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DisrupTer911

Enlightened
Joined
May 25, 2011
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269
City & State/Province
NJ
I'm in the market for a new headlamp to replaced my twice dead Energizer Lithium headlamp.
http://www.botachtactical.com/enhe.html

This is what I had. I had the driver go bad on the first one. and the replacement one the wire is too short and when I adjusted it to fit my big head it must have come loose and now shorts.
laugh.gif


I popped it open but found no visible issues so back it went...still waiting on my 3rd replacement.

anyway, i want something more reliable and easier customer service to deal with in the event I have an issue.

I'm looking for the following in this order of importance:


  • Lithium rechargeable or Lithium AA compatibility
  • over the head and around the head strap
  • decent >2.5 hours on high run time
  • minimum 100 lumen output
  • focus adjustable beam if possible
  • pivot head
  • Decent to long battery life on medium/low settings
  • Cost between $60-100
  • removable battery pack / availability of extras
  • prefer non-belt packs
Basically just for general nighttime use, late evening/early morning photo walks, other uses.
 
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a detacheable battery pack that mounts on the head might be hard to find at that price point. for the other requirements, Princeton Tec Apex, Petzl Myo RXP, and maybe the Fenix Hp11 once it's released come to mind.

although it doesn't have a separate battery pack, a Zebra H51 will run for about 2 hours at 100 lumens on 1 AA Eneloop. i don't know if you're looking for something like that, but it fits your price, output, and runtime requirements in a much smaller package.
 
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The detachable battery park is not crucial I just found it convenient with the energizer however I could not find the packs for purchase so it really wasn't too useful in that regard haha

I should reorganize that list probably.

How's Fenix reputation? I really like that HP10 but i've never heard of them, Princeton Tec, Petzl, Myo I have so thats why I'm leary on that brand.
http://www.fenixgear.com/flashlight/fenix_HeadLamp_HP10.html#catalog/img/8000-x10H0.jpg

Whatever I get I want to have a great customer service reputation and warranty.
 
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I'd vote for the Princeton Tec Apex. Decent light, and their customer service is very good.

The Apex Extreme has a remote battery pack, if that's what you want.
 
DisrupTer911 said:
How's Fenix reputation? I really like that HP10 but i've never heard of them. Whatever I get I want to have a great customer service reputation and warranty.
Click to expand...

Fenix generally makes solid stuff and their handheld lights have an excellent reputation, but they only started making headlamps a couple years ago and their first gen of headlamps have had some growing pains. I'd wait for the HP11 which is supposed to be the second gen of the HP10 (although, to me it looks more like a leaner HP20). Also, the turnaround time for their warranty repairs seems to be kind of slow.

DisrupTer911 said:
Princeton Tec, Petzl, Myo I have so thats why I'm leary on that brand.
Click to expand...

Could you clarify? I can't tell which lamp(s) you say you have.

If customer service is really important, I'd go with a Princeton Tec light. If your light breaks, they'll usually send you a new light in 2-3 weeks, and they're pretty nice about it.

If fast customer service is more important than anything else, I'd get a Rayovac light. I've had them ship me a new light within a week.
 
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If fast customer service is important just buy it at REI and take it back if it fails :)
 
Thanks for all the help! I think I'm goingto order a Fenix handheld to see how they are and wait for the HP11 and see how it stacks up.
 
Zebralights definitely fit your criteria, and they do it in a backage that's so non-bulky they only use a single AA battery and require no battery pack. RS5k was on the right track with his recommendation. What is so convenient about a battery pack that you must have one?
 
let me bring this back up.

I can clarify the above by saying that I've handled Princeton Tec, Petzl, etc lighting but have not owned them.
I only own the Energizer e2 Lithium headlamp as stated in the first post.

After using it for general use, car repair, PC repair, night time walks, some short hikes, photo related adventures, I find the following things about it that bother me.

1) it's extremely floody with almost no throw past about 25 feet.
2) the battery compartment is oddly shaped so laying down causes it to hit the ground unevenly. so working under a car that is only up on ramps or jack stands is quite annoying when my head is constantly at an angle.
3) the adjustable beam is useless. HAHA something I thought would be useful it's not.

My new list of must haves.

