Petzl e+Lite Initial Thoughts

[Dave Wright]

There isn't much about this light @ CPF. The few posts I've found are mostly negative speculation. Carrying a handheld light on my night runs is not the best solution, and my headlamp is heavy enough to bounce around annoyingly, so I went ahead and picked up an e+Lite (30% off at the local Mast General). This note, then, is some initial thoughts.

Honestly, I don't think the negative speculation around here is justified.

-- It's not regulated, but that's standard engineering for a long use/emergency LED light. When the output gets down to where it bothers you, there's still plenty of time to find new batteries. I suspect that this light's output will still meet my needs when the batteries are a fair amount down. Note that I'm not spotting wildlife or chasing away criminals with this light. Most of my use is close quarter and in dark conditions (my pupils well dialated), and I am used to going light-less when the moon is full.

-- Kudos to Petzl for posting on their website, and printing on the packaging, accurate runtime information. They list their evaluation criteria and the results at different points in the battery life span. It's bright at first and fades with a typical non-regulated curve, but at least they are honest about it. Finally!

-- The flashing function is very handy. That's actually the mode I use most when running. The flash duration and pace is highly visible to cars, yet not annoying to me.

-- The red LED function is very well realized. It's a separate LED, which is much more efficient than putting a red filter in front of a white LED. The switch has a separate off position beyond the red selections, which means that you do not have to flash past the white settings to run on/off in red mode. I will use the red settings a lot when in-tent during backpacking trips.

-- The way the light tilts is a mix of good and ???. The ball joint allows the light to be reversed during pocket storage to protect the LEDs. It tilts to point where you want very well right now, but I wonder if it will loosen in the long run.

-- The switch is nice. I predict that more manufacturers will go to similar switches instead of the current click-happy interface.

For now, I would give this light a positive rating. It's worth a try if you need the light weight and are OK with the non-regulated engineering approach. Sure it uses watch batteries that cost $5 each at Radio Shack. Don't buy your replacements there. You can find CR2032 batts all over the web for $0.50 each, and less than half that if you don't mind off brands and buy in quantity. Per mAH that's not bad.

I'll be happy to answer particular questions anyone might have about the light, and will post again if I have meaningful follow-up notes later.

Take care,

Dave

 

[greenLED]

Thanks for sharing, Dave. Do you have pics of the switch and that ball bearing joint you mention? I'm curious to see what they look like. Thanks.

 

[Dave Wright]

green, I haven't taken pictures of my light, but the one on the Petzl site sorta shows the features.

The switch is the large (relative to the light body size) red lever. In the picture it is in the "lock" position - an end position from which it is highly unlikely to be turned on when banging around in your luggage or pocket. From that starting point the switch rotates counterclockwise through the following:

Off
White Efficient
White Bright
White Flash
Red Flash
Red Efficient
Off

The detents are a nice balance of secure yet easy to move between settings. The most impressive thing IMO is the fact that they put another "off" position at the far end of the series. You don't have to go through white to work off/on/flash with the red LED.

The two brightness settings will help compensate for the lack of regulation. Run it on "efficient" when the batteries are fresh, and start using bright when the output gets too low.

The ball joint is the teeny red dot at the middle bottom of the black light body. The light pivots & spins around that ball. There is enough resistance so it stays where you set it despite typical jostling. Time will tell if the ball loosens or not. Hopefully Petzl designed whatever is pushing against the ball to tolerate some wear and/or polishing of the ball.

Hope this helps, Dave

 

[straightblast]

I am interested in the light purely due to packaging and size, really. It looks like a perfect (?) light to stow in a pocket of a pack until needed. Is there anything that really competes with it in this small size / self-contained package class?

Thanks for your review.

 

[Skeeterbytes]

Not clear in the picture is the case's strap guide that enables it to attach to an exterior pack strap, always handy with the light still protected.

It's a neat little light with design features I hope show up on many others. A regulated single CR123 version would be killer.

--Rick

I am interested in the light purely due to packaging and size, really. It looks like a perfect (?) light to stow in a pocket of a pack until needed. Is there anything that really competes with it in this small size / self-contained package class?

Thanks for your review.

 

[greenLED]

:thanks: Dave, that does help. I had seen those pics before, but it never really "clicked" that that red thing was the switch.

 

[JackJ]

Thanks for posting about this! I hadn't heard of it up until now, but immediately ordered one after reading your mini-review. I too run at night, and usually need no light at all when I'm on my quiet road. I carry a handheld light (usually a Strion) that I turn on only to alert upcoming cars to my presence, and I often wear an Eos or my new Quad, but the latter are overkill for me (though the Quad is working out well for trail runs). The E+Lite sounds perfect. I'm also hoping it will work out as a backup "be-seen" light for night cycling, when used in the white flash mode. Hmmm...I might need a couple. One for each seat bag, one for each glove box. I've long been tempted to try a P.T. Scout for it's small size, but this is smaller, lighter, brighter, and much more versatile.

Can't wait to get it,
Jack

 

[Dave Wright]

straightblast, the closest that come to mind are the Black Diamond Ion and Princeton Tec Scout. You can find thorough reviews of both at flashlightreviews.com. I don't own either, but, based on details of those reviews, suspect that the e+LITE is superior by almost any measure. More powerful, red and flashing modes, tool-free battery change, smaller and lighter, and less expensive (or fewer) batteries.

