half-watt
Flashlight Enthusiast
2008 Models:
ZebraLight H50-P4 and H50-Q5 [Cree]
Zebralight H30-Q5 [Cree] [Note: at this point in time, -P4 no longer listed on ZL website]
Dosun H1 [Cree]
Browning Nitro [Rebel 100]
Browning Phantom [Rebel 70]
Streamlight Argo HP C4 [Cree]
Streamlight Argo C4 [Cree]
Princeton Tec Eos II [Rebel???]
Black Diamond Spot [Cree]
Black Diamond Icon [Cree]
Primus PrimeLite Race [Rebel]
Petzl Myo XP [SSC]
Energizer Hardcase [Cree]
Energizer E^2 Lithium [Cree]
[Coleman] eXponent Mini [Cree]
Coleman 3xAAA LED Headlamp [Cree XR-C 55lumen -- NAME taken directly fr/the Coleman Website]
[Note: at this point in time, these are the only ones i own and have some small measure of first-hand experience with.]
OTHER BRIGHT LED only [*not* Hybrid incand-LED ] HL's *NOT* MENTIONED ABOVE as '08 MODELS:
Aug '08 Princeton Tec Apex/ApexPro [Rebel] ***NOT YET RELEASED***
Petzl RXP [SSC???] ***NOT YET AVAILABLE*** in the good ol' USofA
'08 Princeton Tec Apex/ApexPro *INTERIM* 3W 80 lumen release/model [Lumileds Luxeon]
'07 Princeton Tec Apex Extreme 3W 70 lumen 8xAA (in 2x4xAA parallel-series arrangement) [Lumileds Luxeon]
Brunton L3 (previously the Silva L1) 3W [Lumileds Luxeon???]
Brunton L5 5W [K2]
[Note: the arbitrary 3W requirement excludes the 1W Mammut Lucido TX1 and TX1 Belt HLs, both of which i own and are quite usable due to the optics, though i still prefer the PT Apex, for instance, over either incarnation of the TX1, i.e. belt or belt-less]
[Note: there may be others, but, off the top of my head w/o checking my storage bins, these are the only 3W+ all LED HL's i own that i havent' "upgraded" by purchasing their newer '08 versions/models/releases]
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ADDITIONAL DETAILS (mostly Mfr. claimed):
2008 Models:
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Black Diamond Icon [Cree]
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Petzl Myo XP [SSC]
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'08 Princeton Tec Apex/ApexPro *INTERIM* 3W 80 lumen release/model [Lumileds Luxeon]
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'07 Princeton Tec Apex Extreme 3W 70 lumen 8xAA (in 2x4xAA series-parallel cfg.) [Lumileds Luxeon]
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Black Diamond Spot [Cree]
Cree 1W (seems much brighter in my particular unit), plus...
3x5mm White LED
3xAAA fronted mounted batteries.
~3oz w/batteries
MODES:
1W HI: ???lm ==> 50h
1W MED: ???lm ==> 150h
1W LO: ???lm ==> 200h
3x5mm HI: ???lm ==> 100h
3x5mm MED: ???lm ==> 120h
3x5mm LO: ???lm ==> 145h
Distances at stated times:
1W Cree
t-0 / t-30min / t-10h
100m / 80m / 35m
70m / 60m / 34m
50m / 50m / 34m
3x5mm White LEDs
t-0 / t-30min / t-10h
23m / 20m / 15m
17m / 14m / 12m
12m / 11m / 11m
UI:
Classic BD ON-OFF-ON-OFF sequence w/FULL BUTTON PRESSES.
Classic BD HI-MED-LO-FLASH sequence w/partial (i.e., half) button presses.
personally, i don't care for this particular UI. i wish that it "remembered" the mode like the BD Icon does. i wish all BD HLs remembered not only the mode, but also the light level (which none of them do). however, given everything positive about the new '08 BD Spot, this is really a very minor "crab" - one that i'm quite willing to live with.
this has to be the brightest 1W headlamp that i've ever seen. if someone told me that it was a 3W HL (the BD website state 1w), i would definitely believe them. even the 5mm appear quite bright.
the beam pattern has a VERY BRIGHT hotspot and a very nice ample spillbeam. on this misty night, the spillbeam was clearly delineated as a large round noticeably dimmer circular area (about 50' or 60' feet diameter at ~60' distance). the spillbeam is still quite usable though it covers a large area.
the central hotspot throws like crazy (for a 1W HL, that is). it easily reaches out 150'+ feet and illuminates objects at 150' (not brightly, but not dimly). the stand of trees i use for my 60' testcase were very brightly illuminated by the Spot's spot even though there was a VERY light fog/mist present during the use/test.
MED *AND* LO are more than sufficiently bright to use for hiking by night using a 60' desired viewing distance as a criteria. the spillbeam on LO is noticeably dimmer, but still bright enough, IMO, to prevent the night fr/totally closing in on the user and causing tunnel vision.
the hotspot and the spillbeam are perfectly, IMO, and for my particular purposes and criteria, PERFECT.
the 3x5mm LEDs are quite usable as well on both HI and MED for hiking. they produce a total flood beam that easily illuminates the ground 20' to 30' in front of the user. since they are all flood, pointing them out into the darkness where the trees are sparser, or less dense, causes the night to swallow up the light. however, if one were to keep the light directed downward or if the trees and foliage are thicker/denser, then enough light gets reflected back to the eyes so that one could hike on either 3x5mm HI or 3x5mm MED settings.
in fact, on 3x5mm LO i could still hike, but i wanted a bit more light just to be sure that i wasn't missing anything. walking a distinct path is quite easy to do on 3x5mm LO.
my particular '08 BD Spot is so bright, i think maybe it's a 3W emitter, but is labelled a 1W so as not to cut into the '08 BD Icon sales??? this is my opinion only based upon the brightness of my particular '08 BD Icon. if this is true, both for the aforementioned hypothetical reason and since it is running off of 3xAAA cells instead the Icon's 3xAA power source, it's a bit more underdriven for it is certainly NOT as bright as my '08 BD Icon.
the '0 PT EosII is a wonderful HL, and was my favorite lightweight 3xAAA HL for a couple of weeks or so until i received the '08 BD Spot. probably, at this point in time, this is by far the first HL i would reach for if i were to take a 2-3 day "out and about" trek in the forest. if i were out for a longer period of time, i would probably opt for a larger and heavier 3xAA HL. it really is that impressive, especially when the price is taken into account. IMO, the '08 BD Spot is a really good value at $40.
in my mind, the only unanswered question about the '08 Spot at this point in time is the burntime. historically, my experience has shown me that BD greatly overstates its burntimes, particularly when the HL is not primarily one used for hiking and not just for more localized task/proximity lighting in camp. even if this situation is true, this problem would be somewhat mitigated by the fact that MED or LO o.p. levels are all that is required in nearly all cases of how i used the '08 Spot.
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ZebraLight H50-P4 [Cree XR-E]
1xAA alk., NiMH, limited 14500 Li-ion support
1xAA self-contained in body of light
$39
58g/2oz
LO: 2lm ==> 84h
MID: 10lm ==> 19h
HI: 50lm ==> 2h 20m
[OTF lumens and burntime on Sanyo 2700 NiMH; same o.p. levels w/shorter burntime on 14500]
no reflector or optics, so, pure 120deg flood in all modes
[tail] twisty only operation
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ZebraLight H50-Q5 [Cree XR-E]
1xAA alk., NiMH, limited 14500 Li-ion support
1xAA self-contained in body of light
$49
58g/2oz
LO: 2.6lm ==> 84h
MID: 13lm ==> 19h
HI: 66lm ==> 2h 20m
[OTF lumens and burntime on Sanyo 2700 NiMH; same o.p. levels w/shorter burntime on 14500]
no reflector or optics, so, pure 120deg flood in all modes
[tail] twisty only operation
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Zebralight H30-Q5 [Cree]
regulated o.p.
1xCR123A or 1xRCR123A / 16340 Li-ion
cell is self-contained in body of light
$49
40g/1.4oz w/batt ::: 62g/2.2oz w/batt & headband
LO: OTF 4lm (5.5 bulb lumens) ==> 87h
MID: OTF 20lm (27 bulb lumens) ==> 21h
HI: OTF 80lm (110 bulb lumens) ==> 2h 30m
no reflector or optics, so, 80 deg pure flood in all modes
[head] clickie operation
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Browning Nitro [Rebel 100]
Rebel 100 w/optics
4x5mm LEDs (2 red; 2 blue)
1xCR123A
fronted mounted battery
headband + mounting bracket w/clip (for use on a stiff ballcap brim/visor, or pack-belt, pack-strap webbing, or some other web gear).
MODES:
HI white 2.5h 135 lumen [square-ish "spot" beam pattern; very BRIGHT; IMO, appears to be NO EXAGGERATION of lumen o.p. to my eye.]
"LO" white (really a MED - appears, to the eye, to be about 1/2 the brightness of HI white) so, maybe ???5h??? (if it's 1/2 as bright) ??lm
2x5mm red 12h
2x5mm blue 12h
battery compartment ROTARY switch coupled with top mounted push-push button operates the HL. if the top button is left in the latched ON position, the HL can be switch on and off w/the rotary switch. once an ON mode is selected w/the rotary switch, the top button can turn the HL ON and OFF in that Rotary switch SELECTED MODE.
both LO and HI white beams are square and have a very sharply defined cut-off with an extremely dim, essentially unusable spillbeam. at 60' the square spot is not real large, but is NOT too tiny to be usable. anything in that bright square spot is brightly illuminated easily visible on HI at 60' and on LO the square spot dimly illuminates anything in it. by dimly, here is what i mean: you can see objects, but NOT make out much detail. i definitely don't have to strain to make out what i'm looking at. i know what it is i'm seeing, but can't make out a lot of detail - it is more than just a silhouette, however. the brain's innate pattern recognition ability is NOT needed to automagically decipher the image. it's quite clear at 60' on "LO" white what it is that i'm seeing. this is plenty of light for my usual purposes if i'm hiking or just taking a stroll.
so, "LO" white is still bright. as such, there is generally not much need to use HI white, thus extended the burntime a bit. the optics give LO white the "punch"/throw that some other HL's have on their MED o.p. level (especially pre-Cree/SSC/Rebel HLs). if the Nitro can get at least 5h on "LO" white, then this make the Nitro a viable option for use if one is trying to get back to a hunting lodge after dark or out to a tree stand before sunrise, or just taking a half-night long hike/stroll.
lack of a TRUE low WHITE (as in a very dim hi-powered LED, or one or two 5mm white LEDs) makes this HL less useful than it might otherwise be as, for my purposes (YMMV), the RED and BLUE beams' color distortion sometimes makes this unacceptable for my task/proximity lighting purposes.
examined the Nitro closely. there are four screw on the back of the "head" to separate it into two parts. i appears that removing those four screws will allow the Nitro HL to be separated into at least three distinct parts: the back, the front, and the battery compartment.
the 5mm LEDs are located just forward of the battery compartment. the batt. compartment would definitely require removal/separation fr/the front in order to gain access to the 5mm LEDs. it might be worth a shot.
the 2x5mm blue LEDs are usable for walking a relatively smooth path in the dark. out at 10-15 feet, or so, the blue appears a lot dimmer and is not as objectionable to me. however, it is still blue light and color distortion is ineveitable - something, i really dislike (YMMV). up close, however, like for task lighting (setting up a tarp/tent, for instance) or anything else at arms length, the blue is overwhelming to me. however, one can switch over the the 2x5mm RED LED mode when illuminating anything this close (and a bit further). of course, other than making one feel like "Rambo" and slightly/partially preserving (the red is too bright for an astronomer to want to use it; or a true military application also - it's just too bright) a bit one's dark adaption, the RED LEDs usefulness is somewhat reduced since they also cause color distortion. YMMV.
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Browning Phantom 70 [Rebel 70]
1xAA front mounted
Rebel 70 white LED
3 5mm colored LEDs (red, grn, blue)
headband + mounting bracket w/clip (for use on a stiff ballcap brim/visor, or pack-belt, pack-strap webbing, or some other web gear).
MODES:
HI white 80yd/73m 70lm 3h NiMH (Mfr. claimed) & ~1.5h alk.*(*my CONTINUOUS burn test; no resting)
1x5mm red 25h
1x5mm grn 25h
1x5mm blue 25h
flip-over plastic diffuser can be positioned over the hi-pwr'd WHITE LED, or over the cluster of three 5mm colored LEDs, but NOT over both (i.e. white and colored cluster) at the same time. the diffuser will always cover one side or the other (i.e. white, or colored) of the HL.
single button operation cycles through all modes (i.e., white followed by all colored LEDs in sequence which i forget at the moment) before turning OFF - a minor "crab" of mine.
