I was about to buy (until I found this site)...

[k9dog]

Maybe I should just compile a list of equipment and buy it all out there

The Apex Pro is a good £20 more expensive ifor. That's still $140, wheras the US price is < $80.

Course, I'd probably get hit by import duty on re-entering the UK

 

[Lightguy27]

Sorry, I should have said earlier... I live in the UK. We get a very limited selection of stuff here, and it's much, much more expensive.

For example, the Apex Pro is $160 here. That's a tad over-budget. Well, quite a lot over budget

My concern, and the reason I'm being so damn fussy, is that I won't be able to buy new batteries more than once every 5 days or so. Lithium batteries are the longest lasting, I think, so whatever it is should preferably accept those.

About these CR123s... how do they compare with the Lithium AAs?

[edit: been reading around and there are reports of the Apex being almost guaranteed to break if dropped from any distance. Quite off-putting, if the price hadn't already scared me away ]

Sorry, I did'nt realize that things are so expensive over there. Cr123's are lithium batteries however they have a greater power density, and are three volt's instead of 1.5 like aa's. And if you think that lithium aa's are expensive, your in for a shock. I guess I should'nt have reccommended a 123 light, forgot you were a beginner flashoholic. Well good luck!!

-Evan

 

[ltiu]

So, a little context would probably be in order here. I plan to use said headlamp for a long-distance hike in unfamiliar, potentially dangerous terrain. The main danger would be from tripping over a rock and falling down a sharp incline - that sort of thing. So my aim is simply to get something which is capable of lighting up the area in front of me very well - a sufficient area for moving at walking speed.

The Petzl Tikka Plus is sufficient. May I suggest the Petzl Myo XP? Just an even brighter Petzl headlight with mutiple levels and a flood (diffuser) and a spot feature.

 

[Lightguy27]

Wait, I just thought of something, can't you just order the PT Apex Pro from a US site and pay International shipping?

-Evan

 

[chris_m]

Of course the other thing nobody's mentioned in this thread is that lots of us here are upgrading Petzl Tikka XP and PT lights with Seoul P4 LEDs. It's a very simple job, even for somebody who's never done something like that before, and more than doubles the light output.

 

[Numbers]

How come Petzl and PT have not upgraded to Seoul LED's.
Any Idea when they will?

 

[hopkins]

Hei k9dog - you probably are looking at the ultralite hiking web pages.

You'll see gear lists of people who did the App-trail (headlamps too!)
carrying less than 25 lbs each between re-supply points.

Last season in the California Sierra's we got addicted to making
popcorn (aided by headlamps) for that late night snack to
boost the carbo load to the muscles for the next days hike.
Its fast, filling, and greasy!

 

[Offroad'Bent]

I think the Princeton Apex is going to be too heavy. 2AA would be fine, but 4 is starting to be overkill I think As it is, I'm going to be carrying around more weight than I have ever carried before in my life. For several months.

I'd definitely recommend you get a Princeton Tec EOS, not an Apex.
You can modify it with an SSC star emitter easily and cheaply (there's a huge thread here about how to do this mod) and run it on lithium AAAs. One set might just last you your trip. I have modified both an Apex and an EOS, and for this type of trip I'd leave the Apex at home.

There are folks here who would even sell you a pre-modified EOS if you're interested.

 

[infoseeker]

but maybe if you can get time to see this one

with focus-flood function

http://www.ledco.co.uk/Product_D_HeadFireRevFocus.asp

my 0.02$

 

[k9dog]

I'd definitely recommend you get a Princeton Tec EOS, not an Apex.
You can modify it with an SSC star emitter easily and cheaply (there's a huge thread here about how to do this mod) and run it on lithium AAAs. One set might just last you your trip. I have modified both an Apex and an EOS, and for this type of trip I'd leave the Apex at home.

There are folks here who would even sell you a pre-modified EOS if you're interested.

This strikes me as a great idea. I'll read the thread, but I'm a bit dubious about doing it myself, as I've never touched a soldering iron before. Saying that, if it really is hard to mess up, I could always borrow the tools

 

[souptree]

Apex Pro. You will be VERY glad you went a little higher than expected. The 4AA one is too heavy, but the Pro (2x123) is PERFECT!

 

[k9dog]

Apex Pro. You will be VERY glad you went a little higher than expected. The 4AA one is too heavy, but the Pro (2x123) is PERFECT!

Are you comparing the Apex to the EOS or just saying the Apex is a good light in general?

Since the EOS is half the price, and possibly more robust (from reports the Apex can be damaged easily), I'd need a fair bit of reassurance that I wasn't wasting money by upgrading to the Apex.

Also the EOS is at least 1/3 lighter (more with lithium AAAs).

Ach, decisions, decisions.

 

[Daniel_sk]

I'd take the EOS over the Pro. It's lighter, smaller, cheaper and no external battery pack. Check out the review: http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/princetontec_eos.htm
44 hours (regulated) + 16 hours runtime on low. Pretty good.
It can take lithium AAA's and can be easily modded if you need more output.

 

[da.gee]

zfreak has a few of the EOS models left for sale over in the Marketplace. For $25-$30 USD you can't go wrong. Well maybe.

