My idea of a perfect headlamp, does it exist?

[speedsix]

Here is what I want from a headlamp. I don't know if it is asking too much but maybe it is out there and I am not aware of it.

I have a PT Eos and my wife has a PT Corona. I like the beam of the Eos and the flood of the Corona. It seems a combo of these two lights would make a perfect all around light.

I use my headlamp for hiking, kayaking, working around the house or cars and walking my dogs at night.

I think a 1 watt or better large LED combined with several smaller LEDs to give the flood would make it perfect.

Here are some of the specs it would need to have:
1. Waterproof to several feet for several minuits.

2. Small and light. Should be Eos size give or take. The Corona is too big and heavy.

3. Batteries behind the light not in the back of the head. No separate battery compartment.

4. Uses normal AAA or AA batteries.

5. two settings for beam and 2-3 for flood. No more settings are needed. The Corona has like 8 settings IIRC. Too many.

6. Price, less than $50 street price. I am simply not going to take a $100 light with me when I can lose it or break it so easy.

7. Easy to use with gloves on. On/off switch should be easy to use even with gloves on or left handed.

8. Long battery life. On low beam setting, it should be at least 12hrs. That would give me enough life for a weekend trip of 2-3 nights without having to replace batteries.

 

[Shorty66]

You forgot to add regulation and a metal casing to your list.

 

[AdamW]

Closest light is probably the H501, based on the initial specs.

 

[Marduke]

Just need a headlamp with a integral diffuser which flips/rotates/slides into place when desired.

 

[nzbazza]

Have you got the new Eos with the rebel LED in it (the 50lumen model)? IMO this is the best all round headlamp to match your requirements, the beam profile is a medium flood.

Other options to look at are the Black Diamond Spot and the Petzl Tikka XP. They're a pretty good match the OP's requirements except for the waterproofness.

 

[greenLED]

I have a PT Eos and my wife has a PT Corona. I like the beam of the Eos and the flood of the Corona. It seems a combo of these two lights would make a perfect all around light.

Yup, it's called PT Apex.

 

[Variant]

One more feature to include: on/off switch should be protected when you put the light away (in your pocket, backpack, etc) so that it's not accidentally turned on and drains batteries.

 

[Shorty66]

which is easily accomplished by unscrwing the batterycompartment.

 

[woodentsick]

Well, you can go with the PT Apex, but that may be too heavy and big and complicated for your requirements.

How about the Tikka XP 2? That has a flip-up diffuser for proximity lighting, and can easily change to a spot light.

 

[woodentsick]

Here are some of the specs it would need to have:
1. Waterproof to several feet for several minuits.

2. Small and light. Should be Eos size give or take. The Corona is too big and heavy.

3. Batteries behind the light not in the back of the head. No separate battery compartment.

4. Uses normal AAA or AA batteries.

5. two settings for beam and 2-3 for flood. No more settings are needed. The Corona has like 8 settings IIRC. Too many.

6. Price, less than $50 street price. I am simply not going to take a $100 light with me when I can lose it or break it so easy.

7. Easy to use with gloves on. On/off switch should be easy to use even with gloves on or left handed.

8. Long battery life. On low beam setting, it should be at least 12hrs. That would give me enough life for a weekend trip of 2-3 nights without having to replace batteries.


The new PT EOS w/ Rebel LED fits numbers 1,2,3,4,6,7,8

It has a high, med and low settings, (and blink) and IMO the low or med is good for proximity lighting and the high is good for spot lighting.

Actually, you might want to consider the EOS II, which is quite similar to the EOS except it only has a high and low setting, with a much wider and slightly longer beam, which would fit your flood and spot requirements quite well.

 

[speedsix]

I do have the newer EOS Rebel. It actually fits my needs very well. I asked around here first and you guys pointed me in the right direction.

I think it is close to perfect but I might as well start with it as a jumping off point to show what I like and what I don't like.

The EOS actually works for me and does pretty much everything I "need" but there would be a few features that I would like to have that the EOS lacks.

The big feature I wish it had is a high beam that was like a spot light for long distance. The beam it has is not very focused so it diffuses after about 40' or so.

Also the controls are not easy to use with gloves on.

The reason I didn't choose the Black Diamond Spot is that it is not regulated and not waterproof. Other than that, it seemed like the perfect light. I need waterproof, I can live without regulation.

That being said about the BD Spot, it was recommended by my favorite monster hunter, Destination Truth's very own Josh Gates.

 

[tedh]

How about the Fenix HL20? Single AA battery, waterproof (IPX-8), diffuser to switch from spot to flood. Areas it doesn't quite meet your spec:

2, small and light: Considering there is one battery and one LED and one reflector, it's surprisingly large. Still, a lot smaller than a number of other lights, including the Corona.

7, use left handed: the switch is on the right side of the lamp, so it's easier to use right handed. But, quite possible to do so left handed.

Probably worth a look, given your criteria.

Ted

 

[Lightcrazycanuck]

One word,


No.