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Streamlight Argo HP C4 [Cree]
excellent regulation, even on HI (which we've come to expect fr/this HL - even in pre-C4 years)
1xCR123A front mounted
1x17670 Li-ion will fit also (my guess, i could be wrong, is that due to the lower cell voltage would probably relatively quickly lose regulation, but end up w/a LONGER continuously, but very slowly & thus unnoticeable to the eye and mind, decreasing brightness burntime which could be useful)
MODES:
LO (33%) 30h 18 lumens
HI (100%) 6h reg + 3h 55 lumens->52lm @ 6h
nice hot spot w/good, broad, relatively bright spillbeam on HI
dimmer, but still nice hot spot (IMO, makes this as useful as some 25lm to 30lm lights which have a less focused central "spot"), w/broad, but perhaps for some (like me, for instance) too dim spillbeam for filling in at a distance when on LO.
cycles fr/LO to HI to OFF. LO first, followed by brighter modes - my fav. way for a light to work. also, no mostly useless flashing modes. Hoo-ah!! (or Hoo-yah!! depending upon your branch of service).
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Streamlight Argo C4 [Cree]
3xAAA front mounted
MODES:
HI (100%) 7h 56 lumens
MED (45%) 11h 25 lumens
LO (20%) 20h 11 lumens
SO MUCH IMPROVED over the pre-C4 version. this one is really a pleasant surprise. pre-C4 was very poor, IMO. almost didn't purchase this one, but took a chance based upon the specs. very glad that i did. for me and my particular uses, it is a more usable HL than its ArgoHP C4 "cousin" due to the very usable MED o.p. mode (lacking in the two-mode HI/LO ArgoHP C4). having this MED o.p. mode on this HL means that for my primary use (nighttime trekking), i can use MED o.p. mode and extend burntime versus having to use HI o.p. mode like i need to on the ArgoHP C4.
as compared to the ArgoHP C4, my particular Argo C4 has a slightly-2-somewhat broader hotspot (with no perceivable lessening of Lux/brightness despite their very similar, on HI, lumen o.p. claims) than my particular ArgoHP C4. this is NOT a big plus, as my ArgoHP C4 is just fine also.
wrong illumination order (i.e. HI-2-LO instead of LO-2-HI as in its "cousin" the ArgoHP C4) for my tastes/preferences, but at least there is no flashing mode - which i prefer to be lacking in most lights.
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Princeton Tec Eos II [Rebel???]
regulated
1W Rebel????
3xAAA front mounted batts
3.7oz
MODES:
HI=187' ; 6.5h(??? my "guesstimate", 2-2.5h reg. + 4-4.5h unreg ???) ; 50lumens
LO=56' ; 60h
vastly improved in '08; everything i liked about the original Eos AND nothing i didn't PLUS some GREAT IMPROVEMENTS. looks like PT has a better understanding (than most of its competitors) of what most backpackers require and desire in a smaller, lighter weight HL. thanks for listening PT!! much appreciated.
GREATLY improved beam pattern; reduction in modes to just two (no more nearly useless flashing mode, meaning what pct. of the time did one actually use the flashing mode? but, that's just my perspective - if i was "down" in the field, i might actually wish i had a flashing signal mode!!)
same big button w/good tactile feel that the original Eos had; can operated w/gloves on; timed press+hold for OFF. press+release cycles from HI to LO (wish it went fr/LO-2-HI - close, but no cigar; IMO, next time i bet PT will get it right in this respect). i just close my eyes when turing the EosII on so the HI o.p. level doesn't blow away any acquired dark adaptation. however, this old man forgets every now and then and so LO o.p. level appears to be dimmer (too dim at times) for a while until pupils react and expand (slower in this old man), and full rhodopsin reserves are built back up (this takes some time in an old geezer like me).
frosted optics producing a much floodier beam pattern than the original Eos. There is a slight hotter central spot, more noticeable on HI than on LO. also, much easier to notice in light fog or mist. IMO, a PERFECT beam pattern for general nighttime trekking (NOT enough throw for some applications such as SAR and perhaps nighttime orienteering/racing). softer, less distinct hotspot transitioning very nicely to a relatively bright, ample, more than sufficient BEAUTIFUL spillbeam. on HI, 60+ feet is quite brightly illuminated by the EosII. on LO, i couldn't even make out trees at 60'. the claimed Mfr. claimed 56' was probably down around the 0.25lx level (assuming PT uses the new standard adopted by some HL Mfrs) and NOT usable at all. 20' to 30' out was dimly lit - one could see the ground which reflected back the light, but when looking out straight ahead (w/the light aimed there too, of course), the blackness just swallowed up the light. LO mode is far more appropriate for task/proximity lighting purposes, and for walking a distinct path. for me, it won't work when hiking indistinct, unfamiliar trails and attempting to pick out faded, low contrast blazes on tree trunks and rocks which mark turns/bends in the trail. i would probably miss a blaze and wander off of a trail if the vegetation was sparse enough to not alert me that i was now off the trail.
for a very short time was my favorite 3xAAA HL until i purchased an '08 BD Spot. now, the EosII is second (might still be first due to that great beam pattern, but, for my purposes, the lack of a MED o.p. level relegates the EosII to second place - unless HI o.p. burntime is 2x as great as w/the original Eos; i haven't yet demonstrated this HI burn time to myself yet). so the EosII is in 2nd place just ahead of the SL Argo C4. the EosII however has surpassed the Petzl Tikka XP, IMO. the Tikka XP definitely needs to upgrade to a SSC emitter if it is to be, once again, a "player", so to speak, in the small, lightweight, hi-powered HL category.
only question in my mind ("the jury is still out", so to speak) is whether HI o.p. level burns any longer than the Original Eos. my guess is either no or marginally so, since the more efficient Rebel(???) LED is putting out twice the Mfr. claimed Lumens of the original Eos, hence the drive current is probably about the same. so, my guess is that burntime on HI ought to be about the same. if so, i would have preferred it if a MED mode was retained, as for my purposes, i could hike by MED, but LOW (given the sizable field of illumination with the new EosII which spreads the light out MUCH more than the original Eos) doesn't provide the LUX "punch", so to speak, to enable me to see clearly enough as far as i would like to.
if one liked the original Eos, one will fall madly in love w/the EosII, i reckon. if burntime on HI is sufficient for your purposes, and/or LO o.p. level is sufficient for your uses, then look no further than the Eos II is my suggestion. IMO, this is a nearly perfect lightweight HL (for my purposes i'd call it perfect if it had a MED o.p. level, or if the HI burntime turns out to be 2x greater than the original Eos on HI).
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Primus PrimeLite Race [Rebel]
1x3W Rebel 100 w/remote 4xAA battery pack
MODES:
LO(25%) 68metres ; 20h
MED(50%) 94m ; 7h
HI(100%) 125m ; 3h
LO is too high for use as a task/proximity light, and so is quite useful in other ways (liking walking a path or trail).
very nice warmer beam tint (as we've come to expect fr/Rebel's) and beam pattern - very useful. see Shemhazai's (sp???) excellent review, complete w/Pics elsewhere in the Headlamps area of CPF.
IMO, Mfr. claimed burntime on HI is a bit short, but, IMO, there is rarely need for HI, and in many situations even MED is overkill, as LO suffices just fine in some situations.
IMO, this HL needs more publicity; it really is an exceptional HL fr/a Mfr. *NOT* as well known (for HLs, that is) as Princeton Tec, Petzl, or Black Diamond.
elsewhere another, who is much funnier than i am, has previously stated, the Race possesses a "strike" bezel (of sorts) so necessary if the need arises to headbutt someone or something!! what would that be? hmmm, a fearless, human acclimatized, camp marauding black bear? a Big Horned Sheep?? or, a deer during the rut??? one's trekkin' mate for shining his/her own light into your eyes?!!
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[NOTE: both of the Energizer HL's, viz. the e^2 Lithium and the Hardcase - both discussed immediately below, have their own unique characteristics - particularly the beam patterns (e^2 uses some optics and gives a very large distinctly CIRCULAR beam pattern - excellent field of illumination, but definitely LESS THROW than the Hardcase), amongst, IMO, other lesser important distinctions. both are quite nice in their own ways.]
Energizer Hardcase [Cree]
3xAA rear mounted batt box
MODES:
? Lumens ; ~35h 2red (56ma)
? Lumens ; ~57h 1green (34ma)
? Lumens ; ~20h white Cree-LO(99ma)
100 Lumens ; ~8h white Cree-HI(247ma)
[i believe these I-drive numbers came fr/another CPF Thread, but i don't recall where, so i can't give credit to whom credit is due, but thank you very much for measuring the I (i.e., current)].
the headband is very nice and includes a top bucket (over-the-head) strap. the circumferential headband has two serpentine patterns/lines of silly-cone (silicone - i guess) to prevent the HL fr/slipping if one gets sweaty luggin' their load over rough hilly trails or up slopes.
the UI consists of a stowable-deployable plastic diffuser (more on it later), and two buttons. the buttons are very easy to operate and provide a very distinct "click" audible feedback coupled with a distinct tactile feedback - very nice buttons indeed (though they may accidentally activate in a pack or pocket, is my guess, as the buttons protrude and don't provide much resistance when pushed/pressed).
the UI works as follows: when wearing the Hardcase HL, from OFF, the left button cycles the 2 red LEDs ON with the first press, and turns on the 1 green LED w/the 2nd press. the next press turns the green LED OFF. the right button cycles the hi-powered white LED fr/OFF to HI w/the first button push. the 2nd button push moves the white LED fr/HI to LO. the 3rd press turns the white LED OFF.
while i am NOT a fan of HI before LO (i'd prefer the other way, i.e. LO-2-HI), on this particular HL, it is *NOT* a real issue, IMO, b/c the left button can turn the HL on in 2x5mm RED LED mode if one is concerned about not blasting away one's dark adaptation.
oh, one other aspect to the UI is this: since two different buttons control the LEDs it is possible (intentionally [not that there's much use for it, IMO], or unintentionally [which i did more than once, DUH!!! as the young'uns say]) to have either the RED or GREEN LEDs *ON* at the same time that the Cree is on in HI or LO.
IMO, having both ON at the same time has only ONE benefit and it's *NOT* the extra light provided by the green LED as the white LED is just SO MUCH brighter than the green. the only advantage would be when the Cree is switched OFF, one is NOT left in darkness if the red or green LEDs are left ON. this is really a very minor benefit, IMO, since if one turns the Cree OFF, then one's finger is right there next to the left button to switch the 2x5mm RED LEDs on only ~0.5sec later. so, minimal benefit to not being left in the dark for no more than 0.5sec. the additional drain on the batteries for gaining almost nothing makes this an UN-FEATURE. i'll try to never use, though i forgot several times to turn OFF either the RED or GREEN LEDs when i switch the Cree ON.
there is NO timing aspect to the UI. one must always cycle through the modes controlled by that particular button to turn the LED(s) OFF. having two button, each button controlling two ON modes makes this very easy to do however. i find it quite enjoyable to use this UI (especially since i don't have to be concerned about flashing modes which i don't have any need for).
the diffuser is very nice in the respect that when deployed it simultaneously covers both the hi-powered WHITE Cree LED as well as the colored LEDs. it also stows neatly out of the way when it isn't required.
my main concern w/this rugged Hardcase HL is that the flip-up diffuser seems to be made of brittle plastic. the diffuser in my particular unit binds up occasionally when deploying it or stowing it. also, as others have noted elsewhere, when the diffuser is stowed, its deployment-tab protrudes slightly (so, the user can grab it b/t thumb and forefinger to deploy the diffuser) and picks up WHITE LED light and reflects it back to the eyes. dark tape, Sharpie permanent marker, paint, and black epoxy have all been suggested as possible solutions. i noticed that this reflected glare, in my particular case, ONLY occurs when the head is pointed straight forward. if i decline the head slightly (it's still pointed so that i can see 30-60 feet in front of me), i can no longer perceive the glare. don't know if this will works for anyone else. perhaps i have a strange shaped forward (you know, sloping forward and eye-brow ridges - Neanderthal-like or perhaps a hikercanthropus adventurus).
the diffuser great dims, to the eyes, the read LED, and makes the green LED very diffuse with the single green LED being much brighter than the red LEDs. the white LED, on both LO and HI, becomes very diffuse also. it really is very nice.
w/the diffuser deployed, hiking is still possible on white LED HI *AND* LO (though throw is lacking, especially on LO). at 60' trees are VERY dimly visible on HI; 30' visibility is better, but the light is still very diffuse. the Energizer e^2 Lithium HL is much better in this regard, w/it's LO o.p. level performing a wee bit better, in terms of "throw" or 60' visibility, than the Hardcase on HI w/its diffuser deployed. however, the Hardcase has MUCH BETTER throw w/o the diffuser deployed for use (throw is NOT much of an option w/the e^2 Lithium HL).
