Petzl Ultra

[bubotech.com]

Hi Guys,
just decided to take a closer look at CPF after some years of rather scarce visits.
I have spent three whole days studying the threads here so far and still not finished with the topics I am interested in...pretty comprehensive stuff here
However, I haven't seen any notice of Petzl's new headlamp, Ultra (http://en.petzl.com/ultra/) ... which is kind of strange, because I think this aspires to be the first proper succesor for the legendary DUO...

My friend who works in the outdoor store took some pictures of the pre-production version some time ago:

But there are still some unresolved issues for me to call this a perfect headlamp...and with the P7 available, I haven't lost the motivation to improve my designs at least
ptr.

 

[pobox1475]

I have seen the light on their web site and posted another thread inquiring about it. It seems to be a product for hard core use like exploring caves and don't think it's designed to compete with their MYO which is more of a sports/camping light.

http://en.petzl.com/ultra/range-ultra.html

 

[276]

i would still get it and i dont do camp

 

[RGB_LED]

Hmm... interesting. I do a lot of camping and I find that you need to have a great headlamp. I don't really like any of the current Petzl's designs but this looks promising.

What impresses me:
- Beefy button and light
- Modular design i.e. Interchangeable batteries
- Max 350 Lumens (Accu 4)
- 175 Lumens for 9 hrs (Accu 4)
- Fuel gauge

What doesn't impress me:
- Heavy (Accu 2 is 200gr for light, 145gr for batter pk, Accu 4 is 230gr for light, 245gr for battery pk... the PT Apex 4AA is 280gr and it's already a bit on the heavy side)
- Light looks big
- Probably $$$

They also don't indicate the type of rechargeable batteries but most likely Li-Ion. Since they have a charger, looks like it's rechargeable only and no option for using AA's. I'm still intrigued and can't wait to see it in stores to check out in person.

 

[half-watt]

i have one "on reserve" with an on-line dealer, that i've done business with for ~5yr now, to ship the day they arrive in his hands in the good ol' USofA.

i'm going for the non-belt version with the 2Ah battery pak PLUS the optional extension cable AND a spare 4Ah battery pak -- the best of both worlds.

getting the non-belt version allows for the standard 2Ah battery pak to be used attached to the bracket on the back/rear of the headband, plus still possessing the option to emulate the BELT version using the opt. ext. cable and the 4Ah battery pak. purchasing the belt version does NOT provide a similar "gain", so to speak as the belt version's headband lacks the bracket for attaching the non-belt 2Ah battery pak.

unless i'm mistaken, and someone please correct me if i'm wrong, the output specs (other than burntime on their respective battery paks, 2Ah v. 4Ah) are identical in terms of brightness. i'd appreciate any correction on this point as i'd go with the belt version if it were brighter. many thanks, half-watt

 

[moonfish]

Well, it looks neat. 280 g = 9.8 oz. If it really blazes though, it seems cool. I bet it will cost within a few $ of a stenlight?

 

[ifor powell]

Most discussion I have seen here was in this thread.

Firstly the ultra is not designed for Caving, it's speciality is Night Orientearing although there are of course other potential users.

I got to see one this weekend at the uk's Harvester relay where the British Night Orientearing champion how is also the editor of the UK Orientearing magazine had one he was using on the Long night leg.... We had a quick demonstration while waiting to start. I must say I was quite impressed, it was brighter than I was expecting with a good mix of flood and throw which is what you need for Night O. Its definatly a good step up on the traditional Silva 20W hallogen used for night O. My home made 6 Q5 job was another good step up. Unfortunatly I did not think to compare with my 6 at a lower power than 1000ma , and did not have my double and quad headlamp variants to compare with.

On the competition front skill and speed won out well over light power as I was comprahensivly beaten by 15 mins by the petzel and that was only third with someone with the traditional Silva 5 mins quicker still.

Ifor

 

[pobox1475]

Firstly the ultra is not designed for Caving, it's speciality is Night Orientearing although there are of course other potential users.

Thanks for the correction,. I never mind being wrong. Only being wrong more than once after I have the correct info .

