flashlight world. Only wish is that they would have replaced the blue LED with a a white 5mm for reading. The high power white works well for reading with the diffuser on, but it's a lot more light than needed.

Hate to complain because this light really is soooooo good. Finally a decent headlamp with a diffuser that can use a single AA. The high power LED is awesome. Really nice color and great throw with side spill.

I plan to put one in the glove compartment of each car.

[f22shift]

anyone get this instead of zebralight?

[Gryffin]

The diffuser with the colors throws light in your face (not your glasses, your face). Next time I'm at the mall I may ask for some black nail polish, and see if I can clean that up.

I noticed that, too. It needs a "rim" around the bottom of the 5mm LEDs like it has below the Lux. I modded mine with a bit of black vinyl electrical tape: cut off an inch and a half or so, folded over one long edge ~1/8" to form the rim, then stuck it to the bottom of the light housing so that the folded rim protrudes forward. When I tested it, though, I found that I now noticed the "tab" of the diffuser glowing; a little more electrical tape on the outside of that tab, trimmed to match the edge, and I don't see the diffused glow at all anymore. The new mod cost dang near nuthin', and since it's made of soft tape, it's unlikely to get knocked off; I'll prolly just need to do it again a year or two from now, if the tape gets torn over time.

Looking at the pictures I thought the light looked weird, but it's really very ergonomic. It's kind of an elegant design, really.

I've found that I can wrap the headband around the light housing, in such a way that it stays put. Very handy for pocket carry. But I was amazed when I plopped it on my dresser next to my Petzl E+Lite in it's case; the Ray-O-Vac with strap stowed was nearly as small and compact and the E+Lite! And cheaper, too, and no button cells to scrounge... anybody wanna buy an E+Lite?

Now if we can just find some phospor coating to put on the blue, or maybe we could blast Rayovac with respectful and ego stroking emails to give us a low level white. I don't mind the blue LED, as atleast it looks cool, but if we could just get another level for the Lux I'd be very happy.

I'd prefer a white 5mm LED in there, too, for reading at night; but oddly enough, the blue LED (with the diffuser) works pretty well for reading. It's definitely better than the red, and I find the white Lux, even with the diffuser, to be too bright, so I guess I can learn to live with the blue!

[mdocod]

I just checked the rayovac website, it says it's a luxeon LED... though I wouldn't put 100% faith in that, as their product packaging and website has been riddled with errors for years.

http://www.rayovac.com/flashlight/se1whlt-b.shtml

I *was* really tempted to buy one of these when I saw it at walmart the other day, finally a 1AA headlamp, diffuser lens to boot!!. But beings that it uses a special focusing lens of sorts, it's probably difficult to upgrade the emitter and maintain focus. I'd personally rather have a 2-4 level rebel/cree/seoul and no 5mm LEDs. So for now I'm going to upgrade my argo HP and keep a look out for what I really want. (basically something more like the argo, but powered by AA cell/cells, with Seoul/Cree/Rebel from the factory and ideally some more levels of output than the argo, who's 2 levels are fine with the lower output luxeon, but the low will become like high after an upgrade and become too bright for up close tasks.

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

I agree with MOST of what has been said. I too wish the blue LED was white.

However I DON'T find the LUX too bright with or without the diffuser, and use it WITH for reading in bed. I flip it over to cover the RED LED for late night/early morning trips to the throne!

Blue light bothers me more than it does a lot of people, so I generally click by it with my other hand in the way.

[Lux Luthor]

... I modded mine with a bit of black vinyl electrical tape: cut off an inch and a half or so, folded over one long edge ~1/8" to form the rim, then stuck it to the bottom of the light housing so that the folded rim protrudes forward. When I tested it, though, I found that I now noticed the "tab" of the diffuser glowing; a little more electrical tape on the outside of that tab, trimmed to match the edge, and I don't see the diffused glow at all anymore...

I'll give that a try. I don't really feel like asking for nail polish anyway.

...I've found that I can wrap the headband around the light housing, in such a way that it stays put. Very handy for pocket carry...

I just tried wrapping it around the headplate, and then pushing the light housing up against it. It seems to stay put this way. The plastic lanyard for the battery cover seems to hold it in place.

...I'd prefer a white 5mm LED in there, too, for reading at night...

I think you're right. I'd prefer a 5mm white too.

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

Oh yeah, I forgot something. With my glasses on the blue or red will bother me some by reflecting off of them.

But my big Cromagnum slanted head keeps it out of my eyes with glasses off.

[2ManyLights]

or maybe we could blast Rayovac with respectful and ego stroking emails to give us a low level white.

I'd even like to see green instead of blue since green throws farther and the eye is most sensitive to shades of green.

[beautifully-stupid]

1 green 5mm
1 white 5mm
1 Red 5mm
1 1 watt


ohh.. and I secure the strap by folding it over itself several times and securing to the base plate via rubber bands, Secure, and relatively flat.

[s.c.]

does anyone have problems with a buzzing sound when on the colored LEDs? on mine, the red and blue give different pitches, nothing on the white. any one else?

[gunga]

Any one seen one of these in Canada? I would love to pick one up...

[BlackDecker]

does anyone have problems with a buzzing sound when on the colored LEDs? on mine, the red and blue give different pitches, nothing on the white. any one else?

No, I can't say that I hear any sound coming from the unit while operating either of the colored LED's.

[silthdraeth]

I plan to pick this light up. I bought the 3W 2x AA Rayovac, the 4W 3xC and now I will get this one.

Maybe in a few years, I might be able to afford some of the expensive lights, but these all seem really nice for the money. If I buy anything more than this, my wife will kill me.

[s.c.]

No, I can't say that I hear any sound coming from the unit while operating either of the colored LED's.

I went ahead and returned that one, it was really annoying. I now have two of them, they're great little lights.