Advice for "alround" headlamp

Advice for \"alround\" headlamp

Dear all,

I found a lot of interesting information on this forum but I am a bit overwhelmed by the sheer volume of it. As most of the posters seem very helpfull I wonder if you could give me some advice for a headlamp choice. I plan to carry the headlamp with me every day using it mainly for; miscellaneous chores, hiking, running, camping and reading. The most important features for me are: lightweight & good throw. I also prefer a white or yelow beam color above a blue one.

I have had some experiences with Petzl Tikka and Tactica plus and I would prefer something along the same lines for size and weight but with more throw.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Regards,

GL

Re: Advice for \"alround\" headlamp

GL, my current everyday carry is a Petzl Myo XP. I carry it around in a small zippered softcase in my backpack. I highly recommend it (until something better comes around). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif The 3-watt LED coupled with the optic throws a nice white beam and you can make it a flood with the built-in flip-up diffuser.

Re: Advice for \"alround\" headlamp

My current favorite is the Petzl Myo 5.... Although the Myo 3 might have done me just as well..

I do like what they say about the XP, although I'm building from scratch a couple for myself thaty I think I'll like better.

But if I were buying now instead of building, it would be the XP

Re: Advice for \"alround\" headlamp

For throw not much beats the PT Corona. But it is a little light in the spill department.

I gravitate to my Nuwai 1wt headlamp. It is regulated, has a great floody beam with three settings (slightly ringy but it doesn't bother me), is lightweight single front unit with good topstrap, runs a *long* time on two lithium batteries...if I had one headlamp (perish the thought) I would have this one. And it was $36 at Ammondotech. I can read in bed with it (although I use my PT Aurora for this usually), walk with it, use it to light my way anywhere.

Re: Advice for \"alround\" headlamp

[ QUOTE ]
cognitivefun said:
For throw not much beats the PT Corona. But it is a little light in the spill department.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought it was the other way around, what with the 5mm LEDs and all?

The PT EOS is pretty small, and has good throw and a white beam. I've heard that it's not be the best for reading with, though.

Re: Advice for \"alround\" headlamp

[ QUOTE ]
GuidingLight said:
I have had some experiences with Petzl Tikka and Tactica plus and I would prefer something along the same lines for size and weight but with more throw.
GL

[/ QUOTE ]

I think the only lights that meet these requirements are the PT EOS and that Nuwai headlamp that uses the 123 lithiums.

If you intend to carry it on you, I suppose they are the best lights for the job since an external battery pack will double the bulk. The wire connecting the battery pack would not hold up to the abuses of EDC, so you are again stuck with the front heavy models.

I carried a BD Ion in my coin pouch for a few months. In my signature picture it is the little silver one with a red velcro tie that keeps the strap tidy. I think I put it on my head once while carrying it daily. I did not find the EDC headlamp to be all that helpful. But that's not to say that you won't.

If I were to put together an serious EDC headlamp, I would probably use a Zipka or something similar. The strap retracts, so it won't be a pain to keep untangled. Perhaps the Zipka mechanism could be attached to an EOS. I don't know. Zipka rip offs are all over ebay.

Re: Advice for \"alround\" headlamp

[ QUOTE ]
vtunderground said:
[ QUOTE ]
cognitivefun said:
For throw not much beats the PT Corona. But it is a little light in the spill department.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought it was the other way around, what with the 5mm LEDs and all?

The PT EOS is pretty small, and has good throw and a white beam. I've heard that it's not be the best for reading with, though.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm sorry. I meant the EOS. (The Corona is all flood as you say, exceptional flood but not IMHO all-around.) The EOS has good spot capabilities but isn't great for reading or flood applications.

Thank you for your comments

Thank you all for your comments, I will have a closer look at the Eos and the Nuwai.

While brosing I came by an interesting reference to a Tikka XP, which looks like a cross between a Tikka and a Myo XP. Can somebody provide me with some more information about it? (Did a search on google which turned up very little)

Thanks again for your help.

GL.

Review Petzl Tikka XP on Flashlightreview.com

For anybody who was looking for the same information, I found a comprehensive review of the Petzl Tikka XP on Flashlightreview.com.

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/petzl_tikka_xp.htm

GL.

Re: Review Petzl Tikka XP on Flashlightreview.com

A strong vote for the Myo XP. I have the EOS, and it is superior: far longer runtime, brighter, battery meter, and the flood lens you can flip up cannot be overestimated. I have a more extensive review of this one in the reviews forum somewhere...

Re: Review Petzl Tikka XP on Flashlightreview.com

It looks like we're comparing apples to oranges here with a $60+ Petzl Myo XP vs. a <$30 PT EOS. For me, the EOS wins on being cheaper, regulated, lighter and without battery wires. The Myo XP looks like it has some nice features and longer run time, but even if it weren't so expensive, the lack of regulation immediately takes it off of my shopping list.

Re: Review Petzl Tikka XP on Flashlightreview.com

[ QUOTE ]
Mattman said:
It looks like we're comparing apples to oranges here with a $60+ Petzl Myo XP vs. a <$30 PT EOS.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think price difference makes it an apples to oranges comparison. I see this reaction all the time on CPF and it really confuses me. It makes it a cheap apples to expensive apples comparison. The whole point of the apples to oranges metaphor is that the two things being compared are completely different and any comparison between them is useless (like comparing mp3 players to car tires, or, say, apples to oranges).

If the question is "what light is best suited for <foo>" then any lights that are good for <foo> should be compared based on features, price, anecdotes, etc. Sometimes cheaper lights are totally outclassed by expensive lights, but not always. I don't understand why people resist comparing lights at different pricepoints. I think a cheap price can be a great point in favor of a light, but it's only one factor, and comparing everything point-by-point gives a better picture than automatically segregating lights based on price before looking at features. Sometimes putting the Surefire E2 head-to-head with the cheap Chinese knockoff is the only way to see if/why it's worth spending $80 on the former instead of $10 for the latter. In this case, I think it's worth comparing the Myo XP with the PT EOS to see which is best suited to the task at hand, with price being one (albeit important) factor among many.

I don't mean to pick on anyone, but I see this kind of remark all the time and it really does baffle me.

- Russ

Re: Review Petzl Tikka XP on Flashlightreview.com

I look at this way: for a 1-watt headlamp, the EOS performs nearly as well as the 3-watt MYO XP and IS regulated and IS waterproof, which the XP should be. "Overboost" is nice in limited situations, if a bit gadgety, the flip-up diffuser is terrific. The XP's removeable topstrap is a nice touch, while I prefer the Eos' integrated battery pack.

Price aside, for my main interest--backpacking--the Eos is better than the XP except, perhaps, in winter. But as the saying goes, hike your own hike.

Re: Review Petzl Tikka XP on Flashlightreview.com

Try Tikka XP. It's smaller than Myo XP and cheaper.
Tikka XP review