Randy

 

[snwg00]

Petzl was in april the head sponsor of our big Swedish orienteering relay race 10-mila. The let people lend about 200 lamps from our National night-championship till over 10-mila. Very clever! Then nobody wants to go back to their 20w halogen.

I heard only god comments about the Ultra. Perhaps not as bright as Lupine Betty but a big step forward from a 20w halogen and only half the price from Lupine. I talked to an old man( about 55) in the shower after the race and he was delighted with the low weight of the Ultra + battery and the batteryindicator.

 

[half-watt]

I bet it will cost within a few $ of a stenlight?

supposedly a bit more expensive i've been told (~$350, IIRC).

 

[half-watt]

I bet it will cost within a few $ of a stenlight?

supposedly a bit more expensive i've been told (~$350, IIRC).

 

[Tidra]

Perhaps not as bright as Lupine Betty but a big step forward from a 20w halogen and only half the price from Lupine.

You just compare a 350Lum Ultra with 1400Lum Betty,... It is not the same purpose light,... Believe me you can't run fast enough to cool Betty down and prevent to dim on a high power...

 

[JCWohlschlag]

I'm waiting to see some longer-term reviews on it. It definitely looks like a nice light, but the IP66 "Ingress Protection" rating worries me a bit. The first "6" indicates that the unit is completely dust tight, but the second "6" indicates that the unit can only withstand "powerful water jets". That level of water protection worries me a bit since puddles are more of a threat to an outdoors headlamp than "powerful water jets". IPX7 or IPX8 would be much more reassuring.

Time will tell. Hope it turns out to be very reliable.

(For those who do not know about IP ratings, information can be found here.)

 

[picard]

dam. this light looks cool and powerful.

 

[ifor powell]

You just compare a 350Lum Ultra with 1400Lum Betty,... It is not the same purpose light,... Believe me you can't run fast enough to cool Betty down and prevent to dim on a high power...

I can easaly run quick enough to keep my home made 6 cool enough to stop the maxflex thermal stuff cutting in (60 degrees) even if I am reduced to a walk for a couple of minutes on a hill I have not had it cut in. I have not had to add any special cooloing stuff just an aluminium housing. The betty may be worse as it's a more compact setup but I would be suprised if I could not keep it cool running. Once you have a metal housing you don't realy need too much airflow to get the heat away.

For the Ultra the heat is clearly a big issue basicaly a plastic housing and then resessed access at the back to a fined heatsink similar to an apex dose not realy cut it. The air has a hard time getting to the heatsinking even when you are running and they end up limited to 360 Lum. As I said though I was fairly impresed with its output in practise for the target Night O market its a very good step up.

 

[cunglee]

Does anyone know what this headlamp's leds are..?
If stock leds are luxeon, it is going to be easy to change the leds with ssc p4.
I'm not sure, but I saw petzl ultra got 7 leds in the pictures.
then at least 700 lumen..?

 

[Szemhazai]

There are already SSC P4 led's on board :].

Claimed output is 350 lumens so they are powered @130-150ma probably - there is no heatsink to power them with 350mA or more.

 

[Tidra]

I can easaly run quick enough to keep my home made 6 cool enough to stop the maxflex thermal stuff cutting in (60 degrees).

What kind of output current you are running on the LED's?

Iztok

 

[cunglee]

There are already SSC P4 led's on board :].

Claimed output is 350 lumens so they are powered @130-150ma probably - there is no heatsink to power them with 350mA or more.

Thanks Szemhazai..!
Then, you mean that changing the driver to power up to 700ma, there remains a weakness of heatsink..?
I do have the heatsink problem with modifing my old headlamp's led into ssc p7.
see you again...:wave:

 

[ifor powell]

What kind of output current you are running on the LED's?

Iztok

I run 1200ma normaly, so overdriven. It gets warm but not into the to hot to touch realm and the maxflex is happy. Last weekend I turned it down to 1000ma as I was lending the light to someone else before using it myself and wanted to up the battery life a bit from the 2.5 hours I get at 1200. It was at 1000ma when I got to compare with the Ultra.

Ifor