w/the diffuser stowed, the Hardcase HL is a totally different "beast". read on...
the 2x5mm RED LEDs provide enough light to walk a simple foot path w/o tripping. distance viewing is lacking however.
the 1x5mm GREEN LED is MUCH, MUCH brighter than the two RED LEDs, however. w/o the diffuser it THROWS a circular green beam on the ground at least 20-30 feet. the beam has a central darker beam artifact (reminds me of some old incandescent bulbs) and is NOT pretty. however, IMO, it is still quite usable. now, i don't like colored light on the trail (IMO, amber colored light, if it's NOT too yellow, is somewhat livable as it's like a dull incandescent glow). i don't like the inevitable color distortion that occurs w/colored LEDs. i've used red and green, but don't enjoy them like i do white light. however, this is one of the most usable 5mm Green LEDs i've ever used. one could easily hike a rough trail if one didn't need to see out much further than 20-30', though very dimly, or further(???) for those younger hikers who don't yet possess age degraded low light vision - don't worry it's waitn' for you down the trail apiece when you're older. other than the color distortion, the 1x5mm GREEN LED functions as a nice LO beam in terms of viewing distance.
now, i've made y'all wait for the Cree experience. the buttons and the throw of the Cree makes the Hardcase a much preferred HL, IMO, over the other Energizer HL, viz. the e^2 Lithium HL. this Cree THROWS very nicely, while still retaining a very circular LARGE spillbeam - though the spill beam is quite DIM, it is still somewhat usable. on HI 100-150 feet out is illuminated. it's NOT too bright out there at 150', in fact it is pretty dim, but at 60' it brightly illuminates the stand of three small norway maple trees i've been usin' as a practical, real world "test case" of sorts. [Note: for those interested, a bit more on these "test case" trees: 40' high, but not a large trunk diameter as they all have grown out of a common trunk that split into three "trunks" two feet from the ground.] the Cree on LO, also illuminates those trees 60' away, but dimly and doesn't provide much detail. is can easily be used for hiking, IMO. HI will almost never be used except perhaps to "scout" out a route to scramble up a rock face. LO appears to be half as bright (or a bit less, perhaps???) as HI.
the Hardcase Cree, in my particular unit, does NOT appear to be as bright as some other Cree/SSC/Rebel based HLs. this is NOT a complaint, as it's plenty bright for my purposes; it is just an observation. some may be disappointed w/the light output (both in terms of Lumens and Lux/throw), but, IMO, for my purposes, it is VERY usable on the trail. i would guess based upon use of both over the same area, that the Energizer e^2 Lithium HL would have a higher Lumen rating than the Energizer Hardcase HL (even though on HI both are rated by the Mfr. as 100lumen o.p.), but that the Hardcase has more throw when the diffuser is NOT deployed. for my purposes, i prefer the Hardcase over the e^2, though the e^2 would work as well for my purposes (i rarely need mega-throw on the trail - the forests where i used to hike in New England are often too dense to to be able to make use of mega-throw; 30-60 feet is all that is needed most of the time for my particular uses based upon my experiences after 40+ years of backpacking experience).
i must say that i really enjoy using this HL. if it had a 1x5mm white LED or if all three 5mm LEDs were white, then i'd be madly in love w/this HL.
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Energizer E^2 Lithium [Cree]
3xAA *OR* 3xAAA rear mounted battery boxes (only one installs at a time)
MODES:
2x5mm RED: ??lumens : ?? burntime
BOOST: 130-140 lumens ; 15sec max. continuous duration
HI: 100 lumens ; 11h Li AA ; 8h alk. AA ; 3.5h Li AAA ; 2.5h alk. AAA
MED: ??? lumens ; 38h Li AA ; ??h alk. AA ; ??h Li AAA; ??h alk. AAA
LOW: ??? lumens ; 53h Li AA ; ??h alk. AA ; ??h Li AAA; ??h alk. AAA
separate momentary 15sec BOOST button.
somewhat unique dual power source arrangement. other than an "el cheapo" hybrid incand-LED HL i had a year or two ago (purchased on clearance for something like $5 at STP) that simultaneously had both AA and AAA power sources, this is the only other HL that i'm familiar w/that uses this combo of power sources (other HLs i own use an either AA or C cells combo for dual power sources).
the 3xAAA batt. box is flat w/the 3 cells in a common flat over-under-underer arrangement. the 3xAA batt. box uses a difference arrangement, viz. two cells are in a flat over-under arrangment, but the third cell is stacked b/t them, sorta' like logs. so, the 3xAA battery box protrudes a bit. some will dislike this. it props one's head up a bit when laying down and trying to read. in this respect, i find it just a wee bit helpful. each batt box had two metal contacts that mate w/contacts on the headband's rear batt box mounting bracket. it *IS* possible to switch these batt. boxes in darkness by feel alone - whether one continues to wear the HL, or removes it to do the swap doesn't matter. if this ol' klutz could do it, then i reckon that anyone else w/opposable thumbs, a small modicum of dexterity, and a room temperature IQ could easily do it as well. this is a nice feature to switch fr/the expended 3xAA batt box to the backup 3xAAA batt box. the batt boxes appear to be held quite securely in place. don't know what would happen though if i took a tumble down a hill. my guess is that the batt boxes would be properly retained in place and not fly off of the HL.
the e^2 Lithium HL uses a timed OFF UI, meaning that in ANY mode, if the button is NOT pressed for ~2sec, then the next button press will cause the light to turn OFF. turning the HL ON and then repeatedly pressing the button causes the HL to cycle sequentially through its various modes.
the buttons (both ON/OFF/MODE and BOOST) are just a bit too small and so just a bit difficult to operate even w/o gloves. they also lack good operational feel/feedback, meaning that, on my particular unit, sometimes i press a button (either one) and it does NOT operate the HL (particularly the Boost button on mine). this does NOT occur too often though. IMO, this is a minor issue due to the infrequency of this even (though it shouldn't happen at all), not a major crab.
the e^2 Lithium cycles through RED, HI, MED, LO, Flashing, OFF with each button press w/i two sec. at most of the prev. button press. using the Boost button, reinitializes the 2second delay even if the light had been operated in some other mode for many minutes. this allows the user to momentarily activate the Boost mode and then cycle through the remaining modes using the ON/OFF/MODE button w/o immediately turning OFF with the next button press, until OFF is reached (unless the HL is already in Flashing mode).
the 2x5mm RED LEDs come on first - very nice indeed. they are just a wee bit too bright though especially if directed onto a reflective surface that is close (let's say, 4' or so, or closer). they are NOT as bright as some other HLs w/RED LEDs though; this is a good thing, but are still too bright to not have a minor effect on one's dark adaptation (particularly pupillary aperture).
after RED comes HI white. i would still have preferred LO white as it is still bright enough for many uses.
e^2 uses some optics and gives a very large distinctly CIRCULAR beam pattern - excellent field of illumination, but definitely LESS THROW than what one would expect based upon the lumen rating. this is obviously due to the very large illuminated area. no head turning is req'd to see most anything in one's field of view (except perhaps at the periphery which might vary fr/a bit fr/person to person). out at ~60' the diameter of the illuminated circle is about 60'. very easy to see everything of interest as one is hiking at night. however, at 60', while trees can easily be recognized, detail can't really be distinguished. on MED o.p. (perhaps[???] 1/2 the brightness of HI), at this distance, the trees become dimmer, but still recognizable. at this same distance, on LO, the light is quite a bit dimmer (maybe 1/2 as bright as MED???), and trees can be dimly seen. switched to AA cells (Sanyo 2700 which, after relatively short use, detailed below, showed 80%SOC on a ZTS MBT-1) and still could not tell the difference b/t HI and BOOST. however, i could see very dimly out to perhaps 100' on HI. LO was still dim at 60', but was very usable at that distance - trees could very easily be seen, but w/o any detail.
on fairly fresh NiMH cells, i did NOT notice much difference b/t HI and BOOST modes. i had to cycle back and forth a few times before i could convince myself that BOOST was brighter (and i'm still not sure that BOOST mode is any brighter than HI o.p. level). it's the large illuminated area again at work here. i needed to focus on some tree trunks which appeared to be only slightly easier to distinguish with the BOOST, but again, it took several cycles before i could convince myself that i was seeing more. if someone told me that it wasn't any brighter on a Lux meter mounted to those tree trunks 60' away, i would believe them and think that i had just convinced myself that it was brighter just b/c it was Boost mode. however, given that Boost is restricted to 15sec of use, whereas HI can be used continuously, there must be some increase in light o.p. i still need to purchase a Lux meter. perhaps the NiMH cells were already a bit too drained to produce a proper Boost mode???
the e^2 floody, circular beam pattern is much preferable to the narrow throw of some HLs (e.g. original PT Eos), but i would have preferred it to be a bit smaller in diameter w/the same Lumen ratings, thus producing higher Lux levels in the larger circular beam pattern. it's not that i could wish for more throw, as for general hiking, i don't find GREAT throw as useful as ample flood, but rather, i'd like just a bit more throw, or a slight more concentrated beam so that at 60' things were illuminated a bit more brightly (especially on MED and LO).
some will really like this beam; some will undoubtedly hate it. for me it's a like-dislike relationship. it don't really LOVE it, but i don't hate or even really/strongly dislike it either. it's nice to be able to take in so much w/o turning my head, and at 30' i find it very useful, but at 60' i could wish for a HOTSPOT which the optics just don't provide since they so evenly distribute the light - it's like it is ALL spillbeam on my particular unit.
since more THROW with this HL is NOT an option (NOT even with BOOST mode), i'd probably carry a small lightweight Fenix light, or a NiteCore D10 (uses 1xAA cell) to take care of those rare times that i might want to see clearly out past 60' or so.
there is a very bright, too frequently flashing battery "fuel gauge"/battery meter LED. at least that's what i believe it to be (it's still GREEN on mine; it hasn't changed color yet). at the very least, it functions as a locator, so, one can find the e^2 in the dark. every two seconds, it flashes briefly for not more than one quarter of a second or perhaps only for one-fifth of a second and then is off for the remainder of the two second interval until the next very brief flash.
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[Coleman] eXponent Mini [Cree]
1x3W Cree LED
1xCR2
1.4oz w/batt
75 lumens ; 2.5 h
?? (~20lm??? 25lm??? or a bit more???) ; 6 h [not sure where i got that 20lm figure - either read it somewhere or compared it side-by-side w/another light claiming somewhere around 20lm o.p.; or, did i just give a "guesstimate" based upon burntime??? don't know; SO, PLEASE take that 20lm figure w/a grain of salt. if anyone can give a more accurate figure, please let us all know what it is and i'll update this entry. many thanks.]
a very nice lil' light. it's surprising how much light this lil' fella (or gal???) will put out.
too bright (and burntime too short) to be called just a backup light source. however, given its very light wt (see above) there is not too much reason NOT to carry it. for UL-er's, some may use it as their primary light and a Photon Freedom Microlight as their b/u or secondary light source for task/proximity lighting to conserve the CR2.
since the CR2 cell is so small and light, there is probably NOT too much reason not to carry one or more spares, depending upon what one is trying to achieve in a base [pack] wt. when going UL.
for reference, headband is like that used on a Petzl e+LITE, complete w/cord-lock adjustment of the narrow headband, if that helps anyone.
IMO, it's also small enough and light enough easy enough to carry in the car (Li cell - long shelf life and good degree of cold resistance), or in the pocket of jacket or pants.
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Coleman 3xAAA LED Headlamp [Cree XR-C 55lumen] (NAME taken directly fr/the Coleman Website)
1 (1W???) Cree XR-C + 2x5mm white LEDs
3xAA front mounted
MODES:
55 lumens (1xCree) ; 6h
???lm (2x5mm white LEDs) ; 25h
operated by a rotary switch the side of the HL - just turn the side of the batt. compartment to operate.
Mfr. claimed burntimes appear decent enough, IMO.
my particular unit DOESN'T appear to live up to the 55lumen claim. i don't find it very bright at all. i want to check it again though to make sure that it wasn't just the "new" cells used to power it on its maiden voyage on my noggin' some weeks ago.