I'm looking for the following in this order of importance:


  • Lithium rechargeable pack or Lithium AA compatibility, (NO CR123A or 18650s)
  • over the head and around the head strap
  • 2 hours on high run time
  • output in the 200 lumen would be nice with 3 or 4 stops in between. strobe/sos not needed.
  • pivot head
  • weatherproof/waterproof
  • Decent to long battery life on medium/low settings
  • prefer non-belt packs
The Fenix HP10 overall seemed to fit that bill, but it's not discontinued and the HP11 has a much lower weather reistance rating. I don't need it to be submersible, it would be nice, but not necessary. Needs to be able to survive driving rain/snow and being soaked.

I'd also like a flat battery pack if possible. I have terrible night vision in my opinion so I find myself using it at 100% or 75% power when walking at night but being that the energizer is so floody, I still carry a handheld for the throw.

Perhaps i'm asking too much lol
 
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Good job sorting out your priorities. Many shoppers don't do that, to their detriment.

Looks like the Spark ST5 would fit most your criteria.

By "Lithium rechargeable" in AA form factor you must mean a 14500 battery.

Spark has no battery pack. When you say "The detachable battery park is crucial I just found it convenient" I assume you meant to say "The detachable battery PACK is NOT crucial I just found it convenient." The trend is away from battery packs; fewer and fewer people want/need them with modern efficient emitters. I would NOT want a battery pack on the back of my head for under-the-car work. What a pain in the neck, literally.

It would be difficult to distinguish 150 from 200 lumen so that's really not an issue.

IMO, Fenix makes "handhelds for your head." If that's what you want, then cool.

Word of advice: Don't try to make the same headlamp do duty for both computer repair and night hiking, unless you can modify the beam sufficiently. Those uses are not terribly compatible, one close (flood), the other far (spot with spill).
 
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yes i totally meant, NOT crucial. The Energizer e2 comes with 1 pack and they don't sell additional ones separately. Which is useless IMO if you make the pack removable for quick changes. + it's a point of failure as I've found out.

Not particularly a AA 14500 recharagle lithium, just AA Lithium compatibile or a rechargable lithium battery back.
let me fix that in my list.

The Spark series look nice, what retailer sells them though?

and the Fenix HP10 is discontinued as the new HP11 is being sold now. But the HP11 is IPX-6 rated and not enough weather resistance per their coding to my liking.
 
DisrupTer911 said:
But the HP11 is IPX-6 rated and not enough weather resistance per their coding to my liking.
Click to expand...

the coding doesn't always tell you that much. we've seen lights with ipx-4 rating that are better sealed than some ipx-7 lights. Szem should be reviewing a HP11 soon. he usually does a complete tear down of the lights he reviews, so i hope we'll get a good idea of how well this thing is sealed then.

DisrupTer911 said:
Not particularly a AA 14500 recharagle lithium, just AA Lithium compatibile or a rechargable lithium battery back.
Click to expand...

the Spark won't give you what you're looking for unless you use it with a 14500. if you're not already using 14500's or 18650's and related charger, i recommend you stick with lithium primaries and look into getting some Eneloops. Eneloops are easier to deal with all the way around and will last you longer.
 
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I'm sure some might but Fenix themselves no longer have any.

I like the Spark lineup and I think I might have to order one and see how I like it.
 
DisrupTer911 said:
  • Lithium rechargeable pack or Lithium AA compatibility, (NO CR123A or 18650s)
  • over the head and around the head strap
  • 2 hours on high run time
  • output in the 200 lumen would be nice with 3 or 4 stops in between. strobe/sos not needed.
  • pivot head
  • weatherproof/waterproof
  • Decent to long battery life on medium/low settings
  • prefer non-belt packs
Click to expand...

Have you looked at the Petzl Myo Rxp? Takes lithium AAs, right strap, I think it runs for 2h on high (you should check that, though), 160 lumens claimed with programmable levels in-between (and an unfortunate strobe that I think is always in the list), pivot head, decent weatherproof (though probably not waterproof per se... I've been out in a downpour for an hour and it was fine), and flips a lense from spot to flood. Weighs about 175 grams with 3AA batteries. Flat battery pack on the back. Not cheap, though.
 
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