Other headlamp like zebralight?

[joukoalanko]

Hello. Is there any other light with as flood beam as zebralights. I have 501w and the beam is best I have ever has for reading, but I am doubt about durability. I need a reliable light for a demanding conditions (wet, cold).

 

[Outdoorsman5]

Read this thread about a sailor using the Zebralight H501w - Click Here He's had pretty good luck using the H501 in very wet conditions.

I'd say the zebralight is durable enough for most uses. Carry a backup, and you should be covered.

Spark headlights are similar to zebralights, but may not be anymore durable. Headlights with great track records include Petzl headlights and Surfire headlights (like the Saint or the smaller Saint Minimus.) Check those out.

 

[Gregozedobe]

If you really need a light, then it is highly recommended you have at least one spare. Around here there is a saying; "Two is one, one is none".

Ultrafire make a flood only single AA headlamp, the UF-H2B. I can't comment on its reliability, as I haven't used mine much. It does have quite a high parasitic drain, so I leave the tail-cap unscrewed unless I want to use it.

 

[speedsix]

If you really need a light, then it is highly recommended you have at least one spare. Around here there is a saying; "Two is one, one is none".

Ultrafire make a flood only single AA headlamp, the UF-H2B. I can't comment on its reliability, as I haven't used mine much. It does have quite a high parasitic drain, so I leave the tail-cap unscrewed unless I want to use it.

I have one of them and just ordered another because I like it so much. Use it at work but haven't used it in weather. Have not really abused it yet or dunked it but it lives in my van outside and gets frozen every night and thawed everyday and has not has any condensation build up or issues related to moisture yet.

 

[ryguy24000]

the Spark is plenty durable. No reliability issues with mine. I beat the crap out of them!
The thread about the Sailor and the 501 impresses me because of the environment that salt adds to the reliability issue. I was in the navy for 5 years and I can tell you that salt water environment is very corrosive and "everything"(I mean everything. Rubber, plastic, steel. Aluminum ever see aluminum rust?) breaks down on the deck of a ship. that's why you'll always see sailors chipping and painting away! constantly trying to protect the boat.

 

[dafeichu]

I have an Ultrafire UF-H2 that I use for reading or general around the house type of situations. Agree with Greg, the tail cap has to be unscrewed or it will drain the battery quite quick. I've only used it with Eneloops and Duraloops.

I also have an Ultrafire UF-H3 for work outside even in the rain and has held up quite nice for the last year and a half. I'm not sure if the parasitic drain is as bad as I try to keep fresh batteries in it at all times.

Both lights have served me well but the continuous light adjustment just isn't for me. I only need about 4 or 5 levels in a light so I'm going with a Zebralight H51Fc and then when it comes out the H602w. Also the Ultrafire lights only come in cool white which I'm staying away from nowadays. The magnet on the ends I haven't used but some people might. For the price the UF's are alright.

ryguy, aluminum cannot rust but is quite suseptible to corrosion. I can imagine the amount of time spent on protecting things on a ship at sea.

 

[ryguy24000]

ryguy, aluminum cannot rust but is quite suseptible to corrosion. I can imagine the amount of time spent on protecting things on a ship at sea.

I once saw a soda can on the shore in the water wedged between some rocks near the gang plank of my ship. Within three weeks it turned into a white corrosive substance and was completely gone!!! I am not sure what you would call that?

 

[hank]

That's how aluminum corrodes. (Aluminum metal reacts fast in air or water, but it coats itself with a thin layer of aluminum oxide, which is pretty stable stuff -- but as that scrapes or flakes off easily, exposing more raw aluminum, so it goes.)

 

[robostudent5000]

hope you don't mind if i jump in real quick. hank and ryguy seem to agree that aluminum corrodes/oxidizes in the right conditions. they seem to be mis-communicating based on their respective usage of the word rust. ryguy seems to be using the broader definition where rust describes the oxidation of all metals. hank seems to be using the narrow definition where rust describes exclusively the oxidation of iron to form iron oxide. theirs appears to be a disagreement about semantics.