I just got a PT 'Fuel' here in the UK at a very good (for this side of the pond) price. In fact about half price - so I got two, one in black and one in pink for the g/f :kiss:
It's for campsite/tent use and general walking up to get the milk in the dark etc. Thought I'd give my first impressions of it (ps. I took a load of pics but then found out I'd have to upload them all to somewhere like imageshack before being able to use them here :thumbsdow Blow that for a game of soldiers... so sorry, no pics. UPDATE: OK, I relented and used imageshack
...but what a pallaver!! Come on admins, make it easier than this!)
Packaging
Professional card and plastic sealed hang pack. Don't expect to try a Fuel out and then think you can return it - because you have to rip the packaging apart to get at the goodies!
Inside
The headlamp, a single headstrap, 3xAAA Energizer batteries, instruction sheet.
Appearance
Looks neat and well designed, good quality finish, small and light though by no means the smallest or lightest. The 'barrel' design encloses the three LEDs and battery compartment in one casing, the LEDs protected behind a clear polycarbonate cover (I'm not sure if its a lense, don't think so).
The barrel is held at one side only, and rotates through 90 degrees (45 up, 45 down from central position). I wouldn't say this one sided fixture is much of a selling point, but it seems sturdy enough. Altogether it feels a neat, compact little package.
Loading Batteries
A hinged side door at the end of the barrel is flipped off using the plastic adjuster on the headstrap. This reveals the battery compartment and the spring loaded contacts in the battery door, which are clearly (in good light) marked for polarity. My NiMH's fitted fine, as did the supplied Energizer alkalines. Snap the door shut and you're ready to go.
However...this was the first 'suspect' thing about the lamp - the battery door hinge looks like a potentially weak area. The hinge has a small metal pin going through what look like very dubious plastic lugs. Hmmm....
Switching On
The switch is a rubber covered grey button flush to the top surface of the lamp and forward of the main battery barrel. Pressing once gets all three LEDs on high, and successive quick presses get medium, low and flashing settings. All three LEDs are used in all modes.
Indoors, with bare hands, it all works ok, although the switch has a rather lifeless, unpositive feel to it.
Outdoors in the dark or with gloves on, this switch is pretty awful. If you reach up to use the switch when the lamp is on your forehead, you find your hand groping around the main barrel where your fingers naturally fall looking for it. The flush fitting of the switch makes it very difficult to locate. When eventually found, the switch is on the tapering part towards the front of the unit...and, as you try to pinch the switch, your fingers slide off, not helped by the 'glossy' plastics of the unit. In gloves the switch is even harder to locate and use.
Maybe the switch can't be anywhere else, but I see this as a major design flaw of the Fuel, and it's irksome right from the word go.
Illumination
Output is not bad, not bad at all. My unit is an 'old' 15 lumens version which is what is current in the UK. PT have upgraded the output to 35 lumens in new model, but this is not available here yet.
But even in 15 lumens version this thing throws quite a decent bit of light. On a dark, squally, January night, but with some village lights creating a bit of ambience here and there, this little thing gave me vision upto what I step-measured as 30m. That was on high, and I imagine in true darkness of the countryside it would be plenty for finding your way about and even jogging down paths/trails. More than plenty for campsite and tent work. Even on low setting it was rather bright for reading close up. I was quite impressed, and wondered what the 35 lumens version would be like. Mmmm!
Runtime
Unknown. The packaging claims 50hrs on high, 110hrs on medium and 160hrs on low. I doubt whether you'd see much towards the end of these runtimes, but regardless....it's economical! I don't think we should fuss too much about runtimes of a 3xLED 3xAAA camp light, most of them will last a long time!
In use
Very easy to carry around and good output for its size. Batteries and headlamp all in one unit at the front make the lamp slightly front heavy. It's ok most of the time, but if you break into a jog you'll notice a bit of 'bounce' - not much, but just enough to let you know that everything is 'up front'. The slight downside (of all front heavy units I expect) is that you tend to tighten up the headstrap to eliminate bounce...and get home with a fine textured pattern on your forehead
. The headplate is fairly small and perhaps this smaller contact area exacerbates the 'bounce'
The switch is a nuisance, but I guess I can live with it. It works.
The beam is floody and fairly good right back to your feet. It's also quite wide (if you shine this on a wall from 6" away (see pic above) you will see the distinct wide shape of the beam, not noticeable as you pull away but it nevertheless creates a wide field of vision). Interestingly, the three little LEDs also project a definite hot spot at the centre of the flood, so up to limits it can pick out detail in the centre of the flood. I quite like that.
In summary
A fine little headlamp which looks and feels well designed and illuminates nicely for what it is. I dare say it's even up to duties beyond the camp fire cooking, and certainly will be accompanying me on dark night walks and gentle trail running.
Being critical: Plastics look a little brittle and dubious even if well finished, and I wouldn't be dropping this too much if I could help it. In particular the battery door hinge looks like a disaster just waiting to happen. The switch is awful, in my opinion, both in position and feel. And on this one feature alone you get the impression the lamp is a desktop design that was never field tested. Anyone who knows anything about outdoor activities knows that on a headlamp (or flashlight for that matter) you need an easily locatable, easily useable switch......don't they?
I think I will love my Fuel for as long as that battery door lasts. But next time, PT, do go out and field test your designs before production!