JackJ, I just came back from another run with the e+LITE. Still happy with it. Until I picked up this light my run companion has been an Arc LSFP. That light does have one meaningful advantage over the e+LITE - spotting the road edge despite serious glare from oncoming cars. That's handy if the car's headlights happen to not be illuminating the road edge themselves. The LSFP is so powerful that I can get that edge, but the e+LITE in flash mode doesn't do the job. I'll have to see if that bothers me over time.

Cheers, Dave

 

[nzbazza]

-- The switch is nice. I predict that more manufacturers will go to similar switches instead of the current click-happy interface.

I agree. It's a very clever solution. Petzl do come up with some excellent ideas, I'm suprised that nobody else has copied their idea of diffusers ala Tikka XP or Myo XP.

 

[Dave Wright]

That diffuser thing is indeed a good idea. The only manufacturer who uses it other than Petzl may be Heliotek on the HTE-2.

The last half hour of tonight's run was in the rain, so I can attest that the e+LITE is sufficiently waterproof for that condition.

With LEDs getting more efficient, and circuits smaller, I think we'll see more small lights.

 

[Coop]

I have one of these lights too, and so far, I like it 🙂 I'm trying to design a small external batterypack for it with a built in regulator. Maybe 2xRCR2 or 2xRCR123. regulated to put out about the same as 2 fresh CR2032s. That should provide this great little light with some serious long runtime at constant output. but it will add a little bulk to the light ofcourse...

 

[Wolfgang_Ludwig]

Perfect edc. Better than the tube-sized ones because you can fix to almost everything. The red is very useful. It even replaced my Fenix P1D CE (I´ve never needed this much light out of a pocket). The Petzl is just overwhelmingly handy. Petzl e+lite and SF G2 is my new outdoor-combination.

 

[JackJ]

I picked one up last week, and I'm very happy with it. In addition to a "be seen" running lamp and general duty headlamp, it works exceptionally well as a reading light. The beam on mine is very smooth, with less of an annoying hotspot than even the PT Quad. Also, it's much more comfortable to wear. I never thought of my Quad or Eos as uncomfortable, until last night when I took off the e+Lite and put on the Quad, when the weight became immediately noticable. The tiny elastic strap on the e+ works great.

I've probably got about 6 hours on the first set of batteries almost all on the economy setting, and the output is still fine. It's hard to say how much it has dimmed, but regardless, it's not enough for me to care. The high output mode is still significantly brighter.

However, I'm not so pleased with the red output. I find it too weak to be practical, even w/ new batteries.. I assume the current draw is tiny, so in a true emergency setting of unknown duration, it could be useful to conserve batteries. But it's not enough light for me to do anything, like walk around, or read a map. I mean yes, I could make out features on a map with it, but not easily enough to justify the benefit to my night vistion of not using the low white setting. Correspondingly, I think the red flash has very limited application, too. I wouldn't want to depend on a motorist seeing it, or me if I used it to mark a location. It is dim.

My only other objection is the switch--I get a little bit of flickering if I just touch it. The electical contact doesn't seem to be as positive as one would hope. Is this maybe endemic to sliding switches? I dunno. I don't fear it failing on me, and it doesn't flicker when I leave it alone, but in moving from one position to another, the connections aren't 100% secure.

Just in case it sounds like I'm complaining: I received a $25 gift certificate to REI, and could think of nothing better to use it for than another e+Lite to keep in my vehicle. While not a perfect design, I find it very useful. If it were ever to get a brighter red led, I'd buy yet another.

Jack

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Jack,

I have not noticed that the red is not usable...

It takes some getting use to, but it is definitely bright enough to read a map. I put the blinking red mode on and set it down and walked down the block. It was very noticeable.

I wonder if there is something strange about your unit.

Also, I see no flickering at all when playing with the switch.

I will have to do some more testing with it, but it seems to be a very good light and is very compact. I am not sure if I can figure out what to clip the light to. The clip is very tight and seems difficult to attach to a coat or a hat brim.

Tom

 

[jayflash]

Most interesting light and thanks, Dave & others for the info. While I'm not thrilled about CR2032s I'd guess they keep the size small which is a major feature. The switch ergonomics appear very good with an intelligent, original, overall design great for a pocket until needed.

A few questions: Cost, number of cells (2?), one red & two white LEDs? What is the RT on efficient & bright? REI has it? May I assume it's smaller/lighter than the RiverRock 2AAA and about as bright as the RR on low with alkalines?

Thanks for the additional info.

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Jayflash,

Under $40 at REI, 2 CR2032 cells, 1 red and 3 white LED's, advertised run time is 35 hours on high and 45 hours on low white. I don't know the run time on red. Weight of mine is 44 g with batteries and case, and 25 g without the case, however Petzl states the weight at 27 g.

I was just ordering from Amondotech and noticed that they had the CR2032 cells for $0.25 each. I picked some up, but haven't tested them out yet.

Tom

 

[jayflash]

Wow. Even 20 hours on high would be good. Since I already have a small stash of those cells from Amondotech, maybe I'll have to get JUST ONE MORE little light to use them in.

Thanks SilverFox.

 

[cave dave]

Its not regulated at all, so expect the brightness to drop like a rock.

 

[John N]

Can someone post some pictures to give an indication of size? I'm interested in a very small, compact and light headlamp to put in FAK. Is this smaller than the BD Ion? If only this had a retractable cord like the Zipka...

Hmm. I wonder if the Zipka cord could be retrofitted onto the e+Lite? Anyone have a Zipka who could comment on this possibility?

Thanks,

-john

 

[Coop]

Can someone post some pictures to give an indication of size?

Here ya go:

Side by side with a standard minimag for size-comparison... 🙂