New Headlamp User

seanflash

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Greetings!

I've been a part of some of the LED FLASHLIGHT forums for a few years now and find the advice from members to be invaluable. Now looking for an led headlamp but not quite sure what a great headlamp must have. I know I need it to be incredibly tough/bulletprooof and reliability is a must. I've learned this much along the way with my flashlights. Other than that, are there any specific threads I should read up on first before I begin my search?
Thanks!
 

cland72

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What is your price range? What sort of capabilities are you looking for in a headlamp -- multiple modes, alternate colors (red, green), battery type?

This will help us point you in the right direction.
 

seanflash

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What is your price range? What sort of capabilities are you looking for in a headlamp -- multiple modes, alternate colors (red, green), battery type?

This will help us point you in the right direction.

Okay here are a few of the "must have" capabilities that I know of thus far:

1) Incredibly tough and consistently reliable, trusty

2) Price limit around $50-100

3) Long runtime

4) Not too interested in too many modes, just a selectable option to move from a very low to brightest option.

5) Are flood to spot options available?

6) Battery should be AAA or AA

I am actually not really sure what options should be in a great headlamp so if there is/are additional options that I don't know about, feel free to point me in that directin also. I intend to use it primarily for long active hikes/camping in all weather conditions.

Thanks for any info!
 

robostudent5000

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check out Bolster's "To Consider Before You Purchase a Headlamp" thread. it's very helpful.

IMO there's no absolutely bulletproof LED headlamp under $100. most LED headlamps are made of plastic and the plastic parts wear down over time. there aren't that many aluminum headlamps, and those mostly have complex drivers that can malfunction after a year or two. the one sub $100 lamp that probably comes closest to being bulletproof is the old Petzl Tikka XP, but it needs an emitter upgrade to compete with the latest headlamps.

i recommend finding something affordable and mostly reliable that you don't mind having to replace after two or three years*. there are a lot of good lamps you can get for $35 or less. you should get two and have one as a backup.

*i mean two or three years of heavy use.
 
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B0wz3r

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I agree with Robo... you're not going to get SureFire type of durability for less than $100.

In your price range, a Spark or a Zebralight is your best bet IMO. I have one of each, and love them both. They each have their strengths and weaknesses, which is why I use both regularly.

Once you tell us more about your intended use, we can give you more specific advice.
 

seanflash

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Thanks for the info. Robo and B0wz3r. I'd be willing to pay for a light that will be tough and reliable. If it lasts a very long time, then the investment is worth it. I've learned this rule with edc lights. I intend to use the light primarily for active hikes and camping. We do a lot of traveling so it needs to be compact enough to take along in a backpack. I won't be sky diving with the S.E.A.L. teams , but it must be durable enough to take punishment likewise. Consistent reliability is key. I currently have a Rayovac Sportman Extreme. It was a gift and I really like it, but the light has failed on me once and I don't fully "trust" it out in the field alone.
I've visited Petzl.com and was impressed with their collection but I don't know what else is out there that might be worth looking at.
 

AnAppleSnail

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I don't fully "trust" it out in the field alone.

No thing can be trusted in the field alone. Two is one, and one is none. Any given device from any manufacturer in any price range can and will fail. Bring a backup light. Even some (insert amazing brand here) fail due to odd circumstances.
 

cland72

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I have a Petzl Tactikka, and it is wonderful. They have a Tactikka Plus which has multiple modes and takes AAA batteries, which might be up your alley. Only around $40 each online.
 

B0wz3r

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Thanks for the info. Robo and B0wz3r. I'd be willing to pay for a light that will be tough and reliable. If it lasts a very long time, then the investment is worth it. I've learned this rule with edc lights. I intend to use the light primarily for active hikes and camping. We do a lot of traveling so it needs to be compact enough to take along in a backpack. I won't be sky diving with the S.E.A.L. teams , but it must be durable enough to take punishment likewise. Consistent reliability is key. I currently have a Rayovac Sportman Extreme. It was a gift and I really like it, but the light has failed on me once and I don't fully "trust" it out in the field alone.
I've visited Petzl.com and was impressed with their collection but I don't know what else is out there that might be worth looking at.