I've purchase three from him and had two of them modded by datiLED with new Seoul emitters. Best $32 I've spent. Optional Khatod reflector (floody) available too.

All in $60 or so for a great little headlamp that runs on common AAA.

 

[hopkins]

And don't forget k9dog, that the nicer the headlamp the more likely
your new camping companions of the night before will 'liberate it'
from your pack while you are down at the creek getting water for
breakfast.

 

[souptree]

Are you comparing the Apex to the EOS or just saying the Apex is a good light in general?

I was comparing the Apex Pro (2xCR123A) with the Apex (4xAA). I own both, but I only use the Pro. I lend the other one out when friends go camping.

I actually like the external battery pack. At some point, I plan to extend the cable so that the battery pack can go in my jacket pocket for better cold weather performance.

I do not have an EOS, so I can't comment on that one.

 

[k9dog]

Thanks to everyone for your helpful responses :thumbsup:

I found zfreaks Princeton EOS offer unresistable, so have just put in an order for two.

Thanks again, I feel I've made a much better purchase than the LED Lenser I was originally going to buy.

Now I just have to buy...

tent
hammock
boots
poles
backpack
filter
....
....



Given that I will probably spend the same amount of time researching all these purchases, I might finally hit the trail by 2010 No doubt if my brother was here he'd point out how anal I can be I don't see it that way tho... if I'm spending money, I like to know what I'm getting and that I'm getting as much as I could hope to.

 

[yellow]

You already choose, but my thoughts were:

forget any three AAA bat light. These BATTS suck, and when You plan to use the light more than a few occasional times (means: rechargeable batts), these suck even more!
(while the EOS is an extremely good light. An EOS with an even higher level + the Argo external battery case --> that would be THE BOMB!)
[edit]I have another con to the EOS, the reason why I never got one (except for the AAAs, I hate): 2 hours runtime on high!
Given what You want to do with the light, the chances You put it on on high have a high percentage. Want to bring this much batts?
There is always a point, where extremely small has a negative effect
[/edit]


so the options are:

* HIGH OUTPUT + largest light: --> PT Apex
(level choice and runtime are questionable. I would not recommend it)
* LOW OUTPUT + SMALL light: --> Zebralight
* OVERALL WINNER: Streamlight ARGO HP,
use a single 17650 Li-Ion batt instead of the expensive CR123s.
If wanting more output, change the old Luxeon led with a Seoul P4 (mod needs 30 mins max)

the Streamlight is the best headlamp available :thumbs up:

PS: dont limit Yourself with wanting to get a light in a shop at Your place. These are lightjears behind (and here in Europe: Petzl. Good light, but several points where they are outdated - for us flashaholics)
PPS: dont forget a small but more powerful handheld light (= Fenix)

 

[k9dog]

so the options are:

* HIGH OUTPUT + largest light: --> PT Apex
(level choice and runtime are questionable. I would not recommend it)
* LOW OUTPUT + SMALL light: --> Zebralight
* OVERALL WINNER: Streamlight ARGO HP,
use a single 17650 Li-Ion batt instead of the expensive CR123s.
If wanting more output, change the old Luxeon led with a Seoul P4 (mod needs 30 mins max)

the Streamlight is the best headlamp available :thumbs up:

PS: dont limit Yourself with wanting to get a light in a shop at Your place. These are lightjears behind (and here in Europe: Petzl. Good light, but several points where they are outdated - for us flashaholics)
PPS: dont forget a small but more powerful handheld light (= Fenix)

I'm not a battery expert... do you have to mod the Argo HP to use the Li Ion?

I didn't really want to go with rechargeable batteries as it would necessitate carrying along a battery charger. Given that I'm not planning to walk in the dark by choice (most people on the trail camp/ sleep when it gets dark), high mode would be rarely used. The quoted 2 hours for the EOS on high is - i'm almost certain - using alkaline batts. The EOS with lithium batts will do 4+ hours high, or so I think I read yesterday.

And yes, I plan to mod the EOS with a p4 star, so I could conceivably use it on med/ low for most of the time.

 

[tedjanxt]

And don't forget k9dog, that the nicer the headlamp the more likely
your new camping companions of the night before will 'liberate it'
from your pack while you are down at the creek getting water for
breakfast.

Unfortunately, this sort of thing happens on the AT a *lot*

Guard your gear well. In fact, I'd say don't ever let it out of your sight, honestly.

I lost an entire pack (okay, we weren't on the trail, just near the trailhead at a Burger King, but still) out of the back of my Jeep right after a 3 day AT trip. As a guesstimate, I wrote down all the gear I lost (including pack) and totalled it up.

$2500 - ouch

That's not counting the new window. I bought a hardtop anyway

The funny thing is, what really bothered me about the whole incident was the loss of my patches. Over 50 patches on that pack going back to my early "Disney Frontier Wilderness" days. Everywhere I go I try to grab a patch. Now they are all gone

Man, that story is 3 years old. Haven't told it in a while, and now I'm totally bummed.

Oh yeah, back on topic. I'm teetering between a eos and an apex now. I prefer CR123 as the bulk of my lights use this form factor. Help me, maybe buying a new light will "un-bum" me