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Dosun H1 [Cree]
regulated
1x3W downward "firing" Cree LED encased in a reflective shield somewhat reminiscent of an H4 (or similar H"n" designation) automobile headlamp/headlight - i know, H4 is NOT downward firing, but fwd & reflected back by a reflective hood to the main reflector, but i'm hoping that y'all get the idea of what i'm tryin' to convey by this description)
3xAA in rear mounted battery pack
MODES:
120% (a momentary BOOST mode): 104lm ; continuous time duration is unknown (by me, at least)
100%: ~93.6lm ; 3h [6.1h w/Eneloops, IIRC, or Sanyo 2700 NiMH cells - i forget which i used in my own CONTINOUS, no resting, burntime test, i.e. no turning OFF]
60%: 52lm ; 5h
30%: ~20.8lm ; 12h
100% dbl-flash (aka "strobe" in Dosun-"speak" [or Dosun-ese, if you prefer]): ~93.6lm ; 12h
100% strobe (aka "fast strobe" in Dosun-speak; appears to be a 50% duty cycle to my eye, but i'm guessin' here based upon the appearance of the strobe): ~93.6lm ; 6h
the burntimes may seem just a wee bit short, but my "gut" feelings/impression is that Dosun may actually give some realistic burntimes here (unlike some HL Mfr's who seemed, to me at least, to INFLATE their burntimes, that is, until recently when some of the larger ones adopted a consistent standard for their distances of illumination and burntimes [ending "burntime" at 0.25 lux, supposedly the amount of light fr/a full moon on a clear night at 2metres, IIRC - pretty dim light, but no complaints about the 2m distance - one can see their feet and the ground directly in front of them given the 2m distance]
the two strobe modes could actually be used to hike by (for short periods of time, that is, before either a headache or epileptic seizure results!!! - just my weak attempt at humor). i actually tried it and found it doable, but NOT pleasant. the fast strobe was much better for this purpose than the "dbl-flash", as i term it (flash-flash-short pause-flash-flash-short pause, repeating ad tedium ad nauseum ad infinitum - at least until the batts run down; so, i would step-step-pause-step-step-pause... not really too viable a means of locomotion when haste is necessary). the fast strobe was really a "disco in the forest"!! freezing in mid-attack anything coming at you!!! nothing like watching under strobe light your trekkin' mate get slaughtered in "stop action" motion by a hungry bear or nocturnal rodent!! the only reason i could see for attempting to hike by fast strobe is one requires the 100% o.p. level, but wants 2x more than 3h or 6h (on NiMH cells) of burntime on a single set of 3xAA cells. i couldn't last 6min on the fast strobe w/o it driving me bonkers (made me a real raving lunatic w/spittle dribbling down my beard while mumbling to me-self !!!), but in an emergency it might prove useful to be able to use the fast strobe light in this fashion.
unique reflector rotates for diff. beam pattern: spot, eagle [wide, not tall "hot" area], flood
each specialized area of the reflector occupies 120deg.
a very slightly protruding plastic ridge marks the center of each 120deg section of the reflector so that the reflector may be positioned properly using feel alone (if NOT wearing gloves); i find that by placing my thumb on a ridge and rotating the HL's bezel allows for relatively easy positioning of the reflector to the desired position. when the "ridge" points straight down, the reflector is properly positioned for use in that portion of the reflector.
100% o.p. level is very bright in all three reflector positions. even flood is bright enough to hike by. while very bright at 100%, to my eye, it doesn't appear to be >90lm - perhaps b/c it does give a pretty sizable field of illumination, so the light (LUX-wise) would appear not as bright.
60% o.p. level is quite easily noticeably dimmer than 100%.
60% o.p. level is quite useful in SPOT mode, less so in EAGLE mode, but still useful in some situations (keep in mind that it's "downhill" to 100, so to speak, for me; so, i have age degraded low light vision; no doubt you young'uns could easily hike in EAGLE mode on 60% o.p.).
30% was NOT bright enough for me to hike with (spot mode was bright, but i prefer a larger illuminated area in spite of the decent sized "spot" in SPOT mode) and the light is quite noticeably dimmer than the 60% o.p. level. EAGLE mode also, just like flood, spreads out the light over too large an area for me to use in some situations even though it appears brighter than FLOOD mode. UPDATE: tried the H1 again tonight. my dark adaptation must have been inferior the last time i tried it under similar circumstances. on 30%, even though it's only claimed to be ~20lm, it was plenty of light for me this time around (my eyes definitely had some good dark adaptation this time and the night was overcast). 30% was fine even on FLOOD mode reflector position, and i could dimly see out past my arbitrary 30' distance. EAGLE and SPOT modes were the way to go, especially EAGLE which gave me a very wide field of illumination at 60+ feet (though a bit dim out there, but fine for my purposes at 30'). if(???) the burntime doubles on 30% o.p. level w/NiMH, as it did on 100%, that would be very nice. a usable 24h burntime on 30% would make this an excellent choice for me (~3nights of hiking w/o changin' cells would be more than acceptable). so, at this point i must say that previously my dislike of the 30% o.p. level was apparently a problem was w/my low light vision and *NOT* any overestimation of Lumen o.p. by Dosun. in fact, i don't remember the last time ~20lm of light o.p. seemed so bright and usable.
eagle mode is really nice, IMO - kudos to Dosun for this creative lighting mode. when one wants their LUMENS concentrated into a smaller area than FLOOD mode provides, for more LUX per unit area, the "eagle" mode is very nice - brighter (LUX-wise, that is) than FLOOD mode, but still gives a very good width/field of illumination.
120% is a momentary BOOST mode; no time limit mentioned to the best of my knowledge, operated via a separate BOOST mode button - press and hold for 120% BOOST. frankly, in actual field use, it is really difficult to notice a 20% increase in light unless stationary and going back and forth b/t 100% and 120% until i convince myself that i can see more in "boost" mode.
a better use of the 120% "boost" is when the HL is in 60% or 30% o.p. mode and a bit more light is needed for a few seconds. the results are very good when 120% "boost" is used in this way since you don't have to use the main switch and cycle to 100% and then back to whatever mode the HL was in b/f requiring the temporary use for more light. if this was the Dosun rationale behind a 120% momentary "boosted" light o.p. level, then i think that it is a very clever feature. don't y'all just hate having to cycle through a bunch of modes to get back to the mode you really want after requiring a very brief need for more light?!!
the very sophisticated reflector produces a lot of artifacts reminiscent of some older incandescent HLs beams. however, IMO, this is only a problem for "white wall hunting". in actual field use, outdoors, they aren't anywhere as easily noticed outdoors in the forest and don't prove to be a problem for me at all, even bein' the nit-picky old geezer that i am.
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Brunton L3 (previously the Silva L1) 3W [Lumileds Luxeon???]
regulated for ~85% of the burntime (very nice indeed)
3W Luxeon w/optics
4xAA headband mounted in two separate 2xAA batt. boxess, -OR-
4xC in remote (e.g. belt mounted) batt. box.
~8.5oz w/4xAA (though some list just ~8oz)
MODES:
MAX: 330' (Silva claimed 330', but Brunton may be only claiming ~205' now) ; 2h 15m w/4AA
MED: 100' ; 6h w/4AA
PowerSave (aka LO): 40' ; 24h w/4AA
MAX: 330' (Silva claimed 330', but Brunton may be only claiming ~205' now) ; 6h 45m w/4C
MED: 100' ; 18h w/4C
PowerSave (aka LO which is still quite bright): 40' ; 72h w/4C
[haven't used this one in a while, so i'm forgettin' if there is a "flashing" mode]
[imagine the burntimes if it had a Cree!!!]
very bright; one of my favorites;when one doesn't need to go light, but want a lot o' light for a long time, the 4xC remote batt box is very nice.
MED o.p. level is bright enough for most purposes, IMO.
the TIMED (i.e. press and hold) ON and OFF make for a very nice UI, IMO.
single small switch w/poor switch feel which is all the more egregious since one must press and hold to get the light to turn on and off;
modes are accessed via quick press and release to cycle through them.
bright spot w/a fairly decent spillbeam; spot is on the smaller rather than larger size (more so in one of my two L3's), but is *NOT* what i would consider an overly small spot. IMO, the spot is large enough to be very useful at distance.
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Brunton L5 5W [K2]
5W K2
4.5Ah NiMH rechargeable remote battery pak (i.e.. belt mounted, or carried in pocket or pak or w/the included shoulder strap inside jacket/parka)
weight on head is ~4oz; total wt w/ext NiMH batt pak supposedly around 10oz
MODES:
MAX: 246' @ t0; 213' @ t-30min; 65' @ t-10h; 11h total burntime
MED: 184' @ t0; 180' @ t-30min; 117' @ t-10h; 30h total burntime
PowerSave (aka LO which is still quite bright): 115' @ t0; 115' @ t-30min; 115' @ t-10h; 50h total burntime
plus, "flashing" mode
MED o.p. level is bright enough for most purposes, IMO. even LO is quite useful in some situations (walking an easy path, for instance).
instead of leaving one in the dark when batts almost expended, the L5 "automagically" steps down to a low mode (PowerSave mode??? don't know) when 15% of it's batt power remains - very civilized of the L5, indeed!
the TIMED (i.e. press and hold) ON and OFF make for a very nice UI, IMO.
single small switch w/poor switch feel;
also, IMO, very bright, but over priced cp. to the Brunton L3;
plus, no option for non-rechargeable cells means that for longer duration outages in the home, or longer outs in the field away recharging source, the L5 is not a viable option.
also, not so much brighter than it's lil' bro, the L3, that it "wows" me. in fact, it doesn't. it's the other way, it underwhelms me, so to speak. given its high price tag (typically around $200 - at least when first released, but can be found now for ~$150), i would recommend that non-collectors to steer clear of this one and get the L3 if one really wanted a Brunton HL.
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Aug '08 Princeton Tec Apex/ApexPro [Rebel]
***NOT YET RELEASED*** [Note: "scuttlebutt" fr/one dealer that i spoke with several weeks ago via telcon was that anticipated release date is sometime in August '08]
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Mammut Lucido TX1
3xAA in rear mounted batt. pak
4.9oz w/batts
unregulated
1W w/optics + 2x5mm LEDs w/optics
plus 3x5mm flashing RED LEDs mounted on the rear of the batt. box to func. as "follow me" lights
MODES:
1W HI: 145h / 105m distance [just the HI mode of operation for the 1W; no other 1W only modes]
2x5mm HI (so, essentially MED): 155h / 14m
2x5mm LO: 180h / 7m
1W + 2x5mm HI: 100h [Note: this is a really nice mode of operation as it provides both distance lighting and a large near area illuminated also]
the 3x5mm RED LEDs do *NOT* have to be illuminated; their DEFAULT is *OFF* even when the other LEDs are ON; spcl press & hold of one button to get them to illuminate
1W optics projects an intense smallish in size SQUARE hotspot; 3x5mm RED may be activated in any mode - even as sole lighting
two separate buttons to operate the HL; fr/wearer's perspective left btn turns on 1W & rt. btn turns on 2x5mm; short presses turn 1W on and off; long press+hold turns on 1W+2x5mm; short press of rt btn turns 2x5mm on LO; short press again to active 2x5mm HI; short press again to turn OFF; long rt. press turns on flashing 3x5mm RED LEDs on back of batt box.
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Mammut Lucido TX1 Belt
unregulated
1W w/optics + 2x5mm LEDs w/optics
plus 3x5mm flashing RED LEDs mounted on the rear of the batt. box to func. as "follow me" lights
3xC batt. pak on long cable
340g (12oz) w/batts
MODES:
1W HI: 36h / 105m distance [just the HI mode of operation for the 1W; no other 1W only modes]
2x5mm HI (so, essentially MED): 380h / 14m
2x5mm LO: 450h / 7m
1W + 2x5mm HI: 250h [Note: this is a really nice mode of operation as it provides both distance lighting and a large near area illuminated also]
the 3x5mm RED LEDs do *NOT* have to be illuminated; their DEFAULT is *OFF* even when the other LEDs are ON; spcl press & hold of one button to get them to illuminate
1W optics projects an intense smallish in size SQUARE hotspot; 3x5mm RED may be activated in any mode - even as sole lighting
two separate buttons to operate the HL; fr/wearer's perspective left btn turns on 1W & rt. btn turns on 2x5mm; short presses turn 1W on and off; long press+hold turns on 1W+2x5mm; short press of rt btn turns 2x5mm on LO; short press again to active 2x5mm HI; short press again to turn OFF; long rt. press turns on flashing 3x5mm RED LEDs on back of batt box.
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[Note: my sincere apologies for any typos or minor errors in specs or poor wording of operation of any HL; in any case, fault entirely mine if such is found; please alert me to edit inaccuracies or lack of clarity. PLEASE KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR "COPY and PASTE" ERRORS where i may forget to change the specs for somewhat related HL models after pasting in similar info (e.g. batt types, burntimes, etc.; viz. just caught my first w/the TX1 and TX1 belt burntimes not being updated for the "belt" version after copy & paste). many thanks, pj aka half-watt]
EDIT: 2009-12-03
Szemhazai just PM'd me and let me know that his Mammut TX1 has a Luxeon I/III emitter in it. Many thanks to Szemhazai for letting us all know.