Then consider a SureFire Saint or Minimus. SF stuff is supposed to be bulletproof from what I've read, but I don't personally own any SF lights; too spendy for my budget.

I have a Zebralight H51w and it's been a great light. Bright, lightweight, and I've put more than a couple heavy coatings of sweat on it while hiking, cutting firewood, and so on. I've taken it to the top of Yosemite Falls in January, and to Death Valley, and Lava Beds National Monument for caving. It's never given me so much as a hiccup. If you want a headlamp that will also double as a good utility EDC light you can carry in your pocket, clip on your shirt or a pack-strap, I don't think you can beat a ZL.

I also have a Spark ST5-190nw that I use with the frosted lens, and as a pure headlamp, it's my favorite. With the frosted lens it's actually got a wider floodier beam than my H51w, and it because it has a T shaped body with the emitter housing projecting forward from the body of the light, it works better for me when I want to wear a cap, or wear it under a hood. It's a tiny bit brighter than my ZL, but with the frosted lens in it that slight difference is negated. I like the head strap on it better for active outdoor uses than my ZL because it's got a third center strap.

No thing can be trusted in the field alone. Two is one, and one is none. Any given device from any manufacturer in any price range can and will fail. Bring a backup light. Even some (insert amazing brand here) fail due to odd circumstances.

Word. Never leave home without at least two lights and spare batteries to boot.
 

robostudent5000

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Princeton Tec Eos. good for camping and hiking. plastic hinge on battery door is a known point of weakness, can break after some years of regular use. but i think this is covered by the lifetime warranty. it is very durable other than that. it's had a few emitter upgrades since release but is basically unchanged over 7 years and has built a great reputation over that time. no other lightweight headlamp with an up-to-date emitter has been around for more than 2.5 years, so it's hard to tell exactly what you'll get with them. there are no surprises with an Eos. they are usually $35 or less.

IMO EDC's are like wristwatches. for every Casio G-shock (affordable, reasonably reliable, kind of disposable) there's an Omega Speedmaster (expensive, bomb proof, will maintain value over time and be a true investment), and paying extra for something premium can really be worth it. i think headlamps are more like cell phones. they're more affected by fast evolving LED technology than EDC's and can go obsolete after a couple years. just like you wouldn't buy a cell phone to last a lifetime, you shouldn't buy a headlamp to last forever either. you want it to work well while you have it, but you also want to leave room to upgrade in a couple years.
 
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reppans

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I had a Tikka.... cheap plastic battery cover cracked at the locking slot - binned it. Probably needed to change batts too often since all my Petzl and Black Diamond multi-batt/multi-LED headlamps burn up batts too quickly. Also don't like how these lights usually start out on high and make you cycle to get to the useful low, and even then, they're not low enough killing my night vision... and my batts at the same time!

I have a half dozen headlamps from Petzl and Black Diamond, now collecting dust. I find them fragile, bulky, and really inefficient. I have instead gone with flashlights for my camping needs and developed creative ways to use them hands-free. IMHO, the climbing companies should stick to climbing equipment and let the flashlight companies handle illumination.

FWIW, I consider the Zebralight H series to be a flashlight that happens to come with headband and I'm with Bowzer on the H51w for the reasons he states and more (like 0.2 lumens projecting from your forehead is really all you need for camping - 300+ hours from 1xAA!, and if that's not enough, there's always 2 lumens, or 7 lumens).

Sorry for the rant... I've grown to hate the plastic headlamps (but from experience). Its your money, you make like it.
 

B0wz3r

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FWIW, I consider the Zebralight H series to be a flashlight that happens to come with headband and I'm with Bowzer on the H51w for the reasons he states and more (like 0.2 lumens projecting from your forehead is really all you need for camping - 300+ hours from 1xAA!, and if that's not enough, there's always 2 lumens, or 7 lumens).

Sorry for the rant... I've grown to hate the plastic headlamps (but from experience). Its your money, you make like it.

