Apex or Icon - please help me choose!

[Stevie]

Hi there,

Could do with some advice from those in the know.......I currently own a Myo XP but am not too happy with it (when the diffuser lense is in the down position, there is a lot of glare reflected down into my face).

To the point, I want a new headlamp and am having difficulty choosing between the PT Apex or the BD Icon. I have heard the following and could do with some clarification if anyone can help:

Will the Apex only run for about 1.5 hrs on high with regular AA bateries before dropping out of regulation?
Is it true that if you use lithium batteries this life can be extended to around 5 hours?
I enjoy night hiking and I would be annoyed if I had to change the batteries regularly.

I know that the BD Icon is not regulated. I have heard some tales that might put me off if they were true. These include the design of the battery pack being at fault, with batteries shaking loose at times. I've also heard that the build quality is not as good as the Apex. It is rumoured that the beam is not as bright, but in it's favour the light will last a lot longer on regular batteries?

Would much appreciate any confirmations / advice so that I can at last decide....

Thanks - Stevie

 

[Beaker]

Dunno about the Icon, but with the Apex, it depends on what settings you use.

I usually run on a set of 2500Mah NiMH, and if I run the 4 5mm LEDs on the high setting 90+% of the time, with occasional use of the 3W spot... I will get close to 8 hours.

Dunno about Alkalines. Lithiums would probably be longer than the above.

If you run the 3w sport continuously it will be much shorter of course.

 

[hirby]

Can't help with the Apex/Icon thing, but you can cut way down on the glare thing of a Myo XP by simply painting the little tab on the light defuser black. That's what causes the glare. It glows in the down position and overhangs the edge of the case (so you can grab it easier). From other's posts, it would also seem to be easier to mod the Myo XP over the Apex and Icon if you are looking to get more light out of them by a simple LED change.

My mod to the Myo XP was a brighter LED, 4 AA's instead of just 3, and a custom heatsink, but it was way beyond the normal easy mod of simply a better/brighter LED.

 

[TMorita]

The Icon sucks IMHO. It's a 3 watt LED underdriven so it doesn't overheat, because it has an inadequate heatsink. Also, it's not regulated.

Apex is superior IMHO.

Toshi

 

[Stevie]

Ah - I actually tried painting the little tab on the Myo diffuser, but the chuffing paint kept coming off! Good to know I'm not the only one who finds the glare a problem.....

Not encouraging to learn the the Icon is underpowered.....

Good to learn the battery times for the Apex with re-chargeables for realistic use - cheers for that.

Incidently, I went into a well known outdoor chain the other day wanting to look at the Icon. The salesman wasn't willing to get it out of the packet so that I could have a play! I walked out. How do you expect to sell a product if you haven't got one for customers to look at!! Unbelievable.

Leaning towards the Apex. I wonder if the missus will buy me one for Christmas!

Stevie

 

[hirby]

Not to thread hijack even further, but Steve, if you want to paint that little tab on the Myo XP, take some sandpaper and scuff up the tab a little before painting it and use a paint that works on plastics well (like Tester's model paint). By scuffing it up with sandpaper, you give the paint sometihing to hold onto.

 

[Avatar28]

Maybe this will help.
Princeton Tec Apex NiMH Runtime Tests

The test was done with the 3W LED on high and the light was timed from when it was turned on until it dropped out of regulation. Run times varied from 4 hours 22 minutes for the Sanyo and Powerex 2700 mAh cells to 3 hours 07 minutes for the Rayovac Hybrid and Sanyo Eneloop 2000 mAh LSD cells. Lithium AAs will get you around 5 hours I believe

Here is another thread with additional runtime info. Looks like it got about an hour and a half with Duracell alkalines and a bit over 2 hours with the Energizer e2 Titaniums.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=96493