Alpkit Gamma
Bought one of the Alpkit Gamma Headtorches for my wife. We both run off-road and she has found the usual cheap emergizer headlights we use slip down too easily and had requested I look for a headtorch with a strap over the top. Ordered and delivered for just £15 from Alpkit the torch was delivered wrapped in bubble wrap with no instructions and a fresh set of AAA batteries. It took a few moments to discover the turning on sequence which is basically press once to turn on the high output from the main 1w lamp, a quick repress will find a lower output mode, press again quickly and it strobes then next to off. However leave the button pushing for a few seconds and the next press will turn it off so there is no need for constant button pushing to find Off. However if the button is held for a few seconds when first switching on the lamp will find its other mode and access the small LED's white first, then green (what is a green light for?) and then red onto red strobe and off. The unit will restart into the last mode, of main LED or smaller white, green, red & red flash thought the brightness level or chosen LED colour within that made is not recalled.
Onto the light its-self. Smashing. The main beam output is more throw than flood and (on a brief test outdoors in the dark) has a smooth beam without the many artifacts of the Energizers. The lower output mode is markedly less bright but very useable and presumably will save battery. The storbe might be good for something (I know cyclist like this mode). For closer work the single small White LED is actually pretty bright and I imagine would be fine for camp site illumination where flood may be more useful. The green LED is a puzzle and I might have understood a blue colour but its there and someone might have a use for it. The red works for those needing to preserve night vision.
The 3AAA battery box is on the back of the headband and delivers its power via a single wire to the headlight unit. The battery box opens by twisting one end to release and allow inertion of the cells and is a fairly stiff fit against a rubber edge which looks to give a good seal, but time and testing will test the actual waterproofness. The wire has a half straight and half curled format and does not seem particularly stressed and looks to be reliable. A press switch on the battery box lights a strip of small red LEDs across the back of the box which act as a "backlight". Having used a separate flashing red LED whilst running this is actually much more than a gimmick and was one of the reasons for buying this model. It works in steady or flashing mode and independant of the front light unit.
Though I have not used the unit, rude to use someone else's headlight and get the headband sweaty, the first reports from Linda (my wife) are very positive. Though it looks as if it should be heavier the separate battery box on the back of the headband actually makes the whole unit seem lighter in use, the Energizers have the batteries and lamp box in one integral unit which seems front heavy in comparison, and the over the top headband give security.
I may have to get myself one now as the artifact ridden Energiser is really poor in comparison and that rear flashing red strip, good main light and comfortable fit takes this headlight into a league ahead of the competition.
First review, no pictures and devoid of technical info and jargon but hope its of interest.
Andy