Thanks reppans... :) I use both my H51w and my Spark ST5-190 for camping, depending on what I'm doing. They're both small enough they take up very little room in my pack, and I've learned the hard way when camping never to be without two headlamps, or two flashlights, etc. (Two is one, one is none.) I tend to use my Spark more outside the tent for just general camp use, but when I want more distance like for a hike, etc. I use my ZL. I also tend to use my ZL more in-tent because of the lower low, and that it can be more comfortable because it doesn't have the extra hardware on the strap like the Spark does, which can be a pain (literally) sometimes. Each is one of the best lights I've ever bought. Now I want to get an H502w and an an H600w as well! (Yes, it IS a sickness!!!)
 

seanflash

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Thanks to all who weighed in and provided some invaluable advice. After a lot of researching, I've narrowed it down to the Petzl XP2 and the Princeton Tec Remix. Anyone have any first-hand durability/reliability info that might sway me to one choice or the other? Reliability and ruggedness are important to me. Both are not waterproof which IMO is ridiculous considering they should have put a bit more effort (and an 0-ring) into the units for the money. Even the Remix PRO which is a military version is not submersible. Other than that, I like the features of both units and would appreciate any user feedback or info anyone has on either or both of these headlamps.
Cheers.
 
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B0wz3r

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Thanks to all who weighed in and provided some invaluable advice. After a lot of researching, I've narrowed it down to the Petzl XP2 and the Princeton Tec Remix. Anyone have any first-hand durability/reliability info that might sway me to one choice or the other? Reliability and ruggedness are important to me. Both are not waterproof which IMO is ridiculous considering they should have put a bit more effort (and an 0-ring) into the units for the money. Even the Remix PRO which is a military version is not submersible. Other than that, I like the features of both units and would appreciate any user feedback or info anyone has on either or both of these headlamps.
Cheers.
YMMV of course, but I've never been completely satisfied with any headlamp I've ever had from Petzl or PT. I've got a Remix and it pales in comparison to my H51w; plastic vs aluminum body, mechanical vs electronic switch, and 3xAAA vs. 1xAA (same energy density, much simpler battery change-out). Unless you really need to have the red light, the Zebralight is a much better light IMHO.
 

robostudent5000

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Thanks to all who weighed in and provided some invaluable advice. After a lot of researching, I've narrowed it down to the Petzl XP2 and the Princeton Tec Remix. Anyone have any first-hand durability/reliability info that might sway me to one choice or the other? Reliability and ruggedness are important to me. Both are not waterproof which IMO is ridiculous considering they should have put a bit more effort (and an 0-ring) into the units for the money. Even the Remix PRO which is a military version is not submersible. Other than that, I like the features of both units and would appreciate any user feedback or info anyone has on either or both of these headlamps.
Cheers.

look here: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?332652-PT-Remix-or-Remix-Pro
 

seanflash

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Thanks Robo and B0wz3r. The link Robo attached was very helpful in terms of eliminating the Remix-too many small issues keep popping up in my research to make this a go to light. It's down to the Petzl XP2 or the Storm. I actually was impressed by the Storm but concerned about several anecdotal reviews on other websites that stated the runtime on high was considerably less than stated. Several users said they were only getting 4-6 hrs on max which could eliminate this as a choice for me. I'll be looking for reviews on this now.

I am giving the ZLH51 another look again too. I would like a good long tight throw and am not sure this model is able to do that as I've read it's better for all-around flood capabilities.
Great, I think I actually have more options to research now then when I started!
Thanks for eveyone's continued input-I appreciate it!
 

robostudent5000

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4hrs on max sounds about right for the Storm. it's regulated, it drives something like 400mA constant at the LED on max, 4hrs is the best you're gonna get on 4xAAA. if you dial the Storm down to the sort of output you can get on a XP2 on max, runtime for the Storm will be better.

btw, if you're not familiar with how ANSI runtimes are measured, you might want to check that out. ANSI runtimes aren't always reliable a measure of effective runtime.

also, what are you going to use the headlamp for that you would need long throw? most headlamps uses are for seeing from 0-50 feet, and a wide and smooth beam is better for that than a tight thowy beam. if you want pure throw, you're better off with a hand held.
 
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