ZebraLight H50-P4 and H50-Q5 [Cree]
Zebralight H30-Q5 [Cree] [Note: at this point in time, -P4 no longer listed on ZL website]
Dosun H1 [Cree]
Browning Nitro [Rebel 100]
Browning Phantom [Rebel 70]
Streamlight Argo HP C4 [Cree]
Streamlight Argo C4 [Cree]
Princeton Tec Eos II [Rebel???]
Black Diamond Spot [Cree]
Black Diamond Icon [Cree]
Primus PrimeLite Race [Rebel]
Petzl Myo XP [SSC]
Energizer Hardcase [Cree]
Energizer E^2 Lithium [Cree]
[Coleman] eXponent Mini [Cree]
Coleman 3xAAA LED Headlamp [Cree XR-C 55lumen -- NAME taken directly fr/the Coleman Website]
[Note: at this point in time, these are the only ones i own and have some small measure of first-hand experience with.]
OTHER BRIGHT LED only [*not* Hybrid incand-LED ] HL's *NOT* MENTIONED ABOVE as '08 MODELS:
Aug '08 Princeton Tec Apex/ApexPro [Rebel] ***NOT YET RELEASED***
Petzl RXP [SSC???] ***NOT YET AVAILABLE*** in the good ol' USofA
'08 Princeton Tec Apex/ApexPro *INTERIM* 3W 80 lumen release/model [Lumileds Luxeon]
'07 Princeton Tec Apex Extreme 3W 70 lumen 8xAA (in 2x4xAA parallel-series arrangement) [Lumileds Luxeon]
Brunton L3 (previously the Silva L1) 3W [Lumileds Luxeon???]
Brunton L5 5W [K2]
[Note: the arbitrary 3W requirement excludes the 1W Mammut Lucido TX1 and TX1 Belt HLs, both of which i own and are quite usable due to the optics, though i still prefer the PT Apex, for instance, over either incarnation of the TX1, i.e. belt or belt-less]
[Note: there may be others, but, off the top of my head w/o checking my storage bins, these are the only 3W+ all LED HL's i own that i havent' "upgraded" by purchasing their newer '08 versions/models/releases]
***************************************************************
ADDITIONAL DETAILS (mostly Mfr. claimed):
2008 Models:
=========
Black Diamond Icon [Cree]
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Petzl Myo XP [SSC]
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'08 Princeton Tec Apex/ApexPro *INTERIM* 3W 80 lumen release/model [Lumileds Luxeon]
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'07 Princeton Tec Apex Extreme 3W 70 lumen 8xAA (in 2x4xAA series-parallel cfg.) [Lumileds Luxeon]
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Black Diamond Spot [Cree]
Cree 1W (seems much brighter in my particular unit), plus...
3x5mm White LED
3xAAA fronted mounted batteries.
~3oz w/batteries
MODES:
1W HI: ???lm ==> 50h
1W MED: ???lm ==> 150h
1W LO: ???lm ==> 200h
3x5mm HI: ???lm ==> 100h
3x5mm MED: ???lm ==> 120h
3x5mm LO: ???lm ==> 145h
Distances at stated times:
1W Cree
t-0 / t-30min / t-10h
100m / 80m / 35m
70m / 60m / 34m
50m / 50m / 34m
3x5mm White LEDs
t-0 / t-30min / t-10h
23m / 20m / 15m
17m / 14m / 12m
12m / 11m / 11m
UI:
Classic BD ON-OFF-ON-OFF sequence w/FULL BUTTON PRESSES.
Classic BD HI-MED-LO-FLASH sequence w/partial (i.e., half) button presses.
personally, i don't care for this particular UI. i wish that it "remembered" the mode like the BD Icon does. i wish all BD HLs remembered not only the mode, but also the light level (which none of them do). however, given everything positive about the new '08 BD Spot, this is really a very minor "crab" - one that i'm quite willing to live with.
this has to be the brightest 1W headlamp that i've ever seen. if someone told me that it was a 3W HL (the BD website state 1w), i would definitely believe them. even the 5mm appear quite bright.
the beam pattern has a VERY BRIGHT hotspot and a very nice ample spillbeam. on this misty night, the spillbeam was clearly delineated as a large round noticeably dimmer circular area (about 50' or 60' feet diameter at ~60' distance). the spillbeam is still quite usable though it covers a large area.
the central hotspot throws like crazy (for a 1W HL, that is). it easily reaches out 150'+ feet and illuminates objects at 150' (not brightly, but not dimly). the stand of trees i use for my 60' testcase were very brightly illuminated by the Spot's spot even though there was a VERY light fog/mist present during the use/test.
MED *AND* LO are more than sufficiently bright to use for hiking by night using a 60' desired viewing distance as a criteria. the spillbeam on LO is noticeably dimmer, but still bright enough, IMO, to prevent the night fr/totally closing in on the user and causing tunnel vision.
the hotspot and the spillbeam are perfectly, IMO, and for my particular purposes and criteria, PERFECT.
the 3x5mm LEDs are quite usable as well on both HI and MED for hiking. they produce a total flood beam that easily illuminates the ground 20' to 30' in front of the user. since they are all flood, pointing them out into the darkness where the trees are sparser, or less dense, causes the night to swallow up the light. however, if one were to keep the light directed downward or if the trees and foliage are thicker/denser, then enough light gets reflected back to the eyes so that one could hike on either 3x5mm HI or 3x5mm MED settings.
in fact, on 3x5mm LO i could still hike, but i wanted a bit more light just to be sure that i wasn't missing anything. walking a distinct path is quite easy to do on 3x5mm LO.
my particular '08 BD Spot is so bright, i think maybe it's a 3W emitter, but is labelled a 1W so as not to cut into the '08 BD Icon sales??? this is my opinion only based upon the brightness of my particular '08 BD Icon. if this is true, both for the aforementioned hypothetical reason and since it is running off of 3xAAA cells instead the Icon's 3xAA power source, it's a bit more underdriven for it is certainly NOT as bright as my '08 BD Icon.
the '0 PT EosII is a wonderful HL, and was my favorite lightweight 3xAAA HL for a couple of weeks or so until i received the '08 BD Spot. probably, at this point in time, this is by far the first HL i would reach for if i were to take a 2-3 day "out and about" trek in the forest. if i were out for a longer period of time, i would probably opt for a larger and heavier 3xAA HL. it really is that impressive, especially when the price is taken into account. IMO, the '08 BD Spot is a really good value at $40.
in my mind, the only unanswered question about the '08 Spot at this point in time is the burntime. historically, my experience has shown me that BD greatly overstates its burntimes, particularly when the HL is not primarily one used for hiking and not just for more localized task/proximity lighting in camp. even if this situation is true, this problem would be somewhat mitigated by the fact that MED or LO o.p. levels are all that is required in nearly all cases of how i used the '08 Spot.
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ZebraLight H50-P4 [Cree XR-E]
1xAA alk., NiMH, limited 14500 Li-ion support
1xAA self-contained in body of light
$39
58g/2oz
LO: 2lm ==> 84h
MID: 10lm ==> 19h
HI: 50lm ==> 2h 20m
[OTF lumens and burntime on Sanyo 2700 NiMH; same o.p. levels w/shorter burntime on 14500]
no reflector or optics, so, pure 120deg flood in all modes
[tail] twisty only operation
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ZebraLight H50-Q5 [Cree XR-E]
1xAA alk., NiMH, limited 14500 Li-ion support
1xAA self-contained in body of light
$49
58g/2oz
LO: 2.6lm ==> 84h
MID: 13lm ==> 19h
HI: 66lm ==> 2h 20m
[OTF lumens and burntime on Sanyo 2700 NiMH; same o.p. levels w/shorter burntime on 14500]
no reflector or optics, so, pure 120deg flood in all modes
[tail] twisty only operation
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Zebralight H30-Q5 [Cree]
regulated o.p.
1xCR123A or 1xRCR123A / 16340 Li-ion
cell is self-contained in body of light
$49
40g/1.4oz w/batt ::: 62g/2.2oz w/batt & headband
LO: OTF 4lm (5.5 bulb lumens) ==> 87h
MID: OTF 20lm (27 bulb lumens) ==> 21h
HI: OTF 80lm (110 bulb lumens) ==> 2h 30m
no reflector or optics, so, 80 deg pure flood in all modes
[head] clickie operation
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Browning Nitro [Rebel 100]
Rebel 100 w/optics
4x5mm LEDs (2 red; 2 blue)
1xCR123A
fronted mounted battery
headband + mounting bracket w/clip (for use on a stiff ballcap brim/visor, or pack-belt, pack-strap webbing, or some other web gear).
MODES:
HI white 2.5h 135 lumen [square-ish "spot" beam pattern; very BRIGHT; IMO, appears to be NO EXAGGERATION of lumen o.p. to my eye.]
"LO" white (really a MED - appears, to the eye, to be about 1/2 the brightness of HI white) so, maybe ???5h??? (if it's 1/2 as bright) ??lm
2x5mm red 12h
2x5mm blue 12h
battery compartment ROTARY switch coupled with top mounted push-push button operates the HL. if the top button is left in the latched ON position, the HL can be switch on and off w/the rotary switch. once an ON mode is selected w/the rotary switch, the top button can turn the HL ON and OFF in that Rotary switch SELECTED MODE.
both LO and HI white beams are square and have a very sharply defined cut-off with an extremely dim, essentially unusable spillbeam. at 60' the square spot is not real large, but is NOT too tiny to be usable. anything in that bright square spot is brightly illuminated easily visible on HI at 60' and on LO the square spot dimly illuminates anything in it. by dimly, here is what i mean: you can see objects, but NOT make out much detail. i definitely don't have to strain to make out what i'm looking at. i know what it is i'm seeing, but can't make out a lot of detail - it is more than just a silhouette, however. the brain's innate pattern recognition ability is NOT needed to automagically decipher the image. it's quite clear at 60' on "LO" white what it is that i'm seeing. this is plenty of light for my usual purposes if i'm hiking or just taking a stroll.
so, "LO" white is still bright. as such, there is generally not much need to use HI white, thus extended the burntime a bit. the optics give LO white the "punch"/throw that some other HL's have on their MED o.p. level (especially pre-Cree/SSC/Rebel HLs). if the Nitro can get at least 5h on "LO" white, then this make the Nitro a viable option for use if one is trying to get back to a hunting lodge after dark or out to a tree stand before sunrise, or just taking a half-night long hike/stroll.
lack of a TRUE low WHITE (as in a very dim hi-powered LED, or one or two 5mm white LEDs) makes this HL less useful than it might otherwise be as, for my purposes (YMMV), the RED and BLUE beams' color distortion sometimes makes this unacceptable for my task/proximity lighting purposes.
examined the Nitro closely. there are four screw on the back of the "head" to separate it into two parts. i appears that removing those four screws will allow the Nitro HL to be separated into at least three distinct parts: the back, the front, and the battery compartment.
the 5mm LEDs are located just forward of the battery compartment. the batt. compartment would definitely require removal/separation fr/the front in order to gain access to the 5mm LEDs. it might be worth a shot.
the 2x5mm blue LEDs are usable for walking a relatively smooth path in the dark. out at 10-15 feet, or so, the blue appears a lot dimmer and is not as objectionable to me. however, it is still blue light and color distortion is ineveitable - something, i really dislike (YMMV). up close, however, like for task lighting (setting up a tarp/tent, for instance) or anything else at arms length, the blue is overwhelming to me. however, one can switch over the the 2x5mm RED LED mode when illuminating anything this close (and a bit further). of course, other than making one feel like "Rambo" and slightly/partially preserving (the red is too bright for an astronomer to want to use it; or a true military application also - it's just too bright) a bit one's dark adaption, the RED LEDs usefulness is somewhat reduced since they also cause color distortion. YMMV.
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Browning Phantom 70 [Rebel 70]
1xAA front mounted
Rebel 70 white LED
3 5mm colored LEDs (red, grn, blue)
headband + mounting bracket w/clip (for use on a stiff ballcap brim/visor, or pack-belt, pack-strap webbing, or some other web gear).
MODES:
HI white 80yd/73m 70lm 3h NiMH (Mfr. claimed) & ~1.5h alk.*(*my CONTINUOUS burn test; no resting)
1x5mm red 25h
1x5mm grn 25h
1x5mm blue 25h
flip-over plastic diffuser can be positioned over the hi-pwr'd WHITE LED, or over the cluster of three 5mm colored LEDs, but NOT over both (i.e. white and colored cluster) at the same time. the diffuser will always cover one side or the other (i.e. white, or colored) of the HL.
single button operation cycles through all modes (i.e., white followed by all colored LEDs in sequence which i forget at the moment) before turning OFF - a minor "crab" of mine.
