pepekraft
Newly Enlightened
Hi:wave:
This isn't a very serious review and I've been debating posting it, but I searched a and couldn't find anything on these here (although I know someone will prove me wrong now that I said that!). I understand "budget" means different things to different people, but in my opinion these are in a class similar to the fauxtons, and those're mentioned pretty regularly.
Several Home Depots near me have these cute little lamps in the "cheap gift" display area near the front of the store, along with cheap tool sets, cheap 5-packs of multi-5mm-led lights, that sort of thing. I passed them by for a couple weeks, but finally thought that for under $5 for a 2-pack (4.79? 4.99? I can't remember) I had to give them a try.
They run on 2 x cr2032 cells each, and 4 cells are included. Mine have all seemed well charged.
I've been wearing headlamps more often recently - doing some remodeling work that requires the power to be out, grilling in the dark, quick runs to my poorly-lit workshop (garage) to cut boards to length or whatever - and I've realized that I'm more likely to grab one of these $2 headlamps from home depot than my much brighter, heaver, tougher energizer hardcase lamp. (Now the crawlspace merits the nicer lamp, and a backup light or two. Spiders. Ick.)
I apologize for the image quality here, but all I had was the webcam on my netbook. They don't really beg for hi-res photos tho. Cheap light, cheap pictures.
I find these to be very light and comfortable. They have a stiff-moving tilt mechanism that I need two hands to adjust but then it stays in place nicely. I have a huge head, and the adjustable strap is long enough to fit loosely.
They are very basic. Drop in the two cells, + side down, and screw on the cap. No switch, you just twist it closed to light it, back off a bit to turn off. There seems to be enough plastic thread to keep the head somewhat secure while it's turned off, although I don't know if I'd trust it in a bag. Then again, I wouldn't be using this light somewhere that I needed to really depend on it.
I don't know my emitters very well, but this must be a basic cheap power led, smoothish plastic reflector, plastic lens. The beam surprised me - it's bright and pleasing. I don't have a way to measure the output, but I'd guess it's around 30 lumens on fresh batteries. The beam seems pretty typical, with a medium-sized hotspot and nice spill, and somehow it's not ringy. I don't know why. I haven't taken any beamshots - the webcam doesn't make that very convenient, but maybe for giggles I'll update it with a shot or two later.
I'd estimate that I used it for about 8 or 10 real hours before changing the batteries out, but I wasn't really keeping track. It was under half bright by then, maybe 40%.
I bought a 20-pack of 2032s from DX for less than $4, so I've got all the cheap head-mounted light I should need for a while. I consider this headlamp a pretty good deal. It's not pretending to be anything other than what it is: a no-frills, yet reasonably bright and lasting light that costs about $2.50. You know, I'm passing a Home Depot on my way home from here. Hm.
This isn't a very serious review and I've been debating posting it, but I searched a and couldn't find anything on these here (although I know someone will prove me wrong now that I said that!). I understand "budget" means different things to different people, but in my opinion these are in a class similar to the fauxtons, and those're mentioned pretty regularly.
Several Home Depots near me have these cute little lamps in the "cheap gift" display area near the front of the store, along with cheap tool sets, cheap 5-packs of multi-5mm-led lights, that sort of thing. I passed them by for a couple weeks, but finally thought that for under $5 for a 2-pack (4.79? 4.99? I can't remember) I had to give them a try.
They run on 2 x cr2032 cells each, and 4 cells are included. Mine have all seemed well charged.
I've been wearing headlamps more often recently - doing some remodeling work that requires the power to be out, grilling in the dark, quick runs to my poorly-lit workshop (garage) to cut boards to length or whatever - and I've realized that I'm more likely to grab one of these $2 headlamps from home depot than my much brighter, heaver, tougher energizer hardcase lamp. (Now the crawlspace merits the nicer lamp, and a backup light or two. Spiders. Ick.)
I apologize for the image quality here, but all I had was the webcam on my netbook. They don't really beg for hi-res photos tho. Cheap light, cheap pictures.
I find these to be very light and comfortable. They have a stiff-moving tilt mechanism that I need two hands to adjust but then it stays in place nicely. I have a huge head, and the adjustable strap is long enough to fit loosely.
They are very basic. Drop in the two cells, + side down, and screw on the cap. No switch, you just twist it closed to light it, back off a bit to turn off. There seems to be enough plastic thread to keep the head somewhat secure while it's turned off, although I don't know if I'd trust it in a bag. Then again, I wouldn't be using this light somewhere that I needed to really depend on it.
I don't know my emitters very well, but this must be a basic cheap power led, smoothish plastic reflector, plastic lens. The beam surprised me - it's bright and pleasing. I don't have a way to measure the output, but I'd guess it's around 30 lumens on fresh batteries. The beam seems pretty typical, with a medium-sized hotspot and nice spill, and somehow it's not ringy. I don't know why. I haven't taken any beamshots - the webcam doesn't make that very convenient, but maybe for giggles I'll update it with a shot or two later.
I'd estimate that I used it for about 8 or 10 real hours before changing the batteries out, but I wasn't really keeping track. It was under half bright by then, maybe 40%.
I bought a 20-pack of 2032s from DX for less than $4, so I've got all the cheap head-mounted light I should need for a while. I consider this headlamp a pretty good deal. It's not pretending to be anything other than what it is: a no-frills, yet reasonably bright and lasting light that costs about $2.50. You know, I'm passing a Home Depot on my way home from here. Hm.