Score: 3.5 lords a'leaping
It's for campsite/tent use and general walking up to get the milk in the dark etc. Thought I'd give my first impressions of it (ps. I took a load of pics but then found out I'd have to upload them all to somewhere like imageshack before being able to use them here :thumbsdow Blow that for a game of soldiers... so sorry, no pics. UPDATE: OK, I relented and used imageshack
...but what a pallaver!! Come on admins, make it easier than this!)
Packaging
Professional card and plastic sealed hang pack. Don't expect to try a Fuel out and then think you can return it - because you have to rip the packaging apart to get at the goodies!
Inside
The headlamp, a single headstrap, 3xAAA Energizer batteries, instruction sheet.
Appearance
Looks neat and well designed, good quality finish, small and light though by no means the smallest or lightest. The 'barrel' design encloses the three LEDs and battery compartment in one casing, the LEDs protected behind a clear polycarbonate cover (I'm not sure if its a lense, don't think so).
The barrel is held at one side only, and rotates through 90 degrees (45 up, 45 down from central position). I wouldn't say this one sided fixture is much of a selling point, but it seems sturdy enough. Altogether it feels a neat, compact little package.
Loading Batteries
A hinged side door at the end of the barrel is flipped off using the plastic adjuster on the headstrap. This reveals the battery compartment and the spring loaded contacts in the battery door, which are clearly (in good light) marked for polarity. My NiMH's fitted fine, as did the supplied Energizer alkalines. Snap the door shut and you're ready to go.
However...this was the first 'suspect' thing about the lamp - the battery door hinge looks like a potentially weak area. The hinge has a small metal pin going through what look like very dubious plastic lugs. Hmmm....
Switching On
The switch is a rubber covered grey button flush to the top surface of the lamp and forward of the main battery barrel. Pressing once gets all three LEDs on high, and successive quick presses get medium, low and flashing settings. All three LEDs are used in all modes.
Indoors, with bare hands, it all works ok, although the switch has a rather lifeless, unpositive feel to it.
Outdoors in the dark or with gloves on, this switch is pretty awful. If you reach up to use the switch when the lamp is on your forehead, you find your hand groping around the main barrel where your fingers naturally fall looking for it. The flush fitting of the switch makes it very difficult to locate. When eventually found, the switch is on the tapering part towards the front of the unit...and, as you try to pinch the switch, your fingers slide off, not helped by the 'glossy' plastics of the unit. In gloves the switch is even harder to locate and use.
Maybe the switch can't be anywhere else, but I see this as a major design flaw of the Fuel, and it's irksome right from the word go.
Illumination
Output is not bad, not bad at all. My unit is an 'old' 15 lumens version which is what is current in the UK. PT have upgraded the output to 35 lumens in new model, but this is not available here yet.
But even in 15 lumens version this thing throws quite a decent bit of light. On a dark, squally, January night, but with some village lights creating a bit of ambience here and there, this little thing gave me vision upto what I step-measured as 30m. That was on high, and I imagine in true darkness of the countryside it would be plenty for finding your way about and even jogging down paths/trails. More than plenty for campsite and tent work. Even on low setting it was rather bright for reading close up. I was quite impressed, and wondered what the 35 lumens version would be like. Mmmm!
Runtime
Unknown. The packaging claims 50hrs on high, 110hrs on medium and 160hrs on low. I doubt whether you'd see much towards the end of these runtimes, but regardless....it's economical! I don't think we should fuss too much about runtimes of a 3xLED 3xAAA camp light, most of them will last a long time!
In use
Very easy to carry around and good output for its size. Batteries and headlamp all in one unit at the front make the lamp slightly front heavy. It's ok most of the time, but if you break into a jog you'll notice a bit of 'bounce' - not much, but just enough to let you know that everything is 'up front'. The slight downside (of all front heavy units I expect) is that you tend to tighten up the headstrap to eliminate bounce...and get home with a fine textured pattern on your forehead
. The headplate is fairly small and perhaps this smaller contact area exacerbates the 'bounce'
The switch is a nuisance, but I guess I can live with it. It works.
The beam is floody and fairly good right back to your feet. It's also quite wide (if you shine this on a wall from 6" away (see pic above) you will see the distinct wide shape of the beam, not noticeable as you pull away but it nevertheless creates a wide field of vision). Interestingly, the three little LEDs also project a definite hot spot at the centre of the flood, so up to limits it can pick out detail in the centre of the flood. I quite like that.
In summary
A fine little headlamp which looks and feels well designed and illuminates nicely for what it is. I dare say it's even up to duties beyond the camp fire cooking, and certainly will be accompanying me on dark night walks and gentle trail running.
Being critical: Plastics look a little brittle and dubious even if well finished, and I wouldn't be dropping this too much if I could help it. In particular the battery door hinge looks like a disaster just waiting to happen. The switch is awful, in my opinion, both in position and feel. And on this one feature alone you get the impression the lamp is a desktop design that was never field tested. Anyone who knows anything about outdoor activities knows that on a headlamp (or flashlight for that matter) you need an easily locatable, easily useable switch......don't they?
I think I will love my Fuel for as long as that battery door lasts. But next time, PT, do go out and field test your designs before production!
Score: 3.5 lords a'leaping
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