Your Zebralight Headlamp Preference: Regular or Flood?

After ditching my 3rd Minimus due to the annoying glare in my face and horrible tint, I just received my first Zebralight - an H31W non-flood and, although the build quality is not Surefire and no dial-a-level, I am really really digging it - the neutral tint is phenomenally awesome :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

It leaves me wondering though, if the flood version would have been a better choice for a hiking/camp light, so....

Which Zebralight headlamp do you prefer for camping/hiking? Regular or Flood?

Thanks!
-Harry

bullfrog said:

It leaves me wondering though, if the flood version would have been a better choice for a hiking/camp light, so....

Which Zebralight headlamp do you prefer for camping/hiking? Regular or Flood?

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I have several of each type and feel that for close tasks: cooking, reading, in the tent--the flood (like the H501) is superior for me. For walking along trails or caving, I think that a spot/spill combo could be beneficial since the floods give you beautiful light but do not allow you to look farther down or into the woods... I will invoke the oldest CPF rule here: you probably would do best with both!

I prefer the flood version for my Zebralight headlamps. I use a flashlight when I need a light with throw.

Lumenz said:

I prefer the flood version for my Zebralight headlamps. I use a flashlight when I need a light with throw.

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That is exactly my view as well. I might be using a Zebralight flashlight though like an SC51.

Guys - thank you very much for your opinions - I think I might just go ahead and order a flood version in AA and keep both, per Applevision's sage advice

See post 16 for a more detailed version of this same question:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?316635-Headlamp-Survey-Results-2011&p=3684026&viewfull=1#post3684026

I have both the H51 and the H51f. The H51f is my favorite light. The H51 I didn't particularly like as it was. I put a piece of diffusion material over the lens and I now like that as well.

There are some who don't consider the H51f or a H51 with diffusion as truly flood. I do and wouldn't want it to be any floodier than the H51f (which is perfect) The H51 with diffusion throws just a little bit further. They both make good hiking/camping lights. I take a small 1 AA light with aspheric (only 19 mm diameter) for throw. Throw is relative in that case of course but all I'm looking for is something small with a little more throw than the headlamps.

True flood means there is no hot spot and spill. It has nothing to do with degrees or diameter of the beam.

davidt1 said:

True flood means there is no hot spot and spill. It has nothing to do with degrees or diameter of the beam.

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We could argue that. There's no hard and fast rule on what degrees of beam make a floody light (as is witnessed by all the manufacturers who make "headlamp with flood option" that's about as narrow as the "spot" setting) but I think a floody light is more than just even illumination. I think it includes a wide distribution of light, too.

Bolster said:

We could argue that. There's no hard and fast rule on what degrees of beam make a floody light (as is witnessed by all the manufacturers who make "headlamp with flood option" that's about as narrow as the "spot" setting) but I think a floody light is more than just even illumination. I think it includes a wide distribution of light, too.

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I agree, otherwise an aspheric thrower is a flood light

piece of tape.

or 2 even.
lovecpf

I suppose I should have said the first requirement of a true flood beam is that it as no hot spot and spill.

I have both an h31fw and sc31w. I'm quite happy with both.

-jk

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/floodlight

maybe lighting manufactures like Phillips could tell us the "Industry Standard" definition for a flood light

The poll should ask, "if you have both ZL lights with true flood beam and regular beam, which one do you prefer?" I wonder if folks who own only ZL lights with regular beams have a frame of reference what a true flood ZL beam is.

davidt1 said:

The poll should ask, "if you have both ZL lights with true flood beam and regular beam, which one do you prefer?" I wonder if folks who own only ZL lights with regular beams have a frame of reference what a true flood ZL beam is.

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if you want to go that far, you might as well go all the way and ask "if you have a H31/H51 and a H31F/H51F AND a H30/H50/H60/H501, which do you prefer?" (says the guy who doesn't own a Zebra )

I think they serve different purposes. So depends what your looking for. I only have the H51w and often thought maybe the F would have been better, and I have diffused it with a small piece of shower curtain for reading. Without another thrower light though, I wouldnt want to be outdoors with any less throw than my H51w. The flood models would be great for stuff at hands reach, inside a room, working under the hood, reading, inside tent, etc. So depends on what you'll be using it for and what other lights you may have also. Do you have a thrower? A floodlight? Are you only going to carry 1? Maybe you dont have a specific purpose and just want an edc light? What compromises are you willing to take?

I think the spot + spill will work for more situations. The spot on my H51 still goes out far enough to look down a long trail or spot an animal high in a tree, etc. At closer range the spot might be a little annoying though, but it would at least work. The flood version would excel up close with a nice smooth wide beam but at distance it probably would not work at all. The F version are an in between, they might still be ok for medium ranges I'm not sure. But the true floods would be pretty much useless at long ranges. I think for a better in between/all around light, the regular ZL like my H51w would be great if it just had a bit larger hotspot, like between 1.5x and 2x as big.

It really depends on where do you plan on using it.

I was recently wanting an H51FW but then, some said that it looks just like an H51 with tape on it so I guess that the H501W would fit what I want as a pure and clean flood. Then I saw someone spoke of the H502. I was determined at getting the H501W but now I`ll just have to wait...:sigh:

I have the H31Fw. I wonder whether I made the right choice. My most common scenario of usage is to get back to the trailhead after a long day of hiking.

I often find that the flood is too floody, since when navigating trails at night I must not only avoid obstacles with my feet but I must also find the right direction to walk. In these situations I often will use a headlamp geared towards better throw like the EOS, XP2, or Spot.

I am thinking of trying the H31c next. I do not find the neutral tint to be any better than the cool tints of other headlamps, but my single hi-CRI flashlight (HDS EDC) does make a noticeable difference.

ive owned about 5 ZL, and the only 1 i still have is the H501w.

my usage consists of close up tasks, and work though.

i dont like the neutral tints ZL is using now, so i might jump ships to Sparks for brighter XM-L headlamps.