affordable AA headlamp for children ( ideas?)

[adkdadto4]

Hello everyone. I am looking for some help. I have done some searching here and other places and still cannot find what I consider the perfect fit for my children for christmas.

I am looking to buy them each their own headlamp. To be used when we camp and hike... requirements/wish list below in order of importance:

1. AA battery
2. No back-of-the-head battery compartment
   ( more suitable for using to read while lying down as they do each night)
3. A low setting ( preferably at least somewhat floody)
   (so that the battery will last and suitable again- for reading without being too bright)
4. Different color headbands
   (a very nice to have so they each have their own easily distinguidhable headlamp😉 and they will really loive having their own cool color... Liek Mom has with her petzl...
5. A red led-- my son for sure will love this option 😉
6. kinda sturdy
   they are kids afterall 😉
   1. ohh- teh last one-- since I need ot buy 4 of them-- I cna;t afford a $90 headlamp to solve thsi need....
      
      THANKS very much in advance for your time!

 

[flasherByNight]

#4 Seems easy enough to customize yourself (ie pick up some elastic material at a fabric shop or something) *Haven't done it myself, but seems like a possibility.

** The ZL 501 will probably go on sale soon as the 502 is supposed to come out any day now...then again probably not for the holidays

1. Different color headbands
   (a very nice to have so they each have their own easily distinguidhable headlamp😉 and they will really loive having their own cool color... Liek Mom has with her petzl...

 

[adkdadto4]

#4 Seems easy enough to customize yourself (ie pick up some elastic material at a fabric shop or something) *Haven't done it myself, but seems like a possibility.

** The ZL 501 will probably go on sale soon as the 502 is supposed to come out any day now...then again probably not for the holidays

good idea... I actually was half thinking that-- but I was searching for replacement headbands to buy from petzl and others that I could swap out... but no reason I could do a little sewing... any other suggestions if #4 was removed? (4 zebra lights are probbaly too expensive for my budget)

 

[carrot]

I'd look at the Mammut S-Flex. $30, reasonably bright but not ridiculously bright with great runtime and a red LED. I think they are pretty durable, but I haven't really abused mine.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?311889-Mammut-S-Flex-headlamp

 

[adkdadto4]

Yes- The Mammot S-flex is the closest I have been able to find. I have a couple questions on that light if you have one:

1) Can the face be rotated down to aim the light or does it just point straight ahead?
2) cCn the light be slid along the band so that the clip in the back would be on the side of your head? ( so it doesn;t dig into your head when laying down to read)

 

[carrot]

Yes- The Mammot S-flex is the closest I have been able to find. I have a couple questions on that light if you have one:

1) Can the face be rotated down to aim the light or does it just point straight ahead?
2) cCn the light be slid along the band so that the clip in the back would be on the side of your head? ( so it doesn;t dig into your head when laying down to read)

Yes and yes.

It is not SUPER bright though, just kind of reasonable output (according to REI, 25 lumens), which may be fine for your kids but definitely worth noting. I lent it to my mother, who likes it a lot.

 

[adkdadto4]

Yes and yes.

It is not SUPER bright though, just kind of reasonable output (according to REI, 25 lumens), which may be fine for your kids but definitely worth noting. I lent it to my mother, who likes it a lot.

I think I am sold on this headlamp then ! 🙂 I actually don't wnat them with anything too bright... or else I will be constantly feeding batteries, and also- probably doign that half blind since they will be hitting my eyes with it all the time I bet ...

 

[Bolster]

Hi there... you and me both! See similar thread:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-Headlamp-for-Kids-quot&p=3787031#post3787031

 

[degarb]

Depends really on their age and dollars you can spend. For ten buck, I bought a four pack of single AA head lamps from Home Depot. Also, I bought 4 really cute colored, small, glow in dark single aa flashlights with lux 1 throw at Big Lots for ten bucks. 270 milliamp. For $2.70 I got two 3 aaa flashlights at Harbor freight (replaced one cell for dummy to get acceptable runtime of 10 and 60 hours, for kids in beds at night).

My 11 year old girl, though, treats headlamps poorly. Looses batteries, leaves laying around-which broke her 15 dollar energizer this way. Son, age six, looses a light nightly. Age three daughter is a bit better at keeping track of them, but still not very well. Come to think of it, wife too will surely loose any I give her, too. I guess, since they don't buy them....Easy come, easy go...

 

[Bicycleflyer]

I agree with Degarb....get the four pack at Home depot. Right now they are stocking up their holiday gift packs. Some even have the red leds. Children will not use or appreciate the lights the same way you do. Get yourself a good one, then get them the cheap models.