Smaug
Newly Enlightened
I just picked this up today at a local fishing/hunting/camping store. It was on sale for $25 + 6.5% tax.
This is a regulated 3 LED flood headlamp. It runs off of 3 AAA batteries and has 5 modes: High, Medium, Low, slow strobe, and fast strobe.
I really like this thing, and here's why. It is very lightweight. The headstrap is just a single piece of high-quality adjustable elastic, the kind that is fuzz-coated for a non-slip grip on your head. I was a bit concerned with this at first, but then I realized that with a headlamp this light, it wouldn't slip down. The physical size is not much bigger than what is required to hold the batteries. It is about 66% of the size of a pager. It does not slip down or up your head, even without the elastic tight. It only has to be snug.
Next, the beam pattern is about perfect for a headlamp. It is a centerweighted flood. The throw on the high setting is probably only about 30 ft or so, but the amount of illumination for the distances you're likely to use a headlamp at is just perfect.
I also like the microprocessor control option of being able to dim it down. On the low setting, it is plenty of light to read by, even before your eyes are fully adjusted to the dark.
The light levels are controlled by a single button, but the way it is set up is a bit different. If you press it once, you get high beam. If you want to cycle through the modes, press it again within 1.5 seconds of the last press. If you wait longer, the next press will turn it off. This may not sound like much, but it means you don't have to cycle through the useless strobe modes unless you really want to. Just go to high, med, or low, and stop there, The next press snuffs the light.
PrincetonTec advertises 160+ hours of burn time on a single set of batteries. This may be optimistic, but then again it is regulated so a large amount of that time will produce usable light. (50%?) I will do a full review and fill you all in on those specifics at a later date.
The hinge has the perfect amount of friction for adjusting it to the right downward-facing angle to hold it steady. Even if you're jumping around a lot.
It should be noted that if you're a mechanic and you will be looking up at something instead of down at something, you can always just put it on your head upside down and angle it up.
This light would be perfect for reading in bed, walking, or working on something. This is my first headlamp, so it is a bit of a revelation to me how useful a headlamp can be. It lacks some of the charm and touchy-feely interface that a handheld light can give you, but it sure is nice to have both hands free without slobbering all over your handheld light, right? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
The reason I bought this model instead of a 'nicer' and more expensive one is the price. Because it was packaged in an openable cardboard box and loaded with batteries, I was able to try it out and make sure that it threw off some decent light. It did, and it costs a bit over 1/2 as much as a Streamlight Septor. I'm not saying it equals the Streamlight, but it does get the job done for a lot less money.
Mine came in a transluscent blue case, and looks pretty sharp. PrincetonTec claims that it is waterproof, though they don't state a depth. I assume this means splashproof, and that it will survive a dunk or two.
The instruction manual is very well written. I think it was written by an American, as there is no sign of any 'Jinglish'. The manual tells what you can and can't do, what to do if you get the circuitboard wet by not closing the case all the way, and everything else you would need to know.
Pretty soon, I intend to get a Streamlight clip on model (the model name escapes me at the moment, but if you're reading this, you know what I'm talking about /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif ) and I will do a comparison when the time comes.
Cheers!
-Jeremy
This is a regulated 3 LED flood headlamp. It runs off of 3 AAA batteries and has 5 modes: High, Medium, Low, slow strobe, and fast strobe.
I really like this thing, and here's why. It is very lightweight. The headstrap is just a single piece of high-quality adjustable elastic, the kind that is fuzz-coated for a non-slip grip on your head. I was a bit concerned with this at first, but then I realized that with a headlamp this light, it wouldn't slip down. The physical size is not much bigger than what is required to hold the batteries. It is about 66% of the size of a pager. It does not slip down or up your head, even without the elastic tight. It only has to be snug.
Next, the beam pattern is about perfect for a headlamp. It is a centerweighted flood. The throw on the high setting is probably only about 30 ft or so, but the amount of illumination for the distances you're likely to use a headlamp at is just perfect.
I also like the microprocessor control option of being able to dim it down. On the low setting, it is plenty of light to read by, even before your eyes are fully adjusted to the dark.
The light levels are controlled by a single button, but the way it is set up is a bit different. If you press it once, you get high beam. If you want to cycle through the modes, press it again within 1.5 seconds of the last press. If you wait longer, the next press will turn it off. This may not sound like much, but it means you don't have to cycle through the useless strobe modes unless you really want to. Just go to high, med, or low, and stop there, The next press snuffs the light.
PrincetonTec advertises 160+ hours of burn time on a single set of batteries. This may be optimistic, but then again it is regulated so a large amount of that time will produce usable light. (50%?) I will do a full review and fill you all in on those specifics at a later date.
The hinge has the perfect amount of friction for adjusting it to the right downward-facing angle to hold it steady. Even if you're jumping around a lot.
It should be noted that if you're a mechanic and you will be looking up at something instead of down at something, you can always just put it on your head upside down and angle it up.
This light would be perfect for reading in bed, walking, or working on something. This is my first headlamp, so it is a bit of a revelation to me how useful a headlamp can be. It lacks some of the charm and touchy-feely interface that a handheld light can give you, but it sure is nice to have both hands free without slobbering all over your handheld light, right? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
The reason I bought this model instead of a 'nicer' and more expensive one is the price. Because it was packaged in an openable cardboard box and loaded with batteries, I was able to try it out and make sure that it threw off some decent light. It did, and it costs a bit over 1/2 as much as a Streamlight Septor. I'm not saying it equals the Streamlight, but it does get the job done for a lot less money.
Mine came in a transluscent blue case, and looks pretty sharp. PrincetonTec claims that it is waterproof, though they don't state a depth. I assume this means splashproof, and that it will survive a dunk or two.
The instruction manual is very well written. I think it was written by an American, as there is no sign of any 'Jinglish'. The manual tells what you can and can't do, what to do if you get the circuitboard wet by not closing the case all the way, and everything else you would need to know.
Pretty soon, I intend to get a Streamlight clip on model (the model name escapes me at the moment, but if you're reading this, you know what I'm talking about /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif ) and I will do a comparison when the time comes.
Cheers!
-Jeremy