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Streamlight Argo HP C4 [Cree]
excellent regulation, even on HI (which we've come to expect fr/this HL - even in pre-C4 years)
1xCR123A front mounted
1x17670 Li-ion will fit also (my guess, i could be wrong, is that due to the lower cell voltage would probably relatively quickly lose regulation, but end up w/a LONGER continuously, but very slowly & thus unnoticeable to the eye and mind, decreasing brightness burntime which could be useful)
MODES:
LO (33%) 30h 18 lumens
HI (100%) 6h reg + 3h 55 lumens->52lm @ 6h
nice hot spot w/good, broad, relatively bright spillbeam on HI
dimmer, but still nice hot spot (IMO, makes this as useful as some 25lm to 30lm lights which have a less focused central "spot"), w/broad, but perhaps for some (like me, for instance) too dim spillbeam for filling in at a distance when on LO.
cycles fr/LO to HI to OFF. LO first, followed by brighter modes - my fav. way for a light to work. also, no mostly useless flashing modes. Hoo-ah!! (or Hoo-yah!! depending upon your branch of service).
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Streamlight Argo C4 [Cree]
3xAAA front mounted
MODES:
HI (100%) 7h 56 lumens
MED (45%) 11h 25 lumens
LO (20%) 20h 11 lumens
SO MUCH IMPROVED over the pre-C4 version. this one is really a pleasant surprise. pre-C4 was very poor, IMO. almost didn't purchase this one, but took a chance based upon the specs. very glad that i did. for me and my particular uses, it is a more usable HL than its ArgoHP C4 "cousin" due to the very usable MED o.p. mode (lacking in the two-mode HI/LO ArgoHP C4). having this MED o.p. mode on this HL means that for my primary use (nighttime trekking), i can use MED o.p. mode and extend burntime versus having to use HI o.p. mode like i need to on the ArgoHP C4.
as compared to the ArgoHP C4, my particular Argo C4 has a slightly-2-somewhat broader hotspot (with no perceivable lessening of Lux/brightness despite their very similar, on HI, lumen o.p. claims) than my particular ArgoHP C4. this is NOT a big plus, as my ArgoHP C4 is just fine also.
wrong illumination order (i.e. HI-2-LO instead of LO-2-HI as in its "cousin" the ArgoHP C4) for my tastes/preferences, but at least there is no flashing mode - which i prefer to be lacking in most lights.
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Princeton Tec Eos II [Rebel???]
regulated
1W Rebel????
3xAAA front mounted batts
3.7oz
MODES:
HI=187' ; 6.5h(??? my "guesstimate", 2-2.5h reg. + 4-4.5h unreg ???) ; 50lumens
LO=56' ; 60h
vastly improved in '08; everything i liked about the original Eos AND nothing i didn't PLUS some GREAT IMPROVEMENTS. looks like PT has a better understanding (than most of its competitors) of what most backpackers require and desire in a smaller, lighter weight HL. thanks for listening PT!! much appreciated.
GREATLY improved beam pattern; reduction in modes to just two (no more nearly useless flashing mode, meaning what pct. of the time did one actually use the flashing mode? but, that's just my perspective - if i was "down" in the field, i might actually wish i had a flashing signal mode!!)
same big button w/good tactile feel that the original Eos had; can operated w/gloves on; timed press+hold for OFF. press+release cycles from HI to LO (wish it went fr/LO-2-HI - close, but no cigar; IMO, next time i bet PT will get it right in this respect). i just close my eyes when turing the EosII on so the HI o.p. level doesn't blow away any acquired dark adaptation. however, this old man forgets every now and then and so LO o.p. level appears to be dimmer (too dim at times) for a while until pupils react and expand (slower in this old man), and full rhodopsin reserves are built back up (this takes some time in an old geezer like me).
frosted optics producing a much floodier beam pattern than the original Eos. There is a slight hotter central spot, more noticeable on HI than on LO. also, much easier to notice in light fog or mist. IMO, a PERFECT beam pattern for general nighttime trekking (NOT enough throw for some applications such as SAR and perhaps nighttime orienteering/racing). softer, less distinct hotspot transitioning very nicely to a relatively bright, ample, more than sufficient BEAUTIFUL spillbeam. on HI, 60+ feet is quite brightly illuminated by the EosII. on LO, i couldn't even make out trees at 60'. the claimed Mfr. claimed 56' was probably down around the 0.25lx level (assuming PT uses the new standard adopted by some HL Mfrs) and NOT usable at all. 20' to 30' out was dimly lit - one could see the ground which reflected back the light, but when looking out straight ahead (w/the light aimed there too, of course), the blackness just swallowed up the light. LO mode is far more appropriate for task/proximity lighting purposes, and for walking a distinct path. for me, it won't work when hiking indistinct, unfamiliar trails and attempting to pick out faded, low contrast blazes on tree trunks and rocks which mark turns/bends in the trail. i would probably miss a blaze and wander off of a trail if the vegetation was sparse enough to not alert me that i was now off the trail.
for a very short time was my favorite 3xAAA HL until i purchased an '08 BD Spot. now, the EosII is second (might still be first due to that great beam pattern, but, for my purposes, the lack of a MED o.p. level relegates the EosII to second place - unless HI o.p. burntime is 2x as great as w/the original Eos; i haven't yet demonstrated this HI burn time to myself yet). so the EosII is in 2nd place just ahead of the SL Argo C4. the EosII however has surpassed the Petzl Tikka XP, IMO. the Tikka XP definitely needs to upgrade to a SSC emitter if it is to be, once again, a "player", so to speak, in the small, lightweight, hi-powered HL category.
only question in my mind ("the jury is still out", so to speak) is whether HI o.p. level burns any longer than the Original Eos. my guess is either no or marginally so, since the more efficient Rebel(???) LED is putting out twice the Mfr. claimed Lumens of the original Eos, hence the drive current is probably about the same. so, my guess is that burntime on HI ought to be about the same. if so, i would have preferred it if a MED mode was retained, as for my purposes, i could hike by MED, but LOW (given the sizable field of illumination with the new EosII which spreads the light out MUCH more than the original Eos) doesn't provide the LUX "punch", so to speak, to enable me to see clearly enough as far as i would like to.
if one liked the original Eos, one will fall madly in love w/the EosII, i reckon. if burntime on HI is sufficient for your purposes, and/or LO o.p. level is sufficient for your uses, then look no further than the Eos II is my suggestion. IMO, this is a nearly perfect lightweight HL (for my purposes i'd call it perfect if it had a MED o.p. level, or if the HI burntime turns out to be 2x greater than the original Eos on HI).
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Primus PrimeLite Race [Rebel]
1x3W Rebel 100 w/remote 4xAA battery pack
MODES:
LO(25%) 68metres ; 20h
MED(50%) 94m ; 7h
HI(100%) 125m ; 3h
LO is too high for use as a task/proximity light, and so is quite useful in other ways (liking walking a path or trail).
very nice warmer beam tint (as we've come to expect fr/Rebel's) and beam pattern - very useful. see Shemhazai's (sp???) excellent review, complete w/Pics elsewhere in the Headlamps area of CPF.
IMO, Mfr. claimed burntime on HI is a bit short, but, IMO, there is rarely need for HI, and in many situations even MED is overkill, as LO suffices just fine in some situations.
IMO, this HL needs more publicity; it really is an exceptional HL fr/a Mfr. *NOT* as well known (for HLs, that is) as Princeton Tec, Petzl, or Black Diamond.
elsewhere another, who is much funnier than i am, has previously stated, the Race possesses a "strike" bezel (of sorts) so necessary if the need arises to headbutt someone or something!! what would that be? hmmm, a fearless, human acclimatized, camp marauding black bear? a Big Horned Sheep?? or, a deer during the rut??? one's trekkin' mate for shining his/her own light into your eyes?!!
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[NOTE: both of the Energizer HL's, viz. the e^2 Lithium and the Hardcase - both discussed immediately below, have their own unique characteristics - particularly the beam patterns (e^2 uses some optics and gives a very large distinctly CIRCULAR beam pattern - excellent field of illumination, but definitely LESS THROW than the Hardcase), amongst, IMO, other lesser important distinctions. both are quite nice in their own ways.]
Energizer Hardcase [Cree]
3xAA rear mounted batt box
MODES:
? Lumens ; ~35h 2red (56ma)
? Lumens ; ~57h 1green (34ma)
? Lumens ; ~20h white Cree-LO(99ma)
100 Lumens ; ~8h white Cree-HI(247ma)
[i believe these I-drive numbers came fr/another CPF Thread, but i don't recall where, so i can't give credit to whom credit is due, but thank you very much for measuring the I (i.e., current)].
the headband is very nice and includes a top bucket (over-the-head) strap. the circumferential headband has two serpentine patterns/lines of silly-cone (silicone - i guess) to prevent the HL fr/slipping if one gets sweaty luggin' their load over rough hilly trails or up slopes.
the UI consists of a stowable-deployable plastic diffuser (more on it later), and two buttons. the buttons are very easy to operate and provide a very distinct "click" audible feedback coupled with a distinct tactile feedback - very nice buttons indeed (though they may accidentally activate in a pack or pocket, is my guess, as the buttons protrude and don't provide much resistance when pushed/pressed).
the UI works as follows: when wearing the Hardcase HL, from OFF, the left button cycles the 2 red LEDs ON with the first press, and turns on the 1 green LED w/the 2nd press. the next press turns the green LED OFF. the right button cycles the hi-powered white LED fr/OFF to HI w/the first button push. the 2nd button push moves the white LED fr/HI to LO. the 3rd press turns the white LED OFF.
while i am NOT a fan of HI before LO (i'd prefer the other way, i.e. LO-2-HI), on this particular HL, it is *NOT* a real issue, IMO, b/c the left button can turn the HL on in 2x5mm RED LED mode if one is concerned about not blasting away one's dark adaptation.
oh, one other aspect to the UI is this: since two different buttons control the LEDs it is possible (intentionally [not that there's much use for it, IMO], or unintentionally [which i did more than once, DUH!!! as the young'uns say]) to have either the RED or GREEN LEDs *ON* at the same time that the Cree is on in HI or LO.
IMO, having both ON at the same time has only ONE benefit and it's *NOT* the extra light provided by the green LED as the white LED is just SO MUCH brighter than the green. the only advantage would be when the Cree is switched OFF, one is NOT left in darkness if the red or green LEDs are left ON. this is really a very minor benefit, IMO, since if one turns the Cree OFF, then one's finger is right there next to the left button to switch the 2x5mm RED LEDs on only ~0.5sec later. so, minimal benefit to not being left in the dark for no more than 0.5sec. the additional drain on the batteries for gaining almost nothing makes this an UN-FEATURE. i'll try to never use, though i forgot several times to turn OFF either the RED or GREEN LEDs when i switch the Cree ON.
there is NO timing aspect to the UI. one must always cycle through the modes controlled by that particular button to turn the LED(s) OFF. having two button, each button controlling two ON modes makes this very easy to do however. i find it quite enjoyable to use this UI (especially since i don't have to be concerned about flashing modes which i don't have any need for).
the diffuser is very nice in the respect that when deployed it simultaneously covers both the hi-powered WHITE Cree LED as well as the colored LEDs. it also stows neatly out of the way when it isn't required.
my main concern w/this rugged Hardcase HL is that the flip-up diffuser seems to be made of brittle plastic. the diffuser in my particular unit binds up occasionally when deploying it or stowing it. also, as others have noted elsewhere, when the diffuser is stowed, its deployment-tab protrudes slightly (so, the user can grab it b/t thumb and forefinger to deploy the diffuser) and picks up WHITE LED light and reflects it back to the eyes. dark tape, Sharpie permanent marker, paint, and black epoxy have all been suggested as possible solutions. i noticed that this reflected glare, in my particular case, ONLY occurs when the head is pointed straight forward. if i decline the head slightly (it's still pointed so that i can see 30-60 feet in front of me), i can no longer perceive the glare. don't know if this will works for anyone else. perhaps i have a strange shaped forward (you know, sloping forward and eye-brow ridges - Neanderthal-like or perhaps a hikercanthropus adventurus).
the diffuser great dims, to the eyes, the read LED, and makes the green LED very diffuse with the single green LED being much brighter than the red LEDs. the white LED, on both LO and HI, becomes very diffuse also. it really is very nice.
w/the diffuser deployed, hiking is still possible on white LED HI *AND* LO (though throw is lacking, especially on LO). at 60' trees are VERY dimly visible on HI; 30' visibility is better, but the light is still very diffuse. the Energizer e^2 Lithium HL is much better in this regard, w/it's LO o.p. level performing a wee bit better, in terms of "throw" or 60' visibility, than the Hardcase on HI w/its diffuser deployed. however, the Hardcase has MUCH BETTER throw w/o the diffuser deployed for use (throw is NOT much of an option w/the e^2 Lithium HL).
w/the diffuser stowed, the Hardcase HL is a totally different "beast". read on...
the 2x5mm RED LEDs provide enough light to walk a simple foot path w/o tripping. distance viewing is lacking however.
the 1x5mm GREEN LED is MUCH, MUCH brighter than the two RED LEDs, however. w/o the diffuser it THROWS a circular green beam on the ground at least 20-30 feet. the beam has a central darker beam artifact (reminds me of some old incandescent bulbs) and is NOT pretty. however, IMO, it is still quite usable. now, i don't like colored light on the trail (IMO, amber colored light, if it's NOT too yellow, is somewhat livable as it's like a dull incandescent glow). i don't like the inevitable color distortion that occurs w/colored LEDs. i've used red and green, but don't enjoy them like i do white light. however, this is one of the most usable 5mm Green LEDs i've ever used. one could easily hike a rough trail if one didn't need to see out much further than 20-30', though very dimly, or further(???) for those younger hikers who don't yet possess age degraded low light vision - don't worry it's waitn' for you down the trail apiece when you're older. other than the color distortion, the 1x5mm GREEN LED functions as a nice LO beam in terms of viewing distance.
now, i've made y'all wait for the Cree experience. the buttons and the throw of the Cree makes the Hardcase a much preferred HL, IMO, over the other Energizer HL, viz. the e^2 Lithium HL. this Cree THROWS very nicely, while still retaining a very circular LARGE spillbeam - though the spill beam is quite DIM, it is still somewhat usable. on HI 100-150 feet out is illuminated. it's NOT too bright out there at 150', in fact it is pretty dim, but at 60' it brightly illuminates the stand of three small norway maple trees i've been usin' as a practical, real world "test case" of sorts. [Note: for those interested, a bit more on these "test case" trees: 40' high, but not a large trunk diameter as they all have grown out of a common trunk that split into three "trunks" two feet from the ground.] the Cree on LO, also illuminates those trees 60' away, but dimly and doesn't provide much detail. is can easily be used for hiking, IMO. HI will almost never be used except perhaps to "scout" out a route to scramble up a rock face. LO appears to be half as bright (or a bit less, perhaps???) as HI.
the Hardcase Cree, in my particular unit, does NOT appear to be as bright as some other Cree/SSC/Rebel based HLs. this is NOT a complaint, as it's plenty bright for my purposes; it is just an observation. some may be disappointed w/the light output (both in terms of Lumens and Lux/throw), but, IMO, for my purposes, it is VERY usable on the trail. i would guess based upon use of both over the same area, that the Energizer e^2 Lithium HL would have a higher Lumen rating than the Energizer Hardcase HL (even though on HI both are rated by the Mfr. as 100lumen o.p.), but that the Hardcase has more throw when the diffuser is NOT deployed. for my purposes, i prefer the Hardcase over the e^2, though the e^2 would work as well for my purposes (i rarely need mega-throw on the trail - the forests where i used to hike in New England are often too dense to to be able to make use of mega-throw; 30-60 feet is all that is needed most of the time for my particular uses based upon my experiences after 40+ years of backpacking experience).
i must say that i really enjoy using this HL. if it had a 1x5mm white LED or if all three 5mm LEDs were white, then i'd be madly in love w/this HL.
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Energizer E^2 Lithium [Cree]
3xAA *OR* 3xAAA rear mounted battery boxes (only one installs at a time)
MODES:
2x5mm RED: ??lumens : ?? burntime
BOOST: 130-140 lumens ; 15sec max. continuous duration
HI: 100 lumens ; 11h Li AA ; 8h alk. AA ; 3.5h Li AAA ; 2.5h alk. AAA
MED: ??? lumens ; 38h Li AA ; ??h alk. AA ; ??h Li AAA; ??h alk. AAA
LOW: ??? lumens ; 53h Li AA ; ??h alk. AA ; ??h Li AAA; ??h alk. AAA
separate momentary 15sec BOOST button.
somewhat unique dual power source arrangement. other than an "el cheapo" hybrid incand-LED HL i had a year or two ago (purchased on clearance for something like $5 at STP) that simultaneously had both AA and AAA power sources, this is the only other HL that i'm familiar w/that uses this combo of power sources (other HLs i own use an either AA or C cells combo for dual power sources).
the 3xAAA batt. box is flat w/the 3 cells in a common flat over-under-underer arrangement. the 3xAA batt. box uses a difference arrangement, viz. two cells are in a flat over-under arrangment, but the third cell is stacked b/t them, sorta' like logs. so, the 3xAA battery box protrudes a bit. some will dislike this. it props one's head up a bit when laying down and trying to read. in this respect, i find it just a wee bit helpful. each batt box had two metal contacts that mate w/contacts on the headband's rear batt box mounting bracket. it *IS* possible to switch these batt. boxes in darkness by feel alone - whether one continues to wear the HL, or removes it to do the swap doesn't matter. if this ol' klutz could do it, then i reckon that anyone else w/opposable thumbs, a small modicum of dexterity, and a room temperature IQ could easily do it as well. this is a nice feature to switch fr/the expended 3xAA batt box to the backup 3xAAA batt box. the batt boxes appear to be held quite securely in place. don't know what would happen though if i took a tumble down a hill. my guess is that the batt boxes would be properly retained in place and not fly off of the HL.
the e^2 Lithium HL uses a timed OFF UI, meaning that in ANY mode, if the button is NOT pressed for ~2sec, then the next button press will cause the light to turn OFF. turning the HL ON and then repeatedly pressing the button causes the HL to cycle sequentially through its various modes.
the buttons (both ON/OFF/MODE and BOOST) are just a bit too small and so just a bit difficult to operate even w/o gloves. they also lack good operational feel/feedback, meaning that, on my particular unit, sometimes i press a button (either one) and it does NOT operate the HL (particularly the Boost button on mine). this does NOT occur too often though. IMO, this is a minor issue due to the infrequency of this even (though it shouldn't happen at all), not a major crab.
the e^2 Lithium cycles through RED, HI, MED, LO, Flashing, OFF with each button press w/i two sec. at most of the prev. button press. using the Boost button, reinitializes the 2second delay even if the light had been operated in some other mode for many minutes. this allows the user to momentarily activate the Boost mode and then cycle through the remaining modes using the ON/OFF/MODE button w/o immediately turning OFF with the next button press, until OFF is reached (unless the HL is already in Flashing mode).
the 2x5mm RED LEDs come on first - very nice indeed. they are just a wee bit too bright though especially if directed onto a reflective surface that is close (let's say, 4' or so, or closer). they are NOT as bright as some other HLs w/RED LEDs though; this is a good thing, but are still too bright to not have a minor effect on one's dark adaptation (particularly pupillary aperture).
after RED comes HI white. i would still have preferred LO white as it is still bright enough for many uses.
e^2 uses some optics and gives a very large distinctly CIRCULAR beam pattern - excellent field of illumination, but definitely LESS THROW than what one would expect based upon the lumen rating. this is obviously due to the very large illuminated area. no head turning is req'd to see most anything in one's field of view (except perhaps at the periphery which might vary fr/a bit fr/person to person). out at ~60' the diameter of the illuminated circle is about 60'. very easy to see everything of interest as one is hiking at night. however, at 60', while trees can easily be recognized, detail can't really be distinguished. on MED o.p. (perhaps[???] 1/2 the brightness of HI), at this distance, the trees become dimmer, but still recognizable. at this same distance, on LO, the light is quite a bit dimmer (maybe 1/2 as bright as MED???), and trees can be dimly seen. switched to AA cells (Sanyo 2700 which, after relatively short use, detailed below, showed 80%SOC on a ZTS MBT-1) and still could not tell the difference b/t HI and BOOST. however, i could see very dimly out to perhaps 100' on HI. LO was still dim at 60', but was very usable at that distance - trees could very easily be seen, but w/o any detail.
on fairly fresh NiMH cells, i did NOT notice much difference b/t HI and BOOST modes. i had to cycle back and forth a few times before i could convince myself that BOOST was brighter (and i'm still not sure that BOOST mode is any brighter than HI o.p. level). it's the large illuminated area again at work here. i needed to focus on some tree trunks which appeared to be only slightly easier to distinguish with the BOOST, but again, it took several cycles before i could convince myself that i was seeing more. if someone told me that it wasn't any brighter on a Lux meter mounted to those tree trunks 60' away, i would believe them and think that i had just convinced myself that it was brighter just b/c it was Boost mode. however, given that Boost is restricted to 15sec of use, whereas HI can be used continuously, there must be some increase in light o.p. i still need to purchase a Lux meter. perhaps the NiMH cells were already a bit too drained to produce a proper Boost mode???
the e^2 floody, circular beam pattern is much preferable to the narrow throw of some HLs (e.g. original PT Eos), but i would have preferred it to be a bit smaller in diameter w/the same Lumen ratings, thus producing higher Lux levels in the larger circular beam pattern. it's not that i could wish for more throw, as for general hiking, i don't find GREAT throw as useful as ample flood, but rather, i'd like just a bit more throw, or a slight more concentrated beam so that at 60' things were illuminated a bit more brightly (especially on MED and LO).
some will really like this beam; some will undoubtedly hate it. for me it's a like-dislike relationship. it don't really LOVE it, but i don't hate or even really/strongly dislike it either. it's nice to be able to take in so much w/o turning my head, and at 30' i find it very useful, but at 60' i could wish for a HOTSPOT which the optics just don't provide since they so evenly distribute the light - it's like it is ALL spillbeam on my particular unit.
since more THROW with this HL is NOT an option (NOT even with BOOST mode), i'd probably carry a small lightweight Fenix light, or a NiteCore D10 (uses 1xAA cell) to take care of those rare times that i might want to see clearly out past 60' or so.
there is a very bright, too frequently flashing battery "fuel gauge"/battery meter LED. at least that's what i believe it to be (it's still GREEN on mine; it hasn't changed color yet). at the very least, it functions as a locator, so, one can find the e^2 in the dark. every two seconds, it flashes briefly for not more than one quarter of a second or perhaps only for one-fifth of a second and then is off for the remainder of the two second interval until the next very brief flash.
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[Coleman] eXponent Mini [Cree]
1x3W Cree LED
1xCR2
1.4oz w/batt
75 lumens ; 2.5 h
?? (~20lm??? 25lm??? or a bit more???) ; 6 h [not sure where i got that 20lm figure - either read it somewhere or compared it side-by-side w/another light claiming somewhere around 20lm o.p.; or, did i just give a "guesstimate" based upon burntime??? don't know; SO, PLEASE take that 20lm figure w/a grain of salt. if anyone can give a more accurate figure, please let us all know what it is and i'll update this entry. many thanks.]
a very nice lil' light. it's surprising how much light this lil' fella (or gal???) will put out.
too bright (and burntime too short) to be called just a backup light source. however, given its very light wt (see above) there is not too much reason NOT to carry it. for UL-er's, some may use it as their primary light and a Photon Freedom Microlight as their b/u or secondary light source for task/proximity lighting to conserve the CR2.
since the CR2 cell is so small and light, there is probably NOT too much reason not to carry one or more spares, depending upon what one is trying to achieve in a base [pack] wt. when going UL.
for reference, headband is like that used on a Petzl e+LITE, complete w/cord-lock adjustment of the narrow headband, if that helps anyone.
IMO, it's also small enough and light enough easy enough to carry in the car (Li cell - long shelf life and good degree of cold resistance), or in the pocket of jacket or pants.
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Coleman 3xAAA LED Headlamp [Cree XR-C 55lumen] (NAME taken directly fr/the Coleman Website)
1 (1W???) Cree XR-C + 2x5mm white LEDs
3xAA front mounted
MODES:
55 lumens (1xCree) ; 6h
???lm (2x5mm white LEDs) ; 25h
operated by a rotary switch the side of the HL - just turn the side of the batt. compartment to operate.
Mfr. claimed burntimes appear decent enough, IMO.
my particular unit DOESN'T appear to live up to the 55lumen claim. i don't find it very bright at all. i want to check it again though to make sure that it wasn't just the "new" cells used to power it on its maiden voyage on my noggin' some weeks ago.
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Dosun H1 [Cree]
regulated
1x3W downward "firing" Cree LED encased in a reflective shield somewhat reminiscent of an H4 (or similar H"n" designation) automobile headlamp/headlight - i know, H4 is NOT downward firing, but fwd & reflected back by a reflective hood to the main reflector, but i'm hoping that y'all get the idea of what i'm tryin' to convey by this description)
3xAA in rear mounted battery pack
MODES:
120% (a momentary BOOST mode): 104lm ; continuous time duration is unknown (by me, at least)
100%: ~93.6lm ; 3h [6.1h w/Eneloops, IIRC, or Sanyo 2700 NiMH cells - i forget which i used in my own CONTINOUS, no resting, burntime test, i.e. no turning OFF]
60%: 52lm ; 5h
30%: ~20.8lm ; 12h
100% dbl-flash (aka "strobe" in Dosun-"speak" [or Dosun-ese, if you prefer]): ~93.6lm ; 12h
100% strobe (aka "fast strobe" in Dosun-speak; appears to be a 50% duty cycle to my eye, but i'm guessin' here based upon the appearance of the strobe): ~93.6lm ; 6h
the burntimes may seem just a wee bit short, but my "gut" feelings/impression is that Dosun may actually give some realistic burntimes here (unlike some HL Mfr's who seemed, to me at least, to INFLATE their burntimes, that is, until recently when some of the larger ones adopted a consistent standard for their distances of illumination and burntimes [ending "burntime" at 0.25 lux, supposedly the amount of light fr/a full moon on a clear night at 2metres, IIRC - pretty dim light, but no complaints about the 2m distance - one can see their feet and the ground directly in front of them given the 2m distance]
the two strobe modes could actually be used to hike by (for short periods of time, that is, before either a headache or epileptic seizure results!!! - just my weak attempt at humor). i actually tried it and found it doable, but NOT pleasant. the fast strobe was much better for this purpose than the "dbl-flash", as i term it (flash-flash-short pause-flash-flash-short pause, repeating ad tedium ad nauseum ad infinitum - at least until the batts run down; so, i would step-step-pause-step-step-pause... not really too viable a means of locomotion when haste is necessary). the fast strobe was really a "disco in the forest"!! freezing in mid-attack anything coming at you!!! nothing like watching under strobe light your trekkin' mate get slaughtered in "stop action" motion by a hungry bear or nocturnal rodent!! the only reason i could see for attempting to hike by fast strobe is one requires the 100% o.p. level, but wants 2x more than 3h or 6h (on NiMH cells) of burntime on a single set of 3xAA cells. i couldn't last 6min on the fast strobe w/o it driving me bonkers (made me a real raving lunatic w/spittle dribbling down my beard while mumbling to me-self !!!), but in an emergency it might prove useful to be able to use the fast strobe light in this fashion.
unique reflector rotates for diff. beam pattern: spot, eagle [wide, not tall "hot" area], flood
each specialized area of the reflector occupies 120deg.
a very slightly protruding plastic ridge marks the center of each 120deg section of the reflector so that the reflector may be positioned properly using feel alone (if NOT wearing gloves); i find that by placing my thumb on a ridge and rotating the HL's bezel allows for relatively easy positioning of the reflector to the desired position. when the "ridge" points straight down, the reflector is properly positioned for use in that portion of the reflector.
100% o.p. level is very bright in all three reflector positions. even flood is bright enough to hike by. while very bright at 100%, to my eye, it doesn't appear to be >90lm - perhaps b/c it does give a pretty sizable field of illumination, so the light (LUX-wise) would appear not as bright.
60% o.p. level is quite easily noticeably dimmer than 100%.
60% o.p. level is quite useful in SPOT mode, less so in EAGLE mode, but still useful in some situations (keep in mind that it's "downhill" to 100, so to speak, for me; so, i have age degraded low light vision; no doubt you young'uns could easily hike in EAGLE mode on 60% o.p.).
30% was NOT bright enough for me to hike with (spot mode was bright, but i prefer a larger illuminated area in spite of the decent sized "spot" in SPOT mode) and the light is quite noticeably dimmer than the 60% o.p. level. EAGLE mode also, just like flood, spreads out the light over too large an area for me to use in some situations even though it appears brighter than FLOOD mode. UPDATE: tried the H1 again tonight. my dark adaptation must have been inferior the last time i tried it under similar circumstances. on 30%, even though it's only claimed to be ~20lm, it was plenty of light for me this time around (my eyes definitely had some good dark adaptation this time and the night was overcast). 30% was fine even on FLOOD mode reflector position, and i could dimly see out past my arbitrary 30' distance. EAGLE and SPOT modes were the way to go, especially EAGLE which gave me a very wide field of illumination at 60+ feet (though a bit dim out there, but fine for my purposes at 30'). if(???) the burntime doubles on 30% o.p. level w/NiMH, as it did on 100%, that would be very nice. a usable 24h burntime on 30% would make this an excellent choice for me (~3nights of hiking w/o changin' cells would be more than acceptable). so, at this point i must say that previously my dislike of the 30% o.p. level was apparently a problem was w/my low light vision and *NOT* any overestimation of Lumen o.p. by Dosun. in fact, i don't remember the last time ~20lm of light o.p. seemed so bright and usable.
eagle mode is really nice, IMO - kudos to Dosun for this creative lighting mode. when one wants their LUMENS concentrated into a smaller area than FLOOD mode provides, for more LUX per unit area, the "eagle" mode is very nice - brighter (LUX-wise, that is) than FLOOD mode, but still gives a very good width/field of illumination.
120% is a momentary BOOST mode; no time limit mentioned to the best of my knowledge, operated via a separate BOOST mode button - press and hold for 120% BOOST. frankly, in actual field use, it is really difficult to notice a 20% increase in light unless stationary and going back and forth b/t 100% and 120% until i convince myself that i can see more in "boost" mode.
a better use of the 120% "boost" is when the HL is in 60% or 30% o.p. mode and a bit more light is needed for a few seconds. the results are very good when 120% "boost" is used in this way since you don't have to use the main switch and cycle to 100% and then back to whatever mode the HL was in b/f requiring the temporary use for more light. if this was the Dosun rationale behind a 120% momentary "boosted" light o.p. level, then i think that it is a very clever feature. don't y'all just hate having to cycle through a bunch of modes to get back to the mode you really want after requiring a very brief need for more light?!!
the very sophisticated reflector produces a lot of artifacts reminiscent of some older incandescent HLs beams. however, IMO, this is only a problem for "white wall hunting". in actual field use, outdoors, they aren't anywhere as easily noticed outdoors in the forest and don't prove to be a problem for me at all, even bein' the nit-picky old geezer that i am.
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Brunton L3 (previously the Silva L1) 3W [Lumileds Luxeon???]
regulated for ~85% of the burntime (very nice indeed)
3W Luxeon w/optics
4xAA headband mounted in two separate 2xAA batt. boxess, -OR-
4xC in remote (e.g. belt mounted) batt. box.
~8.5oz w/4xAA (though some list just ~8oz)
MODES:
MAX: 330' (Silva claimed 330', but Brunton may be only claiming ~205' now) ; 2h 15m w/4AA
MED: 100' ; 6h w/4AA
PowerSave (aka LO): 40' ; 24h w/4AA
MAX: 330' (Silva claimed 330', but Brunton may be only claiming ~205' now) ; 6h 45m w/4C
MED: 100' ; 18h w/4C
PowerSave (aka LO which is still quite bright): 40' ; 72h w/4C
[haven't used this one in a while, so i'm forgettin' if there is a "flashing" mode]
[imagine the burntimes if it had a Cree!!!]
very bright; one of my favorites;when one doesn't need to go light, but want a lot o' light for a long time, the 4xC remote batt box is very nice.
MED o.p. level is bright enough for most purposes, IMO.
the TIMED (i.e. press and hold) ON and OFF make for a very nice UI, IMO.
single small switch w/poor switch feel which is all the more egregious since one must press and hold to get the light to turn on and off;
modes are accessed via quick press and release to cycle through them.
bright spot w/a fairly decent spillbeam; spot is on the smaller rather than larger size (more so in one of my two L3's), but is *NOT* what i would consider an overly small spot. IMO, the spot is large enough to be very useful at distance.
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Brunton L5 5W [K2]
5W K2
4.5Ah NiMH rechargeable remote battery pak (i.e.. belt mounted, or carried in pocket or pak or w/the included shoulder strap inside jacket/parka)
weight on head is ~4oz; total wt w/ext NiMH batt pak supposedly around 10oz
MODES:
MAX: 246' @ t0; 213' @ t-30min; 65' @ t-10h; 11h total burntime
MED: 184' @ t0; 180' @ t-30min; 117' @ t-10h; 30h total burntime
PowerSave (aka LO which is still quite bright): 115' @ t0; 115' @ t-30min; 115' @ t-10h; 50h total burntime
plus, "flashing" mode
MED o.p. level is bright enough for most purposes, IMO. even LO is quite useful in some situations (walking an easy path, for instance).
instead of leaving one in the dark when batts almost expended, the L5 "automagically" steps down to a low mode (PowerSave mode??? don't know) when 15% of it's batt power remains - very civilized of the L5, indeed!
the TIMED (i.e. press and hold) ON and OFF make for a very nice UI, IMO.
single small switch w/poor switch feel;
also, IMO, very bright, but over priced cp. to the Brunton L3;
plus, no option for non-rechargeable cells means that for longer duration outages in the home, or longer outs in the field away recharging source, the L5 is not a viable option.
also, not so much brighter than it's lil' bro, the L3, that it "wows" me. in fact, it doesn't. it's the other way, it underwhelms me, so to speak. given its high price tag (typically around $200 - at least when first released, but can be found now for ~$150), i would recommend that non-collectors to steer clear of this one and get the L3 if one really wanted a Brunton HL.
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Aug '08 Princeton Tec Apex/ApexPro [Rebel]
***NOT YET RELEASED*** [Note: "scuttlebutt" fr/one dealer that i spoke with several weeks ago via telcon was that anticipated release date is sometime in August '08]
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Mammut Lucido TX1
3xAA in rear mounted batt. pak
4.9oz w/batts
unregulated
1W w/optics + 2x5mm LEDs w/optics
plus 3x5mm flashing RED LEDs mounted on the rear of the batt. box to func. as "follow me" lights
MODES:
1W HI: 145h / 105m distance [just the HI mode of operation for the 1W; no other 1W only modes]
2x5mm HI (so, essentially MED): 155h / 14m
2x5mm LO: 180h / 7m
1W + 2x5mm HI: 100h [Note: this is a really nice mode of operation as it provides both distance lighting and a large near area illuminated also]
the 3x5mm RED LEDs do *NOT* have to be illuminated; their DEFAULT is *OFF* even when the other LEDs are ON; spcl press & hold of one button to get them to illuminate
1W optics projects an intense smallish in size SQUARE hotspot; 3x5mm RED may be activated in any mode - even as sole lighting
two separate buttons to operate the HL; fr/wearer's perspective left btn turns on 1W & rt. btn turns on 2x5mm; short presses turn 1W on and off; long press+hold turns on 1W+2x5mm; short press of rt btn turns 2x5mm on LO; short press again to active 2x5mm HI; short press again to turn OFF; long rt. press turns on flashing 3x5mm RED LEDs on back of batt box.
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Mammut Lucido TX1 Belt
unregulated
1W w/optics + 2x5mm LEDs w/optics
plus 3x5mm flashing RED LEDs mounted on the rear of the batt. box to func. as "follow me" lights
3xC batt. pak on long cable
340g (12oz) w/batts
MODES:
1W HI: 36h / 105m distance [just the HI mode of operation for the 1W; no other 1W only modes]
2x5mm HI (so, essentially MED): 380h / 14m
2x5mm LO: 450h / 7m
1W + 2x5mm HI: 250h [Note: this is a really nice mode of operation as it provides both distance lighting and a large near area illuminated also]
the 3x5mm RED LEDs do *NOT* have to be illuminated; their DEFAULT is *OFF* even when the other LEDs are ON; spcl press & hold of one button to get them to illuminate
1W optics projects an intense smallish in size SQUARE hotspot; 3x5mm RED may be activated in any mode - even as sole lighting
two separate buttons to operate the HL; fr/wearer's perspective left btn turns on 1W & rt. btn turns on 2x5mm; short presses turn 1W on and off; long press+hold turns on 1W+2x5mm; short press of rt btn turns 2x5mm on LO; short press again to active 2x5mm HI; short press again to turn OFF; long rt. press turns on flashing 3x5mm RED LEDs on back of batt box.
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[Note: my sincere apologies for any typos or minor errors in specs or poor wording of operation of any HL; in any case, fault entirely mine if such is found; please alert me to edit inaccuracies or lack of clarity. PLEASE KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR "COPY and PASTE" ERRORS where i may forget to change the specs for somewhat related HL models after pasting in similar info (e.g. batt types, burntimes, etc.; viz. just caught my first w/the TX1 and TX1 belt burntimes not being updated for the "belt" version after copy & paste). many thanks, pj aka half-watt]
EDIT: 2009-12-03
Szemhazai just PM'd me and let me know that his Mammut TX1 has a Luxeon I/III emitter in it. Many thanks to Szemhazai for letting us all know.
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